USA > Kansas > Barton County > Biographical History of Barton County, Kansas > Part 16
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
listed September 6, 1864, in Company G. Six- teenth Iowa, known as Crocker's Iowa Bri- gade. He served until the close of the war and was mustered out July 19, 1865. He was with Sherman's Army from Atlanta to the Sea and took part in the battles of Fayetteville, Bentonville and was present at the siege of Savannah. He saw much active service during the time of his enlistment. Since coming to Barton county Mr. McGill has always taken a
great interest in affairs of a public nature and held township and school board offices as well as having been assessor for his district and justice of the peace. He is one of the men who had so much to do with the development of the county's resources and saw it grow to its high standing among the counties of the state. He came here at a time that it required men of strong nerve to combat the adverse conditions with which they had to contend.
C. B. WORDEN
T THE subject of this sketch, Chas. B. Wor- den, together with C. L. Roudebush, planted the first crop in Walnut town- ship near Albert. This was in March, 1871. The crop consisted of corn, potatoes and sorghum, and after making a nice start was destroyed by the dry weather which followed in that year. The remnants of the crop were eaten by the buffaloes which were plentiful in this county at that time. Mr. Worden was born in West Virginia January 1, 1844. He
sas; Ira L., 27 years, is an optician and jew- eler in business at Albert; Alvin H., 25 years, is in the postal service at Albert; Charles L., 17, is employed at the Mclaughlin Produce Company's establishment in Great Bend; Blanche E., 15 years, is a student in the Great Bend schools. (John W., nine months and Julia A, two years and one month, are de- ceased.)
Mr. Worden is one of the really old timers to whom this county owes its development and high standing among the best counties in the
Farm Home of C. B. Worden
came to this county in 1871 and immediately began the work of farming. He located a homestead near Albert in Walnut township. He farmed until 1910 when he sold his farm and moved to town and now occupies a nice residence at the corner of Ninth and Holland streets, in Great Bend.
He was married Dec. 15, 1875 to Miss Ada Brown of Walnut township and they are the parents of ten children as follows: Ella L., 35 years, is now Mrs. John Gallon of Great Bend; Hattie D., 34 years of age, is now Mrs. F. E. Peugh of Hoisington; Marsena L., 32 years, is farming near Albert; Alice, 28 years, is now Mrs. E. P. Cowman of Coffeyville, Kan-
State of Kansas. During his residence in this county he has served as county commissioner, and has held township and school board of- fices in the district where he lived. He is one of those hardy pioneers who reclaimed this section of the country from the buffalo and Indians and he played no small part in the early history of this county and is one of the best known men in this part of the state. He sold his farming interests when he retired but owns his residence and a number of lots and is an enterprising and progressive citizen.
Mr. Worden is a member of the Pap Thomas Post, G. A. R., Great Bend. He served almost four years in the Eighth W. Virginia Infantry,
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Company F and Seventh W. Virginia Cavalry; also in Company F. He took part in the bat- tles of Cross Keys, Freeman's Ford, White Sulphur Springs, Second Bull Run, Droop
Mountain and Lynchburg as well as others. He served three years and ten months and saw much active service in his country's de- fense.
AUGUST FENN
A MONG the well known men of Buffalo township is the subject of this sketch, August Fenn. He was born in Clinton County, Illinois September 25, 1868. He came to Barton county in 1886 at a time when this section of the state was going through some mighty hard times and it required men of strong nerve and an unflinching faith in the future to remain and develop the soil. Mr. Fenn is now farming in Buffalo township and his home place is located on the northeast quarter of section 7. He was married in 1893 to Miss Louisa Schultz and they are the par- ents of five children as follows: Lillie and Luella, twins, 18 years of age; Oscar, 13 years; Earnest, 9 years and Irene, 4 years of age. The home place has a set of good improve- ments, the residence consisting of nine rooms in addition to the bath room, closets, etc. Mr. Fenn has always maintained a good grade of live stock, both horses and cattle and in addi-
tion to his private interests has always found time to take an active part in all public mat- ters that are for the benefit of the community in which he lives. He has been a member of the school board nineteen years, has held the office of road overseer as well as other town- ship offices. A small orchard is maintained on the home place which adds greatly to its general appearance and in which a number of different kinds of fruit are raised. The resi- dence is located in a most desirable spot and is surrounded by well kept shade trees and other foliage that makes it one of the most attractive places in the township. Mr. Fenn is an enterprising and progressive citizen and enjoys a large acquaintance in all parts of Barton county. Mr. Fenn was the butter maker at the Heizer Creamery in the early days and was the first man in this part of the country to use the combined churn and when it was installed it created a great deal of favorable comment.
