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 87
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96
TAMMES MCBRIDE.
The subject of this sketch came to Cloud county in 1872 and home- steaded his present farm. Mr. McBride was born in Brown county, Kan-as, when that part of the state was on the frontier, before the passing of the homestead law. when land was one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre and before there was a railroad or telegraph wire in the state. Mr. McBride is the oldest born Kansan whom the writer has met in the county, an honor he may justly fcel poud of.
His parents were William and Eliza ( Starns ) McBride. His paternal grandparents emigrated to Ohio from Scotland during their early married life, where William McBride was born. A sister of the grandfather is still living there at the age of eighty-eight years. Mr. McBride's father died in 1881, on the farm he homesteaded in Cloud county and where his wife who survives him still lives. Mrs. McBride was born in Indiana. Her father was James Starns and her mother, before her marriage, was Matilda Ware. James Starns was born in Tennessee and removed to Ohio, the birthplace of her mother. They both died in Brown county, Kansas, in 1845. Mrs. Mc- Bride emigrated with her parents to lowa when she was but fifteen years of age and when that state was a territory, a wilderness just beginning to be set- . tled. They emigrated to Brown county. Kansas, in 1856 and for several years lived in dread of the Missouri border ruffians. Jim Lane and his men were camped within a mile of their home and they knew him personally. The fam-
829
HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
ily necessarily endured many hardships on the frontier and have lived in all sorts of primitive homes.
James McBride, the subject of our sketch, is one of ten children, all of whom are living but the eldest daughter. There were five sons and five daughters. Ellen died at the age of twenty-six years. Emily is the wife of Kenneth McCray, of Decatur county, Kansas. John M., an engineer of Salix. Iowa. James, the subject of this sketch. Mrs. Clara Todd, of Sedan, Kansas. Clay, a farmer near Jamestown. Finley, a harnessmaker of Mankato. Effic. wife of E. Peck. of Clyde. Gertrude, wife of William Hartwell, of James town, and Ethan. the youngest son, lives with his mother on the homestead. They are all residents of Kansas except one brother who is in lowa.
James McBride was married in 1884 to Georgianna Muur. She was born in Scotland and came with her parents to America when six years of age. located in Pennsylvania and emigrated to Rooks county, Kanst. in 1880. For ancestry see sketch of Mrs. Janette McBride, of Jamestown, who is a sister.
Mr. and Mrs. McBride have had bern to them four children. three daughters and one son. Gloria May and Lulu Gertrude are prepossessing young ladies of eighteen and sixteen years, respectively. AArchie Alexander, their only son, is a promising lad. and Anna Belle, a bright little girl of si years.
Mr. McBride own- eighty acres of land : each of the sons were given that amount by their father who was a well-to-do farmer and owned four hundred and eighty acres of land before dividing it between his boys. Mr. McBride is a Republican in politics: fraternally he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellow- and has been associated with the Jamestown Lange fourteen years. He is also a member of the Ancient Order United Worknen.
HIRAM D. LAYTON.
H. D. Layton, one of the most highly esteemed citizens of Butthe town ship, located on the land which comprises his present desirable fammi m 18-2 AIr. Layton is a native of Morgan county. Illinois, Imm on a farm per tle city of Jacksonville in 1847: reared and educated there, and h edom that om munity until coming west. His brother. William Lasten the kettle. was located in the eastern part of the state and at In- salestating. Our subject came to Nemala county and from there the two brother em gretel to Cloud county. As they traveled westward the sett ements gien mate pie until by the time they had reached Clyde Inibitation was hmmtal tra fen et tering settlers on the creeks and valley -! the upland- went along with settled. From Clyde they were directed to certam post along their jointes by people telling them to go a certain state beyond the fertile left of the next thingled house: dwelling- with that curse of the ing numerous.
Mr. Layton state- when he armen Ian he - he
1
830
HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
Wetmore he would not have given fifteen cents for the whole state. He car- ried his hat in his pocket to keep the wind from blowing it away. It was his first introduction into a prairie country and was in perfect sympathy with the Fellow who wrote:
"The dust it fleu. The wind it blew The paint from off the steeple. It blew the tails From off the quail. l'he microbes off the people."
