USA > Kansas > A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. II > Part 20
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works will be a greater monument to his memory than sculptor's hand can produce from granite or marble.
ANDREW S. HUFF.
This enterprising and progressive farm- er and stock-grower of Sharon township, Barber county, Kansas, is to be considered as one of the pioneers of the state, since he took up his residence within its borders in the year 1869. He has attained a high degree of success and his fine farm of four hundred acres is conceded to be one of the best in this section of the state, while he is known and honored as one of the represent- ative citizens of the county.
Mr. Huff is a native son of the old Buckeye state, having been born in Coshoc- ton county, Ohio, on the 23d of December, 1845, the son of Thomas Jefferson Huff. who was born in Loudoun county, Vir- ginia, as was also his father George Huff, whose parents emigrated from Germany and took up their abode in the Old Domin- ion state in the colonial epoch of our his- tory. Thomas J. Huff was reared and ed- ucated in his native state and there he mar- ried a Miss Huff, who died, leaving three children,-George, Emily and Mary. He subsequently consummated a second mar- riage, being united to Miss Elizabeth Baint- er, who was born in Pennsylvania, being of the stanch old German stock of that state. After their marriage they removed to Coshocton county, Ohio, where the fa- ther of our subject devoted his attention to agricultural pursuits until 1856, when he removed to Hancock county, Illinois, where he continued in the same line of occupation until his death, at the age of seventy-eight years, his wife passing away at the age of seventy-six. In politics he gave his sup- port to the Republican party, with which he became identified at the time of its or- ganization, and both he and his wife were devoted members of the Methodist Episco- pal church. They became the parents of
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nine sons and nine daughters, of whom all but three lived to years of maturity, while ten are living at the present time, three of the sons having been soldiers in the war of the Rebellion.
Andrew S. Huff, the immediate subject of this review, was reared to the age of eleven years in his native county and then acompanied his parents on their removal to Hancock county, Illinois, where he contin- ued to assist in the work of the homestead farm until he had attained the age of twen- ty-four years, his early educational privi- leges having been such as were afforded in the public schools of Ohio and Illinois. In the year 1869 Mr. Huff came to Kansas as a pioneer, locating in Wichita, Sedgwick county, which was then a little village, and there engaging in the livery business, in which he continued three or four years. In 1878 he located on a farm in Sumner county and there continued his residence until 1886, when he came to Barber county and pur- chased his present farm, to whose improve- ment he forthwith directed his attention. To his original claim he has since added un- til he now has a fine farm of four hundred acres. Mr. Huff has erected a commodious and attractive residence, a large barn and other necessary farm buildings, while on every hand are to be seen the tangible evi- dences of his enterprise and well directed efforts. He has a fine orchard of twenty acres, the came being one of the best in the county and giving excellent yields of fine fruit. On the place he has a nice grove of two acres, having planted the trees many years ago, so that they are well matured and add greatly to the attraction of the home. He gives his attention to general agriculture and stock-growing, and in each department of his farm enterprise he has been very successful, being one of the sub- stantial and highly honored citizens of the county. He gives his aid and influence in support of all measures for the general good, his political proclivities being indi- cated by the stanch allegiance which he ac- cords to the Republican party and its prin- ciples. He has taken a deep interest in ed- ucational and religious matters, having
served for many years as treasurer of the school board of his district, while he is a dieacon in the Baptist church, of which his wife also is a member.
In the year 1877 Mr. Huff was united in marriage to Miss Mattie J. Tatum, who was born in Georgia, where she was reared and educated, being the daughter of Buck- ner and Behethlum Tatum, both of whom died in Barber county, Kansas, the former having lived to attain the venerable age of ninety-four years. Mr. and Mrs. Huff have three children,-Ida E., the wife of Abra- ham Moses, of Sharon township; and Alta F. and Ola T., who at the time of this writ- ing are students in the high school at Wichita. Two children are deceased-Rosa, who died at the age of three years, and Ellen, at the age of eighteen months.
JOHN P. LEAF.
