USA > Kansas > Barton County > Biographical History of Barton County, Kansas > Part 20
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Weathers was married in November, 1881 to Miss Marguerite F. Reigel in Indiana. They are the parents of eleven children: Dennis, 29 years; Allva 27 years; Leroy, 25 years, Ora 23 years; Paul, 21 years; Pearl, 19 years; Jes- sie, 17 years; Blanche, 14 years; Chester, 12 years; Roscoe, 10 years; Herman, 4 years. The first named four are married and living in the
Farm Residence of Josiah Clinton Weathers
pioneers and with an unflinching faith in the future he set about to make a home for him- self and family. He erected a building 14 by 16 which was used as a residence for three years. Additions were added to the house as they were required and in 1900 Mr. Weathers built a fine modern, eight room house which is now one of the most neatly furnished homes in that section of the county. In the early days Mr. Weathers bought corn for fifteen cents per bushel and the wages at that time were 75 cents per day with a team. Mr.
county, and the remainder are living at home and receiving educations. Besides three quar- ter sections of land which Mr. Weathers sold to his sons he still owns three quarters in ad- dition to the home place. Mr. Weathers' farm is known as "Cedar Grove," the home being surrounded by well kept cedar trees which add in no small way to the beauty of the land- scape. Mr. Weathers has been township treasurer for eighteen years and has also serv- ed as a member of the school board. On Mr. Weathers' place is what is supposed to be the
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
oldest windmill tower in the county. It was erected by E. L. Chapman in the early days and has received a number of coats of paint and is now in fair condition. Mr. Weathers is
an enterprising and progressive citizen and one of the best known of the old timers of the county which he has seen grow from a barren waste to its present high state of cultivation.
MRS. F. E. ELLIOTT
M RS. F. E. ELLIOTT has resided in Bar- ton County for the past thirty-six years, having come here with her hus- band in 1877, at a time when the county's his- tory was just beginning. Mr. Elliott died in June, 1909 and since that time Mrs. Elliott has carried on the work on the home place with the aid of help. She gives personal attention
possible to go from one room to another with the minimum of walking. The home is furn- ished with up-to-date furniture and that Mrs. Elliott takes a pride in her home is evidenced on every hand. The house is lighted with a large acetylene gas lighting plant of a mod- ern design. A well improved water system supplies water to the house and bath room,
Residence of Mrs. F. E. Elliott
to its management and is among the most successful business women of the county. Both Mr. and Mrs. Elliott are natives of Massa- chusetts. They were married in June, 1877. They are the parents of one child, Minnie, who is thirty-four years of age. She is now Mrs. Roy Weathers, having been married in 1910, and lives near her mother on the same section line. Mrs. Elliott's home is one of the most modern and neatly arranged to be found in the county. It consists of eleven rooms with a large commodious basement and garret. The rooms are on two floors and are connected one with the other in a way that makes it
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both hot and cold water being supplied. Mrs. Elliott's daughter is a graduate of the Great Bend High School having received her diploma with the class of 1898, and she is also a grad- uate of the Centrad Normal College. The surroundings near the Elliott home are pleas- ing and make of it one of the most attractive farms in that section of the county. It is located eight and a half miles west and south of Great Bend and is in a high state of culti- vation. Mrs. Elliott also owns eighty acres of land two miles south and west of the town- site of Great Bend.
JOHN OLIVER TUCKER
J OHN OLIVER TUCKER was born in the southern part of Indiana in December, 1865, and came to Barton County in 1899. He left Indiana when he was nineteen years of
age and went to Illinois. He stayed there six months and then went to Missouri where he remained a short time after which he made his first trip to Kansas twenty-five years ago.
OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS
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He remained in the Sunflower state but a short time after which he returned to Illinois and spent several years there and in Missouri be- fore he finally decided to locate in Kansas. Then he came to Barton County on the date mentioned above, and immediately began the development of 160 acres of land which now comprises his home place seven miles south of
proved and contains a six room residence which has been built at intervals, the first building being one room 18 by 24 feet. A fine an up-to-date farmer using modern methods in all his work and his place is equipped with all the necessary machinery and live stock barn is maintained which is 32 by 40 feet, ex- clusive of the corn crib which adjoins it on the
Farm Residence of John Oliver Tucker
Great Bend. He was married in 1895 to Miss Hattie B. Giddings of Minonk, Illinois. They are the parents of two children, Albert R., sixteen years of age and Helen A., fifteen years old, both of whom are students in the schools of Barton County,. Mr. Tucker is of an optimistic turn of mind and says that con- sidering everything during his residence ill this county he considers the twelve years most prosperous ones. His home place is nicely im-
south and is 20 by 32. In addition to the160 acres on the home place Mr. Tucker owns a half section of land in Morton county. He is for the successful cultivation of the soil. He is an enterprising and progressive citizen and has helped in no small way to make that sec- tion of Barton County one of the most pro- ductive and one of the best in the State of Kansas.
LOUIS PLANKENHORN
T HE subject of this sketch, Louis Planken- horn, was born in Wayne County, Indi- ana, April 14, 1859, He came to Barton County in 1892, and bought land in South Bend township which is now his home place. This land is located in the northwest corner of section 16 and is in a high state of cultiva- tion. In addition to this land Mr. Plankenhorn farms seventy-five acres of land adjoining the home place on the west. He was married Au- gust 17, 1882, to Miss Florence Job, in Wayne County, Indiana. They are the parents of two children: Ethel Christina, 26 years of age, who is now Mrs. F. W. Stewart and resides on a farm five miles north of Great Bend and Glenda Irene who is fifteen years of age and living at home. She is a student in the Bar- ton county schools. Mr. Plankenhorn has taken a great interest in his home place as is evidenced by the fact that with all the regular
work of raising a crop of staple products he has found time to improve the surroundings, and south of his home he has a fine orchard in which are found apple, plum, peach and other fruit trees. The residence consists of seven rooms in addition to bath, pantries, closets, etc. The home is well built and neatly ar- ranged and the shade trees about the house are well arranged and maintained in a most inviting manner. The barn is is 30 by 52 feet and has an addition that is used as a cow barn which is 20 by 48 feet in dimensions. Mr. Plankenhorn has one of the nicest home places in that section of the county and farms his land according to the best methods and is an enterprising and progressive citizen and has done much to make the part of the county south of the river one of the best of the crop producing sections.
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Home of Louis Plankenhorn
WILLIAM HENRY MAYBACH
Residence of William Henry Maybach
W ILLIAM HENRY MAYBACH was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, Novem- ber 10, 1858. He received his early education in the public schools of that county and took a normal course which fitted him for teaching. He taught in the schools of Indiana for three years and returned to his native state at the end of that time and taught in the schools there for nine years. In May, 1885, he arrived in Barton county and began
the building of a home and the development of the land on the southwest quarter of section 24 in Liberty township. This is the home place and is now known as "Cottage Grove Farm." He owns in all 800 acres of land, three quar- ters of it being in section 25 of Liberty town- ship, and one quarter in South Bend township. Of this land Mr. Maybach farms a half section, the remainder being rented. Mr. Maybach was married in 1889 to Miss Ella Reichenbach of
OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS
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Orville, Ohio. To this union there was born one son, Fred, who is now 21 years of age. After finishing a course in civil engineering at the Agricultural College at Manhattan he accepted a position with the Santa Fe Railroad and is now in that company's employ with headquarters at Arkansas City. Mr. Maybach survived his first wife and was married to Miss Cora Waddle of Barton County in 1898. They are the parents of two children: Carl Henry, eleven years of age, and Marie Eliza-
beth, five years of age. Mr. Maybach has a well equipped farm, having all the necessary outbuildings and a residence of 8 rooms. One of the features of Mr. Maybach's farm is the orchard in which are found apple, pear, peach and plum trees as well as many varieties of berries. Mr. Maybach has been most success- ful in raising fruit as he uses modern methods and understands tree culture. He maintains good live stock and owes his success to using the best methods in the cultivation of the soil.
