A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. II, Part 55

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 55

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his abode at Mankato, then called Jewell Center, and has ever since made his home here. He entered a claim of government land, the northeast quarter of section 21, township 3. range 8. a portion of which is now within the corporation limits of the city, the patent being signed by President Hayes. In October. of the same year, a postoffice was established and Mr. Vance was made the first postmaster, the office for the first year being located in his own home, while his salary for that year was only twelve dollars. During the two succeeding years he received forty-two dollars per year. For almost thirteen years he continued to act as postmaster, retiring in July, 1895, and during that period the business of the office greatly increased in volume. He has held many other offices; in 1873 was appointed deputy clerk and on the expiration of the term was elected clerk and again re-elected. At the spring election of 1886 he was elected mayor of the city, has served as a member of the city council for a number of terms; was justice of the peace for several years. being first appointed on the organization of the township, and in the spring of 1901 be- came police judge, in which office he is now acceptably serving.

Mr. Vance has been actively identified with business interests here which have been beneficial to the community. He improved and operated his claim and erected the sixth building on the original site of Jewell Cen- ter and also superintended the erection of the next three frame buildings, one of which was a two-story structure. He used about twenty-five thousand dollars of his own and other people's capital in a way that contrib- uted to the material upbuilding and im- provement of the city, and he has always done what he could for the general welfare.

In September, 1865. Mr. Vance was united in marriage to Miss Martha E. Al- lender. a native of Cadiz, Ohio, and they have three children: Varilla Eleanor, who was born in Iowa and is the wife of M. H. Templeton ; Alma, who married George B.

LEWIS S. HORNE.

Colonel Lewis S. Horne is a retired mer- chant of Mankato, but is still actively con- nected with its business interests as the vice- president of the State Exchange Bank, and maintains a leading position as a representa- tive of commercial and financial interests. The achievement depends upon the man, and it is the enterprise and diligence of Colonel Horne that has gained for him a leading and enviable place in the business world and in public regard. He owes his success en- tirely to his own efforts and his history ex- emplifies the opportunities which come to the individual of determined purpose and laud- able ambition.

A native of North Carolina, the Colonel was born in Davidson county, that state, September 28, 1828, his parents being George and Martha ( Johnson) Horne. His father was born in Scotland, and in 18II came to the United States, loyally serving his adopted country the following year in her second war with England. After the close of hostilities he located in Indiana and subsequently lived for some time in North

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Carolina, where he was married to Martha Johnson, who was born in England and with her parents came to the new world, locat- ing in North Carolina. At a later date George Horne went with his family to In- diana, where he was engaged in the livery business and in buying and selling horses. He died in the Hoosier state in 1857. while his wife passed away in Missouri in 1868.

Colonel Horne was reared in his par- ents' home and after starting out upon an independent career he was employed on the Atlanta & Western Railroad between At- lanta. Georgia, and Chattanooga, Tennes- see. From there he went to the southern part of Georgia, where he worked in a store. learning the mercantile business. In 1850 he removed to Indiana and for several years lived in Madison and Delaware counties, that state, teaching school until after the inauguration of the Civil war.

On the 12th of July, 1861, Colonel Horne responded to the president's call for troops, enlisting ir Company B. Thirty- sixth Indiana Infantry, with which he re- mained three months. He was then pro- moted to the rank of second lieutenant and placed in the recruiting service, recruiting the Fifty-seventh indiana Regiment. He performed such duties for two years, being promoted in the meantime to first lieutenant and then captain. He was next assigned to the quartermaster's department, in which he served with the Army of the Ohio throughout all the southern states until No- vember 13. 1865, when he was mustered out at Indianapolis. He was always faithful to his duty and was a most loyal soldier.

When the war was over Colonel Horne returned to his home and family. He had been married in Indiana October 1. 1852. to Miss Ruth Barrett, who was born in Ohio and died in Missouri in 1870. He af- terward married Eliza C. Lee, a native of North Carolina, their wedding being cele- brated in Missouri. She was called to her final rest in Kansas, in May 1882. Mr. Horne now has five living children : Mrs. Mary R. McLean. Charles F .. Mrs. Flora Belle Armstrong, Albert G. and Mrs. Ida I. Hitz.