John P. Leaf is a representative of the farming interests of Jewell county. He is one of the worthy citizens that Sweden has furnished to America, for his birth oc- curred in that kingdom on the 3rd of Feb- ruary, 1845. His father, Andrew P. Leaf, was also a native of Sweden, and in 1852 emigrated with his family to the United States, making his way westward across the country to Iowa. He located on a farm in Jefferson county, that state, and there throughout his remaining days he carried on agricultural pursuits, his death occur- ring in 1880, when he had attained the age of sixty-one. At the time of the Civil war he was found a loyal defender of his adopted land, rendering valiant service to the Union as a member of the Thirtieth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Caroline Marburg, is also a native of Sweden and is now liv- ing in Jefferson county, Iowa.
John P. Leaf was a youth of only seven years when with his parents he came to the United States and on the homestead farm in Iowa he was reared, there remaining until ; February, 1873, when he came to Jewell
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county, Kansas, in order to take advantage of the opportunities for securing land of- fered by the government. He obtained a homestead claim of one hundred and sixty acres, adjoining the present site of Mankato on the east, and throughout the interven- ing years he has devoted his energies to agricultural pursuits, placing his land un- der a very high state of cultivation. His industry and enterprise have led to success, so that he has now a comfortable com- petence. He has witnessed the wonderful development that has wrought a great transformation in this portion of the state and has seen the entire growth of Mankato and has aided in changing the wild prairie into richly cultivated fields. He not only follows general farming but gives his atten- tion to the raising of fruits and vegetables, also stock and poultry.
On the Ist of January, 1877, was cele- brated the marriage of Mr. Leaf and Miss Orabella Gardiner, a native of Iowa and a daughter of Stephen and Susan ( Smith) Gardiner. Her father was a native of Penn- sylvania, but emigrated to Iowa and in 1872 came to Jewell county, Kansas, where he secured a homestead claim a few miles east of Mankato. There he devoted his en- ergies to agricultural pursuits until his life's labors were ended in death. He was a prominent and influential citizen, respected by all who knew him. His widow still sur- vives. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Leaf has been blessed with two daughters : Grace and Alice, both graduates of the Man- kato high school, and they have made school teaching a success. Grace, the eldest, is now taking a four years' course of study in the State Normal of Emporia, Kansas, and is also assistant librarian in the Normal Library. Alice is holding a position as teacher in the Mankato city schools. In public affairs Mr. Leaf has borne an active and important part, serving in various of- fices. He has been road overseer of Cen- ter township for four years; has been a member of the Mankato school board; for six years was township clerk; and for nine years township trustee. His long contin- uance in office is an indication of his marked
ability in discharging his duties. He was for many years a supporter of the Repub- lican party, but later has been independent in his political affiliations. His excellent farmy is a visible evidence of a well spent life and an honorable business career and from pioneer days down to the present he has been a leading and valued citizen of Jewell county, giving an active support to every measure which he believes calculated to prove of general good.
FRANK C. COLBORN.
On a finely improved farm of four hun- dred and eighty acres in Nippawalla town- ship, Barber county, Kansas, the subject of this review has his home, and from the fact that he has here resided for nearly twenty years he is entitled to be considered as one of the pioneers of the county, in whose de- velopment and progress he has rendered a due quota of aid as a public-spirited and pro- gressive farmer and stock-grower, his suc- cess being the result of the fit utilization of the opportunities presented in this section, his energy and industry having been una- bating and his management of his affairs having been marked by rare discrimination. As one of the representative men of his sec- tion of the state we are pleased to present a resume of the career of Mr. Colborn.
