A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. I, Part 20

Author: Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: New York Chicago: The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 970

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county, Kansas; Mary R., who is with her mother; and Mrs. Florence Willis. The mother is a consistent and worthy member- of the Presbyterian church and into the minds of her children she instilled the prin- ciples of right living.

H. C. Hodgson was reared in the Old Dominion and remained at home until twen- ty-five years of age. During the rebellion he was enrolled in the militia and was thus forced into the Rebel service, but after nine days succeeded in obtaining his release and like the others of the family remained loyal to the Union cause. In 1869 he married Miss Hannah Wright, a lady of intelligence and culture, who was born in Virginia in 1845, a daughter of Amos and Rachel (Lup- ton ) Wright, both of whom were natives of Virginia. They were prominent people and members of the Friends society. Her father would take no part in the Civil war and the secessionists therefore put him in prison, but after a short time he was released. He was opposed to the war and therefore would take no part in the fighting. His death oc- curred in Virginia, after which his wife found a good home with her daughter, Mrs. Hodgson, in Kansas, where she died. They had four children. Rebecca, who gave Gen- eral Sheridan the information concerning the situation at Winchester before the fight. was rewarded for that service by an ap- pointment to a position in the treasury de- partment at Washington, where she has re- mained for thirty-three years. She is now the wife of W. C. Bonsal, and resides in Washington, D. C. George, the second of the family, was killed while serving in the Rebel army ; Hannah, now Mrs. Hodgson, is the next of the family; and John T. is a resi- dent of Ohio. All are members of the So- ciety of Friends. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Hodg- son have been born five children : John W .. at home: Edward H .. who is attending school in Manhattan, Kansas: Frederick E .. 1 also at Manhattan; Mary B. and Henry C .. at home.

claim in the valley of Litt'e River. His first work was to build a dugout, in which he settled his family and then began the improvement of his land. Like most of the pioneers he had limited capital and had to endure many trials and difficulties. He bought a team and when winter was over his money was gone and hard work lay before him, but he soon began the develop men of his fields and from that time huis farm has been self-supporting. In 1874 he suffered the loss of his corn crop and vege- tables by the grasshoppers, but he had wheat and other supplies and did not suffer as many of his neighbors did. He worked hard and prosperity followed his indefatigable labors. He early began setting out fruit and shade trees and finding that the fruit would grow and mature he kept extending his or- chards until he is now one of the leading horticulturists of the state. In 1886 he planted a large orchard and now has about five thousand bearing apple trees and about two thousand peach trees besides other smaller fruits. He has the largest and finest orchard in Rice county, if not in central Kansas. He was reared in a good fruit country, always took an interest in horticul- tural pursuits and determining to make the venture in Kansas he found that he could succeed here as a fruit grower, and this branch of his business has proved quite suc- ce-sful. He has had some short crops, but many years his trees have yielded bounti- fully and his fruit sales have thus materially increased his income. He also manufactures pure cider vinegar quite extensively and finds a ready market for all the products which his farm yields. His farm and or- chards are fenced with hedges and he has planted many forest trees, having fine groves for windbreaks. As his financial resources have increased he has added to his home- stead and now owns eight hundred acres of valuable land without any incumbrance. His land is under a high state of cultivation and he raises and handles stock bes des carrying on general farming. In 1888 he erected a large barn and in 1899 he built a commodi- all modern conveniences and situated upon

After his marriage Mr. Hodgson en- gagedl in farming the old homestead until 1871, when he came to Kansas, locating in ; ous two-story frame residence, supplied with Rice county, where he filed a homestead

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a natural building site and in the midst of beautiful groves of evergreen, fruit and for- est trees, making his place one of the best improved farms in the state. He started with his dugout and sod house, two years later erected a small frame dwelling and now has a most beautiful residence. These homes indicate his steady progress on the highroad to success. He is ever reliable and straightforward in business, commanding the respect and confidence of all with whom he is associated and winning the high re- gard of many friends.

WILLIAM H. CARHART.

