A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. II, Part 4

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 4

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The first marriage of Mr. Yeoman was in 1883, to Miss Laura. Parkinson, who was a daughter of Addison and Barbara ( Kenton) Parkinson, both parents being related to the great Indian fighter who figures so conspic- uously in the history of the settlement of Ohio, Simon Kenton, who was an early set- tler of that state and a leader among the pioneers. The death of Mrs. Yeoman was on August 26, 1886, in Jasper county, In- diana, leaving one daughter, Beth. The sec- ond marriage of our subject was in Febru- ary, 1889, to Miss Aurilla Warren, a lady of education, culture and refinement, who had been one of the most successful teachers in that county. She was a native of Jasper county and was a daughter of John W. and Rhoda (Coen) Warren, the former of whom was born at Bucyrus, Ohio, and died in May, 1899, at the age of sixty-four. His wife was also born in Ohio and she died at the age of fifty-three. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Warren were six in number. viz .: Mrs. Flora Grant, Frank, Edwin, Aurilla, Yeoman, Newton and Charles, the last mentioned dying at the age of eleven years. Mr. Warren was a prominent farmer and for a number of years was active in the Methodist church. Mrs. Warren had been reared in the Presbyterian belief and al- ways remained attached to that body. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Yeoman consists of four children, namely : Ralph, Frank. Lena and Helen,-all bright, intelligent young

Americans who have been carefully afforded educational facilities.

Mr. Yeoman has been a resident of Richland township, Kingman county, since 1900, and has already taken a prominent place in the estimation of his fellow citi- zens. His fine estate here comprises six hundred and forty acres of valuable, produc- tive land, which is well adapted to the suc- cessful raising of grain as well as the profit- able growing of cattle and stock. This is one of the best arranged and most attractive homes in Richland township, the commodi- ous residence, which was erected at a cost of sixteen hundred dollars, being surround- ed with all the buildings needful in the cul- tivation of so much land, while the farm itself, with its groves and orchards, shows its value to the most casual observer. Coun- try residence possesses in this home every element to make rural life enjoyable.

In politics Mr. Yeoman is a supporter of the Democratic party, thoroughly believing in its principles. Fraternally he is con- nected with I. O. O. F., Iroquois Lodge, No. I43, where he is a valued comrade. In man- ner Mr. Yeoman is pleasant and hospitable and is justly satisfied with his investment in Kansas land.

HOWARD S. LEWIS.

Among the young men of pronounced ability who are well qualified for positions of trust and responsibility in professional and business life and in political circles is Howard S. Lewis, of Hutchinson, who is now acceptably serving as city attorney and who retains a large clientage in the prac- tice of law. He is a representative of well known southern families. His grandpar- ents were Thomas and Minerva Lewis, the former of Kentucky, the latter of Virginia. In an early day they removed to Missouri, becoming pioneers of that state, where the grandmother died at the advanced age of ninety years. Thomas S. Lewis, the father of our subject, was born and reared in Missouri and for several years engaged in

Att Lewis.

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stock raising, after which he became largely interested in mining and is now connected with the Woods Investment Company. He is one of the leading stockholders in the mines of Cripple Creek, where he located in 1884. He was a loyal soldier during the Civil war, first enlisting in Company E. Twenty-first Missouri Infantry. He partic- ipated in many important engagements, in- cluding the battles of Shiloh, Pittsburg Landing and the campaign in Missouri against Price. He was three times wounded but was never captured and with a credit- able military record for bravery and meri- torious conduct on the field of battle he re- turned home. In his political affiliations he is a Republican. In Missouri he mar- ried Miss Geraldine Justice, who died when our subject was but four years of age and he is the only survivor of their four chil- dren.

Howard S. Lewis was born in Glen- wood. Missouri, November 16, 1877. and was but seven years of age when his father removed to Colorado. He pursued his ed- ucation in the schools there to some extent. but later continued his studies in the schools of Hutchinson, whither he came, and has since made his home with his uncle, Dr. Justice. He was graduated in the high school here and as it was his intention from an early age to make the practice of law his life work, he pursued his education with that end in view. He pursued his profes- sional training in the Columbian University at Washington, D. C., the oldest law school in the country, and was admitted to the bar in Kansas in 1897. Having had some prac- tical experience in law, he was thus better enabled to understand the instruction in college and was graduated therein in 1897. He entered that under

school the given age and was the youngest man of his class, but he took a prominent part in mock court work, was chairman of the executive committee and president of the debating society.

