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 57
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
acre. In 1901 a field of two hundred acres yiekled forty bushels per acre; much was wasted on account of dry weather and he garnered but twenty- three hundred bushels. Mr. Palmer has raised cattle and hogs successfully. shipping two car loads of the latter per year. His herd of cattle consists of ninety head. He visited Missouri in 1900 and purchased several head of the Aberdeen strain and is breeding his herd into the Aberdeen-AAngus. He has been very successful in alfalfa and has sixty-five acres that yielded one hun- (red and twenty-five tons the present year. Mr. Palmer has also been en- gaged in the real estate and insurance business, and through his shrewd- ness and efforts many transactions in good real estate have taken place. In 1880 he became manager for the Chicago Lumber Company and was with this enterprise eight years.
Mr. Palmer was married in 1865 to Mary E. Little, a daughter of John F. Little, of Compton, New Hampshire. She is a lineal descendant of George Little, nine generations removed, who settled in Newbury, Massa- chusetts, in 1640. The place of his nativity was Union street, city of Lon- don. England, in the vicinity of London Bridge. Her father was born in 1810 on the old Little homestead at Compton. The house in which he was born was a well-constructed building erected in 1786: the first shingles least- ing half a century.
John F. Little was a teacher in his early life and moved to Mississippi. where he met and married Sarah Ann Dennis. She was born in 1818. They emigrated to Dongola, Union county, Illinois, in 1866, where Mr. Little was a prominent citizen and became postmaster, express agent and justice of the peace, holding these positions several years. They lived to celebrate their golden wedding and were both deceased the following year. Mrs. Palmer is one of five children, viz : Alice Jane, deceased wife of Henry C. Neville : she died in 1866, leaving one son. Henry C., living in the state of Indiana. John Augustus, deceased in 1859. at the age of twelve years. James Albert, born July 4. 1853. is watchman in the Marine Hospital of Cairo, Illinois. Sarah Phoebe, deceased wife of John McNamer, died July 21. 1878. The Little ancestry served in the French and Indian war, the Rev- olution, the War of 1812 and the Civil war. A cousin of Mrs. Palmer was the youngest captain of an Iowa regiment. They were prominent people. many of them being graduates of Harvard, Yale and other noted colleges. They were all upright, industrious and God-fearing men. Her grandfa- ther, four generations back, was Colonel Moses Little, who won distinction under Washington at the battle of Bunker Hill. He led three companies across Charleston Neck under a severe fire from the British batteries, reach- ing the scene of action before the first charge of the enemy and was present throughout the engagement. He is spoken of in history as "behaving with much spirit." Though not wounded he had many narrow escapes, and forty of his regiment were killed and wounded. He was the officer of the day when Washington took command of the army and afterward became per- sonally acquainted with his commander-in-chief, who held him in high es-
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
teem. Upon one occasion several officers were complaining bitterly of the character of their provisions. Washington suggested they confer with Col- onel Moses Little, who had not found time to allude to hardships of this sort. In 1777 he was compelled to return home on account of illness and two years later declined for the same reason the commission of brigadier general and the command of an expedition raised by the commonwealth of Massa- chusetts to dislodge the enemy from their position on the Penobscot. Ile afterward represented his native town in the legislature as he had done before the war. He died in 1798.
To Mr. and Mrs. Palmer have been born eight children, seven of whom are living. viz: Theodore Dudley, born in 1868, is a bookkeeper in a rail- road office at Altoona, Wisconsin. Roscoe, born in 1877, occupies a posi- tion in the same office. He was a member of the Fifteenth Minnesota, Com- pany H, and served nine months in the Cuban war. They did not encounter active service, but were encamped at Camp Mckenzie, Georgia, and at Fort Snelling. Amnesota. They expected and were anxious to be sent to Cuba. but the warfare ceased ere they were called on to go. John Dennis, born in 1870. is a clerk in a department store in Marshalltown, Jowa. Adah Marie is the wife of A. R. Hilsabeck, a farmer near Gilman, Jowa. Alice Emma is married and resides in Glasen. Albert and Alma were the first twins born in the city of Glasco. Albert is at present in Colorado, where he is sojourn- ing for the benefit of his health. Alma, a prepossessing and promising young woman, was deceased January 21, 1901. at the age of twenty-one years. Harry, the youngest child, is a student of the Glasen high school.
