USA > Kansas > Barton County > Biographical History of Barton County, Kansas > Part 17
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Mr. Hedrick was the first trustee of Buz lo township and is one of those men who ame here at a time when the buffalo were still roaming the prairies and it is due to such men as Mr. Hedrick that the county was de- veloped and made one of the best in the State
of Kansas and it is due to their efforts that it is one of the most important agricultural sections of the entire country. Mr. Hedrick has always taken an active part in the public af- fairs of his county and is an enterprising and progressive citizen.
WILLIAM CHRIST OTTE
OF F the many young farmers in the county who are products of this county none better known than subjectof this sketch, William Christ Otte who is now farming 200 acres of land in Buffalo township. He has been on this land for the past seven years and as he was born and raised in this county he has learned by experience the methods that will give the best results under the condi- tions that are found in this section of the county. He was born January 30, 1881 and is a son of William Otte who is mentioned in another part of this book. The elder Otte is one of the old timers of this county who came here in the early days and has seen this coun- ty grow from almost a barren waste to its present high state of cultivation. The younger Otte was married to Miss Georgia Miller in 1907. She is a daughter of Henry Miller who
will also be found mentioned in another part of this book. He also is one of the old timers who had so much to do with the upbuilding of this county. Mr. and Mrs. Otte are the parents of two children as follows: Walter who is four years of age and Wilmer who is two years of age. They occupy a neat residence of four rooms. The barn is 20 by 36 and it and all the outbuildings are well built and have plenty of room. The home place is surrounded by a grove of nice shade trees that add greatly to the home-like appearance of the place and altogether Mr. Otte has one of the most ideal country homes to be found in that section of the county. It is to such families as the Ottes and Millers that this county owes its high standing among the best counties of the State of Kansas and one of the best agricultural sec- tions of the entire country.
DANIEL GREEN BIRD
Farm Home of Daniel Green Bird-"Bird View Farm"
T THOSE who read this volume will be struck with the nativity of the citizenship, no doubt, and note that the southern states rarely have a representative. The county's history has been forged by the sturdy
German-American, and by men from the mid- dle, northern and western sections of the United States. Of course most nations are represented, and most states; but the southern gentleman is noticeable by his absence. He is
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either clannish and prefers to herd by himself, has not forgotten the border ruffian days, or has harkened to the stories about a cold and cyclonic Kansas. We are pleased, there- tore, to record the success of a native Vir- ginian. A man hitherto unused to the rough life of the frontiersman.
Daniel Greene Bird was born near Jackson- ville, Floyd County, Virginia, January 19th, 1849, and at an early age removed to Raleigh County, West Virginia. Returning to the Old Dominion he settled in Wythe County, twenty miles north from Wythville. Shortly after his twenty-eighth birthday-on March 3rd, 1878- he arrived in Barton County, Kansas, determ- ined to make a home for himself and pos- terity; or never to set foot on Virginia soil again. He selected a location thirteen miles west from Great Bend and there purchased his first quarter of land on payments from the Santa Fe Railway Company. Disastrous years followed and he was forced to forfeit his holdings. Buying again from the same parties in September, 1884, he contracted for three hundred and twenty acres, and paid fifteen hundred and sixty dollars, in payments as before. This time he was successful and paid out according to agreement; and at this date his home place contains seven hundred and twenty acres Besides this he owns in the counties of Barton, Pawnee and Rush five separate tracts of land amounting to eighteen hundred and forty acres, or a total of twenty- five hundred and sixty acres. These various tracts are all well improved and in a high state of cultivation. They are stocked with the best farm implements procurable, and the buildings are new, modern, and of a size to comfortably house his numerous tenants, store the grain grown on the various farms, and stable the live stock bred and in service.
Mr. Bird is also a stockholder in the Citizens National Bank, Great Bend; Pawnee Rock Elevator Co., and the Independent Harvester Co., Plana, Illinois.
The home of Mr. Bird, thirteen miles north- west from Great Bend, is very attractive in appearance and supplies all modern comforts. It is surrounded with shade trees, grass plot and garden, and is all that a farmer's home should be. The combination dairy and pantry, through which cold sparkling water always flows, is the culmination of the dream of every housewife. Then there are barns, grain ele- vators, feeding lots, sheds and a garage, all of proportions sufficient to house the grain and care for the stock bred and in service on an immense farm.
