A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. I, Part 80

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 80

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At the age of nineteen years Mr. Wells was united in marriage to Margaret A. Workman, a member of a prominent old family of Indiana, and her grandfather was a soldier in the war of 1812. She is a daughter of Josiah and Mary A. (Heaton) Workman, the former of whom died at the early age of twenty-nine years, but is still survived by his wife, who makes her home in Indiana. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Wells have been born four children. The eldest, Har- vey, is a well known farmer of Kingman county. He married Cozetta Fitzgerald,

and they have have one daughter. Lozella. The second son, Herman, is a prominent and successful teacher of this county, and the two youngest children are Maud and Ches- ter, Mrs. Wells is a member of the Baptist church, and our subject holds membership relations with the Methodist Episcopal church. He gives a zealous and active sup- port to the Republican party, and is a pub- lic-spirited and representative citizen, inter- ested in all that tends to uplift and benefit his fellow men.

DAVID HARBAUGH.

David Harbaugh is the owner of a fine farm of three hundred and twenty acres in Galesburg township, Kingman county. He was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, May 28, 1845, and is a son of David Har- baugh, a native of Somerset county, Penn- sylvania, and a grandson of Jacob Har- baugh, also a native of the same county. The Harbaughs were of an old Pennsyl- vania Dutch family that for' two hundred years have been represented in American interests and noted for the industry, moral- ity and determination of its members, who have ever been honored and respected peo- ple. David Harbaugh was united in mar- riage to Anna Willson, who was born in Somerset county and was a daughter of W. M. Willson, who was likewise a native of the Keystone state and was of Pennsyl- vania Dutch lineage. Mr. and Mrs. Har- baugh became the parents of ten children, namely : William, Washington, George, Sarah, Catherine, Elizabeth, James, David, and Samuel and Susie, who were twins. The family were well represented in the Civil war, James having been a member of the Sixth Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery. He died in the service, offering his life as a ransom for the Union. The father died in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, in 1871, in the seventy-first year of his age. He was a carpenter by trade and a man of industry and enterprise. His political support was given to the Whig party in early life and after its dissolution he joined the ranks of the Republican party. Both he and his wife

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were consistent Christian people, holding membership in the Baptist church. Mrs. Harbaugh died in 1886.

The subject of this review was reared upon the old farm in Fayette county, Penn- sylvania, and in the public schools acquired his education. In early life he engaged iu making shingles, but when the Civil war was inaugurated he joined the Union troops, in August, 1864. as a member of the Sixth Pennsylvania Heavy Artillery. He was then but nineteen years of age, but his bravery was equal to that of many a veteran of twice his years. The regiment was sta- tioned at Washington, D. C., in defense of the capital, and in August, 1885, when the war was over, Mr. Harbaugh was honor- ably discharged and returned to his home in Fayette county, Pennsylvania.

In 1867 he removed to Chariton county, Missouri, and in 1873 he was married to Susanna Cox, a lady of intelligence, who has been an able assistant to her husband in his life work. She was born in Brown county, Illinois, and is a daughter of William Cox, a native of Kentucky, now deceased. The home of Mr. and Mrs. Harbaugh has been blessed with four children: Elva, Lewis, Albert and Roy.

In 1880 Mr. Harbaugh with his family came to Kansas, and in Galesburg township, Kingman county, purchased three hundred and twenty acres of land, which he has transformed into a valuable farm, one hun- dred and seventy acres being under cultiva- tion, the fields annually returning to him abundant harvests. Good pastures afford excellent feeding grounds for his stock, an orchard yields its fruits in season and every- thing about the place is in excellent con- dition, indicating the careful supervision of a progressive owner. Mr. Harbaugh is an invincible adherent of Republican belief and never fails to cast his ballot for the men and measures of the party. He has served on the township board of supervisors, for twelve years has been a member of the school board, and is most faithful and prompt in the execution of his public duties. He and his wife belong to the Methodist Episcopal church and take an active part in church

and Sunday-school work. He has served as trustee, contributes liberally to the cause of Christianity and does all in his power for its advancement. In the years of his residence in Kingman county he has made many warm friends, for his life has been one of industry and uprightness and his allegiance to all that is true and just indicates him to be a man of high moral principles.