William H. Carhart, deputy county treasurer, is a native of Ellsworth county, born April 11, 1875, near Wilson. His par- ents, William H. and Hettie Carhart, came to Kansas from Iowa, in 1872, and here the father engaged in farming for a time, but afterward became connected with mercan- tile interests in Wilson, where he is now re- siding. The son pursued his education in the public schools of Wilson and in the Kansas Wesleyan University, at Salina, where he was a student for four years. He also spent one year in the University Medi- cal College, at Kansas City, intending to make the practice of medicine his life work, but upon the breaking out of the war with Spain he enlisted in his country's service and was made sergeant of Company I, Twenty-first Kansas Infantry, and the regi- ment was sent to Chickamauga and then to Kentucky. He is still interested in military affairs and is now first lieutenant of Com- pany H of the Second Regiment of the Kan- sas National Guard.

When his brother-in-law, G. L. Danner, was elected county treasurer he chose Mr. Carhart as his deputy, and -as Mr. Danner, on account of his extensive business inter- ests in Wilson, finds it impossible to locate at the county seat, the managerial part of the duties of the office devolves npon our subject. who is now capably serving and winning high commendation by his faithfulness and

ability. He has filled the office since Au- gust, 1899, during which time the detail work has devolved upon him. In politics he is a Republican and takes an active in- terest in the success of the party.

In November, 1900, Mr. Carhart was united in marriage to Miss Minnie, daughter of Rev. Dr. J. H. Lockwood, presiding elder of Beloit district. He has since made Ells- worth his home and has purchased an at- tractive residence here, the large house be- ing surrounded by beautiful shade trees and the well kept lawn. The young couple are popular in social circles and enjoy the hos- pitality of many friends. Mr. Carhart is identified with the lodge of Independent Or- der of Odd Fellows, at Wilson, and is treas- urer of the Ellsworth Club, in which he takes great pride.

CHARLES N. WOODDELL.

Charles N. Wooddell, one of the most prominent dealers in coal, grain and feed in Nickerson, Kansas, is a native of Ohio, his birth having occurred in Highland county, June 8, 1861. His father, J. M. Wooddell, was born in Virginia about sixty-five years ago. He married Miss Catherine Ellen Stout, a native of High- land county, Ohio, and the daughter of John Stout and a Miss Nailor, who died about the time Catherine was born. Her parents were married in Highland county, Ohio. She and her husband had nine children, seven of whom grew to years of maturity.

Charles N. Wooddell, the subject of this review, is the third child and second son of his parents. He was reared in his native village and attended the district schools 1111- til sixteen years of age, when he left home and the following year he went to Urbana, Ohio, as an employe of the United States Rolling Stock Company, engaged in car manufacture, and remained with them two years. He then accepted a position with the Lima Car Works, of Lima, Ohio, and later with the Chicago & Atlantic road, now the Chicago & Erie, at Huntington, Indiana,

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and for one summer worked for the Pull- man Company, at Pullman, Illinois. In 1884 he went to Hutchinson, Kansas, where he worked on the Methodist Episcopal church and other buildings, and made his home there several years with his uncle, I. N. Wooddell, now in Garden City, Kan- sas. For one year he worked for the Santa Fe Railroad Company, and then with the St. John & Marsh Company, of Great Bend, Kansas, from the fall of 1885 until 1889, when he went to Nickerson and was with the same firm in the lumber yard there. On May 28, 1890, he went to work in the round house there, being thus engaged two years. He was then made a locomotive fireman, and, being a member of the Order of Loco- motive Firemen, he went out in the Ameri- can Railway Union strike in 1894. He then located in Nickerson and bought out the lumber, coal and grain business of S. M. Cooper, which he has conducted since Sep- tember, 1894, though in 1899 he discon- tinued the sale of lumber.

Mr. Wooddell was married at Topeka, Kansas, on the 15th of September, 1886, to Miss Georgetta McCoy, of Highland county, Ohio, and their union has been blessed with three children: Dorothy, who died of diphtheria when four years of age; Earl, a bright boy of fourteen years; and Helen, now four years of age. The parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he is serving as an officer. His father was an invalid in his later years and our subject gave his earnings to the family from the time he was seventeen years of age until he was twenty-five, but he has been very successful in his business and he now owns his own home and place of busi- ness. He buys grain at Wherry, Lorraine and at Fruit Valley, and is doing the lead- ing business in Nickerson.

