USA > Kansas > Barton County > Biographical History of Barton County, Kansas > Part 40
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Mr. Diffenbacher was elected mayor of Great Bend in 1876. (His administration is mell- tioned more fully in the article in this book under the head of Political History of Great Bend.) In 1889 he was elected a member of the board of education and served two terms. At different times he held the offices of county attorney, 1882-84; was chosen delegate from the 7th congressional district of Kansas to the national Democratic convention at Chicago and helped to nominate Grover Cleveland for the presidency; he was the nominee of the Democratic party for attorney general in 1886; a candidate for county attorney in 1890; was a delegate to the convention that nominat- ed Wm. Jennings Bryan the first time for the presidency. He was married to Harriet Smith of Princeton, Illinois, September 1, 1859, and they were the parents of seven chil- dren: Mrs. E. C. Kent, of Clinton, Mo., Mrs. J. S. Ewalt of Springdale, Arkansas; Howard Diffenbacher of Slater, Mo., and Harry Diffen- bacher of Barton County, survived their father while those who went before him were Mrs. Lucy Brands, Dora and Frederick. Mr. Dif- fenbacher was a man who made a great many friends and his death which occurred in March, 1907, was the cause of a great deal of sorrow in the community.
GEORGE W. NIMOCKS
G EORGE W. NIMOCKS was born in Jef- ferson County, Iowa, May 31, 1844. He received his early education and grew to manhood in his native state. He came to Kansas in 1872 and immediately located at Great Bend where he was known and respect- ed as a good citizen, an able lawyer and a mose estimable neighbor. He was appointed county attorney of Barton County after its or- ganization in 1872 and always thereafter took a great interest in the politics and general life of the county. He was married in 1872 to Miss Elvira Newell of Ottumwa, Iowa and to this union there were born five children: Blanche, Gertrude, Retta, George W. jr., and Dale. Blanche is now the wife of Dr. B. A. Gardner of Great Bend, Gertrude is now Mrs. Charles Walker, living in California; Retta is now Mrs. Lynn Dana of Warren, O .; George, jr., is a banker living in Scandia, Kansas, and Dale is the wife of J. H. Hartman of Hoisington. Mr. Nimocks' early life was spent on a farm where he attended the district school and before he had attained his majority he joined the union army and served faithfully until the close of the war. After he had returned home from his military service he attended the Iowa State University in which institution he received the 1 degree of Bachelor of Law, June 28, 1871. In? July 1872, he, with a team and wagon, a few
law books and some personal effects, landed in Great Bend. The county had just been or- ganized and soon after his arrival he was ap- pointed to the office of county attorney, which position he filled with fidelity and credit. He also filled the same office by election a num- ber of terms before his death. He was the first judge of this judicial district. He filled many other positions of trust with great credit to himself and his friends. Great Bend was his home from the time of his arrival in the county until his death which occurred in Feb- ruary, 1905. He practiced his profession all of the time in Great Bend. He was present and participated in every term of court until his death. The following is quoted from one of the newspapers published in Great Bend at the time of his death:
"In the death of Judge Nimocks this com- munity and state lost a worthy citizen. His neighbors and friends a truly good friend, the bar an able, upright and worthy member and his clients an attorney and friend who never forgot their interests or the duty he owed them. He among his associates and friends was open and frank and was loyally loved by them, and his enemies respected him for his true and noble qualities. His honor was never questioned and his loyalty to his friends never _oubted."
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OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS
ANDREW SEIBERT --- " Dundee Valley Farm"
S OME of the most progressive of Barton County's citizens are Russia born, and, coming to this county when land was cheap now ride in their automobiles and take life easy. Of this class is Andrew Seibert, seven miles southwest of Great Bend. He was born February 25, 1870, on a farm in Russia, and came to America with his parents, Andrew and Luffintine Seibert, in the fall of 1874. They first settled east of Dundee, and later moved to Rush County, but at this time they reside in Barton County, Kansas. Andrew, jr., was edu- cated in the public schools of this state and be- came a successful farmer under the instruc tion of his father, and in 1890, when he began farming on his own account was well qualified to meet the obstacles in front of him. He at first rented the one hundred and sixty acre farm which he has owned for years, and be- gan life on his own account with little beside a good team. The first two years were reas- onably successful and he determined to buy
and get married and this he did. Then fol- lowed the bad years from 1893 to 1896, and failure seemed to stare him in the face. His little all was invested and he could not leave; and so he stayed on and by courage and deter- mination won.
