USA > Kansas > Woodson County > History of Allen and Woodson counties, Kansas > Part 63
USA > Kansas > Allen County > History of Allen and Woodson counties, Kansas > Part 63
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 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104
William Bird was born near Keokuk, Iowa, September 15, 1850. He grew up in Allen county from a boy of seven years and passed many years as a farm hand. Twenty years of this time he was in the employ of Daniel Horville and with his wages thus earned he purchased a tract of wild land on Deer Creek which he afterward improved and developed into a desirable farm.
In 1868 the Cheyenne and Arapahoe Indians gave the settlers in
53
WOODSON COUNTIES, KANSAS.
western Kansas much trouble and captured and carried away two white women. The State raised a regiment, the 19th Kansas, which was sent in pursuit of the warriors. William Bird joined this regiment and experienced all the hardships of a winter campaign, in a hostile and trackless country and, occasionally, with no other than mule meat for his ration. The march was down into New Mexico, where the band was overtaken and the captives recovered. This ended the trouble, for the time being, and the regiment returned to Ft. Hayes and was mustered out there in the spring of 1869.
[11 1882 Mr. Bird went into the wilds of Wyoming where he joined a ranchman, and where he was employed as handy man on various ranches during the three years he remained in the Territory. On his return to Allen county he took possession of his Deer Creek farm and proceeded with its cultivation and improvement.
February 5, 1888, Mr. Bird was married to Emma Fackler, a daughter of George Fackler, a substantial and worthy German farmer of Carlyle township. The children of this marriage are Dannie E., Edna May, Grace and Pearl.
In politics our subject is well known as a Republican. He cast his first Presidential vote for General Grant in 1872 and has maintained a steady and enthusiastic attitude toward his party in recent years.
A DAM BARNHART, who is engaged in general farming and stock raising in Iola township, has resided at his present home for twenty years, having taken up his abode on his farm February 6, 1880. He was born in Brady's Bend township, Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, April 30, 1839, and is a son of Jolin Barnhart, who was born in Butler county, Pennsylvania, in 1800, and died October 31, 1887. The paternal grand- father, Jacob Barnhart, was a native of Easton, Pennsylvania, and his grandfather was a native of Germany, whence he crossed the Atlantic to the new world, becoming the founder of the family in America. Jacob Barnhart followed farming in the eastern part of the Keystone state, and was a member of the American army during the war of 1812. His son, John Barnhart, carried on farming and carpentering. He was a man of strong convictions, active and influential in his community, and for a num- ber of years served as a member of the state militia. In politics he was always a stalwart Republican, and was a faithful member of the German Reformed church, taking an active part in its work and upbuilding. He married Susan Helper, who was born in Clarion county, Pennsylvania, in 1811 and died in 1877. Her father, Jacob Helper, was also of German lineage. Her brothers were Adam, Emanuel, Abraham, Jacob and David, all of whom were married and left families. Her sisters were Mrs. William Armstrong, Mrs. John Switzer and Mrs. George Roy. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Barnhart were Jacob C., a resident of Clarion county, Penn-
5.32
HISTORY OF ALLEN AND
svIvania; Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Dowans, of Richmond, Kansas; Han- nah, wite of Joseph Foringer, of Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, Louis, who died in Clarion county, Pennsylvania, in 1899; Isaac, who was a member of Company B, One Hundred and Third Pennsylvania Infantry during the Civil war, and is now a resident of Armstrong county; Josepli, also of that county; Rachel, wife of Harvey Peck, of Champlain, Vermont; and Susanna, twin sister of Rachel and wife of Thomas Shook, of Pitts- burg, Pennsylvania; Catherine, wife of Thomas Roads, of Ohio, and Sarah, wife of William Eynon, of Kaylor, Pennsylvania.
Adam Barnhart began earning his own livelihood by working in the coal and iron mines of Pennsylvania. He entered upon this industry in 1858 without capital, but was successful and soon took contract work at tunneling and mining, continuing in that line of business until 1878. In 1876 he came to Kansas, visiting Allen and Woodson counties for the pur- pose of selecting a favorable location. However, he returned to Pennsyl- vania, where he continued through the three succeeding years, spending the last year there in leasing coal and oil rights. In 1879 he located in Iola township. Allen county, where he has since engaged in farming and in raising cattle and liogs. He has been very successful, and as his finan- cial resources have increased, he has added to his property until he 110w owns five hundred and sixty-five acres of valuable land in Allen and Wood- son counties.
