A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. II, Part 72

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

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In the year 1878 Mr. Warner came to his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres. to which he has since added until his landed possessions now comprise four hun- dred acres. He has erected a good resi- dence and barns, has an orchard of seven acres, and in addition to the raising of the cereals best adapted to this soil and cli- mate. he is extensively engaged in the rais- ing of horses, cattle and hugs. Pretty Prai- rie Farm. located on section 27. Victoria township, is one of the handsome country seats of Rice county. Mr. Warner gives his political support to the Republican party. and has served as a member of the school board, the cause of education ever finding in him a warm friend. His life has been a success, and it has been characterized! I energy, perseverance and hard work. For twenty-three years he has resided in Rice county, and during that time he has to de- ported himself that as a citizen. as a man of business, as an honoralle Christian gemme. man, no man has a cleaner record er ... highly respected than he. Of the Dunkard church both he and his wife are exemplar members, and their Christian belief is ex- emglified in their every-day life.

IACOB K. BOARD.

One of the time farms of What sha fen. ship. Rice county, is the property of Total K. Board. a well known early setter locality. He was born in Backs

gomery county, Virginia. September 3. 1853, a son of James M. Board. The grar 1 father loyally served the colonists in the war of the Rebellion. James M. Board w: - early inured to farm life in Virginia, and was there reared and educated. He had many thrilling experiences during the Civil war, and was much opposed to the conflict. thereby suffering many hardships and dan- gers. On two occasions, in order to extract information from him concerning the move- ments of the soldiers, he had a rope put around his neck, but as he had nothing to tell he was released. He was an mer-cer on a large plantation and was a man of sterling worth and of much executive abil- ity. His death occurred in 1890, in Jack- son county, Missouri, at the age of seventy- years, and thus passed from earth a colle and upright citizen. The mother of our subject also died at the age of seventy years in the faith of the Baptist church. They were the parents of five children. Two des and three daughters, namely : wife of Thomas Dyerly, who was auf Rice county's early and well known sefer but is now a resident of Pratt county. Kan- sas: Paul M., deceased, formerly ored citizen of Rice county: Fisher . wife of Nathan Corder. of Jackson county, Mis- souri: James M .. of Independence, Mis- souri ; and Jacob K., our object.

The latter was rearedito form lije state of his nativity. where he was wirly taught lessons of indian and co The common school afforded bir his 's- cational privileges, Im his

been larges supreme perience, reading and seven years of age reps on their remmal Bom being made in I.

the family remained f.

The year 1879 win

Board in Rice county, where he eighty acres years live

until he now owns a valuable

hundred and sixty acres. The pl: otte on section 14. Vissaris

the fields are under a high -

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

tion, yielding to him a golden return for the care and labor which he bestows upon them. He is accounted one of the leading agricul- turists of his community, and his place is supplied with all the equipments and acces- sories necessary to a model farm.

In the spring of 1878 Mr. Board was united in marriage to Miss Maggie Picker- ill, who has proved to him a faithful com- panion for the journey of life. She was born in Ohio, but was reared and educated in Missouri, in both Jackson and Jasper coun- ties. Her father, T. J. Pickerill, died in Victoria township, Rice county, Kansas, February I, 1901. The marriage of our sub- ject and wife has been blessed with nine children. two sons and seven daughters, namely : Maude, Nora, Fred, Bessie, Bertha, Frank. Pearl, Beulah and Flora. For many years Mr. Board was identified with the Democratic party, but is now a Populist. He has served for a number of years as a member of the school board, the cause of education ever finding in him a warm friend. Mrs. Board is a member of the Christian church. Mr. Board is universally honored and esteemed, and his record is one which reflects credit upon himself and does honor to the commonwealth in whose progress and welfare he is so deeply concerned.

DAVID W. DUKE.