Returning to Hutchinson, Mr. Lewis entered the office of Houston Whiteside. with whom he remained until 1901. when he was elected to the office of city attorney. He also entered into partnership with J. W.

Rose the same year and already the new firm has gained a distinctively representative clientage. Their attention is given almost exclusively to corporation law and their cli- entage includes not only many prominent in- dividuals and firms of Hutchinson, but they also represent many banking and wholesale interests of Kansas City and St. Joseph. Among the more prominent of their local cli- ents are the First National Bank, St. John Trust Company, L. J. White Lumber Com- pany, the Bank of Turon, L. A. Bigger and all the banks in Stafford county. They are especially well prepared to handle banking litigation, as the senior member of the firm was formerly a banker and their library con- tains every known work on banking law, with the contents of which the partners have largely familiarized themselves.

Fraternally Mr. Lewis is connected with Hutchinson Lodge, No. 77. A. O. U. W., and he is a member of the Christian church. In politics he is an active Republican, who delights in the excitement of campaign work and in this line has done much for the party, both in the campaigns of 1896 and 1900. He has served as a delegate to the county and senatorial conventions, and is an earnest advocate of the cause which he believes will best enhance the nation's welfare. Ambitious, energetic and determined, he has already won a creditable standing at the bar and his mental attributes and force of character are such that his friends feel no hesitancy in predicting for him a successful future.

JAMES B. McBURNEY.

Among the pleasant rural homes of Kingman county is that of James B. Mc- Burney, a well known farmer and stock raiser residing on the northwest quarter of section 23. Union township. He is a vet- eran of the Civil war and bears an honorable record for brave service in the cause of freedom and union, and in the paths of : peace he has also won an enviable reputa- tion through the sterling qualities which go to the making of a good citizen.

Mr. McBurney was born in Preble coun- ty, Ohio, on the 17th of November, 1840,

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and is a son of Samuel McBurney, a native of Ireland, who was a young man when he came to this country with his father and took up his residence in New York. . In that state he was united in marriage with Miss Jane Hall, and a few years later removed to Preble county, Ohio, where he purchased a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, mak- ing it his home until his death, which oc- curred when our subject was only two or three years old. His wife long survived him and died at the home of a married daughter in Butler county, Ohio, in 1887. Both were earnest and consistent members of the Presbyterian church, and the father was a Democrat in politics. In the family of this worthy couple were seven children. namely: Eliza, who fell down a cellar and was killed, at Hamilton, Ohio: William J., a retired farmer of Spivey. Kingman coun- ty, Kansas; Martha J., who died in child- hood: James B., of this review : Margaret, wife of Jesse Brown, who is now living re- tired in Alden, Rice county, Kansas : Thom- as, a lumber dealer of Connersville. Indiana ; and Anderson, who died in childhood.

After the death of her husband the mother remained on the farm and managed to keep her children together until they were grown. Under her watchful care our subject passed his boyhood and youth and remained with her until twenty-eight years of age. He was then married, December 2, 1871, to Miss Elizabeth A. Kenworthy, a native of Preble county, Ohio, and a daughter of David and [.Iargaret ( Mendenhall) Kenworthy, who were probably born in the same state, and both died in Preble county. By occupation her father was a farmer. Unto Mr. and Mrs. McBurney were born five children, who are still living, namely: Pearl H., Robert O., Milton E., William H. and Harry H., all at home with their father.

After his marriage Mr. McBurney re- moved to Butler county, Ohio, where he en- gaged in farming one year, and next made his home in Fayette county, Indiana. where he carried on farming operations for about eleven years. At the end of that time he came to Kingman county, Kansas, and lo- cated on the farm where he now resides.

having pre-empted a tract of raw prairie land. At the time he was in rather limited circumstances, his stock consisting of only two mules and one cow, which he purchased after coming here, but as the years have passed he has steadily prospered in his un- dertakings and is to-day one of the well-to- do and successful farmers of his community. Upon his claim he built a house sixteen by twenty feet. and the first spring broke forty acres of land, which he planted in corn. He raised principally corn, wheat and oats for several years, keeping no more than two cows. for the first six years, but he now gives considerable attention to stock rais- ing, and keeps thirty-six head of cattle and a few hogs of a high grade. In 1894 Mr. McBurney bought the southeast quarter of section 23, the south half of which is now under cultivation, and he later added the southeast quarter of section 14, one hun- dred acres of which had been broken, and is now owned by his son. Pearl. In the spring of 1901 he purchased the northeast quarter of section 23, Union township, which property now belongs to his son. Robert. Mr. McBurney now has over three hundred acres of land under cultivation, two hundred and thirty acres of which he planted in wheat last season. The remainder of his property is pasture land. He built an ad- dition. twelve by thirty-six feet. to his house in 1900, and all of the other buildings upon his property are good and substantial structures. A number of years ago he erected a shop upon his place, and being a natural mechanic he has done all his own work in both wood and iron, his shop be- ing equipped with a good forge, anvil, etc. His son. Pearl. is equally gifted in this line, and in partnership with Charles Doty, owns and operates a fine Port Huron threshing machine, separator and engine.

