A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. II, Part 94

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

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The subject of this review was less than two years of age when he came with his parents to Iowa, where he was reared to manhood. During the war of the Rebellion he was his mother's main assistant in carry- ing on the farm. At the age of seventeen he began earning his own livelihood, being employed as a farm hand in Iowa, and when nineteen years of age he went to Missouri. where he worked in that capacity for one year. During the second year he cultivated a rented farm, and in 1870 he came to Kansas, locating in Rice county, where he filed a claim to a quarter-section of land southwest of Lyons. Mr. Rife owned that property until 1873, and upon it built a sod house and stable and broke and cultivated some of the prairie. He then sold the farm and re- moved to Mitchell township, where he se- cured a homestead claim, upon which he has made excellent improvements, and it is still his place of residence. He hauled the lum- ber from Sterling in order to erect his first frame residence .. With characteristic ener-

gy he began improving his farm which has become a valuable property, equipped with all the modern accessories and conveniences. He lived in the county at an early day when the hunters had ample opportunity to in- dulge his love for the sport for many kinds of game could be secured in central Kan- sas. Mr. Rife at one time killed two buffa- loes at a single shot,-a remarkable occur- rence, such a feat being accomplished by but few men. Some stray bands of Indians roamed over the country on hunting expe- ditions. They were mostly of the Kaw tribe and always manifested a friendly spirit to- ward the white settlers. As the years passed, however, the incoming tide of civilization changed all these conditions and the land has now been divided into farms which are highly cultivated and yield a good return to the individual owners. In addition to the cultivation of the fields, Mr. Rife has engaged in the raising of stock, thus follow- ing diversified farming. He has won suc- cess by hard work and honorable dealing, and has added to his property until he now owns eight hundred acres of fine land all under a good state of cultivation. His home farm is well improved with a two- story frame residence, large barn and cut- buildings and many other modern conven- iences, together with a good orchard and fine grove. All this renders his place very attractive and has largely increased its value. The Rife home is pleasantly situated one mile east of Mitchell and thus the advantages of town life are easily secured.

In 1872 Mr. Rife was joined in wedlock to Miss Matilda J. Connor, who was born in Iowa, February 26, 1850, and is a lady of culture and intelligence. Her father was Judge W. B. Connor, a distinguished citi- zen of Rice county. Their union has been blessed with eleven children, namely: Ber- ton L., born August 17, 1873: Denva .... born August 5. 1874: Asby, who was born January 7. 1876, and is the wife of P. P. Martina: Mary G., born April 10, 1879: Ruth, born May 10. 1880: Lydia, born Feb- ruary 17. 1882; Carl P., born April 8, 1883; Martha A., born April 2, 1885; William M., born July 24, 1888: Joseph B., born Septem-

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ber 24. 1891 ; and Harvey H., whose birth of the Christian church, of which she was a consistent member. Our subject was thus left an orphan at the early age of fourteen years and was reared by an uncle. Andrew Deeds. a prominent and well-to-do farmer and breeder of fine sheep, residing in Lick- ing county, Ohio. Mr. Deeds, of this re- view, spent his youth upon the farm, but was provided with the educational privi- leges afforded by the schools of Centerville, Ohio. After attaining man's estate he re- solved to seek a home in the west, believing that better opportunities were afforded young men in the portions of country which were not so thickly settled and where com- petition in consequence was not so great. Accordingly, in 1880, he came to Rice county, Kansas, locating in Allegan, where occurred March 15, 1894. All of the chil- diren are yet living,-a remarkable record. The parents are devoted members of the Metho dist church, at Mitchell, and Mr. Rife has served as trustee, steward and treasurer of the church. He is now a member of the land of trustees, is superintendent of the Sunday-school and is a leading and influ- ential member of the organization. He also belongs to the Alliance Aid Society. In maaner he is pleasant and genial and is popular with a large circle of friends. Ile belongs to the Reform party politically, and has been called upon to serve in several lo- cal offices. Although he has undergone the | hardships and trials of pioneer life here, he is now in comfortable circumstances. having won a competence through honest . he entered into business as a partner in the and indefatigable purpose.