Mr. Palmer had been a life-long Republican, but in the two last presi- dential elections voted the Democratic ticket. He is a Master Mason, a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Grand Army of the Republic and has been post commander several terms. He has held the office of police judge and justice of the peace for several years and bears the reputation of being the best officer Solomon township ever had; and has tried some important cases. Mr. Palmer has probably spent more time and money in Glasco than any other individual citizen. He took a prominent part in the erection of the school building and is foremost in any public enter- prise of his town. He is one of the most influential men in Glasco, one of the most highly esteemed in the community and was a faithful and trustworthy soldier. Mrs. Palmer is a refined and cultured woman. She is a member and earnest worker of the Methodist Episcopal church. Mr. and Mrs. Pal- mer occupy one of the handsomest homes in their little city.
CHARLES VAN TRABUE POTTS.
The subject of this sketch is the eldest of the four sons of Captain John Potts, one of the old pioneers of the Solomon valley, who, after a residence of thirty-five years on his homestead near Glasco, removed to southeastern Kansas. in the vicinity of Parsons. He was one of the most highly esteemed
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
citizens of the community and his removal was regretted. He had the honor of captain conferred upon him by Governor Crawford, during the Indian uprisings on the Solomon. He with others organized the company which he commanded.
Charles Potts was born in the "Hoosier" state in 1863 and emigrated with his parents to Kansas in 1866, during the turbulent Indian times. He has been educated and grown to manhood in the vicinity of Glasco, where he owns eighty acres of land, and with his brother. A. F. Potts, the fifth son. operates a threshing machine. They do an extensive business, handling from thirty to seventy thousand bushels of grain in a season. A. F. Potts was born near Glasco in 1875. He was married in July, 1901. to Miss Ella Hunt Gregg, a daughter of G. W. Gregg, a farmer with residence in Glasco. There are two other brothers-Joseph C., who is interested in a mineral water establishment in Kansas City. He was a successful Cloud county teacher for several years. In 1888-9 he was principal of the Lincoln school in Concordia. Morton Elmer is a prosperous farmer of Labette county, Kansas. A brother, sixteen years of age, was accidentally killed on August 19. 1876. On his return from hunting he stopped at a neighbors to procure a drink of water : the gun which he had rested aginst the curbing, fell to the, ground and was discharged, the young man receiving the contents just below the knee. Before the services of a physician could be obtained he almost bled to death. The leg was amputated, but the unfortunate boy died under the operation.
The accompanying illustration shows the original Kansas home of Cap- tain Potts, which was supplanted by a commodious and modern residence several years ago. This old landmark has been torn down since the photo was taken by Mr. Soule specially for this volume. The old cabin which sheltered the family during the stir- P ring Indian scenes, when dangers menaced them upon every side and where they spent anxious days and nights momentarily anticipating the dread warwhoop, has sunk into ob- livion. Again there are doubtless many pleasant memories clustered around its fireside, for pioneers are a unit when giving expression to the sympathy, neighborly kindness and THE POTTS' PIONEER HOME. good cheer that prevailed in the early days. There is a pathos in the obliteration or blotting out of these monuments of pioneer days: however, the conditions seemingly demand it and they are ruthlessly torn down and forgotten.
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
OAKES HOUSE.
The handsome stone structure known as the Oakes House was erected in the summer ci 1887, by 11. 11. Spaulding. It is a massive and substantial building of brown sandstone, with trimmings of white magnesia stone, which gives it a striking and imposing appearance. It is thirty -five by eighty feet in dimensions and three stories in height, with a basement under the entire building. On the first floor is a commodious office, well furnished parlors. dining room, kitchen, well and cistern rom. On the second floor are the sleeping rooms, which are well appointed. airy apartments. They are not marked ly numerals, as is ordinarily the case, but are designated uniquely. as Mckinley, Cleveland, Cinebel, Baby Ruth, Mary Ellen Icase, etc. The third flood has never been finished, as the trade does not demand it. In the basement are sample rooms and a billiard ball. A double veranda extends around two sides of the building and is pleasantly shaded by thrifty growing trees. The hotel is well furnished and is one of the most desirable prop- erties in the county. Few towns the size of Glasco can boast of as good a hostelry, and the money expended in this enterprise evidenced 1. 11. Spauld- ing's faith in the inture of his town. The property passed into the control of Nichols Klein in Igot.
PHOEBE SNYDER.