JOHN EVERETT
Farm Home of John Everett
O NE of the pioneers of Barton County who is still actively engaged in farming is John Everett who resides on the east half of section 9-19-14, Buffalo township. Mr. Everett was born November 12, 1842 in Put- nam county, Illinois. He came to Barton Coun- ty in 1874 and located on the southeast quar-
ter of section 9 and there erected a stone house, but not until after he had spent a long time in making preparations for the building of a home. Only the old timers know of the real conditions in those days, when it required men of strong nerve and backbone to combat the many adverse conditions with which they
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had to contend. The younger generation can learn of them only by reading. Mr. Everett came here at a time when the county necded just such men. He lived in Illinois until he came to Barton County in 1874 except for the time he spent in the army.
He enlisted in Company H, One Hundred and Fourth Illinois and served until June 5, 1864. He was in the battles of Lookout Moun- tain, Chickamauga, Kenesaw Mountain and on August 2, 1863, he was severely wounded, and saw no more service until the following Feb- ruary. He made a fine record while in the service of his country and after the close of the war he returned to his native state and farmed until 1874.
He was married March 7, 1867 to Miss Anna
M. Bothwell of LaSalle, County, Illinois, and they are the parents of three children: Cora Jane 48 years of age is now Mrs. H. J. Dukes of this county; George W., 45 years of age is on the home place as is also Oliver N. who is 42 years of age. The residence on the home place consists of seven rooms besides closets, pantries, etc. The out buildings are well built and Mr. Everett has made a specialty of rais- ing Rea Polled cattle and he always main- tains a good grade of horses and cattle. The home place is nicely located with shade and fruit trees surrounding it on all sides. Mr. Everett is one of those men to whom Barton County owes its high standing in the list of the best counties of the State of Kansas.
FRED V. AMERINE
A MONG the young farmers in Buffalo town- ship none is better known than the subject of this sketch, Fred V. Amerine. He is a son of J. W. Amerine one of the old timers of that part of Barton County. The elder Amerine farmed in this county for thirty-two years and is now farming in Kiowa county. The younger Amerine is farming 160 acres of good land in Buffalo township, six miles northwest of Great Bend. He was born January 21, 1884, in this county and has seen it grow from the hard times of the 80's to its present high standing and importance among the counties of the State of Kansas. He was married in March, 1912, to Miss Emma Bortz, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Bortz of Rush county who are also old timers of this section of the state. Mr. Amerine farms all his land himself and has a nice set of improvements
which are located in close proximity to Walnut creek, the residence and other buildings being surrounded by large, well kept shade trees which add greatly to the beauty of the home. The residence contains eight rooms, in addi- tion to the bath, closets, pantries, etc. The place is stocked with a good grade of cattle and horses although Mr. Amerine has never dealt in thoroughbred stock of any kind. He has learned by experience the best methods to use in cultivating the soil in Barton county and applies these methods in all his work. He is one of the young men who are now taking the places of the old timers and continuing the work so ably begun by them in the 70's and 80's and it is these young men who are making good progress in the work left them in bring- ing Barton County to its present high state of cultivation.
