USA > Kansas > Cloud County > Biographical history of Cloud County, Kansas: biographies of representative citizens. Illustrated with portraits of prominent people, cuts of homes, stock, etc > Part 25
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In 1868 they were the most numerous, often covering a surface of four or five square miles, huddled closely together.
Mr. Brown witnessed the killing of Mr. White by the Indians August 13. 1868, and he was a member of the militia formed to protect the settlers from the Indian uprisings. This company of militia were disbanded but never discharged. Mr. Brown has seen the country develop from its prim- itive days down to the present. He homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres, pre-empted one hundred and sixty, and bought a soklier's right to forty acres of land. In 1878 he traded two hundred acres of this land for two valley farms, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres each, two and one- half miles west of Ames. The same year he bought one hundred and sixty acres on the Republican and later another tract of one hundred and thirteen acres. He now owns a total of seven hundred and fifty-three acres of land. Mr. Brown has dealt largely in stock; raising, feeding and shipping. In 1891 he retired from active farm life and established a residence in Con- cordia and was one of the original organizers of that city. During the grasshopper and drouth years Mr. Brown became discouraged, but never lost faith in the ultimate greatness of Kansas.
Mr. Brown is a native of Columbus, Ohio, born in 1844. His parents died when he was a youth and he was reared in the home of an aunt, his father's sister. He was an only child. In August, 1861, he enlisted in the Sixth Indiana. The state had five regiments in the Mexican war and when organizing companies for the Civil war they began numbering at six. This regiment was commanded by Colonel Crittenden, who was promoted to general. They operated in Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi and on the Cum- berland. They were of the Fourth Corps. The history of the regiment gives nineteen hard battles and numerous skirmishes. They were in all the bat- tles of the Atlantic slope. Chickamauga, Kenesaw Mountain. Missionary Ridge, etc. Mr. Brown received five slight wounds. He was in active service the entire three years and one month he served in the army. His immediate company served with distinction. Over two hundred of the one thousand men in his regiment were killed.
Mr. Brown received a limited common school education, having enlisted in the United States service when only sixteen years of age. After the war he returned to the home of his uncle and in March, 1866, was married to Catherine McGaw. of Pennsylvania. and the same year emigrated to Kan- sas. Mrs. Brown was deceased in April, 1901. To this union were born eight children, four of whom died in infancy.
Those living are: Florence Allen, wife of L. G. Pearson, a Cloud county farmer : Elva. wife of W. L. Acton, an extensive stockman of Decatur county, Kansas: Cora Eunice, wife of C. G. Ross, head clerk in Bolinger's clothing store of Concordia ; James W., a resident of Kansas City, foreman of Chamberlain's Weather Strip Company. Mr. Brown's daughters are all tal- ented in music and are educated and refined women. Mrs. Pearson was a teacher of Cloud county for several years. She received her education in
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
the Concordia schools and in the Agricultural College at Manhattan. Tlie son, James, graduated from the Concordia high school and from the Gem City Business College of Quincy, Illinois.
Mr. Brown and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal. church. Politically he is a Republican. Mr. Brown is another one of those reliable self-made men and owns some of the best property in Cloud county. His farm is under a high state of improvement, commodious farm house. with driveways of cottonwoods and many evergreens, making it one of the. most beautiful country places in the county.
HONORABLE C. W. McDONALD.
In the early days of Concordia C. W. McDonald was a conspicuous figure. Until 1901 he had been a resident of Cloud couunty for many years, being among the first settlers and interested in various business enterprises.
He represented Cloud county in the legislature in 1885. was editor of the Concordia Empire for several years, practiced law, and was president of the National Bank of Concordia. He was fortunate enough to draw a prize. at the opening of the Strip in Oklahoma, where he has since located.
HONORABLE A. J. SHELHAMER.
A. J. Shelhamer was one of the pioneers of Cloud county and was a good citizen, being one of the most enterprising men in the community. He came with small capital but soon established one of the best farms in the vicinity of Concordia, lying about two miles west of that city.
He did much toward the passing of the herd law and was president of the Agricultural Society, a flourishing body in the early 'seventies.
Mr. Shelhamer organized the first band in the county, buying the in- struments while on a visit to his old Michigan home.
