USA > Kansas > Brown County > Annals of Brown County, Kansas : from the earliest records to January 1, 1900 > Part 53
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RESERVE STATE BANK.
The bank of Reserve was chartered May 15th 1898 with a capital stock of $6,000. J. M. Hillyer, Elliot Irvin, A. Leigh, Irvin Willey and J. M. Clark formed the first board of trustees. J. M. Hillyer was elected presi- dent and Horace Rupert cashier. Horace Rupert has since succeeded J. M. Clark as a director. This is the only change in the directorship of the bank since its organization. The bank owns its own brick building and is well equipped for handling the business of the prosperous community.
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ANNALS OF BROWN COUNTY.
WILLIS STATE BANK.
The Willis State Bank is now in the second year of its history. It is owned by the business men of Willis and the farmers of the locality. N. M. Johnson, one of the pioneers and an extensive land owner is the presi- dent, Neils Hanson, a wealthy and well known Mission township farmer is the vice president and w. O. Johnson, son of the president, and a graduate of Leland Stanford University is the casnier.
THE STATE BANK OF EVEREST.
The State Bank of Everest is the youngest bank in the county. It was chartered June 23rd 1898 with Owen Jones, sr , O. R. Jones, G. A. Jones, D. E. Jones and R. C. Jones as directors. Owen Jones, sr., a pioneer and suc- cessful farmer and stock raiser is the president of the bank. His son R. C. Jones is cashier and his wife Mrs. D. E. Jones is the vice president. The bank has recently moved into its new quarters in the fine two-story 23x80 pressed brick building which it owns, where it is abundantly fixed to supply Everest and vicinity with the necessary banking facilities.
THE BANK OF POWHATTAN.
The Bank of Powhattan was chartered January 25th, 1897. Jesse Fletcher, a prosperous Walnut Township farmer was president. S. M. Adams, a prosperous Powhattan Township farmer was vice-president and C. O. Dimmock of Hiawatha was cashier. The other members of the Board of Directors were Dr. G. B Calnan, Jacob Shaner, L. B. Purkheiser and J. H. Kinnear. A year later Mr. Dimmock sold his stock to Fred E. Graham who succeeded him as cashier. The bank has a capital stock of $10,000 and owns its own building, a substantial brick structure.
THE FARMERS BANK OF MORRILL.
The Farmers Bank of Morrill was established in March 1885 and com- menced business May 1st of the same year, with a capital of $25,000,00. The stock is almost entirely owned by the founders of the bank or by their heirs.
The first officers were C. H. Janes, President; (teo. R. T. Roberts, Vice President; L. Hesseltine, Cashier. Mr. Janes retained the office of presi- dent until shortly before his death, when Geo. R. T. Roberts was elected president and John Lanning (also one of the organizers and founders) was elected vice president. Mr. Hesseltine resigned to become identified with The Citizens State Bank, Sabetha, and was succeeded by S. W. Moore. W.
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ANNALS OF BROWN COUNTY.
S. Willard was made cashier when Mr. Moore became County Treasurer. The present cashier, F. J. Roberts has been with the bank eleven years of the sixteen years of its existence, and is one of its directors. G. Keplinger has been connected with the bank nearly six years.
Of the seven directors Geo. R. T. Roberts, John Lanning, E. B. McKim, Henry Stafford, Wm. Bealey and S. R. Myers number among the earliest settlers of the state, and are weil known substantial farmers. Wm. Rea- ley, while not the first of the above to settle in Kansas, tended stock for E. N. Morrill, on the present site of The Morrill & Janes Bank.
This bank was the third bank to organize in Brown County and has enjoyed a constantly increasing business, has paid regular dividends be- sides accumulating a surplus and undivided profits account exceeding one- fifth of the capital. Its statement for January 1st, 1901 shows: capital $25,000.00; Surplus, $3,475.00; Undivided Profits, $3,311.69; Deposits, $94,- 041.08; Total $125,827.77.
THE BANK OF HAMLIN.
