A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. II, Part 51

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

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

Sr., and his wife were born the following children : Alexander, who died in Iowa; Martha, who became the wife of I. Oliver ; Jane, who married J. Smith ; Elizabeth, now Mrs. J. McClure; and Samuel C., Jr., our subject.

Samuel C. Blackmore, Jr., whose name introduces this record, was born in Ashland county, Ohio, June 7. 1842. He was reared to the honest toil of the farm and was edu- cated in the common schools. In 1862, when twenty years of age, he accompanied his pa- rents to Iowa and remained under the pa- rental roof, assisting his father on the farm, until 1864, when he enlisted for one hundred days' service in Company G, Forty- sixth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, which was consigned to the Army of the Tennessee. At Holly Springs, Mississippi, where only a part of the regiment took part, many of his comrades fell by rebel bullets, and their. bodies were buried in southern soil, but our subject was never wounded or captured. However, from hard marching and exposure in southern swamps, he contracted rheuma- tism and was compelled to use crutches. He also contracted chronic diarrhoea, from which he was a great sufferer. He continued with his command until the expiration of his term of enlistment. when he was sent to Davenport, Iowa, where he received an hon- orable discharge and then returned home to his father's house, where he recovered from the diarrhoea, but the rheumatism will con- tinue to torture him as long as he lives. As soon as he had sufficiently regained his health to allow him to do so he resumed farm work, which he continued until 1870 upon his father's farm. In that year he was mar- ried and settled upon a farm of his own, there remaining until 1873, when he left the farm and came to Kansas. Here he located on the homestead in Rice county which he yet owns. Having small means he moved his family and household goods across the country by wagon and team, built a small frame house and was soon ready to begin far- ming on a small scale.

The herd law enabled him to plant a crop without fencing, and he planted corn and oats with good prospect for a harvest, but

the grasshoppers came and destroyed ev- erything that was green upon the place. However, he had planted some wheat the fall before, which he harvested before the grass- hoppers appeared, and by strict economy he managed to continue his farming operations, realizing more from his crops each year, which enabled tim to get his farm fenced and add some more rooms to his small house, thus adding greatly to the comfort of the family. When he came to Kansas the coun- try was very sparsely settled, buffaloes and antelopes were plentiful, furnishing the ta- ble of the pioneers with fresh meat. wild beasts roamed at will in the forests and lit -. tle of the land had been placed under cultiva- tion. As soon as Mr. Blackmore felt as- sured that this section of the country would develop and become a prosperous common- wealth he traded his Iowa farm for a va- cant quarter adjoining his farm, fenced and placed it under cultivation and carried on farming quite extensively, raising sonie stock also. Later he sold one quarter, but still owns the original homestead and hires it cultivated. He ran a threshing machine for three years and prospered in his under- takings.

In 1870 Mr. Blackmore was united in marriage to Miss Hattie Watson, a well edu- cated and cultured lady, who was born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, October 27, 1839. a daughter of James and Jane ( Hawthorn ) Watson, both natives of Penn- sylvania. where they were married. They were both of Irish descent and he was a railroad man and followed that line of busi- ness in Pennsylvania until his death, which occurred in 1850. He left a wife and two children in limited circumstances, but the mother kept the children together and moved to Illinois in 1856, locating in McLean county, where she remained until 1868. when she removed to Iowa, remaining there until both daughters married. and then in 1875 came to Kansas, where she finds a good home with her two daughters. She is a con- sistent member of the Presbyterian church, but her husband was a Lutheran. They were the parents of eight children, but all died in childhood with the exception of the

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two daughters, Hattie, the wife of our sub- ject ; and Maggie, who married William Hi- ser, and moved from Iowa in 1875. and is now living in Anderson county, Kansas. Both were school teachers, the former hav- ing taught for ten years, and the latter for six years. The maternal grandmother of this family. Mys. Hawthorn, had five chil- dren, namely : Jane, the mother of Mrs. Blackmore: John; Nancy, who married D. Snavely ; George: and Eliza.