SAMUEL H. BARONS.
The subject of this sketch is the late Samuel H. Barons, who was a native of Devonshire, England, born in 1829. Mr. Barons was one of nine children, seven boys and two girls, viz: William, Mary, George, Henry. John, Thomas, Samuel, Jennie and James, all of whom were born in England except the youngest, James. When "Uncle Sam" (as he was universally known) was five years of age, his parents came with their family of children to America, and after living a short time at Rochester, New York, located in the town of Irondequoit, five miles distant and bought a large tract of land, which was covered with forests of pine. This they cleared and put under a high state of cultivation, and which within a brief time became very valuable, and is now a suburb of Rochester. "Uncle Sam" became owner of a large portion of this homestead, which he sold for one
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
hundred and fifty dollars per acre. \ brother. John Barons, still retains a part of the land, which is now very valuable. "Uncle Sam" attended the common schools, and when twenty years of age he realized the need of a higher education, and entered a commercial college in the city of New York.
SAMUEL H. BARONS.
remaining four years. During the early part of his life and that of his brothers, they worked on the farm, making it a very successful and profit- able industry.
In 1859 he was married to Miss Frank E James, of Greece, Monroe county, New York, nine miles distant from the city of Rochester. Her father owned and operated a nursery there, and there she was reared and grew to womanhood. Mrs. Barons is a cultured, refined woman, a graduate of Avon Seminary, and taught school successfully for eighteen seasons. She is one of six children, four daughters and two sons, two of whom are living : Calista. widow of George Bristol, who makes her home with Mrs. Barons, and Miss Lucy, who came west with Mr. and Mrs. Barons, and has ever since been a member of the family.
After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Barons lived on the farm twelve years, when "Uncle Sam" became associated with E. M. Upton at Char-
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
lotte, New York, in the forwarding commission business and was appointed agent for the New York Central Railroad at that point. where he continued for a period of ten years. He was mayor of the city and prominently identi- fied in business and social circles. The firm owned their own docks, ele- vators, warehouse and cold storage, and did an extensive business. They furnished ties to the New York Central Railroad shipped from Canada, dealt heavily in fruit and grain and were a financial success.
In 1876 they sold to the New York Central Railroad for ninety-five
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MRS. FRANK E. JAMES BARONS.
thousand dollars. His health had become impaired and he decided to visit the west, whose wonderful possibilities at that time were being heralded broadcast over the land. He took a trip to Denver, Colorado, in June, when this country was redolent with fields of wheat and corn and great herds of cattle and hogs. Enroute home he stopped to visit Kansas and was delighted with the beautiful prairies and the great opportunity for stock raising. He returned to his home in New York with the "western fever." full of enthu- siasm over the alluring prospects of the great future of Kansas, and the many avennes of business waiting to be developed. His faith was unbounded
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and led to his investing thousands of dollars in this vicinity. Mrs. Barons- opposed taking up a residence in the west, so "Uncle Sam" returned alone, gathered a crew of men together and drove overland into Texas, where he bought eight hundred head of three-year-old Texas steers, drove them through to Manhattan, Kansas, where he fixed up winter quarters for them and returned to New York, spending the winter months with his family, returning to Kansas again in the spring time. "Uncle Sam" was then in prime of his vigorous manhood, and ere many years elapsed was a typi- cal westerner. Those who had only known him in his recent years of ill health, together with the changes wrought by "Father Time," the bent figure of the once stalwart. broad shouldered man, full of cherished ambi- tions-the lack-lustre of his once magnetic keen eye, dark as night-can- not conceive of a character so active in business life, driving herds of cattle and hogs over the prairies and figuring as one of the largest stock dealers in this part of the state. On account of the prevailing high taxes, he kept moving his cattle westward until he reached Clyde, where he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land adjacent to that town, including the hotel property, which he remodeled, repaired and named "The Pomeroy," in honor of an old friend by that name in Rochester, New York (and not for Senator Pomeroy, as many suppose). The land he laid out in lots, streets and avenues, and employed a family to manage the hotel, which was a lead- ing hostelry in this part of the country at that time. Shortly afterward he sold the hotel to J. Huntington, who failed to meet the obligations and . the property fell back into "Uncle Sam's" hands. He then sent for his wife and brother James to take charge of the hotel that it might not inter- fere with his stock and grain interests. He had in the meantime erected an elevator, and was largely interested in the grain business.
