USA > Kansas > Atchison County > History of Atchison County, Kansas > Part 50
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H. C. Hansen was born in Denmark January 17, 1867. His parents were Hans and Anna Hansen, who left their native land to seek their fortunes in America in 1869. Hans Hansen was a backsmith, and the family first located in Atchison. From here they went to Brown county, and a few years after- ward settled in Doniphan county. Mr. Hansen operated a blacksmith and wagon-shop at Severance, Kan., until 1890. He then removed to Graham county and settled on a farm where he still resides. His first wife, Anna, died in 1875, leaving four children, as follows: Mrs. Mary Kellenberg, of Brown county ; Mrs. Minnie Knoop, of Canton, Okla. ; Mrs. Ellen Moore, of Cottonwood Falls, Chase county, Kansas, and Hans Christian.
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H. C. Hansen was reared in Doniphan county and was forced by circum- stances to look after his own education. When still a boy he learned the blacksmith's trade and also worked as a farm hand. He had little opportunity to secure an education and received no encouragement from his parents to acquire knowledge. It was necessary for him to earn money to support him- self while attending school. He studied for two years in the Christian Brothers College of St. Joseph after he became of age. Beginning with December 20, 1892, he served twelve years as salesman for the Edward Heeney Hardware Company, of Severance, Kan. He then became local agent for the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company at Severance. So successful was Mr. Hansen in his new vocation that in a short period of eighteen months he was tendered the position of general agent of the company, with headquarters in Atchison. He has written as high as $200,000 in life insurance policies yearly and his success still continues. A strong and amiable personality com- bined with energy and persistence have been factors in enabling him to advance with such rapid strides in a field which is full of able competitors. In addi- tion to his duties as general agent of the Penn Mutual Insurance Com- pany. he looks after his farm of 120 acres, located five and one-half miles east of Potter. Mr. Hansen has purchased this farm with money earned in selling life insurance, and he is displaying the same energy in developing his farm acreage that placed him to the forefront in the life insurance field. An old, rundown orchard of about ten acres was located on his farm. He had this orchard placed in shape for fruit bearing by trimming the trees and spray- ing with a power sprayer. The results are seen in the fine quality of fruit which the trees have yielded. He has been awarded three first prizes at the Atchison county horticultural display.
Mr. Hansen was married August 20, 1891, to Katie Browning, a daugh- ter of Frank Browning, an early pioneer settler of Doniphan county. To them have been born the following children: Anna, a graduate of the public school and high school, and now a teacher in the schools of Sparks, Kan .; Bettie, a trained nurse, who graduated from the Sisters of Charity Hospital. at St. Joseph, in October of 1915; Crystelle, a milliner in the Ramsey store ; and William Penn or "Pat." the youngest of the family.
Politically, Mr. Hansen is an independent Republican, inclined to be progressive in his ideas of government by the people, and favoring those can- didates for office who seem to be capable of serving the people to the best advantage of all. He is a member of St. Benedict's Catholic Church, and is fraternally connected with the Knights of Columbus.
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JULIUS DEUTSCH. f
Julius Deutsch, retired merchant and capitalist, of Atchison, is a citizen who has made his own way in the world, and achieved a satisactory measure of success in the mercantile field. He was born in Lorraine, the French province of Germany, November 27, 1858, a son of Molling and Melanie Deutsch, who were born and reared in Lorraine. Molling Deutsch was a wholesale gain and flour merchant in his native town. Melanie Deutsch was a daughter of M. Friend, a soldier in the Napoleonic wars, and who was awarded the Medal of St. Helena for bravery on the field of battle. Both parents lived their lives and died in the land of their nativity.