J. L. DEEDS.

The essential qualifications of success in business are found manifest in the active career of Mr. Deeds, who is now engaged in conducting real-estate transactions in Lyons. He is a well-known, intelligent and highly respected citizen of Rice county, where he has made his home for twenty-one years, having come to this section of the state in 1880.

Mr. Deeds was born in Greene county, Pennsylvania, in the city of Waynesburg, July N. 1853. and is a representative of one of the well known and prominent families of that portion of the state. His parents were Isaac and Mary J. (Bryan) Deeds. The father was born in Pennsylvania and was descended from Holland ancestors, who I carol in the Keystone state at an early reci d' in its development. His wife was ale. horn, reared and educated in Pennsyl- vania and was of Scotch-Irish lineage. They became the parents of two sons and four daugters. The father followed farming as a life occupation, and died at the age of forty-eight years, while his wife passed away at the age of thirty-six, in the faith

store of Hays & Arthur. For six years he carried on mercantile pursuits there, af- ter which he came to Lyons and embarked in the hardware business, conducting a store whose patronage steadily increased, return- ing to the owner a good income. He was also interested in the banking business as a stockholder in the Bank of Lyons, being as- sociated in this enterprise with E. Deupree, Joseph Webb and Joseph Slatten. At the present time Mr. Deeds devotes the greater part of his attention to the real-estate busi- ness and has conducted some important real- estate transactions. He is thoroughly in- formed concerning the value of properties in this portion of the country, and through the avenues of his business has done not a little to improve the city and promote the upbuilding of Lyons and the surrounding districts.

In 1879 Mr. Deeds was united in mar- riage to Miss Mary J. Murphy, who died in 1898, leaving two children,-Edwin and Helen. On the Ioth of October, 1900, he was again married, his second union being with Shurley Woodson, of Hutchinson, Kansas. She was reared and educated in this state, and for some time prior to her marriage was a successful teacher. In his political views Mr. Deeds is a stalwart Re- publican, and both he and his wife are mem- bers of the Christian church, in which he

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has filled the office of trustee. The cause of education, temperance and morality find in him a friend, and he is deeply interested in everything pertaining to the uplifting of his fellow men and the improvement of the county, state and nation. He is highly re- spected by all with whom he is associated by reason of his sterling worth and fidelity to principle, and in business circles he bears an unassailable reputation.

C. C. HUTCHINSON.

Among the well known and highly re- spected citizens of Reno county who have borne an important part in the development of his locality is C. C. Hutchinson, whose name is enrolled among the pioneers who came to this section of the country in the fall of 1871. He is the founder of the town of Hutchinson, which was named in his honor, and has ever been an important fac- tor in its progress and advancement.

After his arrival in the Sunflower state Mr. Hutchinson spent some time in look- ing for a location, finally deciding upon the present site of Hutchinson, and in October, 1871, the city was laid out and received its owner's name. About the middle of the same month a building was erected. which served as a postoffice, grocery and boarding house. Mr. A. H. Williams established the third building here, which was brought from Newton to this city in December, 1871, and as his wife was the first lady to locate here Mr. Hutchinson presented her with a town WILLIAM Q. ELLIOTT. lot. From the time of its inception the town has had a rapid and healthful growth, and Mr. Hutchinson's office soon presented a busy appearance. He made a map of the county, and his prognostication as to the location of railroads and other improvements have been wonderfully fulfilled. In 1872, upon the advent of the Santa Fe Ralroad, February 19, 1837. His grandfather, buildings went up rapidly, and in January and February of that year it was decided to locate the county seat at this place. In that year. also, at a special election, Mr. Hutchinson was elected to represent his dis-

trict in the legislature, and at the general election held in the following fall he was re-elected. so well did he discharge the du- ties of that important position that he was a third time elected a representative, his last election being in 1873.

In 1873 Mr. Hutchinson organized the first bank in this thriving little city, which was carried on successfully for many years. In August, 1872, a union meeting house was decided upon for the use of all religious denominations, and the movement was start- ed by our subject, gving one hundred dol- lars and five town lots. In 1876 the growth of the city warranted the establishment of a system of water power, and Mr. Hutchin- son was instrumental in organizing the Water Power Company of Hutchinson, for the purpose of constructing a mill race and operating a mill. Under his auspices the race was constructed to a distance of four miles and a large, four-story mill was erected.

