A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. I, Part 93

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 93

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William T. Hair, whose name intro -. duces this review, accompanied his parents to Iowa in 1854, when six years of age, where they lived for two years and 'then re- moved to Mercer county, Illinois, where his father bought one hundred and sixty acres of land and engaged in farming from 1857 to about 1880. He then sold out and moved to Seward, Nebraska, where he died Decem- ber 3. 1901, at the age of eighty years. Our subject had a very limited education, as he could only go to school during the winter

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seasons when there was little work to do on the farm after he was eight years of age. When he was twenty-one years of age he left home and worked out by the month and year for three years. He then rented land of his father for two years and in the spring of 1874 he went to Kansas. He has been a frontiersman from six years of age in Iowa, Illinois and Kansas. He came to Salt Creek township, Kansas, in the spring of 1874, pre-empted a quarter section of land, built a shanty and lived there two years, when he sold out and later, in the fall of 1882, located in Nickerson and en- gaged in the transfer business, having three wagons. Later he began to rent his wagons and in the spring of 1898 he bought the barn and livery of L. H. Potter. His busi- ness has steadily increased in volume and importance until he now owns twenty horses, five buggies and two carriages.

Mr. Hair chose for a companion and helpmeet on the journey of life Miss Ella Dixon, a native of Indiana, the marriage being celebrated on the 20th of September, 1877, and to them have been born seven chil- dren, three sons and four daughters, namely : Lillian, the wife of Earl Ens- minger, of Grant township; Calvin S., at home ; James L. ; Joseph E., a young man of eighteen, who is engaged in teaming ; Alice; Iantha ; and Ruth, now four years of age. By his untiring industry, determined pur- pose, good business ability and fair dealing Mr. Hair has accumulated a handsome con- petence, so that he is able to supply his fam- ily with all the comforts and many of the luxuries of life. He owns a very pretty home and the family are noted for their gracious hospitality, their large circle of friends being always sure of a warm wel- come. In his political views he is a stanch Republican, and, though he has not sought public office, his fellow citizens have mani- fested their confidence in him by electing him to several positions of trust. While farming in Enterprise township he was the first township trustee, and in Nickerson he has been a member of the school board for eight years and served as president of the board of education for two years. He also

served as a member of the city council two years, and in all these positions he has per- formed his duties with conscientious faith- fulness and in a prompt and business-like manner. He takes an active interest in everything pertaining to the welfare and up- building of the community in which he makes his home and he and his wife are con- sistent and worthy members of the Metho- dist church. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen, No. 640, and of the Odd Fellows Lodge, No. 190, both of Nickerson. He is a genial and courteous gentleman and is widely and favorably known in business and social circles.

WILLIAM H. CLARK.

Among the well known and successful farmers of Reno county, Kansas, there is none who stands higher in the regard of his fellow citizens than William H. Clark, who lives on section 34, Salt Creek township, and whose post office address is Nickerson.

Mr. Clark was born January 15, 1843; in the state of New York. His father, Dyer F. Clark, was born at White Hall, New York, January 25, 1818, and died on the farm in Kansas now owned by his son, in 1894. Samuel Clark, father of Dyer F. Clark, and grandfather of William H. Clark, was a native of Orange county, New York, and served his country in the war of 1812, as lieutenant in a company which took an active part in that struggle. He was born about 1789 and died at South- port, Chemung county, New York, about 1876. He married a Miss Jay, and reared five sons and two daughters: John, Ma- thilda. Dyer F., Jeanette S., Joshua, Will- iam G. and Andrew J. All of the afore- mentioned children of Samuel Clark, except Joshua, had children; and only two of them, Andrew J. Clark, of Loveland, Colo- rado, and Malinda, of Southport, New York, are living. Mr. Clark's mother, who was Elizabeth Leonard, was born in White Hall. New York, February 9. 1823, a daughter of John and Jane ( Pixley ) Leon-

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ard. Dyer F. Clark and Elizabeth Leonard were married February 18, 1841. They lost two sons in infancy and have two sons liv- ing, Samuel J. Clark, of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and William H. Clark, of Kansas.

