USA > Kansas > Woodson County > History of Allen and Woodson counties, Kansas > Part 42
USA > Kansas > Allen County > History of Allen and Woodson counties, Kansas > Part 42
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Dr. A. J. Fulton grew to manhood under the healthful enviroment of
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a country life, and after receiving the education obtainable at the country log school house in those early days he took a course in the London (Can- ada) Commercial College and graduated in class A in 1866. He then be- gan the study of medicine and surgery under the able guidance of his brother, Dr. Andrew L. Fulton, spending one session in Bellevue Hospital Medical College, of. New York, and graduating from Jefferson Medical College of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in March, 1874. He immediately began the practice of medicine at Uniontown, Bourbon county, Kanas, but after a few months, in the fall of 1874, he removed to Iola, Kansas. O11 the 5th day of May, 1880, he was married to Miss Mary J. Pickell and to them were born two sons, Fred Robert and Harold John Fulton
For eleven years Dr. Fulton discharged the duties of Pension Ex- aminer. First receiving the appointment as a single examiner and after- ward, under the administrations of Presidents Harrison and Cleveland, he was one of the three members of the board, first acting as president and lastly as secretary of the board. He was elected coroner of Allen county, Kansas, in November, 1885, and succeeded himself in 1887, holding the office for four consecutive years. He served the City of Iola as councilman for two consecutive years. I11 1898 he was elected a member of the Board of Education and was chosen president of that body for two consecutive years. In 1897 he received the appointment of surgeon to the Missonri Pacific Railway Company and is still in the discharge of the duties of that office.
In fraternal matters he has held continuous membership in the order of A. F. & A. M. since twenty-one years of age; is at this time a member of the M. W. of A .. R. N. of A., K. & L. ot S., A. O. U. W. and the Triple Tie Benefit Association.
L. PARSONS .- Not only has the subject of this sketch seen Allen . county grow from a comparatively wild district with only a few white inhabitants, to a rich agricultural country containing thousands of good homes and many thriving towns, inhabited by an industrious, pros- perons and progressive people, but he has participated in and assisted witlı persistent work the development which was necessary to produce the change that has placed this county among the foremost in the common- wealth. For many years he was identified its with agricultural interests, but is now living retired, although he still makes his home upon his farm.
Mr. Parsons was born in Hamilton county, Indiana, on the 8th of August, 1838. His father, Jonathan Parsons, was a native of Virginia, and during his boyhood removed to Ohio, whence he made his way to Indiana. In that state he married Miss Sarah Flanagan, a native of Ken- tncky. Throughout his life he engaged in farming, making it a source of livelihood for his family. He died in Kansas in 1871, at the age of sixty- seven years, while visiting his son, and his wife, long surviving him,
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passed away in 1892, at the age of seventy-four. They were the parents of thirteen children, of whom seven are now living, namely: Peter, who makes his home in Ashland, Dakota, L., of this review; Mary, the wife of Richard Healey; Ephraim; John; Frank, and America Hines.
Mr. Parsons, of this review, speut the first seventeen years of his life under the parental roof in Indiana. He then went to Minnesota with his parents where he remained for three years and then returned to Indiana. The year 1870 witnessed his arrival in Kansas, and with the interests of Allen county he has since been associated. He located two miles east of Savonburg, pre-empted eighty acres of land and afterward secured one hundred and sixty acres. At a later date he again extended the boundaries of his farm so that it now comprises three hundred and five acres of arable land. It was a tract of raw prairie when he took possession of it, but with characteristic energy he began its development and soon transformed the wild place into richly cultivated fields which brought to him a good income as the years passed by. Thus he gained a comfortable competence which now enables him to live retired, his toil in former years supplying him with a capital sufficient to meet all his wants at the present time.
On the 22nd of December, 1864, Mr. Parsons was united in marriage to Miss Phoebe Fausset, a native of Indiana, who proved to him a faithful companion and helpmate on the journey of life for more than a third of a century, but in 1900 they were separated by death, Mrs. Parsons being called to the home beyond on the 29th of June, of that year, at the age of fifty-nine. Eight children had been born to them, namely: John F., who is now a resident of Oklahoma Territory; C. N., who is a teacher in Bethel College, at Newton, Kansas; W. J., who is a graduate of the State Normal of Texas; James M., Ora and O. H., all at home; A.C., who is engaged in teaching in the home school in Allen county, and is also a Normal and Business College graduate; and Flora, the wife of Elmer Price, who resides near the family homestead.
