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 89
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
The Squires ancestry were carly settlers in Virginia. Mr. Squires' maternal ancestors were related to the prominent Taylor family of Connecti- cutt. He is one of six children, three of whom are living, including himself. A brother, William Squires, is a farmer living in South Dakota, and a sister Mrs. Flory, is living in Indiana. Mr. Squires' parents both died in 1862, his father in February and his mother the following December.
After the war Mr. Squires farmed in Benton county, Iowa, for ten years. In 1877 he came to Kansas and bought the relinquishment of a homestead in Ottawa county, five and one-half miles south of Miltonvale, where he lived until he became identified with his present interests.
He was married in 1860 to Mary O. Sampson, of Indiana. To their union have been born four children, two of whom are living. Cora A., wife of Joseph Neill, a farmer living two miles north of Miltonvale. Mrs. Neill is a high school graduate and taught in the schools of Miltonvale; has been organist at the Christian church for several years and has considerable mus- ical talent. E. M., who is associated with his father, was married in 1892 to Josephine Trople. They are the parents of two children, Lois and Emery V.
Mr. Squires and his family are members of the Church of Christ. Mr. Squires is a pillar in the church, has filled the office of mayor, police judge, councilman and a member of the school board. In political faith he is a Re- publican and in all his busy and useful career has discharged his duties faith- fully, religiously, socially and politically. He has been chaplain of the Mil- tonvale Grand Army of the Republic Post almost since its organization.
Mr. Squires is a man of unquestionable character and one who contrib- utes liberally by industry and his stores of a worldlly nature to the pros- perity of public enterprises. Mr. Squires' residence is located on Main street. a comfortable seven room house built in 1883.
BENJAMIN P. SMITH, M. D.
The present age is the age of the young man. In all the walks of life, and more especially in the west, is this tendency conspicuous.
Doctor Smith is a son of S. P. and Elizabeth ( Neil) Smith (see sketch ), and is a Kansan born and bred; was born in the town of Clyde. November 23, 1879. He received a high school education in Miltonvale,
848
HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
graduating m 1805. For the three years following he became interested with his father m farming and stock raving, but deciding to abandon farm life. he entered the American school of Osteopathy in Kirksville, Missouri, in INOS, and received the degree of Doctor of Osteopathy in 1900. He he- gen the practice of his profession in Chaton, Missouri, July 13, 1900.
l' the expiration of one year, he returned to Miltonvale, and opened an office where he has given successful treatments; but owing to the science being vet in its mines, the people require being educated up to it. ()- teopathy was discovered in its first gern of truth by Doctor Andrew T. Soll. of Kirksville. Masburg. This first statement of the discovery met only with ridicule and abuse. No one believed him. He was branded as a fraud. a pretender and impudent quack. L'une passed on, through poverty and call- tempt. he bravely held In- own, fought down the opposition of the unthink ing until now we have in Osteopathy a science, not perfect, but in a fair way to become so; a science now recognized by more than one state in this repul- he as a legitimate method of healing diseases and deformity. A science which recognizes no compromise with drugs, in which the healing art reaches the highest pinnacle of approximation to nature. By only the human body to heal itself, using the mems which the Mmighty has put in the human body to restore natural conditions where these are alment. They contend the body is perfect. When m a natural condition we are in health; when all is not as it ought to be, when the adjustment is at fault, if such a term might be used in speaking of the intricate, ammite, sentient machine, which we call "man."
The Osteopath corrects the alnormality, regulates the amount and flow of blood, strengthens or dimmishe's the amount of nerve force traveling through the various channels without any adventitious aid from drugs. Health, alrent solely through the presence of the abnormality, returns on the righting of the wrong. That the Osteopathy can and are doing these things every day. is a demonstrated truth. Osteopathy is practiced in all the states, and sixteen of them have legislative enactment to that effect .- [ Doctor B. P. Smith has entered the Metheo Chirurgical College of Kansas City, since the above matter was compiled. He will not abandon the science of Osteopathy by any means, but will finish a course in the Medical College that he may administer either successfully in his practice .- Editor.
HONORABLE W. T. MATHEWS.
When the annals of this section shall have been written for permanent record the name of "Wils" Mathews, as he is known to his friends, will be mentioned as the first postmaster, and one of the earliest to engage in mer- chandising in the city of Miltonvale. With the courage and perseverance that marked the early settlers of Kansas he struggled with the fickle goddess of fortune, through the quicksands and vicissitudes of various enterprises, and
849
HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
relates his experience in a way that bears with them the conviction that he made history.