On the 4th of August, 1859, Mr. Barnhart was united in marriage to Catherine J. Shook, a daughter of Peter Shook, whose family were early settlers of Allegheny county, and were of German descent. In his family were Thomas, Jacob, John, Barbara and Ellen, all of Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, and Mrs. Barnhart. To our subject and his wife have been born eight children: Arabella, who became the wife of William B. Mc- Kinney, and died June 28, 1900; Lomond C. and Walter L., who reside in Polk county, Oregon; Sinas C., of Woodson county, Kansas; Ida M., Emma E., John A. and L. Edward, who reside at home. Mr. Barnhart is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, having joined the organization in Allegheny county, Pennsylvania, in 1864. He cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1860, and has never failed to support each presidential candidate of the Republican party since that time. He has never sought office as a reward for his labors, content to devote his time to his business. Since 1881 he has been a member of the Presbyterian church at Liberty. As a citizen he is public spirited and progressive, with- holding his co-operation from no movement for the public good. He emi- nently deserves classification among the self-made men who have distin- guished themselves for their ability to master the opposing forces of life and wrest from fate a large measure of success and an honorable name.
S AMUEL J. STEWART .- Among the pioneers whose life has been in- separatbly connected with the history of Allen county is Samuel J. Stewart, State Senator of the Fourteenth District, embracing the counties
533
WOODSON COUNTIES, KANSAS.
of Allen and Woodson. He was born in Miami county, Ohio, over sixty- eight years ago and came into the territory of Kansas in April 1856. Some time during his youth he had emigrated to LaFayette county, Indiana, and it was from this point that he made his start for the Kansas border. He was in company with his brother Watson, whose history during the twenty-five or more years that he resided within the boundaries of Allen county, formed a part of the public records, both civil and military of the county. The former settled upon a claim about five miles south of Hum- boldt where he has developed one of the valuable and beautiful farms along the Neosho river.
Our subject got into politics early in the county, for the reason that he was a man of conviction and never failed to express himself clearly and to the point whenever invited to do so. Being a young man of energy and absolute reliability he was chosen to represent Allen county in the Terri- torial Legislature of 1858. The year previous he attended the Grasshopper Falls convention where the Free State men for the first time decided to par- ticipate in Kansas elections. Up to this time they had steadily refused to take any part in political affairs under the "bogus laws," or rather the laws passed by a "bogus legislature." This decision on the part of the Free State men resulted in the rescuing of the state from its enemies and placing the control of its affairs in the hands of its bona fide inhabitants. Mr. Stewart was a member of the Houses of 1883 and 1885 and of the special sessions of the legislature during each of those terms. His face has been one of the familiar ones of the "old crowd" at nearly every county and state convention and few delegates in either have been accorded a more respectful hearing or have had a more enthusiastic personal following than has he.
When the war came on he entered the service as a private. enlisting in 1861. He was promoted to a lieutenancy in August of the same year and to a captaincy in February 1863. He was mustered out of the service in August 1864. At the close of the war he was married and has reared a family of three sons and four daughters to become honorable men and women.
One or two incidents will serve to show that Captain Stewart's life has not always been a plain domestic one. They will show that there was a time in Kansas when a man's protection depended upon his personal courage and that Mr. Stewart was not lacking in this element. Soon after their arrival in Allen county the two brothers sent a man with a team to Kansas City to haul to their claim the household goods which they had shipped to that point by rail and river, the nearest available point to their location. The goods were loaded up and the driver had reached Westport when he was met by a company of "Border Ruffians" headed by the noted Allen McGhee. The ruffians took the team and ordered the driver to leave the town which he did, walking all the way back to Allen county. When our subject heard what had become of his team and goods he went to Kansas City and, alone and single handed, secured one of the horses, the wagon and nearly all the goods. He was not satisfied with this partial re-
534
HISTORY OF ALLEN AND
covery, however, and, at the close of the war, he visited McGhee and de- manded satisfaction for the balance of his loss. Money being scarce, Mc- Ghee presented him with his gold watch, then worth about two hundred dollars.