Mr. Parsons evercises his right of franchise in support of men and measures of the Democracy, but has never sought the honors or emolu- ments of public office. He has been an ardent supporter of educational institutions and has lived to see three of his sons, C. N., W. J. and A. C., finish their college courses. He has kept supervision over the doings of his farm that it may be always properly conducted. He is engaged in stock raising and his keen discrimination in business affairs and his un- flagging industry made him one of the well-to-do citizens of the community.
H ENRY F. RICE, one of the early settlers of Kansas, was born in Marion county, Kentucky, August 1816. At an early age he went with his parents to the southern part of Illinois and helped to cut and hew the logs that built a cabin for a home for the family in that heavily tim- bered country. There were no school advantages except subscription
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schools and our subject only received about six months schooling in his life. Add to this the home instruction and he came to maturity with a good practical education. When about twenty-five years of age he mar- ried Miss Mary K. Thompson, of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and settled near Marion, in that state. He and his wife were devoted members of the Presbyterian church.
Mr. Rice was a stone-mason by trade, but lived upon the farm. He and his wife lived happily together for twelve years, when death claimed her. Mr. Rice conceived that it would be better to take his little ones to his widowed mother and both give and receive help and comfort, and so taking the two oldest children, seven and nine years old, on horseback they started on their journey of sixty miles. He singing "Guide me, Oh though great Jehovah. Pilgrim through this barren land; I am weak. But Thou art mighty; hold me with thy powerful hand."
After passing through many trials and misfortunes his family were beginning to scatter. The father's love was so strong as to keep him with them thirty years. He remarried and some years afterward sold his beau- tiful home in Illinois, gathered his family together and emigrated to Kan- sas. In May, 1867, six covered wagons drove up and halted near Rufus Perkins' home in Iola, (now known as Mrs. Canatsey's). After stopping there a few days to look around Mr. Rice bought the Barry farm about five miles south of Iola. Reaching Kansas the year after the grass-hoppers came (in 1856) times were very hard, but the brave man who had endured so much only laughed at the discouragements which made others despond- ent and leave the country. By lending a hand here and giving a kind, encouraging word there and more substantial help to those who needed he endeared himself to those who knew him. The last fifteen years of his life were spent on his Kansas farm in the company of his single daughter, Miss Sarah Rice. He was public spirited, generous hearted and an earnest consistent Christian, helping in all good works. He died at his home in June, 1880, of heart failure, leaving three children: Miss Sarah Rice, afterwards Mrs. Sarah Toop, of Ulyses, Nebraska; Mrs. M. J. Barth, of Iola, and C. MI. Rice, of Bentonville, Arkansas. The remains were laid to rest in the Iola cemetery.
TOHN G. KENYON, who is the owner of one of the good farms of Allen County, and is now engaged in the livery business in Elsmore, was born in Rhode Island, October 7, 1840. In that State he remained until eighteen years of age where he removed to Wisconsin, residing for four years. Returning to the State of Rhode Island he remained for two years. He was married in Filmore County, Minnesota, of which State he had al- ready become a resident, on the 4th of May 1861, to Miss Elizabeth H. Larkin, also a native of Rhode Island. In December, 1861, in response to the call of the President, he enlisted in the Union army for three years.
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On reaching St. Louis, however, he was taken ill and later, was discharged on account of disability after one year's service.
Returning then to Minnesota Mr. Kenyon engaged in farming until 1866 when he removed to Brookfield, Missouri where he resided until 1870. That year witnessed his arrival in Kansas. He took up his abode on a farm of three hundred and twenty acres, located in the southeastern part of Elsmore township and for nineteen years continued its cultivation, making his home thereon until 1889, when he came to Elsmore and established his livery stable which he has since conducted with great success. He lias been a prominent factor in the public affairs of the town, serving as post- master under President Harrison. For about fifteen years he has served as justice of the peace and his decisions have ever been fair and impartial, winning him golden opinions from all classes of people.