When Julius Deutsch had completed his education at the age of four- teen years, in 1872, he immigrated to America, coming direct to Atchison, where he made his home for a short time with an uncle. L. Friend. Later, he entered the employ of another uncle, I. Friend, a merchant, doing business in Seneca. He worked in the store at Seneca for two years, sold goods in Atchison for another year, spent one year in a mercantile establishment at Topeka, and then embarked in business for himself. Mr. Deutsch estab- lished a general store at Muscotah in 1878, which was a successful venture. Prosperity attended his efforts, and it was not long until he and his brothers embarked in the mercantile business at Horton, Kan., and established a store which they still own. He was associated in his business ventures with his brothers, Sylvain, Maurice, Simon, and Isaac. Simon is now a resident of Cleveland, Ohio. Isaac is deceased. The brothers established a chain of stores and operated them at Beloit, Atchison, Valley Falls, Muscotah, and Concordia, which were generally successful, and made money on the invest- ments. Mr. Deutsch continued in active mercantile pursuits until his retire- ment to Atchison in 1902. He first came to Atchison from Muscotah in 1885, turned over the business at Muscotah to his brother, and then engaged in business in this city. His brother, Maurice, now operates the store at Horton, Kan. Sylvain Deutsch makes his home principally in Kansas City. During later years the Deutsch brothers have disposed of a number of their various stores, and now operate the Horton concern only. Their capital is mainly invested in real estate, consisting of city property and farm lands in Kansas and the West. Isaac Deutsch was the first of the family to come to America to seek his fortune, and his brothers followed, and a community of interests which held them together at all times, resulted in all becoming well-to-do.
Mr. Deutsch and his brothers are interested in a number of financial
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institutions, and he has many friends among the substantial citizens of his home city. He took an active part in the incorporation of the town of Mus- cotah, serving as city councilman. He is of the Jewish faith, and is prone to assist all religious denominations to the extent of his ability, being tolerant and broad-minded in this respect. He is fraternally allied with the Odd Fellows and the Elks. Mr. Deutsch possesses a likable personality, which, coupled with a kindly and courteous demeanor at all times, makes him well liked by his associates and esteemed for his many excellent qualities.
STARK WILBOR ADAMS.
Stark Wilbor Adams, general manager for the Aetna Life Insurance Com- pany, with offices in the new Masonic Temple, and secretary of the Atchison County High School board, is a native of the Buckeye State, born in May, 1866, at Huron, Ohio, and a scion of an old American family which traces its lineage back to the colonial days of New England. His father, Stark Adams, and his mother, Mary (Chandler) Adams, were born in Milan, Ohio, and Birmingham, Ohio, respectively. Stark Adams was a son of Philo, a son of Daniel Adams, of Vermont, who was a soldier in the Continental army during the American war of independence, and was a brother-in-law of Ethan Allen, of Vermont. Daniel was second in command of the "Green Mountain Boys" at the capture of Crown Point and Ticonderoga. In recognition of his serv- ices in behalf of the new nation, he was given a grant of land in the Western Reserve. His son, Philo, rode horseback from Middlebury, Vt., to the Huron river valley in 1816 and took possession of the tract which had been granted to the family by the Government. He also traded a horse for an eighty-acre tract in addition to his own grant. He and three brothers settled on the land lying along the course of the Huron river, Philo locating at the mouth of the river where it flows into Lake Erie, and upon which the town of Huron was eventually built. The brothers became the owners of about 600 acres of land in the neighborhood. They cleared the land of standing timber, planted corn, harvested and shelled it during the first season, then crossed the lake to Buffalo to trade grain for supplies, which they again traded with the Indians for furs. They conducted a general trading business and the settlement grew from this beginning, in course of time to be of considerable importance. Philo Adams was a first cousin of John Quincy Adams, and was appointed the first collector of the Port of Huron. The first of the family to come to America was Henry
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Adams, who came to Plymouth on the "Mayflower," when the good ship made its second voyage to bring over the Puritans, and he settled at Mt. Wolaston, (now Quincy, Mass. ) in 1638. Joseph Adams II was the son of Henry, the founder of the family in America : Joseph III, son of Joseph Adams, was next in line, and was the father of Daniel and President John Adams, second President of the United States. Daniel Adams was the father of Philo Adams, and direct ancestor of the Adams family.
