USA > Kansas > A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. II > Part 122
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WILLIAM SHULER.
William Shuler, who follows agricult- ural pursuits on section II. Center township. Rice county, was born in Columbiana coun-
occurred the birtinai Pres
land, pursuing his education in its public
briny deen : the :
Minnie Catherine Shu After their mar- Allen county, Indiana. near Fort Wayne. of his a William, while
left five children, namely: John, wil
enth Indiana
same battery an
William, who is the subiect of this sketch ; Civil war mai diet in Mobie . City. Indiana: and Jacob. who colistel f ili army but was not old enough to go to the front. and who is now living in Paulding cont. this
red to farm life and in his youth also became connected with radrondl work. When twenty-four years of age he was married, in Indiana. to Miss Lucinda Crow. a native of that state and a daughter of Joseph and Lucinda Crow, who were likewise born there. She has two brothers. Joseph and John, who were diers in the Civil war. The former iowy living in Fitzgerald. Georgia. and the lat- ter is a resident of Minnesota. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Shuler have been born ten chil- dren. three sons and seven daughters, name- iv: Le, who is married and rese im Oklahoma; Charles, who is also living in that territory ; Edward. at home ; and Alice. Minnie. Bertha. Flora, Ferney, Lizzie and Sadie.
Mr. and Mr-, Simler !
mestic life in Indiana. where the until 1878, when they came to Kansas, lo- rating in Rice county. For a time he was employed by the railroad. but in :8- purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land and turned his attention to agricultural
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pursuits. To-play he is the owner of four hundred acres. constituting one of the best farms in the county. His residence is com- modious and built in modern style of archi- tecture, and the barns and outbuildings are substantial structures. The farm is well im- proved in every particular and indicates the careful supervision of one whose energies and labors are directed by sound judgment and keen discrimination.
In 1900 Mr. Shuler was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who passed away on the 28th of March, respected and loved by all who knew her. She was very devoted to her family, was a kind and accommodat- ing neighbor and a woman whose genuine worth of character gained to her warm es- teem. Mr. Shuler is a Republican in his po- litical views and socially he is identified with the Grand Army of the Republic and with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
MAGNUS M. NELSON.
Thirty years have passed since Mr. Nel- son took up his abode in Jewell county, and throughout this period he had been an im- portant factor in the work that has led to its progress and substantial improvement. In his life he exemplifies the enterprising spirit of the west, and his business has been so capably conducted that he has annually added to his income and is now the pos- sessor of a valuable property. He was formerly a farmer of Jewell county, but is now identified with the building interests of Mankato. Mr. Nelson was born in Sweden, May 30, 1829, and is a representative of a very prominent and influential family of that country. In his early life he enjoyed excellent educational advantages, but not de- siring to attend military school he left home and went to Gothenburg, where he became a cabin boy on a sailing vessel of which his uncle was captain. After serving for three years in that capacity he came to the United States and made his way to Cambridge, Illinois, where he entered the employ of
Dr. R. C. Raymond, in whose service hie embraced the opportunity of acquiring some knowledge of the science of medicine and pharmacy, knowledge that has been of value to him in later years. When his adopted country became involved in Civil war his patriotic spirit was aroused, and on the 22d of June, 1861, he enlisted, at Galesburg, Illi- nois, as a member of Company C, Forty- third Illinois Infantry, under Captain H. M. Starkloff, now a noted surgeon of St. Louis, Missouri. The entire company was com- posed of Swedish men with the exception of one private and the captain, who was of German birth. The command was organ- ized at Camp Butler, in Springfield, and thence sent to Benton Barracks, St. Louis, and afterward to Jefferson City, and finally to Otterville, returning from that point to St. Louis, whence they were sent down the river to Cairo, and soon afterward partici- pated in the important battles of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, also in the engagement at Shiloh, where two hundred and forty- six men of the Forty-third Illinois were killed. On the 8th of May, 1862, Mr. Nel- son was detached from his company to do special messenger duty on the staff of Gen- eral Grant, and carried dispatches from Grant's headquarters to Holly Springs, Mis- sissippi. He was wounded by bushwhack- ers, and the next day, while engaged in the same service was captured, but was paroled on account of his wound. After lying ill for about a week at Holly Springs, he was transferred to St. Louis, where, on account of his knowledge of pharmacy, he was made a druggist in Ward B, of the general mili- tary hospital. On the 6th of August, 1863, he was formally exchanged as a prisoner of war, and continued to act as druggist in St. Louis, until September 3. 1864. when he went to Little Rock, Arkansas, to join his regiment, and he received his honorable discharge on the 29th of October following.