In 1897 Mr. Kenyon was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife. who died on the 23rd of July of that year, at the age of fifty-six. She had many warm friends and her death was therefore widely mourned. They never had any children, but reared an adopted daughter, Daisy, who is now at home with her father, a young lady of seventeen years. Mr. Kenyon exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the Republican party, and has ever manifested the same loyal spirit of citizenship that he displayed when in 1861 he offered his services to the government in defense of the stars and stripes.
E RIC D. ERICSON, who is numbered among the prosperous and self- made men of Elsmore township, Allen County, was born of Swedish parentage in Knoxville, Knox County, Illinois, on the 2nd of November, 1855. He is a son of Ole and Elna Ericson, both of whom were natives of Sweden, whence they came to America in 1852, locating in Knoxville. In their family were nine children, of whom Eric D. is the fourth in order of birth. He was reared in the place of his nativity and during his boyhood pursued his education in the common schools. He worked at home until nineteen years of age and then started out in life for himself, securing em- ployment as a farm hand. He also worked in coal mines, giving his time to those two pursuits until he had secured a capital of about five hundred dollars. Believing that this might be profitably invested in the west, in the spring of 1883, in company with his brother Joseph, he came to Kansas, locating first in Bourbon County, where he rented a farm for one year. In 1884 he came to Allen County and in connection with his brother purchased a league claim. He gave all of his money for the property and soon aterward found that he had no title to the land, nor could he acquire one. He thus lost all that he had paid. Such an experience would have utterly discouraged many a man of less resolute spirit, but with a de- termined purpose and a strong heart he set to work to retrieve his lost possessions. Again buying that tract of land, with characteristic energy lie
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commenced improving it, erected a good residence, planted shade trees and otherwise added to the value and attractive appearance of the place. He today owns three hundred and twenty acres, and the rich, productive soil yields to him excellent returns for the labor he bestows upon it. The entire farm is improved and much of the grain he raises he feeds to his stock, which upon the market finds a ready sale.
On the 12th of April, 1883, Mr. Ericson was united in marriage to Miss Jennie Freeburg, who was born in Sweden, on the 3rst of May, 1863, and came to America with her parents when five years of age. She is a daughter of John and Ingar Freeburg, who crossed the Atlantic to the new world in 1869, settling near Paxton, Illinois, whence they came to Kansas in 1883. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Ericson has been blessed with five children: Hattie, George, Alvin, Harley and Earl, aged respective- ly sixteen, fifteen, ten, eight and four years. Mr. Ericson is a member of the A. O. U. W. at Elsmore, and of a mutual insurance com- pany at Galesburg, Illinois. He is also a stockholder in the State Bank of Elsmore and is at present one of the directors of that institution. In poli- lics he is a Populist, but has never been an aspirant for office, preferring to give his attention to his business affairs. He has served as a school officer for a number of years and the cause of education in his district has found in him a warm friend. Otherwise he has held no other political prefer- ments, for the work of the farm claims his industry and enterprise. How- ever, he has met with reverses, but has overcome all the difficulties and obstacles in his path by a resolute will and unflagging perseverance, and today he is classed among the substanial agriculturists of his adopted country.
ESSE P. DECKER, of Elsmore, Allen county, editor, merchant and J politician, has, through these and other channels of public intercourse, acquired a promince and a leadership in eastern Allen county which be- speak for him the confidence of his fellow townsmen. This confidence and regard he has merited and drawn to himself in the brief period of eight years, for he has been a resident of Allen county only since 1892. Being born so close to the county line and being a son of one of Allen county's pioneers Mr. Decker is almost entitled to be regarded as one of our old citizens. He was born in Xenia, Bourbon county, September 10, 1865. He is a son of ex-County Treasurer M. L. Decker, of Iola, and at the age of six years was taken into Leavenworth county, Kansas, and there resided during his youth and was there educated in the common schools. Ou coming of age he returned to his birthplace and engaged as a clerk in the store of his uncle, John Decker. For two years he was so employed and then opened a store on his own account. In April 1888, he was appointed postmaster at Xenia, but resigned after some months' service to better look after other business. In 1892 he disposed of his stock and business
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and, after some prospecting, located in Elsmore where he opened a general store in June of that year. In February, 1897, he sold his business and engaged in the real estate, loan and insurance business. This year he was appointed post-master at Elsmore which position he still occupies. In 1900 he re-engaged in the mercantile business and his is one of the con- spicuous and popular enterprises in Elsmore.