FRED B. GORDENIER.

Fred B. Gordenier, who since the spring of 1878 has been a resident of Ellsworth county and is now one of the enterprising farmers and stockmen of Sherman township, his home being on section 35, was born in Henry county, Illinois, in October, 1857. His father, Jacob W. Gordenier, was born in Ulster county, New York, November 30, 1827, and was a son of Seth Gordenier, also a native of the Empire state and an agri- culturist by occupation. The father of our subject was reared in the state of his nativ- ity and became a contractor and builder. In 1855 he removed westward to Illinois and was identified with the building interests in that state until 1885, when he came to Kansas. Here he has been an active factor in the improvement of the locality in which he located. He has erected many of the best buildings here and under contract has put up many fine structures in Nebraska. His warm support was given to the Republican party and his firm belief in its principles leads him to take an active interest in its work. While in Illinois he served as collec- tor, but has never been a politician in the sense of an office seeker. Ere he left the Empire state he married Miss Harriet Mid- daugh, the wedding being celebrated Janu- ary 14, 1854. Unto them were born two children, Fred B., of this review, and Emma, who died in childhood. The father attained the age of seventy-two years and passed away in January, 1900, while his wife died in 1899.

Fred B. Gordenier, the only surviving member of the family, pursued his educa-

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tion in the public schools and when about fifteen years of age began learning the car- penter's and builder's trade, under the di- rection of his father, with whom he worked in Illinois until he came to Kansas in 1878. To some extent he had engaged in feeding hogs in the Prairie state and decided to remove to a country where he would have better oppor- tunities to engage in stock-raising and where there was more to do in the building line. Accordingly he came to Ellsworth county and purchased a quarter section of land in Sherman township, upon which he yet resides. It was then a tract of wild prairie upon which not a furrow had been turned or an improvement made, but he broke the ground with oxen. When he came here lie had a team of horses and there was but one other team then kept in the lo- cality. He purchased the lumber and erected a barn and also built the northern portion of his home, sixteen by twenty-four feet. He secured the lumber in Illinois and brought it with him to Kansas. He began raising grain and stock and raised a fine lot of Poland-China hogs, giving his special at- tention to the raising of that breed for a number of years. Later, however, he has devoted his time more exclusively to the cul- tivation of wheat and the feeding of steers for the market. He has added to his land until he now owns six quarter sections, of which three hundred and twenty acres is under the plow. A creek has its rise upon his farm and affords the best water supply for the stock. In 1889 he erected an addi- tion to his home and now has one of the most attractive residences in this portion of the county. The first years of his man- hood were devoted to the payment of his home.

When Mr. Gordenier's father came to Ellsworth county he joined him in the build- ing business, and many of the most substan- tial structures of the locality stand as monti- ments of their thrift and enterprise. They erected the State Savings Bank, the Long building, the St. Louis and San Francisco Road House, the Masonic Temple, the Kan- opolis Hotel, the schoolhouse of Kanopolis,

the Lloyd office building, the fire depart- ment building and many other structures which have indicated the growth and pros- perity of the locality. In 1891, when he began work on the court-house Mr. Gor- denier of this review rented the farm for a year and took up his abode in Ellsworth, but on the expiration of that period he re- turned to the farm and has since given his entire attention to agricultural pursuits and stock-raising.

On the Ist of January, 1880, Mr. Gor- denier was united in marriage to Miss Ollie McHenry, a daughter of William and Mary MIcHenry, and they now have three chil- dren : Maude, William and Jay. Mr. Gor- denier is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and of the Degree of Honor.

He has been an active factor in the de- velopment and progress of the county, aid- ing in its upbuilding as few other men have done. He assisted in the organization of the school district here and for many years has served on the school board and the cause of education finds in him a warm friend. The first term of school taught in his district was held in the basement of his dwelling-house, the teacher's fa- ther bringing her to the new school with a yoke of oxen. He is .a stanch Republican in politics and does all in his power to promote the growth and secure the success of the party. He has fre- quently been a delegate to its conventions and for many years was a member of the Republican central committee, of which he acted as treasurer for seven or eight years. For some time he filled the position of town- ship trustee and has been a candidate for the office of county treasurer. His name is inseparably interwoven with the history and development of this portion of Kansas, coming here in pioneer days he has co-op- erated in all movements for the general good and his labors have resulted in the public benefit. In his business affairs he has been successful and has accumulated a handsome competence which supplies him with all the comforts and many of the lux- uries of life.

