USA > Kansas > A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. I > Part 74
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Mr. Hedrick has been twice married. On the 4th of January, 1875, in Peoria, Illinois, he made Miss Anna Ahrens his wife. She was a native of that city and a daughter of Bernard Ahrens, a cabinet-maker. They had two children : Edith, who was born Oc- tober 4. 1875, in Peoria, and is now the wife of D. R. Hogeland, of St. Louis, an employee of the Adams Express Company : and Homer, who is now engaged in mining
at Cape Nome, Alaska. In 1888, in Hutch- inson, Kansas, Mr. Hedrick was again mar- ried, his second union being with Mary Elizabeth McFadden, who was born in Macoupin county, Illinois, a daughter of James and Mary F. ( McBride) McFadden, the former born in Ohio in 1833, the latter in Illinois in 1843. In 1861 Mr. McFad- den had joined the Union Army as a mem- ber of Company H, Fourteenth Ohio Vol- unteer Infantry, and participated in many of the important engagements and campaigns, including the battles of Shiloh and Gettys- burg and the celebrated march to the sea with Sherman. He was taken prisoner and incarcerated at Andersonville for sev- eral months, but while being transferred to another prison he dropped off the car and managed to make his escape under cover of the night. At the close of the war he was mustered out at Cincinnati. Soon after the war he removed with his family to Illinois, where he remained until 1876, when he came to Kansas, locating for a time at Fort Scott. He then removed to California, but returning to this state took up his abode in Reno county, where for a number of years he carried on farming operations in Grove township. In 1890 he removed to Lincoln, Kansas, and entered the employ of the electric light company, but soon his life's labors were ended in death. He passed away November 14, 1891. His wife died while in Texas, July 19, 1900.
By the second marriage of Mr. Hed- rick one son has been born, Melvin Earl, who was born May 15, 1889, and was edu- cated in the public schools of Hutchinson. The family have recently removed from Hutchinson to Osawatomie, although they expect eventually to return to the former city. In his political views Mr. Hedrick has always been a stalwart Republican, in- flexible in his support of the principles of the party. Socially he is identified with the Knights of Pythias fraternity and both he and his wife belong to the Fraternal Aid Society. He was formerly connected with the Sons of Veterans, was very prominent in the order and served as junior vice commander of the state. In all life's re-
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lations he has been found very true and loyal to the trust reposed in him and to the duties which have devolved upon him, and he commands the unqualified regard of all with whom he was associated. He has visited many parts of the country and his knowledge has thereby been greatly broad- ened. He is a genial, companionable gen- tleman and his sterling worth is widely acknowledged.
HARRY S. SCHALL.
When we examine the life record of such men as Harry S. Schall and note the salient points in his character we do not wonder at the rapid development of the west or marvel that the tiny hamlets of a few decades ago are now flourishing cities. He possesses un- daunted enterprise, strong will and forms his judgments after mature deliberation, so that in an opinion on business matters he is rarely at fault. At the same time he is quick to note and improve an opportunity, and thus has he reached a commanding position among the leading citizens of Hutchinson. He is the proprietor of the Leader Transfer & Storage Company, and has made his home in this city for ten years.
A native of Knox county, Illinois, lie was born July 20, 1866, a son of William Schall, who was born in Pennsylvania and removed to Illinois soon after the close of the Civil war. There he engaged in farm- ing until 1870, when he came to Kansas, lo- cating in Sumner county, where he main- tained his residence until 1895, since which time he has been a resident of Hutchinson. He married Isabella Dunmire, and they be- came the parents of eight children, of whom Harry S. is the eldest. He pursued his ed- ucation in the schools of Hutchinson and in the college at Parkville, Missouri, and then began farming in Kansas, following that pursuit in Sumner and Sedgwick counties until 1892, when he came to Hutchinson and established the transfer and storage business of which he is now proprietor. He began operations on a small scale, but by devoting his entire attention to the business and by
reliable methods, promptness and capable management he has continually extended the field of his labors until he now enjoys a very extensive patronage that makes his en- terprise a profitable one. He now utilizes nine teams and the best transfer trucks, fit- ting for handling all kinds of merchandise and manufactures. His plant includes a large storage warehouse for machinery and other rooms for household goods. He makes a specialty of handling machinery, which, after being shipped in here, he distributes to the purchasers. Twelve men are regularly employed and his business has reached ex- tensive proportions. In the summer of 1901 he became connected with the street sprink- ling-a business that had previously been carried on intermittently by several parties, but neglected at times left the city subject to the discomforts and losses caused by the sand and dust. In his work of keeping the city streets well sprinkled he has secured the. . support of most of the business houses and has extended the scope of his work so that the great damage hitherto done by the dust is now almost a thing of the past.
