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 56
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
where they landed in October. 1856. Salt Lake City was then far remote from civilization, and Brigham Young ruled the territory with a rod of iron. The opposition of the Hillhouse family was early recognized in the church. and not only were they refused the privilege of earning their bread, but con-
C
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MR. AND MRS. JOHN HILLHOUSE.
stant and unendurable vigilence was exercised by their persecutors, lest they should leave the city.
It was in April. 1857, that this family with no supplies but a little flour aboard a hand cart, quietly left the city one morning and hurried away to join a train of emigrants, on its return to recross the plains, and two days journey out. The escape of the little band was early learned in the city and a posse of seven mounted Danites started rapidly in pursuit, overtak- ing them early in the morning several miles into and over the mountains.
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
and almost within sight of the train to which they were eagerly and rapidly hurrying. The horsemen drew down upon them with drawn revolvers and commanded them to retrace their footsteps under penalty of instant death. Mrs. Hillhouse refused point blank to return, telling them they had starved while there for want of work, and that they were not spies as charged but were to return to Scotland from whence they came. The men finally de- cided to let the mother and children proceed, but Mr. Hillhouse was dragged from his family, returned a prisoner to Salt Lake, more than two and one- half years elapsing before the family were reunited.
The day was far spent, and night, cold, snowy and blustry was already there. The attempt to push on and reach the train that night was for the weep- ing mether, children and sister of Mr. Hillhouse to lose their way, and surely perish from hunger and coldl. With a little shovel Mrs. Hillhouse scooped away the snow, placed the children under the cart, covered them as well as possible and settled down to watch through that long. dreary winter night for the first gray streak of dawn that would light them on their way toward the train. But the longest night will pass, and with the children in the cart and with blinding tears this woman pushed out for, she knew not where. Toward the middle of the afternoon a party from the train who knew of the intended escape and that the fugitives were to join them on the second day, rescued and took them into camp. Their destination was Plattsmouth, Nebraska, and the journey began. The train was heavily loaded but the little sack of flour was taken aboard and Mrs. Hillhouse with the two children in the cart tramped five hundred miles, the distance to Fort Laramie. The incidents of this journey alone would fill many columns. Plattsmouth, Nebraska, was finally reached and through the influence of kind friends who had heard of her adventures and heroism, the mother mourning her husband as dead, found work. Mrs. Hillhouse had learned the dressmaking trade in Scotland and did fine needlework which enabled ber to support her little family while Mr. Hillhouse was detained in Salt Lake. Within a year she was running a successful dressmaking estab- lishment in their new home.
Mr. Hillhouse after the separation in the mountains was taken to Salt Lake a prisoner and threatened with death. In the autumn of 1857, hie escaped, joined an emigrant train bound' for California and there found work. Through the medium of letters to the old home in Scotland, the husband and wife were finally notified of each other's existence and address, but not until all hope had been abandoned of the return of Jeanette, who liked the new land and decided to stay. Her return was expected and not until then was word to be given her that her husband still lived; but the return did not come, and Mr. Hillhouse was finally notified of the where- abonts of his family. He immediately sailed from San Francisco for New York and then crossed the continent again, to Plattsmouth, where the family were reunited.
For reasons concerning his health, another move was made to Platte
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
county, Missouri, in 1859, where. in those troublesome days of business in- certainties, and dangers of war, peace came not ; but the trials of former days were to be renewed in other and equally distressing ways. Mr. Hillhouse enlisted in Company K. 18th Missouri Volunteer Infantry, January 2. 1862. and was discharged the following August. There was no peace, no secur- ity in Missouri for them; the father was hunted day and night by prowling bands of bush-whackers and guerrillas. His property or possessions were taken or destroyed as fast as accumulated, and Mrs. Hillhouse was frequently at the point of pistol or bayonet, comorinded to reveal the hiding place of her Inishand. Some of his escapes were little less than miraculous. Many and frequent were the skull and cross bone notices to leave, the torch ap- plied to the little log house and the children. William, Jessie and Margaret ( there were three now) threatened with death; until with an outfit such as they could muster from the wreck und ruin of the past. the family left Mis- souri overland for the Solomon valley in Cloud county, Kansas.