Frank C. Colborn, whose residence in Kansas covers a period of more than a quarter of a century, is a native of the old Empire state of the Union, having been born in the vicinity of of the city of Buf- falo, Erie county, New York, on the last day of the year 1854, the family name hav- ing been one long identified with the an- nals of New York state and ever standing as an exponent of honesty of purpose and integrity of character. His father, Israel B. Colborn, was likewise born in New York state, being the son of one of the heroes of the war of 1812, his father having been en- gaged in farming after the war and having died in New York state. The maiden name of our subject's mother was Sarah Stetson
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ankl she was born in Massachusetts, where her ancestors had established themselves prior to the Revolution. In 1859 Israel B. Colborn removed with his family to Liv- ingsten o unty, Michigan, and there he re- claimel a good farm from the primitive forests, the same being located near the present thriving village of Fowlerville, and there he passed the remainder of his upright and useful life, engaged in agricultural pursuits. He died at the age of sixty-five years, having been a Republican in politics from the time of the organization of the party, and being one of the devoted and in- fluential members of the Baptist church, in which he was a dleacon for many years and of which his venerable widow has long been a consistent member. She still maintains her home in Fowlerville, Michigan, and has now attained the advanced age of eighty- six years. Of this union eleven children were born, namely : Josiah, Helen, Emily, Henry. Hulday, Mary, Frank C., Dollie, Barbar, one who died in infancy, and Jus- tus, who was a soldier in the war of the Re- bellion as a member of a Michigan regi- ment. and whose death occurred in 1895, at Fowlerville, that state. The only rep- resentatives of the family in Kansas are our subject and his brother Henry, who is a resident of Jackson county.
Frank C. Colborn grew up under the invigorating influences of the old home- stead farm in Michigan, and received such educational advantages as were afforded by the public schools of the locality and period. He there continued to be identified with farming until 1877, when he came to Kan- sas and located in Jackson county, where he remained until 1884. which stands as the year of his advent in Barber county, where he has developed a most prosperous indus- try as a farmer and stock-grower. His farm has the best of improvements, including a commodious and comfortable residence, which replaced the primitive domicile of the early days, while he has a substantial and well equipped barn, twenty-four by forty feet in dimensions, and other farm build- ings demanded in connection with the opera- tion of his place, one hundred and sixty
acres of which are under effective cultiva- tion, while the greater portion of the farm is utilized for pasturage, as Mr. Colborn has devoted special attention to the raising of high-grade live stock. He has raised some of the finest French draft horses to be found in this section of the state, and the other stock on the place show's evidence of the judgment and discrimination brought to bear in selection and care.
Mr. Colborn has kept in touch with the questions and issues of the hour, has well fortified views in regard to matters of pub- lic policy and gives an unswerving support to the Populist party. He has served as overseer of highways and has been for many years a member of the school board of dis- trict No. 70. He stands ready at all times to lend his aid in promotion of all worthy enterprises and projects for the general good and is one of the public-spirited, pop- ular and honored men of this section.
In the year 1881 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Colborn to Miss Alice Fleischer, who has proved to him a devoted companion and true helpmeet. She was born in Shawnee county, Kansas, and was reared and educated in this state. Her par- ents were Wilhelm and Christena F. Fleischer, both of whom were born in Ger- many, whence they emigrated to America in their early life, being people of sterling integrity and holding the unqualified respect of all who know them. They now reside near the city of Topeka, this state, where Mr. Fleischer is a successful and influen- tial farmer. To Mr. and Mrs. Colborn have been born six sons and six daughters, name- lv: George W., Dollie, Ethel, William, Florence, Nellie. Daisy, Frank, Ernest, Ar- thur. Marjorie Clara and Lester, the last named having died at the age of four months.
MRS. ISAAC HALEY.
Mrs. Isaac Haley is the widow of the late Isaac Haley. one of Ottawa county's leading and highly esteemed citizens, and who for many years took an active part in
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the public affairs of the township. He was born at Cornwall, England in 1841, a son of William and Elizabeth ( Hamm) Haley. His paternal grandfather was Abraham Haley, and his maternal grandfather, Thom- as Hamm, was a British soldier, having served under General Wellington in the bat- tle of Waterloo. When a lad of eight years Isaac Haley emigrated with his parents to Canada, where he was reared to farm pur- suits, and was early taught the value of in- dustry and honesty as a preparation for the active duties of life. When twenty-one years of age he was united in marriage to Christena Near,, who was born in Middle- sex, Canada, in 1843, the same year in which President Mckinley was born. Her father, William Near, was also a Canadian by birth, having been born near the Niagara Falls, of which locality his wife, who bore the maiden name of Mary Rathvon, was also a native. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. William Near removed to Middlesex county, Canada, there spending their re- maining days, the mother passing away at the age of sixty-six years, while the father survived until he had reached the age of seventy-two years. He was a carpenter, cabinet-maker and farmer by occupation, and both he and his wife were consistent and worthy church members. They became the parents of fourteen children, seven sons and seven daughters, namely : Nelson, Isaac, George, Elizabeth, Catherine, Elias, Christena, Henry, Jacob, William, Maryetta, Abigail, Elsie and Margaret.