On the 2d of December, 1900, occurred the marriage of Mr. Schall and Miss Hattie D. Totten, a daughter of T. B. Totten, of Huntsville, Kansas, and they now occupy a comfortable residence at No. 520 avenue B, east, which was erected by Mr. Schall in 1899. Mr. Schall is a warm advocate of the Republican party and usually attends its conventions, but has neither time nor in- clination for public office. Socially he is connected with the Ancient Order of United Workmen and was formerly active in team work and took an active part in competi- tion drills, but the growth of his business has rendered this impossible in recent years. He also has membership relations with the Modern Woodmen, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Red Men, the Social and Fraternal Circle and the Knights and Ladies of Security. All that he possesses has come to him as the reward of his earn- est and well directed labor, and while he is now a prosperous man his life stands in ex- emplification of what may be accomplished through perseverance, industry and honesty.
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WILLIAM BARKHURST.
William Barkhurst, of Hutchinson, Kansas, has for a number of years been a trusted employe of the Rock Island Rail- road Company, and as such is deserving of more than a passing mention in this work. He is a native son of the Buckeye state, his birth occurring in Morgan county August 2, 1852. His father, William Barkhurst, also claimed Ohio as the state of his na- tivity, his birth occurring in Harrison coun- ty on the 24th of March, 1817, and he was of English and German descent. He fol- lowed the tilling of the soil in his native county until 1854, when he removed to Morgan county, Ohio, the birthplace of our subject, there purchasing a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, which he placed under an excellent state of cultivation. In Harrison county, in 1842, he was united in marriage to Eleanor Walraven, and unto that union were born six children, as fol- lows: Mary Elizabeth, widow of George Niciswanger and a resident of Morgan coun- ty, Ohio; John, who died in Trenton, Mis- souri, in 1881 ; James K., who was born in 1845 and now farms the old homestead farm in Morgan county, Ohio; Sarah, wife of John Atkinson, a prominent agriculturist of Morgan county : Lewis, who is engaged in the drug business in Malta, Ohio; and Ella, the wife of Thomas Van Horn, a farmer of Morgan county, Ohio. The mother of this family passed away in death in 1853, and in the following year the fa- ther married Emily Cromeley, a native of Harrison county, Ohio, born in 1827, and a daughter of Thomas C. Cromeley, a farmer by occupation. He was of English descent. This union was blessed with four children. namely : Thomas, who died in Morgan county, Ohio, in 1897; William, the subject of this review: Mary, widow of Hugh Jaines and a resident of Morgan county, Ohio; and Jennie, the wife of Eli Smith, who is engaged in the hardware business in Malta, Ohio. Mrs. Barkhurst was called! to her final rest in 1887. and two years later her husband joined her in the spirit world. He resided on his beautiful farm
in Morgan county until his life's labors were ended in death, and in the community in which he made his home he was higlily es- teemed for his many noble characteristics. For forty-three years he was a worthy and zealous member of the Methodist church, in which he served as class leader and trus- tee. The cause of education ever found in him a warm friend, and for a number of years he served as a member of the school board. In his political affiliations he was first a Whig and afterward a Republican. He was honorable in all his business deal- ings, loyal in citizenship, faithful in friend- ship, and his fidelity to duty in all the ie- lations of life gained him the respect and good will of all who knew him.
