A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. I, Part 26

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

USA > Kansas > A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. I > Part 26

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Robert C. Miller was reared to farm life and had but few educational opportunities. At the age of eighteen years he left home to become a soldier, enlisting for service in the Civil war in the Eighty-first Indiana In- fantry, becoming a private in Company C. and remained faithful to duty for three

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years, being mustered out at the close of the war. He did not escape all of the disasters of war, having been captured by the enemy at Lookout Mountain and confined for six and one-half months at the military prison o11 Belle Isle.

On April 8, 1875. Mr. Miller was united in marriage to Fannie E. Holland, who was born in Sangamon county, Illinois, a daugh- ter of William T. and Julia A. (Hurt) Hol- land, the former born in Kentucky and the latter in Menard county, Illinois. Mr. Hol- land was a carpenter and also a farmer and lived to be sixty-nine years of age, dying on December 14, 1899. They came with their six children to Atchison county, Kan- sas, in 1873, and in 1879 removed to Reno county, Mrs. Holland still enjoying vigor- ous health.

Mr. and Mrs. Miller began farming as tenants, thus continuing for one year in Atchison county, but in 1874 our subject took up a quarter section of homestead land on section 29, in Langdon township, and in 1876 he and wife moved out to their land. The first house was what is locally known as a "dugout" and its dimensions were twelve by twenty feet, with a dirt roof and board floor, and here industry and happiness made it a most comfortable home. This home was succeeded by a small frame build- ing. fourteen by twenty-four feet in dimen- sions, but the contrast is great between it and his present commodious residence, a story and a half in height with an annex of twenty-six by sixteen feet. One of the feat- tires of the place which testifies to the pros- perity that reigns is the large red barn, which was erected in 1882. As a reward for his persevering industry Mr. Miller now owns two hundred and fourteen acres of fine, pro- ductive land, and here carries on a general line of farming. He keeps fifty head of cat- tle, milks nine or ten cows and always owns from eight to ten horses. He uses one hun- dred and sixty acres of his land for the rais- ing of wheat and seventy acres for corn. The fine shade trees which adorn the landscape and the two hundred and fifty apple trees he planted here, and has thus benefited the lo- cality by turning unproductive land into a

veritable garden, pleasant to the eye of the public and remunerative to its owner. Since 1887 he has also been engaged in the mer- cantile business, his establishment being the first opened in the village proper. Until 1900 his brother was associated with him, but since that date he has successfully con- ducted it alone, having a very lucrative trade, retaining the customers whom he first served fourteen years ago.

Mr. and Mrs. Miller had a family of nine children born to them, two dying while in- fants, the others being as follows: William T., a railroad official, living at home ; Lou- ise, a resident of St. Joseph, Missouri ; Frank B., in charge of the store: Stella A. : Helen Gertrude; . Jessie B., a little lady of nine years ; and Howard, a lad of five. In politics Mr. Miller has never wavered in his alle- giance to the Republican party. and has serv- ed as the efficient township trustee for two terms, in 1890 was census enumerator, and for two years has been a justice of the peace. Mrs. Jones, of this village, is the postmistress and Mr. Miller is the assistant, the office be- ing located in his store, this being the most centrally located and appropriate building in the town, and is Mr. Miller's own prop- erty. Socially he is a member of the G. A. R., while the religious connection of the fam- ily is with the Christian church.

L. E. VERMILLION.

For almost a quarter of a century Dr. Vermillion has been a resident of Kansas and to-day he ranks with the ablest physi- cians and surgeons of this portion of the state. He was born in Loudon county. Vir- ginia, April 30, 1850, his birthplace being near Buckland, the family residence. On both the paternal and maternal sides he is descended from old and prominent families of his native state, his ancestors having lo- cated in the Old Dominion prior to the Rev- olutionary war. Jonathan Vermillion, the Doctor's father, was a miller by trade, and in his business affairs won a high degree of success. He was born in Virginia, and

JE Vermillion M.D.