More than twenty years have passed since David Washington Duke came to Rice county, Kansas, and nobly has he performed his duty in establishing and maintaining the material interests and moral welfare of his communty, having exerted a wide influ- ence among the agriculturists of his adopted state. He claims Iowa as the state of his nativity, his birth having occurred in Henry county, near Mt. Pleasant, February 19, 1851. His father. James MI. Duke, was a native of Kentucky, in which common- wealth the grandfather. John Duke. was also born. James M .. the father of our sub- ject, removed to Jowa when a young man. He was a sawyer by trade and operated

many mills in Iowa and in the west. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Eliza- beth Williams, was a native of Ohio and a daughter of Nehemiah and Cynthia ( Bur- den ) Williams. The father was a native of the Old Dominion and was a member of a prominent family of that state. He was married in Iowa. Unto James M. and Elizabeth Duke were born four children, three now living: Cynthia, the wife of James Rankin, of Victoria township, Rice county; David Washington; and Harriet Holmes, a resident of Lyons, Kansas. They also lost one child, Francisca. who died in infancy. The father of this family died in Weiner, Arkansas, when seventy-six years of age. He was a prominent business men, and in early life he affiliated with the Green- back party, but afterward was identified with the Democratic party. He was an in- timate friend of General Weaver. His wid- ow still survives, and now makes her home with her children in Rice county, having reached the age of seventy-four years. She is a worthy member of the Baptist church, and her husband also held membership re- lations with that denomination.

D. W. Duke was reared to the quiet pur- suits of the farm in the state of his nativ- ty, where he was early taught farm labor in all its departments. The public schools of the neighborhood afforded him his educational advantages, and through reading, study and observation he has become a well informed man. At the age of twenty-two years he went to Taylor county, Iowa, locating on a farm. In Page county, that state, he was united in marriage to Miss Anna E. Mc- Farland, who was born in Licking county, Ohio, but was reared in Iowa. Her pa- rents, William and Caroline ( Bixler) Mc- Farland, were also natives of Licking coun- ty, Ohio. In 1851 they took up their abode in Pratt county, Missouri, but in the fol- lowing year they located in Page county. Iowa. They now reside at Clarinda, that county, honored and respected pioneer set- tlers. The father, who has reached the age of seventy-four years, affiliates with the Republican party and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. They are the

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parents of five living children, as follows : Anna E., the wife of our subject ; William, a resident of Page county, Iowa: Milton. also of that county; Mrs. Vessie Laub, of Page county: and Mrs. Alta Hutchinson, of Favor county, Iowa. The deceased chil- dren are: Franklin, who died at the age of free yours: Muse, deceased in infancy : and Abigail M. Dougherty, who died in Page county, Iowa. at the age of twenty-five

In April, 1879. Mr. Duke sought a home in Rice county, Kansas, and homesteaded a claim of eighty acres. For five years he residodl pear Galt, where he was engaged mercantile pursuits. He now owns a well developed and valuable farm of one hundred and sixty acres situated on section 28, Vic- toria township, and the place is under a high state of cultivation. In addition to the rais- ing of the cereals best adapted to this soil and climate he is also engaged in the stock business and the raising of Percheron horses. Mr. Duke votes with the Populist party. He was the choice of his party for township trustee: in which he served for iver years, was also township clerk for two years and was a member of the school board.

The union of Mr. and Mrs. Duke has been Blessed with five children, namely: Charles A .. . i Victoria township: James V .. at home: Stella, wife of O. Batterton. of Victoria township: Maud D. : and Bes- sie Ann, at home. Both Mr. and Mrs. Duke tre ment'ors of the Methodist Episcopal church.

JERRY MUSSEN.

Un section 4. Sharon township, i- Fran; the finely improved and ably coloco. ! farmstead of Mr. Musses, who is one di the representative members of the agricul- tural community of Barber count . v. here he has maintained his time since IS -. though his re-blence in the state antedates this by six years. Mr. Mussen is a native of the beautiful city of Cleveland. Ohio. where he was born on the 12th of Oe ber. ISIS, when the place gere slight forte-

tive city which it is to-day. He i of John Mussen, wh New England lineage, his father been a soldier in the war of 1812. ing ben one of the early settlers in Buckeye state. There the father

ject was reared and educated, and tl ... curred his marriage to Miss Mari olin- stand. likewise a representative of of the pioneer families of this, where the was born and reared. John and Maria Mus- sen removed from Obie t Bouton cor :: . Indiana, when the subject of this review was a child, and they located on a tract of i can- ily timbered land, near the present time i of Fowler, the land having been purchased from the government at the rate of one del- lar and a quarter per acre. In the primi- tive wilds of that section the father devel- oped a farm and there remained a number of years, but he eventually took up his ande in Hoopeston, Vermilion county. Min is. where he died at the patriarchal age of ninety years. In his earlier years he was a sailor on the Great La1: as an able navigator. In ally was an old-line li bie. ganization of the Republican party he es- poused its cause and ever afterward gave it his support. He was w cs ber of the United Brethren church. . also his estimable wife, who died in middle life. They became the parents of the lowing named children : I . E Care. Jerry, Starks, Albert, James, Toffes. . W. - phus and Maria. John and Chips soldiers during the warof the Rebellion. it- ing members of Indiana regiments.