William Barkhurst, the immediate sub- ject of this review, received his early edu- cation in the common schools of Morgan county, Ohio, and during his youth and carly manhood he assisted his father in the work of the farm, also spending two years in a tannery. He subsequently went to Oskaloosa, Iowa, having been a resident of that city when it was visited by the terrible cyclone, and there he secured a position in the car department of the railroad. Re- maining in that city about six months, he then returned to Ohio, where he remained until the Ist of January, 1887, the date of his arrival in Hutchinson, Kansas. In this city he first secured work with the Pacific Railroad Company, where he remained for a time, and was then given a position in the locomotive department of the Rock Isl- and Railroad. The efficient service which he rendered the company and his close at- tention to duty soon won him promotion, and two years after entering the service of the Rock Island Company he was made a fireman, which position he held until 1891. when he was made engineer. As the road was extended westward Mr. Barkhurst re- sided at different points along the road until he finally located in Hutchinson, where he has even since made his home. his present residence being at 227 F street, east. For the past year he has been employed on en- gine No. 15, in the switching service in the company's yards at Hutchinson. This posi-
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tion calls for the greatest care, watchfulness and skill, but he has rendered entire satis- faction to the officers of the road, and is re- garded as one of the most trustworthy and reliable employes in the service.
The marriage of Mr. Barkhurst was celebrated on the 29th of July, 1888, at Dodge City, when Miss Annie Elizabeth Webb became his wife. She was born in Audrain county, Missouri, a daughter of J. T. and Lucindy ( Evans) Webb, the father a native of Louisville, Kentucky, and the mother of Missouri, born near Mexico, while the former was of German and the lat- ter of Irish descent. The maternal grand- father of Mrs. Barkhurst was killed during the war of the Revolution by the notorious Anderson gang of guerrillas. Mr. Webb departed this life in Memphis, Scotland county, Missouri, in 1888, but his widow still survives, and since 1897 has made her home in Hutchinson, now residing at No. 131 East Sherman street. The union of our subject has been blessed by six children, namely: George, born on the 28th of March, 1881 : Cora, born October II, 1883 : Edith, born May 6, 1889 : Ethel E., born De- cember 4, 1891 ; Edward Leslie, born Janu- ary 23, 1893: and Milford, born April 19. 1897. In political matters Mr. Barkhurst gives his earnest support to the Republican party, and for one term he served as a mem- ber of the board of education. In his social relations he is a member of the Ancient Or- der of United Workmen and the Knights of Pythias fraternities. His wife is a leading member of the Baptist church in Hutchin- son. Mr. Barkhurst is interested in what- ever is designed for the public welfare, and is a public-spirited, progressive citizen, who merits the high regard in which he is uni- formly held ..
CHARLES W. PECKHAM.
Among the best citizens of Reno county, esteemed alike for his sterling worth of char- acter and his activity in the business world, is Charles W. Peckham, a worthy represen- tative of an honored family. According to
I tradition the original ancestors of the Peck- ham family in America came over in the Mayflower, and located in Rhode Island, then called "Rhode Island and Providence Plantation," and it is be- lieved that this is the origin of the entire Peckham family in America as it exists to- day. Job Peckham. the great-grandfather of our subject, was born, lived and died in Rhode Island, and his son, Oliver Peckham, was the first of our subject's branch of the family to leave that commonwealth. He re- moved to Madison county, New York, and while there residing he served as a soldier in the war of 1812, and our subject's father as long as he lived retained a distinct recoilec- ton of his father's home-coming from that conflict. The death of Oliver Peckham oc- curred in Madison county, New York. His brothers and sisters were as follows: Giles, who made his home in Fulton, New York; Gideon, a resident of Sunbury, that state; John, who resided at Madison, New York; George, whose residence is not known ; and Nancy, who became the wife of a Mr. Brown, a prominent shoe merchant of Lock- port, New York. A strange coincidence is that our subject, while attending school in Lockport, purchased shoes from his great- uncle without knowing of the relationship which existed between them, and afterward, happening by the merest chance to mention the circumstance to his father, was informed of the relationship. John, the third son, be- came a prominent farmer of his locality, re- siding at Parma, ten miles from Rochester, He was a shrewd business man, and always received the highest market price for his products. At that time the Adventists were so positive that the world was to come to an end he was one day approached by a gentle- man of that faith who solemnly informed him that the end of the world was just at hand. Mr. Peckham replied with equal gravity and with a tone of regret. "I wish I had known it sooner. for I could have sold my wheat and received the money for it." One of his daughters. Eugenia. was the au- thor of a volume of poems of considerable note. She became the wife of Dr. Hartwell. and her death occurred in early life. Her
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father afterward collected her poems and had them published in a volume. Oliver Peckham became the father of six children, namely: John D., the father of our subject ; Eusebius, who followed farming in Madison county and there speut his entire life; Charles, who was captain of a canal boat, and also spent his entire life in the Empire state; Rebecca, the wife of Zara Simmons, a prominent and successful farmer living one mile from Hamilton, New York; and Nancy and the youngest daughter, of whom no knowledge could be gained.