The farm is in a high state of cultivation and the improve ments are good. The house is a one and one-half story frame with eight large rooms. There is a nice grass plot in front enclosed by a neat fence, and in it are many plants, shrubs and flowers. At the back is an acre of towering boxelder trees which furnish shade. The barn is 14x32, and the cow shed 12x32. Then come the automobile gar- age, granary, chicken house and other out- buildings, which form a comfortable picture.
Andrew Seibert and Miss Carie Beese of Barton County, were married on October 23, 1892, and they have been blessed by three in- teresting children: Elvena May, 14; Grant Louis, 11; and Victor Charles, 6.
LOUIS DAMM --- "Fairfield Farm"
T HOUGH he had no choice in the matter of seeking a new home, Louis Damm has never regreted the choice of his parents which led them to emigrate from Germany when he was only 1 year of age and come to America. He was born October 16, 1863, in the Rhine country of Germany and in 1864 the family moved to the United States, settling in Ohio where they lived for 11 years. The Santa Fe railroad wae built across Kan- sas in 1872 and stories of the great fertile plains here were the talk of the day in the east. Two years later, in 1874, the family moved to this country where the parents, Peter A. and Elizabeth Damm, bought the Chas. Rose homestead, west of town, for $1,100. It was a good price in those days and values fluctuated for a number of years sothat it was problemat-
ical whether too much had been paid or not. The value today has extended itself ten times, it might be remarked in passing.
Louis and brother assisted the parents in farming the place and in 1888 Louis was mar- ried to Miss Caroline Windhorst, of Germany. A year later both parents died and Louis and wife assumed the management of this farm which they still own and which is one of the most productive pieces of land in the county. To them have been born three children, Henry Louis, age 20, Lillie, age 11 and Minnie Esther, age 9. The parents have provided well for their children. They knew the hardships of the earlier years and profiting thereby have lived carefully and frugally and have farmed the place to good advantage. They live six and one-half miles west of Great Bend.
MAX CRESTON SHAFER
M AX CRESTON SHAFER was born March 1, 1861, at Ashland, Ohio. He came di- rect to Kansas from his native state in 1884 and located at Seneca where he re- mained a short time after which he went to
Iowa. Like many others who have lived a short time in the Sunflower state and left he returned in about a year and located in Bar- ton County where he has since resided. For ten years he was engaged in the mercantile business in Great Bend and Claflin but recent- ly it has required most of his time to look af-
ter his farming interests. He owns a quarter section of good land in Union township and a like amount in South Bend township. All of this land is being cultivated and worked by renters. Mr. Shafer has made a study of farm- ing and is recognized as an authority on things horticultural when they apply to this county. He came to this county at a time when it re- quired knowledge and study to get the best re- sults from farming and Mr. Shafer has profited by this fact and made a study of farming methods in all branches that apply to the soil
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and conditions in this country. He was mar- ried July 8, 1892, to Mrs. Anna Bell and they occupy a fine modern residence at 2915 Broad- way in Great Bend. The residence contains seven rooms, bath and all the necessary closets and a room that is given over to Mr. Shafer as a den. Mrs. Shafer is the mother of three chil- dren, Emma Bell, who is now Mrs. W. W. Garry, 39 years of age, of Wichita, Kansas; Ray, 30 years of age, in the cattle business in Mexico, and Lee, 28 years of age, is farming in Stafford County. Mr. Shafer is an enterpris- ing and progressive citizen and has had a
great deal to do with the upbuilding and devel- opment of the county's resources since he came to this section of the state.
Mrs. Shafer and her former husband, Mr. Bell, ran the old Southern Hotel and for a time Mrs. Shafer taught school in the city of Great Bend and many of the best known men and women in Great Bend today are former pupils of Mrs. Shafer. Mr. Bell's death was the cause of a grea deal of sorrow in this com- munity as he was a popular and well known citizen and always took a leading part in the affairs of the town and county.