Jerry Mussen was reared under the in- vigorating discipline of the farm, receiv- ing his educational training in the primi- tive public schools of Benton county, In- diana, during its pioneer epoch. As a lad in his 'teens Mr. Mussen showed his intrinsic loyalty to the old flag. by enrolling himself as a sitter boy in the Union army, but af- ter proceeding with his command to the front he was sent home with a rode from: Michigan City, Indiana, and was not permitted to enter the service thereafter.

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as he was below the prescribed age limit. i and useful citizen of Ellsworth county, At the age of twenty-two, in Jasper county, Kansas, and is a native son. Here he was born on May 8, 1871, and he is a son of Henry W. and Eliza J. ( Callaghan) Vance, the former of whom was born in 1838, in England. Indiana, our subject was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Southard, who was born in the Hoosier state, the daughter of John and Lucretia (Dawson) Southard, and she has proved to him a true helpmeet during the course of his years of active business life. Of this happy union four children have been born. namely: Sallie, the wife of Wheeler Maltby. of Woods county, Oklahoma, and Charles. Albert and Ida.

After his marriage Mr. Mussen removed to Vermilion county, Illinois, where he de- voted his attention to agricultural pursuits until 1879, when he came to Kansas and located in the city of Wichita, Sedgwick county, which was then a small village, and there he was for some time in the employ of prominent lumber dealers, but eventually en- gaged in farming and stock-growing in that county, later taking up a claim in Harper county. six miles northwest of Anthony. where he continued operations in the same line until 1887, when he located in Barber county, where he purchased a tract of wild land. which he has developed into a fine farm, having one hundred and sixty acres. improved with substantial buildings, orchard and fences, and showing in every way the careful and discriminating attention that has been given by the enterprising owner. Mr. Mussen is stanchly arrayed in support of the Populist party and takes a deep in- terest in public affairs of a local nature. In aiding the legitimate cattle industry, he is a member of the Anti-Horse-beef Asso- ciation. His wife is a devoted member of the United Brethren church. Mr. Mussen commands unqualified confidence and esteem in the community and is one of the repre- sentative farmers of the county, to whose development he has contributed in due measure.

ROBERT H. VANCE.

Prominent in the county as a success- ful and substantial farmer and stockman. Robert H. Vance is also a highly esteemed

Henry W. Vance came to the United States during the California gold excite- ment in 1849 and 1850, and successfully engaged in mining in the Golden state, re- turning with his wealth to England. In 1870 he returned to America, bringing his wife with him, and came to Lawrence, Kansas, where he remained for three months. He came thence to Ellsworth county, here taking up a homestead, to which he added until he owned eleven hun- dren and eighty acres. His residence was in Ellsworth, where he carried on a butch- ering business . until 1880, retiring at that (late to the farm. This place was his home until his death, on May 24, 1884. during which time he farmed extensively. The mother of our subject still survives and makes her home in Ellsworth and also in England, dividing her time between the two countries. In his political belief and connection Mr. Vance was an ardent Ke- publican, firmly believing in the principles of his party. Fraternally he had long been a member of the Masonic order.

Robert H. Vance was the only child born to his parents, and his youth was spent in attendance at school. graduating in the Ellsworth high school at the end of the course, and later graduating at Spauld- ing's Business College, in Kansas City, in the class of 1891. After completing his education our subject assumed charge of the large farm and has given his attention to its interests very closely ever since. His stock-raising is a very important feature. and he grazes from three to five hundred cattle. He cultivates from five to seven hundred acres of land. raising corn and wheat, but, as he feeds largely, his cattle and stock consume more than he can pro- duce.

