A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. II, Part 109

Author: Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: New York Chicago: The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 1084

USA > Kansas > A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. II > Part 109

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Frederick Forney married Margaret Mordis, of Guernsey county. Ohio, and she bore him one son. A. R. Forney, who is living, and another who died in infancy. Grandmother Forney was eighty-two years old, November 3, 1001. her years number- ing twice those of her grandson, Samuel V. Forney, son of her son, A. R. Forney. She

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is remarkably preserved, both mentally and physically. A. R. Forney married Eliza- beth Mitchell, who was born in 1838, in Guernsey county, Ohio, a daughter of Alex- ander Mitchell. Her father died at about the age of eighty-two years, having reared four sons and six daughters. Mr. Forney and Miss Mitchell married about 1856, and they had one daughter and eleven sons all of whom grew to maturity, of whom the subject of this sketch was the first born son. The first death in the family was that of Elmer Forney, the third of his father's children, who passed away unmarried at the age of twenty-two years. Almira, the eldest child and only daughter, married Morgan Arnold, of Peabody, Kansas. Wil- lis Forney, the fourth of his father's chil- dren in order of birth was at the age of twenty-two years, shot to death in cold blood by one Roy Nance, an outlaw, who unfortunately escaped the gallows. How- ard the next in order of birth, is living in Lake township, Harvey county, Kansas. unmarried. Marion is a member of his father's household in Hutchinson, Kansas. Clark, the next younger son, also lives with his parents. Albert, who lives in Hutchin- son. Kansas, has a wife and one son. George E. Forney, druggist at Greens- burg. Kansas, is a bright and scholarly young man, who is married but has no chil- dren. Elden died February 3. 1896, aged nineteen years. Fred Alexander is a med- ical student at Lawrence, Kansas. The fa- ther of these children came to Kansas in 1877 and lived at and near Peabody until 1888. After that he lived at Burrton three years and two years at Sylvia, where he was engaged in farming. He has more recently been a traveling representative of a Wichita firm which is engaged in the manufacture of monuments.

Samuel V. Forney married Elida M. Fielder, September 19, 1882. Mrs. Forney, who is a daughter of William and Kittie ( Hannah) Fielder, was born in Waterloo. Iowa, and her parents died when she was an infant. Kittie Hannah, who became her mother, was a daughter of P. R. Hannah, the first white settler in Henry county, Illi-

nois, whose eldest daughter was the first white child born there. Mrs. Forney's grandfather Hannah was not only a farmer but was a minister of the Methodist Epis- copal church, with much ability and popu- larity, and many of his descendants have been prominent in public life. The widow of P. R. Hannah is living in Kansas City, Missouri, aged about seventy-eight. JÍr. and Mrs. Forney were deprived of the will by death when he was six weeks old. Their son, Harry M. Forney, of Peabody, Kansas, was born October 2, 1883, and is a fine-look- ing young man, intellectual and studious. Their son, Leland R. Forney, was born March 1, 1890. Their daughter, Lilian M., was born September 7. 1895, and is a bright, almost precocious, little girl of seven years.

The Forney home is one in which there are many evidences of refinement and intel- ligence. Mr. Forney is a Republican and he and his wife and their eldest son are members of the Methodist Episcopal £ church in which Mr. Forney is an official. . As a farmer Mr. Forney has been remark- ably successful. In 1901 he produced more than four thousand bushels of wheat, and he has more than one hundred head of horses, mules and cattle. He is a man of much public spirit who furthers to the ex- tent of his ability every measure which in his good judgment is promising of benefit to his fellow citizens.

It should be noted in connection with the family history of Mrs. Forney given : briefly above, that not only was the Rev. i P. K. Hannah widely known as an efficient Methodist preacher, but that his son, the Rev. J. T. Hannah, is an itinerant preacher of the same denomination, whose labors in central Kansas have brought abundant suc- cess.

JAMES McKEE, M. D.

One of the best citizens and most wor- thy men of Harvey county, Kansas,, as well as one of her most prominent physi- cians and skilled surgeons, is Dr. James McKee, of this biography.