Sixteen years ago Mr. McBurney had the misfortune to lose his wife, by the un- merciful hand of death. His children were then small, but he never remarried or en- gaged the assistance of any woman in look- ing after his house. With the assistance of his eldest son he performed all the house- hold duties, such as cooking, washing and

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mending. and everything is as neat and tidy about his home as a model housewife could wish.

When the Civil war broke out Mr. Mc- Burney laid aside all personal interest, and at Hamilton, Ohio, enlisted. September 5. 1861, in Company B, Sixty-ninth Ohio Vol- unteer Infantry. He was in the service for three years, ten months and five days, and participated in some of the most important engagements of the war, including the bat- tles of Gallatin, Stone River and Chicka- mauga, and the siege of Chattanooga, where the soldiers, reduced to the point of starva- tion, would steal the corn from the mules. Mr. McBurney also took part in the battle of Missionary Ridge, and was with Sher- man in his Atlanta campaign as far as Re- saca, where he was wounded in the hand and leg and was in the hospital for three months. He was sent to Jefferson Barracks, and later to Camp Dennison, Ohio, from which place he returned to his home when mustered out. The Republican party has always found in him a stanch supporter of its principles, and he has been a delegate to nearly every county convention of his party since coming to Kingman county, though for the last few years his son, Pearl, has been the delegate from Union township. The sons are also ardent Republicans. For twelve years Mr. McBurney was a member of the school board; was road overseer several years ; township trustee two terms and treas- urer one term. His official duties have always been most capably and satisfactorily per- formed, and he is justly recognized as one of the representative men of his community. Fratenally he is a member of Kingman Post, No. 165, G. A. R., and the Odd Fel- lows lodge, in which he has filled all the chairs and which he has also represented in the grand lodge of the state of Indiana.

JOSEPH SHAFER.

The well known general farmer of Ha- ven township, Reno county, Kansas, whose name is above, whose homestead is in the )

southeast quarter of section 14, in the town- ship mentioned, and whose postoffice address is Haven, traces his ancestry to Ohio, thence to Kentucky and thence to Germany. He was born in Preble county, Ohio, July 22, 1843 a son of Miranda Shafer, a native of Kentucky, who was a farmer and manufacturer of agricultural im- plements. His grandfather in the paternal line was of German parentage and was an early pioneer and noted Indian fighter in Kentucky, where he lived out his days. He did gallant duty as a soldier in the war of 1812. as did his brother, Henry, who was in command at Fort Henry. Miranda Sha- fer emigrated to Ohio when a young man and there devoted several years in the es- tablishment of a man named Huckney to learning the details of the manufacture of farming machinery. Later he estab- lished a factory of his own in Ham- ilton, Ohio, where he manufactured plows and many edged tools. There he mar- ried Rachel Westlake, a native of North Carolina, and a daughter of James and Ra- chel Westlake, North Carolinians, who had emigrated to Hamilton county, Ohio. James Westlake served in the war of 1812-14 as a corporal. Mr. Shafer finally retired from manufacturing to a farm which he had bought in Preble county, Ohio, whence after some years he removed to Newton county, Indiana, where he lived until he gave up active business and removed to Morocco, that county, where he died in the spring of 1885. His death occurred on Easter Sun- day, and his wife, who was just three years younger than he, died on Easter Sunday, three years later. He was for many years a class leader in the Methodist Episcopal church, of which his wife was also a mem- ber. Politically he was originally a Whig and later a Republican, was active in party work and also a pronounced temperance man, being long a member of the Sons of Temperance.