This country was being surveyed, opened to soldiers and widely ad- vertived. They arrived in March of 1866, and on April 1st located a home- stead on the Solomon river, then Shirley county and not organized. The buffalo came to drink from their watering place. After homesteading, the munificent sum of twenty-five cents was the entire cash possession of the family. They were the only family for miles up or down the river except the Hendershots and Robert Smith. The family would often cry for joy at the appearance of a covered wagon.
At that time there were no sappiles only as freighted from Leaven- worth. The Indians were alert, hostile and every moment to be feared and dreaded. Prairie fires laid waste possessions, droughts, floods and grass- hoppers were to be met and endured. Scarcely a page of the life of the frontier but was to be filled out to the last line. While attending to the duties entailed upon farm life Mrs. Hillhouse wonkl often be left alone with her three children. During the raid of 1868, their barn, corn and crib was burned by the Indians, a horse was stolen and the family pursued while enroute to the stockade near Minneapolis. This flight was made in a two- horse wagon. The Indians came within two hundred years of them, but when they discovered the "Jim Lane" cannon in position they fled to the hills and far away. However, had they known the cannon was not primed they might not have been so quickly routed. The company were indebted to Mrs. Robert Smith's ingenuity; she took the bail off the coffee pot to prime the cannon. The party went on unmolested to Lindsay, where the little handful of settlers had congregated for protection. Two weeks later they returned. These families had gathered together for many miles around; some of the women and children were walking, some of thein old and crip- pled, some screaming, others crying or praying.
A company of the United States infantry camped at the Hillhouse home- stead. They had plenty of rations and the English captain relished the buf- falo meat pie made by MIrs. Hillhouse. About this time a gentleman of no-
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
ble bearing came with a party of friends to hunt buffalo. Mrs. Hillhouse cooked their supper and furnished them with a night's lodging. A week later, a Mr. McMillan of Harvard University with a guide, in search of ra- tions, came and revealed the fact that she had entertained an English noble- man, for her guest was none other than the Prince of Wales.
The first season Mrs. Hillhouse had a beautiful garden in the low land near the river but one day a rise came and swept the whole thing away. She, with William and Jessie planted nine acres of corn by cutting an opening in the sod with an ax, placed the corn and with their feet pressed it into the eartlı.
John Hillhouse was visiting relatives in the west, Idaho and Utah for the purpose of regaining his health. He was at Heber, thirty miles out of Salt Lake, enroute home when he was stricken with an attack of heart trouble. In a few hours the man who had braved the dangers few inen are called upon to undergo, dangers of land and sea, of Indians, Mormons and Gentiles, the horrors of war, terrors of the bushwhackers torch and the midnight assassin. privations and hardships of frontier life, days and weeks without food enough to sustain life and family, the discouragements of grasshoppers, drouth, etc., the heart that experienced all of these without surrender to fear, at last before the king of teriors ceased to beat, on August 1. 1892. Mrs. Hillhouse, a remarkably vivacious and interesting woman, survives him. She is thoroughly Americanized and prefers this to her native country, but is ever pleased to hear of prosperity in Scotland. But with all the hard- ships endured she is loyal to America and prefers her adopted home. She still retains the old homestead and as they had the choice of practically any location it is one of the finest farms in the Solomon valley.
The seven children are as follows: William A. (see sketch ) Jessie, wife of D. D. Williams, a carpenter of Glasco: they are the parents of six chil- dren : Frank. Alice, wife of Walter Purcell, of Oklahoma, Maggie, wife of Herman Mann, Jessie, Nellie and David. Madge A., wife of M. L. Hare, a druggist of Glasco, Kansas. Mary, wife of J. V. Bartow, in the employ of Chapin & Sweet as second miller in the Delphos mills ; they have two children. Earl and Willie. James Robert, station agent at Delphos. Kansas, where he married Miss May Jones. David, a farmer and lives on the old homestead. married to Mary Olmstead of Glasco. Catherine, wife of A. E. Abbott, for seven years a Cloud county teacher ; he is a graduate of the Salina Normal and is now teaching on his third year in District No. 47.
