A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. II, Part 40

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

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After the war Captain Watkins returned to Iroquois county and resumed farming upon rented land, being thus engaged until September. 1870, when he emigrated to what was then Howard county, but is now Elk county, Kansas. Again he rented land. which he operated for three and a half years. In the fall of 1873 he arrived in Reno county and homesteaded land on the southwest quarter of section 14. township 26, range 8, where the store and postoffice of Sego now stand. His first home was a dugout ten by twelve feet. which shel- tered the family for six months and was then enlarged to sixteen by eighteen feet. Exactly three years the family resided in that primitive dwelling and then took pos- session of their new home, a frame struc- ture. sixteen by twenty-four feet, which was enlarged to its present dimensions in 1890. Captain Watkins suffered the loss of his first crop from the grasshoppers, but with unfail- ing courage and perseverance he continued his work, gradually transforming his prop- erty into a very valuable and desirable farm. He engaged in general farming and stock raising. feeding all of the grain which he

raised. He added to the homestead a tim- ber claim and purchased still other lands until his farm comprised four hundred acres. upon which he remained until 1894, when he divided his land among his children, retain- ing only the quarter section upon which he now resides.

The Captain was married in Lafayette. Indiana, to Miss Mary Layman, and unto them have been born four children : Flora C .. the deceased wife of W. W. Chaffin; E. R., a merchant and farmer of Sege, who is now representing his dis- trict in the state legislature: Albert, an at- turner at law of Topeka, Kansas; and Alta May, the wife of A. J. Johns, who resides with her father and cultivates the home farm. Both the Captain and Mrs. Watkins are faithful and zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal church, which he aided in organizing and since that time he has served as a member of its official board. He is probably the oldest Mason in Reno coun- ty. having been made a member of the craft in Levens Lodge, No. 54, F. & A. M .. in 1856. He is now a member of Arlington Lodge. No. 299, of Arlington, Kansas, and for twenty years he has been a valued rep- resentative of Perryville Post, No 45. G. A. R., of Arlington, and has served as one of its commanders. In public affairs pertain- ing to the welfare and progress of the county he takes a deep interest and has done all in his power to advance the development and improvement here. He has served as coun- ty commissioner and in other official posi- tions and in 1886 he received the Republican nomination for representative to the state legislature, but was defeated because he re- fused to pledge himself to measures which he could not conscientiously endorse. He has been township trustee for two terms and treasurer for three terms and he was one of the organizers of school district No. 59. serving as a member of its first board. Ed- ucational, fraternal, political, material and moral interests for the benefit of the com- munity have all received his endorsement and co-operation and among the valued, re- spected and honored citizens of Reno coun- ty Captain Watkins is justly numbered.

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ELDON R. WATKINS.

One of the most distinguished and prominent citizens of Reno county is the. Hon. Eldon R. Watkins, who is now rep- resenting his district in the state legislature. He is actively connected with commercial and agricultural interests and in public af- fairs is a leader of thought and public move- ment. While the essential characteristics of the successful business man are his he also possesses the ability and foresight of the statesman and in the general assembly of Kansas his work has been of a nature which concerns the welfare of the entire common- wealth and has redounded to the good of all.

Mr. Watkins was born in Lafayette, In- liana, February 1. 1860, a son of William A. Watkins, whose life history is given above. He resided in Iroquois county, Illi- nois, until 1870, when, at the age of ten years, he accompanied his parents to Kan- sas, being reared to manhood at the family homestead, which is still his residence. He acquired his early education in the schools : of the neighborhood and later attended the Southwestern Business College, at Wichita, thus being well equipped for the practical duties of life. He entered upon his business career in 1886 as a real estate and loan agent in the town of Cincinnati, Grant county. since which time the name has been changed to Appomattox. After carrying on business there for three years he also became a part- ner of J. R. Gillespie & Company and like- wise accepted the position of cashier of the bank of Kirtland, Flash & Company, main- taining all three business connections at the same time. Subsequently he became a trav- eling salesman for the Rumley and Gey- ser Threshing Machines Companies, and was upon the road for five years, traveling in Kansas and Oklahoma. He then gave up that position, locating in Sego, Reno county, Kansas.