He became a citizen of Cloud county in 1873 and took up a homestead two and three-quarters miles northeast of the present town of Miltonvale; his two brothers, James and George, following a few weeks later. They are also residents of Miltonvale and have extensive business interests there. They gave up the ghost at one time and wandered back to their old Missouri home, but finding no satisfactory opening there they "screwed up" their cour- age and returned to Kansas.
In 1881 Mr. Mathews opened a country store. The following year the railroad was built and he brought his stock of goods to the town site of Miltonvale and has since been a prominent factor of the town. He has met with many reverses but there are few enterprises that do not have their dark days.
In 1883 his store along with the whole block was burned to the ground with a loss to him of over $3,000 : in the autumn of the same year he became associated with his father and bought the grocery business of James McCloud which they sold in 1885. Mr. Mathews then became interested along with his brother George and Mr. Bond and erected an elevator under the firm name of Mathews & Bond, Mr. Mathews owning one-half interest. In 1893 it was set on fire by a spark from a Santa Fe engine. They were awarded a small amount of insurance, but before judgment was passed the railroad went into the hands of a receiver. They pressed their claim carrying it to the Supreme court, where they were awarded damages and insurance, but lost $3.600 in the deal.
As if to make the old maxim good, "Misfortunes never come singly," he then went into the cattle feeding business and when he shipped them upon the market the following April, came out $1,500 in debt and a mortgage on his home.
AAlthough unfortunate in his investments he continued to buy, feed and ship cattle and made some shipments that netted him $2,000 and more. In the meantime he operated an extensive implement business which has endured until the present writing and he is recognized as one of the most successful salesman in the county. In 1901 one of his implement houses was demol- ished by a wind storm.
Mr. Mathews also has a war record. In 1864 a flaxen haired youth of fifteen years, he ran away from home and enlisted in the army, but his ani- bitions were curtailed by the ending of hostilities.
In his earlier life he learned the blacksmith trade which served him well in the early days of Kansas, for money was not so current then as in late years and the transfer of goods was as often based on the primitive mode of exchange as on cash value.
We will briefly state a deal he made with a Frenchman which reveals something of his ingenuity in that direction and how after driving cattle a few monthis the carly settlers would sacrifice much for a team of horses. The
850
HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
Frenchman had two yoke of faithful plodding oven that had turned the soul of his homestead and were for sale or trade. Mr. Mathews had a span of old "plug" horses which he dressed up in brand new harness gorgeous with red trimmings. He sallied ont to meet the Frenchman and after the dickering customary to such trades the bargain was closed, Mr. Mathews getting the two yoke of cattle along with a barrel of molasses, two dozen chickens (equivalent to legal tender in those days), a cow and two calves, with corn enough to feed all winter, in fact the Frenchman had but little left save his wife.
Mr. Mathews is a native of Logansport, Indiana, where he was born in 1848. When three years of age his parents moved to lowa and six years subsequently to Adair county. Missouri, where he was reared on a farm.
His father is Elias Mathews who was a North Carolinan by birth but come to Indiana in his early childhood. In 1850 he crossed the plains to California where he mined successfully for three years, but most of his life has been spent farming. He is spending his declining years alternately with his children, his wife having ched in 1808. She was Sarah E. Covey, a native of Indiana. To their union eight children were born, six of whom are living. Besides James and George, already mentioned. there is a brother in Birming- ham. Mabama, and one a resident physician of New York City, and two sis- ters in Kirksville, Missouri.
W. T. Mathews was married in 1872 to Anna Raredon and the following year came to Kansas, where all their children except the eldest were born. The first son, Victor T., is a graduate of the Miltonvale high school. He is an electrician and engineer who deserves great credit. as he acquired the pro- fession by practical application, the ontgrowth of which secured him a lucra- tive position with the Electric Light and Water Works Company of Marengo, Iowa. He has been with them four years. Arthur W., the second son. is married and lives in Washington, Kansas. They have two children, a son and daughter. Mr. and Mrs. Mathews have four daughters, viz: Ida, wife of Fred Kuhnle, who have one child, a son : Clara, wife of I. J. Bumgardner. a farmer, six miles from Miltonvale : Laura, who keeps books in her father's store, and Blanche, a little school girl.
