USA > Kansas > A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. I > Part 30
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settled in his ankle, and from that time to the present he has never been free from pain. During his illness he was cared for at the home of a Texan, who was a southern sympathizer. For meritorious service during his military career, Mr. Potter was appointed corporal of his company and was afterward made first lieutenant. At the
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battle of Resaca his only brother, John D., who was a member of Company K, Ninety- fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, was killed.
Returning to his home with an honor- able military career, our subject again tock up the quiet and peaceful duties of the farm in Drake county, where he continued to re- side until 1876, and in the spring of that year came to Kansas, locating on a home- stead quarter section of timber land in Ar- lington township and also took a home- stead claim in Lodi township. In the fol- lowing fall, however, he returned to Ohio, and in the spring of 1877, brought his fam- ily to his Kansas home. Buffaloes still roamed' over the country at that time, and for three or four years afterward antelope were numerous in this section. Mr. Potter improved one-half of his three-hundred-and twenty-acre tract, his principal crop being wheat, and he continued to cultivate the place until 1895, when he sold his farm and afterward assumed the duties of super- intendent of the Reno county farm. being a member of the town board at that time. When he was given charge of the office his only instructions were to conduct the place as he would his own, and that he has done so is evinced by the fact that dur- ing each succeeding year he has been re- elected. The number of inmates now num- ber twelve, but at one time as many as thirty-four made their home upon the farm, and two servants are constantly em- ployed. The principal crops raised are wheat and corn. In 1901 the latter commodity averaged thirty-seven bushels to the acre, while the oats crop yielded an average of forty-six and a half bushels to the acre. Few public institutions are conducted so profit- ably as this, and for many years the sale of the crops not consumed upon the place and that of the stock have been sufficient to meet the other expenses. The greatest revenue of the farm is derived from the sale of stock. About three hundred head of hogs and from ten to fifteen head of cattle are sold each year, while apples and grapes also are mar- keted. A fine grade of stock is raised upon the place, a beautiful orchard yields its fruit in season, and everything about the farm in- 12
dicates the supervision of a progressive and thrifty agriculturist. Since assuming the duties of this responsible position his salary has been increased from eight hundred to twelve hundred dollars, thus showing the high regard in which he is held by those in authority.
In Ohio, on the 12th of April, 1866, Mr. Potter was united in marriage with Miss E. J. Ryan, a daughter of Rudolph Ryan, who was born in Germany, but when nine years of age was brought by his parents to Amer- ica, the family locating in Virginia. He was there married to Ellen Hamilton, a na- tive of Maryland. She was married in that state and later located in the Buckeye state. Rudolph Ryan was a farmer by occupation, and became an early pioneer of both Ohio and Indiana. He passed away in death when Mrs. Potter was only eight years of age, but his wife reached tlie ripe old age of seventy-odd years. Five of their sons were brave and loyal soldiers during the Civil war. John Alexander, who was a member of the Ninety-fourth Ohio, was wounded and captured at the battle of Resaca and died in Andersonville prison: G. W. and F. L., twins, the former a member of the Fourth United States Cavalry, was also wounded in battle, while the latter was a member of the Thirty-fourth Ohio Zouaves : Daniel T., was a member of the Ninety-fourth Ohio; and William, a member of the One Hundred and Fifty-second Chic Volunteers, died of meas- les at Camp Chase. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Pot- ter have been born seven children, namely : Catherine Ellen, wife of D. C. Banks, of Oklahoma ; Mary Annatta, wife of William Banks, of Ledi township. Reno county ; Sarah Olive, wife of Charles Vauglin, also a resident of Lodi township: John D., who proved a claim in the "Strip," but now re- sides in this county, and he married Mary Amanda Wilburn, a daughter of John Will- iam Wilburn: Emma Jane, wife of M. A. Minor, Arlington township, Reno county ; Rosa Lee, wife of Fred Vaughn; and on daughter who died when a year and a half old. Mr. Potter maintains pleasant relations with his old army comrades through his membership with the Grand Army of the
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Republic, Perryville Post, No. 222, at Ar- lington, Kansas, and of the Christian church he has been a worthy and acceptable member for a half century and Mrs. Potter has been a member of same church for thirty-nine years. She is now serving as matron of the county home and is a woman whose pure life and most amiable manner admirably fit her for the great trials and increasing responsi- bilities of the home, and wherever she is known she is highly respected and loved. Mr. Potter's political support is given the Republican party, and in 1886 he was elected to the office of county commissioner, which he has served for four years. For twelve years he was a justice of the peace in Lodi township, and for twenty-two years both in Ohio and Kansas, he was a member of the school board. He is widely and favorably known, and has the respect and confidence of all with whom he comes in contact. either in business or social life.