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The birth of Dr. Mckee occurred in Washington county, Pennsylvania, on De- cember 28, 1840, and he was a son of Rob- ert F. and Adaline ( Orwin) McKee, both of whom were also natives of the Keystone state. By trade Robert McKee was a wagon- maker and followed that business in his early home, where he also became identified with public affairs. For twenty-five years he was a justice of the peace in Pennsylvania and after his removal to Cass county, In- diana, he again was appointed to that of- fice, efficiently serving for a period of thirty-four years, his term closing only with his death, on October 22, 1898. For many years he was a consistent member of the Methodist church, and for twenty miles surrounding his home he was well known and universally esteemed. The sixty-third anniversary of his marriage passed before a separation came between him and his de- voted wife. The celebration of their golden wedding, on July 12, 1886, was a memor- able occasion. Their children numbered fifteen, fourteen sons and one daughter, and ten of these survive, have families of their own, and upon this occasion all did honor to their parents, bringing with them the thirty surviving grandchildren.

The mother of our subject passed out of life in February 18, 190I, at the age of eighty-two years. Her beautiful Christian life was an example and encouragement to all who knew her. For many years she had been one of the working members of her church, and the vacancy left by her death can never be filled. She saw five of her brave sons enter the Union army, and it required all the courage of a Spartan mother to lid them do their duty. Of these gallant sol- fliers, our subject was one. His twin Inother. Basil, served for three years in the Army of the Potomac, and was seriously wounded at the second battle of Bull Run, and at the same time was taken prisoner, receiving his parole thirty days later.

Rev. Thomas H. McKee was the third member of the family in the army, his serv- ice covering two years. He was taken pris- oner by the enemy at the battle of Shenan- deah, at which time he was adjutant of his

regiment. He was placed in Living prisen and was one of the one hundred and twenty. five men who were put under fire at John- sin's Island, an episode which history can not fail to note. The prisoners were then sent to Salisbury, later to Macon, and he was only released at the close of the war. having spent twenty miserable months 1 imprisonment. For some years he has been journal clerk in the house at Washington. For eight years he was connected actively with the ministry of the Methodist church.

Rev. Joseph McKee, another brethier of our subject, gave three years of service in the Army of the Potomac, and some eight months in the western army. He is nen i- cated in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, but traveled as a minister of the Merseit church for a period of twelve years. forge P. McKee, the fifth member of this level family, served for six years as a member of the Army of the Pote mac and the regular army. During the civil war he was cap- tured by the enemy but succeeded in mak- ing his escape. Mr. McKee is now a dis- tinguished resident of Logansport. Indiana, where his fellow citizens have honored him with an election to the face of many of that city.

The date of the enlistment in the Uini .: army of our subject. Dr. Mekte. 1. July 4, 1863, when he became a pt" of the One Hundred and Rightcan in fantry, and with his regiment became a part of the Army of the Tennessee. taking part in the battle at Walker's Ford. although this was one of the regiments detailed for garrison duty. After nine months of ser- vice our subject was honorably discharged, in March. 1864.

After the close of the war Dr. Mere heggen the state of me Keine, for which sci- ence he had always displayed an interest. His first preceptor was Dr. Th. mas ein the learned brother of the celebrated etal Creds unter when he prepared "." entrance to the Chicago Medical Cancer. On February 29, 1872, he grarate :: the Indiana Medical College, at indicate lis. although he had been in practice Macey, Indiana, Since 1808. Here le mie

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many friends and remained four years and removing from there to Mexico, Indiana, where he remained six years and built up a valuable practice. His next location was at Twelvemile, Cass county, Indiana, where he remained for two years, coming to Newton, Kansas, in 1878.

Dr. McKee soon became a prominent factor in the life of this city and early in his career was given the confidence of his fellow citizens. He is now serving his twelfth year as coroner in this county; has been a member of the council for six years, and for seven years has filled the office of county physician. In addition he has been pension examiner for a period of fourteen years, for six years county health officer, and for the past three years has been a. member of the school board.

The marriage of Dr. McKee, by which he became united to one of the most highly cultured and personally popular teachers of Newton, Kansas, took place on October 12, 1865, to Miss Mary C. Grable, who was born in Cass county, Indiana, and who was a daughter of A. B. and Isabel ( Perry) Grable, both of whom are deceased. Mrs. McKee belonged to a family of nine chil- dren, and has two surviving sisters, viz. : Mrs. Cynthia Ollinger and Mrs. Flora Cry- der, both residents of Newton.