Mr. Mathews served three terms as mayor of Miltonvale, is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias and of the Order of the Select Knights. He has one of the best homes in the city, is a man of genial and cordial manner and one who in the earlier settlement of the county must have contributed much good cheer, regardless of hardships and misfortunes. Time has not dealt harshly with him and he is still a hale- fellow --- well-met-western-man.
TELEPHONE SYSTEM OF MILTONVALE.
A year prior to the organization of the Miltonvale Telephone Company Fredrick Koster established a rural telephone line for the use of his tenants. connecting his residence in Miltonvale with the following ranches, viz: The
851
HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
"Starkey ranch," six miles southwest of the city; the "Koster Home ranch," the "Fletcher ranch," and the farms of R. H. Burns and G. W. Shroyer.
In June, 1901, the Miltonvale Telephone Company was organized, with Fredrick Koster as owner and manager, his daughter. Ella M. Koster, secre- tary, and his son, John F. Koster. treasurer. They started with twenty orders, but by the time they were ready to begin operations they had increased to thirty-five. They now have twenty-five miles of toll line and fifty-five local phones, with the central office at the drug store of George R. Bardrick. With the connection they have with other lines and companies, they can communi- cate with almost any point within a radius of one hundred and fifty miles, with good results. Concordia has two lines running into Miltonvale, but not connected, only as neighbors, the Miltonvale system being an independent local phone. Mr. Koster, however, has a project on to build up an exchange of one hundred and fifty phones, including a rural system much desired by farm ers in outlying districts, and that will connect with all towns in northern and central Kansas : and we may add here that Mr. Koster is a man who does not inaugurate projects without seeing them through. In establishing the tele- phone he filled a long felt want with the people of his town and will keep the industry up to its fullest requirements. They use the grounded system and the Kellogg phone.
SOREN PETERSON SMITH.
Destiny did the proper thing when she ordained that such men as S. P. Smith's stamp should assist in laying the foundation of this western country.
Mr. Smith was born in the village of Hoirup. in Schleswig, a province of Denmark, in 1850; he re- mained in his native land un- til early in the year of 1870. when he came. accompanied by his brother, Judge C. P. Smith, of Concordia, who is four years his senior, to the Great Republic. As a result of the war between Prussia and Denmark. their territory was set aside into Germany. and rather than enter the Prussian army against their own country, they left their fatherland and came to S. P. SMITH'S MILTONVALE RESIDENCE. America. After working two years in Keokuk, lowa, and Hamilton, Illinois, they came to Cloud county, Kansas, and took a homestead in Colfax township, dug a hole in the hillside 16x24 feet, the primitive Kansas dugout, and appropriated the boards of a de-
852
IHISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
serted shanty from which they manufactured furniture. Their chairs were made of cottonwood lags with holes bored in and pins cut out of wood inverted for legs. Here they experienced for five years all the hardships of the aver- age early settler. They came to the New World to seek their fortunes with no capital, but vigorous physiques, industry and thrift-the heritage of their race.
They had but one pocket book between them, which was empty most of the time during that period. They secured employment by excavating for cellars, digging wells, etc. Their larder was sometimes reduced to corn- bread made of water and meal, and this meager that did not stick to the ribs of men who were doing manual labor, and they would often have to resort to a lunch between times. For six months they were without flour. These brothers were from a race of blacksmiths and had served an apprenticeship with their father in the old country, and in the early '70> they bought the smithing outfit of a neighbor on six month's credit ( paid before due ), dug a hole in the ground, leaving an opening in the roof for the smoke to escape : this establishing a blacksmith shop. From this they began to prosper and improve their homesteads.
In 1873, they had an experience not unusual to the old timer. The road overseer had ordered the grass burned off along the side of the road, and being inexperienced m back firing, they could not control the fire, and the flames swept in fury over the homestead and on to the Republican river, doing much damage. Financially this accident crippled the Smiths badly, as they had to furnish feed to some of the settlers whose bay was destroyed and flour to a widow whose wheat stacks were burned.
In the autumn of of 1876, S P. Smith sold some of his belongings and bought a blacksmith shop in Clyde, and shortly afterwards sold his home- stead. Subsequently, the two brothers formed a partnership and prospered there for several years. In 1880, they erected a one-story brick building. 26x50 feet in dimensions with three fires and a wooden shop in the rear. They became widely known as the manufacturers of the "Tom Clipper," a square cut breaking plow, the first in this country. They paid a royalty of two dol- lars for the privilege of making them.
