A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. II, Part 3

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

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manner. He was reared in the Presbyterian faith, but in youth united with the Wesleyan Methodists. of Pennsylvania.

In politics he is a stanch Republican and labors earnestly to secure the adoption of the principles of the party, keeps well in- formed on the issues of the day and at the polls manifests his fidelity to the men and measures of Republicanism, but has never sought or accepted office. He is a self-made man, whose life has been characterized by industry, economy, good management and honorable dealing, and his wife has proved to him an able assistant. They now have a valuable farm, and the comforts of their home are well merited as a reward of their indefatigable labor and honorable purpose.

FRED S. SCORESBY.

Among the prominent citizens of Reno county, Kansas, who are residents of Hutch- inson, is Fred S. Scoresby, the efficient reg- ister of deeds for Reno county. His birth occurred in Sullivan county, New York, April 14. 1863. His parents were Thomas S. and Caroline (Seeley) Scoresby, the former a son of Dr. Thomas Scoresby, who for many years was a well known physician of New York. Before the days of Peary and Baldwin, with their complete equipment for life in the Arctic regions, Dr. William Scoresby, the great-grandfather of our sub- ject. with three of his own vessels, ventured far to the north, and Scoresby bay, on the northern coast of Greenland, still bears his name and stands as proof of his adventure and discovery. His name figures more prom- inently than any other in the early annals of Arctic exploration. In 1836 Dr. Thomas S. Scoresby came to the United States and began the practice of his profession in Ellen- ville, Ulster county, New York, spending the remainder of his life there. His mar- riage had occurred in his native England, and there his son, Thomas S., was also born, being about nine years of age when brought to America.

Thomas S. Scoresby, the father of our

subject, was educated in Ulster county, New York, and when the time came for him to make a choice of a career he selected that of a contractor and builder, following that line until 1873. In 1865 he moved to Iowa, where he resided until 1868. removing thence to Lyon county, and in 1869 to Burlingame, Osage county, Kansas, where he followed his trade of contracting until April 2. 1872. In that year he took up his abode in Hutchinson, and on April 15, 1873, he became the possessor of the south- east quarter of section 2 in Troy township, thus becoming one of the pioneers and like others at that date was obliged to endure many hardships. Fuel was scarce, and in 1874 the noted hailstorms and grasshopper pest made the Kansas pioneers the pity of the more settled portions of the country; and many were quite discouraged when another visitation came in 1876. Buffaloes were still in the neighborhood and furnished the family with meat, but those were the times when people either ate coarse food or went hungry. However, those days have passed away, settlers rapidly came in and by civilization andl tree planting changed the climatic conditions which formerly made some portions of the state undesirable. Mr. Scoresby was not discouraged but went steadily on improving his property, and en- gaging to a considerable extent in stock raising. His labors ended in 1896. He was a strong man mentally, a stanch member of the Republican party and a leader in the Methodist church. His marriage occurred in New York, to Caroline Seeley, and they had a family of seven children, our subject being the only one living in Reno county at the present time.

Mr. Scoresby, of this review, was but five years of age when the family came to Kansas. On account of no schools having been opened in this locality his educational opportunities were limited. His father erected the first schoolhouse in Reno coun- ty, and for three years following the re- moval to the farm the son. Fred, enjoyed two months of instruction during the win- ters. Later. when his father bought a cat- tle ranch in Barber county, Fred took charge

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of the cattle placed there. At the age of twenty-one years he purchased the home farm and carried on operations there until assuming the duties of register of deeds of Reno county. In the meantime he had added an adjoining quarter section of land, and he now owns the east half of section 2, in Troy township. He has good corn land, of which he cultivates about one hundred and eighty acres. Mr. Scoresby has always been an ardent supporter of the Republican party and his services have been recognized by his fellow citizens, having been elected clerk of his township for four terms. In 1899 was elected to his present office, assuming charge in January, 1900. He has made a very capable and efficient official, and the Republicans of Reno county in convention in the spring of 1902, attested their fidelity to him by according him a renomination by acclamation.

