A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. II, Part 115

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 115

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Richard T. Levitt. the immediate subject of this review, received his preliminary ed- national discipline in the public school Lafayette county, Wisconsin, and In Davies county, Illinois, and supplemented the sale in an effective way by a course of study in the Basis Commercial College. at Du- Inone. lowa. In isso he was matriculated in the law school at Valparaiso, Indiana.

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where he continued his studies for some time. In the meanwhile members of the family had taken up their residence in Ells- worth county, Kansas, and on the 6th of January, 1881, he arrived in Wilson, with whose business interests he was destined to become so prominently identified. He be- came connected with the sheep industry, continuing in that line until August, 1882, when he made a visit to Apple River, Illi- nois, while subsequently, in company with his uncle, he made a trip abroad, visiting his father's old home, near Hull, England, and other points of personal and historic interest, and in the fall of the same year he returned to America and again took up his residence in Wilson. In 1884 he be- came associated with his brother George in the conducting of a general merchandising business in Wilson, and in 1896 they erected their fine store building, which is one of the best business blocks in the town, being thirty-seven and one-half by one hundred and twenty feet in dimensions and two stories in height, with large basement. The partnership between the brothers was con- tinued until 1898, when it was dissolved by mutual consent, the subject of this sketch retaining the ownership of the building. About 1890 he purchased an interest in the Wilson Milling Company, of which he has since been the president. This represents one of the leading industries of the city, the mills having a capacity of two hundred barrels of flour daily. The plant is splen- didly equipped with all the latest improve- ments, and its product is recognized for su- perior excellence. while shipments are made into various sections of Iowa, Kansas and Missouri, where the products find a ready sale on the markets. In the operation of the mill employment is afforded to a corps of ten men, and the enterprise not only brings good financial returns to the stock- holders but also has important influence on the commercial prestige of this section of the state.

Mr. Levitt is also interested in farming lands in Kansas, Iowa, Illinois and Wiscon- sin, including a very valuable tract north of Lamar, Plymouth county, Iowa, which con-

tains one of the finest evergreen groves in the state, twenty acres being covered with careful specimens of this type of trees, while the farm has an aggregate area of three hundred and twenty-five acres. Mr. Levitt is known as a careful and able busi- ness man, having marked executive talent and a capacity for the facile handling of manifold details, so that his rise in conec- tion with normal industrial enterprise has been certain and consecutive, while he com- mands unqualified confidence and esteem in all the relations of life. He is of genial presence and is a great lover of children, though he has remained in a state of "single blessedness." In his political allegiance Mr. Levitt is a stalwart Republican, giving an unwavering support to the principles and policies of the grand old party, while he has been an active factor in political affairs of a local nature. He has served as mayor of Wilson, in which capacity he gave a most businesslike, progressive and able adminis- tration of municipal affairs. Fraternally he is identified with the Knights of Pythias. His success has been achieved by worthy means and he is held in the highest esteem in both business and social circles.

CAPTAIN JAMES P. WORRELL.

In the earliest development of Pawnee county's history, when the practice of law was a new profession in this portion of the state Captain James Percil Worrell became an active representative of the profession in Larned. and for many years he was an active factor in conducting the legal busi- ness of the people in this section of the state. Now he is living retired, enjoyng a well earned rest. He was born in Alexan- Iria. Virginia, in 1834. a son of Samuel and Isabelle ( McClain) Worrell. The fa- ther in early life was a ship-builder, and it is said that he constructed the first steam- boat that ever plied the Ohio river. About 1840 he removed to Fayette county, Ohio. eating at Bloomingburg, and there cecu- ried a ja lgeship for many years. His death

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occurred in 1862, when he was about sixty- two years of age.

Captain Worrell was reared in Bloem- ingburg and complete : his literary educa- tien by a course in the Presbiterian College. at South Salem. In 1857 he married Miss Lisbeth McClung, a daughter of Harvey McClung, of Hennepin, Illinois. They be- gan their domestic life in Putnam county, Mipois, and afterward removed i Henry. Marshall county, where the Captain began reading law with the firm of Perlin & Pat- ters. In iNo; he was admitted to the bar. after which he engaged in practice with his preceptor until June. 18;2. Then, on ac- count of ill health of his ten-year-old son. George H., Captain Worrell was advised to try a western climate, and with his son compe by rad to Kansas. They left the train :.: 1. rence, and thence. in company with fighters driving esen, west ( Wichita. Hoe Captain Word parael