Miranda and Rachel (Westlake) Shafer had eight children, four of whom are liv- ing. Their daughter, Sarah, who was the wife of William Russell, died at Riverside. California. in 1893. James is a retired

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farmer and lives in Newton county. Indiana. Jane married William Webb and died in Carroll county, Indiana, about 1866. John F. is a farmer in Newton county, Indiana : Joseph, who is the immediate subject of this sketch, is the next in order of birth. Maria, who did not marry, died in Newton county, Indiana, in 1868. Mary married David Sa- ger, and died also in that county. Nathan, of Morocco, same county, is a farmer.

fer was wounded in his left arm and in his left thumb. On the return of the corps through the Carolinas, after the fall of Sa- vannah, it encountered at Bentonville a strong rebel fortification. and when General Logan asked his tired troops whether they would rather build breastworks of their own or take those of the Confederates, they cried out with one accord. "Take the works!" When General Joseph E. Johnston sur- rendered Mr. Shafer's regiment was in the front line of the Union army opposing him; and in Washington. I. C., it participated in the grand review and still later was mustered out of service. After the war Mr. Shafer resumed farming in Newton county, In- (liana.

Joseph Shafer first attended school in a log schoolhouse near his father's home in Preble county, Ohio, sitting on a split-slab bench and studying his A B C's on a paddle- shaped piece of wood to which was pasted a paper containing the letters. He assisted his father on the farm until 1862. In Aug- ust, that year, he enlisted at Morocco in January 1. 1872, Mr. Shafer married Lucy Hitchings, who was born in that coun- ty, a daughter of John and Mary ( Swigart) Hitchings, natives, respectively, of Maine and North Carolina. Mr. Hitchings, who was a well-to-do farmer. died in the same county, where Mrs. Hitchings still lives. Mr. and Mrs. Shafer remained in that coun- ty until the fall of 1875, when they located in Kansas. Mr. Shafer sent a team and wagon and some of his belongings on before him in care of a trusty man, and with his wife made the journey by rail. They located in section 14, Haven township. Reno coun- ty, where they have lived until the present time. Mr. Shafer erected a small frame house with walls of vertical boards and broke forty acres of land which, in the spring of 1876, he planted with corn. His crop was much damaged by grasshoppers, which then raided Kansas for the second time, For some time after his arrival in Kansas the prairie was devoid of trees, and from his claim he had an unobstructed view in every direction, and he frequently saw the waters of the Arkansas river and the headlights of the Santa Fe Railroad, both far to the north- ward. He also saw the mirage of the sand- hills north of Hutchinson, which did not appear to be more than a mile away. the hills appearing to be not more than one hundred feet high; and once he saw the mirage of a house a mile west of him, which did not Company E, Ninety-ninth Regiment of Indi- ana Volunteer Infantry. In October follow- ing his regiment was sent from Indianapolis to Louisville, Kentucky, and thence to Mem- phis, Tennessee, where it formed a part of Grant's force which went by land with the expectation of capturing Vicksburg. History relates how this expedition failed on ac- count of the capture of Grant's base of sup- plies at Holly Springs, because of the in- competency and neglect of the commandant of that post. After that event the army returned to Memphis and for a time Mr. Shafer's regiment was doing guard duty to keep open railway communi- cation with Chattanooga. Later it partici- pated in the incident of the great raft on the Yazoo river, in the siege of Vicksburg, and after the fall of Vicksburg, in the siege and capture of Jackson, Mississippi, whence it returned to Vicksburg. From Vicksburg it went to Memphis, where it joined the army afterward sent to Missionary Ridge. Sub- sequently it participated in the relief of Burnside at Knoxville and then went to Chattanooga, and later it formed a part of the Fifteenth Army Corps commanded by General Logan, under General Sherman in the Atlanta campaign. The regiment took part in every battle from Atlanta to Savan- nah and did its full duty in all of the flank- ing movements which made the Fifteenth Army Corps famous. At Atlanta Mr. Sha- | appear to be more than fifty vards distant

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and seemed to be at least fifty feet high. He built his present residence in 1854 and he has also erected good barns, granaries and other necessary outbuildings, and planted an orchard of four acres, which produces fruit of various kinds. principally apples. He has a herd of forty graded shorthorn and white-faced cattle and raises many hogs.

In politics Mr. Shafer is a Republican and he has been sent as a delegate to county conventions of his party and to congressional conventions, and has served his township four years as trustee and for a like period as treasurer. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church at High- land and he is a member of Haven Post, No. 122. Grand Army of the Republic.