In August, 1888, Mr. Scoresby was united in marriage to Estella Parks, a daughter of S. E. Parks, of Reno county, but formerly of Putnamville, Indiana-Mr. Parks coming to this locality in 1885. The two children born of this union are Mary and Grace. Mr. Scoresby is socially con- nected with the Court of Honor and the Modern Woodmen, and is also a member of the Park and Fair associations, being a stockholder in both organizations. His in- terest in educational matters has identified him with all progressive movements, and he is one of the leading and representative citizens of this city and one of the earnest Republicans in this part of Kansas.

GEORGE HART.

We now come to a consideration of the career of one who may well be designated as a pioneer of Kingman county, where he locat- ed when settlers were widely segregated and at a time when there were few evidencs of the progress and prosperity which the future days were to bring forth in their train. He is one of the honored and successful farm- ers and stock growers of the county, is well

known and is held in the highest confidence and esteem by all. He has developed one of the fine farm properties of this section of the state and feels that he has no reason to regret having cast in his lot with Kingman county.

The good old Buckeye state claims Mr. Hart as a native son, since he was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, on the 2d of April, 1836, being the son of Reuben and Nancy (Chapman) Hart, the former of whom was born in the same county as the son, while the mother of our subject was a native of the city of Philadelphia. Reuben Hart was a farmer by vocation and he removed with his family to Adams county, Illinois, when our subject was a child, this change of lo- cation being made prior to 1840, so that he became numbered among the pioneers of Illinois. He took up a tract of government land and became eventually the owner of a well improved farm of three hundred arres, in Adams county, where he passed the re- mainder of his life, his death occurring in 1862. His wife also died in that county, in the year 1882. They became the parents of nine children, eight of whom attained ma- turity and six of whom are living at the present time. Of them we enter a brief record : Phobe is the wife of George Hayes, a pioneer of Barton county, Kansas; Eliz- abeth is the wife of Daniel Darrick, of Camp Point, Illinois; Anna is a resident of Ursa, Illinois ; George, the subject of this sketch, was the next in order of birth; Mary is the wife of Elijah Phipps, of Hamilton. Illi- nois ; Jane is the wife of Jacob Weidenham- mer, of Linn county, Missouri; Maria is the wife of Charles Lowrey, of Brookfield, Mis- souri; David died in Illinois, in 1899; and Amos died in early manhood. William went south and his people have lost track of him.

George Hart was a child of about four years of age at the time when his parents re- moved to Illinois, and on the homestead farm, in Adams county, he was reared to maturity, receiving such educational advan- tages as were afforded in the public schools of the locality and period. Upon attaining his legal majority he engaged in farming on leased land in Adams county, operating the

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place on shares. He further signified his independent career by assuming marital re- sponsibilities, being united in marriage, on the Ist of November, 1856, to Miss Hannah Curliss, who was born in Ohio, as were also her parents, Samuel and Maria ( Knox) Curliss. Thereafter our subject continued to be engaged in agricultural pursuits in Illinois, until the death of his wife, which oc- curred on the 16th of November, 1876, hav- ing in the meantime become the owner of a good farm of one hundred and twenty acres. On the Ist of October, 1877, Mr. Hart consummated a second marriage, being then united to Mrs. Joanna Griffin, widow of William G. Griffin, and a daughter of Alexander and Margaret ( Ashcroft ) Race. natives, respectively, of Ohio and Pendle- ton county, Kentucky. Her grandfather, Muses Race, was a native of Culpeper county, Virginia, whence he removed to Kentucky, where he devoted the remainder of his life to agriculture, the family main- taining anti-slavery attitude in the years leading up to the war of the Rebellion. Mrs. Hart was reared and educated in Kentucky, and there her first marriage occurred. In 1863 she removed with her husband to Darke county, Ohio. where Mr. Griffin's death occurred. By her first marriage Mrs. Hart became the mother of seven children : William, a stockman of Gray county, Kan- sas: Frank, a merchant of LaJunta, Colo- rado; Leonora, the wife of J. F. Clayton, of Texas; Anna, wife of D. L. Williams, of Greenville, Texas: and three who died in childhood.

Of the first marriage of Mr. Hart seven children were born, namely: Samuel A .. a successful farmer of Kingman township; Albert N., a resident of Brookfield, Mis- souri: Charles M. and Edgar, who reside in Oklahoma: Elmer, who died at the age of nineteen years: Dora, at the age of four : and William, at the age of sixteen. Mr. and Mrs. Hart are the parents of two sons- Ray, who is attending a commercial college in Wichita, and Bret Earl, at the parental home. Mrs. Hart is an active member of the Seventh-day Adventist church at Lawn- dale and has been a particularly zealous

worker in connection with the Sunday- : school, having served as secretary of the Sunday-school association of the county and [ being prominent in other departments of the church work.