Stark Adams, accompanied by his family, left the old home in Ohio in 1878, crossed the country to Hays City, Kan., and there homesteaded on 160 acres of land, taking up a timber claim of the same number of acres at the same time. Settlers were few and far between in that part of Kansas in those days, and the country was settling up slowly because of the droughts and other vicissitudes with which the farmers had to contend. Ten years after locating near Hays City, Mr. Adams came to Atchison and eventually bought a farm four miles south of the city, on which he lived until his retirement to a resi- dence on the corner of Q and Sixth streets in Atchison. He was born October 14, 1827, and died August 30, 1909. His children are : Augusta J., at home ; C. B., of 714 Park street; James Otis, on a farm, eight miles southwest of the city : Stark Wilbor; Margaretta L., at home, associated with S. W. in the office located on the second floor of the new Masonic Temple; J. D., at the family home in Atchison at 517 South Seventh street.
S. W. Adams and family came to Atchison from the farm in February, 1908, and engaged in the insurance business, the mother and father and family coming to the city in December of the same year. He opened his present office May 1, 1914, when Mr. Adams was appointed manager of the Aetna Life Insurance Company for northeast Kansas. His career as an insurance solicitor and manager has been very successful. The real estate and loan business conducted in the same office is in charge of Jay D. Adams.
Mr. Adams was married December 25, 1899, to Miss Mary Speck, who was born on a pioneer farm in Atchison county on Stranger creek in Mt. Pleas- ant township. She was a daughter of Archimides S. and Sarah E. Speck, na- tives of Kentucky and North Carolina, respectively, who emigrated from In- diana to Kansas, driving a team the entire distance, during the year 1855. (Further data concerning Mr. and Mrs. Speck will be found elsewhere in this volume. ) To this union have been born, Dorothy M., Sarah E., Mildred J .. Lorena Wilberta, Wilbor Speck.
Mr. Adams is a Republican in politics and has taken a more or less active part in political and civic affairs. For the past five years he has served the county as secretary of the Atchison County High School board. He and the
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members of his family are affiliated with the Presbyterian church. Frater- nally he is allied with the Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias and the Benevo- lent and Protective Order of Elks.
GEORGE SCHOLZ.
George Scholz, farmer and stockman of Lancaster township, Atchison county, Kansas, was born in Germany, April 22, 1870, and is a son of August and Johanna (Seidel) Scholz, who were the parents of seven children : Mrs. Pauline (McCowin), Renton, Wash. : Herman, Doniphan county, Kan- sas : Charles, Lancaster township, farmer; Louise, wife of C. Thoren, Los Angeles, Cal .; Caroline, wife of J. W. Louthian, Lancaster township; Paul, living near Lancaster, Kansas; Mrs. Anna Stockebrand, Yates Center, Kan .; August, farming with his brother, John, in Lancaster township, and John, farmer, Lancaster township: Robert, Lancaster township. The family was reared on the father's farm where all the sons were taught farming. The father was born November 25, 1835, in Schlesien, Germany, and learned the blacksmith trade from his father, and worked at that trade until he left Ger- many in 1870. He was a son of George Frederick Scholz. His mother died when he was an infant. Coming to America with his family of six children, August Scholz, resided in St. Joseph, Mo., for a time and then bought a farm of 160 acres in Doniphan county, Kansas, which he worked about six years. He broke this place with oxen and made all necessary improvements, himself. After leaving Doniphan county he bought 480 acres of prairie and timber land in Atchison county, Kansas. This was in 1882. He bought the farm of Morgan Osborne and paid $15,000 for it. The place is known as the "Three Springs Farm." It is located on the northwest quarter of section 9. The name comes from the fact that the farm has a fine natural water supply from springs located on it. The springs supply water for the stock on the farm even in the longest drought.