The Bank of Hamlin was chartered June 17th, 1889 with a capital stock of $50,000. E. Berkley, R. P. Smith, John Sterns, Peter Pfeiffer, E. C. Blanchard, Jesse Wallace, G. W. Robbins, L. Argo and F. J. Smith were the first Board of Directors. Elias Berkley was elected president, R. P. Smith, vice president aud G. R. Timms, cashier. Timms served as cashier for about two years when he was suceeeded by W. S. Williard who was in turn succeeded by H. B. Willard.
On January 20, 1897 the bank'reorganized with a capital stock of $6500. Peter Pfeiffer became president, G. W. Robbins, vice president and Elias Berkley retired as president to take the position of cashier. R. C. Berkley was elected assistant cashier. The present Board of Directors are Peter Pfeiffer, L. Argo, Jesse Wallace, E. C. Blanchard, John Sterns, F. J. Smith, G. W. Robbins, E. Berkley and R. C. Berkley. The bank owns its own building and is well equipped for handling the business of its locality.
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ANNALS OF BROWN COUNTY.
PIONEERS OF BROWN COUNTY.
Captain John Schilling.
ness in Hiawatha. In 1870 this firm was changed to J. Schilling & Co.,
In all the long list of Brown Coun- and later to J. Schilling & Bro. In ty pioneers, who have done some- 1882 Mr. Schilling disposed of his in thing to make them remembered, terest in the mercantile business to there are none better known than his brother Adam Schilling and be- Capt. John Schilling. These Annals came president of the Union Loan record the fact that for more than & Trust Co., from which he retired in forty years he has been one of the 1892 and returned to his fine country active forces in the county and has home south of the city of Hiawatha figured prominently in business, in where he now lives to enjoy the com- forts of a successful business career. public enterprises and in politics.
Politics has always been Captain
He was born in Germany near Bingen on the Rhine, Jan. 1st 1837. Schilling's delight and recreation. He attended school in his native Very few Republican conventions land until 1848 when the German have been held in Brown county Revolution drove his parents from since the war in which he has not the Fatherland and they came to only been a delegate but one of the Hudson, N. Y where they made controlling forces. For a number of their home until 1851 when they years he was chairman of the ounty moved to Kalamazon, Michigan. committee and in 1881 the conven- Here young Schilling continued his tion was so well pleased with his education in the common schools of remarks in opening the convention New York and Michigan On the that it decided to adopt his speech in 6th day of March 1857 John Schilling lieu of a platform. He has also been settled in Brown county and pre- a delegate to more Republican state empted a claim one half mile south conventions than any man in the of what is now Hiawatha. In No- county and Nchilling of Brown coun- vember of that year he was married ty is known all over the state.
to Susan Meisenheimer, a daughter of Martin Meisenheimer, who was a ling was a member of the school so dier under Napolean at the battle board of Hiawatha. In 1876 he was of Waterloo in 1815, but then a appointed County Commissioner to Brown county pioneer. fill the vacancy caused by the death
For twenty-one years Capt. Schil-
When the war broke ont Mr. Schil of Captain A. Walters and for four ling enlisted and was elected as cap. years was chairman of the board o tain of Company I of the 13th Kan commissioners He was also the sas. He served to the end of the first Mayor of Hiawatha. In 1880 he war and was with the 13th Kansas was elected a presidential elector in all its important engagements in- and cast his vote for Jas. A. Garfield cluding the battle of Prairie Grove, and Chester A. Arthur. In 1882 he Ark. At the close of the war Capt. was electen a member of the state Schilling established the firm of legislature. In 1888 he was elected Schilling and Meisenbeimer and com. to the state senate from the district mnceed a general merchandise busi- composed of Brown and Doniphan
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countles. In 1896 he was a delegate bridges. There are very few Brown to the National Convention at St. County bridges of any importance Louis which nominated Wm. Mc- and not many of the good buildings Kinley for president. which do not bear his Imprint.
