A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. II, Part 91

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 91

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Stephen Clutter was born in Virginia and was taken by his parents to Ohio, ani grew to manhood and was married in Fair- dell county, that state. where he lived until after most of his children were born, but in time he located in Allen county, Ohio, where his younger children were born. In the curse of events his aber som bought and gave him forty acres of land in Mercer county, Ohio, on which he spent the re- mainder of his days and died at a ripe old age, some years after the death of his wife. He was in politics an old-school Democrat. and though he was never an active politi- cian. he took an intelligent interest in pub- lic affairs. His wife was the daughter of Samuel Tester, a Virginian, who settled early in Ohio and lived out his days and died in that state. His children were named Federick, George, Nancy, Hannah, Kate. Margaret, Betsey, Jacob and Sarah. His daughter last mentioned was the mother of the subject of this sketch.

Stephen and Sarah (Tester) Clutter had children named as follows: Samuel ;

Elizabeth, who married D. Tester; Amos and Stephen, who died young; Catherine, wir. married W. Frazee: William, who died at the age of twenty-two years; Nancy J., who married John Borders; and Sarah. who married HI. Fish. Of this family ci children Elizabeth, Sarah and Samuel are the valy survivors. Samuel was born an l reared in Ohio, where he was twice married and where he acquired a good common- school education, and developed his Par- ural ability as a musician. During his Vang manhood he gave considerable of his time to teaching singing school. He remained with his parents until he was twenty-four years old, helping to support his family by working hard on the home farm and on neighoring farms and by clear- ing land under contract. In 1845. he mar- ried art for a year afterward assisted his wife's parents to work their home farm. At the expiration of that time he bought the farm on credit. Seven years later. when his wife died, he owed nine hundred dollar- of the purchase price of the farm, and soll a part of the place in order to clear off that indebtedness. Later he sold the remainder of the farm and removed from Allen county to Mercer county, Ohio, where he hette a farm and set about the work of improving it. As a means to that end he utilized a four-horse team, which he owned, in freighting between Cincinnati, Ohio, at: 1 different interior towns of the state. The work was hard, but for the time it was fair- Is well paid. After a while he relinquishel it and gave his entire time to farming. and during the thirty years he remained there was satisfactorily successful and came to be known as one of the enterprising and prominent citizens of the county. After making a prospecting tour in Kansas he bought, in 1880, four hundred and eighty acres of land in . Rice county, about one quarter of which was improved and on which was a stone house, a good barn and accurate outbuildings. Three quarters of the pure was pasture land. His son took charge of this place and in 1889, Mr. Clut- ter traded his Ohio homestead for the ore- hundred-and-sixty-acre-watt known as the

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Beam farm, on which he now lives. This well improved farm is located in the val- ley of Little River, a mile from the town of Little River. Mr. Clutter owns a tract of two hundred acres at another point not far distant and is the proprietor of an aggregate of six hundred and eighty acres of farm and pasture land, including three well improved and well equipped farms. He does general farming and gives special attention to stock.

In the best sense of the term Mr. Clut- ter is a self made man and has shown him- self to be a conservative business man and a good financier. His judgment in prac- tical affairs is respected by all who know him and as a public-spirited citizen he takes intelligent interest in all questions affecting the public good. He was rocked in a Democratic cradle and adheres principally to Dem cratic principles. While living in Ohio he ably filled the office of justice of the peace and township treasurer and filled mi- nor positions of trust. During the period of the Civil war he was custodian of mon- eys appropriated by his county for the use and support of the widows and orphans of soldiers in arms, and he distributed a large amount of such funds with the most scru- pulous fidelity. Wherever he has lived he has been identified prominently and help- fully with leading interests. He has reared a large family of children and as each son or daughter has gone out into the world he has given him er her most substantial as- sistance.