Mr. Bird inherited a love for domestic ani- mals and has bred, bought, fed and dealt in them for thirty years. At first he hoped that this branch of his business would supplement the earnings of the farm and help over some of the rough places, but latterly he has con- tinued to handle them merely because he pre- fers to have them on the place so that he can admire their beauty and satisfy a fancy.
Miss Martha Ellen Lee and Daniel Greene Bird were married June 25.h, 1884 in Barton County, and as a result nine children have been born. Three have passed from them by death; a son of twelve years being killed by lightning, and one of seventeen by drowning. Those living are: Anna May, Harry Clay, Elmer Joseph, Daniel Dee, Mary Frances and Ruth Allen. Mrs. Bird was born August 12th, 1859, in Knox County, Ohio, but is a member of and a close relation to the General Robert E. Lee family of Virginia, whose mother was a Custus and a near relative of Martha Wash- ington.
JULIUS BOTH
"S 66 TONE BRIDGE HOMESTEAD," the home of Julius Both, fourteen miles west of Great Bend, takes its name from the first and only stone bridge built on Dry creek and was used as a lookout, or point of observation by Mr. Both at a time when he thought it was necessary to keep an cye on roving bands of Indians, and on the buffalo, antelope, deer, gray wolves and coyotes that infested the coun- try in 1871. He came to the county in the spring of that year, and first worked for John Cook, Sr., and then engaged in hunting buf- falo and other game for the first four or five years. In 1873 he entered his claim to a homestead, and that and later purchases make up the valuable farm of three hundred and twenty acres included in his home farm. He owns another half section in Pawnee county, and both places are well improved and in a high state of cultivation.
Julius Both claims to be the first white set- tler in Clarence township, and had as neigh- bors Judge Morton who doctored the commun- i'y, and D. M. Woodburn, who were between him and the county seat. His first acquired property was a half starved horse located from his perch in "lookout tree," and this served to transport the game which he killed, but was not sufficient to break the soil to be cultivated, and what corn that was planted was placed in holes made in the turf with a hatchet. The garden was prepared in this way and cultivated with improvised implements made from whatever would best stir or turn the soil. There was little cultivated the first five years, and Mr. Both, John Gruber and others hunted the plains and often went as far west as Dodge City. They got their supplies and mail from Russell and Ellsworth, Kansas, and were usually absent from home, leaving
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the care of the family and little ones to the faithful wife. Her lot was not enviable, and the pioneer mothers of Barton County deserve great praise for their fortitude and devotion to their husbands and families.
Julius Both was born in the village of Linde, Germany, September 28th, 1844; served an ap- prenticeship as a miller, and followed the trade until coming to America in 1870. He first located at Fon Du Lac, Wisconsin, and
1
Farm Home of Julius Both in 1886
Present Farm Home of Julius Both
found work in a sash factory. In the spring of 1871 he came to Barton County. He married Miss Anna Baruth shortly before sailing from his home in Germany, and they are the parents of four children: Mrs. Matilda Merten, Mrs.
Mary Spies and Kate and Tina Both. The chil- dren all reside at home and assist their par- ents on the farm with the exception of Mrs. Merten, and with the grand children make up a happy and contented family.
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WILLIAM ESSMILLER
T HIRTY-TWO years has wrought great changes in the life of William Essmiller, and it is a pleasant task to record his success as a citizen of Barton County. He was born December 9, 1849, in the Province of Hanover, Germany, on a farm, and worked for his parents until coming to the United States in 1871. He first settled in LaCrosse County, Wisconsin, and worked as a farm hand until 1879, when he came to Barton County and made his home with Fred H. Miller, (a former school mate in the Old Country,) from whom he drew pay at the rate of $15 per month. Finally he and his brother Deitrich inherited about $2,000 from an estate in Germany and
Pawnee County, north of Rozel. These several tracts are all well improved and in cultivation, and are the choice bodies in their localities. The home farm is improved with a one story six room frame dwelling; a 36x66 barn with large hay loft and stalls for twenty horses; twenty-four milk cattle, and accommodation for twenty-four loose animals. The granary is 24x40 and there is a dairy and other small outbuildings. Wheat, corn and alfalfa are the principal crops grown, but stock breeding is fast taking root on this farm, and a herd of thoroughbred Shorthorn cattle were in evi- dence, and numerous horses and mules of the best breeds for farm purposes. Mrs. Essmiller
.