The father bought an unusually large farm for the reason that he wanted his boys to grow up on his own farm. He did not want to see them go out and work for strangers. His capital was limited but he and his sons were industrious, and they were able to go into debt to acquire more land, and the farm was paid for in due time and improvements were made as rapidly as possible. The father farmed his place until his death, in 1901. The mother of George Scholz was a daughter of Godfred and Rosanna (Schwartzer) Seidel.
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and was born in Schlesien, Germany, April 10, 18.40, and is now living with her son, John. The father was a fariner in his native land.
George Scholz attended the Atchison county schools, finishing at the Rock district school. He remained at home until he was twenty-six years old, when he rented a farm which he operated in partnership with his brother, Charles A. In 1905, George bought the farm which he now owns, and which consists of 120 acres in section 24, Lancaster township.' The place was com- paratively unimproved, having only an old house and barn. Since then he has built a modern eight-room house, electric lighted and modern in all respects. In addition, he has erected a fine barn, 40x36 feet in size. It is electric lighted and equipped with up-to-date conveniences. Mr. Scholz keeps graded stock on his farm and is a progressive farmer and conducts his farm in an efficient manner. When he and his brother were farming together, ten or more years ago, they sold corn from the field as low as fourteen cents per bushel.
Mr. Scholz was married to Anna Buttron, February 10, 1909. She was born October 20, 1877, and is the daughter of Henry and Rosanna Buttron. Mr. and Mrs. Scholz have two children: Gilbert, born December 31, 1909, and Karl, born January 16, 1914. Mr. Scholz is an independent voter. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows lodge, of Lancaster, No. 355, and attends the Lutheran church, of which his wife is a member. Mr. Scholz made his first investment in 160 acres in Sheridan county, Kansas, for $1,100 in 1902, and sold it three years later for $2,400.
THOMAS E. HORNER, M. D.
Diligence in the pursuit of success is inevitably rewarded, be it in the marts of finance or in the ranks of the learned professions. The profession of medicine has from earliest times offered opportunity for honor and social prominence, as well as giving its members a chance for bettering the con- dition of mankind in general as well as physical. The physician is at once the friend in need who alleviates our ills and is often the family adviser. To him very frequently are intrusted the secret troubles which beset his patients many times and he thus becomes a benefactor to mankind in more ways than one. Thus, the needs of this noble profession require a high type of indi- vidual who is at once a learned and skilled practitioner and gentleman in whom the people can place their trust. Dr. Thomas E. Horner is of the type
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of physician in whom one can have confidence and whose ability in his life work is marked, the best evidence of which is his large practice in and near the city of Atchison.
He is a native born Kansan, born on a farm on Independence creek in Doniphan county August 8, 1875, a son of Isaac and Elizabeth (Farrell) Horner, natives of Ireland. His father was born in 1836 in the town of Coleriyne, Ireland, and his mother is a native of County Cavan, North Ireland, born in 1842. Isaac died in Atchison county in 1911. He immi- grated to America with his father, James Horner, who bought a farm near New York City, returning to Ireland where he resided for twelve years, after which he located in western Pennsylvania. From there Isaac removed to Kansas in 1859 and became a freighter across the plains, operating his own outfit. He married in 1866 and setted on Independence creek. Isaac left the farm in 1880 and removed to Atchison where he engaged in buying and shipping live stock until his death. He became well-to-do and was the owner of over 1,000 acres of land in Doniphan and Atchison counties. He was an excellent business man and a keen trader who was honest in his dealings and enjoyed the respect and esteem of those with whom he came in contact during his long life. Coming of an excellent Irish family, he was a younger son and had a brother named Samuel who was educated in Oxford University, and was an early settler in Atchison county, dying in Jackson county, Kansas, in 1886. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Horner are as follows: Mrs. Elizabeth McGurk, Frankfort, Kan .; Mrs. Ella St. Peters, Denver, Colo. ; James, who married Nellie Deigan and resides in Par- nell, Kan .; Rose, at home with her mother, and Dr. Thomas E. Horner, with whom this review is directly concerned; Mrs. Marie Farrell, widow of James Farrell, of Atchison; and Samuel, who married Mollie Butler, and resides at Jarbalo. Leavenworth county.