Such is the biography of one of the most successful men of Reno county. He indeed deserves mention among its leading and representative citizens, and should find a place in the history of the men of busi- ness and enterprise in the great west whose force of character, sterling integrity, con- trol of circumstances and whose marked suc- cess in establishing great industries have contributed in such an eminent degree to the solidity and progress of the entire country.

Taking advantage of the splendid op- portunities and resources which nature has provided for the agriculturist in central Kansas, William Q. Elliott is now success- fully carrying on farming in Rice county. He was born in Wayne county, Indiana,

Exum Elliott, emigrated to Wayne county, Indiana, from North Carolina, in the year 1815, becoming one of the pioneers who settled in the midst of the dense forest. there aiding in reclaiming the wild land for

Rebecca J. Elliott

W. 2. Elliott.

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purposes of civilizaton. He wedded Cath- erine Lamb, of Guilford county, North Car- olina, and they reared twelve children, eight sons and four daughters, all of whom reached mature years, were married and had children of their own with the excep- tion of one daughter, who remained with her parents for a long period and was mar- ried in advanced years. All have now re- moved from Indiana, the family becoming widely scattered over the country. The grandfather died at the age of eighty-six and was laid to rest in the Friends' cem- etery at Westgrove, Indiana, where Mark Elliott, father of our subject, was also in- terred. He was born in North Carolina, December 28, 1813, and was only two years of age when with his parents he went to Wayne county, Indiana, there spending his remaining days. He wedded Mary Ha- worth, who was born in Tennessee, on an island of two hundred acres, which was owned and occupied by her father, Joel Haworth. He afterward removed to Union county, Indiana, and purchased a large tract of government land, for which he paid a dollar and a quarter per acre in gold. The value of this rapidly increased and he became wealthy. Of his large family of children Mr. Elliott was the eldest. She died in Sterling February 23, 1902. aged eighty-eight years, two months and twen- ty-one days. She gave her hand in mar- riage to Mark Elliott on the 22d of Au- gust. 1835. in Union county, Indiana, the marriage being celebrated after the man- ner of the Society of Friends, both being members of that religious sect. They took up their abode in Wayne county, Indiana. where Mr. Elliott died in 1858. leaving a widow and seven children, four sons and three daughters. The youngest child. Lewis D .. died of diphtheria in Indiana. at the age of eight years. Joel H. was with General Custer and was killed by the In- dians in November, 1868, the troops being attacked by Chief Black Kettle's band. He was a major of the Seventh Cavalry in the regular army and he and his sixteen men were ambushed and butchered by the sav- ages. His body was left on the ground for two weeks. but was afterward buried in 84

the National cemetery in the western Ter- ritory. The living members of the family are William Q .; Hannah, the widow of Isaiah Sleeper, of Baldwin, Kansas; Per- melia, the widow of Oliver Miller, of Wayne county ; Elton B., a lumber dealer of In- dianapolis, Indiana ; and Sarah E., the wife of Marion Barr, of Sterling, Kansas.

William Q. Elliott, of this review, was educated in his native state, in the Friends monthly meeting school at West Grove, un- der Jeremiah Griffin. Ile was reared to farm life and taught school for five win- ters, teaching his first term before he was seventeen years of age. Ile remained at home and cared for his invalid father, who suffered for three years with sciatica. He was a large muscular man, six feet and two inches in height and was an industrious and prudent farmer, having been worth about ten thousand dollars. On the 4th of Feb- ruary, 1858, our subject was joined in wed- lock to Rebecca Jane Jackson, who was born in Wayne county, Indiana, in January, 1838, a daughter of Joseph W. Jackson, the wealthiest farmer of the community. She is the oldest of thirteen children. eight sons and five daughters, all of whom are living and have large families. Her mother died in Wayne county, when past the prime of life, and the father was called to his final rest six years later, when sixty years of age. He was a large, corpulent man. His estate, valued at two hundred and fifty thousand dollars and acquired through ag- ricultural pursuits and pork-packing, was left to be divided among his children.