John D. Peckham, the father of him whose name introduces this review, was born in Madison county, New York, on the 22d of December, 1808. He received his education in the common schools of his lo- cality, and during his youth and early man- hood he assisted his father in the work of the home farm. After reaching mature years he removed to the town of Hamilton, where he learned the tailor's trade, and there fol- lowed that occupation until his removal to Ohio. On the 16th of May, 1833. in Madi- son county, he was united in marriage to Azina S. Brush, who was there born on the 12th of September, 1809, a daughter of George Brush, who lived in Columbia coun- ty, New York. The year following his mar- riage Mr. Peckham removed to Maumee, Ohio, making the journey from Buffalo to Toledo by steamboat. In that city he estab- lished a merchant tailor's store, opening his establishment with a stock worth fifteen hundred dollars, but unfortunately his store and entire stock was a few years afterward destroyed by fire, and in a short time his dwelling was also burned. In spite of these misfortunes Mr. Peckham succeeded in his business affairs, and soon built up a fine trade. Afterward, however, he purchased a farm of three hundred and twenty acres near Maumee, to which he removed his family. and there he was engaged in agricultural pursuits for a period of five years. On the expiration of that period he rented his land and removed with his family to the town. but soon after Asiatic cholera became preva- lent in this section, and, believing it safer in the country, he hastily returned with his
family to their farm, but his wife was soon stricken with that terrible disease, and her death occurred on the 3d of August, 1854. After that sad event the family again left their country home and located in Maumee, and the household was presided over by the eldest daughter, who tenderly cared for the children until they grew to mature years and became scattered, the youngest daugh- ter going to New York to make her home with an aunt, while the eldest went to Tulede and found employment as a seams- tress.
About this time Mr. Peckham sold his interest in Maumee and removed to Jackson county, Michigan, where he was engaged in both farming and trading. Later he secured a homestead in Gratiot county, Michigan, where. in partnership with another gentle- man, he laid out the town of St. Louis, now a flourishing little city, but at first its growth was so slow that Mr. Peckham became dis- couraged, and, selling his interests there, re- turned to Jackson county, where he followed beth tailoring and farming until 1872. In that year he came to the Sunflower state, and from that time until his death, which occurred on the 24th of October, 1883, he made his home with our subject. Prior to his removal te this state he was very promi- nent in the different localities in which he made his home, and was always an active worker in the cause of Christianity. In early life his political support was given to the Whig party, and after the organization of the Republican party he joined its ranks and was ever active in supporting its prin- ciples. During the later years of his life lie became a great reader, and as he had a most remarkable memory he became exceedingly well informed along many lines, but his preference was given to general history. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Peckham was blessed with five children, namely : Frances, Lorn September 10, 1834, is the widow of George Secor and resides in Toledo, Ohio: Mary, born July 10, 1837, died August 31, 1844, at Maumee; George B., born Febril- ary 27, 1839, died at Maumee on the Ioth of March, 1844: Cornelia E., born July 27, 1845, is the wife of Charles Doesher, a
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prominent fruit-grower of Petaluma, Cali- fornia ; and Charles W. is the subject of this review.