Captain Schilling Is an earnest and enthusiastic Mason. "He is a mem- ber of Hiawatha Lodge No. 35. . a charter member of Mt. Horeb Chap- ter No. 46, R. A. M. and a charter member and Past Eminent Com- mander of Hlawatha Commandery No. 13 Knights Templar. He is also a member of Diamond Lodge Knights of Pythias and Hiawatha Post 130 G. A. R.
Captain Schilling's family consists of five sons and two daughters. The oldest son Simon dled a few years ago in Marshall county. Jacob G and Martin V. are prosperous Brown County farmers. Albert J. resides at Leavenworth and has a lucrative position with the Missouri Valley Bridge Co. William, the youngest son and the two daughters, Anna and Ella reside with their father.
Gregory Amann.
Gregory Amann has enjoyed the distinction for years of having lived on the townsite of Hlawatha longer than any other man. The town was laid out in 1857 and Mr. Amann loca- ted bere thatsameyear Mr. Amnann was born in Wurtenberg, Germany November 17, 1835 and learned his trade as a carpenter aud bridge builder in his native land. In 1853 he came to America and worked at bridge bullding on the railroads in Kentucky. In 1855 he came to Leaven. worth and in 1857 to Brown County . He took up a claim, on Mulberry Creek In Walnut Township but con- tinuing to work at his trade .- That
In 1861 Mr. Amann wanted to enlist in a Kansas regiment but there be- ing no Kansas regiments recruiting just then he walked to St. Joe and enlisted in Company E of the Twen- ty-Fifth Missouri. He was mustered out after six months' service and re- turned to Hiawatha but later was enrolled in the state militia and helped repell the Price Raid.
In addition to being the oldest settler in Hiawatha Mr. Amann en. joys the distinction of being a met- ber of the first petit jury ever drawn in the county; the first initiate of a Masonic lodge in the county and a member of the first city council of Hiawatha. He has served the city three years as mayor being elected the first time in 1873, again in 1882 and again in 1883 and is now and has been for some years, a mem- ber of the Hiawatha Board of Edu- cation. He is a Mason and. belongs to the Hiawatha Lodge, Mt. Horeb Chapter and Hlawatha Commandry. He is also a member of Hiawatha Post of the Grand Army.
Mr. Amann was married in 1867 to Mrs. Ella Warnake and they have three children-Horace who is asso- ciated with his father in the hard- ware business under the firm name of G. Amann & Son, Herman who is with the firm of Blish, Mize & Silliman of Atchison and Klara who is book keeper and stenographer in the DEMOCRAT office.
Hartwin R. Dutton.
Among the earliest and cleverest of same year he located at Hiawatha Brown County politicians stands H. and for more than forty years has R. Dutton. He was born in Alle- been busy putting up buildings and ghany County New York July 20,
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ANNALS OF BROWN COUNTY.
1824. By profession he was a civii did Morrill and Hoover and that engineer and early in the fifties came this was the reason that Hiawatha to Iowa to practice his profession. won over Carson. Finishing his work there he joined Politically Dutton was' what is the crowd that was headed for Kan- now called "a slick man." He was sas and reached Brown County in a member of the last Territorial leg- 1857. Here he commenced to specu- islature being elected November 8, late in land warrants, townlots, etc. 1859. Under the first election under
JOHN D. WELTMER
He laid out the town of Hiawatha the constitution he was elected to and was president of the town com- the state senate from the district pany. In 1857 he engineered the deal composed of the counties of Atchison which made Hiawatha the county and Brown. John A. Martin was seat. Speaking of this W. W. Guthrie, his collegue. Wm. Tholen who was who knew all about the matter, says elected state treasurer did not quali- that Dutton knew how to place fy and in March 1861 Dutton was town lots to better advantage than appointed by Gov. Robinson to fill
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ANNALS OF BROWN COUNTY.
the vacancy. At the next election served with it as Orderly Sergeant he was elected to serve out the term. to the end of the war. When he was Just before his term of office expired mustered out he returned to his he left the state and went to Chicago Brown county farm where he con- where he secured the agency for a to reside until about 1890 when he life Insurance company. He died moved to Hiawatha. Here he died near Zanesville, Ohio November 12, in 1892 and was buried in the Hia- 1883 and was buried by the Knight watha cemetery. Mr. Chase was an Templars. original member of the first Metho-
Thurston Chase.
