History of Atchison County, Kansas, Part 45

Author: Ingalls, Sheffield
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Lawrence, Kan., Standard Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1032

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Henry Buttron was married in Atchison, Kan., in 1866, to Rosa Scheu, whose father, Andrew Scheu, came from Wittenberg, Germany. The fol- lowing children were born to this union: Rosa, wife of Louis Gerhardt, of Atchison : Emma, wife of Charles Kammer, of Lancaster township; Kate and Jacob, at home; Henry, who married Bertha Kemmer : Fred, married Louise Meck, lives near Nortonville, Kan .; Anna, wife of George Schulz, Lancaster township : Karl, married Anna Hegland. Lancaster township; William, George and Louis, at home. The mother of these children was born in Germany, in

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Buttron and Family. of Lancaster Township.

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May, 1845, and came to America with her parents when nine years of age. She was a daughter of Andrew and Rosena ( Baner ) Scheu, both deccased.

Mrs. Buttron has grandchildren as follows: Kathrine, Rosa and Hent- rietta Kammer ; Henry Buttron's children, three, Clarence, Esther and Ruth; Fred Buttron has three children, Karl, Ralph, Mildred; Mrs. Anna Schulz has two children, Gilbert and Karl; Mrs. Rosa Gerhardt has one son, William; Karl Buttron has one child, Edward; Jacob Buttron has four children, Ber- tha, Emma, Alice and John.

Henry Buttron died February 8, 1913. During the Civil war he was a member of the Kansas State militia, and was in the engagement fought at Westport, and which resulted in the rout of the forces of the rebel general, Price. Mr. Buttron always took a keen interest in local and county affairs, and took a prominent part in affairs of importance to the well being of the people. He was always modest and unostentatious in his conduct, and was greatly respected by the people of his neighborhood for his cool judgment and patriotism at all times. Henry Buttron was a good citizen, and a kind parent who was highly esteemed by all who knew him.

W. H. SMITH.

Some men are natural organizers and blessed with such a deep love for the well being of their fellowmen that their activities are to a considerable extent devoted to spreading the gospel of good fellowship among mankind. The social and fraternal orders which are popular among men of any local- ity are simply the outgrowth of that desire, for the realization of a great dream for the "Brotherhood of Man," which was predicted 2,000 years ago. A man who furthers the growth of organizations which have the welfare of the individual, singly and collectively, at heart is doing a con- siderable amount of definite good. for the betterment of social conditions. Such a citizen is W. H. Smith, the widely known and efficient clerk of the district court of Atchison county, and a likeable and able personality, who figures prominently in the history of his county.

Mr. Smith was born February 3, 1855, at Knoxville, Ill. He is a son of John and Harriet (Gibbons) Smith, natives of England. John Smith, the father, was born in 1808, and died in the year 1863. He was a scion of an English family and was a graduate of Oxford University. He became a contractor and builder in his native land, but immigrated to America with his

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wife and three children in 1852, settling in Knoxville, Ill., where he died eleven years later. He was the father of the following children : Mrs. Sarah Ann Simpson, deceased; Mrs. Harriet Ann Webb, of Burlington Junction, Mo. : Charles E., of Sierra Blanca, Texas, employed as a stationary engineer by the Texas Pacific railway since 1880. The mother of these children de- parted this life February 2, 1890, aged seventy-eight years, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Simpson.

