A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. I, Part 6

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 6

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Mr. Humphrey was married at St. Jo- seph, Missouri, April 24, 1901, to Miss Nel- lie B. McCoy, who was born, reared and educated in Ohio, and who for the past six years has been private secretary to the Ham- mond Packing Company, of Omaha. Mrs. Humphrey has been a stenographer since she was fifteen years old and at seventeen filled the responsible position of court ste- nographer. She is a member of the Episco- pal church. Mr. Humphrey has always taken an active part in advancing the prosperity of Nickerson and of Reno county. He is a man who has a kind word for every one and there is not a more popular postmaster in Kansas.

FRANCIS M. SMITH.

The record of Francis M. Smith con- tains an account of valiant service in the civil war and of fidelity to duty in every walk of life. He is numbered among the

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

early settlers of Rice county, dating his res- idence from 1873. He was born in Cass county, Illinois, January 30, 1841, and is a son of James Job Smith, one of the oldest and most honored citizens of Lyons. The father was born in Cumberland county, Ken- tucky, on the 5th of January, 1813, and was a son of James Smith, whose birth oc- curred in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1782. The great-grandfather of our subject was Samuel Smith, who removed to North Car- olina about 1792, and therefore his son, James, was reared in that state. After ar- riving at years of maturity he wedded Eliz- abeth Job, a native of North Carolina, and they became the parents of two children while residing in that state. Subsequently they went to Kentucky, crossing the moun- tains on horseback. They took up their abode in Cumberland county, that state, among the pioneer settlers, and aided in laying the foundation for the present pros- perity and progress of that commonwealth. They were the parents of nine children: Samuel and Jane, who were born in North Carolina ; Thomas, Levi, Ruth, James Job, John and William, who were born in Ken- tucky; and Elijah, who was born in Indi- ana, whither the family had previously re- moved. After residing for a time in the Hoosier state they went to Morgan county, Illinois, subsequently to Cass county and afterward to Madison county, Iowa, where James Smith and his wife spent their last days, both passing away when about seven- ty-three years of age. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal church and were earnest and loyal Christian people, rearing their children in that faith and doing all in their power to promote-the cause of Chris- tianity among their fellow men.

James Job Smith was reared in Ken- tucky and Illinois, accompanying his par- ents on their removal to Morgan county, of the latter state, in 1829. In 1845 he be- came a resident of Cass county, Illinois, but was married in the former county, at the age of twenty-two years. to Miss Eve Mil- ler, who was born in Indiana, a daughter of Henry Miller, one of the honored pioneer settlers of that state, arriving there at a period when all was wild, the work of im-

provement and civilization being scarcely begun. The Indians still lived in the neigh- borhood, and he had to flee with his family to a block house to secure protection from the red men. He had removed to Indiana from Pennsylvania and was of German lin- eage. From the time of his first settlement in the Hoosier state until his death he aided in the work of development and advance- ment there. His wife was Hester Miller.

In 1845 James Job Smith removed to Cass county, Illinois, and in 1853 went to Mahaska county, Iowa, where he remained for a year, after which he took up his abode in Madison county, that state, casting in his lot with its pioneer settlers. In 1873 he came to Rice county, Kansas, where he has since resided, and to-day is one of the venerable, honored and respected residents of this community. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Smith were born six children: Elizabeth Ann, who died at the age of eighteen; J. F., who was a soldier in the Fourth Iowa Infantry during the Civil war, and is now living in Lincoln township, Rice county ; Francis M., who was also a member of the same regiment; Isaac N., who, with his brothers, enlisted in the Fourth Iowa Infan- try and is now living in Lyons; Elijah T., a resident of Douglas county, Kansas; Will- iam Thomas, who makes his home in Lyons ; and Mrs. Mary J. Summers, also of Lyons. The mother of this family was called to her final rest April 2, 1896, at the age of eighty- five years. She was loved by all who knew her for her kindness of heart and mind, for she was a devoted wife and mother, a faith- ful friend and her generous and kindly spirit were recognized by all with whom she came in contact. A noble Christian woman, she held membership in the Methodist Episco- pal church, and her life was in harmony with her professions. For sixty-two years she traveled life's journey by the side of her husband, and as time passed their mutual love and confidence increased. Mr. Smith devoted his attention to agricultural pur- suits throughout his active business career. and thus provided a comfortable support for his family. Since the organization of the party he has been a stalwart Republican. and his sons are all of the same political

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

faith. For sixty years he has been a zealous member of the Methodist Episcopal church and for a half century has served as class- leader. He does all in his power to promote the work of the church in its various lines, and his upright life reflects credit upon the Christian teachings which he has so closely followed.