Mr. Horne first came to the west in 1866, in the spring of that year locating in .Atchison county, Missouri, where he fol- lowed farming until 1872. Ile then came to his present home, now Mankato, where he has lived continuously since. While teaching school in Indiana he had studied law and here he began practice in connection with the real estate business. From his ar- rival here he took an active part in public progress and improvement, did all in his power to promote advancement and was president of the town company that organ- ized the town of Mankato. In 1885 he em- barked in general merchandising and became proprietor of one of the largest stores in Mankato, successfully conducting the same until the spring of 1901, when he sold out. He is now largely living retired, yet retains general supervision of his extensive invest- ments. He is a large land owner and his two sons are now living on their father's stock farm of seventeen hundred and sixty acres at Selden. Kansas, one of the finest stock feeding farms in this section of the state. Mr. Horne is also the vice-pres- ident of the State Exchange Bank. and his well known reliability and conservative and sound business methods have made this a leading financial institution of the county.

The Colonel is a valued member of the Grand Army of the Republic and in his po- litical affiliations is a Populist. He is one of the most prominent and well liked citi- zens of Jewell county-an honored pioneer who for thirty years has been a factor in the material progress and substantial develop- ment of this part of the state.

JOHN STRATTON.

Among those who have come from for- eign lands to become prominent in business circles in the west is John Stratton, an ex- tensive and well known stock raiser. His success in all his undertakings has been so marked that his methods are of interest to the agricultural world. He has based his business principles and actions upon strict

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adherence to the rules which govern indus- try, economy and strict, unswerving integ- rity. His enterprise and progressive spirit have made him a typical western man in every sense of the word and he well de- serves mention in the history of central Kan- sas. What he is to-day he has made him- self, and by constant exertion, associated with good judgment, he has raised himself to the prominent position which he now holds, having the friendship of many and the respect of all who know him.

Mr. Stratton was born in Aberdeen- shire, Scotland, in 1864, and his parents, James and Ann ( Mackey) Stratton, were also natives of that land. The mother's death occurred there in 1892, but the father is still living. There were fourteen children in their family, of whom ten are yet living. Our subject has three brothers in America : William, who lives upon his brother John's farm, eight and a half miles from Minneapo- lis; Thomas, who is living on John's, near Glasgow : George, who also lives near Glas- gow; while a sister, Mary Ann, is the wife of Enos Campbell, a farmer of Mon- tana; and Eliza and Bell, two sisters, live in California.

The educational advantages which John Stratton received were somewhat limited. for at a very early age he started out to make his own way in the world, and when a lad of ten he worked on a farm for six months. He was to receive five dollars for the service, but he worked so faithfully at herding cattle that his employer, George Jamison, paid him two dollars and a half in excess of the amount agreed upon. In 1884 his uncle visited Scotland and our subject returned to America with him, the uncle pay- ing the passage and the nephew afterward working upon the farm in order to repay the loan. Subsequently he was employed by Samuel McBride as a farm hand for two years, and at his death in 1886 he rented and operated the farm for two years.

In 1888 Mr. Stratton was united in mar- riage to Mrs. Mary Jane (Murphy) Mc- Bride, the widow of Samuel McBride. The lady is of Scotch-Irish parentage and was born in Ireland about 1840. When two

years old she was brought by her parents to America, the family locating in Chicago, where they lived for ten years, the father following various pursuits for a livelihood. In 1852 he purchased five hundred and sixty acres of land in Lake county, Illinois, which he improved, residing thereon for many years. In 1870 Mr. Stratton came to Kansas with her brother, locating in Solomon City and three days later she was married to Sam- uel McBride, who had preceded her to this state by three years. He had taken up a homestead, built a cabin with a dirt floor and a dirt roof and was thus prepared for the reception of his bride. Mrs. Stratton's mother died in Libertyville, Illinois, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Davis, in 1867, while Mr. Murphy died in Kansas. In 1879 he visited this state and while at Mrs. Strat- ton's home was injured in a cyclone which occasioned his death three days later, passing away in the home of Dick Rees. Mr. Mc- Bride had just completed a residence of seven rooms. He saw the storm approach- ing and stepped into the cellar way to close the door, when he saw the house lift about six feet and then fall back. The next mo- ment, however, he was caught up by the fury of the storm. Mr. McBride escaped in- jury but the three occupants of the house were severely hurt. Mr. Murphy was killed, Frank Zuk, the hired man, was badly hurt, and Mrs. McBride, now Mrs. Strat- ton, was carried about fifteen rods. For two weeks she lay unconscious, and for sev- eral months was in a critical condition. Even now she feels the effects of her injuries. Her face was torn and bruised and she carries many scars as a remembrance of that awful storm. At the time of the cyclone her fa- ther, Mr. Murphy, had several thousand dollars with him, some in a satchel and some in the pockets of his clothing. This was scattered in all directions, but a search was instituted and all secured except about five hundred dollars. Some of the fragments of the house were gathered together, some new lumber was added and a temporary house was thus erected. In 1883 they built a handsome residence, which now adorns the place. At her father's death, with her share