HUGH B. BYERS
O F the old timers who came to Barton County in the 70's none is better known than Hugh B. Byers whose home place is the southeast quarter of section 36 in Eu- reka township and in addition to this land Mr. Byers rents 160 acres more which he also farms. He was born in Jones County, Iowa, August 24, 1859, and came to Barton County in 1876. He has been actively engaged in farm- ing since that time and is one of those men who made this county one of the best in the State of Kansas. He was married October 1, 1884, to Miss Matilda Wilkins, who is a daugh- ter of John Wilkins, who located in this county north of Ellinwood in 1874. Mr. and Mrs. Byers are the parents of eight children as fol- lows: Grace, 26 years of age, is now Mrs. A. A. Smith of Kingman County ; Aletha, 24 years of age; Earl, 21 years; Pearl, 19 years, Hal, 15 years; Marion, 12 years; Stella, 9 years and
Charles, 6 years of age. All the children are residing at home with the exxception of the first named. The residence which is beauti- fully sitrated, consists of eight rooms in addi- tion to bath, closets, pantries, etc. The barn is 32 feet square and the cther outbuildings, including granary, sheds, etc., are well and substantially built. With all Mr. Byers' pri- vate business, he has found time to take an active part in the affairs of his township and has held the office of trustee as well as being a member of the school board. He is an en- terprising and progressive citizen and one of the best known old timers in the county who are still actively engaged in farming in Eu- reka township. It is to such men as Mr. Byers that the County of Barton owes its high stand- ing among the best in the State of Kansas as well as being one of the most important agri- cultural sections of the country.
TOBIAS B. UNRUH
T OBIAS B. UNRUH was born in West Rus- sia, in 1862, and came to America with his parents in 1874. They located east of Dull- dee in this county and immediately began the development of the land. Mr. Unruh was mar- ried in 1885 to Miss Eva Jontz. They are the parents of seven children: Albert, 24 years; Lydia, 22 years; Annie, 19 years; Gilbert, 17 years; Clara, 15 years; Edna, 13 years; Ira, 6 years. Mr. Unruh owns 1,200 acres of land, all of which is under cultivation, being rented or farmed by himself. The home place, which is occupied by Mr. Unruh, is owned by his father who is now engaged in the farming business in the State of Oregon. Mr. Unruh has always been an active citizen and takes a great inter- est in all matters that pertain to the better-
ment of the country. He is now serving his second term as a trustee of Liberty township He has twice been appointed deputy assessor for his district and is counted one of the most substantial citizens of that section of Barton County. Mr. Unruh's home place is well stocked with cattle and horses and the im- provements are of the best to be found in the county. Mr. Unruh's history in this county began at a time when the future of the western part of Kansas was anything but bright. How- ever, he is made of the kind of material that it required of the old timers to bring this county to its present standing among the counties of the state. Mr. Unruh is an enterprising and progressive citizen and is entitled to all the success he has achieved.
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OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS
JOHN WILSON DENBO
J OHN WILSON DENBO was born May 22, 1847, in Crawford County, Indiana, where he remained until 1880, when he came to Kansas and located in Atchison County, where he resided for six years before coming to Bar- ton County. Upon his arrival here he pur- chased 160 acres of land in section 26 in South Bend township. His land comprises the south- west quarter of this section, all of which is be- ing farmed under Mr. Denbo's supervision. Mr. Denbo was married in 1890 to Miss Mar- guerite L. Hawk of Atchison and they are the parents of six children as follows: Edna, 21 years of age; Vernon, 20 years of age; Edith, 17 years of age; Clarence, 14 years of age; Hazel, 13 years of age and Chester, who died December 9, 1910. The home place is located about nine miles southeast of Great Bend and it is Mr. Denbo's intention to erect a new, modern residence within the very near future.
The home now consists of four rooms with closets, pantries, etc. The barn is 40 by 56 feet in dimensions. The other improvements consist of granaries and other outbuildings that are needed for successful farm management. Mr. Denbo enlisted in the 144th Indiana Regi- ment January 31, 1864, and was honorably dis- ccharged August 5, 1865. In addition to the home place Mr. Denbo owns the northwest quarter of section 27, in South Bend township, and 240 acres of land in Gray County, Kansas. Mr. Denbo farms all the land in South Bend which altogether makes a total of 320 acres. Mr. Denbo farms according to best methods, having gained by experience the knowledge that can be obtained only by experiencing the years, both good and poor that have made the agricultural history of the country since he came to the County of Barton.