JOHN LAFAYETTE SMITH.
Among the business and professional men of Hutchinson, Kansas, none are more closely identified with the growth and best interests of the Sunflower state than John Lafayette Smith, familiarly known among his friends as "Fay," having been a resident of Reno county since 1872, locating south of the city of Hutchinson. At that time the city could boast of but one store and very few residences, and between the farm of Mr. Smith and the city there were but two resi- dences, indicating the unsettled condition of the country at that time. The paternal grandfather of our subject, Alexander Smith, was a native of the south, as was also his wife, who was born in North Carolina. He was of English-Irish lineage, and she of Dutch. Two of his sons were soldiers in the Civil war, one fighting for the preserva- tion of the union, and the other taking up arms in favor of the Secessionists, and in the battle of Gettysburg they fought against each other. John Lowry Smith, the father
of our subject, although born in North Car- olina, was reared in Tennessee, and in 1839 went to Iowa. The following year he brought his family from White Oak Springs, Illinois, to Iowa, where he took up a timber claim and partially improved it, but later made a home for his family out on the prairie. He was an important factor in the organization of the county in which he resided, and it being a time of Indian out- breaks, he showed great courage in protect- ing the citizens of the surrounding country. He took part in the Bellevue war, being a member of the vigilance committee, and the old building in which he and a number of brave men helped to protect the settlement, is still standing. His clothes were pierced with seven bullets, but he escaped without a wound. He aided in the formation of schools and churches, and gave his support to any movement tending toward the ad- vancement and development of the commun- ity in which he lived. He worked at Galena, Illinois, and was obliged to go there for sup- plies. In those primitive days travel was tiresome and dangerous but he made his journeys with comparatively little trouble. Mr. Smith built the first frame house in that part of the country, and deer and wild geese were so abundant that they were driven off the farm in order to permit of the cultiva- tion of the land. While in Illinois, Mr. Smith was married to Mary M. Smith, a second cousin, by whom he had eight chil- dren, four sons and four daughters, five of whom are now living. namely : Nancy R .. the wife of MI. N. Sisler a resident of Jack- son county, Iowa: Rufus P., a farmer of Taylor county, Iowa; Mary MI., the wife of S. J. Matthews, of South Hutchinson ; John L., the subject of this review: and Susie, the wife of John H. Kingkade, of Norman, Oklahoma. Mrs. Smith was a helpful companion to her husband in these early days, faithfully performing all the duties of the primitive household. She made the cloth, as well as the garments, that was worn by her family and endured the hardships of frontier life with courage and fortitude. The father spent his remaining days in his adopted state, and passed away
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at the age of fifty-nine years. He had be- come a successful grain and stock raiser, having acquired about five hundred acres of land. He started with nothing in life but willing hands and a stout heart, and won all through his industry and perseverance.