In 1899 Mr. Watkins erected the store building in which he is now carrying on general merchandising, having a stock val- ved at about three thousand dollars. His sales are large for a town of this size and his

patronage is constantly increasing. He also operates his farm of four hundred acres, which includes the old homestead, and which is largely devoted to the raising of stock as well as to general farming. As a rule he grazes one hundred and seventy-five head of cattle annually and raises about fifty head. Since locating on his present farm he has given his entire attention in a business way. to farming and merchandising.

In politics Mr. Watkins is an active Re- publican, a recognized leader in his party. For five years he has served on the Republi- can central committee and has been a dele- gate to the county, state and congressional conventions. He served as trustee of his township for two years, and in 1896 he was appointed postmaster of Sego, in which po- sition he served until nominated for the leg- islature, since which time his wife has occu- pied the position. In 1898 he was made the Republican nominee for representative in his district, and although Bryan was given a majority of four hundred and fifty in 1896 | he was beaten by only twenty-five votes-a defeat that amounted almost to a victory and indicated his personal popularity and the high regard reposed in him. In 1900 he was again nominated and was this time the fortunate candidate, although the district gave to Bryan a majority of one hundred and ten votes. He has been an active work- ing and valued member of the legislature. He championed the fees and salary bill and served on a number of very important com- mittees, including the ways and means, the printing, the labor and many others, and of the emigration committee he was chairman. He took an active part in the senatorial con- test between Baker and Burton, supporting the latter.

Mr. Watkins is a valued 'member of sev- eral fraternal organizations. He belongs to Cable Lodge, No. 299. F. & A. M., to the Modern Woodmen of America and the Knights of Pythias. He was married Feb- ruary 21. 1901, to Miss Ida Ross, who was born in Ottumwa, Iowa, a daughter of W. T. Ross. one of the representative business men and stock dealers of the county. In business Mr. Watkins is reliable, in private

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life is trustworthy, and his genial manner and unfailing courtesy have made him pop- ular with all classes, while his genuine worth enables him to retain the friendship and regard which he has gained.

BURD LACY.

If "biography is the home aspect of his- tory," as Wilmot has expressed it. it is en- tirely within the true province of true his- tory to commemorate and perpetuate the lives and character, the achievements and honors of the leading men of any commun- itv. and in a history of the representative citizens of Barber county Burd Lacy well deserves prominent mention, for he has con- tributed in large measure to the welfare and progress of this portion of the state, and is now for the second term acceptably serving as probate judge. He has proved a most popular officer and over the record of his public career there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil.

The Judge is a native of Kanawha coun- ty, West Virginia, born in 1828, and is a representative of one of the old families of Virginia. His father. Jordon Lacy, was a sen of John Lacv, both of whom were na- tives of the Old Dominion, and the latter spent his entire life there. Jordon Lacy, after attaining to adult age, was united in marriage to Winnie Lively, who belonged to a well known and highly respected family of Virginia. In 1833 the parents of our subject removed with their family to In- diana. settling in Hancock county, where, in the midst of the wild forest, the father se- cured a tract of land. from which he devel- oped a good farm. Throughout his entire life he carried on agricultural pursuits and was a progressive and practical representa- tive of that vocation. His political support was given the Whig party in early life and later he became a stanch Republican. He was a very prominent and influential member of the Christian church. in which he served as deacon and elder and his word was as good as his bond. He passed away in Han-

cock county, Indiana. in 1862, and his wife, surviving him a number of years, died in 1882 at the age of seventy-four years, her birth having occurred in 1808. This worthy couple were the parents of sixteen children, twelve of whom reached years of maturity. One of the number. James A. Lacy, is now living in Bross, Kingman county, but with the exception of our subject is the only mem" ber of the family in Kansas.

Judge Lacy, whose name introduces this record, was a little lad of only five summers when he accompanied his parents to Indi- ana. There he was reared upon his father's farm in the midst of frontier life. and with the family shared in all the hardships and trials incident to the establishment of a home in a pioneer region. He early learned the value of integrity and economy in the prac- tical affairs of life, and also that honesty is the best policy. He obtained a good edu- cation in the public schools. Through the greater part of his life he has been con- nected with agricultural interests. In 1880 he came to Barber county, Kansas, where he secured a claim and began raising and dealing in cattle. Later he established his home in Medicine Lodge and has been hon- ored with a number of public offices, to which he has been called by his fellow townsmen, who recognized his worth and ability. He has not only served as police judge. but has been township trustee and as- sessor, and in 1898 he was elected probate judge of Barber county over one of the lead- ing representatives of the opposite party. His fitness for the office is widely recognized for he is a man of good practical judgment. firm in his convictions, and unfaltering in support of what he believes to be right. As probate judge he has won high commenda- tion and has with the utmost care and fidel- ity administered the duties of the office.