Mrs. Hillhouse is a member of the Presbyterian church, christened in her native country by the old Covenanters. Her parents were Hugh and Jeanette (Mckenzie) McClair, natives of the highlands of Scotland. Her father was a seafaring man, being a mariner on a ship under Admiral Nelson. Her paternal grandfather was a factor to the Duke of Argyle, one hundred and seventy years ago. Hugh McClair was stolen when a boy and for twenty years it was thought he had drowned at sea. but he had been
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
sold to a pirate vessel instead. An uncle, her father's only brother, was a sergeant in the British army. Her miternal ancestry, the MeKensies were all well-to-do Scotch people, overseers of coal works, merchants, etc. [After an illness of several months, Mrs. Hillhouse was deceased in April. 1003. - Editor.]
THE CHICAGO LUMBER COMPANY.
The cut on this page represents the handsome new quarters of the Chicago Lumber Company. They have been established in Glasco since the early eighties, but until recently were located in another part of the city. In 1902 they erected their present buildings, which are among the finest and most attractive of their numerous yards throughout the country. This firm carries an extensive line of well selected lumber, doors, windows, blinds. paints, etc.
Cornelius G. Archer, their local manager, has had years of experience in the limber business and has held his present position since 1807. He is a native of Ogle county, Objo, born in 1854. His father is Joseph Arch- er, a brother of the late Sheriff Archer of Cloud county. The Archers are of English origin, and their ancestors settled in Virginia along with the Colonists, and were patriots of the Revolutionary war. Mr. Archer's parents are both liv - ing and are residents of Virginia. having resided there since 1873. Mr. Archer's mother was Katherine Harris before her marriage. She ('HILAGO LUMBER COMPANY'S YARDS AT GLAS( ' descends from a long lived race ; her father died at the age of ninety- eight, and his brother at one hundred and three. Her paternal grand- mother died at the age of one hundred and seven years. Mr. Archer re- members hearing her relate stories of Daniel Boone, whom she knew person- ally. She also knew Lou Wetzel, of Indian fame, and lived in Virginia at that time. Her name was Enochs. Mr. Archer's record is that of a boy who unaided, forged his way to manhood, worked his way up to a position of trust, and now enjoys the confidence of his employers, and the good will of his fellow citizens.
HONORABLE WILLIAM AA. HILLHOUSE.
The early life of W. A. Hillhouse is woven with the story of the Hill- house family related in the preceding chapters. He is a prominent citizen and the present efficient postmaster of Glasco. He is a native of Scotland,
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
born at Lenarkshire in 1854, and a son of Mr. and Mrs. John Hillhouse. Fle was educated in the common schools of Missouri and Kansas and began his career farming: took up a homestead in the Solomon valley, where he lived until 1885, when he became associated with his father and J. E. Olm- stead. Sr., in the grain business, and built an elevator. At the expiration of one year Mr. Olmstead retired from the business and the firm was continued by the father and son until the death of the former in 1892. Mr. Hillhouse continued the business alone until 1897, when he was appointed postmaster of Glasco.
He was married in 1883 to Vira Mccullough, a daughter of James T. Mccullough, who died April 5, 1885. Mr. Mccullough was born near Ath- ens, Ohio. December 14, 1820. His paternal grandfather was a soldier in the Black Hawk war. Mr. McCullough was married to Mary G. Brown January 29. 1843, and moved to Marshall county, Iowa, in 1864, where he followed blacksmithing. Mrs. Hillhouse is one of twelve children, eight of whom are living: James and Robert. of Jowa: Mrs. Joe Olmstead, of Glasco; Mrs. Oscar Ilillan, John, William and Oscar. Mrs. McCullough died February 9, 1878, and the father with his family moved to Cloud county, Kansas, in 1879. In 1881 he was married to Mrs. A. Patrick, who survives him. Mr. Mccullough was a good man, faithful in the discharge of his duties and had been a member of the Presbyterian church for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Hillhouse have one daughter, Nellie, a graduate of the Glasco high school, class of 1901. She is a qualified assistant in the postoffice and thoroughly competent in that capacity. Mrs. Hillhouse is also registered in the postoffice department.
Mr. Hillhouse is a Republican and has figured conspicuously in the political arena of Cloud county. He served four years as deputy sheriff of the county, under John D. Wilson two years, 1880-1, and under a brother, Daniel Wilson, two years, 1882-3. Mr. Hillhouse has served three terms as mayor of the city of Glasco and at various times as member of the city coun- cil. Has been a Mason for twelve years and has occupied the chair as master of Glasco lodge; is an Odd Fellow, having been a prominent member of the order for twenty-four years and helped to organize the lodge at Glasco. He is also a member of the Modern Woodmen, Royal Neighbors, Fraternal Aid and Sons of Veterans.