WV. H. Smith was reared in Knoxville, Ill. Being left an orphan at an early age, by the death of his father, it was necessary for him to start work when a boy and practically earn his own living and educate himself. By working on neighboring farms during the spring and summer he was en- ahled to attend school during the winter months, and succeeded in attend- ing the Knoxville high school. He did farm work until 1865 and then learned the printing trade in Knoxville, being attached to the staff of the Knoxville Republican during the winter of 1866 and '67, and remained un- til 1874 in that capacity. At the early age of twenty years he wedded Elmira Kistler, and then settled on a farm in Lehigh county, Pennsylvania, on which was located a tannery. He operated both farm and tannery until 1880, when he decided to cast his fortunes in the western country. March 2, 1880, he came to Atchison with his family and moved to a farm near Good Intent, five miles northwest of Atchison. The year before this he had made a trip to Atchison county and invested in eighty acres of land which was partly im- proved. He developed this tract into a very fine farm and sold it at a con- siderable advance over and above the purchase price in 1895. In the spring of 1890 Mr. Smith removed to Atchison and for three years served as night agent at the union station for the Wells Fargo and American Express com- panies. He then bought an interest in the Home Show Printing Company. and was connected with this concern in active capacity for a period of twelve years, or until 1905. The printing company was then taken over by other parties and he continued working in the office until 1909.

During his residence in Atchison county previous to this time, Mr. Smith had become prominently identified with the Republican party and had be- come known as a "wheel horse" of the organization and universally esteemed by the rank and file of the party. He was elected to the office of clerk of the district court in the fall of 1908, and began the duties of his office in January of 1909. He was reelected in 1912 and again in 1914. He was elected without opposition from any source in 1912, and overcome his op- ponent in 1914 by the immense plurality of 3,010 votes. For a period of three years he was secretary of the Republican central com-

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mittee, and was for six years a member of the first Atchison county high school board, being one of the surviving members of the original board which erected the county high school at Effingham, and was likewise a member of the board which rebuilt the school house when it was destroyed by fire. Mr. Smith was a member of this board while still a resident of the county and took a prominent part in the inauguration of this worthy institution, which has been so much appreciated by the people of Atchison county.

In religious matters Mr. Smith is identified with the Episcopal church. Probably no man in Atchison county is identified with a greater number of fraternal organizations than is he. He became a member of the Odd Fellows August 2. 1882, and is also a member of the encampment. Since January I, 1915, he has served as a secretary of Friendship Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, No. 5, and has been scribe of the encampment for the past fifteen years. For eighteen years he has been secretary of the board of trustees of the Odd Fellow's lodge and is affiliated with the Rebekahs, and is a mem- ber of the canton. Since 1880 he has ben a member of the Central Protec- tive Association and was practically its originator, and has been the grand secretary of the order since 1886. The first of the annual outings and picnics held by this famous association was conducted in the grove on Mr. Smith's farm. Visitors and guests to the number of 10,000 people have attended these picnics. Mr. Smith has been a member of the Ancient Order of United Work- men since 1895, and recorder of the order for thirteen years. He is a mem- ber of the Woodmen of the World and has been their banker for six years past. He is affiliated with the Knights and Ladies of Security; the Kansas Fraternal Citizens : a member of Atchison Aerie, Fraternal Order of Eagles. No. 173, and its secretary since 1904. Before removing to Atchison he was secretary of the Central Protective Association at Good Intent for five years. He is at present serving his second term as State secretary of the Kansas Eagles, and has held various offices in the State aerie, including the impor- tant post of State representative. Since 1895 Mr. Smith has been a member of the Modern Woodmen; is a member of the Fraternal Aid Union, and the Improved Order of Red Men, and is an honorary member of the Typographi- cal Union.

Mr. Smith's happy wedded life began July 4, 1874. when he married Elmira, daughter of Joel and Matilda Kistler, of Lehigh county, Pennsyl- vania, members of an old Pennsylvania family. Joel Kistler was a large land owner and tannery operator in Lehigh county. He and his brother, Stephen, operated a number of tanneries, and were extensive farmers, and were very wealthy. Joel Kistler came west, located in Knoxville, Ill., and · invested