JOHN GRUBER
O N writing up the old timers of Barton Coun- ty there is none that is better or more favorably known than the subject of this sketch, John Gruber who came to this county in 1871 at a time when there were very few people but a large number of buffalo and ante- lope. Mr. Gruber is one of the old timers who upon their arrival here began their first work and made a living by hunting buffalo. Mr. Gruber located on land in Buffalo township where he still resides. He was born in Aus- tria, July 2, 1839. He was married in 1863 to Miss Katie Wilka, and they are the parents of seven children as follows: Antone, 48 years of age, is farming near the old home place on land given to him by his father; Joseph, 38 years of age, was born in this county and is living with his parents on the home place;
John, Jr., is in the automobile business' in Great Bend and is 28 years of age; Mary, 37 years, is now Mrs. E. G. Reidle of this coun- ty; Annie, 31 years of age, is now Mrs. Stan- ley Patterson; Rose, 26 years of age, is Mrs. Pearl Holmes and John, who died when he was four months of age, was the first white child born in Barton County. Mr. Gruber is one of the really old timers of this section of the state and has seen Barton County grow from an abiding place of animals and Indians to its present high state of cultivation. The home place has a fine set of improvements; the residence contains five rooms in addition to closets, pantries, etc. The barn is 20 by 30 and a two acre orchard is found near the house which bears all varieties of fruits com- mon to this part of the country. The place is
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well improved and is one of the historical spots of the county. Mr. Gruber has been a member of the school board and held other offices and is one of the county's oldest and most widely known citizens. It is to such men
as Mr. Gruber that Barton County owes its high standing among the leading agricultural sections of the world and makes it one of the best counties in the State of Kansas.
ANTON GRUBER
O NE of the men who has seen this county grow from an almost barren waste is the subject of this sketch, Antone Gru- ber. He is a son of John Gruber who located one of the first homesteads in Buffalo town- ship. Antone was born in Austria and came to this county with his parents in 1871 after having spent three years in the State of Mich- igan. When the family arrived in this coun- try Antone was seven years of age having been born in 1864. He first worked in this county helping his father hunt buffaloes, thousands of which were roaming what is now the most highly cultivated land in the county. He now farms 80 acres of land in Buffalo township on which is located his home place. He has a good set of improvements. The residence con- tains five rooms in addition to the closets, pantries, etc. The barn is 32 by 20 in dimen- sions and is arranged for taking care of a large number of head of stock. He was mar- ried in 1892 to Miss Lena Schlim who was also born in this county in Clarence township.
Her parents were also among the first perma- nent settlers in the county. They are the par- ents of three children as follows: Mary, 17 years of age and (Marguerite who died when she was seven years of age, in 1907) and an adopted boy whose name is George and is seven years of age. Mr. Gruber is one of the men who came to this county when he was yet a child and has had a great deal to do with its development and upbuilding. He has always taken an interest in public matters and has held township and school board offices at different times. He is one of the few residents of the county who can recall the days of Old Fort Zarah and who saw the buffalo when they were almost as thick as ever they were and saw them gradually disappear and make way for plowed fields and cultivated farms. His home place is located just east of his father's home and his brother who is now dead and mentioned in another part of this his- tory was the first white child born in Barton county.
FRANK P. SHAFFER
F RANK P. SHAFFER was born in Rich- land county, Ohio, in 1859 and came to Rush county, Kansas, in 1890 and has lived in the State of Kansas since that time.
He came to Barton county in 1901 and bought land in section 17 Great Bend township. He