In 1882, Mr. Smith sold his business interests in Clyde and traded his residence for a farm in Starr township, two miles north of Miltonvale, which he still owns. This is a well watered, well stocked. and well improved farm of one hundred and sixty acres, with modern residence and other improve- ments. In 1901, he bought the "Miller" residence property in Miltonvale. Prior to this time, however, he had resided alternately in Miltonvale and on the farm. For several years Mr. Smith has operated a shop in Miltonvale and by his untiring industry and strict integrity he has earned a reputation throughout this community and his workmanship has brought him patronage that no agency can divert so long as his shop is open for business. He does general blacksmithing in all its branches. Mr. Smith's parents were Peter Christian Smith and Karen Soren's "dotter" (as it is expressed in Denmark ).
853
HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
Mr. Smith was named for his maternal grandfather, Soren Peterson Smith. while his brother, Christian Smith, being the eldest son, was named for his paternal grandfather. Christian Peterson Smith. The parents joined their sons in America in 1883. The father was born in Denmark in 1819, and died in 1891. The mother was born in 1817, and died in 1894. Besides these two sons there were three daughters, Margaret, wife of Neils Thompson, of Palmer, Washington county, Kansas. The second sister died at the age of twenty-six, unmarried. Caroline was married in Denmark and came to America with her parents and is a resident of Belleville, Kansas.
S. P. Smith was married December 25, 1878, to Elizabeth Neil, a dangh- ter of Benjamin Neil. She was born in Magherlaggen, County Down, Ire- land, and came with her parents to this county when seven years of age, and has practically been reared /in the "Sunflower State." Benjamin Neil, or "Uncle Benny" as he is called by his neighbors and friends, was a son of the "ould sod," born on the Emerald Isle in County Down in 1820. In his earlier life he was a miller but later followed farming. "Uncle Benny" was a man who possessed a store of valuable information : a man of honorable and upright character, and his familiar face was missed by the people of Miltonvale when July 31, 1804, he was called to his final resting place. He died at the age of seventy-four years, less nine days. An illustration of "Uncle Benny's" reputation for honesty and integrity is told in the following :
He had plodded along for years and could not acquire more land, other than his homestead. There was an adjoining farm for sale and he was sadly in need of more land, but had not the wherewith to buy. In speaking of it to a neighbor. Dave Ferguson, who was and is ever ready to help a friend. told him he would loan him his farm ; so "Uncle Benny" was given a deed. mortgaged his friend's farm and bought the land. In a few years he lifted the mortgage and deeded it back to its generous and magnanimous owner. "A friend in need is a friend indeed," but stich demonstrations as this do not occur often in the history of a man's lifetime.
Mrs. Smith's mother was Fanny (McRoberts , Neil and died nearly thirty years ago. She was born in Ireland in 1832. The Neil family came to America in 1870. and after living in Westfield, New York, three years came to Cloud county and settled in Starr township. There are nine children, all but one of whom are living in Cloud county-Mary Clegg, of Billings, Montana. Mrs. Smith's brothers are Jim, Joe and George Neil, all farmers near Miltonvale. The sisters are Mrs. Catherine Barber, Mrs. Fanny Shay and Mrs. Sarah Anderson. all of Miltonvale, and Mrs. Anna Woodruff, of Clyde : two sisters deceased. Margaret and Matilda, both of whom were young unmarried women.
To Mr. and Mrs. S. P. Smith, eight children have been born, seven of whom are living. They are Benjamin P. Smith (see sketch), Carrie MI., a successful Cloud county teacher. She was educated in the schools of Mil- tonvale. receiving a Cloud county common school diploma. In 1901, she taught in district No. 36 where she had an enrollment of forty pupils. She
854
IHISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
Int been employed for the present year in the grammar grade of the Milton- vale school. Ray, deceased in infancy ; Fame and Joanna, two bright little girl of ten and twelve years George R. a manly little fellow of five years; Andle, aged three, and an miant son born on the first day of the year. 1003.
Mr. Smith is a Republican in politics and cast his first vote for General Cant. He is interested and takes an active part in city and educational affairs, has been a member of the city council, and on the school board almost continuously for many years; he is one of the directors of the Prover State Bank Hle and lus family are members and regular attendants as well as workers in the Christian church. Mr South served five years as superinten- dent of the Sunday school and to his ardent interest it ones in no small degree
In concluding, it is but a fitting tribute to say of Mr. South het a Christian gentlemen who has Is religion every day, and whose pride and ambition centers in his family and his home, that brings to him the price of soul, that money cannot buy nor poverty dissipate.