In February, 1899, Mr. Decker purchased the "Elsmore Enterprise," a weekly newspaper devoted to the interests of Elsmore and Allen county and a publication with a strong declaration of Republican principles. With the active management of this journal, with the supervision of the mail matters of Elsmore and with the conduct of his general store Mr. Decker manages to keep fairly busy.
Mr. Decker's interest in the development of Allen county is a matter of public notoriety. When there is anything proposed for the good of the town if he is not at the head he is always in. If some important move is on foot touching the welfare of his community and requiring tact and ability to execute Jesse Decker is one to help do the work. In any part of our county . when a bit of information is wanted at Elsinore or some im- portant work to be done it is usually Jesse Decker who is asked to do it.
A Republican convention finds Mr. Decker always with his working clothes on. He is rarely absent from any meeting of his party committee or convention and the delegation from "North Elsmore" honors him with its chairmanship on every occasion that he will accept it. For a number of years he has represented his precinct on the County Committee and in 1900 was one of the assistants to the secretary of the committee.
Mr. Decker was married November 14, 1889, to Miss Nellie Steven- son and May 18, 1890, Mrs. Decker died. June 17, 1891, Mr. Decker married Miss Sadie Cutter, of Allen county. Their children are: Nellie, Ruth, Martin and Jesse Decker.
Mr. Decker is a Mason, belonging to the Blue Lodge at Savonburg and to the Scottish Rite bodies at Fort Scott, a member of some of the popular insurance societies and holds advanced and progressive opinions on all public questions.
C YARL A. REYNOLDS-Among the newspaper fraternity of Allen County is the editor of the Savonburg Record, Carl A. Reynolds. He is one of the self-made ment of our day and has risen from comparative obscurity to a position of importance and usefulness in a community of in- telligent and progressive citizens.
Mr. Reynolds was born in Shelby County, Iowa, August 14, 1876, and is a son of Frank Reynolds and Martha Whitinger. His parents were born in Indiana and his widowed mother resides with our subject in Savonburg.
Carl Reynolds was left fatherless in 1880 and was forced by that event
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to make some effort toward the support of the family very early in life. He went to the printers trade at eleven years of age, and while his days were given to his employer, his nights were spent over school books, acquiring an education He learned his trade in Iowa, and upon its completion, went to Chicago where he was employed in some of the large print shops of the city. He drifted about the city in this way and finally reached the great establishment of Rand, McNally & Company. He spent three years in the service of this company and laid by his net earnings. Longing for a busi- ness of his own he returned west in the expectation of coming against a location. He went to work on the Yates Center Advocate in 1896 and during his stay there made a visit to Savonburg which led to his locating there. He laid in a supply of the best material, type, press and other paraphernalia, and April 1, 1898, he founded and issued the first copy of the Savonburg Record. The general business of his office has met his expectation. His editorial efforts are appreciated and encouraged with a satisfactory subscription list and the job work department is meeting the demands of its patrons with artistic work on a paying basis.
Mr. Reynolds was married June 26, 1900, to Carol E. Kimbell, of Y'ates Center, Woodson County, and a daughter of R. Kimbell.
Mr. Reynolds is one of four children, viz .: Oscar Reynolds, of Harlin, Iowa; E. A. Reynolds, of Chicago and Mrs. F. P. Taylor, of Savonburg.
In politics our subject is radical in support of the administration of President Mckinley. His training and political associations have been Republican and his paper is one of the political educators of Allen County.