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there wooed and won Miss Elizabeth War- ford, who was connected with the Lees and other prominent families of Virginia. She acquired her education there and was a lady of culture, who proved to her husband a faithful companion on the journey of life. In his political views Jonathan Vermillion was a stalwart Democrat, and his religious belief was indicated by his membership in the Methodist Episcopal church. He was active and zealous in its work and had much influence among the young people by rea- son of his genial ways and hearty sympathy and the interest which he took in the boys and girls through youth .as they approached manhood and womanhood. Socially he was identified with the Masonic fraternity. He died in 1868, at the age of forty-four years, and his wife passed away at the age of forty- eight, loved and respected by all who knew her by reason of her many good qualities of head and heart. This worthy couple were the parents of three children: Louin E., of this review ; Oscar, of Sullivan coun- ty, Indiana; and Mrs. Annie Pascoe, of Great Bend, Kansas.

In taking up the personal history of Dr. Vermillion we present to our readers a life record which cannot fail to prove of interest, for the subject is so widely and favorably known in this portion of Kansas. He was reared in Virginia and in Clark county, Illinois, near York, pursuing his educaton in the common schools and in the high school and academy near his home. De- termining to make the practice of medicine his life work, he began study under the di- rection of Dr. Beard, of Rice county, Kan- sas, and further continued his studies in the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Keo- kuk, Iowa, where he was graduated with honor in the class of 1890. In the mean- time, however, in 1890, he had begun prac- tice in Mitchell, where he remained until 1892, when he came to Lyons and opened an office. From the beginning of his prac- tice here he has met with a high degree of success. When called upon to attend some difficult cases he soon demonstrated his abil- ity to handle the intricate problems that fall

to the lot of the medical practitioner and has since enjoyed a constantly increasing success. By reading and study he keeps in touch with the advanced thought and prog- ress made by the medical science as exem- plified in the work of the fraternity, and his labors have been of great value to the community in which he is located, as well as proving a source of good income to him- self.

In 1871 Dr. Vermillion was united in marriage to Miss Amelia G. Ball, who was born in York, Clark county, Illinois, a daughter of Aaron and Susan ( Bennett) Ball, the former a native of New Jersey and the latter of New York. Her father is now deceased. Unto Dr. and Mrs. Vermillion were born four children: Jonathan, of Kan- sas City, Missouri: Carl, who is living in Lyons ; Mrs. Mary Suttle, of Rice county. Kansas; and Clyde, who is yet under the parental roof. Mrs. Vermillion died Feb- ruary 19, 1883. and October 5, 1887. Dr. Vermillion was united in marriage to Miss Ida Nichols, of Kingsville, Missouri. To this union have been buon six children, viz. : Archie, Harry Percival. Grace, Charlie, who died at the age of three years, Louin Edgar, Jr., and Frank. The Doctor exer- cises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the Democracy, and socially he is connected with the Masonic fraternity and with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. exemplifying in his life the beneficent spirit of these orders, which recognize the brotherhood of mankind and the claims of humanity for forbearance, charity and aid .. He is likewise a repre- sentative of the Ancient order of United Workmen. Both he and his wife hold mem- bership in the Methodist Episcopal church. of which he is serving as trustee. The Doc- tor is now acting as physician for the Mis- souri Pacific Railroad Company and his standing in his profession is indicated by the fact that he is chairman of the Rice County Medical Society. He is a man of fine per- sonal appearance, being six feet and two inches in height and weighing two hundred and thirty pounds. His manner is frank and

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courteous, and he wins friends wherever he goes. As a citizen he is public spirited and progressive. The causes of education, of temperance and of morality are all dear to his heart, and he is a champion of every measure calculated to prove of general good.

CHARLES P. MILLER.

One of the best known farmers of Ger- man birth in Reno county, Kansas, is Charles P. Miller, of section 3, Huntsville town- ship, whose post office address is Huntsville. Like most American citizens of his nation- ality he is a man of enterprise and thrift who believes in doing for the community in which he lives as much as the community can possibly do for him.

Charles P. Miller was born in the old family home of the Millers on the Rhine, in Germany, July 29, 1835, a son of John Mil- ler, who owned lands and mill property and who died in Germany in 1837, leaving a widow and five children, three of whom are sons. Mrs. Miller disposed of her property in her native land and with some little cap- ital came to America with her children about 1845. She located in Cuyahoga county, Ohio, and died at the residence of her son, George F. Miller, a successful farmer in Franklin county, Missouri, in 1872, aged seventy-five years. The subject of this sketch received a fair education in Germany and was reared on a farm about five miles from Cleveland, Ohio, which was owned by his mother. In 1857 she sold her land in Ohio, and with many others went to Mis- souri, where cheap and good land was pro- curable at that time and where they bought one hundred and eighty acres and later eighty acres. This property was purchased by Charles P. Miller and his brother, George F., and is located in Franklin county, Mis- souri, fifty-four miles west of St. Louis.