but there were no towns. They found buffa- T'es so numerous that they had to ride many :Les in order to avoid the henis. There Heretls deer and antelope. And they det ich of the game which they ate. In due ( rsf time they arrived in turn at sie i- che La lee then at baige City and after- ::: : Selina and Newton, from which Het place they pr ces tol homeward. Dur- ing the summer the way health hal len much lencitel, while they were very fa- Vooral v impressed with the beautiful cone- its excellent chimiste. ant Cent

to Worre" decided to bring his family He arrived at his h me .n .c

Time. ESTA

section 30. Larel c unty, and built a s Imildline. with lasement, which is still standing. He broke and improve ! some In the year of i 'he said that um perty.

arrival at least seven-

pressel the prairie in sight of his 1 icity until the

The Indians were very trerles me

One day his cide-t Callgilte. them coming to the door. com! was away she took die the pool der col printing the rifle at tem told them to go. They answered, "hig Ingin."

cached her gun ready to fire, which scared the spokesman and hi- three companions so I'm they returned to their paies. As they started, however, the Indian in front teruel to sh .... but the girl was too quick . i .- charged her own gun at them, and they fled in terror. This is ist es incidem . fr- next experiences, many of which a natere band to bel nic w'ile

of a pleasant character.

In 1882 Captain Vil :

of the first 1: !

mareted the

Hall, who had tri

John Murray. He

torney for six ye

wears. and was

council. In the practice a

ing he met with credit

2 distinctively representative

at the present time he : rofession. He still 1 raises thereon fine cattle.

During the Civil

from Il

a member . : (

for the front he :

1 . i illness in his

1 i.

Figin

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

when he received an honorable discharge. He received two slight flesh wounds, but otherwise escaped injury, although he was often in the thickest of the fight, his own bravery and courage inspiring his men to cleeds of valor. He was one of the or- ganizers of B. F. Larned Post, No. 8, Grand Army of the Republic, of which he has served as a commander. He acted as aid-de-camp and commissary on the staff of General George H. Thomas. He has now the finest and largest collection of Grand Army badges to be seen in this part of Kan- sas. and represents his post at the various encampments.

The home of Captain and Mrs. Worrell has been blessed with the following chil- dren : Sarah Elizabeth, who is a writer of marked talent, is the wife of Harry Bale, to whom she bore one child,-Hazel, now de- ceased ; Don Carlos, Leon Marcellus, Paris L. and Lena Leota are all now deceased ; George H., who is a horse dealer in Larned, married Getrude Smith, by whom he has two children,-Carlos Kirkwood and Wag- ner; Mary Wenona is the wife of Wright Granger ; Minnie Myrtle is the wife of Ed- ward Buckles, and their children are Maric Elizabeth, Rex W., Gay Isabelle and Ted- die. The family is one of prominence in the community, have a large circle of warm friends and the best homes of the city ex- tend to them a gracious hospitality. As has been before stated, the Captain has served as a member of the city council, and, taking a deep interest in public affairs, he las. through a long period, been closely asso- ciated with every movement for the promo- tion of substantial improvement and prog- ress in the city in which he makes his home. while in all life's relations and in the dis- charge of public duties he has been found as true and loyal as when he followed the nation's flag on southern battlefields.

JOSEPH H. STUBBS.

Joseph H. Stubbs is an octogenarian and a worthy citizen of Sterling. There is par- ticular satisfaction in reverting to the life history of the honored and venerable gentle-

man whose name initiates this review. since his mind bears the impress of the his- toric annals of the state of Kansas from the early pioneer days, and from the fact that he has been a loyal son of the republic and has attained to a position of distinctive prominence in Rice county, where he has retained his residence until the present time, being now one of the revered patriarchs of the community.