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heavily in Illinois land. He died at Stony Run, Berks county, Pennsylvania. Mrs. Kistler died at Schnecksville, Pa. To Mr. and Mrs. Smith have been born the following children: Estella, born July 14, 1875, deceased; Harriet Matilda, born June 6, 1876, wife of J. A. Wilkinson, of Hershey, Pa., and the mother of two children, John J., aged twelve years, and Michael aged eight years; Isabelle, born December 15, 1880, wife of Dr. J. E. Exter, of Atchison, and mother of one child, Eugene, aged five years ; Pearl, born Octo- ber 12, died April 25, 1890; Helen, born May 1, 1885, wife of R. H. Jones, chief train dispatcher for the Missouri Pacific railroad at Falls City, Neb., and mother of one child, Mary Elmira, aged six years; Frank Gibbons Smith, born August 8, 1891, and died February 23, 1901.

W. H. Smith is considered as one of the best officials who has ever filled a county office, and he is held in high esteem for his many excellent qualities. To his many friends and associates he is affectionately known as "Big Bill," an appropriate name on account of his large stature, and an ap- pellation which can well be applied to his heart and mind. While large of body, he is also big-hearted and blessed with a breadth of mind and good will which embraces all mankind.

JOSEPH W. ALLEN.

For over forty-five years Joseph W. Allen, veteran, merchant, and descendant of an old and distinguished colonial family, has been identified with the civic and mercantile life of the city of Atchison. He comes of rugged New England stock, noted for their integrity, honesty and proverbial industry throughout the United States, and has been one of the builders of Atchison's largest wholesale grocery house. Mr. Allen has grown up with Atchison, and has come to be one of its best known and highly respected citizens, having risen from moderate circumstances at the outset of his career to a position of affluence and decided prestige among the commercial men of northeast Kansas.

Joseph W. Allen was born in Craftsbury, Orleans county, Vermont, March 2, 1841, a son of Hollis F. and Sophia (Root) Allen, natives of Massachusetts. The father was a merchant and when a young man removed from his native State to Craftsbury, Vt., where he was engaged in the mer- cantile business for a number of years, and in the latter part of his life he come to Atchison, Kan., dying in 1874. He had three sons who served in

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the Union army: Frank H., who later came to Atchison and was a member of the wholesale drug firm of McPike & Allen; George R. Allen, a retired manufacturer, living at Alton, Ill., and Joseph W., with whose career this review is directly concerned. A daughter, Anna H., wife of the late Frank Howard, founder of the Frank Howard Manufacturing Company of Atchi- son, died in 1915 at her home in this city. Another daughter, Nellie, makes her home with her brother, Joseph W., in Atchison, and is now in Honolulu. The Allen family is of Scotch origin, and Ethan Allen, of Revolutionary fame, was a member of the same family.

Mr. Allen was reared to manhood in Vermont and received a good com- mon school education, attending the Craftsbury Academy. On October 2, 1861, in answer to the President's call for volunteers to defend the Union, he enlisted for three years in Company I, First regiment, Vermont cavalry. He was mustered in with the regiment November 19, 1861, at Burlington, Vt., as bugler, and was mustered out of the service November 18, 1864. He left Burlington December 12, 1861, for Washington, D. C., and remained there with his regiment until February, 1863, at which time he was detailed at General De Forest's headquarters as musician. Afterwards, he was de- tailed to General Kilpatrick's headquarters as musician and remained there until General Wilson took command of the division in April, 1864. He was then detailed to General Sawyer's headquarters until October, 1864. at which time he came to Burlington Vt., where he was mustered out of the service. Mr. Allen was in thirty-seven engagements during his three years of service. and was never wounded nor captured, nor was he absent from duty a single day on account of sickness. His regiment did notable service under Generals Sheridan and Custer, and he was engaged in the famous battle of Winches- ter. An incident of Mr. Allen's army career is well worth recording. He effected, single handed, the capture of four Confederate soldiers, and the story of the capture is one of the historical incidents of the great conflict. The incident took place near Lightersville, Md., and it was after the regiment had taken part in the battle of Huntersville, Pa., July 2, 1863, and the battle of Gettysburg, July 3, 1863, the battle of Monterey on the Fourth of July, Lightersville on July 5, and on the sixth of July occurred the battle of Hagers- town. The men were all fatigued and had been deprived of both sleep and rest for several nights in succession, Joseph Allen among the rest. When they had ridden nearly all night to a point near Lightersville, they halted for rest in the small hours of the morning. Many were dismounted and fell asleep on the ground, Mr. Allen doing likewise. He slept so soundly, how- ever, that when he awoke his comrades were gone. It was dark and he was