In 1870 Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Haley came to the Sunflower state, securing a homestead claim in Logan township, Otta- wa county, on which they erected a small house, fourteen by sixteen feet, and in that primitive dwelling they made their home un- til 1885, when a commodious and attractive farm residence was erected, at a cost of fif- teen hundred dollars. The farm, which consists of three hundred and twenty acres of rich and productive land, is under a high state of cultivation and is further improved by large well built barns, a windmill and a beautiful grove and orchard. The fields are surrounded by three miles of well kept
hedge, and this is one of the attractive and valuable farming properties of the locality.
Twelve children blessed the marriage of Isaac Haley and his wife, as follows: Manuel, Maria Inscho, James, Charles, Daniel, Christena Jane White, Mary Sher- man, Martha Weatherby, Emma, and three deceased ; W. Henry, who died at the age of three years, three months and thirteen days; Isaac Alvin, who died at the age of two years and seven months ; and Lillian E., who became the wife of Earl Campbell and died at the age of twenty-six years. The father of this family passed away on the 30th of March, 1899, and at his death the community mourned the loss of one of its truest and best citizens. Politically he was a third party man, and religiously held membership in the Lutheran church. His life was a success, but his achievements were the result of patient effort, unflagging industry and self-confidence. For many years he resided in Ottawa county, and dur- ing that time he so deported himself that as a man of business, as an honorable Chris- tain gentleman, no man had a cleaner record or was more highly respected than Isaac Haley.
JOHN GREGORY.
The subject of this sketch is descended from Scotch ancestry, but is a native of Pennsylvania, a state which has given to the west some of its best citizenship. His parents, James and Sarah ( McDaniels ) Gregory, were born in that portion of old Bedford county which is now Fulton coun- ty, Pennsylvania, and both died there, the former at the age of seventy-four years, and Mr. Gregory himself was born in Ful- ton county.
John Gregory was reared to farm work and obtained his education in the district schools near his father's old home in Ful- ton county, Pennsylvania. At the age of twenty-one he went to Missouri. A year later, in 1870, he removed to Kansas and located in Holm township. Jewell county, where he lived for a time in a dugout of
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sods and logs until he built a twenty by sixteen-foot log house, which was his home until 1875, when he took up his residence on his brother's farm. On February 29, 1876, he married Elizabeth Daniels, a na- tive of Fulton county, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Andrew and Sarah ( Blankley) Daniels, who were born in Pennsylvania and are living in Barton county, Kansas. Mrs. Gregory has borne her husband sev- eral children : Lela E., who married Jor- dan Brooks and lives in Henry county, Mis- souri; Bertha P., who is a student at the high school at Mankato, Jewell county, Kan- sas; and Jennie Maud, a member of her parents' household. They lost one son in three months and three days, twins at the ages, respectively, of six and seven days, and other twins in childhood, one at the age of eleven and one-half months. Mrs. Greg- ory, who was educated in subscription schools and free schools, is a woman of many graces and accomplishments and is highly esteemed in a wide circle of acquaint- ances.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Gregory lived in a dug out on Mr. Greg- ory's brother's farm until in 1877, when the east part of their present house was built. For that structure Mr. Gregory hauled lumber fifty miles. Their nearest trading point was about one hundred miles distant and they experienced all the hard- ships and vicissitudes of pioneer life in Kansas. Could it be written fully, Mr. Gregory's life would make a most interest- ing history. He enjoys the distincton of having been one of the first of a few pio- neers who brought yokes of cattle into Jewell county. When he arrived in Mis- souri from Pennsylvania he had but sev- enty-five cents, which he was obliged almost immediately to spend for quinine, as he was quickly affected by the malarial climate. He found work by the month at small wages, at which he continued about six months, saving every cent that was paid him by his employer and spending only such small sums as he was enabled to earn by work overtime and at odd jobs. Though his
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financial start in Kansas was insignificant, he has by his own unaided exertions become the owner of more than one thousand acres of land, all free from incumbrances. He has proven himself one of the active, pro- gressive business men of his part of the state. Politically he is a Democrat and his first presidential vote was cast for Horace Greeley at a time when in his part of Kan- sas ballots were all written out with a pen. He is influential in politics, but he stead- fastly refuses to accept any public office, his extensive stock and general farming in- terests requiring all his time. He has a good town residence in Mankato, where he lives much of the time. He is known through-
infancy, a son at the age of three years, ; out the county for his cordiality and gener- 1 osity and those who are guests at his house are convinced that he and his estimable wife have made a fine art of hospitality. Mrs. Gregory and her daughters are men- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church and as an active member of ladies' societies of the church Mrs. Gregory is most efficient in its good work.