In February, 1888, he came to Concordia and bought the hotel property of Randall & Crill for a consideration of fifteen thousand dollars, and as soon as the frost was out of the ground the following spring, he began to build and improve, which he continued to do for five consecutive summers, until he had invested from seventy-five thousand to eighty thousand dollars. raised the mansard roof and added another story. building an addition with thirty rooms and another for servants' quarters with spacious kitchen and pantry underneath, and a basement under the build- ing which includes splendid sample rooms, a handsomely equipped barber- shop with hand-carved wood work, a laundry which did a paying business for several years and upward of a dozen other rooms.
A gas plant was added that cost three thousand five hundred dollars, the house piped throughout, a handsome balcony with iron columns and railing that cost two thousand five hundred dollars, hot and cold water on each floor, electric bells, and, later, incandescent lights. In connection is a livery stable with frontage on Fifth street and rear extending to Fourth street. The build- ing is a large stone structure with mansard roof erected at a cost of ten thou- sand dollars. In the hotel are eighty guest chambers aside from the hand-
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
.
some parlors, large dining room, office, etc. The house is well furnished and substantially built with beautiful hard wood finishings. "Uncle Sam" retained the Clyde hotel and ran both for about five years. "Uncle Sam" had two brothers who survive him, both his seniors: John and Thomas. The former is a very wealthy and prominent man of Rochester, New York. The latter is proprietor of a large "racket" store in the same city. James Barons died after a brief illness in 1893. He had been with "Uncle Sam" since he came to assist in the hotel at Clyde, and filled the position of stew- ard. He was a hotel man of natural ability and had many friends among its patrons and the traveling public. Since "Uncle Jimmie" (as he was known) died, Mrs. Barons has practically managed the hotel, for from his death dated the beginning of "Uncle Sam's" decline. The strong ties between the two brothers, coupled with the effects of the boom brought about complications which undermined his physical strength. He was a large taxpayer and suffered more than people without property.
"Uncle Sam" left a wife whose patient, unselfish devotion, as she administered so faithfully to his least expression or desire, was beautiful in the extreme, and a son to whom he was deeply attached. Samuel H. - Barons was born on the farm near Rochester, September 2, 1868, and came with his parents to Clyde when ten years of age. When fifteen years old he entered the College of Notre Dame. Indiana, remaining two years and later finished a course in the Lawrence University. In 1889 "Uncle Sam" deeded to him a half section of land in Rooks county, Kansas, and he has added other lands until he now owns six hundred and forty acres, with four hun- dred acres under cultivation, two hundred and forty acres of pasture land, and raises cattle, horses, hogs and mules. Ilis ranch is twelve miles from Plainfield and five miles distant from Natoma, the nearest shipping point. This is a well watered ranch with good buildings, cattle sheds, windmill, etc. In 1890 S. H. Barons was married to Miss Lizzie Dumas, who died in April, 1901, after an illness of two years.
"Uncle Sam" was a broad minded, well informed man, just, generous, temperate in all his habits and affable in manner. His motto through life was. "If you cannot speak well of a man, say nothing." He was a friend of every little child and never passed them without a kind word or smile, and of every unfortunate person, bestowing charity wherever needed. He was widely and favorably known to all the commercial travelers, many of whom had patronized him for years. He died June 21, 1901. Ilis remains were taken to Rochester, New York, his old home, and all that is mortal of "Uncle Sam" rests in Mount Hope by the side of his father, mother and brother James. Mount Hope, with its walks and driveways, bordered with flowers, which skilled hands have made a triumph of art, with its silent tombs and stately monuments, is one of the loveliest spots in existence-a veritable "city of the dead."
In June. 1902, Mrs. Barons sold the "Barons Hotel" to C. H. Martin and under his supervision it will remain the same popular headquar-
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
ters for the traveling public. The hotel is widely known for its superior comforts and accommodations and is the central resort of many commer- cial men and the permanent residences of their families.
After the sale of the hotel property Mrs. Barons removed to Lyons, Kansas, where she is conducting a smaller hotel very successfully.
JOSEPHI D. SEXSMITHI.