The subject of this sketch was reared to country and village life and lived in the town of Van. Etten, Chemung county, New York, and attended the public school at Van Ettenville until he was twelve years old. His family then removed to Allegany county, New York. His father, who was a millwright, owned a saw and grist mill in Chemung county. In 1861, when he was eighteen years old, he enlisted in Company E, One Hundred and Thirtieth Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry, an organi- zation which later was known as the First New York Dragoons, with which he served three years. At the fight at Todd's Tavern he was wounded in the right arm and shoul- der and for some time afterward was in hospitals at Washington and at Philadel- phia. He was discharged from the service July 16, 1865, and returned north. While in the service he had an experience of two days as a prisoner of war.

February 2, 1867, Mr. Clark married Arzela Mathews, of Southport, Chemung county, New York, a most estimable wo- man and a model wife and mother, who died February 19, 1901, aged fifty-four years, after having borne him four children. The eldest of these, Hattie B., married John Freeze, and died at her home near her par- ents, October 4, 1888. Milford Clark, now living in Grant county, Oklahoma territory, married Sadie Cammack, of Indiana. They lost an infant daughter by death and have a young son named Hudson. Frank Ever- ett Clark is a member of his father's house- hold. Willie, Mr. Clark's youngest son, is in Colorado. Mr. Clark came from Alle- gany county, New York, to Kansas in 1872. arriving February 22 at Kansas City, where he remained for a short time. Sep- temiber 9, following, he located on his one hundred and sixty-acre homestead, where he has since lived, and began the improve- ment of a farm and in time erected a good

house and barns, planted an orchard and shade trees and put the whole place under profitable cultivation. He now has a half section of land and gives his attention to general farming and raises a goodly num- ber of cattle and hogs. He keeps short- horn cattle and Poland China hogs and feeds and ships from two to three carloads per year. Politically he is a Republican, and he says that in a general way he has escaped office but has served eight years as a justice of the peace. He is a member of Reno Post, No. 83, Grand Army of the Republic, and is a deacon in the Baptist church at Nickerson. His success has been won worthily by industry and economy, and his record is that of a man who has dealt fairly by his fellow men. He is a friend to public education and of popular enlighten- ment and has many times demonstrated his public spirit by assisting to the extent of his ability movements which he has be- lieved would benefit his township and county.

HENRY M. GROTH.

The vast majority of mankind is en- gaged in the pursuit of fortune, and that so many fall by the wayside is the result of one of two things,-either of a lack of close application or of unfitness for the line of work which they take up. In both these regards, however, Mr. Groth is well quali- fied and is therefore meeting with credit- able success in his mercantile . ventures in Lorraine, where he is now dealing in coal, flour, feed and grain. He is a young man who has not yet attained the prime of life, but he has already gained considerable prosperity.

A native of Illinois, he was born in Bloomington, May 12, 1872, his parents being August and Wilhelmina ( Schanke) Groth, both of whom were natives of Prus- sia. The father was a farmer by occupation and in 1871 crossed the Atlantic to the new world, locating in Bloomington, Illinois, where he remained for a year. He then purchased a farm near Hudson, McLean

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county, Illinois, and continued its cultiva- tion until 1881, when he sold that property and came to Ellsworth county, Kansas. Here he purchased a half section of land, including one hundred and sixty acres on section 21 and one hundred and sixty acres on section 30, township 17, range 9. Here he engaged in the production of grain, and in 1889 he extended his field of operation by erecting the grain elevator which is now operated by our subject. The father con- tinued in the grain business until 1895, when he retired from that line and has since given his energies to agricultural pursuits. In his family were eight children, namely : Alwina, the wife of H. L. Steinberg, a farmer of Green Garden township, Ells- worth county; Amelia, the wife of George Heitmann, a farmer of Lorraine; Bertha, the wife of L. H. Willens; Tillie, who mar- ried J. H. Janssen; August, who for sev- eral years was engaged in merchandising in Lorraine but is now carrying on agricul- tural pursuits ; Henry M .; Samuel, who owns and operates two hundred and forty acres of land on section 27, Green Garden township; and Herman, who is in business in Chicago, Illinois.

Henry M. Groth was a lad of nine years when he came to Ellsworth county. Through his youth he pursued his educa- tion in the public schools and also assisted his father on the home farm and in the grain trade. In 1895 he became proprietor of the elevator and for some time previous had practically managed the business. He likewise deals in coal, flour and feed and has a good trade, his annual sales having reached a considerable magnitude, whereby he enjoys a good income.