August 16, 1860, Mr. Miller married Sophronia Paulina Woodland, who was born in Missouri, in 1835, a daughter of James Woodland. August 23, 1863, cur subject enlisted in Company D. Eleventh

Regiment, Missouri Volunteer Infantry, with which he saw active service until he was honorably discharged, January 15, 1866. He went into the service as a private and came out with the rank of a corporal. He went to Stafford county, in western Kan- sas, in 1879, and in 1883 removed to Hunts- ville township, Reno county, where he bought one hundred and sixty acres of un- improved prairie land, in the following year, for ten hundred and forty dollars. He had previously sold his eighty-acre farm in Mis- souri. Mr. and Mrs. Miller have had three sons and three daughters. all but one of whom are married. . Their son. John Thom- as Miller, who is unmarried, manages his father's homestead. Ferdinand, born May 8, 1861, is a farmer in Oklahoma, and has three sons. Eliza Jane married Jacob Dean and has two children. She lives in Kansas City, Kansas. Charles Miller is a farmer in Oklahoma territory. He is married but has no children. Amelia married John Speniol, of Livingston county, Illinois, and has two sons and a daughter. Emma married Oron Saxton, and lives in Hayes township.

When Mr. Miller entered the army as a volunteer it was not without a good knowl- edge of the perils he would be called upon to endure, for he had seen active service in the home guard, and his services in behalf of the flag were so well appreciated that he is the recipient of a pension of seventeen dollars a month. Politically he is an inde- pendent voter. He is a Protestant and has been guided through life by the Golden Rule. A man of much public spirit, he has given an active and liberal support to every movement which in his good judgment has promised to benefit his township and county.

F. H. NORRIS. .

Among the enterprising business men of Genezeo is F. H. Norris, who is at the head of an extensive mercantile establishment. He was born in Van Buren county, Iowa, Jan- uary 8, 1856, a son of S. M. Norris, who was called to the home beyond in 1900, at

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the ripe old age of eighty-five years. He was a member of a prominent and influen- tial Indiana family. His wife bore the maid- en name of Rachel Moore, and they were the parents of seven children, five sons and two daughters. One son, R. M. Norris, is now an enterprising business man of Paw- nee county, Kansas.

F. H. Norris was reared under the pa- rental roof and received a good common- school education. He came to Kansas in 1884, locating in Hodgman county, where he was engaged in business for three years. On the expiration of that period, in 1887, he took up his abode in Rice county, where he has since been identified with its mercan- tile interests. He is now recognized as one of the leading merchants of Geneseo. His large store is located in the bank block, and there he carries a large line of dry goods, boots, shoes, groceries and everything to be found in a first-class establishment of that kind.

When twenty-four years of age he was united in marriage with Miss Viola Brook. a lady of intelligence and culture, who was born, reared and educated in Iowa. Her father. William Brook, is now deceased. Three children have come to bless the home of Mr. and Mrs. Norris,-Earl F., Cecil B. and Fern. Our subject is a Mason and a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. In politics he is a Republican, and has served as a member of the school board, the cause of education ever finding in him a warm friend. He is a public-spir- ited and progressive citizen, lending his aid and co-operation to every movement for the public good an is a reliable business man who fully merits the confidence reposed in him.

HANDSEL A. ABBOTT.

Kansas, which before the Civil war was the theatre of dire sectional strife, is now ground common to both federal and confed- erate where they may not only talk over the events of those days of battle and of death from 1861 to 1865, but where they meet as

friends and live together as brother -. This thought is suggested by the fact that Kansas contains a large percentage of citizens from the south, and these are among her most progressive, successful and highly appre- ciated business men. Of the prominent citi- zens of Reno county of southern birth and experience none is known more widely or more favorably than the gentleman whose name is above, and none has better reasons for remembering the Civil war and the sec- tional hate and personal animosity which were engendered by the causes which led to it and were fostered by its strenuous activ- ities.