L EWIS HUFF, JR., is actively connected with business affairs in Els- more township, Allen County, as a farmer, contractor and builder. He was born in Hancock County, Ohio, July 3, 1846, his parents being Lewis and Elizabeth Huff. The father is a native of Virginia and when seven years of age accompanied his parents on their removal to Ohio where he resided for about forty years. In 1870 he came to Kansas, settling in the southeastern portion of Allen County. near the southern boundary line, and upon the old homestead he is still living at the advanced age of eighty-six years, a venerable and highly respected gentleman. His wife died in 1894 at the age of seventy -four. They were the parents of ten children, nine of whom are living, while eight of the number are sons. The record is as follows: S. S., of Fort Scott, Kansas; W. T., who is living in Buffalo, Kansas; T. G., whose residence is near Savonburg; Lewis; Sylvester, a practicing physician of Mound Valley, Kansas; Pleasant, the wife of D. Freed; Albert, of Allen County; Joseph, lives in Baldwin, Kansas, and Martin, who is living in Allen County. Four of the sons were soldiers in the Union army and their record is one of which the family has every reason to be proud.
Lewis Huff Jr., whose name introduces this review, was reared and
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educated in Ohio, and after arriving at the years of maturity he wedded Miss Mary S. Hodges, a native of that State. In 1865, when eighteen years of age, he responded to the country's call for aid, enlisting as a member of Company B, One Hundred and Ninety second Ohio Infantry, in which he served for nine months, when he was honorably discharged, for the war was ended and the stars and stripes floated over the capital of the southern Confederacy.
Mr. Huff contined to make his home in the Buckeye State until the spring of 1870 when he came to Kansas and secured a claim in Neosho County, a mile and a half south of Savonburg. He there resided for six years, continuing the operation and improvement of the land, after which he sold the property and secured another claim, including the site of Savon- burg. To the development and cultivation of that tract he devoted his time for about six or seven years when he again disposed of the property and bought a farm two miles east, living thereon until he sold and removed to Fort Scott. In that city he began work at the carpenter's trade, which he followed for five years, when he returned to Allen County and purchased ten lots in Savonburg. He erected three houses which he afterward sold and next purchased a farm half a mile south of town and built thereon a good residence. He has improved his little farm and at the same time has continuously followed carpentering, doing a good business as a contractor and builder. He has erected more houses than any other man in Savonburg, and in other portions of the county stand buildings which are monuments to his skill, thrift and enterprise.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Huff have been born four children: Nora Huff; Elva, the wife of Ed Belcher, of Kansas City, Missouri; Winifred C., who died at the age of sixteen years, and Elmer M., at home. Mr. Huff be- longs to Savonburg Camp, No. 1271. M. W. A. In his political affiliations he is a Republican, warmly espousing the cause of the party. A life of industry and honesty has brought to him gratifying success. With 110 special advantages in his youth, with nothing but a determined purpose and willing hands to aid hin as he started out for himself, he has worked his way steadily upward and today is known as one of the sub- stantial and reliable citizens in his portion of Allen County.
[OHN H. SMITH is a well known merchant of Allen County, aiding in the successful conduct of a large enterprise in Savonburg where his labors have brought him prominence in connection with commercial pur- suits. A native of the Hoosier State, his birth occurred in Dearborn County, Indiana, on the 17th of April, 1869, and he is a son of O. H. Smith who is represented elsewhere in this volume. His boyhood days were spent upon the home farm and from the time of early spring planting until the crops were harvested in the autumn he assisted in the work of the fields. In the winter months he was a student in the common schools and J
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thus his time was passed until his fifteenth year, when he left Indiana with his parents and came to Kansas. He continued under the parental roof until he was eighteen years of age when he became a student in the academy at Parsons, and later he completed his education in the Sedalia Business College, in which he was graduated with the class of 1890.
Mr. Smith taught school for two years and then entered the grocery and queensware business in St. Paul, Neosho County, in connection with a Mr. Post. This relationship was maintained for a short time and then Mr. Smith entered into partnership with his father, under the firm name of Smith & Son. They have since been associated in business and continued their enterprise in St. Paul until 1395 when they came to Savonburg, enlarging their field of operations by adding a stock of general merchandise. By the admission of the second son of the famtly the firm style has been changed to Smith & Sons. They carry a very large stock of merchandise which is displayed in two large storerooms and they also have a branch store at Elsmore under the control of Frank E. Smith, the youngest partner. Their business now amounts to forty or fifty thousand dollars annually and is constantly growing under the capital management of the partners, who are reliable business men.
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