Farm Home of William Essmiller
they formed a partnership under the name of Essmiller Brothers and bought railroad land. Their business was farming, but they bought, improved, sold and traded in lands when they had earned a surplus invested, and until a few years ago both families occupied the home on the D. Essmiller farm. Recently they have made a division of their holdings, and Wm. Essmiller owns his home farm, four miles west of Great Bend, which covers four hun- dred and eighty acres; eighty acres near Hei- zer, four hundred and eighty in Pawnee Coun- ty, and a half interest in another section in
has her White Leghorn chickens and grows them for market, and in her model dairy makes fifty pounds of golden butter weekly to supply her city trade She is a mcdel house- wife and has labored faithfully with her hus- band to achieve success.
William Essmiller and Miss Mary Nietfield, of Hanover, Germany, were married on Sep- tember 12, 1882, in Barton County, Kansas, and they have one son, Robert H. Essmiller, who resides with his parents and assists in the management of the farms.
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HANS JURGENSEN
A MONG the many German-Americans who have made a success at farming in Bar- ton County Hans Jurgensen has won his place, and is the proud owner of four hun- dred of as nice acres as there is to be found, twelve miles northwest of Great Bend. He has this all in a fine state of cultivation and highly improved, there being an imposing two story white frame residence to greet you as you en'er the grounds and swing up the driveway, which is through waving meadows of alfalfa exuding sweet perfume. About the house is a large grass plot, and there are plants and
the day for there is a thankfulness overshad- owing man, beast and fowl, if one can inter- pret the sighs of the weary work horses, the lowing of the kine, the laughter of childhood and the tunes whistled and sung by the farm help as they complete the days labors.
Hans Jurgensen was born in Germany on January 23rd, 1863, and came to the United States with his parents when six years of age, who located first on a farm twenty-five miles west of Nebraska City, Nebraska. He came to Bar on County on December 24th, 1874, with his father, Marquardt Jurgensen, who home-
Farm Residence of Hans Jurgensen
shrubs and lofty trees forming the usual wind- break. The location is elevated and this build- ing and the barns, elevator, granary, wind- mills, and other numerous outbuildings stand out prominently and seem to tower above others of the neighborhood. Here one can im- agine the animation in the barn lots at night time, "when the lowing herds come home," and the numerous work animals are being unhar- nessed and fed; chickens and turkeys feeding for the night and the milking under way. It is then that the whole farm seems to rejoice and return thanks for the accomplishments of
steaded an eighty in section 28 and filed on eighty acres as a timber claim, In 1892 Hans began farming his own fields having purchased a quarter section for $2,100. In 1898 he added another eighty, paying for it $1,600, and at the death of his father he inherited one hundred and sixty acres. On March 22nd, 1886, he was married to Miss Josephine Burgtorf, of Buf- falo township, and six children have been born, all of whom are at home with their parents: August William Christian, 24; Edward John, 22; Fred Henry, 21; Anna Dorothy, 19; Ida Mary, 17, and William Marquardt, 15.
GEORGE ADAM GEIL
I T has always been a pleasure to trace the pen picture of a really successful man in any calling, and when that life has been passed close to nature the pleasure is ten fold. Trees, plants and flowers all serve a purpose and are beautiful beyond comparison,
but growing crops have an added commercial attraction which have enchanted since time began. They people a land and sustain life, and the influence of the tiller is only gaged by the number of bushels produced. If that be true George A. Geil's influence is far reaching,
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because he owns and cultivates eight hundred acres in Barton, Pawnee and Ford counties, and at harvest time his granaries are filled to overflowing. That, in substance, is the re- sult of thirty-three years of continued effort farming on the plains of Kansas.
George A. Geil is a native of Iowa and came to Barton County in the spring of 1878 a poor man, and for some years rented the land hc farmed. Then he bought railroad land at a low price and on long time, but failing to make the payments it reverted to the original own- ers. Then the Santa Fe Railway Company added a few dollars to the price and resold him the land, and that time he made good and paid according to contract. He now owns the
capable of housing much hay and grain, and the stabling capacity must be ample for the farm. This is painted the usual bright red cast and seems to light up and enliven the scenc. The soil is good and the farm is in a high state of cultivation.