The surviving children of Dr. and Mrs. McKee are: Myrta, who married J. P. Ramseyer, and they have two children,- Katherine and Margaret; Dr. Zada, who graduated at the Newton High School in 1890, and was valedictorian of her class, then graduated at the Kansas City (Kan- sas) College of Physicians and Suregons, in the class of 1898 and practices with her father, has been for many years a member of the Methodist church, and has been both trustee and steward; and Robert G., who graduated at the Newton High School in 1891, and is a bookkeeper in a wholesale fruit house in Kansas City, having former- Jy been clerk in the National Bank of Com- merce, and also bookkeeper for Charles Dixon & Company, in the stockyards at Kansas City.

For many years Mrs. McKee was a most

efficient member of the school board, upon which she has been succeeded by her hus- band. Both are heartily in accord with all measures which promise to advance the interests of the community, are lovers of good books and competent critics of the same, and exert an influence for education and refinement.

Dr. McKee is a member of the Masonic order, chapter and commandery, is past officer in the latter and the blue lodge; is a member of and past commander of the G. A. R., Judson-Kilpatrick Post, No. 36. In politics he is an ardent Republican and has represented the county at conventions many times, in 1880 being the president of the county convention when there was a strug- gle between the delegates of Grant and Blaine.

As a practitioner Dr. McKee stands deservedly high in his profession, as is noted in the many positions of responsi- bility which he has been called upon to fill.

THOMAS S. ROLPH.

Thomas S. Rolph, proprietor of the Pacific House, the leading hotel of Delphos, was born in Hadley, St. Lawrence county, New York, December 4. 1829, a son of Stephen and Eunice (Evans) Rolph. The father was also a native of St. Lawrence county, New York, and was a farmer by occupation. He later removed to Chautau- qua county, that state, where he operated a cheese factory and was also largely in- terested in farming. His father, Captain Thomas Rolph, came to America with Burgoyne's forces, but afterward became a member of the American army. The Rolph family were heirs to a large estate in England, which was traced to Captain Thomas Rolph, but because of his joining the American army it could not be recov- ered. After the close of the Revolutionary war the Captain engaged in contracting and in the lumber business, and was afterward drowned in the St. Lawrence river. He is a direct descendant of the celebrated Captain

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Rolfe, of Colonial fame, but the spelling of the name has been changed.

Thomas S. Rolph, whose name intro- duces this review, was three years of age when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Chautauqua. New York, where he received a common-school education and also worked with his father on the farm and in the factory. On the 12th of September. 1802. he enlisted for service in the Civil war, becoming a member of Company G. One Hundred and Twelfth New York In- fantry. under Colonel J. C. Drake, a Bap- tist minister, and during the first year served under General Mcclellan. MIr. Ralph enlisted as a private, lant on the or- ganization of his company was made color sergeant. He participated in the battle of Blackwater, was in the siege of Charleston Harbor. in the battle of Barber Station and assisted in destroying the railroad to Pe- tersburg, at which place they joined the Army of the Potomac, under General Gil- m1 re. At that place their leader, General Drake, was killed, and while there waiting for the enemy, just before the terrible con- flict. the General gave utterance to the only profane words which he was ever heard to use by his regiment, "See the devils." Mr. Rolph was severely wounded in the hip in that engagement, and was left on the field for three days, having also received two other slight wounds. The field surgeon was an old friend and neighbor of our subject. and everything possible was done for him, but his suffering was intense. With other wounded comrades he was taken in a wagon over corduroy roads twelve miles to White House Landing, and from there by boat to the hospital at Washington, where he re- mained for six months. After sufficiently regaining his strength he re-entered the service. under protest of his surgeon, but he had been promised a lieutenancy and was anxious : receive his command. ilis regiment soon afterwant participated in the battle of Fort Fisher, one of the har les fought battles of the war. in present at numbers, and there three commanders wet kivel. They fought for beur- with ut fra or drink, and at the close of the conflict the

soldiers were nearly estsur-tel. Mr. R. Iph also took part in the battle of Petersburg, bat som afterward his wound brake com afresh, and he was discharged ip m service. The bullet had never been extracted, but gradually it worked to the surface and -ix vears afterward was removed by a surgeon. It has made him a cripple for life and still causes him much suffering.