After Mr. Hart's second marriage he dis- posed of his interests in Adams county, Illi- nois, and removed to Bell county, Texas, where he was engaged in farming for one year. Being dissatisfied with the prospects in that locality, he then came to Kansas, and accordingly he set forth with an ox team, arriving at Wichita on the 28th .of December. 1878. There he remained until the following spring, when he leased a farm in Sedgwick county, and there remained un- till the fall of 1879. when he took up a pre- emption claim on section 33, Rural town- ship, Kingman county, the same forming an integral part of his present valuable estate, which comprises three hundred and sixty acres in Rural and Kingman townships, his postoffice address being Cunningham. Prior to locating his original claim Mr. Hart had been engaged in freighting between Wichita and Sun City, and thus became impressed with this section of Kansas, which he had traversed en route. He took up his abode on his claim on the 8th of February. 1880, having erected a comfortable dwelling, a combination of the sod house and dug-out, the same being twelve by fourteen feet in dimensions, with a board roof weighted down with sod. This somewhat primitive dwelling soon gave place to a box-house, sixteen by twenty-two feet in dimensions. with two rooms and attic. In 1882 Mr. Hart erected his present attractive and com- I modious residence, where a gracious hos- pitality is ever in evidence. At the time he located on his claim his nearest neighbor to the west was seventeen miles distant, while only two families resided between his place and Kingman, which was the nearest post- office, while the most accessible railroad towns were Hutchinson and Harper. Upon his farm our subject has made the best of improvements, having about two hundred acres under effective cultivation, while he keeps quite a large herd of cattle of high ! grade, using much discrimination in both

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departments of his farming enterprise. On the place is a fine orchard of about ten acres. In politics Mr. Hart gives a zealous support to the Republican party, in whose cause he has been an active worker and a potent fac- tor in a local way. The cause of educa- tion also has enlisted his support, and he was one of the organizers of his school dis- trict. having been for several years past a member of the school board.

C. C. MOLL.

C. C. Moll, deceased, was a practical and progressive farmer of Rockville town- ship. Rice county, and one of the honored veterans of the Civil war, coming from a land which has furnished many a worthy citizen to the new world. His birth oc- curred in Cologne, Prussia, Germany, July 19. 1844. The parents were also natives of that locality, where they were reared, edu- cated and married. Crossing the Atlantic, they located in New York city, where the fa- ther, A. C. Moll, was successfully engaged in the jewelry business, acting as a diamond- setter for Tiffany & Company. He and his wife were visiting in Europe at the time of the birth of our subject. He was a man of good education and liberal culture, and had gained through travel the extensive and accurate knowledge which only travel can bring. His wife bore the maiden name of Maria Filtz. and was a lady of refinement and culture. Mr. Moll spent some time in Rio Janeiro, Brazil. His wife died in Prussia dur- ing the infancy of our subject, after which Mr. Moll returned to New York city and also resided in Newark, New Jersey, follow- ing his chosen occupation. He was widely known as a diamond expert. By his second marriage he had three sons and one daugh- ter. A prominent Mason. he exemplified in his life the beneficent spirit of the fra- ternity. He was also identified with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and was honored and respected by all who knew him. His death occurred when he was fifty-six years of age.

C. C. Mell, whose name introduces this

record, spent his boyhood in New York city and in Newark, New Jersey, and acquired a good education in the schools of the east. At the inauguration of the Civil war his pa- triotic spirit was aroused, and in October, 1861, he joined the Ninth New Jersey Vol- unteers, serving until the following year. He participated in the battles of Roanoke Island. Newbern, North Carolina, Antietam and Kingston, North Carolina. He was three times wounded and was twice cap- turned by the Rebels. On the first occasion he succeeded in making his escape and when again captured was rescued by the Third New Jersey Cavalry. After being dis- charged he re-enlisted, in 1863, as a member of Company I. Thirty-fifth New Jersey Vol- unteers, with which he served until July, 1865. During that period he participated in the battle of Resaca, the Meridian Raid, pursuing the troops of General Forrest, and then joined General Sherman's army. At Resaca he was wounded by a gunshot in the arm and shoulder and was confined in sev- eral hospitals, being in a field hospital and afterward at Chickamauga and at Nashville. He was also in Pennsylvania, and at Jeffer- sonville, Indiana. On the 6th of November, 1864. he was appointed assistant provost marshal, with office in the state of Kentucky, under Colonel W. H. Sidell, and was made chief orderly of the government detective force there, acting in that capacity until June 12. 1865. On the Ist of August of the same year he accepted the position of postmaster at Louisville, Kentucky, where he remained until 1871.

