USA > Kansas > Brown County > Annals of Brown County, Kansas : from the earliest records to January 1, 1900 > Part 55
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441
ANNALS OF BROWN COUNTY.
one year in Holt County. In 1856 he- Hobbs, a native of Missouri. Five crossed the river into Kansas Terri- sons and three daughters were born tory and became one of the original to them. The oldest son, Edward, settlers of White Cloud. He resided is a prosperous farmer and breeder near here until the spring of 1861, of fine Durham cattle and lives on when he moved to Walla Walla Val- the old homestead in Irving town- ley, In Washington Territory, where ship. Frank Is the cashier of the he resided until 1867 when he re- Bank of Robinson and William is his turned to Brown County and settled assistant. This is recognized as one In Irving township. Here he resided of the strong, well managed finan- until his death which took place clal institutions of Brown County Nov. 10, 1895.
and is deservedly popular with the
He was a successful farmer and people of Robinson and vicinity. business man and his fine farm of Raymond, the youngest son, is a 320 acres was one of the best in the resident of Saratoga, Wyo., where county and was well and carefully he is engaged in the lumber business. stocked with high grade animals.
Luemma, the eldest daughter, was the wife of Granville Arnold of White
In 1890 Mr. Idol in connection with his son Frank and J. N. Mills start- Cloud. She has been dead a number ed the Bank of Robinson. In 1895, of years. The second daughter, when the bank Incorporated as a Flora, is the wife of Dr. E. N. Wilson, state bank, he was elected its vice a prominent physician of Los An- president and held this office until geles, Cal. The third daughter, Cor- the time of his death.
della, is the wife of F. M. Pearl, the
Mr. Idol was a public spirited citi- brilliant Hiawatha lawyer. One zen and could always be counted on son, James, died In infancy. The to help along any public enterprise. boys, like their father, are all suc- In politics he was a strong Demo- cessful business men and all Demo- crat and always took an active part crats.
In his party conventions. In 1881, he was nominated for county commis- stoner and notwithstanding the fact that there was a large Republican majority In the district, he was elect- ed by a handsome majority and he was the first as well as the last com- missioner the Democrats ever elected in Brown County.
Edward is one of the largest farm- ers and stock breeders of Irving township. He makes a specialty of fine cattle and has some of the best short hornea blood In the state in his herd. He is a Mason, belonging to the White Cloud lodge, Mt. Horeb Chapter at Hiawatha and Hlawa- tha Commandry Number 13. He
Mr. Idol was a Mason, belonging was married in 1895 to Miss Ida to the lodge at White Cloud and the Weathers of Doniphan County.
Chapter and Commandry nt Hiawa
Frank is a graduate of the Gem tha. His funeral was conducted by City Business College. He has been the Knight Templars of the Hlawa- the cashler and manager of the Rob- tha Commandry, who accompanied inson Bank ever since Its organiza- the remains to their final resting tion and to his good judgment and business ability the success of the
place in White Cloud cemetery
Mr. Idol was married in 1857 in institution is largely due. He 1a Doniphan County to Miss Jane popular with the people and they
442
ANNALS OF BROWN COUNTY.
like to do business with him. He Buffalo by rail; thence by boat up has been mayor of Robinson twice, the lakes to Detroit; thencc across and has been a member of the school Michigan by rall; thence by boat to board for a number of years. In Milwaukee; and thence by wagon 1893, he was nominated by the Demo- and team to their destination. This crats for county treasurer but de- is interesting as it shows the meth- clined to make the race. He is a ods of traveling in vogue a half cen- Mason, belonging to the Robinson tury ago. In 1857 Mr. Robinson, lodge, of which he has been Master then a boy of twenty-two joined a and the Mt. Horeb Chapter at Hia- party headed for Kansas. In the watha. He was married in 1893 to party were Jesse, Sam and Thomas Miss Bessie Truex, of Robinson. Chandler and their families, making They have three children, two sons seventeen in all in the party. They and a daughter. Their home is one traveled overland to St. Joe where of the best in the city of Robinson.
they crossed the river into Kansas.