After returning home Mr. Rolph was appointed postmaster at Portami. : York, serving under both terms of Grant's administration. He next engaged in the grocery business, under the firm nantes Ralph & Dodge, and their annual sde. amounted to forty thousand dollars a year. but in February. 1870, their store was de- stroved by fire and Mr. Rolph then disposed of his share in the business. In 1872 he came to the Sunflower state, locating on a farm six miles northeast of Delphes, and after improving that place be purchased a quarter section of land adjoining. Ili- farm is well adapted to the raising . i wheat, and the place is improved with a good residence and all necesary outbuild- ings. A well twenty-two feet deep in solid sand rock furnishes an inexhaustible sup- ply of soft water, which is very unusual in this locality, as most of the wells in the vi- cinity are from seventy to eighty feet, and some of these fail in dry seasons. While residing on his farm Mr. Rolph was inter- ested in the raising of registered cattle and blended hogs.

In the year 1861 he was united in mar- riage with Jane D. Kilday, a native of Crawford county, Pennsylvania, and of Scotch parentage. Her parents were among the early settlers of Pennsylvania. locating there when the Indians were still numerous in that locality. Two children were born tinte wor subject and his wife, a son and a lighter. The former. Frank F .. is a prominent resident of Sireser. Elinis. andl

pany. He was educated in the Sune Ner- ating in that institution in 1875, and he afterward took a course in Civil engineering. In iSen he became assistant engineer i : tile

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Santa Fe Railroad Company, and was after- ward promoted to the position of chief en- gineer, remaining in their employ for about fifteen years. In the early part of the '90s he was married and located in Streator, 11- linois, where he now resides. He also has two children, a son and daughter. Alva- retta G., the second child of our subject, is the wife of Levi Barnum, a farmer living near Delphos, and they have two sons who are bright and promising young men. Mrs. Rolph was called to the home beyond in 1886, and in the following year Mr. Rolph married Aggie E. Kryder-Gillett, widow of Hollis Gillett who died in 1881. They had one daughter Lydia who is now Mrs. Abbott and is a capable and industrious young business woman having at various times very successfully conducted the hotel. Mrs. Rolph was born near Fort Wayne, Indiana, and is a daughter of the Hon. John Kryder, also of Fort Wayne. He was a native of Pennsylvania, but when twelve years of age removed to Ohio, where he af- terward served as principal of a high school. He was also a merchant and hotel proprie- tor in Allen county, Ohio, and after remov- ing to Indiana he represented his county in the legislature. His death occurred in that state on the 3Ist of December. 1896, at the ripe old age of ninety-five years, and his wife, who was in her maidenhood Eliza Peffle, was called to her final rest in 1880. The paternal ancestors of Mrs. Rolph were from Germany, and her father at one time taught the German language. Her paternal great-grandfather was a colonel in the Revolutionary war, and she now has in hier possession some continental money which he obtained and which has been handed down to his progeny as a relic. The money is dated August 9, 1776. Her ma- ternal grandfather was a soldier in the Mexican war. The Kryders are a wealthy and distinguished family. Mrs. Rolph has three sisters living in and near Fort Wayne, Indiana, and her two brothers also reside in that vicinity, one of whom is a prominent farmer and stock man. The other, Dr. Kry- der, is a prominent medical practitioner of that city, and a graduate of the Keokuk

Medical College, of Iowa. Another broth- er graduated in medicine at Ann Arbor, Michigan, but died soon afterward.

In 1892 Mr. Rolph left the farm and bought a handsome residence property in Delphos, where he resided until three years ago. He then purchased the Pacific Hotel, which he has since successfully con- ducted, and this is now- one of the best ho- tels in the locality. Mr. Rolph gives his political support to the Republican party, and has been honored with a number of township offices, having served as a com- mitteeman, as a delegate to conventions and in many other positions of trust and responsibility. Socially he is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic.

MICHAEL BARKELL.

Mr. Barkell has a remarkable record, and from the study of his life history one may learn valuable lessons. The spirit of self-help is the source of all genuine worth in the individual and is the means of bring- ing to man success when he has no advan- tages of wealth or influence to aid him. It illustrates in no uncertain manner what it is possible to accomplish when perseverance and determination form the keynote to a man's life. Depending upon his own re- sources, looking for no outside aid or sup- port, Mr. Barkell has risen from compara- tive obscurity to a place of prominence in the business world.

Michael Barkell was born in Belgium, May 1. 18446, a son of Michael and Cathi- erine Barkell, also natives of that country. They were the parents of four children, but the eldest became separated from the fam- ily when quite young, and no trace of him has ever been found. The second child, Anthony, came to Kansas in 1874, locat- ing a homestead and a tree claim in Union township, Rice county, where he made a number of improvements, and his death occurred there in 1879. He was never mar- ried. The third son, Nicholas, is a resi- dent of Michigan. Michael, the youngest

MICHAEL, BARKELL AND FAMILY.