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uncertain in which direction the command had gone. He mounted his horse and let the animal pursue its own way without guidance. Dashing down the road, horse and rider came out into a main highway and unexpectedly came upon four men who were as much taken by surprise and fright as Allen himself. The rebels, supposing that there was a larger number of Union men following, made haste to surrender without waiting for an invi- tation. Allen promptly accepted their surrender and took them along to the main body which was some distance ahead. His prisoners proved to be a major, a captain and two lieutenants of the Eighth Georgia regiment.

Mr. Allen rode during the war a very sensible and intelligent cavalry horse, and thereby hangs a tale. In one of the cavalry engagements in which he participated he and his comrade were riding together under heavy fire. His riding partner was shot from the saddle and Mr. Allen felt his own horse sinking under him. Believing that the animal was mortally hurt he dis- mounted and jumped on the back of his dead comrade's mount and rode away to safety. That night while lying in his blankets with the earth for his couch and the starlit sky for a canopy overhead he felt something soft and gentle nudging him. Startled, he arose hastily and was overjoyed to find that it was his favorite horse which had returned safely, but badly wounded, from the battlefield, and had hunted out his master from among the hundreds of recumbent and sleeping forms on the camping ground.

He returned to Craftsbury after his war service and engaged in mer- cantile business which he continued until 1870, when he came to Atchison at the solicitation of his brother, Frank H., who was at that time the junior member of the firm of McPike & Allen, wholesale druggists of Atchison. Mr. Allen entered the employ of the company as traveling salesman and was thus engaged for a period of three years. He then embarked in the grocery business in partnership with Colonel Quigg under the firm name of Quigg & Allen. Colonel Quigg commanded the Thirteenth Kansas infantry regi- ment during the Civil war. The firm of Quigg & Allen carried on a whole- sale grocery business for about three years. Then Mr. Allen purchased his partner's interest, and three years later consolidated with the A. B. Symns Grocer Company. A. B. Symns became the president of the company and Mr. Allen became vice-president. When Mr. Symns died in 1905 Mr. Allen became president and held the position until 1911 when he retired from active participation in the business, although he still retains a substantial in- terest in the company. Mr. Allen was one of the dominant individuals in the development of the Symns Grocer Company in the extensive concern which it is at the present time. When he joined forces with Mr. Symns their

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combined capital did not exceed $15,000, and during his period of associa- tion with this company their business developed into enormous proportions, and the capital of the Symns Grocer Company now amounts to $300,000. Mr. Allen was a natural salesman and had complete charge of the traveling sales department of the Symns Grocer Company, and, in fact, during the first few years was the entire traveling sales force himself. Later, as additional salesmen were added to the force he continued to direct the sales department of the business. Mr. Allen is a prominent factor in the business world of Atchison, and is vice-president of the Atchison Savings Bank. He is a mem- ber of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and in his political views is absolutely independent.

RALPH U. PFOUTS.