John Lafayette Smith, whose name in- troduces this record, was born November 27. 1852 in Jackson county, Iowa. He re- ceived his preliminary education in a little log school house in his native county, but later, as the country developed, the schools became more advanced, and after complet- ing the school work here, he attended col- lege at Clinton, Iowa. He spent his boy- hood days on the farm, assisting in the work in the manner of the times. His father was the owner of the first reaping machine in the country, an old fashioned Manny, but as this did not prove successful, he abandoned it for the scythe. His father was also the possessor of the first spring wagon, and also subscribed for the only weekly paper taken for a long time in that part of the country, and this paper was loaned to the neighbors until it was worn out. When fourteen years of age, the parents of Mr. Smith died and he lived with his brother until he decided to start out on life's journey for himself. The pioneer spirit of his family being strong within him, he started for the west. At Independence, Kansas, he purchased a yoke of oxen which he drove over the prairie until he arrived in Reno county, where he decided to locate, taking up a claim in the southeast quarter of section eight, township twenty- four, range five. The country was sparse- ly settled, there being no railroad nearer than Newton, and the buffaloes were so abundant they could always be seen in droves on the prairie, and their meat was very plentiful. Mr. Smith began the task of breaking the open prairie with his team of oxen and plant- ed some corn, but his main source of revenue was derived from buffalo hides and bones. In 1874 he traded this claim, upon which he had erected a sod house and a few outbuild- ings, for a claim owned by a man by the name of Robinson, upon which he located. He greatly improved this land, devoting the
greater part of his time to the raising of corn and wheat. In 1874 and again in 1876 he lost all his crops. In 1878 he was appointed deputy sheriff and this brought him to the city where he resided most of the time, hav- ing rented his farm. He became quite ac- tive in political circles after his removal to the city, and in 1885 was elected sheriff and served for a term of four years. In 1897 he was elected to the office of clerk of the dis- trict court and served in that capacity for four years. His duties were discharged in a most acceptable manner, winning to him many friends. He was an advocate of Re- publican principles until 1892, when he joined the Populist party, and his election in 1897 was largely owing to his own fol- lowing, who re-elected him in 1899.
Jolm Lafayette Smith was joined in marriage on the 2d day of June, 1886, in Troy township, Reno county, Kansas, to Alice B. Lewis, a daughter of S. C. Lewis, who resides in Hutchinson. This union was blessed with two children: Harry L., and Susie Louisa.
Mr. Smith while attending to his official duties has also been engaged to a great ex- tent in real estate, and has also retained the possession of his farm property, which he rents. In the organization of schools and churches he has been an important factor, always taking an active interest in any movement toward the advancement of his community. He is identified with the An- cient Order of United Workmen, and until recently was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, of which he was a trustee, and was also a charter member of the Knights of Pythias, but has withdrawn from the two latter societies. While a resident of Hutchinson he occupied the office of con- stable. He is very active in the support of the Methodist Episcopal church of which his wife is a member, and has ever been a loyal defender of all that is true and holy. A man of strong purpose and untiring energy, he has won to himself a place among the prominent citizens of Reno county, and a reputation of high worth among those with whom he is associated.
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MYNDERT VAN PATTEN.
Myndert Van Patten is a prominent physician engaged in practice in Sterling, and in his profession is meeting with a very high degree of success, owing to his capable control of business affairs, his comprehen- sive knowledge of the underlying principles of the science of medicine and his deep and abiding interest in humanity aside from his profession. He was born in Sterling, Cay- uga county, New York, in 1835. His fa- ther, Christian Van Patten, was a native of Albany county, New York, born May 4, 1801, and the grandfather, John Van Pat- ten, was born in the Empire state, about 1765. His death occurred in 1845, when he had attained the age of eighty years. He reared three sons and three daughters. Among this number was Christian Van Pat- ten, who after attaining years of maturity. married Miss Mary Relyea, who was born January 20. 1835, and gave her hand in mar- riage to Mr. Van Patten when nineteen years of age. She died in Sterling, Kansas, when almost ninety-seven years of age. They were the parents of fourteen children, of whom five sons and seven daughters reached mature years, while four sons and four daughters are yet living, namely : David, a farmer residing in Sterling who has one son and two daughters; Herman, an agri- culturist of the same locality who has one son: Myndert, of this review: James, who resides on the old homestead where the grandfather located more than one hundred years ago: Nancy, the widow of Charles Lyon, of Sterling; Susan, wife of George Blackwell, of Kankakee, Illinois : Mrs. Ra- chel Marvin, of Sterling: and Mrs. Isabell Duncan, a widow, also living at Sterling. The father of this family died in Sterling, in 1893. He followed farming as his life work and thus provided a good home for his family, also giving to his children edu- cational advantages that well fitted them for life's practical duties. He took an active in- terest in public affairs and was greatly es- teemed for his genuine worth of character.