Francis M. Smith, whose name intro- duces this review was a lad of twelve years when the family removed to Iowa, and upon a farm in that state he was reared. His education was acquired in the public schools and he was early trained to the work of the farm, assisting in its labors throughout the summer months, while in the winter season he pursued his studies. When the Civil war was inaugurated his patriotic spirit was aroused and in response to President Lin- coln's call for three hundred thousand men he enlisted in July, 1861, becoming a mem- ber of the Fourth Iowa Infantry, under Colonel Granville M. Dodge, afterward General Dodge, and one of the most prominent statesmen that Iowa has pro- duced. He has been very prominent in the affairs of the nation, exercising strong influence in the national councils. The cap- tain of the company of which Mr. Smith was a member was H. J. B. Cummings. Our subject participated in thirty battles, includ- ing the engagements at Sugar Creek, Pea Ridge, the first attack on Vicksburg, the battles of Grand Gulf, Jonesboro, Chickasaw Bayou, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge and the entire Atlanta campaign un- der General Sherman, including the cele- brated march to the sea, which proved that the Rebel forces had been drawn to other quarters and were thus almost exhausted. He was also in the battle of Goldsboro, pro- ceeded thence to Richmond and afterward participated in the grand review at Wash- ington, D. C., where "wave after wave of bayonet-crested blue" passed by the stand on which stood the president, who watched the return of the victorious army after the greatest war of that history has ever known. Mr. Smith was honorably discharged, with the rank of corporal in Louisville, Kentucky, and was paid off in Davenport, Iowa, after

which he returned to his home in the Hawk- eye state.

In 1866 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Smith and Miss Maggie Coultrap, of Deersville, Ohio, who died in Madison coun- ty, Iowa, April 2, 1873, leaving three chil- dren, of whom two yet survive, namely : The Rev. James O. Smith, of the Methodist Episcopal church, now located in Arizona, and Rev. Ernest D. Smith, who is pastor of the Methodist Episcopal church in Lowell, Indiana. One son, Walter S., died in in- fancy. On the 25th of October, 1877, Mr. Smith was again married, his second union being with Geneva B. Enoch, a lady of cul- ture and intelligence, who has indeed proved to her husband a good helpmate. She was born in Ohio, but was reared and educated in Davis county, Iowa. Her father, George Enoch, was born in Virginia and married Persis Cook, a native of Essex county, New York, and a daughter of Lewis Cook, who was born near Boston, Massachusetts. The last named was a son of James and Persis ( Newton) Cook. Lewis Cook married Anna Peck, who was born in Massachu- setts and was a daughter of Ebenezer Peck, of that city. Mr. Enoch, the father of Mrs. Smith, died in Winfield, Kansas, at the age of ninety years. He was the father of eleven children: Henry, who is living in Winfield; Mrs. Malinda Dodge; Mrs. Julia A. Pierson, of Lyons ; Mrs. Louise Kinny, of Appanoose county, Iowa; Mrs. Mary Mont- gomery, also of Iowa; Mrs. Smith, of Ly- ons; Mrs. Clara Cook, of Ellsworth county, Kansas; Mrs. Eliza Vermillya, who died in Winfield Kansas; and three who died in early childhood. The mother of this family, however, is still living. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, to which her husband also belonged. She has reached the age of eighty-eight years and makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Smith.