Joseph H. Stubbs was born about three or four miles from Cincinnati, in Preble county, Ohio, March 19, 1821. His father, Joseph Stubbs, was a native of Columbia county, Georgia, where he was born January I, 1773, being a son of John Stubbs, who was a native of Pennsylvania and who died in Georgia. He married Miss Rachel Mad- dock, of Pennsylvania, and they became the parents of eight sons and six daughters. All but one daughter reached mature years, and of the thirteen, all but one were married and had families of their own. About 1803 the family emigrated to Ohio, but the grand- parents were laid to rest in Columbia county, Georgia. Joseph Stubbs, the father of our subject, was twice married, and five sons and one daughter were born of the first union. For his second wife he chose Miss Ann Harvey, of North Carolina, and three sons and three daughters were born of this marriage. All of the children reached years of maturity, but one son, Nathan, died at the age of twenty-one years. At one time it was known that there were one hundred and eighty surviving members of the fam- ily, including children, grandchildren and first cousins of our subject. The average age of his uncles and aunts on his father's side was seventy-six. and John, the eldest, reached the advanced age of ninety years, while Joseph Stubbs, the father of our sub- ject, was almost ninety at the time of liis death. The members of the family were husbandmen and millers. They experi- enced all the hardships of pioneer life and bore their share of the work of reclaiming Ohio for purposes of civilization. In the fall of 1804, when Joseph Stubbs was rear- ing his hewed-log house, a large flock of wild turkeys was seen, and sixteen of them

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were shot by the workmen, for the men in those pioneer days usually carried their guns to the fields with them. The journey to Ohio was made in covered wagons and Jo- seph Stubbs spent one winter in Tennessee before coming to the Buckeye state, in the spring of 1804. When one of his brothers was returning home at night he recognized the bark of the old dog which had long been owned in the family and then he knew that they had arrived.

Amid the wild scenes of frontier life Joseph H. Stubbs, subject of this review, was reared. He was a strong youth and at the age of ten years conducted a nursery : and when thirteen years of age he reaped with a sickle and bound and shocked fifty- four dozen sheaves of grain. At the age of fifteen he cradled with the men and made a full hand in the harvest field. He after- ward engaged in teaching school for twenty years, taking up the profession when ill health prevented his further work on the farm. He was first married on the 29th of April. 1841, the wedding being celebrate 1 near West Elkton, Ohio, and Miss Keziah D. Brown becoming his wife. They traveled life's journey together for fourteen years, after which Mrs. Stubbs was called to her final rest, leaving four sons and a daughter. He was again married on Jan- tiary 10. 1855. his second union being with Miss Elizabeth Hunt. of Clinton county, Ohio, a daughter of Robert and Ruth & Mad- den ) Hunt. By this marriage there a six children. of whom three reached mature years. Of the children we enter the follow- ing record: Sylvanus, a school-teacher, is married and has six children: Salen P. Chase Stubbs, who is a member of the corps of government surveyors in the Indian Ter- ritory, makes his home in Sterling, and has three sons and a daughter ; When i ...

died when a youth of twenty years, Was Hi the time in camp in northwestern Indiana. having enlisted for service in :: E Albert A., a farmer of Cowley county. Kan- sas, has two sons : Arah Ann died at the age of eleven years : Robert R. die at the ageof nine years: Annie is the wife of James P. Gardner. of Sedalia county, Missouri, and

they have two children: Emma Belle, who became the wife of Elbert Henshall, died at the age of eighteen years, being intel only a short time by their infant child; and Mary Ruth is the wife of Eugene Compton. of Staten, Missouri, and they have two souls.

Mr. Stubbs has been a resident of Kansas Since 1800, having arrived in Burlingame, this state, on the 25th of March of that year. He came to the west from Indiana. where he resided for three years, and on the last clay of April, 1873, he took up his abode in Sterling. Here he owned the first of the seven residences in the town. During the greater part of the time he has spent in Kansas he has followed carpentering and building, but is now living a retired life. Many of the structures which he has erected. however, stand as monuments to his enter- prise and thrift. He is one of the oldest settlers living in Sterling and has been actively identified with all the interests. both progressive and disastrous, which have oc- curred in the county through this period. He has labored to promote the welfare and upbuilding of the county and was one of the first clerks of the district court, holding the office in 1874. He has also served as jus- tice of the peace. In early life he was an Volitionist. and when the Republican party was formed. to prevent the further extension of slavery, he joined its ranks. Now he is identified with the Prohibition party. Both he and his wife hold member- ship in the Society of Friends, and he has ben a staunch and active temperance worker for many years. He retains a most vivid recollection of the scenes and incidents of life in Kansas in the pioneer days, his re- workable memory being remarkably exact and retentive. He has been dominated by the enterprising spirit of the west, which leci tire m & ptnt factor in forward- ing the advancement of this section of the country. In him are embodied the many

: the honored pione ..... Steadfast purpose, unswerving integrity and wwiring industry-to which the splendid civilization of America is inside for its wonderful development and its glorious

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LIONEL E. FIFE.