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of the estate. Mrs. Stratton made invest- ments in cattle and land, and at Mr. Mc- Bride's death owned seven hundred acres. Mr. Stratton has added to the original seven hundred until he has one thousand acres ad- joining, all rich bottom land. He has five hundred and sixty acres of pasture land. known as the Connor & Gabel pasture, mak- ing a total of eighteen hundred and eighty acres. He cultivates wheat and corn and his farms are in a high state of cultivation and improvement. Upon his home place is a fine residence, barns, sheds for cattle. an ice house, blacksmith shop and every convenience and accessory for keeping up the work in first class condition. He has what is known as the Conner & Gabel pas- ture and he raises and feeds cattle on an extensive scale. In 1900 he purchased a residence property in Minneapolis, which he is beautifying and improving, and will make it his home in the future.

Socially Mr. Stratton is a member of Rescue Lodge, No. 224. K. of P., of Minne- apolis. Mrs. Stratton is a member of the Presbyterian church and they make liberal donations to all Christian and charitable institutions.

Such in brief is the history of one who has in the battle of life achieved a brilliant victory. coming off conqueror in the strife with poverty, obstacles and discourage- ments until now he is in the land of plenty and fortune is encamped round about him.

JOSEPH W. SMITH.

Mr. Smith, our subject, is a native of southern Illinois, born in 1854, and with his father's family he came to Kansas in 1865. They arrived at Fort Solomon on Christ- mas day. The settlers in order to protect themselves from the Indians built a fort of cabins, wagons, etc., forming a hollow square with a large court in the center. In the colony were the families of Markleys, Boblett. Stall. Jones. Sheltenbrand, Dal- rymple. Wright. Carr, three families by the name of Booss, the widow Bruce, a brother and sister of the name of Ingersol and sev- ton to Glasgow.

eral single men, namely: George Stratton and Dick and Frank Rees. This place of refuge and defense, known as Fort Solomon. was near the present town of Lindsay. The Smith family took up a claim near by and built a dugout.

Joseph W. Smith attended the subscrip- tion schools, which was all the educational privileges he enjoyed save that he attended school for a few terms in Illinois, where he assisted in farm work through the summer and pursued his studies in the winter months. In Kansas he herded cattle and led a sort of cowboy life. He was here during the Indian trouble of 1868-9 when the set- tlers went armed, carrying six-shooters, and doing their plowing with their guns by their side.

In 1870 his father established a store and for two years he acted as a salesman in the establishment. His father then sold out and our subject entered the employ of J. R. Penniman, a merchant, with whom he re- mained until 1876, when Mr. Penniman dis- posed of the store to H. S. Barnes, who re- tained Mr. Smith in his service until 1878. In that year his former emplover, Mr. Pen- niman, established a private bank and our subject acted as his cashier until 1880, when in connection with V. D. Rees, now deceased. F. C. Rees and M. A. Arnott, he founded a private bank, known as the J. W. Smith Bank, our subject having full control of the business. The enterprise was begun on a small scale in about ten feet of space in the rear of the room known as the Shepard building. In 1882 the firm erected a substantial building of brick. two stories in height, and in 1893 the business was re- organized under the name of the Citizens National Bank, with V. D. Rees as presi- (lent. Mr. Smith has served in the capac- ity of cashier and has had the entire man- agement of the bank for twenty-two consec- utive years. In connection with F. L. Flint he owns and operates the Minneapolis Tele- phone Exchange. They began business with eighty-nine phones and now have one hundred and fifty-five. They also con- structed and own the toll line from Benning-

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Socially Mr. Smith is quite prominent, being a valued member of various fraternal organizations. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, belonging to Minneapolis Lodge, No. 143. F. & A. M .; Apollo Chapter, No. 51, R. A. M .; Hiram Council, No. 10, R. & S. M .; Askalan Commandery, K. T., of Salina; while in Wichita Consistory he has attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite. He also belongs to the Min- neapolis Lodge of Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and the Ancient Order of United Workmen and is identified with the Sons and Daughters of Justice.