was married in 1880 to Miss Mary Fesser in Indiana and they are the parents of four chil- dren as follows: Cora L., 31 years of age, now Mrs. James McInnes of Cokeville, Wyom- ing; Franklin A., 26 years of age, living at home as is also Paul who is 16 years of age and Mary M., 27 years of age, now Mrs. Alton Dale of this county. Mr. Shaffer has a well improved home place three miles northwest of Great Bend where he owns 320 acres of land. His residence consists of eight rooms in addi- tion to bath, closets, pantries, etc. The barn is 50 by 30 feet in dimensions, is well built and affords room for a large number of horses. Mr. Shaffer raises a variety of crops and is ably assisted in the operation of the farm by his son, Franklin A. The home place is located in one of the best parts of the county and the shade trees and other surroundings add in no small way to the general appearance of the place. Mr. Shaffer is one of the men who came to Kansas at a time when it needed farm- ers who could take the land and by well ap- plied effort make it produce crops in a way of which it was capable but needed more modern methods in its cultivation. Mr. Shaffer farms according to methods learned by experience and taking the good years with the poor ones he has succeeded in making them average with a good production of crops.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
HENRY SCHWIER
H ENRY SCHWIER is one of the old timers of this section of the state who is still engaged in farming. He was born in Prussia, January 19, 1843 and came to this country when he was eighteen years of age. He first located in Cincinnati where he re- mained for a year, after which he went to Dearborn County, Indiana, and farmed until the spring of 1878 when he came to Barton County. He had bought land the year previ-
falo township started a creamery at Heizer in the early days and later started one at Larned in 1898. It was consolidated with the one that was in operation at Great Bend, and the out- come of this was the now famous Merritt- Schwier Creamery Company which is one of the largest institutions of the kind in this part of the country. Mr. Schwier's home is well improved and he is one of the men who had so much to do with the development of
Farm Home of Henry Schwier in 1885
ous and now owns 560 acres all of which is being worked by renters. He was married in September, 1866 to Miss Elmira Lempe and they are the parents of four children: Dollie, 44 years of age is now Mrs. D. C. Merhoff of this county; William, 42 years of age, is at Larned where he is interested in the Merritt- Schwier Creamery Co; Lizzie, 40 years of age, is now Mrs. John Hiss of Great Bend and Sophia is now Mrs. Frank Trauer. Mr. Schwier and his son William, with the farmers of Buf-
that section of the county in which he lives. The residence contains seven rooms and the closets and pantries. The barn is 54 by 56 feet and the other outbuildings are well built and commodious. Mr. Schwier has always found time to take an active part in public affairs and served his district as county commissioner for two terms, an office in which he made a good record. He has also held township and school board offices and is an enterprising and progressive citizen.
EDWARD GRANT BUCKLAND
E DWARD GRANT BUCKLAND, a former resident of this county is now living at Washington, D. C. At least he spends a large part of his time in the Capital city. He is vice-president of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad and maintains offices at Washington, D. C, New York City, New Haven, Conn., and Providence, R. I. He was born at Buffalo, N. Y., December 31, 1866. His parents were Andrew J. Buckland and Julia Turner Buckland. The latter died in 1869. Mr. Buck- land came to Barton County with his father and three sisters, May 26, 1872. He lived in Great Bend until 1887. In September 1882 he
went to Topeka where he attended Washburn College. He graduated from that institution in 1887. He then went to New Haven where he entered the Yale Law School in the autumn of 1887 and graduated in 1889. He became an instructor and later assistant-professor in the law school and in Yale College, at the same time being engaged in the general practice of law with the firm of Townsend & Watrous, afterwards Watrous & Buckland. June 21, 1898, he was appointed attorney for the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Com- pany with offices at Providence, R. I. He re- mained there until January 1, 1904 when he
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returned to New Haven as attorney for the road and located at its main office. January 1, 1906 he was appointed vice-president of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Com- pany and again moved to Providence, R. I, where he represented that company's steam railroad, street railway and steamship inter- ests. On March 1, 1910, he again returned to New Haven as a general executive, vice-presi-
dent of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad Company. He now has offices in Providence, R. I., New Haven, Conn., New York City and Washington, D. C., and repre- sents the company's interests. He was mar- ried to Sally Tyler Clark of New Haven, Conn., June 21, 1898. They have two sons and two daughters. The family residence is at New Haven, Conn.