Dr. Van Patten was educated in Wayne county academy, and after completing his
literary course he prepared for professional life in the Albany Medical College, in which he was graduated with the class of 1864. He first began practice in Hannibal, New York, in 1865, and a year later removed to Sterling, where he resided for three years. His. next place of business was in Chats- worth, Livingston county, Illinois, where he was associated with Dr. Hunt in practice and in the drug business for eight years. For four years he was a resident of Peoria, Illinois, where he engaged in practice as a regular. For the past twenty-two years he has ministered to the needs of suffering hu- manity as a homeopathic physician in Ster- ling, Kansas, coming to this place from Peoria, Illinois, in 1868.
In the meantime Dr. Van Patten had en- gaged in military service. He enlisted at Sterling, New York, as a member of Com- pany F. One Hundred and Tenth New York Infantry. in 1862, but in February. 1863. was honorably discharged on account of physical disability. After his return home he was united in marriage, in Hannibal, New York, in 1865, to Miss Ada Foot, who died in Kansas about 1874, leaving five of her six children, four daughters and one son, namely: Isabelle L., wife of Cassius Elli- ott, of Farmington, New Mexico, by whom she has six children; George, who is living in the same place : Mamie, the wife of Riley Peterson, of Hodgman county, Kansas, by whom she has two children; Fernette and Winnie, who are still under the parental roof. The Doctor was again married in 1887, his second union being with Miss Let- tie M. Muse, of Greenfield, Ohio, a daughter of a Presbyterian minister, and his first wife was a daughter of a Baptist preacher. The children born to Dr. Van Patten by his sec- ond marriage are: Myndert, who is now thirteen years of age; Guy, a lad of nine years ; and Lowell, who is seven years of age. Socially the Doctor is connected with the Grand Army of the Republic and is now serving his third year as commander of Mead Post, No. 14, a fact which indicates his present personal popularity, for the of- fice is not usually accorded to one man for so long a time. In politics he is a Repub-
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lican and has served as school director and as mayor of Sterling, exercising his official prerogatives in promoting the best interests of the city. In the campaign of 1900 he was chairman of the Republican committee and labored earnestly in the interest of Mckinley and Roosevelt. For twenty-two years he has occupied his present residence in Ster- ling and is recognized as one of the most capable physicians and prominent citizens of the neighborhood. His devotion to his pro- fession is marked and arises not only from his love of scientific research, but also from his desire to be a benefit to the world. His public and private relations are alike above reproach and as'a friend and physician he has won the high regard of all and become a popular resident of his adopted county.
JOHN W. NELSON.
Though no land is richer in opportuni- ties or offers greater advantages to its citi- zens than America, success is not to be ob- tained through desire, but must be persist- ently sought. In America "labor is king." and the man who resolutely sets to work to accomplish a purpose is certain of success if he has but the qualities of perseverance. un- tiring energy and practical common sense. John W. Nelson is one whose career ex- cites the admiration and gains the respect of all, for through his diligence and persistent purpose he has won a leading place in the business circles of Hutchinson and classed among the most prosperous citizens of Reno county. He is a member of the firm of Nel- son Brothers, dealers in hardware. stoves, farm implements and vehicles. They also engage in the manufacture of pumps and pump fixtures and are the proprietors of the Hutchinson Machine Shops. Their business, constantly growing in volume and im- portance. has brought to them a hand- some income and the most envious can- not grudge them their prosperity so worthily has it been won.