The Judge has five children: W. J .: Mrs. Margaret Smith: Mrs. Mary Seabold : Sarah : Rosa and Clara Michelson, of Perry, Oklahoma. The father has a nice home in Medicine Lodge and the family enjoy the : warm esteem and regard of all who know them. He is a man of strong intelligence, of unswerving honor, and of genuine worth,

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and his salient characteristics are those which command respect in every land and clime. As the result of his genial and affa- ble manner and kindly disposition he has gained many friends in Barber county.

JOHN A. S.ANDERS.

Among the prosperous and representa- tive farmers of Burrton township, John A. Sanders ranks foremost, his thrift and en- terprise having won for him a reputation of high merit. He was born in Wellsboro, Tioga county, Pennsylvania, February 27. 1853. being the youngest son of nine chil- dren. The father. Joseph Sanders, a native of Vermont, was born in 1803, and in 1826 was married to Miss Philenia Howard, of New Hampshire, who was born in 1806. She was the daughter of Jeremiah Howard. of Vermont, who moved to Ashtabula coun- ty. Ohio, being one of the pioneers of that state, where he lived until eighty-eight years of age, having reared a family of six chil- dren, two daughters and four sons. The parents of our subject settled in Tioga county, Pennsylvania, near Wellsboro, in 1830, having purchased a farm and upon which they lived for fourteen years. They then took up their abode in Wellsboro, where the father died in 1855. They were the parents of nine children, namely: Jere- miah, who resides in Riverside. California. where he moved in 1870. He was married the third time and is the father of nine chil- dren : Lucy P., born in 1829 and died in 1833: Prudence E., born October 31, 1831. who is the widow of a Mr. Andrews, of Jasper. Steuben county, New York: Caro- line, born March 15, 1834, the widow of George Naval, and residing at the old home in Pennsylvania: Electa, born June 7. 1836. who is the wife of James Bacon, a resident of Ravenna, Ohio: Phila, born July II. 1838. and who died November 19. 1840: Armathusa, born June 16, 1840, died in Sep- tember. 1840; Michael, born in 1843, who is now living retired in Phoenix, Arizona, and has one son ; and John . 1.

John A. Sanders lived at home until he attained his majority, caring for his mother, who remained with him until her death, passing away in June, 1878. after a life of devotion to her family. A few years after her husband's death she removed to Ash- tabula county in 1858, where she kept house for her father. Jeremiah Howard, whose | wife had died about that time. In the spring of 1860 Mrs. Sanders moved to Jones county, Iowa, and thence to Decatur coun- ty. Later in the year of 1860. however, she started for Kansas, but remained in Iowa until the spring of 1862, when she returned to her father's home in Ohio. and remained there for two years. Early in the year 1865 she returned to Iowa, locating in Wayne county for a period of four years, and then returned to Decatur county. On Novem- ber II. 1875. our subject, accompanied by his mother, located in Burrton, but soon re- moved to a rented farm four and one-half miles southwest of Burrton. He settled on this quarter section of land in February of the following year. So diligently has he labored that he now owns twelve acres of large and thrifty timbers, as well as one hundred apple and other fruit trees, all of . which he planted with his own hands, and are fine specimens of the care and perfect . cultivation that he has given them.