FRANK MERTEN
Farm Home of Frank Merten
F RANK MERTEN was born in Keokuk County, Iowa, February 28, 1870, and came to this county with his parents when he was six years of age. He now occu- pies the old home place which was located by his father Robert Merten and comprises the southwest quarter of section 11, Clarence town- ship. Frank attended school for several years after he came to this coun'y and began farm- ing for himself in 1891. He owns a section of land in Pawnee county which is being worked by renters while he gives personal attention to the work of farming the home place. He was married February 13, 1895 to Miss Matilda Both, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Julius Both who are also old timers of this section of the state and who are mentioned in another part of this book. Mr. and Mrs. Merten are the parents of six children: Roy E., 15 years of age; Ralph A., 13 years of age; Lillie May, 11 years of age; Rosie Marie, 8 years of age;
Georgia, 2 years of age and Arthur who is two and a half months old. The home place is situated in one of the most desirable parts of the township and the shade trees and other improvements make it one of the most attrac- tive places tha one could find in the county. The residence contains nine rooms in addition to the bath, closets, pantries, etc. The barns and other outbuildings are well built and com- modious, the elevator having a capacity of 9,000 bushels. The Merten family is one of the best known in the county and are mention- ed frequently in the pages of this book. The elder Merten retired several years ago and is now living in Great Bend where he is inter- ested in the banking business and is one of the best known men in the county. Frank Merten has found time with all his private affairs to take an active part in the public affairs of his community and has held township and school board offices as well as taking an interest in anything that is for the benefit of the county.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
BERT TRESTER
O F the young farmers who are developing the soil in Eureka township none is better known than the subject of this sketch, Bert Trester. He is a son of J. B. Trester who has been a resident of this county forty years. The elder Mr. Trester is one of the really old timers of the county having come here at a time when the county needed men with strong nerve, a knowledge of farnı- ing and faith in the future sufficient to make them stay through the hard years of the sev- enties and finally develop the soil to a state of productiveness. The younger Mr. Trester is now farming three quarters of land which be-
longs to his father. He was born in this coun- ty December 29, 1886 and is therefore a pro- duct of the county. It is due to this fact and the fact that he has always been in the farm- ing business that he knows the way to farm to get the best results. He has learned the best methods by actual experience. He was married in 1910 to Miss Margarett Weege of Eureka township, and they are the parents of one child, Margery May who is about two months old at this writing. Mr. Trester is an enterprising and progressive farmer and well prepared to take up the development work of the land where his father left off.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN LANGFORD
O NE of the best known families in Barton County and one whose members have had a great deal to do with the devel- opment and upbuilding of the county, is that of Thornton Langford who is the father of the subject of this sketch and came here in 1877. He bought the southwest quarter of section 35 in Eureka township and up until the time of his death was actively engaged in farming. He died in 1900 and his death was keenly felt by the large circle of friends whose friendship he enjoyed. A. L. was born in Appancose Coun- ty, Iowa, October 9, 1862, and arrived in this county with his father when he was fifteen years of age. He was married in 1903 to Miss Emma Schultz whose parents are also old timers of the county, her father having been among the very first men to settle in the county. Mr. Langford farms all his own land and has a fine set of improvements. The res- idence contains five rooms in addition to closets, pantries, etc., and the barn is 24 by 40 feet in dimensions. The improvements are
situated amid beautiful surroundings and Mr. Langford has a most attractive country home. He has always taken an active part in the af- fairs of his township and has held the office of constable and other township offices. It is to such families as the Schultz and Langfords that this county was developed from an almost barren waste in the seventies to its present high state of cultivation and high standing among the best counties in the State of Kan- sas and made of it one of the most productive agricultural sections of the country. It is such men as the subject of this sketch that the work is being continued to the end that the future that was seen by their elders will be realized and fulfilled. Mr. Langford is an enterprising and progressive citizen and enjoys a wide acquaintance in all parts of the county. His long residence in the county has made him familiar with the conditions with which the farmers have to conterd and his success is in a large measure due to the knowledge he has gained by practical work.
SEVIER H. HEDRICK
O NE of the really old timers of Barton County still living on his old homestead is the subject of this sketch Sevier H. Hedrick. He was born in Preble County, Ohio, September 16, 1847. He came to Barton County in 1871 and took up a homestead near Heizer. It comprises the northeast quarter of section 6, Buffalo township. Mr. Hedrick has been married twice, his first wife having been Miss Lucy Parks of Illinois. To . this union there was born one child, William, who is now 42 years of age and lives in Illinois. He was later married to Miss Maggie Chasteen and they are the parents of five children, as follows: Florence, 22 years of age is now
Mrs. Ed. Noffsinger and resides in Brown County, Kansas; Hallie, 19 years of age; May, 18 years of age; Edith, 16 years of age; Grenna, 12 years of age, all of whom live at home. Mr. Hedrick was actively engaged in farming until about a year ago but now superintends the work of renters. He has a nice set of im- provements; the residence containing seven · rooms in addition to closets, pantries, ?¿?. The barn is 28 feet square and like the other buildings is well built and commodious. The home place is beautifully situated and is sur- rounded by a fine set of shade trees, a half acre of orchard altogether is one of the most attractive places in that section of the count.y.
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