In 1873 Mr. Smith married Miss Olive M. Dunn, who was born in Iowa in 1856, a daughter of Lewis J. and Sarah J. ( Mont- gomery ) Dunn. Her father was a native of Pennsylvania and was employed as a finisher in wooden mills. Emigrating to Iowa he there engaged in teaching school, and in 1869 he came to Saline county, Kansas, where also followed the same profession. He aided in surveying the town site of Minne- apolis and in many ways furthered the de- velopment, upbuilding and improvement of the central portion of the Sunflower state. His wife was a native of Illinois. Three children have been born unto Mr. and Mrs. Smith, namely : Joseph E., Faye and Marie. The eldest, born in 1875, now occupies a po- sition as bookkeeper in the Union National Bank, of Kansas City. He is a graduate of the high school of Minneapolis, and in 1887 he was graduated with honors on the com- pletion of a regular course in the Lawrence State University. Faye, born in 1882, was graduated in the Minneapolis high school in 1900. The youngest child, Marie, was born on Christmas day of 1892. Mrs. Smith's father spends some time in their home. His wife died in Kansas City, Kan- sas, in 1891, and since that time he has di- vided his time between his children.

SAMUEL WINTHROP SHATTUCK.

Sedgwick, Kansas, has reason to be proud of her substantial, progressive, busi- ness men, one of the most conspicuous of

whom is the subject of this sketch, who has become prominent in Harvey county as a capitalist and hardware merchant, and whose public spirit has made him a factor in the advancement and prosperity of his city and county.

Samuel Winthrop Shattuck was born in Boston, Massachusetts, November 30, 1838. Samuel Shattuck, his father, was born at Springfield, Vermont, August 17, 1810, and at one time during the war of 1812-14 was at Fort Warren, where his fa- ther did duty as a soldier. The latter, Dan- iel Shattuck, grandfather of Samuel Win- throp Shattuck, married Louisa D. Organ, and Samuel was the first born of their five children, all of whom married and reared families. Louisa D. (Organ) Shattuck died at Boston, Massachusetts, in 1843, when she was about fifty years old, and is buried in Forest Hill cemetery, near that city. Daniel Shattuck died about 1855 at an ad- vanced age. Each of their five children lived to a venerable age, the youngest dying at seventy-five years, the father of the sub- ject of this sketch at Orange, Massachusetts, in 1897, aged eighty-seven years.

Samuel Shattuck married Susan Rum- rill, who was born in Boston, in 1818, a daughter of the Rev. Joseph Rumrill, and his wife Susan nee Preble, the latter a cou- sin of Commodore Preble, who is celebrated in the naval history of our country. Their marriage occurred in 1835, and they had six children, of whom Samuel Winthrop Shat- tuck was the eldest son and the second in order of birth, and all of whom grew to manhood and womanhood and married, ex- cept Mary Alice, who died when she was three years old. George, the third child and second son, died in Boston, Massachusetts, of consumption, at the age of thirty-one years, leaving three stalwart sons, who are now in Oregon and Washington. F. W. and Benjamin Shattuck live in West New- ton, Kansas. The latter, born in 1850, has a family and is living in retirement, after having prospered as a real estate dealer. Victoria, born in February, 1836, married William Brewer, and bore him a son, who died. Ida married T. R. Hazard, of Castle-

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ton, Vermont, and her daughter is the wife of George Anderson, banker, of Sedgwick. Kansas.