William Is the assistant cashier of Here the women and children were the Bank of Robinson. He was edu- left in camp and the men drove to cated at Ottawa University. He Claytonville the county seat of was the nominee of the fusion forces Brown County and from there start- for the legislature last year and al- ed out to look for clalins. Mr. Rob- though the county went more than inson selected his claim early in June 800 Republican, he was beaten by and he has resided on it ever since. only about 200 votes. Irving town- His place is back from the creek bot- ship, where he was born and raised, tom on the high ground and com- though Republican by forty major- mands a fine view of the country for ity, gave him a majority of forty- miles in all directions. It is fenced three and Robinson, where he has and cross fenced with hedge, has a been in business since reaching his good orchard, a commodious and majority, though Republican by six- well arranged house, a barn that ty-three gave him a majority of 130. holds fifty tons of hay, a dozen horses No stronger testimonial of his and twenty cows, a granary that popularity could be had. He is also a holds 4000 bushels of corn and 2000 Mason, belonging to the Robinson bushels of grain, a large tool shed lodge, Mt. Horeb Chapter and Hia- and numerous other improvements. watha Commandry Knights Tem- In addition to this home farm Mr. plar.
Robinson owns another weli im- proved quarter section two miles away and a quarter of well improved land in Oklahoma.
Alfonso Robinson.
Alfonso Robinson has been a resi- dent of Brown County for nearly After settling on hisclaim Mr. Rob- forty-five years. He was born in inson engaged for a time in the Franklin County, Maine February freighting business. In February 1st, 1835. When he was fifteen years 1860 he married Frances A. Chandler, old the family emigrated to Wi-cou- daughter of Thomas and Hannah sin settling in Green Lake County. Chandler.
Four daughters were The journey was made from Frank- born to them; Emily who became lin County to the sea coast by stage; the wife of Jno. Engleheart of Hia- thence to Boston by sea; thence to
watha; Hanna who became the wife
443
ANNALS OF BROWN COUNTY.
MR. AND MRS. ALFONSO ROBINSON.
of Jas Neel of Hiawatha; Ada who Alliance movement when he went became the wife of Jas. Carr of Hia- with the People's Party organiza- watha and Alice who became the tion and has since voted that ticket. wife of M. L. Robinson. Mrs. Robin- He belongs to no lodges and no son died in 1879 and in 1881 Mr. Rob- church. Inson was married to Miss Josle Butterfield, daughter of Mrs. Sarah Stephen Quaif. Butterfield of Hiawatha. Mrs Rob- inson is also a native of Maine and came to Kansas in 1863. Five chil- dren have been born to them; Sarah, now deceased, who became the wife of L. F. Hundley of Hiawatha and Frank, Dana, Alpha and Edwin.
Stephen Quaife was born in War- wickshire, England in October 1831. His first schooling was had in the vestry of the village church and one of his fellow students was the after- wards celebrated George Elliott. In 1840,4 the family emigrated to New
Mr. Robinson came to Kansas a York. Here the subject of this sketch free state man, and took an active lived until 1857, when he came to part in the early campaigns which Iowa. He staid here only one year took Brown County out of thecontrol and then pushed on to Brown Coun- of pro-slavery element. He belonged ty reaching here in June 1858. He to the state militia and helped repel worked in Highland and helped the famous Price raid. He affiliated make the brick of which the Univer- with the Republican party until the sity building is built. In the fall of
444
ANNALS OF BROWN COUNTY.
STEPHEN QUAIF.
1859, he bought the place where he now resides and moved onto it in 1861. A neatly painted sign at the front gate proclaims the fact that the place is known as "The Wal- nuts" and that its present owner, Stephen Quaife has been there since 1859. In an article of his in the Rob- inson Index some years ago, he tells how the country looked at that time. He says:
"Brown County at that time was a vast prai- rie with here and there a settler on the creeks. It seemed to be the custom of all early settlers to locate in the timber along the streams. I have seen these old fellows go through their timber and pick up bark and chips and stand them up against the trees; they thought it was too valuable to leave lying on the ground. How beautiful the country looked at that early day! Great flocks of prairie chickens would rise up as you walked along. Here and there a deer would be seen feeding along with the cattle of the pioneers. Talk about the beauty of Brown County at the present day! It can't be compared to its beauty as it looked at that
early date, fresh as it were from the hands of its Creator. The present townsite of Robinson was settled by Ira Smith. I think he repre- sented Brown County in the legislature at To- peka, though I am not sure. He lived in a double løg house that stood near where Mr. Holcomb lives. Among the early settlers that are alive and were here before I moved onto my place are Squire Martindale, Mr. Car.o.1. Harry Cheal, John Dowell, Squire Cole, 'Fon Robinson and George Norton; the latter was a small boy at that time. The first town of Rob- inson was a half mile south of the present site. It was laid out by Capt. O. H. McCau- ley and, I think, Mr Ellis.