The latter, who was named in honor of his uncle, Captain Charles Peckham, was born at Maumee, Ohio, one of the oldest towns of the state, on the 26th of March, 1849. He was but five years of age when his mother died, and during his youth he first attended the schools of his native city and later those of Jackson, Michigan. He subsequently became a student in the public schools of Adrian, that state, and afterward entered the high school of Lockport, New York, in which institution he was graduated. .After completing his studies he successfully passed an academic examination. Previous to entering the high school at Lockport he taught one term of school in Niagara coun- ty, New York, and shortly after his arrival in this state hie resumed the teacher's pro- fession, following that occupation during the winter terms of 1873-5-6-7 in the Bethel school house, in district No. 35. His career as an educator was eminently successful, and he still has in his possession the first certificate which he received in Reno county. .After completing his high school course Mr. Peckham returned to Michigan, locating in Lenawee county, where he had previously made his home with a widow lady named Spencer after his father's family became scattered, and there he followed farming for one year. He then removed to Texas, lo- cating at Columbus, where he resumed the teacher's profession for one term and for the foll wing six months was the proprietor of a meat market. His next occupation was that of a herder on a ranch, which he con- tinued for one year. He then joined a party of herders who were employed by a ranchi- man to gather a herd of cattle along the Gulf of Mexico and drive them to Abilene, Kansas, a distance of eight hundred miles, and the journey consumed five months. On reaching the Indian nation the red skins de- manded two hundred dollars toll on their herd of eight hundred cattle, but the fore- mian of the herders, a brave and sturdy fel- low, refused their demands. The Indians at once became troublesome and the cowboys
immediately drew their six-shooters, while in return the Indians, only five in number, pointed to their camp, where they had an army of warriors. Not a whit intimidated, the cowboys kept a bold front and by ener- getic signs conveyed to the Indians a graphic picture of the vast number of Indians they had killed thus far on the trail just to "keep their hand in," and would ask for no greater pastime than to kill the whole tribe! After many threats a compromise was at last effected, and the Indians accepted a steer as toll
It was Mr. Peckham's intention on reaching the Sunflower state to return to Michigan, but on their way to Abilene the party passed through a magnificent scope of country in what is now the southeastern por- tion of Reno county our subject de- cided to locate here, and after disposing of the cattle he accordingly returned here and secured a claim. At that time there were but few trees in this section, and they were lo- cated along the Arkansas river and not a stick of timber was to be found on Mr. Peck- ham's claim. Buffaloes roamed at will over the prairies, and his first residence here was a sod house, with a roof of lumber, and in order to secure a cook stove he was obliged to go to Newton, a distance of thirty miles, but just about this time the Santa Fe road was completed to this point. He began his farming operations here with four Texas ponies, which he had brought from Texas, but in the following fall he secured four wild Texas steers, for which he built a corral thirty feet square. After much difficulty he succeeded in breaking these wild animals to the yoke and plow, and he soon placed about twenty acres of his claim under cultivation. In that early day his nearest neighbor re- sided in Sedgwick county, a distance of seven miles east, and his residence was lo- cated the farthest west in the state of Kan- sas south of the Arkansas river. Before the dwelling was entirely completed, however, a company of Texas drovers camped near his claim with a herd of three thousand head of cattle, which they had driven from Texas. Mr. Peckham secured employment with this company, receiving thirty-five dollars a
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month, and afterward they camped on his claim and their cattle grazed in this vicinity for months or until a party of hunters care- lessly set fire to the grass and a disastrous prairie fire was the result, thus compelling the herders to journey further north. Mr. Peckham remained with this company until the following spring, when he returned to his claim. In tlie spring of 1872 his father took up his abode with him, and for two years the two remained here alone.
During the first few years of his resi- dence here Mr. Peckham engaged in many buffalo hunts. He secured altogether eleven of the animals, which he captured on differ- ent occasions, five of the number having been contracted for by the advance agent of a brother of Dr. Durand, to be used in the great eastern menagerie. At another time he was out on a three weeks' hunt far to the southwest with a man named Rouse, but this trip did not prove as successful as the for- mer one, and our subject succeeded in cap- turing only about four animals, one of which was a powerful animal two years old. It made a desperate struggle for liberty, dragging Mr. Peckham and his horse all over the prairie before it was worn out. By his industry and good management our sub- ject has prospered in his undertaking's, and year by year has added to his possessions until he is now the owner of a magnificent landed estate. The first addition which he made to his original purchase consisted of the north half of the northeast quarter of section 2, which was then but slightly im- proved. His original holdings consisted of eighty acres of homestead land and eighty acres pre-emption, and the latter was after- ward turned into a timber claim. Later he purchased two hundred and forty acres of adjoining land, on section 3, and afterward became the owner of eighty acres near Ha- ven, but the latter tract he has given to his eldest son. His entire possessions now con- sist of five hundred and seventy-five acres. which includes fifteen acres within the town site of Haven. In 1878 he embarked in the stock business in partnership with another gentleman, securing a herd of between ser- enty and eighty cattle, and this firm be-
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