For some time after his arrival in Kunst our subject ( like many of his neighbors) was a single man and lived for two years in a dugout. Two bachelor friends were visiting him when a bhzzard spread over the country, raging unceasingly for forty -eight hours. During the storm the roof was blown off his stable. They each had a horse which must surely perish if left Standing in their unrooted stalls. So the trio made their way through the blinding blizzard, loosened the straps of the shivering animals and led them into the dugout. To further shield them from suffering they ripped up some beds and fed them the straw they contained.
Mr. Layton was married in 1874 to Miss Rosa Tatro. She was born in Kankakee, Illinois, and was of French parentage. Mrs. Layton was a woman of gentle bearing : she was a patient sufferer for years, and died of consump- tion in May, 1894. To their union two children were born ; a daughter and son. Lena, a young woman of twenty-five years is now in the Kansas City hospital where she is in training for a nurse. She has until recently been her father's house-keeper since she was fourteen years of age. The son, Fred, aged twenty-three. is a typical farmer and is interested with his father on the homestead. Ile is a member of the Jamestown band.
Mr. Layton has seen the country develop into a prosperous agricultural region. Their present handsome cottage is built over the cellar, where they lived with a roof over it, for several months. They also lived in a small stone house, now used for a smoke house and considered themselves fortunate to „have had so comfortable a dwelling. Mr. Layton has prospered, has a pleas- ant home, owns two hundred and forty acres of fine land and is satisfied to live in the state he once would have gladly deserted. In 18go he sold all their personal effects and went to Oregon. But after two or three months in the Willamette valley returned, feeling there was no place where a man could make money more easily or be so happy as in Kansas.
Mr. Layton's parents were William and Elizabeth ( Goodpasture ) Lay- ton. His father was of Kentucky birth and emigrated to Illinois before the city of Jacksonville was thought of and on its present site the tall prairie grass was growing undisturbed. He was a blacksmith by occupation. His death occurred when our subject was about twelve years of age. His mother
831
HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
was of Tennessee birth and like the Laytons, the Goodpastures were pioneers in the vicinity of the city of Jacksonville, where a whole settlement of them still hold forth.
Mr. Layton is one of eight children who lived to maturity. Of these. five are now living. William ( see sketch ). Mrs. James Kemp, of lowa, Mrs. Maggie Thompson, of Morgan county, Illinois and Mrs. Martha Redwine. a widowed sister who lives alternately in the homes of her brothers.
Politically Mr. Layton is a stalwart Democrat. Socially he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Sons and Daughters of Justice. Mr. Layton is a man whose loyahy and honor in all the walks of life have given him an enviable reputation among his fellow men. Of his personal characteristics one of the most conspicuous are his substantial and trustworthy qualities.
LARS POULSEN.
Lars Poulsen, one of the successful farmers of Cloud county, came to Buffalo township in August, 1870. selected the land he now lives on and at once repaired to Junction City, where he filed on the homestead. From this uncultivated tract of prairie he has developed one of the best farms in the country: but nor without suffering many privations. Mr. Poulsen is a native of Denmark, born in 1847. He emigrated to America just at the close of the Civil war leaving his native land just before reaching his twenty-first year and like many of his countrymen, rather than enter the army against his own country he crossed the ocean to build a home and become an Ameri- can citizen. He was penniless, but succeeded in borrowing the price of pas- sage and joined some Danish friends at Racine. Wisconsin, where he labored as a farm hand until coming to Kansas.
Ilis parents were Poul Knutsen and Christina. Sorenson's "dotter." They followed their son to Kansas three years later and homesteaded land where the father died about five years ago and where the mother still lives with her two daughters and me son. The Punkens were in very limited circumstances and upon one occasion were on the verge of actual starvation. They were reduced to the point of digging up potatoes they had planted and preparing them for food. This appeased their hunger until they received re turns from a brother whom they had appealed to in Denmark. When they wrote him of their pitiless condition he at once forwarded them two hin- dred dollars instead of one hundred dollars, the amount asked for, which proved a God-send, for when the remittance came the potatoes were es hausted. They struggled on for several years, our subject going to Junction City where he worked each winter, as money was more plentiful there One season he engaged for twenty-two dollars per month, the proceeds to be taken in wheat. In the meantime Mr. Poulsen fell ill and by the tune lus father who was sent as a substitute retched Junction City wheat had gone up to two dollars per bushel and his employer charged him accordingly
$32
HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
te afterward worked for J. B. king, who proved a benefactor, always treating lum with consideration. While m his employ he took in exchange a cos, but before returning with his os team to bring her home the con un- fortunately died. Mr. Poulsen began to feel his fate was cast along hard Ines when his flagging -punts were raised by the appearance of Mr. King. -. ing he could take Ins choice among three others. It was through this cuploser that Mr Poulsen got Ins start in the world, earning a con and a ten Hen w own one hundred and fifty five acres of finely improved bot- Im land, intersected by Buffalo creek . raises wheat and corn in about equal proportions and seldom has a inluce. The Missouri Pacific Railroad runs through his farm. In 1898 he built an addition to their dwelling. making a comfortable house. He has a good barn and other improvements.