To Mr. and Mrs. Shafer have been born four children, three of whom are living : Eva, who married Daniel Muck, a farmer in Haven township, and a traveling sales- man for the McCormick Machine Company ; John lives in Oklahoma ; and Ada, who is a' graduate of an up-to-date business college, holds an important position as a bookkeeper for the E. R. Moses Mercantile Company, of Great Bend, Kansas, which does a large mail order business.

cliff, of the firm of Ratcliff Brothers, deal- ers in live stock, grain and coal at Cunning- ham. Like many another progressive Kan- san, Mr. Ratcliff is a native of Kentucky. He was born in Boone county, February 28, 1860, a son Robert M. and Cynthia ( An- derson ) Ratcliff.

Robert M. Ratcliff. father of Elisha S. Ratcliff, of Cunningham, was born in Grant ! county, Kentucky. a son of Elisha Ratcliff, a pioneer in that state, who was born in Virginia and there married Cynthia Ander- son. Not long after his marriage Grand- father Ratcliff located in Kentucky, where he took part in many stirring scenes and be- came a citizen of prominence and influence and where his son, Robert, was reared to manhood. The latter, after having ac- customed himself to the details of prac- tical farming, became a merchant at Verona, Boone county, whence he re- moved eventually to Crittenden, Grant coun- ty, where he was not only a leading merchant but was an extensive buyer and shipper of tobacco. In 1887 he emigrated to Barber county, Kansas, where he established a busi- ness in grain and stock which, now aged sev- enty-six years, he carries on successfully: His wife, Cynthia (Anderson) Ratcliff, died ir: 1885 and Mr. Ratcliff was afterward mar- ried again. He is a Master Mason and is in all respects a man of ability and prominence.

Mr. Shafer is a man of much public spirit, who has near to his heart the best in- terests of the community in which he lives, which he is ever ready to advance to the extent of his ability ; and his admirable judg- Robert and Cynthia (Anderson) Rat- cliff had eleven children, nine of whom grew to maturity. The following data concerning them are included in this sketch as an inter- esting contribution to local genealogy : Jo- seph T. Ratcliff, M. D., lives at Morris, In- diana : Edward B. Ratcliff, M. D., is a med- ical specialist at Seattle, Washington; Mary ment in all business affairs is so well appre- ciated that his fellow townsmen seek his opinion in numerous matters of importance. He is a thoroughly upright and honorable man, whose daily life and business methods have given him a place in the public confi- dence, of which any one might be proud, and those who know him best know that his ! S. is the wife of C. Vallandigham, of Will- success in life is richly deserved.

iamstown, Kentucky: Agnes married O. Vallandigham, who is a farmer and mer- chant at Crittenden, Grant county, Ken- tucky: Aggie died at the age of four years ; ELISHA S. RATCLIFF. John M. is a member of the firm of Ratcliff Brothers ; Elisha S., who is the head of the Among the well known business men of . firm just mentioned, was the next in order of Kingman county, Kansas, there are few who . birth; Bettie H. is a teacher in the public have more amply won the good esteem of their fellow citizens than has Elisha S. Rat-

schools of Crittenden, Kentucky; Claudia is the wife of Dr. J. H. Cotteral, of Guthrie,

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Oklahoma: Frank M. is in the mercantile business at Seattle, Washington; another child died in infancy.

Elisha S. Ratcliff was brought up to farm life in the Blue Grass state, was edu- cated in the public schools near his home and was a member of his parents' household until he was twenty-four years of age. Then in company with his brother, John, he went to Kingman county, Kansas, and took up gov- ernment land in Kingman township and en- gaged in stock raising on a small scale. He continued farming and stock raising until 1890, meanwhile adding to his land until he owned four hundred acres. He then sold his land and stock to his brother and with his brother. John M., organized the firm of Ratcliff Brothers, of Cunningham, and since that time has been buying and selling grain, live stock and coal. In 1901 the Cun- ningham elevator was erected. It has a ca- pacity of eighteen thousand bushels and is provided with all modern appliances for cleaning, grading and handling grain. The Ratcliff Brothers have built up a large busi- ness and they ship annually two hundred to four hundred carloads of grain and seventy- five to one hundred car loads of stock. Elisha S. is in charge of the office, scale and elevator work and John M. attends to the buying and general outside business, giving especial at- tention to the stock department. The cy- clone of 1898 swept away their warehouse the office, as well as Mr. Ratcliff's residence. All were replaced that same year, and Mr. Ratcliff's house, which is supplied with run- ning water and other modern improvements, is one of the best residences in the city.

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A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. II, Part 4

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