Mr. and Mrs. Elliott began their domes- tic life in Vermillion county, Illinois, rent- ing the McDonald farm. Our subject was a very successful agriculturist there for seven years, at the end of which time he re- turned to the old homestead and assumed its management, his father having died and his brother being in the army. He there remained until the fall of 1873. when he came to Kansas and filed a homestead claim of eighty acres of land, on which his house is now standing. In March, 1874, he came to the village of Peace, which was later changed to Sterling, and took up his abode there. where the family resided until July

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I. 1875. then coming to the homestead, where a house and barn had been erected. Subsequently he made purchases of railroad and school lands and took a timber claim, thus adding to his possessions until he owned thirty-three hundred acres. In 1880 he opened a private bank in Sterling and followed the banking business for seven years, conducting the Rice County Bank, a private institution, but in October, 1887, he made an assignment, having been made the victim of some designing persons. He was too kind and confiding and he lost heavily. However, he has largely retrieved his lost possessions and he now owns three hundred acres of valuable land, having a very large barn on the property and another upon rented land which he formerly owned, the barns have been constructed by him. He has made a specialty of the breeding and raising of horses and mules and also raises about one hundred and seventy head of hogs each year. He secured his large tract of land when it was in its primitive con- dition, and the trees which constitute his groves and the cottonwood, which shade the long avenues, together with catalpas and black walnut trees, were all planted by him. the first being set-out in 1876. His fine apple orchard of twenty acres was planted in 1878, and he has five acres of seedling peaches. In 1882 he sold peaches to the value of one thousand dollars, re- ceiving about two dollars per bushel. All these went to one merchant. R. J. Shay. He also has a fine grove of evergreen trees, where at one time he intended to build.

Mr. Elliott and his wife have buried three children, two of whom died in early life in Illinois, while Charles Sumner passed away in Sterling and was laid to rest in the Cottonwood Park Cemetery, which Mr. Elliott personally established in 1875. Their living children are: Mark H., a farmer of Reno county, who has a wife and eight children : Joseph W., who follows agricultura! pursuits near the old homestead and has a wife and three children: Cashius MI. C., of Farmington, New Mexico, who has a wife and seven children: Selena Mar- gery, the wife of Albert Snook, who is liv- ing on the & me farm and by whom she has

three children; Lincoln Lloyd, of Pratt county, Kansas, who has a wife and four children; Sylvester J., who is now in Colo- rado, having been honorably discharged from the regular army after five years' serv- ice: William Quincy, of Oregon, who is married and has five children; Clarkson Ta- ber, an agriculturist of Oklahoma, who is married and has four children; Caleb B., a merchant at Delta, Colorado, where he is widely recognized as a thrifty business man ; Laban Moody, who is the foreman on his father's farm and has a wife and two chil- dren ; Stanley P., a young man of twenty- one years, and also married and living with his parents; and Chester Garfield, who is nineteen years of age and is now in New Mexico.

Mr. Elliott has been a life-long Repub- lican from the time when he took an active part in the Fremont campaign. His first vote, however, was not cast until 1860, when he supported Lincoln. In religion he is a Friend and is known throughout Kan- sas as one of the leading and active mem- lers of that denomination. He has taken an active part in advancing the agricultural and horticultural interests of the state, and his labors have been most effective in this work. He is a man strictly honorable in all life's relations, and though he has met with many misfortunes in his business he has always retained the confidence of his fellow men. He is now a prosperous farmer, honored and respected for his in- tegrity of character and sterling worth.

JOSEPH F. DUNN.

Joseph F. Dunn, who, prior to his death, was the only attorney of Ellinwood, was born at Bland Court House, Virginia, in 1872, and was a son of Joseph F. Dunn, a carpen- ter. Reared and educated in the state of his nativity, he there remained until 1894, when he came to Ellinwood and engaged in clerking in his uncle's dry goods store. He also did a life insurance business. Before leaving his native city he had taken up the