Mr. Poulsen has been very unfortunate in his marital relations, having buried two wives. His first wife was walking over the railroad bridge, fell through and died from the effects along with her mane child. The second wife caught a severe cold which resulted in her death. She left an miant which was deceased four months later His present wife was Kate Mary Mad- -en. in industrin young Danish woman. They are the parents of five girls and two boys, 312: Jimmie, the eldest daughter is sixteen years of age. The others are Ida. Arvig. Esther, Mary, Inez and Moody.
Although Mr. Poulsen has been very unfortunate in many ways, under- gone many of the vicisitudes of life and experienced many hardships while the wolf knocked at the door of his primitive dugout. he is now prosperous and happy without a debt to his charge. He is at present a Republican but for several years affiliated with the Populist party. The family are members of Saron Baptist church. It was through "Father" Nelson, the founder of this congregation that the Poulsens emigrated to Kansas. Mr. Poulsen has become a thorough American citizen and is as loyal to Kansas as if born and bred on her soll. He says nothing could induce him to seek a home else- where. Like most of his countrymen, he is an industrious, honest man and a good citizen.
ADONIRAM J. ZIMMERMAN.
One of the most prosperous, well-to-do farmers and stockmen of Grant township is .A. J. Zimmerman, the subject of this sketch. His beautiful home, "Hillside Farm" embraces a quarter section of land in Grant township, and the same amount in Summit, lying respectively in the southeast and north- east corners of the townships. The original home was school land, receiving a title from the government.
Like the greater per cent of the Kansans, our subject came to the state to build a home and retrieve his lost fortunes. . \ span of horses, a wagon, and its contents : a stove and a few other articles, with eighty dollars in cash, constituted his worldly goods and chattels. Mr. Zimmerman was married in the state of Iowa, in 1877, and with his bride and two thousand dollars in
$33
HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
currency sought a home near Denver, Colorado, where their little bank ac. count seemed to disappear like snow under a summer's sun : not through ex- travagant living. but he became interested in an irrigation scheme seven miles east of Langmont and his money vanished as it were, until he found himself stranded in the far west. About the time Mr. Zimmerman went to Colorado. a friend emigrated to Kansas. Feeling his position very keenly. he began casting about for new fields and pastures green, as his personal pride would not admit of his returning to the old home. Through correspondence, he learned of his friends prosperity in Kansas and with regret that he had not likewise invested his money wisely, gathered the fragments of his little for- tune together and in the autumn of 1878, located on his present farm, then a tract of raw prairie, built a small house and for two years experienced muy hardships; often finding it a struggle to keep the wolf from the door. To the kind-hearted generosity of the Layton brothers, Mr. Zimmerman con- cedes much; in many instances they gave him employment when they would have performed the labors themselves but for making it possible for him to maintain his family. Through their assistance he was tided over antil better days came. Mr. Zimmerman relates an incident that is amusing and an illustra- tien of what many okl settlers had to undergo. He was without money. his pride would not permit of an appeal to his home in lowa, and he songht credit by asking Mr. Ansdell, the pioneer merchant of Grant township, for some gro- ceries. It took all the courage our subject could summon up to confront the "store keeper" with a request for credit, and as he stood before him seemed almost speechless; but he nerved himself up to the emergency. There were spectators present, among them Miss Ansdell. In a subdued tone of voice asked, if he could credit him with some goods. Mr. Ansdell, who was hard of hearing, replied in a loud tore-"What you say ?" Mr. Zimmerman stood abashed, his pride seriously hurt, and as he repeated the question every > and seemed suddenly to cease as the old gentleman thundered out-"What's that you say? Credit? Why yes! of course you can." There was a mixture ni comedy and pathos in this experience, but Mr. Zimmerman says the event was far more of an ordeal than it would be now, to ask a man for the lom of a hundred dollars; he could make the request gracefully and not feel in the least disconcerted.