JOHN ALLISON HOGE
O F the old timers of Barton County who came here in the 80's the subject of this sketch, John Allison Hoge, is one who has remained and made a success of the farming business. He was born September 16, 1855, in Green County, Pa., and came to Barton County in 1886. He immediately ell- gaged in the farming business and now owns three quarter sections of land in Liberty town-
orchard in which he grows nearly all varieties of fruits common to this section of the coun- try. Mr. Hoge has made a specialty of breed- ing and raising Galloway cattle and is con- sidered an authority on all matters pertaining to this breed of cattle and he has done much to encourage the breeding of high class cattle in the county. Mr. Hoge owes his success to the practical farming methods which he has
Farm Residence of John Allison Hoge
ship all of which is under cultivation and be- ing farmed under Mr. Hoge's supervision. He was married in Witzel County, West Virginia, in 1878, to Miss H. E. Haught. They are the parents of four children: Charles, 32 years of age, who is a practicing dentist at Kinsley, in this state; Ira, 28 years of age, engaged in the farming business near Offerle, Kansas; Sol, 26 years old, who is operating a farm near Lewis, Kansas and Thomas, 13 years of age who is a student in the Barton County schools. The home place has a modern eight room residence, a fine well built barn and other outbuildings. Mr. Hoge maintains a fine
used in developing his farm into one of the most desirable in that part of the county. While Mr. Hoge takes an interest in all public affairs he has never held any public office other than at times being an officer of the township in which he resides. His place is located about three and one-half miles from Great Bend and is one of the best developed and most highly improved in Barton. Mr. Hoge came here at a time when the outlook for the future was not the brightest but by good management and a thorough knowledge of farming he has made a success of which he can justly be proud.
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
ROBERT ARTHUR BIDLEMAN
R OBERT ARTHUR BIDLEMAN is one of those pioneers who came to Barton County in 1878, at a time when things were looking bright for the future and the new comers thought they had at last found a veri- table garden spot. However, this year was followed by a most unsuccessful one. Then came the bad times and only those who were made of the kind of stuff of which real pion- eers are made were possessed of the nerve to stick it out. Mr. Bidleman was one of these and he now lives on his home place which is located in section 23, South Bend township. It consists of 160 acres, all of which Mr. Bidle- man farms in addition to a quarter section on which he farms in section 24. Mr. Bidleman was born November 5, 1859, at Schoolcraft, Kalamazoo County, Michigan. He went to school, and learned to farm in his home state before coming to Barton County on the date
mentioned. He was married July 2, 1900, to Miss Minnie Witte of Great Bend. Mr. Bidie- man has been on his home place about five years and is making improvements every year and this year will add a summer kitchen to his residence. The barn is 35 by 40, well built and commodious and always contains a good grade of work stock. A young orchard cover- ing a piece of ground west of the residence is adding greatly to the beauty of the surround- ings and contains fruit of several varieties that are common to this section of the country. Mr. Bidleman has held township offices and is an enterprising and progressive citizen. One of those who helped to make that part of the county lying south of the river one of the most desirable in its borders. He has seen a great deal of the early history of this county and knew the men who made it possible to make Barton County one of the best in the State of Kansas.
HENRY BENJAMIN UNRUH
THE subject of this sketch, Henry B. Un- ruh, came to Barton county in 1876
from Pennsylvania where he first located after leaving the old country where he was born in Russia-Poland, in 1852. By trade he is a weaver and sawyer but upon his arrival in this county he immediately took up the busi- ness of farming and located in the Mennonite Colony near Dundee. His home place con- sists of about 220 acres of land all of which is in a high state of cultivation. Mr. Unruh was married in 1873 to Miss Susan Dirks. Mr. Unruh survived his first wife who died in 1901. They were the parents of ten children. Mr. Unruh married Miss Kate Johnson of South Dakota, in 1902, and they have been blessed with four children. Mr. Unruh's mother died in the Old Country and his father passed away in this country in 1910. Mr. Unruh's farm is one of the best developed in that part of the county and he has always had it well stocked with the best of horses and cattle and all the necessary machinery for successful farming.
With all Mr. Uuruh's work he has found time to work out and perfect an invention on which he has the patent that is some day des- tined to revolutionize the science of railroad building. The invention consists of an endless or continuous rail. It has received the en- dorsement of some of the leading railroad men of the country and had Mr. Unruh been so in- clined he could have sold the rights to manu- facture the rail to an eastern outfit but as they wanted it all without giving anything in return their offer was not accepted by Mr. Unruh. The invention is one of the most perfect of contrivances and it will do away with the jar and noise caused when a train goes from one rail to the next on the ordinary railroad. Mr. Unruh is in no hurry to dispose of his patent but is now contemplating the organization of a stock company to manufacture and sell the rails of his construction. Mr. Unruh is one of the best known men in the county and his in- vention has brought him no little fame and will in time reward him in a more substantial way.