Returning to Illinois, fourteen months passed before Mr. Nelson was able to en- gage in work, so seriously had his wounds and the hardships of army life effected his health. Later he entered the shops of the
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Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railway Company at Galesburg, and there learned the carpenter's trade, but in March, 1871. he left Illinois for the Sunflower state and settled in Jewell county, where he secured a homestead in Washington township. Few residents of this portion of the state have longer resided within its borders. At the time of his arrival the greater part of the land was still in the possession of the guy- ernment, and the march of progress and civilization seemed scarcely begun. As the years have passed he has borne his part in the improvement which has wrought so great a transformation here, and well may he be numbered among the valued residents of the county. As the years passed he de- veloped an excellent farm, which he contin- ved to cultivate until February 23, 1901. when he rented his land and came to Man- kato, where he is now engaged in business as a contractor and builder.
Mr. Nelson was united in marriage to Mrs. Samantha Hughes, a native of Indi- ana, and they now have one daughter, Mrs. Viola G. Gettman. By her former marriage Mrs. Nelson had two children : E. C. and W. E. Hughes. Our subject and his wife own together two hundred and forty acres of val- uable land in Washington township. They are very great lovers of flowers and have a splendidly equipped greenhouse. Their many excellencies of character have secured to them a large circle of friends, and the hospitality of the best homes in Mankato and Jewell county are extended to them. Mr. Nelson has been honored with a num- ber of local offices in Washington township and was deputy sheriff. under J. W. Culber- son, in 1807 and INS. In the latter year he was made the Republican nominee for sheriff and was defeated by only thirty-three votes. He is a very prominent member of his party : is recognized as a leader in public thought in the community, and has been a delegate to the state and congressional om- ventions. Socially he is connected with Jim Lane Post. No. 34. Grand Army of the Republic, of which he has three times served as commander. His life has been an event- 95
inl one, full of adventure and fraught with successes and discouragements throughout the entire period since he left home, and he has pressed steadily forward so that today he is comparatively rich, being the passessor of good property, all of which has been ac- mired through his own earnest and honor- ale clients.
DAVID BOLSTER.
David Bolster is an enterprising farmer, and his well directed efforts in business af- fairs are bringing to him gratifying suc- vos. He resides near Otego. Jewell coun- iv. Kansas. Almost half the continent di- vidles him from his birthplace, for he first opened his eyes to the light of day in Al- bany county, New York, January 20, 1830, his parents being Asal and Ilopy ( Treest ) Bolster. His father was born near Provi- dence, Rhode Island, and devoted his life to farming. He died in Oswego county, New York, where his wife also passe fanny at the age of seventy-four years. She was a native of Albany county. New York. They had two sons, Asa and Jacob, who were soldiers in the Civil war, and our sub- jest had three brothers-in-law, Richard and George Bridenbecker and Peter Schell, who likewise enlisted in the Union army and inget for the stars and stripes. Mr. Haber of this review also attempted to join the army, but was rejected on account of his physical disability.
In his parents' home David B spent his youth, and at the age . years he purchased his time of his father. for eighty dollars, and began work on his own account, being employed as a farm hand in the home neighborhood. He was only nineteen years of age when he mar- ried Miss Phebe Ann Bridenbecker, the wedding being celebrated in Charge com- ty. New York, and the bride being fifteen years of age. They began their domestic life in the Empire state, whence, in 1856, they removed to Illinois, locating in Kane county, and in Nashville, that state, Mrs.
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Bolster died. For his second wife Mr. Bolster chose Mary Dunbar, a native of New York, their marriage being solemnized in southern Illinois. By the first marriage there were two children : John G. and Cy- rus, and by the second union there are six children, namely: Ulysses, William, Mrs. Phebe Shinkle, Charles, Wesley and Mrs. Lettie Pate.