Mr. Zimmerman was born in Clayton county, lowa. in 1854. When eleven years of age moved with his parents to Franklin county, where they improved a farm as the son did in Kansas. Prior to this event, h - father had been a merchant and proved to be poor material for a farmer. When he entered upon farm life, he was totally ignorant of the management of tek, implements and machinery. He scarcely knew to which end of the plass the horse should be attached. He was of Pennsylvania birth and kiew Stephen Girard. the American banker, and founder of Girard College, personally, car subject remembers as a boy how his father entertaintel him with ance lotes and recitals of that distinguished citizen. The Zimmerman ametry were members of the reform movement brought aleat by King Lous, and Loms
$34
HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
J'Julippe of France, and during this period emigrated to America and set- tled in New York and later Pennsylvania. They belonged to the titled per- ple of the Netherlands and were very wealthy, but were forced to choose between their religion or he banished from their country; they chose the latter, and their property which represented millions of dollars, was confis- cated The heirs made an effort to recover the estate and it was in litigation for many years, but owing to the system of government there, they have never been able to recover it. Mr. Zimmerman is one of ten children, live sons and five daughters. The sons are all living and when he visited his boyhood home a year ago the five brothers were all assembled there. They occupy various stations in his: the oldest brother is of an inventive turn of und Three of the daughters are living. The father died in 1880, but the mother still lives on the old homestead and enjoy life at the age of seventy- four years. Mr. Zommerman's first wife, before her marriage, was Miss Hattie A. Newhouse, a very estimable women and member of a prominent Ohio family. She thed in the autumn of 1883. Her father was an okl vet- eran and fell at the battle of Stone river, giving las hte to sustain the stars and stripes of his country. To this union three children were born; Dr. Vivian E. Zimmerman. (See sketch). The death of the second chuld, If- fic Mande, preceded her mother one year, she died on the farm near James- town in 1882, at the age of two years. Minnie, a junior of the Emporia State Normal, is a bright and promising young woman of literary tastes. So marked pre her tendencies in this direction that she is designated as the poetess of the normal. She has written some very creditable verses and is endowed with natural talent. Her mother was a woman of rare strength of character and its impress has been left in the individuality of the daughter. She was reared by her maternal grandparents of Abilene, but educated by her father. After the death of his wife, Mr. Zimmerman left the farm and returned to Iowa where he lived until 1889. When he came back he found his farm a wreck . the house having been almost demolished by the tenants, During this interim he was married to Miss Hattie G. Logan, whose lineage was the same as the celebrated Logan family. Her father was a first cousin of General Logan and Senator .A. R. Logan. On her mother's side she de- scended from the Gilruths, another distinguished family of Scotch origin. By this union three children were born; a son who died at eight years, and two daughters, Edith, aged sixteen and Florence, aged ten. Mrs. Zimmer- man was deceased in September. 1896. In 1898. Mr. Zimmerman was mar- ried to his present wife. Miss Zipporah Dailey, daughter of Pat Dailey. She is a niece of County Commissioner Dailey, and also of Dr. Dailey, of Be- loit : they being her fathers brothers. Her parents who were residents of Grant township, Cloud county. for about fourteen years, now reside in Jack- son county, Oregon. Her father served during the Civil war in an Iowa regiment of cavalry. To Mr. and Mrs. Zimmerman a little son was born to bless their home, but was deceased at seven and one-half months.
"Hillside Farm" is one of the best arranged and best equipped farms
$35
HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
in the county; a typical country home. The residence built in 1892. is a com- fortable one and as the name implies is located on a prominence of ground with about one hundred and twenty-five feet of frontage. A windmill and tank supplies irrigation for the fine lawn and shrubbery. The coming sim- mer Mr. Zimmerman intends to remodel and refurnish his home, and make it an ideal residence, complete with modern improvements, extensive library, etc. In 1897 he erected a handsome stone barn, one of the finest and most substantial of its size in the country. The shelter afforded for all the stock, the sheds for pre- serving machinery and implements, the granaries of well stored grain, cattle yards, feeding racks, carriage sheds, and well kept horses, all bespeak thrift and enterprise. Itis farm is well stocked with a high grade of Shorthorn and Hereford bred cattle.