ELDRIDGE YORK
A MONG the well known residents of Wal- nut township and one who had a great deal to do with the developing of that section of Barton County is Eldridge York. He was born October 12, 1863, in Ulster Coun- ty, New York, and came to Barton County when he was twenty-one years of age. He pur- chased 80 acres of land on the Dry Walnut and later bought the old Gallon homestead in section 34 of Walnut township. He recently sold a part of his land but still owns 204 acres in Walnut township, and a quarter section of land in Ford County. He was married Novelli- ber 14, 1890, to Miss Sarah Gray of Ulster
County, New York, and they are the parents of three children as follows: Walter E., 20 years of age; Emery G., 14 years of age, and Elmer L., 12 years of age. All the children are at home and are being educated in the schools of the county. The York home is niccly situated and the improvements are substantial and well built. The residence contains seven rooms in addition to closets, pantries, etc., while the barn is 50 by 62 feet in dimensions. The other outbuildings are all that one re- quires in the successful operation of a farm according to modern methods. Mr. York has always maintained a good grade of horses and
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OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS
cattle and until recently made a specialty of raising Chester White hogs, and thoroughbred Short Horn cattle. Mr. York gave this work a great deal of attention and was one of the most successful breeders of fancy hogs and cattle in that part of the county. He has been a member of the school board and has always
taken an active part in the affairs of his com- munity. Mr. York came here at a time when it needed men of experience and men who had faith in the future of the county to make it one of the best counties in the State of Kan- sas.
WILLIAM HARRISON RUSSELL
W ILLIAM HARRISON RUSSELL was born April 20, 1841, in the State of In- diana and is one of the really old timers of Barton County, having come here in 1874, during the month of September. He first located in Beaver township about a mile south of the county line. He remained there until 1901 when he moved to his present home place in South Bend township about eight miles south and west of the City of Great Bend .. Mr. Russell enlisted in Co. E, 94th Illinois Infantry August 7, 1862, and served throughout the war. He was engaged in the battle of Vicks- burg, and was with Grant all the way down the Mississippi, and took part in the Mobile cam- paign, one of the severest of the war. He call tell many interesting reminiscenses of the big conflict and has a soldier's record of which lie can be justly proud. He was married in Mc- Lean County, Illinois, to Miss Mary Newton in 1868 and they are the parents of three chil- dren: Ira, 40 years of age, who is now book- keeper for the Butcher Packing Co, of Salina, Kansas. Ray, 26 years of age, who is one of
the best known veterinarians in this section of the state. His office being in Great Bend where he with Dr. Cheney have one of the most up-to-date animal hospitals in this sec- tion of the country. Guy, who is 12 years of age, assists his father in the work of operat- ing the farm. The home place consists of 160 acres of land in addition to which Mr. Russeil owns a half section of good land in Ford County. On the home place is found a well built, commodious seven room house, a good barn and all the needed outbuildings that are usually found on the modernly equipped farms of Barton County. Mr. Russell came here at a time when it required nerve for the residents to stay and fight it out with the elements which seemed to make it harder and harder every year. It is to such men as Mr. Russell that Barton County owes her present high standing among the leading agricultural sections of the world. He has always been a progressive citizen and has seen this county grow from an almost barren waste to its present high state of cultivation.
WILLIAM GAGELMAN
B ORN near Madburg, Prussia, May 4, 1848, Wm. Gagelman came to America with his parents, Christopher and Katie' Gagelman in 1864. They located near Bloom- ington, Illinois. In 1877, William was seized by the western fever and came across the plains and secured a location in Barton County by buying railroad land and since that time no man in the county has had more to do with its development and upbuilding than has Mr. Gagelman. For thirty-one years he was ac- tively engaged in the farming business and by consistent effort and skillful management lie accumulated more land, and at one time owned 1,600 acres in this county. He was married in 1873 to Miss Dora Barstal and to this union there were born eight children: Lena, 38 years; Bertha, 37 years; Fred W., 36 years; Harry E., 33 years; Matilda L, 31 years; Clara Augusta, 29 years; Rosa, 27 years; Ida, 24 years. Mr. Gagelman's second wife was Miss Matilda Belz and they were married in 1894.