One of the very early settlers of the Solomon valley is Phoebe Snyder. a native of l'ennsylvania. She went with her parents to Indiana when but seven years of age and grew to womanhood in the town of Frankfort. Her father. John Murfin, was born near Liverpool, England, in 1802, emigrated to America and settled in Pennsylvania in 1834. One year later he was mar- ried to Permelia Sanders. He was a shoemaker by trade and after moving to Frankfort he owned and operated a boot and shoe store in connection with a factory. The Murfin ancestry were nearly all tillers of the soil. Mrs. Snyder's father was twice married. llis first wife died in England, leaving two children, who remained with their grandparents near Liverpool. The Sanders were early settlers of Pennsylvania and later of Indiana, where Mrs. Snyder's grandparents located in the early 'thirties and cleared their land when MRS. PHOEBE SNYDER. wild beasts roamed the forests. Her father died May 31. 1858. at Frankfort. Indiana, and her mother December 30, 1886. Mrs. Sny- der is the eldest of eight children, three of whom are living : Jedduthen, proprie- tor of a chair factory in Austin, Indiana; Elizabeth, deceased at the age of eleven years : Catherine. the widow of James Davis, of Scottsburg, Indiana ; Sarah died at the age of three years; Marion died in infancy: William died at the age of thirty-three years, near Austin, Indiana. leaving a wife and two children: Permelia Alice, the deceased wife of William Faulkner, died at the age of thirty years, leaving two children.
CHOist
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THE OAKES HOUSE, GLASCO.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LINHARY
ASTON LENOX TILDEN FOUNDATIONS
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
Mrs. Snyder was married to Captain H. C. Snyder in Frankfort, Indi- ana. December 24. 1854. He first enlisted in the Thirty-ninth Indiana In- fantry, and was commissioned lieutenant of that company. In his second enlistment he was promoted to captain of the Eighth Indiana Cavalry. He was wounded twice and disabled for a short period each time, but served all through the war. When he entered the service Captain and Mrs. Snyder owned a residence and were living at Austin, Indiana. but during his ab- sence Mrs. Snyder had traded the property and moved on to a farm. They sold the farm in 1866 and emigrated overland to Kansas with their family of five children. They were preceded by H. H. Spaulding, who wrote back telling his Indiana friends of the beautiful valley he had found. the "Eden of the world," its natural resources and great possibilities, which resulted in Captain Snyder and five other men with their families seeking homes on the boundless prairies of Kansas. Of this little company of emigrants Mrs. Sny- der and her children are the only ones living in the community. A part of the band sought other places of residence, some became disheartened and returned to their former homes and some have gone to the unknown realms of the "great beyond." Captain Snyder homesteaded land one-half mile west of Glasco, now owned by Garrett Davidson, but still known as the Cap- tain Snyder farm. While Mrs. Snyder has experienced many hardships and privations, this spot marked by many sorrows, where she lived in the prim- itive days and often sat on the corner of their little dugout during her hus- band's absence, watching the night through, while her little brood slept percefully on the inside, endeavoring to catch the outline of the savages who might be hovering near, still seems more like home to her than any other place.
The Pawnees were numerous and while pretending to be friendly Indi- ans were often troublesome and gave cause for alarm. The outlook from the first was of a discouraging nature, though not more perhaps than in any new country, and things moved on in a monotonous channel until the Indian raid of August 11. 1868, the first in this locality and a description of which is given elsewhere in this volume. After this excitement the Snyders, with other settlers, moved to the stockade until affairs assumed a normal condi- tion. While a new stone house was in course of erection their old domicile. built of stone with a sod roof, which was weakened by the washing down of continued rains, gave way, and, had it not been for the door casing which kept the ridge pole from giving way, Mrs. Snyder and two small children would perhaps have been severely injured. In 1872 Captain Snyder erected a one-and-a-half-story house of four rooms, which was a very pretentious residence for that day and the best in the vicinity and where they lived until 1879, when they came to Glasco. They built the little cottage where Mrs. Snyder now lives in 1887.
To Captain and Mrs. Snyder ten children have been born, five of whom are living: Permelia, deceased wife of John Mann, a farmer of Cloud county and resident of Glasco (see sketch). She died August 29. 1887. leaving seven children, five of whom are living. Lewis, the oldest son, who
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IHISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
was wounded by the Indians, is a miner of Bingham, Utah. Leonard is sup- posed to be dead. He went to Colorado and thence to Arizona and has not been heard from for fourteen years. Ulysses is a resident of Kansas City, and was sergeant of the police force until the Democrats were put in power. He is now following his trade-that of a painter. Ora Bell, wife of Joe Martin ( see sketch). Ada, wife of Charles Pilcher ( see sketch). Anna Laura died at the age of eleven years. Henry, Jr., died in infancy. Luella. wife of Charles Franks (see sketch ). Arlet died in infancy.