Mr. Zimmerman is one of the original gold Democrats, but the house stands divided against itself, for Mrs. Zimmerman is a Republican. Our sub- ject is a thorough politician and has given thought and study to political issues. In 1894. when the Populists controlled the state. Mr. Zimmerman re- ceived the nomination as a Democrat for county commissioner, but was beaten because he held out for sound money. He has been the county's com- mitteeman for years. Socially, he belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is a member of several fraternal orders. He is a Rebekah and one of the few men who have gone through the chairs of that order. The family are attendants of the Jamestown Methodist Episcopal church, of which Mrs. Zimmerman and the daughter are members.
JOSEPH ZIMMERMAN.
One of the old settlers of Summit township who came to Kansas 111 1874, is Joseph Zimmerman. He is a native of Wittenburg, Germany, boru in 1835. He came to America in 1853. settled in Rutland. Vermont. and later to Galesburg, Illinois, where the Chicago. Burlington & Quincy railroad was being built, then to St. Joseph, Missouri, where he lived a few months when he moved to Maysville, Dekalb county, Missouri.
Mr. Zimmerman had learned stone masonry in Germany and worked at this in the earlier part of his life. He now lives on his original home stead in Summit township. His parents were Anthony and Catherine ( \]] ler ) Zimmerman, both of Germany. Ilis father was a farmer. He died m Germany in 1848. Ilis mother died in 1866. Mr. Zimmerman is the young est of four children and the only living one.
Ife was married March 12, 1867, to, Susan Stown, who was born and reared in DeKalb county, Missouri. Her father was James Stown, a farmer. The Slowns are of Irish origin. To Mr. and Mrs. Zimmerman Irive been born three children, James W., a farmer and stone mason, with residence in Mitchell county. Jacob H., associated with his father on the farm Anna, wife of O. G. Yocum, a farmer of Summit township.
Mr. Zimmerman is a Republican and served his country during the ( wil
836
HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
war three years and mme months. Was with Major Alben of St. Joseph. six months. Shen enlisted in Men's Battalion, January to, 1802, and later joinc : Company 1. First Missouri Cavalry, where he served until Ischarged in March, 1865, and w ... mustered out at Warrensburg. Missouri. Mr. Zim- merman was wounded in the shoulder at the battle of Mine creek and still iceis the effect of the wound. His regiment operated principally in Missouri, Kansas, Indian Territory, and Arkansas. They were mastered in with one hundred and twenty-three men, and mustered out with forty.
Mr. Zimmerman has been treasurer of Summit township for two years. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic post at Scottsville. The family are members of the Catholic church.
MURE DAILEY.
Murt Dades, who is prominently known as one of the eficient commis stoners of Cloud county as well as a valued citizen, come to Kansas in the autumn of 1870, and located a claim in Jewell county which be sold in 1882 and bought a farm in Summit township where he engaged in agricultural and stock raising pursints with markel success. This eforts were so well rewarded that he removed to Ochiltree county, Texas, in IN80, where he could pasture his increasing head over a larger territory. Success ful- love! him there, but owing to financial re- erses he lost money in the removal. Noth: ing could foreshadow his old love for Kan- sis, hence in 1894 he returned, and after one wir in Jewell county purchased one of the finest tarms in Summit township, lying in that magnificent stretch of country adjacent to Scottsville. Mr. Dailey was born in County Kerry, Ireland. in 1848. He emi- grated to America with his parents, Frances and Johanna (Casey ) Dailey, and settled in southern lowa. AAppanoose county, when that MURT DALL.ES. country was in a pioneer state. They sub- sequently removed to Missouri. Francis Daley lived to see his entire family grown and established in homes of their own. The mother died in 1898. in Beloit, at the home of Dr. Dailey, a brother of our subject. Mr. Dailey is a veteran of the civil war. enlisting December 15. 1863 in Company D. First Missouri Cavalry. He was but fifteen years and three months old when he joined the army. Company D, along with frag- ments of other companies, were merged into Company A. First Missouri Cavalry. Their warfare consisted principally in guarding against the raids of the Younger and James boys. They were in a general engagement against
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.