It will probably always be a first jury summoned in the county. mooted question as to who was He was married four times and a the first white settler in Brown number of his children still reside in
county. For years it was supposed to be Thurston Chase although there is evidence now to show that a party of Powhattan settlers beat him In about thirty days. On May
Brown county.
-
John D. Weltmer.
John D. Weltmer, the present coun- 11th 1854 he took up a claim on the ty clerk, is not only a pioneer but he southwest quarter of 11 3-18. Presi- is a Brown County product as well. dent Pierce had not yet signed the He was born November 19, 1859 in act organizing the territories of Walnut Creek Township, now Ham- Kansas and Nebraska. In February lin Township, and is a son of Jacob 1855 Mr. Chase brought his family and Elizabeth Weltmer, who were here from Missouri. This claim he among theearliest of Brown County's sold the next year and bought one settlers. Mr. Weltmer received a northwest of Hiawatha. He was a good common school education and free state man and canvassed the then started to teaching. For ten years he taught in the Brown Coul- ty schools, three of them being in his own home district. For four con-
county during the border ruffian trouble with a free soll petition which was forwarded to President Buchanan. At the breaking out of secutive terms he was elected trustee the rebellion he took a party of of Hiawatha Township giving uni- versal satisfaction to the people of twenty-five men to St. Joe where' they enlisted in the Wis ouri militia, the Township. At the Republican Mr. Chase being elected second lieu- primaries In 1899 he received the nom- tenant of the company. In the ination for County Clerk and at the spring of 1862 he returned and help election following was elected to recruit Company H. of the 13th Kan- that office by a majority of 1034 over sas and came within two votes of his fusion opponent. He is a mem- being elected captain of the Com- ber of Hamlin lodge A. F. & A. M. pany. He served as a private in and Oak Leaf Camp of i. W. A. this Company for about three He was married August 17, 1882 to months when he was discharged Miss Hattie Moore, daughter of Dr. on account of sickness. Upon his re- E. W. Moore formerly of Hamlin. covery be helped recruit Company H. Their family consists of three sons, of the 14th Kansas Cavalry and Luther, aged 18, Frank, aged 13, Ivan,
dist Church in the county, a member
of the first school board organized
in the county and a member of the
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ANNALS OF BROWN COUNTY.
aged 3 and a daughter, Nellie, aged 8. Both Mr. and Mrs. Weltmer are members of the Christian Church at Hlawatha.
H. M. Robinson.
On April 1st 1858 H. M. Rob- inson located in Hiawatha and started a harness shop on the ground where C. H. Lawrence's brick building now stands, the family living up- stairs. When the Brown County Union was started it had its office in the same building with Mr. Robinson's shop. This building burned down on January 3rd 1862. He was elected constable of Irving township, which then in- cluded Hiawatha, in 1860, was deputy sheriff under J. H. Schenck and I. B. Hoover and was elected sheriff in 1863 and re-elected in 1865. After leaving the sheriffs office he worked for W. B. Barnett in the store and in the county treasurers office for a year or so and then in the summer of 1869 went to the Montana silver mines. Abraham Leigh. In February 1870 he was made agent of the St. Joe and Denver City rail- way and on the 22nd day of that month opened the station at Robin- son. Soon afterwards he was trans- fered to Hiawatha where he acted as agent for fourteen years. On retireing as agent he was put at the head of the freight department which posi- tion he continues to hold. Mr Rob- inson is a Mason belonging to Hia- watha lodge, Mount Horeb Chapter pioneer. He was educated at High- and Hiawatha Commandry. He is now Recorder of the Commandry a position he has held for the past four years.
Moses P. Proctor.