HENRY ROELFS.
A fact of which due recognition is not universally accorded in connection with the history of the west is that to no foreign element is its presence due in so large a measure as to those who have had their nativity in or trace their lineage to the great empire of Germany. Among those who left the fatherland to identify them- selves with American life and institutions, who have pushed their way to the front and who are a credit alike to the land of their birth and that of their adoption, is Henry Roelfs.
He was born in the province of Han- over. Germany, on the Ioth of December, 1848. His father. Ralph Roelfs, was there reared and educated. and after arriving at years of maturity he was there married to Henrietta Sleep, also a native of the prov- ince of Hanover. They were prominent people there. In 1868 the family bade adieu to the home and friends of their na-
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tive land and sailed for the new world, lo- cating in Madison county, Illinois, where they remained until 1871. In that year they took up their abode in Topeka, Kan- sas, where they made their home for three years and then, in 1874, came to Rice coun- ty. The father located on the land on which John Roelfs now resides, and there made his home until his death, which oc- curred at the age of sixty-eight years. The nfother also passed away on attaining that age, ankl both attended the Methodist Epis- copal church. The father followed farm- ing as a life occupation, and his efforts in that line were attended with a high and well merited degree of success. They were the parents of seven children, namely : Henry ; Rudolph; Frank; Mrs. Lena Dell, of Bushton, Kansas: John; Henrietta, now Mrs. Diske, of Lyons, Kansas; and Grace, the widow of Walter Clair, and a resident of Farmer township, Rice county.
Henry Roelfs, whose name introduces this review, was reared in his native land, and there received a good education in the German language. At the age of nineteen years he accompanied his parents on their removal to the new world, and after arriv- ing in the United States he went with them on their various journeys, finally locating in Kansas. In 1872 he went to Texas, where he was engaged in railroad work for one year and then returned to Topeka. In 1874 he secured a homestead claim in Rice county, on which was a sod house fourteen by sixteen feet, but as the years have passed he has prospered in his under- takings and he now owns a large and beau- tiful residence, which was erected at a cost of twelve hundred dollars. From time to time he has added to his original purchase of one hundred and sixty acres and his landed possessions now agregate eight hun- dred acres, all under a high state of culti- vation. One of the attractive features of the place is a beautiful grove of two or three acres, and he also has a fine large barn and all necessary outbuildings. His is one of the moxlel farms of the locality, and the richly cultivated fields annually yield to the owner a handsome financial return.
In Topeka, Kansas, in 1876, occurred the marriage of Mr. Roelfs and Miss Lou- isa Henrietta Boldt, who was born in Prus- sia, Germany, in 1849, a daughter of Wil- helm and Charlotta (Joll) Boldt. In 1879 the family emigrated to the United States, and the father died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Roelfs, having reached the Psalmist's span of three score years and ten. Mrs. Boldt still resides with her daughter. and is now eighty-two years of age. This worthy couple were the parents of seven children,-Ernest, Mrs. Roelfs, Fred, Fred- erika, Johanna, Amelia and William. The union of our subject and wife has been blessed with five children,-George, Fred, Henrietta, Louisa and Herman. For many years Mr. Roelfs was a supporter of Re- publican principles, having voted for Gar- field in 1880, but he is now a strong Prohi- bitionist, believing firmly in the principles set forth by that party, and is a strong worker in the ranks. He has many times served as a delegate to county and con- gressional conventions and has served as a member of the school board. He is a local minister in the German Methodist Episcopal church, being a zealous worker in the cause of the Master.
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