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

D. P. DODGE.

D. P. Dodge, who is engaged in general farming on section 26, Galesburg township, is one of the prominent, popular and well known citizens of Kingman county, who since 1878 has resided in this portion of the state. He was born in Posey county, Indi- ana, February 10, 1842. His father, Willis Dodge, was a native of the same state, and was a son of William Dodge, whose birth occurred in Tennessee, and who was a sol- dier in the Indian wars. Willis Dodge was reared in the Hoosier state and married Emily Watson, who was born in Kentucky, as was her father, John Watson. He, too, took part in the Indian wars which formed a part of the early history of the settlement of the central states. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Dodge were born the following children : James ; Drury P .; John W. : Anderson R. ; Joseph ; Lewis; Ben F. ; Lomena Ellen ; Al- fred Harrison; Nancy E .; Malinda; and Mary Jane, who died in infancy. Three of the sons took part in the Civil war, namely : John, of Davis county, Iowa; Anderson, who is now living in Reno county, Kansas ; and Joseph G., of Cowley county, Kansas. The father died at the age of seventy-eight years, after having devoted his energies throughout a long and useful career to agri- cultural pursuits. His political support was given the Democracy. His wife, who passed away at the age of seventy-four, was a faithful member of the Cumberland Presbyterian church, and an earnest Chris- tian woman.

D. P. Dodge, of this review, spent his childhood and youth in Posey county, Indi- ana, and in McLean county, Illinois. He was reared to farm life, and the occupation with which he became familiar in his boy- hood he has since followed. At the age of twenty he was married to Malinda S. Neal, who was born in Posey county, Indiana, and was a daughter of Thomas and Nancy (Wilson) Neal, the former a native of Ken- tucky and the latter of Tennessee. Both died in McLean county, Illinois, when well ad- vanced in years. Her father was an agri- culturist and in politics was a Republican,

voting for Lincoln in the early period of the party's existence. His church relation was with the Cumberland Presbyterians. Mrs. Dodge had three sisters who died in Kansas. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Dodge has been blessed with three sons: James E .; George; and E. T. In 1878 Mr. Dodge brought his family to Kansas and took up a claim of Osage Indian land. The tract was wild and unimproved, but he has trans- formed it into a fine farm, making it one of the finest properties in the township. He has a substantial residence, good barns and outbuildings and an orchard of eight acres. Of the farm, eighty-five acres is under cul- tivation, and the well tilled fields indicate the labor and careful supervision of the owner. His sons, like himself, are industrious farm- ers, carrying on business on their own ac- count.

In politics Mr. Dodge is an independent Democrat, recognized as one of the leading representatives of his party in this locality. He has served as a township trustee, justice of the peace and county commissioner, and in all has discharged his duties with prompt- ness and fidelity, thus winning the high commendation of all concerned. Both he and his wife and their youngest son are members of the Presbyterian church and take an active part in church and Sunday- school work, Mr. Dodge now serving as deacon. He has been an important factor in the development of his township along all lines of substantial progress, and is inter- ested in everything pertaining to the welfare of the community. He is a man of strong purpose, upright in all his dealings, and wherever known he commands the confi- dence and respect of his fellow citizens.

JOSEPH B. PROSE.