Lionel E. Fife, who carries on general farming on section 8, Darlington township, Harvey county, was born Ohio, September 7. 1871, and when less than a year old was brought to this locality by his parents, Thomas and Sarah (Shafer) Fife. The journey was made in a prairie schooner and for twenty-eight days they were upon the road, camping by the roadside at night and sleeping in the wagon. Thus it was that the Fife family became associated with the pioneer development of central Kansas, and from that time to the present its representa- tives have been loyal to its best interests and have contributed their share to its improve- ment and upbuilding.

then prepared for the comfort of his family, who had arrived in the fall of 1871. The father purchased his second quarter-section of land about 1883. paying for this two thousand dollars. He carried on general farming and kept from fifty to one hundred head of graded short-horn cattle. He also became the owner of a few thoroughbreds. In his farming operations he was progres- sive and practical and by his untiring in- dust y and capable management he was enabled to gain a good living for his family and provide them with a pleasant home. In his political views he was a stalwart Repub- lican but never sought or desired office. He died on the old homestead January 1, 1896, but his widow still survives and is now liv- ing in Colorado. Of their five children, four of whom were born in Ohio, we enter the following brief record : James E., a far- mer. living four and one-half miles north- east of the old homestead and is married and has four sons and two daughters; Margaret Luella Etna, the wife of Benjamin Kauf- man, of Berthoud, Colorado; Hester MI. Ellen, the wife of Dr. J. L. Green, of Eagle, Colorado; Lionel E., our subject ; and John Albert, also living in Berthoud, Colorado.

Thomas Fife was born in Pennsylvania, January 19, 1835, and was the youngest in the family of thirteen children born unto James Fife. The living members of this family are three of the sons, who reside in Ohio. The grandfather of our subject died in Pennsylvania in 1838, and ten years after- ward his widow and her children removed to the Buckeye state, settling in the midst of the dense forest, and there Mrs. Fife, the grandmother, died about 1865, in the seven- The subject of this review, Lionel E. Fife, has spent almost his entire life upon the home farm, where he was reared to manhood, early becoming familiar with all the duties and labors which fall to the lot of the agriculturist. He obtained his edu- cation in the schools of the neighborhood and also entered the high school, but on ac- cunt of trouble with his eyes was oblige 1 to abandon his studies. On the 5th of De- cember, 1899, he was united in marriage to Miss Carrie May Billick, a native of Har- vey county, and a daughter of Joseph and Margaret May ( Riley) Billick, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Ohio. The parents of Mrs. Fife became pioneer settlers of this locality, arriving in Harvey county, from Iowa, in 1871. The mother died February 9, 1899, at the age of fifty-nine years, leaving three children : sas State Agricultural College, at Man- tieth year of her age. The family were in rather limited financial circumstances and therefore Thomas Fife had to depend en- tirely upon his own resources for what he gained in a business way. He was married in 1859 to Sarah Shafer, a native of Ohio, and a daughter of Joseph Shafer. For many years they resided in the B:ckeye state, but in 1871 they came to Kansas, ar- riving at the home of Mrs. Fife's father in Linn county, whence the father of war sub- ject proceeded to Newton by rail. This place was then the terminal of the railroad. He paid four hundred and fifty dollars for a claim of one hundred and sixty acres. He had left Ohio with a capital of twenty-one hundred dollars, the result of the sale of his prope ty and of his savings. His first home here was a little frame house, twelve by fif- teen feet, built by the former owner of the J Frank Minton, who is a student in the Kan- land. Within two years, however. he erectel a part of the present residence and hattan: Joseph Elmer, who is married and

1471

BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

operates the okl home farm of one bedred and sixty acres; and Mrs. Fife. The fa ther has reached the age of sixty-five years and is enjoying good health. He is a vet- eran of the Civil war. having responded to his country's call for aid in April, IS .i. enlisting in Louisa county, Iowa. He af- terward veteranized, becoming a member of the Third Iowa Infantry. When he first enlisted he was a member of Company .1. Second Regiment of Iowa Volunteers, and acted as drummer in the band. He proved a loyal and brave soldier and is now an esteemed member of the Grand _irmy of the Republic. He exercises his right i franchise in support of the men and meas- ures of the Republican party. His daugh- ter. Mrs. Fife, received a common-school education and was trained to assist in the duties of the household, so that she was well fitted to assume the cares of her own home at the time of her marriage.