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study of law under the direction of R. M. tive of Pennsylvania and was of German lineage, his ancestors being honorable and reliable citizens of the Keystone state. Ile was reared in Pennsylvania and in Ohio, and after attaining his majority wedded Miss Stohl, who was born in Wayne county, Ohio, and represented an old Pennsylvania family. They became the parents of ten children, of whom six are now living, name- lv : Mrs. Catherine Burger, of Ohio : Henry, who is also living in that state: Mrs. Ma- linda Wise, of Knox county, Ohio: George W .. of this review; Anthony, who makes French, and after coming to Kansas he continued his reading. Leaving his uncle's store he subsequently entered the Kansas City Law School, and was graduated in the class of 1898. Being admitted to the bar the same year he then began practice and met with creditable success as a represen- tative of the legal fraternity, his clientage constantly increasing in volume and impor- tance. His knowledge was broad and com- prchensive and he prepared his cases with great thoroughness, so that he was enabled to support his arguments and position by & his home in Harper county, Kansas; and the law and sound logic. His entire time William, who is living in Knox county, Ohio. Three of the family died in early childhood, and Lovina passed away when a young lady. The mother died at the age of sixty-five years and the father reached the very advanced age of eighty-four years. He gave his political support to the De- mocracy, and both he and his wife were members of the Lutheran church-earnest Christian people, who enjoyed the respect, confidence and good-will of all with whom they were associated. and attention was devoted to his chosen call- : ing, and he had a fine library in his office, which was situated in the postoffice block. Socially he was identified with the Masonic fraternity and the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. Dunn was called to his final rest when a young man, and being energetic, ambitious and enterprising, he would, no doubt, have won for himself a very prom- inent and honorable position in the profes- sion, having already attained a success which many an older practitioner might well envy. In social circles he was popular, being both widely and favorably known in Ellinwood.

GEORGE W. WOHLFORD.

George W. Wohlford is a retired farmer living in Lyons. Through years of active connection with agricultural interests he won a very desirable competence that now enables him to rest from the more arduous duties of life and enjoy the comforts of for- mer toil. He is numbered among the high- ly respected citizens of Rice county. where he has made his home for seventeen years, having located within its borders in 188.4, at which time he took up his abode in At- lanta township.

Mr. Wohlford is a native of Ohio, his birth having occurred in Knox county, near Mt. Vernon, on the Ist of August. 1850, and he is a son of George and Priscilla (Stohl) Wohlford. The father was a na-

In his early boyhood George W. Wohl- ford took his place in the fields to assist in the work of plowing, planting and harvest- ing. Lessons of industry and integrity were early instilled into his mind. and thus the foundation for an upright character was laid. His literary training was received in the public schools of Ohio. As usual with young men when they start out in life for themselves he sought a companion and help- mate for the journey through life. and on the 17th of April. 1873. was united in mar- riage to Miss Lavina Daub, whi was hern in Knox county, Ohio, a daughter of Vierge Daub. whose birth occurred in Germany, in 1811, and he was of German lineage. In an early day he removed to Pennsylvania, and there married Miss Mary Burt, also a na- tive of Germany, her girlhood days, how- ever. being partly passed in Pennsylvania. She died at the age of fifty-eight years, and Mr. Daub departed this life in Knox county, Ohio, when seventy-six years of age. Throughout his business career he carried on agricultural pursuits and was an indus-

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trious man of sterling worth. In his re- ligious views he was a Lutheran and in po- litical belief was a Democrat. Mr. and Mrs. Daub had a family of ten children, namely : Elizabeth, deceased: Mrs. Catherine Haz- lett, of Knox county, Ohio: John, who died in that county : Mrs. Margaret Spearman, a resident of Knox county ; Mrs. Mary Tilton, who is living in the same county : Mrs. Sa- rah Ferguson, of Rice county, Kansas : George and Fred, who make their home in Knox county; and Mrs. Amanda Feren- Laugh, now deceased.

Mr. and Mrs. Wohlford began their do- mestic life in the Buckeye state and re- tained their residence in Knox county until 1884, when they came to Kansas, locating on a tract of land of one hundred and sixty acres, which he still owns. In his farming operations he was very successful, and as his financial resources increased lie added to his property until he now owns four hundred acres of valuable land. His farm is improved with two good residences, two barns. feed lots, windmills and every acces- sory found upon a model farm. There is an attractive grove, good meadow and pas- ture lands and rich fields of grain. For some time Mr. Wohlford was successfully engaged in the raising or stock, making a specialty of cattle and horses. In 1898, however, he put aside the busy cares of the farm and removed to Lyons, where he is now living in quiet retirement.

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A biographical history of central Kansas, Vol. II, Part 94

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