Handsel A. Abbott, of the firm of Abbott & Henshaw, dealers in lumber. hardware, grain and coal, at Plevna, Reno county, : Kansas, was born on Lookout Mountain, Franklin county, Tennessee, May 26. 1853, and his earliest recollections are of those days and scenes which so sorely tried men's souls in every part of the United States. His father, Thomas Henry Abbott, was born near Atlanta, Georgia, in 1818, and died at East St. Louis, Illinois, in June, 1899. His mother was Huldah L. Simmons, and she came of an old Georgia family. Thomas Henry and Huldah L. ( Simmons ) Abbott had four sons and three daughters. of whom in order of birth the subject of this sketch was the third son and fourth child. All of their children except two of the daughters are living. Monroe, who is a cattle rancher in northwest Texas, was through the whole period of the Civil war captain of a mili- tary company in the Confederate service. Louisa Elizabeth died at the age of twenty-seven, leaving one son. George B., a dealer in lumber and coal at East St. Louis, Illinois, has two daughters. Handsel A. is the immediate subject of this sketch. Lorenzo Dow, a dealer in lumber and coal at East St. Louis, Illinois, has a daughter. Julia Ann died at about the age of thirty years and left one daughter. Lydia N. is the wife of a Mr. Doyle, of McPherson county, Kansas. The mother of these chil- dren was born in 1819 and died at East St. Louis, Illinois, in 1896.

Thomas Henry Abbott was by profes-

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sion a dentist and was the owner of a sec- tion of land and of about three slaves, and his wife's parents were planters and slave owners. Notwithstanding the fact that his financial interests might have appeared to be jeopardized by such action, he enlisted in the federal army at Nashville, Tennessee, in 1861, and served much of the time for three years as a scout and as a guide to the Union froces. He was twice captured, and once, with a rope around his neck, was threatened with a speedy death, but was saved through recognition as a member of the Masonic order by some of the leaders of these would- be executioners. Once, while he was on a visit to his old home, enemies approached and he was obliged to flee and was pursued by bloodhounds. He managed to climb into a mulberry tree, from which he fired at the dogs until they were all dead, after which he escaped to the Union camp at Huntsville, Alabama. So strong was the feeling against Union men in his vicinity that he found it impossible to remain there and, sacrificing all his property, including several blooded horses and considerable other fine stock, he escaped with his family, and they made their way to Mattoon, Illinois, where he joined them at the close of the war. Mr. Abbott who was a well educated man of gentle- manly bearing and was known as a temper- ance advocate, was an outspoken abolition- ist before the war began and was averse to the war. Two attempts were made to con- script him and compel him to do duty as a Confederate soldier, but those who made them were outwitted and as has been stated he did everything in his power to aid the federal catise.

Handsel A. Abbott was married May 26, 1882, to Miss Ida Campbell of Plevna town- ship, Reno county, who was born at Bay City, Michigan, a daughter of N. R, and Al- mira ( Dickson ) Campbell. natives of the state of New York. and early settlers at Bay City. In August. 1873, Mr. Campbell went to Plevna township and secured three hundred and twenty acres of land, partly on a home- stead claim and partly on a tree claim, and his son. J. W. Campbell, took up one hun- dred and sixty acres on a homestead claim.

At that time no one lived where the village of Plevna has since grown up, and the Campbells had but one neighbor within four miles. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell reared six children, all that were born to them and all are living in central Kansas. Mr. Campbell died in January, 1892, at the age of seventy- two and his widow removed from their farm to Plevna, where she is living, aged sixty- nine years.

Mrs. Abbott's mother, Mrs. Almira (Dickson) Campbell, was born in Taberg, Oneida county, New York, June 30, 1832, a daughter of George and Sarah (Smart) Dickson. Her father, who was a foundry- man, reared seven children to years of ma- turity and five of them married. At this time there are living Mrs. Abbott's aunt, Adelia (Dickson) Berry, in Lebanon coun- ty, Pennsylvania, and her uncle, O. A. Dick- son, of West Alton, Missouri. N. R. Camp- bell, Mrs. Abbott's' father, was born in Erie county, New York, in 1820, and was mar- ried in Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, in 1850, to Almira Dickson, and they settled at Bay City, Michigan, where he was em- ployed in lumber mills .. N. R. and Almira (Dickson) Campbell had six children, as follows: J. W., a farmer near Plevna, and has two sons; Ida, the wife of Handsel A. Abbott ; J. J., of Hutchinson, Kansas, and has four children : Dean, who married John W. Hanon, who lives near Plevna, and they have four children; Julia, who married A. T. Dunham, of Plevna, and has six children; Georgia, who married William H. Mitchell, and has two children. Mr. Campbell went from Oakland county, Michigan, to Plevna township in the fall of 1872 and was a suc- ·cessful farmer until he was stricken by par- alysis, which for two years before his death made him a helpless invalid.