Unto our subject and his wife were bern six children, namely : Jeanie, who was mar- ried June 19, 1901, to C. B. Watson, living in Mente county, Kansas : Samuel, a farmer ; Pearl, who is successfully engaged in teach- ing: James, who is conducting the home- stead farm: Hattie, who died at the age of sixteen years; and Katie, who is still with her parents. Mr. Blackmore is a man of strong character, practical, energetic, enter- prising and the soul of honor, ommanding the highest respect and esteem of all with wir m he is associated. He is very social in his nature, kind and benevolent, ever lending a helping hand to those in need. and lo gue in security for his financially embarrassed friends has lost considerable money. In his political affiliations he is a stanch Republican and does all in his power to insure the suc- cess of the party, but has never sought or desired political preferment. He is deeply interested in all movements for the progress and advancement of the community in which he makes his home, and is a loyal and sub- stantial citizen. well worthy of representa- tion in this voltune.

JOSEPH P. MASSEY.

Joseph P. Massey, one of the most promi- nenit and successful stock men of Turkey- creek township, owns a splendid lady of land, watered by the Medicine river. The tract which he cultivates lies along the Medicine bottom and is unsurpassed for fer- tility. The progressive owner of this de- sirahle property was born in Pike county, Missouri, December 19, 1852. His father.

Nathan Massey, was born in York county, South Carolina. September 21. 1798, and was a farmer and millwright. The paternal grandfather of our subject was a native .i England, who emigrated to America and located in Charleston, South Carolina. Ile died in middle life when his son Nathan was quite young, and therefore little is known concerning the ancestry of the family.

Nathan Massey was reared upon a farm in his native state and in 1818 emigrated to. Missouri, where he entered land from the government. In that state he was married August 14. 1828, to Matilda McElwee, who was born October 17, 1798, and died on the 18th of September, 1833. He was again married, his second union being with Eliza- beth Tombs, on the 19th of December. 1834. Her death occurred November 20, 1846, and for his third wife Nathan Massey chose Su- san Oyler. She was born May 10, 1812, was married January 6, 1848, and died July 19. 1855. Nathan Massey was a well-trade far- mer, and was one of the most prominent citi- zens of Pike county, Missouri. By trade he was a millwright. and built the first mill in Pike county. For many years he served as captain in the state militia, and as drill mas- ter and commanded a company in the Mexi- can war, his connection with the militia ante- dating the war a number of years, and con- tinning until after the war of the Reaction. He was too old to enter field service at the time of the Civil war. but rendered valuable aid in drilling troops. For several terms he was sheriff of Pike county, and during nearly the entire period of his residence in that county was justice of the peace. Po- litically he was a life-long Democrat. and was a strict and conscientious member of the Presbyterian church. An he noted pigner. he was probably the first known resident . i Pike county, and no man of that porti 0 of the state was held in higher regard. His death occurred June 30. INon, and thus col ed a career which had been ever hen ric and upright and had been of va're t the community with which he was aochs 1. By his first marriage there were three Hill- dren : John N., who died in San Franci .. . California. April 1. 1882 : and James 1 mm]

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Francis MI., both deceased. There were two children by the second marriage: Siney S., who married John Chapman, and now resides in Chanute, Kansas, one of her daughters, Lizzie Chapman, being a gradu- ate of Fayette College, of Fayette, Missouri, and a prominent teacher of Nashville, Ten- nessee, while another daughter is the wife of a leading attorney of Taylorville, Illinois. David, the son of the second marriage, was a soldier of Company D. Thirty-third Mis- souri Infantry, in the Union army, and was killed at the battle of Mansfield, Louisiana. By the third marriage there were three chil- dren, of whom our subject is the youngest, the others being Sarah F .. of Bowling Green. Missouri ; and Nathan V., who died in Pike county, Missouri, November 22, 1874.

Joseph P. Massey was reared on the home farm in Pike county, Missouri, and in the subscription schools pursued his stud- ies. He remained on the old homestead un- til 1868, when he began working as a farm hand by the month. being thus employed in Missouri until 1872, when he went to Han- cock county, Illinois, working for three or four years as a farm hand in the vicinity of Elvaston. Subsequently, with a desire to see the world. he spent several years in trav- eling up and down the Mississippi, going as far north as St. Paul, and as far south as the Gulf. He also went west to the Pacific. and during these years was engaged in rail- road work and surveying.