On March 20th 1855 Moses P. Proc tor took a claim in Mission town- ship, made the foundation for a cab- in, broke some ground and returned to Missouri for the winter. On April 10th 1856 he returned with his family, consisting of his wife, his three boys, Washington, William and John and his daughter Matilda who in Novem- ber of that year became Mrs. Thurs- ton Chase. Mr. Proctor was born in Madison county, Kentuchy In the year 1800 and resided there until 1850 when he came to Holt county, Missouri. He was a strong Demo- crat and had been a slave holder in Kentucky but he wanted to see Kansas a free state and cast his lot with that party. In September 1857 he was nominated for county treasurer hy the Free State Conven- tion at Hiawatha and was elected, being the first elective treasurer of the county. Owing to ill health he resigned in December of that same year, Later he moved to Doniphan county where he died in the fall of 1871 having burst a blood vessel while loading a load of wood.
High up on the list of successful physicians and Surgeons of North-' eastern Kansasistands the name of Dr. A. Leigh of Hiawatha. He was born in Holt county, Mo., January 12th 1849 and is the oldest son of Dr. Jonathan Leigh and Salina Brown Leigh. A. Leigh was seven years old when the family moved to Iowa Point, Kansas so that he is a Kansas
land University where he received the degree of Master of Arts. After leaving school he clerked for seven years in his father's general merchan-
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ANNALS OF BROWN COUNTY.
dise store in Highland. He then for three years. He returned to served for two years and a half as Kansas in 1885 and located at Hia- foreman with Pennick & Loving, watha where he has a very extensive wholesale druggists of St. Joe. He and successful practice. His special- then returned to Highland and read ty is the treatment of the diseases of medicine in his father's office. His the eye, ear and surgery. first course of lectures was in the Dr. Leigh belongs to the Masonic Physicians and Surgeons College in fraternity being a member of the
DR. A. LEIGH.
Keokuk, Iowa. From there he went lodge, the chapter and a past emi- to Rush Medical College in Chicago nent commander of Hiawatha Com- from which institution he was grad- mandry No. 13 Knights Templar. He uated in the class of 1874. After he is a member of the State Medical So- graduated he opened an office in ciety, the Doniphan and Brown Coun- Highland where he practiced for ten ty Medical Societies and of the Royal years when he removed to Chicago Microscopic Society of London, Eng- where he conducted a city practice land.
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ANNALS OF BROWN COUNTY.
Dr. Leigh was married In 1876 to for about two years and about the Miss Nancy G. Bailey, daughter of last of June 1858, moved to Kansas Phillip and Nancy Bailey of Worth- "Territory" and arrived in Brown Ington Mass. Their family consists of county, and pre-empted and entered two children, a daughter and a son. from the United States Government The daughter, Bessie, is a graduate the quarter section of land that is of the Hiawatha Academy and the now the family homestead. In 1862 Boston School of Expression and is and 1863 he served in the Second
now the Professor of Elocution and English History in Buchanan College at l'roy, Mo. Warren, the son, is a student at the Hiawatha Academy. Dr. and Mrs. Leigh have one of the most pleasant and attractive homes in the city and their hospitality is proverbial.
T. J. Marion.
Mr. Thos. J. Marion the present County Surveyor of Brown county is a native of Essex County, Eng- land and about January 1st 1849, having finished his education at the Manchester Grammar School and like most English boys raised in a seaport town, being anxious to "go to sea" and roam, he shipped as a sailor on the "London" one of SANDERS-COSTIQUE Grinnell's "Swallow Tail" line of Packet ships and after a rough T. J. MARION. voyage of fifty-four days arrived at Nebraska Cavalry in General Sully's
New York, and then immediately re- shipped as a sailor on the bark famous fighting brigade consisting of the Second Nebraska and Sixth, "Gertrude" and landed at Mobile, Iowa Cavalry and fought at the Alabama on April ist where, having battle of White Stone on September 3rd 1863, when the muderous Sioux Indians who had massacred so many settlers in Minnesota in 1862 under their war chief "Little Crowe," were entirely defeated and all their tured and burned. After being hon- fully mastered civil engineering 10 the old country, he immediately se- cured employment on the preliminary survey of the Alabama and Tennessee River Railroad in which employment and in civil engineering in the drain- teepies, tents and plunder was capt- age of swamp lands and rice planta- tions in Louisiana and Mississippi he orably discharged with his regiment continued until May 1856 when he by reason of expiration of term of married and immediately started service, he served in the White Cloud with his wife to Kansas "Territory" Company, Doniphan County Regi- but stopped on his way, and taught ment of Kansas State Militia in the school in Andrew county, Missouri "Price Raid" and assisted in prevent-
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ANNALS OF BROWN COUNTY.