After residing in Illinois for five or six years Mr. Bolster removed to Missouri, but he afterward returned to the Prairie state, and thence removed to Indiana, where he remained for a year and a half. Later he lived in Iowa for a time and again in Illi- nois, whence, in 1870, he came to Kansas and secured a homestead claim in Limestone township, Jewell county, which has since been his place of residence. He is the old- est settler in the neighborhood and is fa- miliar with all the experiences and hard- ships incidental to frontier life. He is ac- counted a very prosperous farmer and stock- raiser and is the owner of five hundred and twenty acres of fine land. Upon his farm he has recently erected a beautiful new two- story residence and has all the requisite modern improvements designating a model farm of the twentieth century. As a busi- ness man he is very enterprising, energetic and progressive, and these qualities have brought to him a richly merited success. He is a public-spirited citizen and is a lead- ing and influential man in his township. His fellow citizens have frequently elected him to public office, but he cares not for honors of that nature and has always refused to qualify. He was formerly identified with the Republican party, but believes strong- ly in reform and is now independent in his political affiliations, supporting the men whom he thinks best qualified for office and the measures which his judgment approves.
A. H. BUTTS.
In every community are enterprising, progressive citizens who are leaders in busi- ness affairs and in public life, owing to their force of character, their ability and their
trustworthiness. Such a one is Mr. Butts, a well known farmer and merchant of Ote- go, Jewell county. He was born in Dela- ware county, New York, October 15, 1847, and is a son of Bushrod and Urena (How- land) Butts, both of whom are natives of the Empire state. In 1855 the father emigrated with his family to McHenry county, Illinois, where he resided until his death, which occurred in 1897, his wife having passed away several years previously. He was a farmer by occupation and through his efforts in this line was able to properly provide for his family. He and his devoted wife were persons of the highest respectability and sterling character, and they had many friends both in New York and in Illinois.
Mr. Butts of this review spent the first eight years of his life in the state of his nativity and then accompanied his parents westward. He was not yet eighteen years of age when, in February, 1865, he offered his services to the government and became a member of Company A, One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, un- der Captain Giles D. Walker and Colonel Bronson. He served principally in the east- ern part of Kentucky and Tennessee and was always found at his post of duty, whether on the tented field or on the firing line. The war having closed, he was mus- tered out at Springfield, Illinois, in Septem- ber, 1865.
After his return from the army Mr. Butts continued to make his home in Mc- Henry county, Illinois, until 1877, when he came to Kansas, locating upon a farm in Jewell county, and here he has since made his home. He owns one hundred and sixty acres of valuable land in Limestone and Burr Oak townships, and this he has placed under a very high state of cultivation. The well tilled fields yield to him a rich return for the care and labor he bestows upon them. Everything about his place is neat and thrifty in appearance, indicating his careful supervision, and as the years pass by he successfully follows farming and stock-raising. He is also associated with George \V. Congleton in a mercantile en-
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terprise in Otego and the honorable business policy which they follow, together with the excellent line of goods which they carry, has secured for them a very liberal patron- age.
Mr. Butts was united in marriage, in 1889, in Mankato, Kansas, to Mrs. Mary J'. Shaw, a native of Ohio. They now have one son, Emmett W. Their home is a fine two-story residence in Otego, where hos- pitality and good cheer reign supreme. Po- litically Mr. Butts is identified with the Republican party, but the honors and emol- uments of office have no attraction for him, as he prefers to devote his time and atten- tion to his business affairs, in which he is meeting with prosperity. This is well de- served, as it is the rightful reward of earnest lahor.
NATHAN M. DAVIS.
For nineteen years Nathan M. Davis has been a resident of Rice county, and his home is on section 6, Wilson township. His loyalty as a citizen was manifest by service in the Civil war, and his fidelity to the best interests of the communities with which he has been connected has ever been one of his salient characteristics. He was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, near Connels- ville, on the 20th of January, 1845, and is a son of William Davis. His paternal grandfather, Azariah Davis, was one of the veterans of the Revolutionary war, aiding in the establishment of the republic through the force of arms. In the Keystone state William Davis was reared, and after arriv- ing at years of maturity he wedded Mar- garet May, whose birth occurred in Fay- ette county, Pennsylvania. Her father. Michael May, was born in the same state and was of German descent. His death me- curred in Fayette county. Three children were born unto Mr. and Mrs. Davis. name- ly: Nancy, who is now deceased: Nathan M. : and William, a farmer, who roses near Axtell, Nebraska. The father died in middle life and the mother afterward be- came the wife of William I. Johnson, by
whom she had one child. Henry, who is now living in Stark county, Illinois. She was a member of the Congregational church and her death occurred in Peoria county, Illinois, when she was forty-five years of age.