The first store I remember of was kept by Sam Moorehead and his partner Sam Moore. The mail was brought on a buckboard from Hiawa- tha via Claytonville and Robinson to Atchison. I remember how we used to gather at the post- office and watch for the mail. How we would watch for the two horses to show their heads on the hill south of town. Sometimes we would be disappointed as it would turn out to be some farmer's team coming to town. Then We would go home to return another day.
The first school kept in Brown county was a mile due south of my place on what is known as the Krey farm; the teacher's name was Shields, of H ghlani. The school house was built of logs. There was a graveyard laid out near the schoolhouse and quite a number were buried there. They have all been taken up and moved away to other cemeteries.
The first school in Robinson township that'I recollect of was a subscription school kept in a log house on what is called the Jordan farm just east of the Dan Williams place. The teacher's name was Nancy Middleton. There wasn't a whole book in the school, the chil- dren had to use the books that their parents used when they went to school. The seats were cottonwood slabs that the early settlers con- tributed "
Mr. Quaif was married April 17, 1859 to Miss Mary Ellen Abrams, daughter of Henry Abrams, who came to Kansas in 1854. They have raised a family of five children. Effie, born in 1868, Walter born in 1871, Stanton, born in 1873, Asa born in 1876 and Charlie born in 1890. The daughter is the wife of C. J. Goodrich, a teacher in the govern- ment school for Indians at Walters, Cal. The boys, Walter, Stanton
GEORGE J. ENGLEHART.
GEORGE H. NORTON.
445
ANNALS OF BROWN COUNTY.
HENRY H. NORTON.
and Asa are industrious young farm- Ike Selleg as members of this band ers who own their lands adjoining which no doubt was the first of 1ts the old homestead. Charlie, the kind in the country. The band went youngest, is still at home.
with the company in the spring of
When Capt Lacock organized his 1861, when it went to Holton to at- company of state militia, he found tend the organization of the 3rd reg- that Mr. Quait was a musician and iment and attracted a good deal of sent for him to come and drill a fife attention.
In August 1862, Mr. Quaif enlisted
and drum corps for him. Mr. Quaif remembers Worth Babbitt, Albert in Company H of the 13th Kansas, Meisenheimer, Frank Chandler and and was made musician for the com-
446
ANNALS OF BROWN COUNTY.
pany. He was the only man in the until 1857 when they came to Kansas regiment who was a muslelan and and pre-empted a claim in Hlawa- be trained and had the charge of the tha township. Mr. Norton died in regimental band. He served until 1867 and Mrs. Norton in 1901. They the close of the war, taking part in raised a family of five children. the various services of the regiment. Amella E., the oldest, was born in
Mr. Quaif was raised an Episco- Saquoit. New York Feb. 6, 1845. She pallan but joined the Methodists dur- became the wife of Lieutenant Dud- ing his stay in Iowa and has since ley Sawyer. Eliza was born Nov. 9, affiliated with that church. He is 1846. George Henry was born at a strong Republican, having voted Paris, N. Y., May 19, 1849 and is the that ticket without a break from only one of the family now living. Fremout to Mckinley. He belongs Frank Lowell was born April 6, to the G. A. R. Post at Robinson 1852 and died at Hiawatha in 1900. but has no other lodge affiliations. Dibell Wright was born April 29, Last year he was elected Justice of 1861 and died at Hiawatha in 1901. the Peace for Robinson township, the only office he has ever heid. He has not had a case in his court since his election and thinks the boys played a good joke on him when they elected him.
Henry H. Norton.
Various motives prompted men who came to Kansas in the ter- ritorlai days. The great majority of them came simply to make a home, some came to help establish the institution of slavery here and others came with the avowed pur- pose of helping to make Kansas a free state. Henry H. Norton be- longed to this last class. He was born in New York, Dec. 24, 1823. His father, Dennis Norton, was born
Mr. Norton was an educated man and took a great interest in educa- tional matters. He was the moving spirit in the organization of a school district in his neighborhood in 1860 and was the first clerk of the district. He was an aggressive free state man and was often threatened by the the pro-slavery element for his utter- ances. He believed in fighting the battle in the open and was never a promoter of the underground rail- way. He was only 47 at the time of his death but had lived to see not only Kansas a free state but slavery wiped out of existence in this gov- ernment.
Geo. H. Norton.