In the summer of 1856 Captain Stewart went to Kansas City with an ox team to move some settlers into Allen county. The Border Ruffians. were preparing then to make a raid in Kansas and, when near Westport, they took Stewart prisoner. They robbed him of what goods and chattels they desired and started him on east through Missouri, declining to permit him to return home. He worked his way around through the state of Missouri, in the direction of home, till he came to Bates county where he was set upon by a party of six men who suspected him of being a loyal Kansan. They were intending to hang him, as they said, but the Captain out talked them, got them to quarreling among themselves and, during the mele, got away.
As the campaign of 1900 approached Captain Stewart decided to. become a candidate for the state senate. He was nominated easily at the primaries and carried both counties by good majorities. He took rank in the senate as one of the active men of that body and his record there coupled with his long and valuable personal service as a citizen of the state actuated the Governor in appointing him a member of the Board of Regents. of the State Agricultural College, upon which duty he has but recently entered.
A LFRED W. BECK .- Among all the men of affairs who have resided in Allen county the one most widely known is A. W. Beck. The nature and character of his business has brought him into personal rela- tions with inore people contiguous to Iola than that of any other, and scarcely a citizen, beyond the confines of Humboldt township, from 1870 to 1895, and within the boundaries of Allen county, but that has had some transaction with the subject of this review.
It is interesting to listen to the relating of the experiences of the founders of a community, wherein you get a glimpse of the important events which have ruled their conduct, a bird's-eye view of their lives, as they were being lived, revealing adversity, trials, failures and then success, prosperity and independence. The adage, that "one-half the people do not know how the other half live," will remain true till the end of time an d many worthy persons who have been distressed by reverses have suffered in silence and have spoken freely of their past only when fortune has guaranteed their financial independence. The history of our subject is not one of absolute penury and want, during all his early years in Iola, but his share of those commodities were visited upon him in a modified form and with such force as to remind him that hardships are occasionally a reality.
The Becks are of German origin. Leonard Beck, our subject's father,
535
WOODSON COUNTIES, KANSAS.
settled in Crawford county, Ohio, about 1820. He was born in Pennsyl- vania in 1813. learned shoemaking there, but became a fairly successful farmer during his residence in Ohio. He died in 1852 in the vigor of man- hood. His father, a Pennsylvania German, was one of the pioneers to central western Ohio and died in Crawford county just before the civil war. The members of his family were Dan, Isaac, Adam, John and Leonard Beck. They reared families on the clay hills of Crawford county and were among the representative citizens. They were, in the main, Republicans and were divided in their church fealties among the Methodist, United Brethren and Lutheran churches.
Leonard Beck married Margaret Beltz, a daughter of Christopher Beltz who migrated 'to Ohio from Pennsylvania, Margaret Beck died in Iola in 1879. Alfred W. Beck is her only child. He was born November 10, 1845, and was orphaned by the death of his father when not yet eight years of age. He aided in sustaining his mother from a youthful age and his early school training was that of the country district. At sixteen years of age he entered a store at Little Sandusky and got his first mercantile experience at a salary of ten dollars à month. He drew this liberal sum (for that day) two years and with a part of the funds he attended the Ohio Wesleyan University. at Delaware, Ohio, one term, and took a course in book-keeping in a business college at Columbus. He then went into a mill in his home county as general helper and, some time later, into a foundry and machine shop in Upper Sandusky as fireman. His last ser- vice, prior to his departure for the west, was with his first employer and at a salary of thirty-five dollars a month. In 1868 he made a trip into the west and in 1870 he came out to Ottawa and in June of the same year he cast his lot with Iola. In casting about for an opening he purchased the grocery stock of Wm. H. Richards and erected the frame building which once stood on the square. He took in a partner and the firm did a general mercantile business till reverses overtook it. It seems that sobriety was not one of the chief characteristics of Mr. Beck's partner and the failure of the firm was due to his peculations and unwise manipulations. The debts of the firm were considerable but their creditors permitted our subject to still manage its affairs and thereby all of the obligations were met. When Mr. Beck was finally freed from the entanglements of the store his condi- tion was such that the starting of a business requiring capital was out of the question and he and his wife decided to open a boarding house. A degree of prosperity accompanied this venture and with a few surplus dol- lars thus gathered in Mr. Beck bought a can of coal and became again a business man. He conducted this business in a small way and sold fruit trees and by this means managed to sustain himself. With sixty dollars saved from his wife's business he bought an old house and moved it onto a tract of land which he had made a payment on some time before. An- other sum of money saved from the table was paid to James Drake for cattle and with these, and four dozen chickens, the family moved to their railroad claim. The team Mr. Beck went to the farm with cost $37.50 and it was chained to a $5.00 wagon. He wanted to hire Sam Baker to run
5,36
HISTORY OF ALLEN AND
the farm, but Sam declined to work for a man who drove with rope lines,: so he hired a boy instead. The family was supported by the butter and egg crop, largely, the first few years on the farm, while the bead of the household was footing it to and from Iola, daily, trading and scheming and handling anything there was a profit in.