Mr. Wooddell is a great admirer of horses, has shipped many and has a valuable Wilkes stallion, Alashtar, register number 25,598, a very fine animal of high breeding. Fraternally Mr. Wooddell is a Mason, an Odd Fellow and also a member of the Re- bekah Degree, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Ancient Order of United

Workmen. In his political affiliations he is a stanch Republican, does everything in his power to promote the growth and secure the success of his party, and was elected a mem- ber of the city council, in which capacity he served two years in a most acceptable man- ner to his constituents, and by his consci- entious and faithful performance of his official duties he did much for the substan- tial upbuilding and progress of the city, thins well deserving the confidence and high esteem which is universally accorded him by his fellow citizens.

PETER B. POTTER.

The people of Norwich, Kingman coun- ty, Kansas, and vicinity have come to con- sider the store of Peter B. Potter, of that town, as headquarters for dry goods, cloth- ing, furnishing goods, hats and caps, boots and shoes, notions, millinery, groceries and queensware. Mr. Potter is a native of Dodge county, Wisconsin, born December 12, 1856. His parents were Peter and Sophronia (Coles) Potter. His father was born in the state of New York, his mother in Ohio. The former settled in Dodge county, Wisconsin, before their marriage and took up a timber farm, on which he made some improvements and on which he died when the subject of this sketch was about one year old. After his death the farm was sold and the family broken up.

Peter B. Potter, the youngest of the five children of his parents, literally made his own way in the world after he was ten years old. He found employment at farm work. for a time receiving for his services only his board and clothes. When he was twenty- two years old he hired out to work in a saw- mill, and a year later became clerk in a store at Merrillan, Jackson county, Wisconsin, where during six years' continuous service he obtained quite a practical knowledge of mercantile life and affairs. In October, 1885, he went to Cowley county, Kansas, and opened a general store at New Salen in a building which he erected at that

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point. A year later he traded his store building for land and removed his stock of goods to Norwich, which town was then only one year old. For a year he was a tenant in the building which he now occu- pies and which he bought at the expiration of that time. From the first he has kept a stock of goods fresh and up-to-date and from time to time he has enlarged it until he has brought it to its present goodly pro- portions, and throughout all the territory tributary to Norwich he has an enviable reputation for honesty and fair dealing.

Mr. Potter has taken an active part in public affairs, and as a Republican has been elected mayor of Norwich and has served three terms as a member of the common council and four years as a member of the board of education of that city. He has been an active worker in his church, in which he has filled the office of Sunday-school superin- tendent for many years; has passed the chairs in the local branch of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and is also a member of the orders of Royal Neighbors and Modern Woodmen of America.

December 19. 1881, Mr. Potter married at La Crosse, Wisconsin, Miss Ella B. Nash. daughter of Edmund and Catharine ( Wilkenson) Nash, the former of English, the latter of Scotch extraction. Mrs. Pot- ter, who was born at Delafield, Waukesha county, Wisconsin, has borne her husband children as follows: Nina F., who died at the age of eight years and eight months ; Inez C., who is a student at Winfield Col- lege, Kansas; Harrison E., Grace E .; and Donald C.

Rufus Coles, Mr. Potter's grandfather in the maternal line, was a practicing physi- cian in Ohio and a pioneer physician in Wisconsin, and Captain Coles, of the United States army, is a cousin of Mr. Pot- ter's mother. Peter Potter, Sr., the father of our subject, was active in the political life of Dodge county, and in 1855 he was elected by the Democratic party as a mem- ber of the state senate, but he died during his term of service. Mrs. Potter is one of nine children of her parents, seven of whom survive. Her brother, John Nash, who is

an architect, carpenter and builder, lives in the state of Washington. Richard Nash is a farmer and mechanic and lives on the old family homestead at Camp Douglas, Wis- consin. Henry Nash is a citizen of Mil- waukee, Wisconsin. Edward Nash is as- sociated in business with his brother in Washington. Ralph Nash lives in New York city. Dennis Nash lives on the Nash homestead in Wisconsin. Anna Nash died at the age of eight years. Michael Nash, who was a railroad man in the service of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Com- pany, was killed by a railroad accident at the age of twenty-four years. Edwin Nash, the father of Mrs. Potter, was born in York- shire, England. His father died when he was a child, and when he was sixteen years old he came to America with his mother and her four youngest children. They remained for a time in New York city, whence they moved to Waukesha county, Wisconsin. After his marriage Mr. Nash worked at the cooper's trade and improved a farm which he sold in order to remove to Juneau coun- ty, Wisconsin, where he bought a large farm, on which he died in 1891, aged fifty- eight years, and on which his widow is liv- ing at the age of seventy-four. He was active in public affairs and for fifteen years held the office of assessor of his township, and was a member of the Protestant Epis- copal church.