In 1879 Mr. Massey came to Kansas, lo- cating in Rush county, where he secured a timber claim, residing there until 1881. when a destructive prairie fire almost caused | his financial ruin. Only six bushels of corn were saved from the large amount he had in store and all of his other feed was de- stroved. He then again entered the rail- road service in Pawnee county, and was en- gaged in that line and in bridge work until 1883, when he came to Barber county, locat- ing in Sun City township, west of the vil- lage of Sun City. He was in very limited financial circumstances at the time, but gradually he became the possessor of considerable stock very much to his credit. for he had to work for others, and as

his employer failed he had to settle on a basis of thirty cents on a dollar. His labor had covered a period of six years up to 1889, and the loss of seventy per cent. of his wages was a terrible blow. At that time, however, he had thirty-two head of cattle. He resolved to establish a home of his own and on the IIth of April, 1889, he was married to Miss Arthie L. Van Horn. a daughter of Austin R. and Ellen ( Pow- ers ) Van Horn. Her father is now retired and resides with his daughter, Mrs. Hatfield, in Sun City. The Van Horn family is of Holland lineage, and several generations ago was established at Amsterdam, where members of the family own vast estates. They had been representatives of the nobility of their native land prior to their emigration to America. Five brothers-William. John, Abraham. Job and one whose name is for- gotten-came to America, and located at different places along the coast from New York to Virginia: William was the direct ancestor of Mrs. Massey, and his home was in Harrison county, Virginia, where he fol- lowed farming. His youngest son, Moses H., remained on the old homestead which he purchased of the other heirs and there spent his entire life. He married Elsie Drum- mond, a native of the Old Dominion, and his death occurred in June, 1862, while his wife passed away two years later. Among their children was Austin R. Van Horn, the father of Mrs. Massey. William Powers, her maternal grandfather, was a prominent surveyor of Virginia at an early date, and served as captain of a company of Virginia scouts in the Revolutionary war.

After his marriage Mr. Massey removed to the farm on which he still resides, for two years renting that place and in 1891 pur- chasing one hundred and sixty acres to be paid for in ten years, but within six years he had cleared it of all indebtedness. He has followed the raising of cattle almost ex- clusively, and is known as one of the most successful breeders and stock dealers of Barber county, and he now owns a splendid ranch of eleven hundred acres all in one body, situated on sections 22. 27. 34 and 35, Turkey creek township. It is all under fence

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and two hundred acres is now highly culti- vated. He also leases two sections in the same township for grazing purposes. He was one of the first men in Barber county to raise alfalfa, and is to-day. with one ex- ception, the most extensive grower of this valuable forage crop in the county, having about one hundred acres planted to alfalfa. He contemplates planting a great deal more the following seasons. He also raises a large amount of other feed, and his herd of two hundred cattle is one of the finest and best fed in Barber county. He also keeps some thoroughbred hogs and raises horses and mitles. He also has a good residence, hav- ing from time to time made additions to his first house upon his farm !.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Massey were born four children : Ralph N .. Joseph Raymond. Lillian Ruth and Ruby Ellen. In politics tur subject was originally a Democrat, but · i recent years has voted the Republican tick- et. He has served as a delegate to county conventions, was a constable during the ear- ly days of Kansas history and ten times has been trustee of the township. For the past twelve years he has served as a member of the school board and is now its treasurer. Fraternally he is connected with Medicine Valley Lodge, No. 262. A. F. & A. M., and with Medicine Valley Chapter, R. A. M. He belongs to Sun City Lodge, I. O. O. F., in which he has filled all of the offices and in 1900 was a delegate to the grand lodge in Topeka. He is truly what the world calls a self-made man, for through his own unaided efforts he had advanced steadily in the face +f , bstacles and difficulties until he is now accorded a position as a leading stock dealer · i the county.

JOHN C. GOETZE.

Embracing every opportunity for busi- ness advancement Ihm C. Greize has stead- ily progressed to the goal of success and to -day is the possessor of a very valuable farm comprising one half of section 17. Union township. Kingman county, Kansas. Splendidly equipped with all modern acces-

series, with good buildings and the latest improved machinery, it is a very desirable property, and the owner may well be proud of his achievements in the business world.