Mr. Shattuck attended the public schools of Boston, Massachusetts, until he was four- teen years old, meantime finding employ- ment as office boy and printer's devil in the offices of the Republican and The Eman- cipator, and as a clerk in a store. The two years of his life, from his fifteenth to his seventeenth year, he gave to work on a farm. In 1855 he became a clerk in the employ of his uncle, John H. Noble, a fur- niture dealer, who as a sailor had voyaged to all the principal ports of the world, and who died in 1870. He remained with Mr. Noble until 1862, when he became a member . of the firm of Shattuck & Son, grocers and general merchants, in which his father was his partner ; and he continued in this rela- tion until 1869, when he went with his wife and one son to Eldorado, Kansas, making the journey from Champaign county, Illi- nois, by team and consuming twelve weeks from the day in June to another in August. He brought with him little capital and be- gan life in the Sunflower state as a squatter on a convenient piece of land. In 1876 he moved to Sedgwick. Harvey county, with his family and his wife's sister and her hus- band, Captain Hurd, arriving February 22. He at once opened a hardware store and an agency for vehicles and farming imple- ments, and entered upon a prosperous car- eer, which has continued until the present time.

February 1, 1865, Mr. Shattuck mar- ried. at Boston, Massachusetts, Miss Sarah George, who was born in Leicestershire. England, in 1844, and came to America at the age of twelve years, with her parents, Ephraim and Anna (Webb) George. Her father, who was a locomotive engineer, lived for many years in Boston, and died in Keene. New Hampshire, when he was about seventy years old. He was born in 1818. His widow died in Sedgwick, Kansas, aged sixty-six years. Their four children are liv- ing in Kansas, and all of them are married except William Robert George, who holds

a responsible position in a bank at Kiowa. Mr. and Mrs Shattuck have had four chil- dren. Their son, S. W. Shattuck, Jr., born in May. 1866, was educated at the Kansas State University, read law under the direc- tion of Judges Dale and Wall, and is a pros- perous and promising lawyer who has won many important cases in civil court : he was married in 1901. Emeline A. Shattuck is a member of her parents' household. Annie E. is in her second year at Fairmount Col- lege. Wichita, Kansas, and she and her sis- ter just mentioned are accomplished musi- cians. Louisa D. was born in 1883. Mr. Shattuck became a member of the Independ- ent Order of Odd Fellows in 1859, about forty-three years ago, ard has passed all the chairs in Massachusetts Lodge, No. 1, and Massasoit Encampment, No. I. A Re- publican in politics, he cast his first guber- natorial vote for General N. P. Banks, of Massachusetts, and his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln. While he has never been a seeker of public office he has been elected to many important local offices, in- cluding those of city and township treasurer, police judge and member of the school board. He erected his store building in 1876 and had a home in its second story until he erected his present residence, just north of the structure just mentioned. He owns considerable other town property, in- cluding four other stores, on the same street, and at different times he has owned fifty- two farms in the country round about Sedg- wick, and owns at this time a half-section of land in Hodgman county, Kansas. He car- ries a large and varied stock of goods, such as are kept in similar stores in large cities, and is justly regarded as one of the most progressive and prosperous business men in his part of the state.

JOSEPH E. JOHNSTON.

In the field of commerce there is almost limitless opportunity for the man who de- sires success and who is willing to work for

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it. The portals of prosperity are flung wide to the man who has toiled long and dili- gently and has guided his efforts by sound business judgment, and all these are quali- ties which are found not alone in the few but may be cultivated by all. It has been through such means that Joseph E. John- ston has become one of the leading mer- chants of Minneapolis.

He was born on a farm near Ottawa, Canada, in 1861, and is a son of Mathew and Jane (Agnew) Johnston, both of whom were natives of Ireland and came to the | large and is constantly growing and he en- new world with their respective parents, the families locating in Canada, where they be- came acquainted and were married in the year 1844. Nine children were born unto them, of whom four are now living. Samuel was accidentally shot and killed in 1880, while Matthew, together with his wife, to whom he had been married but a few months, were drowned near Minneapolis while at- tempting to cross a swollen stream in 1887.

In 1886 Mr. Johnston was united in marriage to Miss Mary Gage, a daughter of A. R. and Juliette ( Reed) Gage, natives of Ohio, and a granddaughter of James Gage. who was a noted attorney of Ohio and died in 1863, while his wife, Frances Dana Gage. was a well known and talented writer of Judge Johnston, chief justice of the state of | prose and poetry and a celebrated temper- Kansas, is a brother of our subject and one brother and sister are still residents of Can- ada. The mother died in the British prov- ince in 1880, while the father passed away in 1894.

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A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. II, Part 55

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