Mr. Potter has recently remodeled his family residence at Norwich, and it is one of the pleasantest and most hospitable ones in that city. He is not only a progressive merchant but a progressive citizen, who takes a helpful interest in all movements for the public good and whose public spirit may be safely depended upon in any emer- gency.

CALEB R. DAVIS.

The subject of this sketch is widely known as a pioneer in central Kansas, and he is one of the oldest settlers in Rice coun- ty. When he came to the locality the land was in the possession of Indians and buffa-

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loes and no counties had been organized, and there were no settlers within forty miles of the place in Ellsworth county, where he and two other families located. Through all the growth and development of Ells- worth and Rice counties he has been promi- nently identified with their interests.

Caleb R. Davis, who is an honored resi- dent of Little River, Rice county, Kansas, was born in Warren county, Indiana, De- cember 23, 1835, a son of Andrew and Zella (Grant) Davis. His father was born in Massachusetts and reared in New Jersey, and he was married in Ohio. Joseph Davis came from Wales to America when a small boy and was brought up in Massachusetts and bravely served the cause of the colonies during the entire period of the Revolution- ary war, during a portion of which he was one of Washington's most trusted personal attendants, looking after his wardrobe and baggage and attending to many important matters under his direct supervision. He returned to Massachusetts after the war and later removed to New Jersey, where he lived out the remainder of his days. He was a prominent farmer and an influential citi- zen. His children were named Andrew, Joseph, Asher, Elijah, Amelia and Pris- cilla. Andrew grew to manhood in New Jersey, where he entered the army and served through the war of 1812, doing gar- rison duty mitch of the time at Sandy Hook. After the war he lived for a time at Trenton, New Jersey, whence he re- moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, then an ninim- portant village, where for a time he worked at the carpenter's trade. Subsequently he located in Montgomery county, Ohio, not far from Dayton, where he farmed and worked at his trade to obtain money with which to secure his homestead. He was married there and remained until 1833. From 1833 until 1867 he lived in Warren county, Indiana, where he developed a good farm, which he sold in order to remove to Kansas. He bought a small tract of land near Manhattan, Kansas, and built on it a good residence and improved it into a good farm, which he sold in order to remove to his life. He was a broad-minded and intelli-

gent man, of great charity and public spirit and of unswerving integrity, who was most worthily successful in life and acquired a good property. His wife was the daughter of James Grant, who was a distant relative of General U. S. Grant, and who became a well-to-do farmer in Ohio, where he died. Mr. and Mrs. Grant had children as fol- lows: Susan, Zella ( Mrs. Davis), Charity, Alice and John. The following facts con- cerning the children of Andrew and Zella (Grant) Davis will be of interest in this con- nection: Elizabeth married George Little. Mary married N. Farden. James died in Illinois. Joseph was captain of a company in the Fifty-third Regiment, Illinois Voltin- teer Infantry, and was later promoted to the command of his regiment, with the rank of colonel. He was made a prisoner of war at Jackson, Mississippi, and was soon after- ward paroled. Some time after the close of the war he went to California, where he died. William is living in Missouri and Thomas in Cailfornia. Evaline married Jolin Curran. Andrew lives in Oregon. Amelia is the wife of R. Stone. Caleb R. is the immediate subject of this sketch. John fought in the Union army three years during the rebellion and lives in southern Kansas.

Caleb R. Davis passed his childhood and youth in Warren county, Indiana, and after he had attained to his majority went to Illi- nois, where he worked on a rented farm for two years, meantime returning to Indiana to be married. After that he rented a farmn in Newton county, Indiana, for six years, and in 1865 removed to Kansas. He passed the winter of 1865 and 1866 at Manhattan, and in the spring of 1866 he and his wife and two other families located within the present borders of Ellsworth county, on Thompson's creek, squatting on land which they afterward pre-empted and held, this effecting the first settlement in that portion of Kansas. There was no other settlement nearer than forty miles, butt Camp Ells- worth, the site of Fort Harker, was twelve miles distant and Mr. Davis could buy sup- plies from the army settler at the military post there, and he remembers that on one