Nathan M. Davis was reared upon a farm near Princeville, Peoria county, Illi- mois, and acquired a limited education in the public schools. He began earning his own living by working as a farm hand, and was thus engaged until the country called for the aid of her loyal sons and he offered his sery- ices to the government, enlisting as a member of the Fifty-seventh Illinois Infantry. under command of Colonel II. A. Hurlbert, while Captain F. A. Beatty was in command of the company. Later he was promoted to the colonelcy and the company was commanded by Captain Wells. This was a Chicago regiment, which Mr. Davis joined at Tis- kawa. He served from February, 1864, un- til the close of the war. After remaining for a month in Chicago the regime t was sent south to Athens, Alabama, thence to Chickamauga and was at Rome, Georgia. for two or three months. He participated in the battle at that place and in the en. gagement at Kenesaw Mountain and at Al- latoona Pass. He was captured and was held as a prisoner of war for some time and was paroled after three days. He then went to Dalton, Georgia, and afterward re- turned to Kingston, near Rome, being Si- tioned near General Sherman's headquar- ters for a time. Under command of that gallant officer he then went to Savannah, Georgia, and participated in the : rodina campaign, the siege of Richmond and the grand review at Washington, D. C. The war having ended, he was then honorably discharged at Louisville, Kentucky, and was mustered out at Chicago, returning to his home with a good military record.
Mr. Davis made his way to Bureau county, Illinois, and later to Stark county, ilu : state. He was there married in Janu- art. 18-3, to Miss Vidie H. Fin, a na- fire of Stark county and a daughter of Ephraim and Frances ( Ayres) Holton, both of whom were natives of New Jersey. Her
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parents are now deceased, the mother hav- 1815, a son of James and Nancy ( Raines) ing died in Stark county, Illinois, while the ' Harris, both natives of Caroline county, father passed away in Philips county, Kan- sas. He was buried in Decatur county, Kansas. He was a blacksmith and farmer, following the dual occupation in order to provide for the support of himself and fam- ily. This worthy couple had three children, namely: Mrs. Josephine Edgar, who is liv- ing in Wilson township, Rice county ; Mrs. Addie Davis : and Nathan F., of Illinois.
In the year 1878 Mr. Davis removed to Polk county, Iowa, locating near Des Moines, and a year afterward went to De- catur county, Kansas, where he remained for four years upon a homestead farm. In 1882 he arrived in Rice county and took up his abode upon his present farm of one hun- dred and sixty acres. Here he has a good residence, a grove and an orchard of five acres, stable yards, feed lots and richly culti- vated fields. He follows farming and stock- raising and his place is valued at thirty-five hundred dollars. He is energetic and dili- gent and gives his attention closely to the cultivation of his fields and the raising of stock.
The home of Mr. and Mrs. Davis has been blessed with eight children, namely : Martin E., James A., Frances M., Jose- phine A., Ross H., Delia Adeline, Edgar William and Lester. The family is well known in the community and the members of the household attend the Congregational church, of which the family are members. ! In politics he was for many years a Repub- lican, but he is now identified with the Peo- ple's party. He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic and like many old soldiers is a frank, genial gentleman, recognizing the obligations and duties of citizenship and never failing in their discharge.
JAMES RAINES HARRIS.