Hattie Mann, who found a home with her grandparent. Mrs. Suyder. at the death of her mother in 1887, is deserving of much commendation for her personal virtues and meritorious career. Having been deprived of a mother's loving care, she was thrown upon her own resources early in life. and while her grandmother assumed the duties and responsibilities of a mother to the extent of her means, she was not in a financial position to give her more than a home and the wise counsels that will follow her through all the viceisitudes of life. Miss Mann is a young woman of more than ordinary talents and intellect and excel in her chosen profession-that of teacher; is now engaged on her third term. She is not only cultured and refined but possesses an amiable disposition and many excellent personal qualities.
Mrs. Snyder is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and lives her religion daily. She is also a member and active worker of the Woman's Relief Corps and a woman ever ready to promote the happiness or welfare of her friends and neighbors.
1
GEORGE WASHINGTON SMAILE.
G. W. Smaile is a retired farmer and one of those old veterans of the Civil war that never tires of relating army lore. He enlisted August 15, 1862. at the age of eighteen years in Company B. One Hundred and For- tieth Pennsylvania Volunteers, under T. B. Rogers and Colonel R. P. Rob- erts, serving until May 11. 1865. He entered as a private and was promoted to sergeant. He received a slight wound in the hand June 2. 1864. at the battle of Cold Harbor, which disabled him until the following February. Ile was in the battles of Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Bristow Station, Mine Kun campaign. Todd's Tavern. Spotsylvania Court House, Lone Pine. Petersburg. Five Forks and at the surrender of Appomattox and was mus- tered out at Alexandria. Virginia. His company distinguished themselves and lost the heaviest of any in the state.
After the war Mr. Smaile emigrated to Iowa when that state was new. and six years later emigrated to Kansas, where he homesteaded land in Ottawa, just over the line from Cloud county, and ten miles southeast of Glasco, where they suffered many trials during the drouth and grasshopper years. He sold this farm two years later and after several removals located in Delphos in 1897. and in 1893 bought a residence property in Glasco. where he has since resided.
Mr. Smaile is a native of the "Keystone" state, born in September, 1843. He is from a race of farmers. His father was Henry Smaile. The family
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
four generations removed were from Germany. His paternal grandfather was a Revolutionary soldier and died of small-pox on Lake Erie. Mr. Smaile's mother was Sophronia McKessick. of Scotch-Irish origin. She was a native of Maine but reared in the state of Pennsylvania. His parents died at the age of eighty years, respectively.
Mr. Smaile went home from the war and began the battle of life with the woman who had prayed for his safe return. He was married in March, 1866, to Vallie Hutton, a daughter of John Grant, who was an own cousin of General Grant. Her maternal grandfather was a farmer, and died in Del- phos, Kansas, in December, 1892, at the age of one hundred and two years. He had received his second eyesight. was a remarkably well preserved man, possessed of a clear mind. Mrs. Smaile has his autograph written at the age of one hundred years. Her mother died April, 1901, at the age of eighty years.
Mr. and Mrs. Smaile are the parents of four children: Minnie, wife of James Cobb, a farmer near Glasco; Nellie, an excellent dressmaker : Idla. wife of John Teasley, a farmer near Glasco, and Frank, who is interested in farming. Mr. Smaile votes the Republican ticket and is a justice of the peace. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic post of Glasco. The family are members and active workers in the Christian church.
FERD PRINCE.