Joseph Benson Prose, who is a represent- ative member of the bar of Barton county, maintains his home in the village of Hvis- ington, where he has built up an excellent practice, attaining professional prestige by reason of his distinctive ability as an attor-

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ney and counselor. Mr. Prose is a native of the old Buckeye state, having been born in Patriot, Gallia county, Ohio, on the 8th of February, 1856, the son of Rev. Jolin R. Prose, a clergyman of the Methodist Epis- copal church. When our subject was two years of age the family established their home on a small farm near McArthur, Vin- ton county, the same having been inherited by his mother, who was an invalid during his early boyhood, though she accompanied her husband on his various itineraries as a member of the Ohio conference, our subject and his older brother remaining on the farm in the meanwhile. There Joseph B. Prose was reared to the age of eighteen years, his early educational privileges being such as were afforded in the district school in the vicinity of his home. As his services were required in. connection with the work of the farm he attended the school only during the winter terms, of about three months each year, and the advantages were very inferior. Mr. Prose states that he learned more through his personal study beneath the shade trees at his home than he acquired in all his application in the district school. He, how- ever, profited largely by a course of study in a select school taught by John S. Wither- spoon, a few miles distant from his home. Our subject continued to work on the farm until he had attained the age of eighteen years, when he became a student in the Ohio University, at Athens, where he completed his literary course. Soon afterward he took up the study of law, under the direction of S. A. Bright, of Logan, Ohio.

The year 1885 witnessed the arrival of Mr. Prose in Kansas. He came to Great Bend and for two years was there engaged in teaching school. In the meanwhile he continued his legal studies, and in 1887 was admitted to the bar of the state, though he thereafter continued to devote his atten- tion to the pedagogic profession for a period of six years, teaching in the public schools until March, 1893, when he established hin- self in the practice of law in Hoisington. where he has since maintained his home. He is now the only practitioner at law in this place, and his business is of a varied char-

acter, demanding a wide knowledge of the principles of jurisprudence. Mr. Prose has been prominently identified with the inter- ests of the town and was formerly a stock- holder and vice-president of the Hoisington State Bank, and he filled the office of presi- dent of the institution for a time, having been incumbent of this position at the time of the reorganization of the bank, in 1900.

In politics Mr. Prose gives his allegi- ance to the Republican party, and frater- nally he is identified with the Masonic order, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Ac- cidental Association. A man of strong men- tality and forceful character, he has the qualifications essential to success at the bar, and he is a close student of his profession and one whose fidelity to the interest of his clients is unequivocal. £ His work in the line of his chosen calling is carried on with marked energy and ability, and he is known as a safe and conservative counselor and an able advocate, basing his arguments on the facts involved in the issue at hand and on the law pertinent to the case, and he has won many notable forensic triumphs.

On the 2d of September, 1896, Mr. Prose was united in marriage to Miss Olive Lin- der, a daughter of Daniel W. Linder, one of the early settlers of this county, where he owns a large amount of farm and town property, including valuable lots, residences and business structures in Hoisington. Mr. and Mrs. Prose have two daughters,-Helen H. and Bessie.

SAMUEL SALLEE.

Few citizens of Reno county, Kansas, enjoy a higher measure of esteem than Sam- uel Sallee, a very successful farmer on sec- tiwn 28, in Bell township. The birth of Mr. Sallee occurred in Preble county, Ohio, on June 11, 1823, and he is a son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Croft) Sallee.

Samuel Sallee, the father, was born in Pennsylvania, about 1795, and he was one of the early settlers in Ohio, going there

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MR. AND MRS. SAMUEL SALLEE AND FAMILY.

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prior to his marriage. Later he met and married Elizabeth Croft, who was born in Virginia, and they had a family of ten chil- dren, four of whom grew to maturity, these being: William, who lives in Morocco, In- diana, at an advanced age still robust and vigorous ; Samuel, of this sketch, who bears his years with remarkable capacity, also; Urana, who married Robert Smeddy, and lives near Lincoln, Indiana, and Mrs. Lu- cinda Jane Cox, who died in middle life, in her home in Indiana having had a family of ten children. Mr. Sallee removed to Indi- ana from Ohio and for some years carried on a milling business, but died in that state at the age of forty years. The mother con- tracted a second marriage and died in Iro- quois county, Illinois, at the age of sixty years.