James R. Harris, one of the early pio- neers of Harper county, Kansas, was born in Fayette county, Kentucky, three miles from Lexington, on the 19th of August,
Virginia, where they were reared and mar- ried. The paternal grandfather of our sub- ject, James Harris, also claimed Caroline county as the place of his nativity, where he became an influential planter, and there he spent the remainder of his life. His son and the father of our subject was reared to years of maturity in the state of his birth, and he was there married to Nancy Raines, whose father was a colonel of the Colonial militia or minute men, and was with La- fayette at Yorktown. In 1797 Mr. Harris left his Virginia home and removed to Ken- tucky, where for a number of years he was engaged in general farming and stock-rais- ing. In 1820, with his wife and ten chil- dren, he located in Bartholomew county, In- diana, taking with him to that state a large herd of stock, consisting of about one hun- dred head of hogs, sixty cattle and about sixteen horses. He secured a tract of land on the Driftwood fork of White river, where he soon cleared a farm. In that early day the country was but sparsely settled, but during the following year the "Brook- ville sales" took place, thus disposing of much of the land and the country rapidly settled up. Mr. Harris gave his entire at- tention to clearing his land and placing it under cultivation, but he was not long per- mitted to enjoy his new home, for two years after his arrival in Indiana he was called to his final rest. his death resulting from the bursting of a blood vessel caused by over exertion. He was a Whig in his political views and religiously was a member of the Baptist church. After his death his widow remained alone for forty years, and was then married to Julius Hatchett. Her last days were spent with her son John in Han- cock county, Illinois, her death occurring when she had reached the age of eighty-one years. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Harris were born ten children, namely : Mary, who mar- ried John Kiser, a soldier in the war of 1812 and a brick mason by trade, he having as- sisted in the building of the wall for the state house at Indianapolis: Sarah, who married Moses Misner, of New York:
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Nancy, who became the wife of Amos Will- iams; Frances, who married John Haga- man, of Illinois; Martha, who became the wife of Thomas Clark, of Indiana: Eliza- beth, who became the wife of Joseph Haga- man ; John, who removed to Hancock coun- ty, Illinois, in an early day: James R., the subject of this review; William, who died while serving his country in the Mexican war, passing away before marriage; and Joseph, who practiced medicine in his na- tive county until within a few years of his death and then removed to the west, prac- ticing in Indian Territory and Arkansas, and his death occurred in Missouri.
James R. Harris, the only survivor of this once large family, was a child of five years when he was taken by his parents to Indiana. and he well remembers the jour- nev. He was reared on a frontier farm in that state, and the educational privileges which he secured in his youth were ex- tremely limited. The schools which he at- tended were of the most primitive onder. with puncheon floor and slab seats, and he was only permitted to attend school during a few months of each year. Remaining un- der the parental roof until his eighteenth year. he then began the battle of life on his own account, and from that time on he made his own way in the world. On the 9th of December, 1833, he enlisted in the First United States Dragoons, under Col- onel Henry Carson Dodds, and was as- signed to Company G, his carta being Lemuel Ford. The company consisted of seven hundred members, and their object was to explore the west. Leaving New Al- bany. Indiana, on Christmas day of 1833. they proceeded to Cairo, Illinois, where they witnessed the dawn of the new year, and they then marched to St. Louis crossed the Missouri river on the ice, remaine lat Ief- ferson Barracks from the 15th of January until the 8th of May, when the company. with the best cavalry equipments to be so- cured, proceeded on their journey to the west. The following summer was spent in the Indian Territory, and in the fall they returned to Fort Leavenworth. where they went into winter quarters, but three com-
panies of their regiment remained at Fort Gibson, indian Territory. As there were no stables at their camp at Fort Lenen worth the soldiers were detailed to erect them, but they refused to do so, and all were placed under guard for a time, but finally a compromise was efected, the sol- diers to receive twenty cents a dar estra pay for their services. The stables were built of cottonwood logs on the present site of the state penitentiary.
On the Sth of May, just one year after the regiment left St. Louis. they again started west, proceeding up the Missouri river to the Yellowstone com.try and return- ing by at more northern route across Ne- braska and Kansas. Shortly afterward they were again sent into the Indian Territory to protect the government from the Osage and Cherokee Indians, but after a few weeks thus spent they returned to Fort Leaven- worth. At this time Mr. Harris term of enlistment had expired, he having entered the service for three years, and during all of this period they Ies tipo trimite with the Indians. On his return trip le crossed the river in Platte county, Missouri, and there invested in town property, having erected houses in what is enworth. He also occupied a mill sie four miles from East Leavenworth, where a sa : - mill had been erected and operated for many years by Mr. Stein and Liente Mr. Harris arrived in Leavenworth on the 0th of Derentes. 18 34 And the remained until the following April. wie
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