Mr. Fife owns the quarter section ; land upon which his father first located on coming to Harvey county, and is now suc- cessfully carrying on general farming. Hle is also engaged in the raising of short-horn cattle and has increased his father's original herd of thoroughbreds. He now has forty head of short-horns, some of which are worth from seventy to one hundred dol- lars each. Hle also has a herd of hogs of the Poland-China breed and from eighteen to twenty-four head of Norman horses. He is all the time improving the grade .i his stock and is one of the leading stock- raisers of the community, his business in this line constantly increasing. He has upon the farm a large red barn which was built by his father. There are forest and fruit trees which add to the value and at- tractive appearance of the place, and hold fences surround a portion of the farm at. divide it into fields of convenient sin. Everything is neat and thrifty in appear- ance, indicating the careful super. 60 01 a practical and progressive owner. Mr. Fife is a stalwart Republican and is 1. serving his second term as township trus- tee. He does all in his power to promote the growth and insure the success of hi-

party and is a valued and enterprising citi- son. He and his wife enjoy the high regard of many friends, having spent almeet their entire lives in Harvey county, where they are very widely known.

W. B. SPRINGER.

W. B. Springer has been a resident of Barber county. Kansas, for almost a qper- ter of a century and has therefore seen the greater part of its development and sub- stantial upbuilding. Hi- resilface within the Sunal wer state dates from ING. at which time he took up his abode i ! son county. Kansas had not then 1. mitted! to the U'nien, ist wa in fa tlife- of that bitter contenute the water que- tion which gave to it the name of " In its welfare and progress Mir. Springer has ever taken a deep and : lier interest, and his latest have been of value in promoting its & rend alenconet and material prosperity.

A native of Missouri, le a los in Clinten county. ne .: Fat d'ore. c'est of December. 1837, and repesents a family that has ever been noted for industry, in- tegrity and patricia.

Springer, was L m m Kentucky and was a gallant soldier je 12 -1 : thetime of the Indian wars in that are. He sent ti- youth in the place of his nativity and was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Men. a native of Tommy and a synemat.

Mr. and Mrs. S; ringer of eight children .~ Lucy Jane; W. I .. ... jest of this sketch resident . i

Civil war : and Mary El-

The fisher . a resident of Kansas. died in Garnett, An- trade and followed that pursuit for many years infring politics he

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

strong Union man. upholding with unfal- tering loyalty the policy of President Lin- coln during the dark days of the Civil war. In his religious faith he was a Methodist, and his wife belonged to the same church. Her death ocurred when she had attained the ripe old age of eighty-two years.

On the homestead farm in Missouri W. B. Springer was reared, working in the fields through the summer months, while in the winter season he acquired his education by attending the public schools. On coming to Kansas he first located in Anderson coun- ty, and after the war he lived in Labette county until 1869, when he returned to An- derson county, and in the latter he was mar- ried to Miss Mary A. Campbell, a native of Tennessee. Two children were born of this union,-George W., who has now passed away, and William F., a resident of Barber county. The mother was called to her final rest in 1876, and in 1879 Mr. Springer was again married, his second union being with Zula Vaughn, a native of Missouri and a daughter of Benjamin and Mary ( Gentry ) Vaughn. Her father was a native of Illi- nois. Unto the second marriage of cur subject five children were born: Lewis, a farmer of Barber county; and Mary Ada, Kate Winona. Claude Brown and Fannie Ereline.

WV. B. Springer watched with interest the progress of affairs which culminated in the Civil war, and he resolved that if the country became engaged in warfare he would strike a blow in defense of the Union. Accordingly he became a member of Company G. Seventh Kansas Cavalry, known as Colonel Jennison's gallant rough riders. This regiment saw much active WILLIAM GREGORY. service in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas and other places in the south. After three Among the prominent and successful farmers and stockmen of Garfield township, Ellsworth county, Kansas, is William Greg- "ory, who by his industry and energy has ac- cumulated valuable land and live stock, and who is justly regarded as a representative citizen. months spent in this state it was ordered to Missouri and took part in the battle of Pilot Knob. With his command Mr. Springer aided in the campaign against the troops under General Price and General Marmaduke and rendered effective service in suppressing the bands of guerrillas and bushwhackers who infested Missouri and : Yorkshire. England, on the 15th of April, Arkansas. He was under fire at Lexington.

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A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. II, Part 115

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