HONORABLE LEWIS M. FRUDELL.
One of the old settlers and retired farmers now living in Miltonvale is Lewn M. Trudell, the subject of this sketch. Mr. Trodell was born in Ver- mont m 1830. His parents were James and Bridget ( Crapo) Trudell, both of French origin. James Trudell came from France to Canada when a young man and settled in the Province of Quebec, subsequently moving to Franklin county, Vermont, where he farmed m the Green Mountam country until his death in 1867. Il wife died ten years later.
Lewis M. Trudell was one of eleven children, four of whom are living, viz: Eli, a farmer of Clay county, Kansas, and two sisters in Franklin county. Vermont. Mr. Trudell began his career by working on a farm and after several years bought a backwoods farm of two hundred and forty acres and in 1855 chopped the first tree to build his cabin. In 1869 he came to Illi- nois and settled in Henry county, where he farmed rented land four years. In 1873 he came to Kansas and took up a claim in the western part of Clay county, one mile distant from the Cloud county line, where he built a sort of "Stone stockade." covered with dirt, and lived in true pioneer style for four years. In 1888 he traded his farm for a livery stable in Miltonvale, which he conducted profitably for eleven years and sold to his son, who, in turn, sold two years later to its present proprietor, James Stelter. In 18go Mr. Trudell bought a cozy residence property, where he and his amiable wife are spending their declining years. Mr. Trudell owns one hundred and sixty acres of land in Starr township-the original. Adams homestead.
In 1849 Mr. Trudell was married to Delia Domina. of Franklin county, Vermont. Her parents were Canadian by birth and of French origin. Mr. and Mrs. Trudell have had born to them seven children, five of whom are liv- ing, viz: Moses L .. of Idana, Kansas, where he owns and operates an eleva-
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRAK
TILDEN FOUNDATION!
MR. KOSTER'S HOME RAN H. FLETCHER RAN I'
"STARKEY RANCH"
S57
HISTORY OF CLOUD COUNTY, KANSAS.
tor and a lumber yard. Eli, a prosperous farmer of Clay county ; Marion E .. wife of Albert LaDue, a stone mason of Lead, South Dakota: Alice E. Bur- dick, of Miltonvale ( see sketch of Burdick's Hotel) : Jennie, wife of W. C. Wolf, a dentist of Tonkawa, Oklahoma. Corris died in 1890 at the age of thirty-nine years, leaving a wife and six children. He was a business man of Clay Center, Kansas: Nettie, deceased wife of Robert MeNea, a farmer of Clay county ; she died in 1892, leaving three children.
Mr. Trudell enlisted in Company A, Ninth Vermont Volunteer Infan- try. at the last call and served nine months : was on guard duty a greater part of the time. Ile is a Republican in politics ; has held the office of justice of the peace for four years, was mayor of the town in 1896-7 and has served on the board of city council.
This estimable couple have been members of the Christian church for eleven years and are held in the highest esteem by their neighbors and friends. Mr. Trutdell has the reputation of using his influence and best efforts for the promotion of all things that tend to make better his town or country.
HONORABLE FREDRICK KOSTER.
The history of any community gathers around and about a few central figures, and the historian of this part of Cloud county will find Koster an ever recurring name in his chronological data. They were among the early set- tlers in the northeast part of Ottawa county, where they now own and operate several large ranches, but have been closely identified with the growth and prosperity of their adopted home-Miltonvale.
Fredrick Koster. the subject of this sketch, is entirely a self-made man. He came to Kansas at the age of eighteen years. He was born in Middlefiekl. Massachusetts, in 1852, and a few years later removed with his parents to Bondsville, Massachusetts. where he grew up among the paper and cot- ton mills of that manufacturing town. His health became impaired, and after taking a sea voyage of several months, decided to take Horace Greeley's advice to young men. and came west in 1870 with George, an older brother : the widowed mother and her family following later. Mr. Koster comes from an old German family. His grandfather, with three brothers, came to America in a very early day and settled in the city HONORABLE FREDERICK KOSTER. of New York, where Mr. Koster's father, William Koster, was born in 1811. He was a paper manufacturer, and drifted about considerably, owning and operating mills at various places
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.