Geo. H. Norton, the well known in England and on coming to Amer- Hiawatha township farmer and ica affiliated with the Democratic stock raiser waseight years old when party. Henry did not follow in his his father, Henry H. Norton, pre- footsteps but became a black aboli- empted his claim in Hiawatha town- tionist. He believed thoroughly ship. This was in June, 1857. The that slavery was wrong and he did family came from New York, where not hesitate to make known his be- George was born, May 19,1849. He was liefs. He was married in Columbus the oldest son and the conspicuous County, New York Oct. 21, 1843 to part his father played during the Hannah Dibell, also a native of New free state troubles brought him into York state. They lived in New York frequent contract with the pro-slav
447
ANNALS OF BROWN COUNTY.
ery men and left a vivid recollection of the school board in his district. of these times on his mind. His fath- In 1893 he was elected trustee of H!a- er was an educated man and wanted watha township by a good substan- to give his children all the advant- tial majority. He has always been ages of the schools that he could. a stalwart Republican and could He was instrumental in the organi- have had all kinds of favors at the zation of School District No.6, Dutch hands of his party had he desired Bellvue, as it is called. The pioneers them. He believes thoroughly in the met out on the prairie behind a hay- educational value of the Farmers' stack out of the wind and organized Institute and always takes an active the district. Henry Norton was elect- part In its programn. He is a Mason ed clerk and rode through the dis- belonging to the Hiawatha Lodge, triet and solicited help from the farm- No. 35, A. F. & A. M., but has no ers to get out the logs for the school other lodge affiliations.
house. When all was in readiness the
Mr. Norton was married on March whole neighborhood turned out 26, 1878, to Miss Luella J. White, and helped put up the building, fin- daughter of Len T. White, of Hia- ishing up the day's work with a watha. Four children have been dance at the Norton Cabin that born to them. The oldest daughter, night. In this school house George Nora, is the wife of Truman Jacques, received his education, attending and the second daughter, Beryl, is school in the winter and working ou the wife of Lewis A. Day, two ener- the farm, summers. His father died getic farmers of Hiawatha township. in 1867, before the pioneer days were The son, Walter L., is dead. The hardly over, and the cares and re- youngest daughter, Florence, is a sponsibilities of the family were school girl and lives with her par- Shitted ou his young shoulders. This ents.
task he faithfully performed and he knows full well the trials and vicissi- tudes of those early pioneer days.
Noah Hanson.
Noah Hanson was born in Wind- He has also shared the rewards ham, Cumberland county, Maine, which awaited the man who had December 14th, 1814, died at Carson, faith in Kansas and stayed with her. Brown County, Kansas May 5th To-day in addition to his interest in 1899.
He came of good sturdy the old homestead which his father Quaker stock, both his father and pre-empted in 1857, he has 200 acres mother being of English descent. He of choice Brown County land which received a practical education at the he has bought and paid for out of district school and also at Alfred and his savings. A fine residence, good Parsonfield Maine Academies and at orchard, substantial buildings, well- the Friends school in Providence, fenced fields and plenty of good Rhode Island. He commenced to stock all testify to the fact that the teach when he was seventeen years place is the home of a progressive, of age and taught fifteen winters, up to date prosperous Brown County working on the farm summers.
farmer. Mr. Norton has always In 1845 he went to Portland, Me .. taken an active interest in the edu- and engaged in merchandising which cational work of his neighborhood business he followed until 1857. and for sixteen years was a member He was married in 1847 to Mary C.
448
ANNALS OF BROWN COUNTY.
NOAH HANSON.
Windslow of Windham who still sur- vives him. Five children were born to them, Howard Byron, Martha E. now a resident of Kansas City and Irving M , Walter H. and Oscar A. residents of Brown county.
Mr. Hanson was an ardent aboli- tionist and in 1857 joined a colony for Kansas. One of those of whom Whittier sung-
"They crossed the prairies as of old, The pilgrims crossed the sea
To make the west, as they the east The homestead of the free."
twenty years, the office being kept at his residence.
He helped organize the first school district in the county and was its first director and as such superin- tended the building of the first school house in the county.
In 1861 Mr. Hanson was elected a County Commissioner serving in this capacity for two years He was elected County Superintendent of School in 1864 and re-elected in 1866 and 1868. In addition to holding these offices he was trustee of Wal- uut township for seven terms.
Mr. Hanson took an active part in the Alliance movement. He was a delegate to the convention which or- ganized the People's Party in Brown county in 1890 and has participated in most all of the party conventions since that date.
Mr. Hanson has been gradually failing since January bnt the end came peacefully and quietly. The funeral services were conducted from the family residence last Sunday by Rev. L. P. Jones of the Seneca Uui- versalist church. The pall bearers were Jacob Weltmer, J. M. Boomer, A. Kesler, J. D. Haigh, Henry Staf- ord and Felix O'Neil and the remains were laid to rest in the Old Fairview cemetery-Kansas Democrat May 11, 1899.