In that year Mr. Moll came to Kansas and secured a homestead claim on section 30, Rockville township, Rice county, where he resided for six years. In 1898 he came to the farm of one hundred and sixty acres he last occupied, constituting one of the valu- able farming properties in the county. All the equipments and accessories of a model farm are here found, including a fine resid- ence, which stands upon a natural building site, pastures, wind-mills, barns and highly cultivated fields. He is successfully en- gaged in stock-raising, feeding most of his crops to his stock.

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In 1866 Mr. Moll was united in marriage to Miss Kate Murphy, a native of Ireland who was reared and educated in Louisville, Kentucky, and is a daughter of John and Kate ( Lennen ) Murphy, who also were na- tives of the Emerald Isle. Seven children were born to this marriage, namely : W. C., of San Francisco, Califorina: J. C., of Lit- tle River, Kansas; Mrs. Lizzie Hamilton, who is. also living in Little River ; E. L., who is employed in the freight department of the Big Four Railroad Company at Louisville, Kentucky ; and J. T., J. T. R. and Kate, who are at home with their parents. The children have been provided with good educational privileges to fit them for life's practical and responsible duties and the fam- ily is one of prominence in the community, its members occupying a prominent posi- tion in social circles. The cause of educa- tion found in Mr. Moll a warm friend, and he withheld his support from no movement or measure calculated to promote the public good. He died at his home in Rockville township April 19, 1902, of Bright's dis- ease, leaving the example of a noble life.

EDWARD CHILDS.

One of the enterprising citizens of Hois- ington is Edward Childs, a progressive hardware merchant, who established busi- ness here in 1898. He was born in Stark county, Illinois, in 1865, and is a son of John Childs, who came with his family to Kansas in 1878 and located on section 4, Union township, Barton county, where he entered the southeast half of the northwest quarter, residing there until his retirement from business life. At that time he was the owner of other farming lands adjoining. He removed to Bunker Hill, and there his last days were passed. His wife bore the maiden name of Melissa Fisher. The father of our subject was born in England, but the parents were married in New York and they had thirteen children, of whom eight are now living.

Mr. Childs, of this review, was only thirteen years of age when he came with his

father and mother to Kansas, and upon the home farm he was reared, there remaining until he abandoned agricultural pursuits in order to enter business in Hoisington. In 1898, in connection with Messrs. Geery, Mehr and Koch, he established a hardware store, but one by one his partners have with- drawn and in 1898, by purchase of another's interest, he became sole proprietor of the hardware store, which he now owns and con- ducts. He has a large double store, carry- ing an extensive line of hardware, queens- ware, trunks, harness, robes, buggies and carriages, also heavy wagons and all kinds of farming implements. The second floor is used as a tin shop and as a carriage reposi- tory. His business is extensive and is con- stantly growing. His business methods are reliable and in all trade transactions he is trustworthy, promptly meeting every obli- gation and conducting all business along the line of strict commercial ethics.

Mr. Childs was united in marriage to Miss Anna Mehr, a daughter of R. Mehr, now a resident of Kansas City. They have had three children : Fred E. : an infant son deceased ; and Melissa Elsie Adelia. £ So- cially Mr. Childs is connected with the Mod- ern Woodmen of America and with the Knights of Pythias fraternity. He stands to-day a strong man, strong in the conscious- ness of well spent years, strong to plan and perform, strong in his credit and good name.

GEORGE H. HULME.

Not only as mayor of the city of Great Bend is the Hon. George H. Hulme promi- nent in its affairs, for along lines of ma- terial advancement and improvement he has aided greatly in promoting the city's welfare. Its commercial activity and its upbuilding have been advanced by him, his labors re- sulting not alone to individual benefit but to the general good as well. It is meet, there- fore, that his life work be accorded due rec- ognition in a biographical history of central Kansas and we therefore gladly inscribe his name upon these annals.