Our subject was born in Peoria county, Ilinois. September 2. 1800, and is ant Carl F. Givetze, a native of Hamburg, Ger- many, born about 1831. The father has one brother who is now living in New York city, where he is engaged in business as a gold- smith, and also has a cousin in this ex- try, Gustave Goetze, who was formerly a sailer, but now resales in Austin, Texas. Carl F. Goetze was reared in Hamburg, Ger- many, and there learned the goldsmith's trade. At the age of twenty-one he was drafted to serve in the army, but according to the military regulations of the fatherland he would not be called to duty until he was twenty-two. Not desiring to enter in mili- tary service he engaged as a member of a crew on a sailing vessel leaving Hamburg, and sailed for South American waters. He was on board the ship for eighteen months and finally started for the port of San Fran- cisco. While near that place a terrific storm arose and he determined that if the vessel weathered the gale he would abandon a sca- faring life at the first opportunity. Acc ril- ingly when she put into port in 1853 he made his way into the mountainous districts of California, where, for three years, he en- gaged in mining with good success. He then removed to l'eoria county, Illinois, and purchased a farm of eighty acres, nine miles southwest of the city of Peoria, to which he has since added two other tracts of eighty acres each. He is a thrifty and progressive agriculturist, and owes his success entirely to: his own efforts.

In 1850 Carl Cheze married Catherine Stange, who was born in Hese Darmstadt, Germany, a daughter of Henry Stange. With her parents she came to America a short time before her marriage, her people locating in Peoria county, Illinois, near her present home. Her father was a farmer and a carpenter, and served for three veurs in the Civil war as a member of an lin is regiment. He died in the Soldiers' Home, in Quincy, Illinois, but his wife still survives

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and is living in Peoria. Mr. and Mrs. Carl F. Goetze are still living on the old home farm in Peoria county, and during his resi- dence there he has filled a number of the township offices. In his political views he is an earnest Republican. Unto him and his wife have been born nine children, as fol- lows: John C .: Francis, a farmer of Peo- ria county, Illinois ; Dora, the wife of James Lewis, an agriculturist of the same county ; Charles and George, who follow farming there: Mary. the wife of John Williams, a farmer of Peoria county: Philip, who fol- lows farming there: Fred, who resides on the old homestead : and a son who died in in- fancy.

In the usual manner of farmer lads of the locality John C. Goetze spent the days of his boyhood and youth and the public schools afforded him his educational privi- leges. He assisted his father in the work of the fields until twenty-three years of age and then came to Kansas, locating in Kingman county, pre-empting a quarter sec- tion of land in Rochester township, upon which he made his home until October 1. 1901, greatly improving the places by the erecting of a pleasant dwelling and substan- tial barn, by building fences and placing the fields under a high state of cultivation. He then sold that property and bought his present farm of three hundred and twenty acres on section 17. Union township. King- man county. This is a valuable property. On his land stands an excellent residence and a large barn, while well kept fences di- vide the place into fields of convenient size. two hundred acres of the land being richly cultivated. He has a fine orchard of seven acres, and the trees, now twelve years old. yield an excellent crop. He has a herd of forty head of good cattle, and was formerly engaged in the creamery business. He has alsa soll calves and is well known as a pro- gressive farmer and stock-raiser.

Mr. Goetze was married in Rochester township. Kingman county, September 21, 1885, to Minnie Kaufman, who was born in Mechlenburg, Germany, a daughter of John and Johanna ( Lehman) Kaufman, by whom she was brought to this country when only

two years old, the family locating in Peoria county, Illinois, where. after farming for one year, the father departed this life. His widow still resides in Peoria, and is now the wife of Joseph Braun. By her first mar- riage she had two children: Mrs. Goetze and Charles, the latter a resident of Peoria, Illinois. The children born of her second marriage are: Louisa, the wife of Fred Muhl. a furniture manufacturer of Peoria; John, who is living in the same city: Ber- tha. the wife of Harry Mergy, a machinist in the government employ in Moline, Illinois : Sophia. Joseph. Fred and Johanna. all at home ; and Amelia. who died at the age of eighteen months.

The home of our subject and his wife has been blessed with five children: Martin, Estella. Mary and Bertha. Hattie, the first born, died in infancy. The parents have a large circle of friends in the county, where they have made their home for many years. While residing in Rochester township Mr. Goetze served for two terms as township clerk and one term as constable. He exer- cises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the Republican party. His life has been well spent and success has crowned his efforts.

CORTLAND VAN ARSDALE.

Among the successful farmers and stock raisers who have given prominence to King- man county. Kansas, is Cortland Van Ars- dale, an exsoldier of the Civil war, a highly respected citizen and an incorruptible public official of Chikaskia township.