On January 7, 1897, Mr. Groth was joined in wedlock to Miss Ella Schmidt, a daughter of John M. Schmidt, one of the well known and successful farmers of Ells- worth county. Their marriage has been blessed with two children,-Minnie and Victor. Mr. Groth and his wife are mem- bers of the German Baptist church, and in politics he is a Republican, warmly espous- ing the cause of the party and doing what- ever he can for its advancement and growth.

He has been a worker in its ranks rather than an aspirant for office, and has been a member of various committees and a dele- gate to its conventions. Aside from thus laboring for the principles in which he be- lieves, he prefers to give his time and en- ergies to his business affairs, in which he is meeting with signal success.

ELISHA W. KIRBY.

Elisha W. Kirby, whose farm on sec- tion 24, Washington township, is neat and thrifty in appearance and indicates the supervision of a progressive owner, was born in Morgan county, Ohio, December 20, 1842, and represents an old southern family .. His grandfather, Robert E. Kirby, of Harper's Ferry, Maryland, was born about 1783, and his ancestors had long re- sided in the new world. His death occurred in Pennsville, Morgan county, Ohio, in the year 1865. His son, Finley Kirby, the fa- ther of our subject, was born in Belmont county, Ohio, on the 12th of August, 1820, and in the state of his nativity was reared to manhood. There he married Elizabeth Rusk, who was born in Morgan county, Ohio, in 1817, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. John Rusk. The wedding was celebrated about 1840, and for more than half a cen- tury they traveled life's journey together, sharing with each other the joys and sor- rows, the troubles and pleasures of life. The father died February 24, 1901, but the mother is still living in Morgan county, Ohio, and is well preserved both mentally and physically. By her marriage she be- became the mother of eleven children, six of whom reached years of maturity, while five are now living, as follows: Elisha W .; Robert E., who was a member of Company H, Seventeenth Ohio Infantry, and died in 1865, at the age of twenty-three years, from injuries sustained in the service ; John R., who is living in Morgan. county, Ohio; Rosa Lee, the wife of Ephraim Vicroy, of Morgan county; Blanche, wife of a Mr. Coyle; and James, who died in Morgan county, at the age of thirty years.

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Mr. Kirby, whose name stands at the head of this review, spent his childhood and youth in Pennsville, Ohio, where he ac- quired good school privileges, pursuing his studies until eighteen years of age. He then put aside his text-books, offering his aid to the government for three years. He en- listed on the 20th of September, 1861, as a member of Company H, Seventh Ohio In- fantry, and was at the front for three years and ten months, during which time he was never wounded or taken prisoner, nor was he in a hospital. He participated in many important battles and skirmishes, however, and many times narrowly escaped wounds and death. When his military service was ended he returned to Morgan county, Ohio, where he resumed work at the stone- mason's trade, carrying on business as a contractor and builder.

Mr. Kirby was married May 17, 1866, to Mary E. Hann, who was born in Morgan county, a daughter of William and Lydia (Wood) Hann. Her father is still living in the Buckeye state, but her mother died in 1845, leaving four children: Mrs. Kirby passed away on the 24th of December, 1895, at the age of forty-eight years. She was the mother of six children, three of whom are living: Robert L., who is a resi- dent of Beatrice, Nebraska; Charles H., at home ; and Annie, wife of Lewis Conrad, of Russell county, Kansas, by whom she has three children. Those who have departed this life are Mrs. Kate L. Murdock, who died at the age of thirty, leaving two sons ; William H., who died at the age of thirty, leaving two sons and a daughter; and Mrs. Alice Moore, who died at the age of twenty- four, leaving a little son to mourn the loss of a mother. After the death of his first wife Mr. Kirby was again married, in 1885. his second union being with Mrs. Josephine Magee, ncc Collins, of La Salle, Illinois. By this marriage there is one daughter. Jessie C., now a little maiden of eight years. By her former marriage Mrs. Kirby has one daughter, Nellie L. Magee, who chose her own name when nine years of age. She is now a teacher of piano and vocal music in Rice county.

Mr. Kirby came from Ohio to Kansas in 1878,, settling in Russell county, where he resided for fourteen years, engaged in contracting and farming. In 1893 he came to his present farm of eighty acres, and is now engaged in the raising of corn, wheat, sorghum and alfalfa. His is one of the fertile and productive farms in this part of the county and his home is a pleasant and cheerful one, tastefully furnished and per- meated by a spirit of good will and hos- pitality. The family is one of intelligence and refinement and the members of the household have many friends. In his politi- cal views Mr. Kirby is a reliable Republi- can, and while in Ohio filled some township offices, but prefers to leave such service to others in order to give his time and atten- tion to his business affairs and the enjoy- ments of the pleasures of the home.