SAMUEL BENJAMIN COMFORT
S AMUEL BENJAMIN COMFORT was born near Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Septem- ber 26, 1857. He remained in his na- tive state until he was eighteen years of age and then went to Nevada where he resided for four years. Hetnhen came to Kansasand locat- ed in Barton County on what is now his home place, in section 18 of Great Bend township, where he owns and farms 300 acres of land. He was married in 1886 to Miss Annie Majors and they are the parents of two children: May, 24 years of age, is now Mrs. Edward Hermis, of Ellinwood, and Bernard, who is 19 years of age, aids his father in the operation of the farm. The home place has on it a neat, well arranged residence that contains eight rooms in addition to closets, pantries, etc. The barn is well built and is 30 by 52 feet in dimensions and there are also found on the place all the necessary outbuildings including granaries, etc. Mr. Comfort was raised on a farm and
has learned by experience the best methods to be applied under the conditions to be found in this section of the country. Mr. Comfort came to this county when it required men of knowl- edge to get anything like results from the soil while it was in the condition found by the ear- ly settlers. Mr. Comfort is one of that number of old timers who raised this county from a barren waste to its present high state of culti- vation. It was men like Mr. Comfort who had unflinching faith in the future who took the bad years with the good and made them aver- age enough profit to peg along and enable them to build homes and reclaim the soil from the Indians and Mr. Comfort had no small part in developing the resources of the county and it is to him and those who came at the same time that Barton County owes its high standing among the best counties of the state of Kansas and the entire country.
FRANK NICHOLAS BATCHMAN
F RANK NICHOLAS BATCHMAN was born December 6, 1867, in Sandusky, Ohio. He came to Barton County with his parents in 1878. His father, Jacob Batchman, bought land and immediately began the culti- vation of the soil. The subject of this sketch went to school for several years and took up the same occupation as that followed by his father and his home place is now one of the most desirably located in Comanche town- ship. The home place consists cf 160 acres in section 19. In addition to this land Mr. Batch-
man owns and farms 40 acres of land adjoining his on the north. He was married in 1886 at Ellinwood to Miss Lillie Wonders. To this union there were born two children: Elmo, 25 years of age, who resides north of Great Bend, and Mabel, 22 years of age, is now Mrs. V. Dantzman and resides near St. John, Kan- sas. Mr. Batchman survived his first wife and was married to Miss Louise Schrepel of Ellinwood. They are the parents of five chil- dren: Fred, 13; Dora, 10; Frank, 8; Alfred, 7; and Lola 5 years of age, all of whom are
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BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
students in the schools of Barton County. The residence is located on a high spot of ground and consists of six rooms in addition to the closets and pantries. The barn is 40 by 44 feet in dimensions and has a large loft. A small orchard is found on the home place
where trees representing nearly all varieties of fruits, common to this section, are raised. Mr. Batchman has a good grade of cattle and horses and is an enterprising and progressive farmer and has taken a large part in develop- ing that part of the county lying south of the river.
DENNIS RUDOLPH LOGAN
D ENNIS RUDOLPH LOGAN was born Au- gust 22, 1848, in Huntington County, Pa. He came to Barton County in 1872 and located a homestead near Pawnee Rock. it being the southeast quarter of 32-15-20. He proved up on this claim, residing there four years. Then he went to Barber County where he was in the cattle business for two years. At the end of this time he returned to Paw- nee Rock and formed a partnership with Chas. Gano. This partnership continued for several years when Mr. Gano sold out to E. W. Smith. The firm of Logan & Smith continued for sev- eral years in the same business after which Mr. Logan became the sole owner of the store which carried a fine line of general merchan- dise. Mr. Logan has been engaged in mercan- tile trade in the town of Pawnee Rock for thirty-five years and at the present time owns a big general store and a completely stocked furniture store both of which are under his personal management. Mr. Logan was mar- ried to Maggie T. Mardis of Johnson County, Kansas, July 25, 1847. They are the parents of six children: Earl, 29, assists his father in the management of his business interests; Helen, 15 years of age, resides at home and is being educated in the schools of the county; Arthur, 17; Lloyd, six months. Effie, three years and
Roy, two years, died at the ages given. The cause of their deaths being an affection of the throat which was so common among the chil- aren of this section in the 80's. Mr. Logan has a'ways taken an active part in the upbuilding 01 Pawnee Rock and the development of this section of the county. In addition to his busi- Less interests, Mr. Logan owns a fine modern residence containing nine rroms, bath, closets, etc. Several towa lots and 60 acres of farm- ing land which is being cultivated by renters. He is vice-president and a director of the Farmers and Merchants Bank and owns both the business houses which are occupied by his stores. Mr. Logan is one of those pioneers who came to this county at a time when it required nerve and great faith in the future to remain here and withstand the hardships incident to home building and development work at that time in the State of Kansas. Mrs. Logan en- joys the distinction of having been mayor of Pawnee Rock. She is one of the few women in the State of Kansas who has held the high- est office in a municipality. The Logan family is one of the best known in Barton County and Mr. Logan is especially well known in com- mercial circles and has done a great deal to make Barton County one of the best in the State of Kansas.