They are the parents of two children: Martha Mary, 16 years and Olga Elsa, 14 years. All these children are living in the county with the exception of Matilda L., who resides in Kansas City. Mr. Gagelman retired in 1908 and since that time has been living in Great Bend. He occupies a comfortable, modern res- idence at 1205 Holland street and in addition to this property owns four other residences in the city and 1,060 acres of farm land. The farm land is being worked by Mr. Gagelman's sons and sons-in-law, all of his children being married with the exception of Ida, Martha and Olga, the latter two being students in the Great Bend schools. Mr. Gagelman is a member and trustee of the Lutheran church and with all his personal interests has found time to take a most active part in anything that has for its purpose the betterment of the county and city. He is a progressive and enterprising citizen and in addition to his holdings in this state is interested in mining properties in Missouri.
GEORGE RICHARD HARDERS
I F years count George Richard Harders of "Wheat Land Farm" is neither an old man, an old citizen of the United States, or an early settler in Barton County. He
is, however, one of its best citizens, and lias bought and improved one of the best farms of his locality, which may be reached by travel- ing one mile north from the court house in
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
Great Bend, and then twelve miles due west. In 1903 he purchased the Calvin Reeder farm of one hundred and sixty acres and paid twenty-five dollars per acre-and the wise ones shook their heads. He, however, knew what he was doing and went to work improving the place and at this writing has about the neatest little farm along the drive. He built a new house with nine rooms and a hall; a barn which will accommodate twelve head of horses and nine milk cows, and feed for the same; an elevator and granary; a cement milk house and several windmills. Then he picketed the lawn, garden and horse lots, wired the various fields, and painted the buildings so that they stand out and attract universal commendation. There is a young orchard and a grove of forest trees, a number of plants and shrubs, and these give a setting of green that is most delightful.
The interior is furnished with all modern con- veniences and is in the same good taste dis- played outside, and as a home it is worth all in comfort that it has cost in dollars. This trans- formation has not been accomplished without much labor and thought and redounds to the credit of both Mr. and Mrs. Harders.
George Harders was born in Ostfriesland, Germany, March 6th, 1871, and came to Amer- ica October 29, 1893. He first settled near Flannagan, Livingston County, Ill., where he rented and tilled the soil. In 1903 he purchas- ed the land above described, and in January, 1904, removed his family here. He married Miss Anna Gerdsen on December 29th, 1899, in Livingston County, Illinois, and two chil- dren have blessed the union: Fred Herman, 11, and Mary Christina, 10.
DIEDRICH ESSMILLER
T \HE name Essmiller is the synonym of prosperity in Barton County, because the Essmiller Bros. have made a success of farming, breeding and selling stock just west of Great Bend, and are well known and highly respected in the community. The second brother, Diedrich Essmiller, came to Barton County in 1880, and settled one mile south of his present location. He now lives five and
He has a number of windmills pumping spark- ling water from deep driven wells on the premises, and this is piped to the house for drinking and bathing, and to the barns and lots for watering stock. His buildings are lighted by an acetylene plant and supplied with other conveniences. The barns are among the largest in the county and will store the crops produced on the section, as well as house the
Farm Home of Diedrich Essmiller
one-half miles northwest of the county seat on the best improved section of land in the county. His first purchase was the Noah Brumbaugh homestead, and later the other three quarters. He has the entire tract in the very highest state of cultivation and his build- ings are among the best, most convenient and commodious in his neighborhood. His house and barns are located about midway of the section on the east side, and are on the highest point on the farm. The house has 13 rooms, is a frame building and painted pure white.
work animals, cattle and hogs grown and in use on a place of this size.
Diedrich Essmiller was born in the Prov- ince of Hanover, Germany, September 27th, 1853, and is fifty-three years of age. He camc to this country in 1872 at the age of nineteen and settled in LaCrosse County, Wisconsin, where he pursued the occupation of a farm hand for the succeeding eight years. In No- vember, 1878, he was married to Miss Dora Weingarten, of LaCrosse County, Wisconsin, and they have a daughter and son, Lillie D.,
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