GIDEON R. WOLFE.

The office of county surveyor is one which requires in its incumbent not only a complete and accurate knowledge of land surveying in all its details, but also a spirit of fairness which impels him to deal justly with all concerned, and sufficient tact to en- abe him to impress upon all interested par- ties the conviction of the accuracy of his surveys. Ellsworth county, Kansas, has in Gideon R. Wolfe, a model county surveyor, and one who in an eminent degree com- mands the respect of all his fellow citizens.

Gideon R. Wolfe was born in Center county, Pennsylvania, April 27, 1829, a son of Martin and Lydia ( Mabley) Wolfe, both natives of Pennsylvania, where they passed their entire lives. This good couple were the parents of three children one of whom, William, died in Pennsylvania; the second, Charles, died in the Civil war ; and the third is the immediate subject of this sketch. Mr. Wolfe grew up on his father's farm, in Cen- ter county, Pennsylvania, and received a meager education in the public schools. At the age of twelve he entered upon a five years' apprenticeship to John Sellers, of Milesburg, in his native county, to learn the

HR. Wolfe

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carpenter's trade, which he completed when he was seventeen years old,and for six months thereafter he was a journeyman, worker with Mr. Sellers, and this associa- tion continued for one year. He then began contracting and building on his own account at Milesburg, where he remained until 1850, when he removed to Curwensville, Clearfield county, Pennsylvania, where he continued building operations, which extended over Clearfield and adjoining counties, and he gradually made a specialty of architectural work.

At the outbreak of the Civil war Mr. Wolfe enlisted in what is known as the Bucktail Regiment, the members of which had their caps ornamented with a buck's tail, which was attached to the button at one side of the forepiece, passed across the front of the cap and extended along the left side of the head. The original Bucktail company was organized by Captain Kane, the cele- brated Arctic explorer, and the regiment into which it quickly grew went to the front under his command. At the expiration of his term of enlistment. in 1863, Mr. Wolfe was honorably discharged from the service and soon afterward he was appointed a civil engineer and surveyor in the government's service at Giesloro, a cavalry post or bureau at Washington, D. C. In 1864 he was ap- pointed superintendent of the post, filling that office while performing the duties of his other office, and thus continuing until the close of the war.

After the war Mr. Wolfe returned to Milesburg. Pennsylvania, and accepted a po- sition as superintendent of a planing mill, which after two years he leased and hie thereafter managed the same successfully until 1870, when he went to Kansas and lo- cated at Abilene, where he devoted himself to contracting and building until January, 1873. Three months after his arrival in' Abilene, he was appointed county surveyor for Dickinson county to fill one year of an unexpired term and was then elected to the office and served two years longer. In 1873 he removed to Hays City. Kansas, and was appointed county surveyor of Ellis county and re-elected to the office several times. He

remained at Hays City until 1897, except while absent prospecting for minerals in Colorado, and in other northwestern states and territories. In July, 1898, he removed to Ellsworth and engaged in contracting and building. In the fall of 1899 he was elected on the Republican ticket to his present office. During his residence at Hays City he was elected. to the office of register of deeds, in which he served one term. He also filled the office of justice of the peace.

In politics Mr. Wolfe is a Republican, and is devoted to the principles and work of his party. He has developed into an archi- tect of superior ability and has designed and built many fine structures, among them the Hill & Nelson Bank building and the A. S. Hall & Company Bank building at Hays City. He is one of the registered arch- itects of Kansas, and his name appears in the official directory of architects of the United States. He was made a Master Ma- SO11 in Clearfield Lodge, No. 314. A. F. & A. M., at his old home in Pennsylvania.