By the marriage oi our subject and his wife five living children have been born: Arthur O., Enoch F., Maggie E., Leora B. and Geneva F. They also lost one daughter, Nona B., who was the fourth in order of birth and died at the age of thirteen years. For many years the family resided in Lin-

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

coln township, upon the homestead farm which Mr. Smith secured on coming to the county in 1873. There he resided until 1893, when, in order to provide better edu- cational advantages for his children, he re- moved to Winfield, Kansas, placing his chil- dren in the Southwest Kansas College, an institution under the auspices of the Meth- odist Episcopal church. In 1898 he re- turned to Rice county, locating in Lyons, where he now makes his hime. He is the owner of three hundred and twenty acres of valuable land, and the farm yields to him a good income. In his political affilia- tions he is stalwart Republican, and is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, in which he has filled several offices. He holds membership in the Methodist Episco- pal church, of which he is a steward, and he takes a deep interest in everything pertain- ing to educational, church and temperance work and to the improvement of the com- munity along substantial lines of progress. He has witnessed almost the entire growth and development of his community, and is one of the honored pioneers of the county, who for twenty-eight years has been iden- tified with its progress, and well deserves mention in this volume.

GEORGE TRUITT.

In almost every town and village in the country may be found men of worth who have retired from lives of activity on the farm to pass in ease and comfort their de- clining years, surrounded by the results of past labors. One of these respected citizens was George Truftt, who was one of the most highly esteemed residents of the pleas- ant little village of Langdon, Kansas.

The birth of George Truitt occurred in Rush county, Indiana, on January 28, 1829. and was the grandson of Collins Truitt, who was brought by his parents from England to America, when but a small boy. Grand- father Truitt took an active part in the Rev- olutionary war, and his wife is remembered for many admirable qualities and also for hier longevity and vigor. At the age of one

hundred and one years it is related that she had the agility of a girl and still attended to her household tasks. Of their children Elias S. became the father of our subject. His birth was at Delaware, in 1786, and his death occurred in 1873, at Worthington, Indiana. The mother of our subject was named Sybil Reeves and she was born in Kentucky about 1790, and died in Indiana in 1863, while her son, George, was in the army. Of her ten children, six sons and three daughters grew to maturity, the only survivor of the family now being Austin Truitt, a bachelor of seventy-six years, who was one of the pioneers in the California gold fields more than fifty years ago. He is a veteran of the Mexican war, and is pass- ing his last days in the Soldiers' Home. The parents lie buried in Indiana, both in the same state, although fifty miles apart.

On October 22, 1856, our subject, George Truitt, was umted in marriage, in Monroe county, Indiana, to Miss Sarah E. Eller, who was born there on August 12, 1836, a daughter of John and Mahala ( Pauley) Eller, the former a native of Pennsylvania, and the latter of Indiana. Mr. Eller was a soldier in the Mexican war, where he died of fever, and his body was placed in a boat for conveyance home, in charge of his brother, James, but the boat struck a snag in the Ohio river and the body was lost. This was in October, 1846, when he was but thirty-four years of age. The widow was left with five children. Later she married Samuel Reeves and two chil- dren were born to that union, her death taking place in 1853, and her burial was in Bloomington, Indiana. The Eller family is one of the old, honored and intellectual ones of Indiana, and its numerous members have kept bound together by establishing a yearly reunion, in Monroe county, Indiana, on the farin which Grandfather Eller reclaimed from the forest. Early in the settlement of the county he came thither from Kentucky and established a home and bought three hundred and twenty acres of land and here the grandparents died. Their posterity and that of the Pauleys of the maternal side of Mrs. Truitt's family are all settled within ten miles of the old home, and some of the

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

well-known survivors are Frank A. Eller, a minister of the Methodist church; James Eller, now an octogenarian, who without difficulty walked the five miles in order to attend the last family reunion and he is a veteran of the Mexican and the Civil wars. The military spirit has not been lacking in any generation of this family, for Grand- father Eller was a soldier in the Revolution.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Truitt had some ed- ucational opportunities, which they em- braced, both possessing bright intellects. They settled on their own small farm in In- diana and there their seven sons and two daughters were born. These were: James Albert, on the Kansas homestead farm, who has two daughters and four sons; Eli Mc- Kee, who is a farmer in Indiana, near Jack- sonville, and has six children; Elias Edgar, who is a farmer in Indiana, and has five children; Charles, who is a resident also of Indiana, and has one son and one daugh- ter ; Ella J. was the wife of Samuel H. Creig and died in 1896, leaving three chil- dren ; John O., who is a farmer on two hun- dred and twenty acres, two miles north of Langdon, and has two sons and one daugh- ter ; George Homer, who is a farmer near Langdon, and has three daughters and one son ; Carrie, who is the wife of Lewis Cat- tie, of this vicinity, and they have one daughter; and Benjamin, who died at the age of two years.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Truitt were reared in the Methodist church, and in its faith he passed away in death December 3, 1902, at Langdon.