Mr. and Mrs. Abbott have a daughter of eighteen years who is now securing an edu- cation and giving much attention to music, being an accomplished musician on the piano. She is taking lessons from one of the best teachers in. Hutchinson. Mr. Abbott is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of the Modern Woodmen of Amer- ica and of the Good Templars. He is a man

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of much public spirit and is well and widely known through central Kansas. He came to the state with his parents in 1870, locat- ed in Plevna township in 1880 and bought a half section of land and engaged in stock- raising. He located in Plevna in 1885 and bought out the Knapp, Stout & Company's enterprise for three thousand dollars. He now does a prosperous business, aggregat- ing about twenty thousand dollars annually. His lumber plant is a good one, with a com- modious office and ample sheds for dry lum- ber. His hardware store is one of the best in his part of the state, and besides selling much hardware and building material he sells a considerable number of buggies and wagons every year. He built his modern two-story residence in 1886, and his home is one of the pleasantest in Plevna. He owns about five acres of village property, on which he has built several houses for sale and lease. An enterprising, successful man, he is re- garded as one of the prominent citizens of his county and is highly respected by a wide circle of acquaintances.

JOHN J. MEASER.

If a special blessing awaits the one who makes two blades of grass grow where one grew before how many blessings should be showered upon one who has turned acres of sandy and unproductive land into fruitful orchards, delightful both to the eye and to the palate! This has been accomplished by one of the prominent and deservedly suc- cessful citizens of Reno township. Reno county, Kansas, who has been a resident of the state since 1881.

John J. Measer, the subject of this re- view, was born in Tioga county, New York. near Owego, on June 16, 1839. a son of Peter and Dora ( Stauff ) Measer, the form- er of whom was born in Germany but after their marriage came to America and located upon wild land in Tioga county, New York. There he cleared a fine farm and there the parents passed the remainder of their lives, dying consistent members of the Lutheran

church. Mr. Measer was the seventh and youngest member of their family and re- mained at home, in attendance at school and at work on the farm, until he was twenty- one years of age. During a part of the Civil war he was connected with the construction department, with headquarters at Chatta- nooga, Tennessee, and assisted in the build- ing of the bridge at Loudon and helped to rebuild all the bridges between Chattanooga and Atlanta, Georgia. He was on his way home at the time of the assassination of President Lincoln. After his return from the war he remained at his old home in New York for one year, after which for the fol- lowing three years he was engaged in farm- ing in Kendall county, Illinois, and he then came to Kansas, securing a homestead in Pottawatomie county. He had wisely brought his team with him, and he broke his land and engaged in grain sowing and in planting nursery stock. continuing in that line until he came to Reno county, in 1881, the former county not yielding sufficient re- ward for his effort on account of its hilly and rocky character. After locating in this county, upon a quarter section of land pur- chased from the Santa Fe Railroad, he be- gan in the same industrious way which had partially rewarded him at his former home. This was then wild prairie and he under- went all his former pioneer experiences. At first he cultivated grain, but his inclinations were in the direction of nursery planting, and with his knowledge, observati, n and ex- perience he believed he could grow as fine fruit on his land as on any other. His neighbors gave him much advice upon the subject of a very discouraging nature, but Mr. Measer persisted and soon had his sandy acres covered with flourishing peach, api le. cherry and plum trees, which have never failed to produce the best and most luscious fruit to be found in the county. He owns two hundred and forty acres of land and raises corn, wheat and oats, but forty acres of his land is covered with his orchard. The only fruit he does not attempt to raise is pears, as he has found they blight in this climate. Mr. Measer has been quite a trav- eler, going from one ocean to the e ther and

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A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. I, Part 26

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