Samuel Sallee of this sketch was reared on the farm in Indiana and there learned the trade of a blacksmith, follow- ing the same for a period of fifteen years and continuing in the same business after his location in Kansas, in addition to his agricultural labors. In 1841 he was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Clear, who was born in Preble county, Ohio, on August 6, 1828, being but two months younger than her venerable husband. To this happy mar- riage was born a family of ten children, and eight were reared to maturity, these being as follows: Joel B., who was born in 1843. became a soldier during the Civil war, and after escaping wounds and death came home only to die of disease contracted in the army, passing away in 1865, and was buried near St. Marys, Illinois; John, who was born in 1845. is a successful farmer in Kingman county and has reared eleven of his twelve children: William, the third son, also became a soldier in the service of his country and was mortally wounded at Chat- tanooga, and was buried at Nashville, Ten- nessee ; Mary, who married Richard De Foe, was born in Ohio, and now resides in Kingman county, Kansas, and she has six children ; Adresta, who was born in Illinois, married Robert Blanchard and lives in Langdon, Reno county ; Delilah, who was born in Illinois, married John Halstrom

and lives in her native state and has a fam- ily of twelve children; Ellen, who married Benjamin Moore, lives at Lerado, and she has a family of ten children ; and Emma, who is the widow of Edward Murry, has six living children, but has suffered several bereavements, her husband being killed in July, 1900, and a son of seventeen years, being drowned in June, 1901.

Mr. and Mrs. Sallee removed some years after their marriage to the state of Ililnois, living near St. Marys for some eighteen years, coming thence to Kansas on March 13, 1879. Here our subject bought a set- tler's claim of one hundred and sixty acres of Osage land, paying one hundred dollars and the pre-emption fees. Their son, John, had preceded them, coming here on March 13. 1874. All have been very successful in their farming operations. Mr. Sallee has proved himself an excellent agriculturist and has land which produced over two thou- sand bushels of wheat in 1900, from one hundred and forty acres, and in 1901 yielded the enormous amount of thirty-five thousand, eight hundred bushels of this cereal.

Mr. and Mrs. Sallee have had the usual amount of misfortune attendant upon set- tlement in a new country, and have always been industrious, energetic people. For the past two years our subject has not operated the farm himself, but proposes to do so in the future, although he has reached the age at which many men feel they must retire from active duty. Their remarkable vigor, however, makes them seem only in the prime of life, and testifies to lives lived in accordance with the laws of health and high morality. They have journeyed to- gether for sixty years, and among their many blessings they number their sturdy and intelligent descendants of the younger generations, consisting of fifty-five grand- children and nine great-grandchildren. They not only receive the affection and high regard of these descendants, but also of the neighborhood through which they are known for those qualities calculated to win esteem and approbation.

In his political life Mr. Sallee has always

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been a Democrat and has taken quite an interest in public affairs. Both he and his most estimable wife are consistent members of the Christian church and are highly val- ued for their innumerable good qualities. .

WILLIAM J. VAN SICKLE.

The history of pioncer life in Reno coun- ty is familiar to William J. Van Sickle, who was one of the first settlers in this part of the state and has contributed in large measure to the improvement and develop- ment of Reno county. He now resides in Hutchinson and is agent for the De Laval cream separator, having the agency for Reno, McPherson and Harvey counties. His life record began in Berkshire, Dela- ware county, Ohio, where he first opened his eyes to the light of day on the 14th of April, 1840, his parents being Garrett and Elsie A. ( Lott) Van Sickle. The Van Sickle family is of Holland lineage and was founded in America at an early day. Peter Van Sickle, the grandfather of our subject, was a native of New Jersey and became one of the pioneer settlers of Delaware county, Ohio. His well directed business efforts brought to him success and he became the owner of twelve hundred acres of rich land in the Scioto valley. Among the leading farmers and stock-raisers of that locality he was numbered and he was regarded as one of the prominent and influential citizens. In his political views he was a stanch Whig and in religious faith was a Baptist. He married Elizabeth Stevenson, and among their children was Garrett Van Sickle, who was likewise born in New Jersey, his natal day being in 1806. When he was about ten or twelve years of age he accompanied his parents to Delaware county, where in the midst of the heavy forest a home was es- tablished and a farm developed. On arriv- ing at years of maturity he married Elsie A. Lott, a daughter of Joseph Lott, who brought his family to Ohio about the time the Van Sickles came. He, too, was a man of prominence and influence and his home

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A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. I, Part 80

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