Mr. Sanders was joined in marriage on the eleventh day of March. 1875. to Miss Alice Stapp, of Decatur county, Iowa, born July 17. 1858, being a daughter of Milton and Elizabeth ( Gibson) Stapp of Indiana, where the father operated a farm. The mother passed away in Iowa at the age of thirty years. They were the parents of five children: Mary, wife of John Wood, who died in Iowa, leaving three children: Wes- ley Stapp : Fred, a resident of Oklahoma ter- ritory, and the father of six children; Lin- com, whose death occurred when thirty- two years of age: and an infant son. The father has lost his third wife, and is now engaged in farming in Russell county, Kan- sas, where he settled in 1877. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Sanders has been blessed with six children, named as follows: Elsie May, born May 28, 1877. and died August

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4, 1878. at the age of fourteen months; EI- mer E ... born May 20, 1878, now a young man of twenty-three who has charge of his father's livery in Burrton: Melinda Ellen. born December 3. 1877. who has finished school and is now at home: Jesse, born Or- tober o. 1882. who is living at home and is attending school; Lawrence Elbert, bern August 21. 1884, and Clarence Harrison. born July 15. 1888. Mr. Sanders now owns two hundred and forty acres of rich land and makes a specialty of raising and selling cattle, horses and mules, and in July, 1901. he sold a large quantity of stock, mostly cat- the, which brought to him the sum of two thousand dollars. The fine grade of his stock has always brought to him a good profit and his reputation as a high grade stock-raiser is well founded. He has on harad at present twenty-five head of horses and mules and nine head of cattle. He re- cently erected a livery in Burrton and does a thriving business, keeping a splendid stock of horses and vehicles. His oldest si n. who is a man of good morals and ex- cellent business ability, has charge of the business, and Mr. Sanders divides his time and attention between this and the farm duties.

In politics Mr. Sanders is a Republican. and is a veteran member of the school board. Ekewise is treasurer of the district. Mr. Sanders is-a member of the Methodist Epis- copal church and the Modern Woodmen of America. His life has always been upright and honorable, and his success is justly the reward of his great energy and natural abil- ity in agricultural matters, and well merits the high position which he occupies in the regard of his friends.

JAMES H. PARVIN.

James H. Parvin. a member of the Union Hardware Company, of Burrton, was born in Bardolph. Illinois, in January, 1872, a Sin of Gilbert and Sophia (Lawson ) Par- vin. the former a native of Indiana and the latter of Elmira. New York. The maternal

grandfather of our subject went to Cali- fornia in 1849, and there died, leaving a widow and seven children in Illinois. In McDonough ce unty, Illinois, Mr. Parvin en- listed for service in the Civil war. becoming a member of Company D. Sixteenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, of which he was made first sergeant. He afterward veteranized and served until the close of the war. tak- ing part in the grand review at Washing- ton. He saw much hard service during his miltary career, participating in the battles of the Wilderness, Chattanooga, Vicksburg, Missionary Ridge and was with Sherman on his march to the sea. He was never wound- ed or captured, but during his service he lost the sight of one of his eyes. He was a stanch Republican in his political affiliations, and was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. In the spring of 1872 Mr. Par- vin came with his family to Kansas, home- steading a claim adjoining Burrton on the south. He was well and favorably known among the early settlers of his locality and conducted the first sorghum mill in the county. . He began life without capital, but his unremitting toil, his close attention to business and his honorable methods se- cured for him a competence, and at the time of his death he was the owner of two hun- dred and eighty acres of fine farming land. where he followed both agricultural pur- suits and stock raising. Mr. and Mrs. Par vin reared three children: James H., the subject of this review ; Ray, a member of the class of 1903 in the Lawrence State Uni- versity : and Stella May, who was a mem- ber of the class of 1895 in the Burrton high school, and is now at home.

James H. Parvin accompanied his parents on their removal to Kansas when ten years of age, receiving his education in the school- of this city. In 1888 he accepted a position with the Wilson Drug & Hardware Com- pany, where he was employed as a salesman until the fall of 1893. He then visited the World's Fair at Chicago, going thence to Oklahoma, where he was engaged in the real estate business and in conducting a ho- tel at Enid, there remaining until June. 1894. He then rented his property in Ok-

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lahoma and came to Mt. Hope, Kansas, be- of their six children. Another child was coming a salesman in the W. O. Leuhart & , born to them after their arrival in this coun- try. Daniel, their first-born, died young. The subject of this sketch was the second in order of birth. Henry died in childhood. Christian lives in Garden township, Harvey county, Kansas. Daniel W. lives in Reno county, Kansas. Johannes died in Germany before the family left for America. John i A. also lives in Reno county, Kansas.