Mr. Hulme was born in Liverpool, Eng-

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land, February 14, 1844, a son of William H. Hulme and a grandson of James Hulme. The latter died in early manhood. The former came to the United States in 1847. locating in Fall River, Massachusetts. He was a tinner by trade. On removing west- ward he took up his abode in Magnolia, Illi- nois, where he engaged in the hardware business, but at the present time he is living retired in Lockwood, Missouri. He has made judicious investment of his earnings and is now the owner of several valuable farms, which yield to him a good financial return. He has now attained the ripe old age of seventy-nine years, but his activity and appearance would lead one to suppose that he is many years younger. Ere leav- ing his native land he married Annie Pick- man, who died when about fifty years of age. Their children are George H., Sarah, May, Alice and Rachel.

When only three years of age George H. Hulme was brought by his parents to America and was reared in Massachusetts and Illinois, completing his education in the schools of Eden, in the latter state. Sub- sequently he engaged in merchandising in Magnolia, Illinois, and in the fall of 1874 canre to Kansas, locating in Great Bend, where he opened a general merchandise es- tablishment. In 1888, in connection with C. F. Wilner, he erected the opera house block, one of the largest business blocks in Great Bend. Many other enterprises have claimed his attention and his marked enter- prise and perseverance enable him to carry forward to successful completion whatever he undertakes. In 1886, associated with W. P. Clement, he purchased a mill-site, erected a mill and engaged in the milling business. The plant, however, was destroyed by fire in 1898, but with characteristic en- ergy he replaced it, putting in an eighty- six roller process. The mill now has a ca- pacity of three hundred barrels of flour daily. He also has an elevator and has a big grain trade. His flour is shipped to the east and to foreign markets, some going to Glasgow while some is sold upon the markets of Ant- werp. The business is now very extensive and profitable and the mill has become one

of the leading industries of the city. Mr. Hulme was also instrumental in erection and putting in operation the foundry, which is another important branch of industrial activity and his labors have resulted largely to the benefit of the town by promoting com- mercial activity. He is also engaged in gen- eral merchandising in Great Bend.

In 1865 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Hulme and Miss Annie Holmes, who died in 1867, at the age of twenty-two years. There were two children, William and Clara, and both are now deceased. For his second wife Mr. Hulme chose A. M. Bosley, a daughter of Morris Bosley, of Magnolia, Illi- nois. Their children are Georgie, who married George Green and has one child, George; James; Clara, deceased; Raymond ; Charlie; Verna, deceased; and Vivian.

That Mr. Hulme has the high regard and confidence of his fellow townsmen is in- dicated by the fact that in 1898 he was elected mayor of the city and re-elected upon the People's ticket, so that he is the pres- ent incumbent. His duties have been dis- charged in a most business-like, practical and progressive manner and he has cham- pioned every measure of reform and im- provement. He is well known in fraternal circles, being a valued representative of the blue lodge, chapter and commandery of the Masonic order, and also belonging to the Ancient Order of United Workmen and to the Knights of Security. He holds member- ship in the Presbyterian church and his is a well rounded character in which there has been a symmetrical development of the phys- ical, the mental and moral. He is one of the most masterful because one of the best balanced of men and his labors have been of peculiar benefit and value to his adopted city.

MARCUS M. YEOMAN.

The list of prominent and representative citizens of Kingman county, Kansas, include Marcus M. Yeoman, who is also one of the large land-owners, extensive grain farmers and successful stock-raisers.

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The birth of Mr. Yeoman was in Jasper county, Indiana, in 1862, and he is a worthy representative of one of the progressive, en- terprising and honorable families of that state. His parents were Eli and Rebecca ( Knox ) Yeoman.

Marcus M. Yeoman ivas reared on the old farm in Indiana, where he learned the prin- ciples of the science of farming, which he has put to such excellent use. He was af- forded good educational opportunities and acquired an excellent common-school educa- tion in the schools of Rensselaer. Jasper county. Indiana. In early life habits of in- dustry were formed, and he was instructed by an excellent mother in the paths of hon- esty and uprightness.

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A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. II, Part 3

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