On August 22, 1862, Mr. Truitt joined the great army of loyal citizens and became a Union soldier, enlisting from Greene county, Indiana, in Company I, Ninety-sev- enth Indiana Infantry, and faithfully served until the close of the struggle, being mus- tered out of the service in Washington, in June, 1865. Mr. Truitt received a flesh wound in the left breast, which fractured his rib, thus necessitating a few days in the hospital at Barton Iron Works, in Georgia, and he was then given a furlough home. For several years he was an invalid, the privations and exposures of his army life

having left traces, but he could find no more devoted, self-sacrificing or capable nurse than Mrs. Truitt, who in every sense proved a helpmate. In 1887 he took his homestead farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Reno county, Kansas, but in April, 1901, they took up their abode in the vil- lage of Langdon. In politics our subject was always an active member of the Repub- lican party, and before leaving Indiana held public office. He was one of the honored members of the G. A. R.

HON. A. B. CALDWELL.

Among the old settlers of the state of Kansas none possess any better claim than does Hon. A. B. Caldwell, of this biography, who is now an honored citizen of Hutchin- son. His location here was after the close of the war and the organization of Reno county. The birth of Mr. Caldwell was near

Ithaca, New York, in March, 1838, his an- cestors having founded the American branch of the family shortly after the battle of Boyne. In every generation members of it

AB Caldwell.

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

became conspicuous in some walk of life, notably so was the great-grandfather of our subject, Capt. Thomas Caldwell, who, al- though a minister in the Presbyterian church was a soldier and officer in the Patriot army. His helpless wife and innocent child were killed by the Hessian hirelings during the re- treat from Philadelphia.

Asa Caldwell, who was the father of our subject, became a clergyman of note in the Baptist church, exerting a power and in- fluence through the state of New York which is still recalled in the annals of the church and in the reforms he instituted wherever he was given an opportunity to exert an influence. He was a man who lived up to the highest standard of Christian citi- zenship. Always in the front rank, protest- ing against oppression and lawlessness, he was the first clergyman to bring before an association of ministers a resolution con- demning slavery and endured undeserved ob- loquy for it, the time being not yet ripe for the opening of men's eyes. The marriage of Rev. Caldwell was to Pamelia Pennell, and to this union were born four sons and one daughter, our subject and his brother, John G., being the only members of the fam- ily to locate in Kansas. The latter served through the Civil war, in Company A, Seventy-sixth New York Volunteers, and is now located on a farm in this county. The sister, Lydia A., married Barclay Pennock, who accompanied the celebrated Bayard Taylor during several years of travel. Both he and his wife were authors of note, being connected with New York journals.

The early education of Mr. Caldwell, of this sketch, was obtained in the public schools, in preparation for a thorough scien- tific course of study, but failing health made it necessary to abandon this ambition. With a hope of regaining his health he decided to make a trip to the west, by way of the Santa Fe trail, reaching the village of Chicago in 1850. He went on to St. Louis, thence up the Missouri river as far as Westport, where was situated an outfitting depot for this · trail. Here he was engaged as a trailer and

made several trips from Leavenworth to Santa Fe, and in the fall of 1860, he entered the employ of the Hudson Bay Company and engaged in trapping in British Columbia. In that day he lived a life of adventure, hav- ing acted as a scout in Minnesota against the Sioux Indians in their uprising, and was wounded by them, still carrying that bullet. While carrying dispatches from Big Stone Lake to Fort Zarah, Kansas, it was neces- sary to pass through Nebraska, among hos- tile Indians, and he dared only travel at night. When he had covered about one- half of the trip he was attacked and wound- ed, making the remaining four hundred miles in this condition. Recalling that time Mr. Caldwell says that only his duty supported him through the torture he then endured, for it would have cost him much less to end his life than to prolong its agony.