Mr. Vance is a modern farmer, and his estate is one of the model ones of the coun- ty. being completely improved and man- aged with modern machinery and appli-

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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY.

ances. His residence possesses all the mod- ern appliances for the comfort of the fam- ily, containing hot and cold water, and its near I cation to the city of Ellsworth is of great advantage. Hlis barns, granaries, milk buses. sanitary cattle and hog shots make almost a village in themselves. All ate neatly painted and the whole place re- fleets credit upon the fortunate owner. Mr. Vance has proved that country life pos- sesses every element to make the material side . i existence a joy. This farm is lo- cater on sections 28. 29. 33 and 32 in Ells- worth township and on section 4. Empire township. Ile has two hundred acres on section 28, one hundred and sixty on see- tion 29, six hundred and forty on section 33 and one hundred and sixty on section 32, and a section 4. Empire township, he has one hundred and sixty acres. His possess- ions consist of thirteen hundred and forty acres, all in the body. No other farm in the county can compare with it in improve- ment, and Mr. Vance is regarded as one of the most enterprising men of this section of the state, as he promises to be one of the meet salestantial.

The marriage of Mr. Vance occurred un Out de 25. 1800, to Miss Flora Herzig, why is : daughter of Leo and Magdalina ( Stein . Herzig, the former of whom was one i the pioneer citizens and prominent men of Ellsworth county, owning a large acreage and well known in public affairs. Mr. Vance is a stanch Republican and a pro minent member of the Masonic order, beinging to Ellsworth Lodge, No. 146; Ellsworth Chapter. No. 54: Ellsworth Connet. R. & S. M .: St. Aldemar Com- mandery. No. 33: and Isis Temple, Mystic Shrine. of Salina.

BENJAMIN F. DE WEESE.

Una tiens 18 and 21. of Union town- siin. Kingman county, is to be foun ! the fine Fammi plenty of the gentleman where ware initiates .bis review and who has prestige as one of the representative farmers and Stack-growers of the county, where he is well known and distinctively popular. his

long residence here having gained to him the uniform confidence and good will of the people of the community. It is assurally fitting that he be accorded recognition in a work of this nature, and we here is wap tutte a brief review of his career.

Within the borders of the contin - wealth of Kansas will be found many rep- resentatives of the fine old Buckeye state. and of this number is Mr. De Were. W. was born in Parke county. Olio, on the 5th of September, 1853, being the son of Barnabas De Weese, who was born in Delaware. John De Weese, the grandfa- ther of our subject, was born in West Vir- ginia, and there was solomate ! I . Beat riage to Charlotte Rose. They remviel t Delaware and thence, when their ser Bar- nabas was two years of age, to Darke county. Ohio, being numbered among the pioneer- of that section, where the grandfather lie- came the owner of and cleared a large tract of wild timber land. He was prepared in his operations and continued to be a fare land-owner in Ohio until his death. which there recurred on the 5th of October. El He was the father of three some- Barn- bas: William, who met his death while ser- ving as a Union sollier in the Civil war: and John, a resident of Van Wert county. Ohio.

Barnabas De Weese was born on the 14th of April, 1829, and grew to managed m the pioneer farmstead in Ohio. There married Elizabeth Dorman, a daughter of Michael and Christina ( Houser) Dorman, and upon beginning his independent career he received eighty acres from his father - estate, and there made his home until the outbreak of the war of the Rebellion, when he enlisted in a regimest of Goo volunteer infantry, with which he served for Three vears and three months. He then returned to his farm, where be romainal until the. when he disposed of the same and ressweil to Coles county. Minois, where

a small farm, which continued to ; home und the spring of 18-3. when he again said out and started on the ward journey which eventuated in tins him one of the pioneers of Kansas. He lo-

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cated in Grove township, Reno county, where he followed agriculture and stock- raising until 1881, when he came to King- man county, whose settlement was little more than in its inception, and he secured by pre-emption the northeast quarter of sec- tion 2. Rural township, the former post- office, known as Maud, being located on his claim. In 1889 he removed to the place now owned by our subject, and this continued to be his home until 1891, when he sold the place to his son and took up his residence in the city of Kingman, where his cherished and devoted wife died within the same year. The following year he secured a claim on the "new strip" opened to settlement in the Indian Territory, making his home at Alva, the county seat of Woods county, Oklaho- ma, until 1901, when he exchanged his holdings for farm property in Missouri, where he now resides, having again mar- ried, choosing as his wife Mrs. Elizabeth Woodford. Of the first marriage ten chil- dren were born, and of them we enter a brief record, in the order of birth: Sarah is the wife of William Wolf. of Kingman; Ben- jamin F., the subject of this sketch: Mar- garet, who died in childhood; Norah C., a resident of Kansas City; Abraham L., who died in infancy; Barnabas R., who was for many years a railway engineer and who is now a resident of Sunnyside. Utah; Will- jam S., of Nashville, Kingman county : Mary C., the wife of R. B. Elliott, of Sedgwick county : John W., who is engineer of the city water works at Cripple Creek, Colora- do: and Martha B .. an expert telegraph op- erator, who now makes her home with the subject of this review.