Mr. Clutter's first wife was Miss Eliza- beth East, who was born in Ohio. a daugh- ter of John East, who was an early settler of Pennsylvania and became a successful farmer and a prominent citizen who held many offices of trust and honor in Allen county, Ohio, where he lived out his days. John East had children as follows: Mary, who married Jacob S. Baker; Isaac: Abra- ham: Samuel: and Elizabeth, who married Mr. Clutter. She bore him children named as follows: Caroline, who married M. Staf- f. r1. of Fort Wayne, Indiana: Hiram, who became a farmer in Mercer county, Ohio; and Albert who has attained prominence

as a business man at Lima, Ohio. Elizabeth (East) Clutter, who was reared by her parents in the Baptist faith and who in every way was an admirable woman, died May 10, 1852. In 1853, Mr. Clutter mar- ried Elizabeth Pfiefer, who was born in Germany, April 8, 1837, and was brought to America at the age of two years by her parents, Nicholas and Eva B. (Zeor) Pfie- fer, who were natives of Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, and who reared her in Ohio to undertake the responsibilities of a noble womanhood. In his native land Mr. Pfie- fer was a shoemaker, but upon arriving in America he acquired a farm in Allen coun- ty, Ohio, on which he lived a successful life until the end of his days. His wife bore him children as follows: Elizabeth, who married Mr. Clutter; Barbara, who became Mrs. J. Hake; Henry, who died in 1897; John and Jocob, who live in Michigan; Catherine, who married M. Borst, and after his death A. Young; Nicholas, who is dead ; Mary, who became Mrs. H. Shirk: Adam, who lives in Ohio; Anthony, who lives in Michigan ; and Martha, who married A. Brown. Of these children Elizabeth and Barbara were born in Germany, the others in Ohio. Nicholas and Eva B. (Zeor ) Pfiefer, the parents of this family, were Lutherans and so far as possible they reared their children in the faith of that church. By his marriage with Elizabeth Pliefer Mr. Slutter had children as follows : Clarissa, who died young; Cyrus, who is a merchant at Little River: Eleanor, who died young: Mary, who died young; New- ton, who lives at Lima, Ohio: Huldah, who married C. Deal of Rice county, Kansas : Samuel, who died young; Eva, who died young : Sarah, who married A. Snyder, of Little River township. Rice county, Kansas : Emma, who married W. Wiest and lives in Ohio. Ana, who married J. Cavenee and lives at Lyons, Kansas: Charles, who lives at Pawnee Rock, Barton county, Kansas, Augusta, who married B. Briscoe, of Rice county, Kansas; Fannie, who is the wife of William J. Edwards, of Lima, Ohio; James, who is managing his father's home- sted in Little River township. Rice county,

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Kannst: and John, who is a farmer in the same township. Mr. Clutter has had twen- ty children, fourteen of whom are living, and has adopted and reared six orphans. In every relation of life he has fully met in. Responsibilities. As husband, father cution, chical and custodian of the money irwidens and orphans he has been faithful lo a degree that is worthy of the emulation of young men who would build character vi such quality that it will prove to them my re valuable than any mere inheritance of money. ani it is to be regretted that we have not more such admirable men in pub- lic life.

FREDERICK C. FEARING.

For two terms Frederick C. Fearing has been elected to the office of county sur- vey r of Jewell county, and no higher testi- monial of his capability and trustworthiness could be given than the fact that through popolar suffrage he has been so long con- annel in the oifice. He is a citizen of ster- fine worth, deeply interested in all that per- :- to the development and improvement of the county with which he has been identi- fied since 1879.

Nir. Fearing was born in Posey county, I :. tam. January 2, 1838, and traces his ancestry back to the landing of the Pilgrims con Plymouth Rock in 1620. Among the her ic band of people who crossed the At- 'antic in the Mayflower was one of his an- cesters, and representatives of the family were buried at Plymouth, where tomb- Stones still mark their resting places in the vol cemetery. Franklin Fearing, the fa- ther of our subject. was born in Vermont, whence he reme ved to C) and afterward to Indiana. In 1844 he went to lowa ang his death occurred in Davenport, that state, in INN :. He was a builder by occupation am. constructed the first steamboat that ran on the Ohio river. He married Hannah Coolidge, who was born in Massachusetts, and also passed away in Davenport. Four of their sons were soldiers of the Civil war. William. Franklin and Theodore all join-

ing lowa regiments in defense of the Union.