The subject of this sketch, J. D. Sessmith, is one of Cloud county's 'sixty-niners who took up a homestead and began farm life on an unculti- vated Kansas prairie with a yoke of wild Texas steers. He was an unmar- ried man at that time and only improved his claim enough to hold it and engaged in teaching school on the frontier. He was the pioneer teacher in the "Rice" district and in this seat of learning. constructed of sod and boards, Mr. Sexsmith imparted knowledge to about one dozen rising young Kan- san- and received a salary of twenty-five dollars per month.
Ilis father, Matthew Sexsmith, a farmer of Delaware county. New York, the place of our subject's nativity, was also an early settler in Kansas. He filed on government land in Cloud county and lived there until his death in 1886. Ilis mother before her marriage was Mary Douglas. She died in 18-2. when Mr. Sexsmith was but six years old, and left six other children. Mr Sexsmith acquired his rudimental education in the common schools of New York, followed by an academic course in Andes Collegiate Institute of Andes, New York, graduating from this institution, took a regent's examination and was granted a diploma. He was practically reared on a farm and followed that occupation until 1864. when he enlisted at the youthful age of eighteen years in Company 1. One Hundred and Forty-fourth New York Volunteers.
This regiment changed the position of their troops from Virginia to the Department of the South and operated under the command of General Gillmore. During Sherman's march to the sea his regiment occupied the attention at the other end of the route. The One Hundred and Forty-fourth was the first Union regiment in the city of Charleston, but Mr. Sexsmith was prevented from being there, owing to a wound he received in a charge on James Island and was disabled for two months. He joined the forces at Hilton Head, South Carolina, where they remained until discharged. When they were mustered out at Elmira. New York, Mr. Sexsmith returned to his home and resumed his farming pursuits until coming to Kansas in 1869.
By 1876 he had improved his homestead to the extent of concluding he could afford a wife, and believing it was not best for man to live alone, he was united with Miss Emma Lamb in the bonds of matrimony. Her father. T. C. Lamb, came from Missouri, where she was born, and settled in Shirley township. He was also an engineer and saw mill man. After having put his land under a high state of cultivation, Mr. Sexsmith sold it
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
in 1882 and moved into Clyde, where he was engaged in various pursuits, chief among which was an interest in the manufacture of pottery. In 1884 lie was elected clerk of the court of Cloud county. At the expiration of his term in this office he embarked in the real estate and insurance business. In 1899 he was elected city clerk of Concordia and was re-elected each suc- ceeding year until 1901, when he retired and engaged again in the real estate and insurance business.
To Mr. and Mrs. Sexsmith four children have been born, viz: Daniel J., court stenographer at Enid, Oklahoma : Matthew T., associate editor of the Concordia Press; Charlotte Gertrude, a successful Cloud county teacher, and Leonard D., a student of the Concordia High school.
Mr. Sexsmith is a Republican politically and takes an active part in all legislative affairs. He cast his first vote for President Grant in 1868. Mr. Sexsmith takes an active interest in everything pertaining to the Grand Army of the Republic. Ile is a member and past post commander of W. T. Sherman Post, of Concordia.
MRS. ALICE L. BATES.
Mrs. Bates is now retired from school work, but she has been one of the most prominent educators of the county and enjoys the distinction of being the first of her sex to hold the office of county superintendent of pub- lic schools in Cloud county. That her reign was a successful one is evi- denced in the fact that the office has never reverted to a male official.
Mrs. Bates was born in central New York, but when a child came with her parents to Monticello, lowa, where she received a common school edu- cation, followed by a literary course in the Lennox Collegiate Institute. In 1872 she graduated from the Iowa State University, preceded by a teacher's course in Monticello under Jerome Allen, who was afterward connected with a training school in New York City and became quite noted.
After graduating Mrs. Bates became principal of the Sand Spring school for one year, then entered the Monticello high school. In 1877 she came to Cloud county and entered the primary department of the Concor- dia public schools. At that time there were three teachers. She continued in the employ of the Concordia school until their number increased to six- teen. She taught in both the primary and the high school. In 1890, Mrs. Bates was elected superintendent of public schools by the Populist party, and in 1892 was re-elected. She did not make a campaign, nor ask for a single vote.