ing the"threatened rebel invasion of is a member of the Methodist Episco- Kansas. In 1873 he was employed pal church and a charter member of on the United States Survey in the White Cloud lodge A. F and A. M. then unorganized territory of south- west Nebraska. Mr. Marion has James Buchanen for President.
Mr. Fraley cast his first vote for He been elected and re-elected several was a free state man however and terms to the office of County Survey . so voted for Abe Lincoln in 1860. He or of Brown county which position voted for Lincoln again in 1864 and he now fills.
for Gen. Grant the first time he ran
Our respected fellow citizens of for the presidency. He returned to Hiawatha, Mr. George Seaman and h's first love, the Democratic party, Mr. Stephen Hunter were comrades in 1872 and has voted that ticket
with Mr. Marion in the Second Ne- braska Cavalry, and with him, served in that regiment all through that Sioux Indian campaign.
'Morris Fraley.
There are few, if any men, now liv- I ing who can claim any longer resi- dence in Brown county than Morris Fraley of Irving township. Mr Fra- ley was born in Montgomery county New York, Jan. 16, 1837 and lived in his native state until 1842 when he came to Holt county Mo., where he worked at the carpenter trade. In the fall of 1856 he became a resident of Brown county and located a claim on the north-east quarter of section 29, township 1. range 18 which place he still owns. The records show but one transfer, that of James Buchan- en to Morris Fraley. In 1857 he re- moved to White Cloud where he re- MORRIS FRALEY. mained for three years and then re- ever since. He has never taken an turned to Brown county where he active part in politics and aside from farmed for two years and then re- the fact that he has been a member turned to White Cloud where he re- of the school board almost contin- sided for five years working at his uously for forty years, has never trade and freiguting across the plains. held office. Mr. Fraley was married He then returned to the Brown coun- Jan. 12th 1860 at Council Bluffs, Iowa ty farm where he has since resided. to Miss JJennie Mawhenny, a native During the war he enrolled as a of West Virginia. Mrs. Fraley died member of Company C of the 9th reg- in 1887 and two years later Mr. Fra- iment of Kansas inilitia and served ley was married again to Miss Mar- until the close of the war when he tha Dickson a native of Scotland. was discharged at White Cloud. He Six children have been born to the
DR. LEE ROY YATES. (Page 477.)
T-R.ENG.CO.K.C.
JOSEPH D HARDY. ( Page 429. )
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ANNALS OF BROWN COUNTY.
second marriage; Jennie, James, year a Farmers' Convention was Emery, Lester, Nye and Mabel. Mr. held at the court house and a county Fraley owns 240 acres of Brown ticket was nominated. Mr. Hardy county land ali enclosed and under a was nominated for the legislature high state of cultivation with a fine and at the following election re- supply of pure water, large orchard celved 922 votes as against 467 for his and other fine improvements. He is Republican opponent, J. G. Spencer. a stockholder and one of the promo- He was unanimously renominated ters of the Brown county Fair Asso- by the Reform party two years later ciation and ranks as one of Brown and although he lead his ticket by county's most progressive and suc- more than 100 votes was defeated by cessful farmers. M. C. Willis, the Republican candi- date, the vote standing Hardy 641, Willis 699. In 1887 Mr. Hardy was Joseph D. Hardy. nominated by the Democrats for the legislature and made the race for the
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