John W. Nelson was born near Emhutt, Sweden, March 29. 1861, a son of John and
Nellie ( Benson ) Nelson. The father was born in southern Sweden, July 3, 1835, and was a son of Nels Anderson, for according to the custom of that land the son's surname is formed by attaching the word son to the father's last name. The great-grandfather of our subject was Ander Hult, an officer in the Swedish army, who served for five years in the war with Germany. John Nel- son, the father of our subject, was a farmer and land owner in the old country, but be- lieving America offered better opportunities for advancement he came to the United States in 1869. He left his family in Swe- den and came alone in search of a home for his wife and children. After landing on the Atlantic coast he made his way across the country to Winnebago county, Illinois, where he was employed as a farm laborer for two years, when he was joined by his family. In the spring of 1872, accompanied by his two sons, he started for the west. making the journey by wagon. In May of that year he reached Reno county and locat- ed a homestead in Lincoln township, where lie built a small house of one room and broke a little sod. He planted some corn that first spring and broke altogether fifteen acres of the land. After a year he sold his first claim and purchased another two miles west on the southeast quarter of section 28. township 24 range 6. Of this, eighty acres had been taken as a homestead and the other eighty acres as a timber claim. Both of these he proved up and placed under a high state of improvement and cultivation. The family resided upon this farm until 1884. when they removed to a farm in Castleton township which the father had purchased. Two years later, however, he went to his present home in South Reno township, just outside the city limits of Hutchinson. Here he owns a valuable tract of land. Through his economy, industry and perseverance and the aid of his faithful wife he has pros- pered, now occupying a place among the leading and successful agriculturists of Reno county. He endorses the principles of the Republican party and supports its candidates by his ballot. In religious faith botli he and his wife are Lutherans. They
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are now living happy on their excellent farm, Mr. Nelson at the age of sixty-four years, while his wife has attained the age of fifty-seven.
John W. Nelson was a lad of only eleven years when he came with the family to Kan- sas. Here he soon became familiar with the experiences incident to the establishment of a home upon the frontier. He shared with the family in the hardships and privations of pioneer life and assisted his father in im- proving new farms and in herding cattle. His educational privileges were those afford- ed by the district schools of the neighbor- hood through the winter months. He re- mained under the parental roof until twenty- four years of age, when he took charge of one of his father's farms, which he was al- lowed to operate rent free. There he re- mained for a year, after which he went to Kingman and entered a blacksmith shop with the intention of ultimately establishing a machine shop, but after six months he abandoned that idea.
In company with his brother, Peter A. Nelson, who was born January 4, 1863, and with whom he has long been associated in business, he went to Finney county, Kansas, where each pre-empted a quarter section of land. After breaking some sod and making some improvements on the place they re- turned to Reno county but are still owners of their claims in Finney county. In 1887 he established a hardware business in South Hutchinson, which he carried on for a year, when he admitted his son to a partnership, under the firm name of Nelson Brothers. In 1889 they removed across the river to Hutchinson and began business in what was then the Hegner but now the Rock Island block and at present occupied by the Parker Creamery Company. For a year they re- mained at that place and then went to No. 4 South Main street, where they also con- tinued for a year, after which they occupied the Welsh building for four years and then returned to Main street. In the fall of 1899 they purchased their present three-story brick building at No. 6 Main street, the di- mensions of the structure being twenty-five by one hundred and fifty feet. It is a fine
modern business block, of which they occu- py the entire space except the front part of the upper floors, which are arranged for office purposes. They also own the build- ing at No. 3 Sherman street, east,-a good two-story structure, twenty-five by one hun- dred and sixty-five feet. They have like- wise purchased another lot, on which they will erect a storage building. In 1898 they established the Hutchinson Machine Shops on lots 14 and 16 Sherman street, west, and have since conducted the enterprise. Four years before, in fact, they had established a shop on Sherman for the manufacture of irrigating pumps. The question of irriga- tion was. then receiving much attention in Kansas and Mr. Nelson meant to be ready to supply the demand if they should be gen- erally brought into use. The shop is now used as a general machine and repair shop, in which four workmen are employed. The business of Nelson Brothers has grown from a small beginning in 1887 to one of the most extensive concerns in this line in Reno county, their trade amounting to fifty thou- sand dollars per annum. Their reputation for reliability and business integrity is sec- ond to none in this part of the state and in financial circles they are rated with the best. Their prosperity seems almost phenomenal, but at the same time it is well deserved, be- ing the logical result of straightforward business methods, directed by intelligence and discretion.
The brothers own a number of fine resi- dence properties in the city, having made ju- dicious investments in real estate. They are equal partners in all property and business operations and in addition to their half sec- tion of land in Finney county they have an equal amount of valuable farming land in Reno county, while in the year 1901 they had three hundred and fifty acres planted in wheat.
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