Ferd Prince. the editor and publisher of the Glasco Sun, is a native of Wisconsin, born in 1857. After several removals during his youthful days. his father settled in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, where Mr. Prince was educated in the high school and grew to manhood. He began life in the avocation of teaching school, but his career in this line was brief. One year later he came to Kansas and entered the State Normal School of Concordia for two terms. and in the spring of 1876 apprenticed himself as a printer in the Expositor office at Concordia, then endited by J. S. Paradis. One year later he filled the position of "devil" in the Empire office and a few months afterward was pro- moted to foreman, remaining in this capacity until the paper was sold to Honey & Davis in 1880. Mr. Prince then leased the jobbing department of the Blade, during J. M. Hagaman's reign, and in 1883 bought an interest in the Critic. The following August he became owner and publisher of the Glasco Sun. On January 1, 1889, he sold this paper to Miss Kate Hubbard, and purchasing the Cawker City Journal, removed to that city and success- fully operated a paper there for a period of one year and three months. He then moved the plant to Concordia, where he started a paper under the name of Alliant, the first Alliance paper published in northern Kansas. In 1895 he returned to his farm near Glasco, a small tract of land which he had se- cured while a resident of that city. October 1. 1899. Mr. Prince again assumed control of the Glasco Sun, buying the interest of George Wright. and has since operated that paper. The Glasco Sun is a local paper giving the general news and is non-partisan in politics.
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
Mr. Prince was married in 1870 to Miss Bella A. Guffin, of Concordia. Her father was J. C. Guffin, an old resident of Concordia, locating there in 1872. and where Mrs. Prince finished her education in the State Normal School. She was a teacher the year before her marriage. To Mr. and Mrs. Prince four children have been born.
Mr. Prince resides on his little farm one ale east of Glasco. He is a thorough horticulturist, has an irrigating plant in course of construction and raises some of the finest fruit in the country, including peaches, grapes. raspberries, etc. Mr. Prince's parents are old settlers of Cloud county, and live on a farm five miles northwest of filasco. Mr. Price is an only child. His paternal grandfather, While serving in the Revolutionary war, was taken prisoner and carried to England, with the choice of staying in prison or a voyage on a whaling vessel. He chose the latter and when the ship returned the war had ended. His ancestors were all seafaring men .- [ Mr. Prince recently sold his interest in the Glases Son and has retired from newspaper work. He remains a citizen of Glaser, however, and is engaged in the con- fectionery and restaurant business .- Editor ]
GEORGE A. WRIGHT.
(. A. Wright located in Glasco in the spring of 1802. Prior to estab- Fishing his present business he had charge of the tin and pump works in the hardware house of Day & VanLandingham. He subsequently bought and edited the Glasco Sim three years and three months, and sold to Ferd Prince. Mr. Wright made a financial success of the newspaper work in Glasco. He is a native of Chicago, born April 5. 1865. The Wrights were among the carly settlers and homesteaded one mile northeast of Concordia, where they lived nearly twenty years. His father is W. 11. Wright, a farmer non living near the station of Rice.
Mr. Wright began his career repairing sewing machines and organs. In 1885 he became associated with his father in the Cloud County Critic. afterward known as the Kansas Critic. This was their first newspaper expe- rience. our subject and sister doing the mechanical work while his father and mother managed the editorial department. The paper was reform in senti- ment and took up the Union Labor and Alliance movements and the result brought about in this part of the country was somewhat owing to their labors. Three years later they discontinued the paper and our subject moved the plant to Arkansas. Mr. Wright farmed that year and raised a big crop of corn. but it only brought thirteen cents, and he became discouraged with farming and resumed newspaper work at Fairmount. Arkansas. Nine months later he moved to Hazen, where he edited the Hazen News and at the same time published a paper at Duvalls Bluff. the Prairie Gem, and later consolidated the two papers.
Mr. Wright was married to Inez Burnett. a daughter of L. C. Burnett. of Glasco. in 1888. She came to Glasco with her parents in 1885. Was a
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HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
graduate of the Glasco school and taught one year. They are the parents of four daughters and one son: Edna, Leila, Beth, Elsie and Ralph. Mr. Wright is a reformer in politics, not radical in his expressions, but lends his influence in that direction. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen of Glasco, the Fraternal Aid and the Knights of P'sthias, and Mrs. Wright is a member of the Royal Neighbors and Fraternal .Vid.
Addenda: Since writing the above sketch Mr. Wright has again assumed control of the Glasco Sun. He bought the interest and good will of Ferd Prince and is publishing one of the best papers in Cloud county, de- voted solely to the interests of Glasco and the Solomon valley. Mr. Wright is a capable man and it is surprising that one of his talents in that direction should have suspended newspaper work. His career in that line has been one of flattering success and his paper is receiving a large patronage, assur- ing him of good financial returns. Much of his success is due to the energy and ability of Mrs. Wright, to whom he has taught the mysteries of the art preservative, and who is capable of managing both the news and job depart- ments when the necessity presents itself. Being a fond mother, however, she .prefer- the home life to that of the more strenuous printing office.
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