Mr. Wolfe was married April 25, 1847, to Sarah McMullen, a native of Milesburg, Pennsylvania, who bore him ten children, nine of whom are living: Henry L. of Crip- ple Creek, Colorado; Mary, wife of Joseph Easton, of Colorado; Flora, wife of John Garrett. of Guthrie, Oklahoma; John D., who is a carpenter at Hays City, Kansas ; Kate, wife of Isaac Livensparger, of Shelby. Ohio: Fannie, wife of Eugene Hobbs, of Dorrance, Kansas; Joseph H., of Cripple Creek, Colorado; and Sarah and Nellie, who are members of their father's household. The mother of these children died at Hays City, Kansas, June 8, 1897. Mr. Wolfe is a communicant of the Presbyterian church and is actively interested in all movements for the advancement of the material and moral interests of Ellsworth.

W. E. GASTON.

W. E. Gaston, one of the successful and prominent citizens of Hutchinson. Kan- sas, was born in Logan county, Illinois,

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February 28, 1867. He is of French lineage on the paternal side, his ancestors coming to America from France over one hundred years ago and settling in Virginia. The family name was then De Gaston, but in time the prefix was dropped. The father of our subject, S. D. Gaston, was born near Wheeling, West Virginia, April 24, 1827, and is a farmer by occupation. Qn the death of his father he removed with his mother, brothers and sisters to Delaware county, Ohio, in 1845, where the family re- mained engaged in agricultural pursuits un- til 1860. At that time, with two brothers, S. D. Gaston removed to McLean county, Illinois, where they purchased ten thousand acres of prairie land and engaged exten- sively in cattle raising, still retaining pos- session of the farm in Ohio. In 1866 S. D. Gaston discontinued the raising of cattle and removed to Lincoln, Illinois, and there opened a meat market. For four years he remained in this city, and in 1870 came to Reno county, Kansas, where he filed on a homestead on the southwest quarter of sec- tion 4, in Lincoln township, where he is still residing at the advanced age of seventy- four, with his wife, who is sixty-three years of age. He was married November 2, 1854, in Delaware county, Ohio, to Hester A. White, who was born in Knox county, that state, November 11, 1838. She is a daugh- ter of Dr. Timothy White and Sarah (Wil- son) White, the former a native of New England, the latter of Maryland. The mother was of English and Irish lineage. S. D. Gaston was one of a family of eight children, of whom but one sister is now living, Mrs. Martha Martin, who resides at Terre Haute, Indiana. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Gaston were born ten children, seven of whom reached mature years, namely : Sam- uel C., a farmer of Lincoln township, Reno county, Kansas; Ida, who married David Taylor, a farmer residing in Lincoln town- ship. Reno county ; Benjamin F., Frances Irving and Mary Emma, who all died in in- fancy in Missouri; W. E., the subject of this review ; Alice, the wife of H. A. Wainner, a resident of Lincoln township, who en- gages in farming; John W., who was edu-

cated in the Kansas State Normal School and for ten years taught throughout the state and is now a farmer of Lincoln town- ship; Grace, a school teacher living at home; and Victor, living with his parents.

W. E. Gaston received his early educa- tion in the district schools of Reno county, and later took a course in the Southwestern Business College of Hutchinson. He sub- sequently entered the Kansas State Normal School for a two-years course, and upon fin- ishing his studies here he engaged in teach- ing school in Reno county. For seven years he pursued this occupation, the last two of which he held the position of principal of the Haven public school. In this work he was eminently successful, having gained an enviable reputation as a man of ability along educational lines. Upon his leaving school work he engaged in the insurance business, representing the Union Central Life Insur- ance Company of Cincinnati, Ohio. Being a man of honor and ability, he is meeting with marked success in this business, and for the past five years has been agent for this com- pany throughout southwestern Kansas. In 1887 he purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres of rich land in Lincoln township, which he still retains, operating it mostly as a stock farm.

On the 5th of September, 1894, in Reno county, Kansas, Mr. Gaston was joined in marriage to Edna E. Cockey, a native of Baltimore, Maryland. Her parents, Thom- as R. and Clara (Brooks) Cockey, were also natives of Maryland and represent one of the oldest and most prominent families of Maryland, dating back to a period long be- fore the Revolutionary war. The town of Cockeysville, Maryland, was named in honor of the family. Mr. Cockey removed with his family to Reno county, Kansas, in 1882, and here the father passed away in 1895, survived by his wife, who makes her home in Hutchinson. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Gaston have been born three children : Earl, now deceased; Le Roy, born May 30, 1898; and Glenn Ernest.

W. E. Gaston is active in educational and political interests, being a member of the board of education of Hutchinson; and

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A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. I, Part 93

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