George A. Geil was born August 27th, 1857, near Martinsburg, Wapello County, Iowa. Hc was married on December 13, 1905, to Miss Minnie Schroeder, of Cedar County, Iowa. They have three bright little boys: Louis Jacob, 4 years of age; Herold Henry, 3 and Elmer Herman, 2.
The mother, Mrs. Louise Geil, wife of Jacob Giel, deceased, makes her home with her son. She was born in Germany, October 26th,
Farm Residence of George Adam Geil-" Dry Creek Stock Farm"
two hundred and forty on which he resides, fourteen miles west from Great Bend; eighty acres six miles west from Great Bend; one hundred and sixty in Pawnee County; one hundred and sixty midway between Rush Cen- ter and Rozel, and one hundred and seventy- five acres near Spearville, in Ford County. All these several tracts are in cultivation and have good improvements.
The improvements at the home farm are a very attractive eight room cottage, surrounded by a neat lawn and towering forest trees. It is painted a cast of gray and with its green surroundings looks cool and inviting on a sultry day. The barn is a large, roomy affair
1833, and is seventy-eight years of age. She came to Kansas with her husband and eight children, George Adam, Andrew and Mrs. Katie LeRoy in 1878, Mrs. Henry Schroeder be- ing born in Kansas and passed through all the rough periods of the formitive stage of the county. She is bright, strong and healthy and one can hardly imagine her age so advanced. Her husband, Jacob Geil, died December 11th, 1907, and lies buried in the Lutheran cemetery near the farm of his son. She was the mother of ninc children in all, four boys and five girls. One boy died in infancy and a boy and three girls died from diphtheria the second year after coming to Kansas.
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OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS
WILLIAM WERHAHN
A MONG the large planters and property owners of Barton County William Wer- hahn deservedly takes his place, and although not a native born Kansan he is so much a Barton County product that he remem- bers little prior to his boyhood here. He was born in the Province of Hanover, Germany, November 20th, 1875; came to America the spring of 1882 with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Christian Werhahn of Great Bend, and they settled first near Grinnell, Iowa, on a farm. They also lived in Pouche and Marshall coun-
his share of the face of the earth. When mar- ried and settled he bought a quarter section from his father; later he bought one hundred and sixty acres from Peter Dirks, and still later he rented two hundred and eighty acres adjoining, and today farms a total of six hun- dred acres. During the time he also acquired by purchase three hundred and twenty acres near Greensburg, Kiowa County, and three hundred and twenty near Offerle. These two last named tracts are improved and rented, and his total holdings in fee are nine hundred
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Farm Home of William Werhahn
ties, Iowa, for about four years, and then came to Kansas, settling permanently in Paw- nee Rock township, Barton County. William Werhahn was then but eleven years old. He attended the public schools of the district, chased rabbits, hunted game on the open prairie, broke bucking broncos and helped his father on the farm. His days were passed in the open and the Dutchman's son soon became a full fledged Kansas kid, with all his aims and desires. It is not wonderful then that he was early bitten by the "land-grabbing" microbe, and soon determined to own and farm
and sixty acres of as fine land as there is in the state. His residence is thirteen and one- half miles west of Great Bend, and the im- provemen's are a two story white frame house, a 32x66x16 red frame barn, having stalls for eighteen horses and twenty cattle. Then there are other small buildings, sheds and numerous windmills, with a nice grove surrounding all.
William Werhahn and Miss Bertha Fleske, of Wausau, Wisconsin, were married on Feb- ruary 1st, 1905, and they have been blessed with three interesting children: Bertha, 6; Hilda, 4 and Martha, 3.
"GOLDEN GRAIN FARM"
G OLDEN GRAIN FARM," the home of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Drehle, is six miles west of Great Bend, and it has been properly named, because it was the inten- tion of the owners to honor for all time the golden cereal that has made the name of Bar- ton County famous wherever wheat producers
are in use. This is the "banner county," and it is Mr. Drehle's intention to make his the "banner farm,' and if one can judge from the character of cultivation the soil is getting this season his future crops will tax some of his neighbors to beat. He is a good and success- ful farmer, as his fields and granaries both
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prove, and when he has been a resident of the county for twenty-five years his history, if written then, will appear just as miraculous in a financial way as do some of the others at this date.