The birth of Cortland Van Arsdale was at Peekskill. New York, in 1842, a year no- table as also having been that of the birth of King Edward, of England. The parents of our subject were Aaron H. and Elizabeth (Cooper) Van Arsdale. the former of whom was born in New Jersey of a family which traced an honorable ancestry to the best of Holland's old families. Aaron H. Van Arsdale grew up in New Jersey, and learned the trade of potter. By marriage he be-

MR. AND MRS. C. VAN ARSDALE.

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came connected with another of the okdl es- tablished families of Orange county, New Jersey. In 1856 he removed with his family to Grundy county, Illinois, where he died two years later. at the age of forty-eight years. In politics he was a Whig, and in religious matters he was a liberal thinker. Although he died in the prime of life he was highly regarded by all who knew him and is remembered as a kind father and excellent citizen. His widow survived until her sixty- fourth year, and she, too, was beloved by her family and friends, and fulfilled every ideal of good. Christian womanhood.

The seven children born to Mr. and Mrs. Van Arsdale were as follows: Isaac, who is a resident of Canada; Theodore, who served through the Civil war as a member of the Thirty-second Wisconsin Infantry, and resides in Coffey county, Kansas : Cort- land, who is the subject of this record; Arte- mus, who lives in Harper county, Kansas : Henry. deceased, enlisted when only a lad. in the Ninth Kansas Infantry, and served in the Civil war: Mrs. Elizabeth Potter, who lives in Fairbury, Illinois: and Mrs. Ada- line Rutherford, who is a resident of Chi- cago.

Cortland Van Arsdale, of this sketch. was reared until the age of fourteen years, in New York, and then accompanied the family in its removal to Grundy county, Illi- nois. He had scarcely finished his school- ing when the outbreak of the Civil war changed the current of his life. He be- longed to a family in which flowed most loyal blood, and as early as 1861 he be- came a soldier, entering Company B. Fifty- third Illinois Infantry, under Colonel Cush- man and Lieutenant Colonel Hitt. Com- pany B took a very prominent part in the movements of the regiment, and Mr. Van Arsdale participated in forty-two battles and skirmishes : many of these being among the most decisive of the whole war. At Shiloh. at the siege of Vicksburg and all through the Mississippi campaign he gravely did his duty and was one of the survivors at Jack- son. Mississippi, on the 12th of July, on the memorable occasion when four regiments of eight hundred and twenty-eight men. af-

ter a struggle of twenty minutes, could only muster two hundred and twenty-five survivors. Our subject was taken prisoner and was incarcerated at Belle Isle, on the James river, where he was held for eleven weeks. After being paroled he returned home and was exchanged in the foll wing May, returning to the service and entering General Sherman's army in May, when it was near Rome, Georgia. His discharge was given him at Marietta. in that state. after three years' of valiant service, with a record of which his children will never cease to be proud.

After the close of his war service Mr. Van Arsdale returned to peaceful pursuits, and engaged in farming in Livingston Conn- ty, Illinois, until 1873, when he was united in marriage to Miss Mary A. Cook, a lady of most superior and lovable traits of char- acter, who has been spared to be his ania- ble companion and cheerful, affectionate and beloved wife. She was born, reared and educated in Paulding county, Ohio, and later resided in both Grundy and Livingston coun- ties. in Illinois. She was a daughter of William and Elizabeth ( Cline) Cook, more extended mention of whom will le fan! in another portion of this volume. She was a member of a family of eleven children born to her parents, in which there were nine daughters and two sons, all of whom still survive. Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Van Arsdale. as follows: Lettie E., who is the wife of Clem. Cramer, of Belmont township: Amy J .. who is the wife of Irvin Tucker, of Belmont township: and Clara M. and Gladys, who are bright stu- dents still at sche .. . 1.

Mr. Van Arsdale is a self-made man. his present comfortable financial condition being the result of his own endeavors. In 1883 he removed to Kansas and settled in Belmont township, where he has a fine is- tate of two hundred and forty acres and in Chikaskia township: near Spivey, he has one hundred and eighty-even acres. all le- ing devoted to farming and extensive opera- tions in stock. His residence is on the lat- ter tract, which is fertile bottom land. and here he has a most comfortable and at-

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A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. II, Part 51

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