MARCUS L. HARE.
M. L. Hare, of the successful and enterprising drug firm of Brierley & Hare, is a thoroughly competent pharmacist and prescriptionist. He is not only one of the most reliable druggists in the country, but one of the best posted men on the topics of the day and perhaps the best general authority in his town. Their stock of drugs, medicines and druggists' sundries have been selected with the greatest care and they have one of the neatest and best appointed business houses in the city of Glasco.
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
Mr. llare is a native of lowa, born in 1854. His parents are D. L. and Rebecca ( Burk) Hare. His father was a farmer. Mr. Hare's mother died in 1801, and his father married agam in 1900 and resides in Glasco. The Ilares are of English origin and the Burks of German. Mr. Hare is the third child of a family of eight children, all of whom are living. Two broth- ers and one sister are residents of Cloud county; the others have found homes in various states. Mr. Hare is a self-made and self-educated man. lle was reared on a farm and followed that pursuit until thirty years of age. During the period he should have been in school they lived in Missouri. where everything was devastated as a result of the Civil war. He gained his knowledge of book lore after he had passed the age of twenty years. He realized more and more the need of an education and by his personal efforts he succeeded in obtaining one. He was seven years old when his parents left Iowa and settled in Andrew county, Missouri. In March, 1871. he emi- grated to Cloud county and settled on a farm in the Solomon valley. In 1883 he came into Glasco and engaged in the hardware business; five years later he erected the large tone business block now occupied by R. G. Bracken's furniture store, where he remained until receiving the appointment of postmaster in 1880, during the latter part of Cleveland's administration, to succeed Noah Welch, resigned, and though a Democrat he recommended Mr. Hare, who was appointed and served four and one-half years. When Mr. Cleveland was elected to his second term Mr. Ilare resigned and was succeeded by Owen Day. In the meantime Mr. Hare had become associated with C. M. White in the drug store located in the postoffice building. In 1892 he bought Mr. White's interest in the firm and conducted the business until 1896, when he entered into partnership with Dr. Brierley in their present business. They also own jointly two very fine farms. One, the Captain Potts farm. is situated on the river, one mile west and the other three and one-half miles west of Glasco. These farms are both under high cultivation and improvement and are valuable estates.
Mr. llare was married in 1879 to Miss Margaret Hillhouse, a daugh- ter of John Hillhouse. Their family consists of three children, viz : Jeanette, a talented and accomplished young woman, is a graduate from the Glasco high school and on the fourth year of a collegiate course at Linds- borg. Charles is a trusted and valuable employe of the Glasco State Bank. He has evidently pleased his employers, as the length of time he has been with them (two years) signifies. He is a graduate of the Glasco high school and one of the most popular young men in the community. May, the youngest daughter. is a graduate of the Glasco high school.
Mr. Hare is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and Knights of Pythias. He has at- tained his good record through constant application and is an excellent busi- ness manager. Mr. Hare took a correspondence course through the Chicago Institute of Pharmacy and passed an examination before a board of exam- iners. He worked hard to accomplish this end. often burning midnight oil,
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
but was rewarded by a satisfactory test of his qualifications. Mr. Hare is an agreeable, pleasant gentleman, and with his esteemed family occupy one of the handsome homes of Glasco and are among the most highly respected citizens of their town.
WARREN W. PALMER.
W. W. Palmer, an extensive farmer and stockman residing in Glasco, is a native of Massachusetts, born in Somerville, a suburb of Boston. in 1843. He is a son of Theodore and Lydia ( Wood ) Palmer. One branch of the Palmers came over in the Mayflower and settled in Massachusetts, and enigrated later to New Hampshire where Theodore Palmer was born and married. They subsequently moved to Massachusetts, where their fam- ily was reared. Mr. Palmer's mother was a native of Massachusetts and died June 5, 1863. His father came to Kansas in 1881 to live in the home of his son and died in Neosha Falls in 1883.