Morg. Hartman and Jake Casmire sold Mr. Beck a small stock of im- plements, on time, as he was too poor to think of paying for anything like that, and was told by Mr. Hartman that he could get all the goods he wanted. This stock of implements he took charge of, did all the work himself, waited on the trade, kept the books and cleaned the store-and his advice to men entering business is to follow a similar plan and thus more certainly make a success of their business.
For three years did A. W. Beck make his daily pilgrimages to Iola on foot and the happiest day of all that era was when he became the owner of a little crop-eared pony. As he rode this to business he felt the pride of an aristocrat and the "twenty dollar pony" was chief in the affections of our now prospering farmer, He bought every heifer calf that his finances would reach and within three years after his becoming a farmer he sold seven hundred dollars worth of stock and in five years eight hundred dol- lars more.
The nature of his business was such that Mr. Beck could engage in the grain and seed business and this he did, reaping a good returu for his labor. The coal business was taken up and this alone would have sus- tained a modest family. The growth of his various interests demanded a- larger room and in 1882 he erected the Beck business house, the largest in Iola at that time. In 1897 he joined in the erection of another business block, adjoining his own, and in this substantial way contributed no little toward the development of his town.
In 1900 Mr. Beck went out of the implement business and took up the furniture business, instead. The grain and seed business he also dropped and the coal business was sniffed out by the discovery of natural gas.
While our subject has been chiefly occupied with winning fortune for himself for a quarter of a century it is but fair to say that the welfare of his community has not been the least of his thoughts With the development of the gas field came opportunities for municipal growth and expansion and he aided in setting in motion plans for the location of industries to employ labor and to utilize our wonderful resources. He was on the committee to visit the W. and J. Lanyons at Pittsburg for the purpose of laying Iola's inducements before them in the hope of their locating here. He experi- mented with our shale product, by building a miniature brick kiln in the end of the city hall and discovered that it would make fine brick. He succeeded in organizing a company of Iola citizens to push the matter and the Iola Brick Company, and its immense output, is the result. The ex- pansion of Iola has felt the touch of his hand. The popular additions of Brooklyn Park and Highland Place and Bunnell's Addition have been im- proved and placed upon the market largely through his suggestion and advice.
Mr. Beck was married in Allen county July 2, 1875, to Elizabeth
537
WOODSON COUNTIES, KANSAS.
Pickell, a daughter of Moses Pickell. Their surviving children are: Grace, Maud. Bessie and Harold Beck. The daughters are talented musi- cians and Grace possesses exceptional gifts and rare accomplishments as a pianist. Her final training was in the Boston Musical Institute and Iola enjoys a musical treat when she gives a public performance.
A. W. Beck is no ordinary man. He is possessed of rare clerical and executive business qualities, and his trained judgment and fine sense of business properties render him a tower of strength in the business world of Iola.
OHN FRANCIS-In Norfolk, England, where had been born and J
buried generations of his family, John Francis, the subject of this sketch, saw the light of day on April 24, 1837. By the death of his father he was left at two years of age to the care of his mother, whose maiden name was Sarah Kitteringham. She was a woman of much energy and unusual strength of character and under her hand he was educated and brought to his majority. It was then that the Kansas struggle was pending and the Free State and Pro-Slavery fight was being hearkened to half way round the world. The young man listened with the rest and his sympa- thies being strongly awakened he determined to come to America and have a hand in the strife. He left England for Kansas in 1858, coming to Osa- watomie where were gathered many of the friends and followers of John Brown. He remained there until March, 1859, when he removed to Allen county, pre-empted a claim, near his present home, and engaged in farmi- ing. The looked for crash came and in July, 1861, he enlisted in the Third Kansas Regiment, Colonel James Montgomery commanding. In the spring of 1862 the company to which he belonged was transferred to the 5th Kansas Cavalry in which regiment he served in Missouri and Arkansas, making the march from Rolla to Helena. At Helena he was invalided and sent to the General hospital at Keokuk, Iowa, from which he was dis- charged in November, 1863, greatly broken in health.