When the whole country was aroused by the outbreak of the civil war, the loyal spirit of his ancestors stirred the blood of our subject, and with as little loss of time as possible he started on a walk of eight hun- dred miles in order to reach the recruiting station at St. Paul. At Fort Snelling he was taken as one of Berdan's sharp shooters, this company making a most enviable record during those trying years. With this gal- lant band Mr. Caldwell became connected with the Army of the Potomac and took part in twenty-one of the dangerous engage- ments, and at one time spent thirty days con- tinuously under fire. The records of history tell that at Gettysburg only thirty-one of our subject's company of sixty-three men sur- vived that day of slaughter, and while these gallant soldiers were acting as pickets they discovered Longstreet's advance and were told to hold Little Round Top "as long as a man is left." and this was literally done these brave heroic men fighting until every man was either killed or wounded. No re- stricted space such as the present can in any proper way, tell of the courage, the daring, the prowess of that little band. General. Daniel Sickles, himself a brave man, who ordered the point held, said later he would

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

· rather have lost any regiment than that com- pany of Berdan Sharp Shooters.

The valued life of our subject was mirac- ulously spared, but he received three serious wounds and still carries one bullet in his person. At Little Round Top Mr. Caldwell was first shot through the body and as he fell, another bullet entered his neck and buried itself in the muscles of the loin, where it still remains. Recovering from the shock he again picked up his trusty rifle and man- aged to fire five rounds, when a third bullet hit him, entering his right arm. During the night while lying on the field, he heard a call from some poor wounded comrade for water and he managed to stagger along between fainting spells until he reached the soldier's side, finding in him an old companion of his scouting and trapping life. But recently these two, who came back from the very jaws of death, had their first meeting since that dreadful day, and it was one affecting in the extreme, exciting all the nobler feelings of those of a later generation. During his army career Mr. Caldwell participated in many hard-fought battles of the war, including those of Falmouth, Fredericksburg, Orange Court House, Guiney's Station, Rappahan- nock Station, Warrington Springs, Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Chancel- lorsville, Gettysburg and many others. Strange as it may appear he shows little of all this stress and strain to-day, his physical condition being remarkable.

At the close of the war Mr. Caldwell re- turned to his old home in New York and there was married to Miss Louisa Brown. With his bride he returned to the west, lo- cating near Hutchinson, Kansas, just after the organization of Reno county. He hauled lumber from Newton, took up a soldier's claim in the southern part of the county and was prospering until the visit of the grass- hoppers, an old landmark in Kansas history. He recalls the days when he saw in his vicin- ity bones of buffaloes covering acres of land, they having been ruthlessly slaughtered for their tongues only. Later as they grew more scarce their hides were also taken. He ' been published in the Youth's Companion.

continued on his farm until 1890, coming then into this city, where he has since been engaged in the real-estate business, having established the same while living in Arling- ton, as early as 1880, living there and con- ing to Hutchinson to attend to business. Mr. Caldwell is the oldest in point of service of any man in his line in the county. He is now associated in business with Mr. Rick- secker, and they handle the greater part of country property in this locality, long ex- perience making them valuable advisers. In politics he has always been a Republican, and while living in Arlington, in 1884, was elec- ted to the legislature, serving for two terms, during which time he gave especial atten- tion to the bill allowing the county commis- sioners to have the sum of fifty-five thousand dollars to expend in the building of bridges. The sum, however, was reduced to two thou- sand dollars. He also advocated changes in the townships in the county.

Some ten years after locating in Kansas, Mrs. Caldwell passed away. In 1886 our sub- ject returned to New York and at Homer, in that state, was married to Miss Anna Babcock, who was a daughter of Samuel Babcock. Mrs. Caldwell is a most estimable lady, of great refinement and intellectuality, literary in her tastes, and for many years was connected with the Detroit News and the Detroit Tribune. Her immediate fam- ily was sadly bereft during the Civil war, one brother, the brave Lieutenant Babcock, dying at Gettysburg, and another, General Babcock, at Winchester, while the third passed away a prisoner at Andersonville. To Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell two children have been born, Florence and Addie.

Few citizens have the congenial home life that Mr. Caldwell now enjoys, and it com- pensates for many of the hard experiences of earlier years. His pleasant, genial man- ner makes the hospitality he delights to offer. all the more acceptable to his wide circle of old and devoted friends. For twelve years Mr. Caldwell has written short stories de- scribing western ife, most of which have

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A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. I, Part 6

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