Frederick C. Fearing was only six years of age when his parents removed to Davenport. Iva, and in the schools of that city he pursued his education. Very early in life he learned surveying and when only sixteen years of age he assisted in survey- ing the boundary line between Iowa and Mumesta. He was also a civil engineer on an independent railroad, which has since been merged into the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy system. In 1878 he came to Kansas as a railroad surveyor and has since lived in Mankato, where he has since fol- lowed the same calling and in addition has engaged in contracting and building, a number of the fine residences and substan- tial structures of this locality standing as evidences of his skill and handiwork. In 1897 he was first elected to the office at county surveyor and by re-election since been continued in the position. A local paper said of him: "His work in- heen satisfactory to a marked degree. He is carciul. proficient, painstaking and im- partial in all of his work and complaint is an unknown thing in the surveyer's office. .As a county official he ranks high with his constituency and the people were wise in calling him to this position of trust and re- sponsibility."

In Davenport, Iowa, on the 16th of De- cember. 1858, Mr. Fearing was married to Miss Ellen Van Ornam, a native of Ver- ment and a most estimable lady, who ha- indeed been a helpmate to him on the jour- ney of life. Unto them have been born seven children: Frederick E. : Hard M. : Mrs. Martha B. McRoberts; Joseph, de- ceasel: Mrs. Nellie West; John L. ; and Musa P. The parents hold membership in the Methodist Episcopal church and are people of the highest respectability. enjoy- ing the warm regard of many friends. Mr. Fering exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the Republican party, and socially he is con- nected with the Odd Fellows society. At the time of the Civil war he manifested his loyalty to his native land by joining the

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Union Army as a mechanic, and aided in government work at Nashville, Tennessee. He is most true and loyal to American in- stitutions, and in his county takes an active part in promoting all movements which have for their object the general good.

RIAL D. ROSE.

Rial D. Rose has devoted almost his entire life to agricultural pursuits and is now interested in farming at Ionia, Jewell county. He was born in Boone county, Iowa, July 13. 1851, his parents being the Rev. Amos M. and Francina (Cheadle) Rose. The father was born in Perry coun- ty. Ohio, and in 1845 removed to Wash- ington county, Iowa, whence he went to Boone county, that state, in 1849. The year 1873 witnessed his arrival in Jewell county. Kansas, where he secured a home- stead claim in Athens township. Throughout his active business career he has engaged in the tilling of the soil and has met with a fair degree of success in his undertakings. He has also devoted much time to the work of the church as a minister of the Methelist denomination, first preaching in Iowa and later in Jewell county, where he is now living, at the age of eighty-one years, his birth having occurred in Febru- ary. 1821. He is spoken of as one of the leading early settlers of this county and a man worthy of the highest regard. His wife, who was born in Morgan county, Ohio, died in Jewell county, this state, in 1883.

Early in life Rial D. Rose became fa- miliar with the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturist. He pursued his education in the district schools of Iowa, and also engaged in teaching there. In 1877 he came to Jewell county, Kansas, and secured a homestead claim in Athens township, three miles southwest of what is now the town of Ionia. There has never been a mortgage or other incumbrance upon this tract of land, which has been his home continuously for twenty-nine years.

For a number of years he engaged in teaching school, and in order to perfect himself in the profession he attended the state normal college at Concordia. His chosen occupation, however, has been farm- ing and stock-raising and he is a worthy representative of this great department of business activity.

In Concordia, on the IIth of April, 1876, Mr. Rose was united in marriage to Miss Jennie Catlin. They had become ac- quainted while students in the normal col- lege at that place. The lady was born in Trumbull county, Ohio, and is a daughter of George and Mercy (Phelps) Catlin. Her father was born in St. Lawrence coun- ty, New York, whence he removed to Trumbull county, Ohio, and in · 1870 he came to Kansas, making his home at the present time in Concordia. His wife is also living and with her husband came to the Sunflower state from. her birthplace in Trumbull county, Ohio. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Rose has been blessed with three children: Dean H., who is now a student in the Kansas State University at Lawrence; Myrtle, who is also a student in that institution: and Catlin, who formerly pursued his studies there, but is spending the winter of 1901 and 1902 as a teacher in Jewell county.