He returned to Allen county and was elected County Clerk and re- elected in 1865, serving four years. He also held under appointment of Judge D. M. Valentine, then Judge of the District, the office of Clerk of the District Court, receiving this appointment in 1865 at the time the county-seat was moved from Humboldt to Iola. At the expiration of his appointive term he was elected to the office which he resigned in 1868. Meanwhile he had fonnd time to study law and was admitted to practice in 1867. In November of the same year, 1867, he was elected County Treas- urer and re-elected in '69.
At the end of his term of service as County Treasurer he engaged in merchandising in Iola in which business he continued until July, 1877.
In 1873 he was appointed by Governor Thomas A. Osborn as one of the trustees of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum at Olathe. And on May Ist,
538
HISTORY OF ALLEN AND
1874, he was appointed State Treasurer of Kansas to fill the unexpired term of Josialı E. Hayes. Again in December, 1875, he was appointed to the same office to bring order out of chaos in the accounts of Samuel Lappin, who was in trouble.
In 1876 he went before the people as a candidate for State Treasurer and was elected, was re-elected in 1878 and again re-elected in 1880.
After leaving the office of State Treasurer he engaged in bond business. and banking in New York City. In 1892, his health again failing him, he moved to his farm at the northern edge of Allen county, where he now lives.
In 1898 he was elected Representative of his county and was made Chairman of the Committee on State Affairs. He was returned to the House in 1900 and appointed Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means. Upon the adjournment of the Legislature he was appointed a member of the Tax Commission, authorized by the House and Senate of 1901, and was selected as its President.
John Francis is a Republican, a Mason and a Knight Templar. He became a member of the Iola Lodge, number 38 A. F. & A. M. in 1865 and filled successively its several offices including that of Master. He is a Churchman, having been confirmed in Norwich, England, at the age of fourteen. by Bishop Selwyn of New Zealand.
On February 23rd, 1862, while on furlough from his regiment, he was married to Lodeska Coffield, whose parents came to Allen county from In- diana in 1860. Mrs. Francis is a lineal descendant of Adrial Simons, a Revolutionary patriot, son of Dutch parents who emigrated from Holland in 1700, also of Benjamin Clark, likewise a soldier of the Revolution.
They have three daughters and one son, Anna, Clara, Maude Elizabeth and John.
Few men in Kansas have a more distinguished and honorable record of public service than Hon. John Francis, and none is more higlily esteemed or more universally respected. For thirty years he has been a conspicuous figure in the public life of Allen county and of the State of Kansas, and he is still vigorously engaged in the performance of the most responsible and important public duties.
R ANDOLPH W. SEE was born March 6, 1842, in Hardy county, Vir- ginia, now a part of West Virginia, and is a son of John See, who w .; born in the Old Dominion about 1788, and died in 1854. The father received a good education and for many years taught school during the winter months. Occasionally his son Randolph would accompany him to the district in which he was teaching and there would pursue his education. During the summer months the father engaged in farming and followed the cooper's trade, which he had learned during his boyhood. He owned about three hundred acres of farm land in Lost River Valley, Virginia. In
539
WOODSON COUNTIES, KANSAS.
his political affiliations he was a Whig. Twice married, by his first union he had the following children: Craigen: Michael H .; Amanda, who became the wife of Abner McWilliams and died in Illinois about 1875, while her husband survived until 1885; and Mrs. Dolly Neff, who removed to Cham- paign county, Illinois. For his second wife John See chose Catherine Stalnaker, who was boru in Virginia about 1800, her father being a native of Randolph county, that State. Her death occurred in 1884. Her chil- dren were Andrew S., of Hartsville, Missouri; Keziah, who became the wife of William Sturm, and died in Douglas county, Illinois, about 1863; Thomas, who died in the' same county about 1864; and R. W., of this review.
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.