Ralph U. Pfouts, a leading young attorney of Atchison, is a native son of Atchison county. He was born at Monrovia December 4, 1890, and is a son of William A. and Ollie ( Sharpless) Pfouts. William A. Pfouts, the father, is also a native Kansan, born in Nemaha county in 1861 and is a son of James and Caroline ( Kellam) Pfouts, natives of Pennsylvania, where they were reared and married, and in 1860 came to Kansas, locating in Nemaha county. The father, James Pfouts, died a few months after coming to this State and his wife returned to Pennsylvania with her little family. A few years later, however, the Pfouts family returned to Kansas, locating at Lancaster, Atchison county, and here William A. Pfouts was educated and reared to manhood. He followed farming in early life and for eighteen years was a school teacher. In 1896 he engaged in the general mercantile business at Lancaster. To William A. and Ollie (Sharpless) Pfouts were born two children, as follows: Ralph, the subject of this sketch, and Mabel, deceased. The wife and mother died in 1901, and in 1905 William A. Pfouts married Miss Sadie M. Monnies.

Ralph U. Pfouts was educated in the public schools of Atchison county, and Kansas University, at Lawrence, Kan., graduating from the law depart- ment of the latter institution with the class of 1914. Shortly after graduat- ing he passed the State bar examination and engaged in the practice of his profession at Atchison where he is meeting with well merited success. He has appeared in connection with important litigations in both the State and Federal courts and is enjoying a lucrative practice. He possesses the natural

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qualities of an able lawyer and is an untiring student, and those who know him best predict for him a successful career in his chosen profession. Politic- ally, he is a Republican. Mr. Pfouts is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Atchison Aerie No. 173, Fraternal Order of Eagles.

OLE G. GIGSTAD.

Ole G. Gigstad, farmer and stockman, Lancaster township, was born in Norway, October 25, 1856. He is a son of Gulick and Anna (Grannan) Gigstad. He was one of seven children, one of whom is now dead. Four sons and one daughter are now living in the United States. A brother, Knud G. Gigstad, is also a farmer and stockman in Lancaster township. The father was a native of Norway and spent his life there. Ole Gigstad left Norway in May, 1883, and came to Atchison county, Kansas, where he worked a year for his brother, Knud. Then for three years he rented a farm from his uncle in Brown county, Kansas, and in 1887 bought the farm in Lancaster township. It is an eighty acre farm and Mr. Gigstad has made improvements to the extent of $5,000, including a fine house and barn. He now owns 320 acres of well improved land, 160 acres of which are being farmed by his oldest son, Gustave, and it has a comfortable residence.

Ole Gigstad attended school in Norway, but when he sailed for America he could not speak the English language, and when he arrived here he was in debt to the extent of fifty dollars, which was an additional handicap. But his industry has brought him to the front rank of Atchison county farmers. He owns a fine herd of graded stock and is a successful farmer and stockman. He rented eighty acres additional in 1915 and he had 100 acres in corn last year.

Mr. Gigstad was married in 1888 to Severine Knudson, who was born in Norway, September 23. 1866. She left her native land in the spring of 1883 and settled at Everest, Kan., where her brothers were living at the time. In 1884 she removed to St. Joseph, Mo., where she worked four years. Her parents were Knud and Inger Sofie (Berntson) Knudson, natives of Norway. Her father was born in 1814, and immigrated to America in 1891, coming to Atchison county, Kansas, where he lived with his children until his death, in 1894. The mother was born in 1827, and died in her native country in 1887. Mr. and Mrs. Gigstad have eight children : Gustave A., farming the 160 acres

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west of his father's farm; Ida, Charles, Albert, Emma, Edna, Alice, Benjamin, all living at home. Mr. Gigstad is a member of the Lutheran church and is a Republican.

JOHN H. BARRY.

John H. Barry, chairman of the board of directors of the First National Bank of Atchison, is one of the well known citizens of the city who has figured in the development of Kansas, especially the eastern portion of the State, for a period of many years. For fifty-seven years he has been a resi- dent of the State, and has made his own way from comparative poverty in his youth, to a position of affluence which compares most favorably with that of the men of his day with whom he has been associated. He has seen the Sunflower State develop from a wilderness, unsettled and unpeopled, except by the wild animals and Indians, to become one of the fairest and greatest of the sub-divisions of the American Union. He is proud of Atchison and her prestige, and has played no small part in the task of advancing his adopted city to the forefront of western municipalities.