Henry Drehle was born on May 1, 1869, and has been a farmer all his life. His first ven- ture at farming was in Carroll County, Mo.,
ing seven rooms, which is high above ground, enclosed by a neat fence in which there are a number of forest trees, shrubs, plants and flowers. The barn is 32x50, is well arranged, and accommodates large quantities of hay and has many stalls; and there is a granary and other necessary buildings, besides several windmills and a young orchard. These build-
Farm Residence of Henry Drehle
and he remained there until 1900, when he removed his family to Barton County, Kansas, and rented land for three years. In 1903 he bought the one hundred and sixty acres where he now resides, and that, and a quarter that is leased, make up the three hundred and twenty that is cultivated. The improvements consist of a modern one story frame cottage contain-
ings are all new, beautifully painted, and from the roadway present a scene of comfort and thrift.
Henry Drehle and Miss Ellen Stork, of Car- roll County, Mo., were married in February, 1896, and they have five very interesting living children, viz: Willie, 14; Katie, 12; George, 10; Annie, 6 and Charlie, 3.
MRS. KATIE LEROY
T HE struggle and privations of earlier days on the farm in Barton County were still fresh in her memory when Mrs. Katie LeRoy was left a widow, in 1899, with six dependent boys, the oldest being about twelve. But she has proven that she was equal to the task of rearing them and manag- ing her farms at the same time by the condi- tion of both; for the boys are as fine, healthy and gentlemanly a bunch of youngsters as one meets any day, and the fields are in a high state of cultivation. It is true that some of these boys are young gentlemen now, and all are able to do a man's work on the place; but this was not always so, and the mind that
controled them and the hand that guided de- serves to be revered above all others. Women farmers are rare and deserve great praise when unhampered by other ties, but when we find one who has carried a double burden through to success we feel that all should wor- ship at her shrine and say "well done." That she has made a great success is proven by the fact that she owns one hundred and sixty acres where she resides, eight miles west of Great Bend, and another tract of eighty acres one and one-half miles south and six and one- half miles west of the same city. Both of these tracts are improved and under cultiva- tion, and the home farm has a large frame
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residence, surrounded by a beautiful grove of forest trees, a large barn that will house the stock of the farm, and numerous other build- ings that have their uses on a place like this. The sons, one and all, must follow the lead taken by their mother and must all be rustlers
Phillip O. LeRoy and Miss Katie Geil were married in Barton County, March 20th, 1896, and Mr. LeRoy died January 31st, 1899, and lies buried in the Lutheran cemetery, near the farm of George A. Geil in the western part of the county. Mrs. Katie LeRoy is the daugh-
Farm Home of Mrs. Katie LeRoy
born, because the farm looks as well tilled as any of the adjoining fields, and we saw the very best span of young mules, bred antl broken on this farm, that has been produced in the county in years.
ter of Jacob and Louise Geil, who came to Barton County in May, 1878, and settled in the western part of the county. She is the mother of six boys: Andrew, George, Harry, Jacob and Ray and Roy, the latter two being twins.
HERMAN TAMMEN
T HE Ideal Farm," the home of Herman and Augusta Neese Tammen, thirteen miles west of Great Bend, covers three hundred and twenty acres of the best farm land in Barton County. The soil was natur- ally rich, but after nineteen years of constant effort it has been brought to such a high state of improvement that it is now one of show places of the county. The chief feature to at- tract is a wall-like grove of locust and box elder which surround and cover five acres about the residence and effectually isolates it. But if you enter the driveway, beneath a bower of overhanging bows, a court and grass plot meets the view in the center. A one-story, eight room frame residence, setting high and balconied, stands to the right. On the left stands a 32x54 barn and an 18x50 shed and an 8,000 bushels capacity elevator and good Fair- banks scales. To the rear of these is the
orchard. In front is the garage, chicken houses, dairy and other buildings. Cement walks lead to these, and the well kept lawn is relieved by plants and flowers. The deep shade and ever changing natural tints are re- lieved by the tastefully painted buildings and the flowering plants. An engine supplies wa- ter distributed through the house and other buildings, and an electric dynamo lights them and supplies the power to propel a separator, churns and washing machine. A 10 horse pow- er engine is used to elevate the grain and to clean and grind the feed of the farm. The house is furnished both tastefully and ele- gantly and its hospitality is dispensed by a model housewife. In fact there is nothing cheap about the farm or premises and it is well named, "The Ideal Farm."
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