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of the family, and the subject of this re- view, came to America with his parents when only two years of age, in 1848, but soon after their arrival here the father died. In the following year the mother lost her eyesight, and she was then obliged to be- I come an inmate of the alms house. The children were thus obliged to depend upon their own resources for a livelihood, and alone and in a strange country they early began the battle for existence, but they were determined, self-reliant boys, willing to work for advantages which others secure through inheritance, and being destined by sheer force of character to push to the front in one important branch of enterprise or another. When four years of age Michael Barkell was bound out to a farmer, with whom he remained until eighteen years of age, when he removed to Michigan, and was there employed with a barge compa- ny. in the lumber regions, working for them on the lakes for three years. He was then employed as a clerk in a hotel for two years, and on the expiration of that pe- riod he became an employe of the North- west Water Pipe Company, remaining with that corporation for seven years. In 1876 he was married. but thereafter retained his position with the above company for six months, and he then made some prospecting tours to different parts of the country. The year 1878 witnessed his arrival in Kansas. where he took charge of the claims entered by his brother, who had there died. For- ty acres of the tract had been broken. but Mr. Barkell has since made all the other im- provements, including the erection of a com- medious residence, a good barn, a wind- mill and all necessary farm buildings. His fields are under a high state of cultivation and annually yield to the owner a handsome financial return. Ten acres of the place is devoted to timber.

As a companion and helpmate on the journey of life Mr. Barkell chose Miss Amanda A. Rikert, who was born in Tus- cola county, Michigan. February 20. 1854, a daughter of Philip H. and Amanda A. (O'Neill) Rikert. The mother was a na- tive of Canada, and a daughter of John 90

O'Neill, who followed blacksmithing there. He had two children, and the son. John O Neill, was a seafaring man. Philip HI. Rikert, the father of Mrs. Barkell, was a native of the state of New York, and was of German descent. He followed ship car- pentering as a life occupation. He was mar- ried in Detroit, Michigan, and afterward lo- ; cated with his family on a farm. He died in Bay City, Michigan, in March 1893, but his wife survived him for a number of years and passed away January 1, 1899, in the faith of the Episcopal church, while he was a member of the Methodist church. This worthy couple were the parents of eight children, namely: Elizabeth, who died when young; Nelly, now Mrs. Peter King; Amanda A., the wife of our subject ; Henry, who died at the age of sixteen years; Lo- mila, the wife of T. Atwell; Gertrude, who passed away at the age of sixteen years; Mathias, a resident of Michigan ; and Mar- tha, who is still unmarried. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Barkell has been blessed with five children: Henry, born February 16, 1877 ; Mary, who died at the age of four- teen years ; Emma, who was born May 2, 1882; Martha E., born August 29. 1884; and George W., born July 31, 1886. Mr. Barkell is a Master Mason, being a mem- ber of Little River Lodge, No. 219, F. & A. M. "We build the ladder by which we rise," is a truth which is certainly appli- cable to our subject, for since the early age of four years he has fought the battle of life alone and unaided, and the indomitable perseverance and resolute purpose which have characterized him have been the means of bringing to him the high degree of suc- cess which is to-day his.

WILLIAM M. VANMETER.

One of the beautiful country homes of central Kansas is the property of William Madison Vanmeter, a representative agri- culturist of Ottawa county. He claims Ohio as the state of his nativity, his birth having occurred in Champaign county. on the 19th of March, 1842. His father, Sol-

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omon Vanmeter, was born in Virginia, in the year 1786, and about 1808, accompa- nied by his father, he removed to Cham- paign county, Ohio, when it was yet a ter- ritory. While residing in Virgnia the grand- father became the owner of a large num- ber of slaves, who accompanied him on his removal to Ohio, where they were to be given their freedom under the following conditions : If at the time of the grand- father's death, he being a farmer, a crop had been planted and it was then growing, they should remain in bondage until it was harvested and cared for, when they were to be given their freedom; but if no crop was planted at the time of his death they should at once be given their liberty. He was a veteran of the Revolutionary war, and prior to that time served as a colonel of the Colonial troops, having been stationed at Fort Cumberland.

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A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. II, Part 109

Author: Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago Publication date: 1902 Publisher: New York Chicago: The Lewis publishing company Number of Pages: 1084

Author: Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: New York Chicago: The Lewis publishing company
Number of Pages: 1084