Benjamin F. De Weese has borne the practical responsibilities of life from a very early age, while his educational opportuni- ties in his youth were such as were afforded by a somewhat desultory and irregular at- tendance in the common schools of the sev- eral localities in which the family lived at different times. Being the eldest son, he early began to take a responsble part in con- nection with the work of the farm and the maintenance of the family. He was but ten years of age when his father responded to

his country's call and went forth as a sol- dier in the Civil war, and from that time forward until he had attained the age of twenty-seven years his services were wil- lingly and constantly given to the family, assisting in the carrying on of the farm work in Ohio and in opening the new farm in Reno county, Kansas, to which they came when he was twenty years of age. He also aided in reclaiming the Kingman coun- ty farm from the original prairie. His du- ties in this connection were not confined alone to breaking the wild prairie and till- ing the soil in summer, but for the first few years, until the land was brought to a state of profitable cultivation, any occupation which could be found for himself and his team, when not otherwise engaged, was gladly accepted, in order that he might earn money with which to car- ry forward the work of. improvement and provide for the necessities of the family. for several winters he devoted his time to gathering buffalo bones, of- ten making trips of two weeks' duration, after which he had to haul the bones to Wichita or Hutchinson,-from forty-five to fifty-five miles,-where he secured from six to ten dollars per ton for the product. He also engaged in freighting provisions and supplies to the government army posts at Forts Supply and Tollman, each more than one hundred miles distant from the base of supplies. He thus gave himself to ceaseless toil and endeavor for the sake of his family until he was twenty-seven years of age, when he made ready to establish a home of his own.

On the 3Ist of August, 1879. he was united in marriage to Miss Hester A. Grett, who was born in Pennsylvania, as were also her parents. Jonas I. and Emma (Fry) Grett. While she was an infant in arms her parents removed to St. Joseph county, Mich- igan, where she was reared and educated, coming thence to Kansas with her parents in 1878. After his marriage Mr. De Weese heated a claim . f government land on sec- tion 6. U'nion township, and here erected his first residence, the same being a sod house, fourteen by twenty-six feet in dimensions,

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with two rooms and board il ors and sitt roof. the lumber necessary for its construc- tion being hauled from Hutchinson, Forn- five miles distant. This unpretentious but comfortable domicile continued to be hi- home until 1882. when he left the farm and " etal at Mand, erecting the first stare at that point and being the first postmaster the e. thepostoffice at the time being removed from his original site to a point one mile There he was incumbent of this office and conducted a general store until ISSO, when he sold out, and for the follow- ing year he was engaged in the livery busi- ness at the same place. Then he removed to the new town of Calista, which had just been established, and there erected a store building and engaged in general merchan- dising, being also appointed postmaster. He continued in business there about six years and then purchased of his father the farm of one hundred and sixty acres which was the nucleus of his present fine landed estate. He took up his residence on the farm at that time. but continued his mercantile business another year, when he disposed of the same. since whch time he has given his entire at- tention to agriculture and stock-raising, the latter line of enterprise being given the pre- cerence and placing him among the lead- ingr stock-growers of this section. He has increased his holdings until he now owns a well improved and fertile farm of five hun- dred acres, the same being recognized as one of the best stock farms in the county. He keeps from one to two hundred head of cattle. usually feeding about fifty head during the winter seasons, and he has shown marked discrimination in grading his stock up to a very high standard, utilizing the best shorthorn types in his breeding. He has made excellent improvements of a per- manent nature, the entire place being fenced. a gunl orchard planted and in bearing and the dwelling and other buildings being sah- stantial and commodious. The buildings on the farm present an excellent illustration of the evolution and development of this section of Kansas. On the place still stands in a good state of preservation a sad buttes built by Gabriel Kenney, who Rol the

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A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. II, Part 72

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