Mr. Palmer emigrated to LaSalle county, Illinois, in 1860 where he remained until the following June, when he enlisted in Company .A. Twentieth Illinois Infantry, and served three years, before arriving at the age of twenty-one. After the siege of Vicksburg he was transferred to the signal corps. He did not miss an engagement that his company partici- pated in and was with Grant in every battle that famous general com- manded, with the exception of Fort Pillow. When the signal corps in Banks' regiment arrived at Cane river, Louisiana, and they were fired upon by the enemy, the movements of the attacking column were conducted en- tirely by signal. The history by J. Willard Brown says, "Private Warren W. Palmer was complimented in the records for standing at his post like a true man and soldier while staff officers ran their horses to the rear for a more secure position." His picture also appears in the work. Mr. Palmer was very young but had a brother in the service who was a good soldier and through this influence he was allowed to pass and enlist. At the time of his transference he was a corporal. He was neither wounded, sick or in prison during the service. He was in the battles of Fort Henry, Shiloh, Siege of Corinth, Britton's Lane, and with Grant's army at Fort Gibson, Utica and Champion Hill, where their regiment turned the tide of that battle ; by a bold dash of General Logan's at the proper time every piece of artillery fell into their hands. The battle was a bloody one and fiercely fought. On the march from Jackson to Vicksburg they charged on Fort Hill and were repulsed, but stationed themselves a few rods away. threw up an embankment, dug trenches and tunneled through to the Fort ; put in powder and blew it up making several efforts before they succeeded. One of the Rebel officers and a colored servant were killed in this affair, the darky being hurled into the air and landed in the Federal ranks. While the regiment was lying at Memphis in the autumn of 1862. there were numerous desertions. On one occasion Mr. I'almer and a comrade were
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
strolling along Pigeon Road where the woods were full of guerrillas. The pair drifted several miles from camp in the vicinity of an old railroad track and discovered half a dozen men coming in their direction who they supposed were guerrillas. As they approached one of their number, a Ger- man, expressed a desire to be spokesman and upon being questioned as to what their intentions were, replied that they were fugitives of war and also affirmed that thousands more wanted to join them. The German invited them over to their plantation where they found card tables and other evi- dences of entertainment. Before taking their departure arrangements were made for Mr. Palmer and his partner to return and bring with them all who desired to desert the army with the pronuse of sending them anywhere on parole in the south of north on the Mississippi river. Upon returning to camp the gallant "boys in blue" related their novel experience and Gen- eral Logan immediately sent two companies of soldiers with staff officers. guides and men to arrest the fugitives who had forsaken their post of duty. Mr. Palmer with several others repaired to the place of meeting, reported themselves ready for the promised assistance and were instructed to go to a certain rendezvous for passports, etc. A few moments later and the door was burst open, the occupants taken in charge and put under guard. The three leaders of the gang were sent to the AAlton penitentiary for the remain- der of the war. Upon investigation they found in the house accontrements of war and the papers of one hundred or more soldiers who had become deserters.
After the war Mr. Palmer obtained a position with Drake & Beebee's commision house, remaining eighteen months and removed to Dongola, Union county, Illinois, where he lived two years and was appointed post- master and express agent, which offices he had held one year prior to this dite for Mr. Leavenworth, who resigned and was succeeded by Mr. Pal- mer. Our subject was one of eleven children, four of whom are living. He has two brothers-Ilomer, a resident of Idaho, and George, who was in the sime company with Mr. Pahner, is an inmate of the Soldiers' Home at Quincy, Illinois. He is sixty-six years of age. A sister, Caroline Moore, is a resident of Boston, Massachusetts. A brother. William, who enlisted in a Massachusetts regiment, was killed in the battle of Spotsylvania. Lyman, another brother, who was also one of a Massachusetts regiment, was wounded and died in this state from the effects of the wound.
Mr. Palmer located in Glasco in the winter of 1878-9 and for several years followed carpentering. He assisted in buikdling the first house that was erected in that city after it secured the railroad. He leases and operates a section of fine land about one mile from Glasco, which he has farmed since 1893. Within the eight years that he has operated this farm the land has produced thirty thousand bushels of wheat, and the present year ( 1901) he has two hundred and sixty acres. In 1897 his wheat averaged forty bushels and in 1891 forty-one bushels per acre. In the latter year he had twenty acres of volunteer . wheat that yielded twenty-seven and one-half bushels per
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