Mr. Rose is quite prominent in public affairs and in November, 1891, he was elected county treasurer for a term of two years, entering upon the duties of the office October, 1892. On the expiration of his first term he was re-elected and during his four years of service he won the highest commendation of all concerned. By reason of his incumbency in the office he and his family resided for about six years at Man- kato, and still have many very warm friends there. He has also been township clerk in Athens township for a number of years and is a member of the school board. He gives his political support to the Popu- list party and socially he is connected with the Ancient Order of United Workmen and with the Odd Fellows. His wife, who prior to her marriage was a successful teacher. shares with him in the great inter-

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est which he takes in higher education and! it is their ambition to give their children excellent advantages in that direction and thus fit them for high and honorable posi- tions in life. Mr. Rose has a pleasant home open his claim and is widely known as a successful farmer and stock-raiser, making a specialty of cattle and hogs. His place comprises altogether four hundred acres of land and it is a visible evidence of His well spent and honorable career.

HENRY B. FORREY.

Henry B. Forrey, of Harrison town- ship. Jewell county, Kansas, was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, October 2, 1837, a son of Henry and Christiana (Boyer) Ferrer, natives of Pennsylvania, who set- tled early in Ohio and removed thence to Marshall county, Iowa, where Mr. Forrey died at the age of eighty-five years, and Mrs. Frrey at the age of seventy-nine years. They brought into the world ten children. of whom six are living at this time. Mr. Forrey's grandfather in the pa- ternal line served the colonies as a soldier in the war of the Revolution.

The subject of this sketch was educated in the district schools and reared to the use- ful and arduous work of the farmer. As was the custom in those times he gave his service to his father until he was twenty- one years old. August 12, 1861, he en- listed in Company B. Second Regiment, Iowa Volunteer Cavalry, under Captain Hepburn, who has recently represented the district of Iowa in the national congress, and served four years and two months, re- celving his hon rable discharge at Daven- port. Iowa, in October, 1865. He was in active service during almost the entire period of the Civil war and was so fortu- nate as to never be consigned to a hospital, although he was laid up in camp two months by a sanstr ke. For a short time he was on detached service under General Rosecrans, when his company carried dis- patches, and he was still under Rosecrans

when Corinth iell. Mr. Forrey was one of a leste ric hand of cavalrymen who engaged in a literal hand to hand conflict with Con- federates, whom they deprived of their weapons by main force.

After the war Mr. Forrey returned lowa, where. November 25, 1865, he mar- riel Julia A. Read, a native of Ohio, who ha jerne him nine children, five of whom are married and have brought to Mr. and Mrs. Forrey sixteen grandchildren.

After his second marriage Mr. Forrey worked a forty-acre farm in Marshall com- tv. Iowa, where he remained until the fall of 1872, when he sold out there and re- moved to Jewell county, Kansas, there en- tering one hundred and sixty acres of land in Harrison township, to which he has since added one hundred and sixty acres more. For two years he lived in a dugout and for the next fourteen years in a frame and log house, which he vacated to move into his present house, a commodious and modern structure. A portion of his barn was built in 1886, the remainder five years ago. Mr. Forrey has filled several township offices, having been justice of the peace two terms and township treasurer one year. He and his family are members of the Christian and Methodist churches, and he has assist- ed materially to build the house of worship of the first named denomination near his home and for many years has been superin- tendent of its Sunday-school and has come to be known as one of the most effective Sunday school workers in the county. A He-long Republican, he cast his first am second presidential votes for Abraham Lincoln, voting a second time in the army under special regulations made for soldiers in the service. He is a member of Jim Lane Post. No. 34, Grand Army of the Re- public, of Mankato. He is known as a pro- gressive citizen, being in every way a rep- resentative of that spirit which has made Kanser what it is, and his counsel is weight in many important matters. His record as a brave soldier and a well informed and pati te citizen entitles him to the highest respect and his intelligent and refined fam- ily are much esteemed by all who have the h ner vi their acquaintance.

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JOHN J. GOODSON.