HENRY GAGELMAN
H ENRY GAGELMAN was born in Prussia in 1854, and came to this country withi his parents in 1864. He followed his brother William west, coming to Barton Coun- ty in 1887, ten years after William had arrived. He bought railroad land and like his brother, became one of the substantial citizens of the county. He remained on his farm twenty-three years and cultivated the soil and during that time he accumulated 400 acres of land which he still owns. Since his retirement from the . farming business in 1910, the land has been cultivated and managed by his sons. Henry Gagelman was married to Miss Adele Buscher in 1882 and they now have five children as follows: William F., 27 years; Edward W., 25 years; Annie, 23; Lillie, 21; and August, 19 years. Of these, Willianı, Edward and Lillie are married and all five of them are living in Barton County. Mr. Gagelman owns a fine,
modern residence at 2222 Broadway in Great Bend. His original home place is located thirteen miles west of Great Bend in one of the richest sections of the county. Although he has always taken an active part in any movement that was for the benefit of the coun- try he has never mixed in politics and never held a public office of any kind. He came to this county at a time when only the stout hearted could see anything but disaster in the future, but he, like a number of the other old timers, could see the future that was in store for this county by the right kind of develop- ment work and he always took an active part in this work and his success has been due to consistent effort and a never lacking faith in the county's ultimate importance as an agri- cultural section second to no place in the country.
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OF BARTON COUNTY, KANSAS
SAMUEL H. GWINN
"W OODLAWN PLACE," three and one- half miles west of Great Bend, cov- ers two hundred acres and is the home of Samuel H. and Adda Bratton Gwinn. It is so named because of the gigantic growth of woodland surrounding the residence and covering ten acres in its immediate vicinity. The orchard is a part of this, and when in full bearing supplies much dainty fruit. The house is a large two story frame and stands well to the front, and as the location is at a turn of the main Larned road it is very conspicuous. Well back in the rear is a large barn and other outbuildings, and across the roadway are still others. There are fifty acres in pasture lands, and on it graze many cattle. In fact, Mr. Gwinn divides his time between farming and breeding bovines, and when crops are good grows, buys and feeds quite a few. The near
proximity of this farm to the city, its immense growth of timber and its high state of cultiva- tion makes this one or the valuable and attrac- tive farms of the section.
Samuel H. Gwinn was born July 13, 1857, in Carroll County, Indiana. He grew to manhood on a farm and received his education in the public schools of the Hoosier state. In 1878, when twenty-one year of age, he came to Bar- ton County to begin life, and first found work as a farm hand. In 1884 he conducted a livery barn in Great Bend and in 1890 bought the two hundred acre farm on which he resides.
Samuel Gwinn and Miss Adda L. Bratton, of Great Bend, were married on August 1, 1883, and they are the parents of three living chil- dren : Fay Jennie; Edward J. and George Robert Gwinn, all residing with their parents at their home.
JACOB ALEFS
T HE life story of Jacob Alefs is more of a success than of adventure, although his first recollections are so inter- twined with the early history of Barton Coun- ty that it is hard to separate the one from the other. He came to the county when about thirteen years of age, accompanying his par- ents, Henry and Katherine Alefs, who settled on two quarters of land in the Cheyenne Bot- toms, seven miles north of Great Bend. £ The
father and mother were German, born and bred and the family that crossed the ocean in 1860 were the parents, a brother, John, and little Jacob, only seven months old. They first set- tled in Michigan, then in Chicago, where the father owned a furniture store. This was burned in the great Chicago fire and shortly after, in 1873, the family came to this county to make a new home. The father's health soon became impaired and at the age of sixteen the management of the farm fell to Jacob and he was the main support of the family until their death, Henry Alefs dying in 1884, and Mrs. Katherine Alefs on September 13th, 1887. The death of an only brother, John Alefs, occurred on January 31st, 1888, and Jacob Alefs became possessed of the lands and property of the deceased. He had, however, begun farming on
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