Company Drug & Hardware house, re- maining thus employed until in March, 1896, when he resigned his position therein and came to Burrton. In this city, at the age of twenty-four years, Mr. Parvin organ- ized the Union Hardware Company, the firm then consisting of J. H. Parvin, A. Stone and Peter Becker, while the present members of the firm are J. H. Parvin and J. F. Remick. The business was first carried on in the Opera House block, north of the Burrton Bank, but in June. 1900, the com- pany purchased the E. Johnstone block, where they now occupy a large store room fifty by eighty feet, containing two floors, with a warehouse, thirty-two by forty-two feet, and the brick printing office adjoining. This is the most desirable property in Burr- ton, and is a solid stone structure, with cut stone trimmings. It is filled with a com- plete line of hardware, buggies and farm machinery, and the stock which the company handle is the largest in the county outside of Newton.

In his social relations Mr. Parvin is a member of the Modern Woodmen, the Select Knights and the Life and Annuity Associa- tion. while his political sympathies connect him with the Republican party. He is a young man of exceptional business ability, and the future no doubt has in store for him greater successes than he has already achieved.

JACOB E. SCHMITT.

Another prominent citizen of Harvey county, Kansas, of German birth and par- entage. is Jacob E. Schmitt, a farmer of section II. Lakin township, whose post- office address is at Halstead and who is justly regarded as one of the progressive agriculturists of his part of the county.

Jacob E. Schmitt was born near Mu- nich, in Bavaria, Germany, January 24, 1846, and in 1852 was brought to America by his parents, John and Susannah ( Hahn ) Schmitt, who brought over with them three

John Schmitt, who was of an old Men- nonite family, sold his farm in Germany and had but smnall means when he arrived in America. The family located in St. Clair county, Illinois, in the fall of 1857, and in the following year the father died and his children found homes as oportunity offered with kindly disposed persons. Jacob E. worked out by the month from the time he was twelve years old until he was twenty. During the winter of 1858-59 he worked at three dollars a month for a man whose wife had died and he and his employer did their own housekeeping. During the Civil war ! he received during the winter months twen- ty-five dollars a month. and during the spring, summer and fall he worked by the day at two dollars a day and upward. re- ceiving three dollars and a half a day in St. Clair county, in the summer of 1865.

Jacob E. Schmitt was married October 15, 1876, in Illinois, to Lizzie M. Baer, who was born in St. Clair county, that state, March 20. 1854. a daughter of Daniel and Catharine Bergthold Baer, who had come to the Prairie state from Germany. He had been a tenant farmer from 1866 to 1876, his mother keeping house for him. In 1873 he had gone to Kansas on a prospecting tour and had bought a quarter section of land. December 30, that year, of the Santa Fe Company, for five hundred and forty dol- lars, receiving the benefit of the discount offered the colony. In April, 1879, he and his family went to Kansas with four other families-those of Christian Krehbiel. Da- vid Lehman and Michael Lehman (who married the Widow Ruth) and Mrs. Kate Krehbiel. of Halstead. He now owns an aggregate of six hundred and forty acres-a quarter section in Garden township-and

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for hendrot and eighty acres in Lakin township. His- Band in Garden township is fagmeel by tenants and he cultivate- hi- La- kin township property, giving his attenti ? t general farming and keeping always from Wenty to ninety head of high-grade Here- il cattle. His principal crops are what. corn, cats and rye, and he has raisel foer the tsand bushels of wheat and five the usand bushels of corn in a season and has fre- quent'y held three thousand bushels of com wer for the next year's market. In the fall di ISto be built a good one-story frame Here which recupied a ground space of twenty-four by twenty-six feet. His present fine tw -story residence, which contains mine rooms, was built in 1893. He built his large red barn in 1899 and has several sightly outbuildings, including granaries a:1 e rn crib.

To Jacob E. and Lizzie M. (Baer) Schmitt have been born five children. the f Towing information concerning whom will be of interest in this connection : Selma L. is a young lady of a high degree of cul- ture and refinement, who took a course in music at Bethel College and is now study- ing music and art. developing much talent in I th directions. Katie is a well educated young woman who possesses much artistic talent. Susie I. is the next in order of birth. Daniel T. is a graduate of the public schools. Edgar Allan died at the age of four months. and his parents filled his place in the family circle by the adoption of William A. Reim- er. an orphan now in his eighteenth year. Mr. Schmitt's mother, who was born in 1818. died at his home in Kansas in 1883.

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A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. II, Part 40

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