J. H. Barry is of Celtic origin, having been born in the city of Boston, of Irish parents, in 1849. His parents, Michael and Ellen (Roach) Barry, were natives of County Cork, Ireland, where they were reared and married, and crossed the Atlantic to seek their fortune in the new world. Settling in Bos- ton in the early forties, Mr. Barry plied his trade of tailor with fair success and owned and conducted his own tailoring establishment. He died there when John H. was a small boy. His widow, accompanied by her son, then journeyed across the country to Leavenworth in 1858. Here the boy was brought up until he was fifteen years of age and in 1862 became a freighter in the employ of the Government. He was a "mule whacker," or driver, who had charge of a team of six mules which he drove from Ft. Leavenworth across the Great Plains to New Mexican points. Saving his earnings, he em- barked in the freighting business at Leavenworth for himself in 1866, driv- ing his outfit over the route of the Ft. Scott & Gulf railroad, via Baxter Springs, Kan., through the Indian Territory to Indian agencies in the terri- tory and Texas, carrying wagon loads of merchandise and trinkets on the outward bound trip, and bringing back a load of furs, hides and osage orange seed. The trinkets taken along were intended for the Indians who exchanged their furs for adornment. The osage orange seed was in great demand at

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this period inasmuch as the settlers were then girding their lands with osage hedges. Mr. Barry's freighting venture proved profitable, and he made con- siderable money during the two years in which he made trips to the South- west. In 1870 he engaged in railroad contracting, and was fairly successful until 1873. He graded and built many miles of railroad in southern Kansas and through Oklahoma, and in the building of the L. L. & G. R. R., he reaped excellent profits. He had his ups and downs, like other contractors, however. and one experience in particular very nearly proved his undoing. This was in the building of the M. K. & T. R. R., in which Mr. Barry had contracted to build a twenty foot embankment for a distance of one mile. It was under- stood with the railroad officials that the grading was to be completed by the first day of the following year, but he rushed the work so as to have it com- pleted before the fall rains began. He succeeded in doing this early in the fall, but the head contractor, Stewart McCoy, would not accept the work as finally done before the time limit of the contract, unless he would deduct twenty per cent. from the contract price agreed upon. This arrangement meant the complete dissipation of his profits, and he finally came through with only his outfits. This experience ended Mr. Barry's contracting career. as far as railroad building was concerned, and disposing of his outfits, he came to Atchison in 1873 with a small capital. Here on March 17, 1873. he entered the employ of the Missouri Pacific railroad as switchman and re- mained in the employ of this road until 1879, filling various positions, such as baggageman, trainman and yardmaster. While engaged in railroading he became interested in the civic and political life of Atchison, and possessing an engaging and candid personality, he made many warm friends, and was given political preferment. In the spring of 1879 he was elected constable and held the post and various others for three years. Following this office he was appointed chief of the Atchison city police in 1883 by Mayor C. C. Burns and served until 1885. In 1885 he served as superintendent of the Street Railway Company. Since then he has taken a more or less active part in political matters in the city and county, and is considered one of the politi- cal leaders of his party. While serving as city marshal he was a United States deputy marshal under United States Marshal Ben Simpson. In 1885 he established the Barry Coal and Wood Company, which he successfully conducted along with other commercial propositions until 1910. He became interested in the Atchison Paving Brick Company, and was active in the affairs of this manufacturing concern for over fifteen years, being still inter- ested in the company. Upon the organization of the Commercial State Bank in November. 1906, he was elected president of the institution, and upon its

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History of Atchison County, Kansas, Part 45

Author: Ingalls, Sheffield Publication date: 1916 Publisher: Lawrence, Kan., Standard Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1032

Author: Ingalls, Sheffield
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Lawrence, Kan., Standard Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1032