In 1896 she was selected to fill a vacancy on the Concordia school board, was re-elected and served two years. The first year she served as vice-president of the board and the second year as president. In the early part of her school work in Concordia she taught in institutes and during that time was one of the board of examiners. It was through Mrs. Bates efforts that the library of the superintendent's office had its origin. The
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first books-fifty in number-were won at the State Association for the largest attendance of any county in the state. To her credit is due the start- ing of many libraries throughout the country districts| She was engaged in school work for thirty-six years.
Mrs. Bates is a daughter of the Honorable Joseph and Nancy Cool, both natives of New York, and both teachers. Mrs. Bates was married to Perry Bates in 1874. He was a native of New York, but was educated at Hillsdale College. Michigan, was a professor of schools, teaching in lowa, and later in Kansas. He died the same year of their marriage, in Oskaloosa, Kansas. Mrs. Bates' residence is on West Ninth street, near the court- house. She is a member of the Universalist church.
WILLIAM S. TOWNSDIN.
The subject of this sketch is W. S. Townsdin, a retired farmer and one of the esteemed early settlers that came to Cloud county in 1867, and has seen the country develop and "blossom like the rose." He and his wife experienced many trials and anxious days but did not suffer as many of their neighbors. Mr. Townsdin does not regret having cast his lot in Kansas, but in the early settlement of the country he felt the chances were against them, but in later years when surrounded by their family of children who were prosperous, they agreed "all was well." and that Kansas was one of the fairest spots on earth. They were on the frontier for over two years without the addition of a single new settler. They at one time lived in the most commodious dwelling in the country and kept open house. Many travelers in quest of homes in the new west have enjoyed their hospitality.
Mr. Townsdin is a native of Huntingdonshire, England, born in 1827. His parents were Samuel and Elizabeth ( Dean) Townsdin, both of Eng- lish birth, where his father was a carpenter and worked for the same employer all his life. Mr. Townsdin is one of eight children, three of whom are living, two sisters, both residing in England. Mr. Townsdin received a limited education in the village of Huntingdon and at the age of fourteen years began a career for himself. Hle located in Wales, where he worked at various things for about ten years.
In 1852 he was married to Margaret Jones, a native of Monmouth- shire, Wales. She was a daughter of John and Mary ( Davis) Jones and one of fourteen children. At her mother's death, a half century ago, twelve children, all of whom were married, followed her to the grave. Mrs. Townsdin is now the only surviving member of the family. Mr. Towns- din touched on American soil with his family in 1853, and settled in Pom- eroy county, Ohio, where he labored on public works for a period of seven years. In 1860 he removed to Edwards county, Illinois, where he farmed until 1867. A year later he came to Kansas.
He emigrated with three teams to Cloud county, pre-empted a quarter section and homesteaded one hundred acres of land one mile from the pres-
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ent city of Concordia, which at that time was not even thought of. The Townsdins were among the few settlers of Lincoln township, and are the only remaining landmark of those pioneer days. Buffalo, elk, antelope and wild turkey abounded and furnished their supply of meat. They experienced many Indian scares and several persons were killed, but while they were in constant terror and suspense they were never disturbed. When there were neither roads nor bridges Mr. Townsdin hauled corn from Manhattan, for which he had paid one dollar and twenty-five cents per bushel.
He gradually drifted into the stock business, bought a calf here and there. finally collecting quite a herd. He added to his land until he owns several farms, of which he has retained four hundred aeres and owns sey- eral good residence properties in Concordia, where he removed when he retired from the farm in 1883. The following year he, with his wife, spent two years visiting England and Wales, and has visited his native land once since that date.
To Mr. and Mrs. Townsdin eight children have been born, seven of whom are living: John, a farmer, who resides two and one-half miles east of Concordia; James, a retired farmer of Randall, Jewell county, Kansas ; Samuel, a farmer eight miles east of Concordia; Charles, a commission merchant of Kansas City (he owns three farms in Cloud county) : George, a merchant of Randall, Kansas; Mary J. wife of John Shrader, a farmer three miles southeast of Concordia: Vincent, a stock and grain buyer of Randall, Kansas. The Townsdin family are all prosperous and well-to-do, owning fine farms and desirable personal property.
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