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occasion he paid fifteen dollars per hundred weight for flour. There was no market nearer than the Missouri river and no grist mill was available. Game was plenty and Mr. Davis killed many buffaloes and some antelopes. There were many Indians in the country, but they were not at that time dangerous. He built a small dugout house, broke some land, and as soon as possible got to farming in a small way. It was not long before he was well embarked in the cattle business, in which he has continued to the present time. After the little band of pio- neers had become established in Ellsworth county the Indians began stealing their stock and such depredations became so fre- qnent that at times the settlers would band together for mutual protection against their raids. More than thirty men, women and children passed one winter under the pro- tection of a fort, but no member of their colony was killed by the savages. About 1866 emigration set into that quarter of the state and in 1867 most of the creek land was claimed and within a few years about all the prairie land had been taken up and the development and improvement of cen- tral Kansas had begun in earnest. Mr. Da- vis improved a good farm there, which he sold in 1875, when the filed homestead and timber claims in the Little River valley, on the Rice side of the county line. Later he gave the timber claim to his daughter and in 1893 he sold the homestead claim and bought one hundred and sixty acres of land in Rice county, where he now lives and to which he has added by subsequent purchase until he owns eight hundred acres, mostly in Little River valley, all well improved and under profitable cultivation. He has been successful as a general farmer and cattle- raiser and is one of the well-to-do farmers of the county. Few improvements had been made on his home farm when he bought it, but he has built an expensive and attractive residence on a natural elevation that over- looks the valley and a wide stretch of sur- rounding country. This beautiful home, three miles northwest of Little River, is provided with ample outbuildings, barns and appliances for successful farming.

Mr. Davis is an influential Republican and is regarded as a citizen of public spirit. who may always be depended upon to fa- vor to the extent of his ability any move- ment promising to benefit the general pub- lic. He was married January 20, 1858, to Miss Catherine Byard, of Warren county, Indiana, who was born in Benton county, same state, a daughter of John and Margaret (Smith) Byard, natives of Ohio. John By- ard was the son of John Byard, Sr., of Ohio, who was a prominent farmer and who had children named David, Mary and John, Jr. Mary married Mr. Collins and John, Jr., was the father of Mrs. Davis. John Byard, Jr., was reared to manhood on his father's farm in Ohio, and married Mar- garet Smith, a daughter of James Smith, who removed from Ohio to Indiana and unproved a farm in Benton county, became prominent there as a citizen and died there. His children were Margaret (Mrs. Byard), James, Thomas and Henry. John Byard. Jr., and his wife, Margaret Smith, who were earnest Christians of the Baptist faith, had children as follows: James ; Thomas ; Henry: Catherine, who married the subject of this sketch: and Margaret, who died young. Caleb R. and Catherine (Byard) Davis have a daughter, Margaret, who is the wife of John L. Smith, a prominent farmer of Rice county, Kansas. Mrs. Da- vis is a worthy and helpful member of the Christian church.

ANDREW B. MARTIN.

For many years Andrew Black Martin was one of the intelligent and popular citi- zens and reliable business men of Rice coun- ty, and his loss to the community was widely felt. He was a representative of that class of American citizens who while advancing their individual interests also promote the general good. While carrying on business for himself he contributed to commercial activity, whereon depends the growth and development of every community. His name was always an active factor in church circles,

A. B. Martin

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and wherever he was known he was highly esteemed, for he possessed those qualities which in every land and in every clime command respect and admiration.

Mr. Martin was born in Kirkwood, Warren county, Illinois, June 3, 1853, and is a son of James P. Martin, whose birth occurred in the east and he was of Scotch- Irish lineage. The members of the family perhaps were never distinguished for prom- inence in political or military life, but they belonged to that sturdy class of citizens whose reliability and devotion to the public good formed the bulwark and strength of the nation. The mother of our subject was Miss Maxey Talcott. She had received a good education and was a lady of intelli- gence, whose innate culture was manifest in her home and in her influence over her children. She died at Des Moines, Iowa, and Mr. Martin, the father, passed away in Warren county, Illinois.

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A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. I, Part 20

Author: Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago Publication date: 1902 Publisher: New York Chicago: The Lewis publishing company Number of Pages: 970

Author: Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: New York Chicago: The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 970