Illinois has furnished to Kansas many settlers, some of whom have been leaders in the advancement and prosperity of the Sun- flower state. A conspicuous representative of this class in Lake township, Harvey county, Kansas, is John J. Goodson, a prominent farmer on section 28, in the township mentioned, whose postoffice is at Patterson. Mr. Goodson was born in Polk county, Illinois. June 16, 1833, a son of Leander Goodson, who married a Miss Miller, and she died when the subject of this sketch was ten months old. The child was taken to West Virginia, where he was cared for by his mother's parents until, when he was between two and three years old, he was taken into the family of his uncle. William Miller, under whose guard- ianship he remained until he was fourteen years old. He then went to Missouri and in time acquired a farm of two hundred acres in Caldwell county. Eventually he married Celia J. Michael, a native of Vir- ginia, who died in the prime of life, after the death of their only daughter. Some time afterward Mr. Goodson married Elizabeth Williamson, a native of Ohio. who died in September, 1900, aged sixty- eight years, leaving no children. She is remembered as a woman of many virtues. a model wife and a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which Mr. Goodson has also been a member for many years.

For. four years during the time of the Civil war Mr. Goodson did soldier's duty un- dler the stars and stripes. He was a member of the Sixth Regiment, Missouri State Mili- tia. and also of the Thirteenth Missouri Veteran Volunteer Cavalry. After the war he returned to Caldwell county, Missouri, where he lived until his removal to Kan- sas. His life has been quiet, unobtrusive and in most ways satisfactory and his suc- cess has been won by honest, hard work and careful and systematic farming. Un- til his yard and sheds were destroyed by the construction of a railroad through his farm he was one of the leading hog raisers in his vicinity and he has recently engaged

in pork production again and has one hun- dred and twenty-six fine Poland-China hogs, which he purchased in order to breed and fatten stock for the market, and he confidently hopes soon to be shipping ser- eral carloads each year to the market. He takes more pains with his stock than most farmers, and has erected for them good buildings, containing stalls and depart- ments where they can be sheltered and classified. He produces much corn and after feeding his stock usually has some left for sale. His granaries are among the largest and finest in his vicinity and he has a large, well trimmed and very productive apple orchard. He is a man of recognized public spirit, who is a generous promoter of every means to the public good and who has at heart the interests of his township, county and state.

JOHN FLETCHER SMITH.

The list of the leading citizens of Rice county contains the name of J. F. Smith, one of the representative and honored citi- zens of the community. His record as a soldier and as a business man has been so honorable that he has gained the confidence and good will of all with whom he has been brought in contact. He was born in Morgan county, Illinois, May 5, 1839, and was reared to the honest toil of a farmer, receiving his education in the common schools. He is a son of Job and Eve ( Mil- ler) Smith, natives respectively of Ken- tucky and Indiana. The father was a son of James Smith, a native also of Kentucky. He subsequently removed to Illinois and later to Iowa, where he died. Both he and his wife were called to their final rest in Iowa. He was a broad-minded Christian gentleman and was a minister in the Meth- odist church.

Unto this worthy couple were born the following children: Samuel and Levi, who also followed the high and holy calling of a minister: Thomas, a successful agricul- turist : Job, the father of our subject ; Will- iam; John; Elijah; Ruth, who became the

MR. AND MRS. JOHN F. SMITH.

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wife of J. Lindsey ; and Jennie, the wife of 1. Miller.

Job Smith, the father of our subject, claims Kentucky as the state of his nativity. When seven years of age he went with his parents to Illinois, where he grew to man- hood, and in that state he was married. In 1853 he located in Iowa, where he secured a tract of raw prairie land. securing seven hundred acres from the government, which he improved as the years passed. In later life he divided this land among his children. but retained a good farm for himself. In 1874 he came to the Sunflower state, lo- cating a homestead claim in Rice county. He afterward sold his Iowa farm and made a permanent location here, since which time he has improved his farm. His persistent and unfaltering labors brought to him a competence sufficient to enable him to put aside the active cares of the farm, and he is now living in quiet retirement, enjoying the rest which he has truly earned and richly merits. In 1898 he left the home farm and removed to Lyons, where he is now living, at the ripe old age of eighty-nine years. He was reared in the faith of the Methodist church, and when about twenty years of age he was converted and became a member of that denomination, ever since living a de- voted Christian life. He is familiarly known as Uncle Job, and his life has ever been upright and honorable, commanding the respect and confidence of all with whom he has been brought in contact. His wife. who died in 1897, was a devoted Christian and was a daughter of J. Miller, of Penn- sylvania, and of German descent. He be- came a resident of Illinois and was a promi- nent farmer of that state. Both he and his wife died in Indiana.

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A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. II, Part 91

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