George J. Englehart.
A history of the Brown County
Major Morrill, I. P. Winslow, J. G. Leavitt and W. G. Sargent were also pioneers would not be complete with- members of the party. They reached out a sketch of Ex-Mayor George J. Englehart of St. Joseph. He was born in Hohensultzen, Germany, Brown county early in the spring and Mr. Hanson at once pre-empted the northeast quarter of section 28 near the city of Worms, January 23, in what is now Walnut township. 1831. When he was vet an infant his
In 1859 he was appointed post- family emigrated to Ohio and settled master at Carson by President Bu- on a farm near Mansfield. Here Mr. chanan. This place he held for over Englehart lived until he was sixteen
449
ANNALS OF BROWN COUNTY.
and then he secured employment in ust of that year (1859) the free state a dry goods store in the same place. men held a convention at Hlawatha From here he went to Cincinnati, to nominate acounty ticket and made but in 1855 he caught the gold fever Mr. Englehart their nominee for and made the trip to California and County treasurer. He was elected went to work in the mines. Here and re-elected two years later serv- he staid for three years, meeting ing the county four years in this im- with success. On July 3, 1858, he portant office. During the war he took passage on the steamer Golden belonged to the Brown County Ba- Gate and one month later landed in tallion of the state militla and helped New York. For a time he worked to repel the Price raid in 1864.
ou the old home farm in Ohio and
In 1866 Mr. Englehart sold his in- then he decided to come to Kansas. terest in Brown County to his part- He made the trip by boat up the ner and went to St. Joseph, where Missouri to Iowa Point, which was he went Into the wholesale business. then the lauding place for the plo- Here he has prospered and for years neers of northeastern Kansas. Kan- he has been recognized as one of the sas City was unknown in that day foremost business men of St. Joseph. and St. Joseph gave little or no Heis a large stock holder and the promise of ever being a city. From president of the Johnston Woodburn Iowa Point, he walked out to Hla- Hat Co. and the Englehart David- watba, where his brother Jacob, had son Merchantile Co., two establish- a claim, he being the first settler in ments which do an immense busi- what is now Hiawatha township. ness. There were only a few scattering
In 1886 Mr. Englehart was nomi- houses in Hiawatha and Mr. Engle- nated by the Republicans of St. Jo- hart, with that shrewd business seph for mayor and elected by a judgment which has always charac- small majority. Two years later, he terized him, saw an opportunity for was renominated and re-elected by starting a generalstore. Hereturned one of the largest majorities ever to St. Louis in February 1859 and given a candidate in that city. In purchased a stock of goods, paying 1890 he was nominated for state sen- for them with the gold he had dug ator but declined to make the race. out of the California mines. Asso- He has been president of the St. Joe clated with him in business was his Board of Trade and is justly es- old partner in the California mines, teemed as one of the most progress- Raymond Fairchild and the firm be- ive citizens of St. Joseph.
came Englehart & Fairchild. This firm not only did a general merchau- dise business but handled grain as
Peter Pfeiffer.
In the year 1856 Peter Pfeiffer then well and Sol Miller who ran the a lad of eighteen years, came to Brown County. Forty-five years later sees him a prosperous farmer with four hundred aud tifty acres of
White Cloud Chief chronicles a ship- ment of 3,000 bushels of wheat from that firm in 1862. Mr. Englehart was an ardent free state man and at rich land in Brown County, the Pres- once took an active part in shaping ident of a bank and director in the the politics of the county. in Aug- Fair Association, president and pro-
450
ANNALS OF BROWN COUNTY.
PETER PFEIFFER.
moter of the Farmers' Institute and son in his expedition to Salt Lake a live, wide awake, public spirited and conducted the Territorial officers citizen. Mr. Pfeiffer was born in over 600 miles of roadless territory Frankfort on the Maine in Germany to Arizona. In 1865 he returned to in 1838. He came to Boston in 1854 Brown County and settled on the remaining there until the Kansas farm he now occupies.
He was married in 1865 to Mary troubles in 1856. Then he came west and cast his lot with the Free State McCoy daughter of Daniel McCoy, men of the new territory. Finding one of the pioneers who came to that he was too young to enter land Brown County In 1857. Their family he entered the employ of the govern- consists of three . children, Daniel, ment at Ft. Leavenworth as a wag- who is a ticket agent on the Penn- on master and continued in the gov- sylvania railroad; Harry, a prosper. ernment service for nine years. He ous young farmer of Hamlin and was with Gen. Albert Sydney John- Adaline, who graduated from the
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