Dr. Horner was educated in the parochial schools and Christian Brothers College at St. Joseph, Mo., from which academic institution he graduated in 1893 with the highest honors of his class. He then pursued the study of medicine and graduated from the Kentucky College of Medicine in 1897. For two years he practiced medicine at Vliets, Marshall county; then at Sev- trance, Doniphan county, for a period which ended in 1911, prior to his loca- tion in Atchison. He has built up an excellent practice and has a beautiful home at 1114 Santa Fe street.
In politics Dr. Horner is a Democrat ; he is a member of the Catholic church, and is affiliated with the Knights and Ladies of Security, the Fraternal Aid Societies, the Mystic Workers, and the Knights of Columbus.
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He is likewise associated with the Atchison County, the Kansas Stine and the American Medical associations. He served as police surgeon of the city of Atchison.
Dr. Horner was married January 11, 1898, to Sadie E. Armstrong, and to them have been born three children : Elizabeth, aged fifteen years : Mary. fourteen years of age, and Thomas, aged seven years. The mother of these children is a daughter of Thomas T. and Mary J. (White) Armstrong. Thomas T. Armstrong was born in 1846 in Canada and came to Kansas when a young man and entered the employ of the Missouri Pacific railroad. He is now living a retired life in Atchison. His wife, Mary J., died January 9, 1902, leaving one son, Fred, a resident of Seattle, Wash.
JOSEPH E. GIBSON.
Joseph E. Gibson, farmer, of Center township, Atchison county, Kansas, and a widely known breeder of Shorthorn cattle, has one of the attractive and well kept farm homes in Atchison county, located directly on the White Way, a much traveled and fairly well kept highway, crossing Atchison county from east to west. Mr. Gibson was born August 22, 1861, in Union county. Ohio, and is a descendant of good old Virginia stock. His parents were John and Susannah (Westlake) Gibson. the former a native of Virginia and the latter of the Buckeye State. John Gibson, the father, was born in West- moreland county, Virginia, June 17, 1824, and was the son of Leven and Mary ( McChire) Gibson, who were among the early settlers of the State of Ohio, migrating from their old homestead in Virginia in 1833 and settling in Ohio, where they lived on a pioneer farm the remainder of their days. John Gibson was reared to young manhood on his father's farm, and after his marriage settled on a farm of his own in Union county, Ohio, where Joseph was born and reared. John Gibson was the father of seven children. namely : Arthur, a farmer living in Union county, Ohio; Joseph E. : Mattie. deceased ; Mrs. Rosa F. Staley, of Union county, Ohio ; Thomas, a farmer and sawmill operator in Louisiana; Mrs. Lizzie Schuler, residing in New Dover, Ohio; and Asa, a farmer, of New Dover, Ohio. The father of these children died in 1899. The mother was born in Belmont county. Ohio, in 1829 and departed this life in 1907. She was a daughter of Josiah and Chris- tena (Knughouf) Westlake.
Joseph E. Gibson, of whom this review directly treats, was brought up 34
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on his father's farm in Union county, Ohio, and there attended the district school. He remained with his parents until 1891 and then migrated to Kan- sas, to become a foreman in the fruit orchards owned by J. W. Parker in Atchison county. Eight years later he rented a farm three miles north of Shannon, Kan., and in 1901 purchased the farm of eighty acres which he is now cultivating in Center township. This tract of eighty acres lies in sec- tions 10, 6 and 19 of this township and is well improved. The improve- ments which Mr. Gibson has placed on his farm since buying it will exceed $1,400. For some years he has been a breeder of pure bred Shorthorn cattle and ships the product of his farm to all parts of the country. He has a herd of high grade Shorthorn cattle to the number of twenty-eight head. The cattle bring good prices at private sale, the buyers visiting the farm for the purpose of purchase. He also is a breeder of Big Type Poland China hogs of the best breed obtainable.
Mr. Gibson was married November 8, 1888, to Miss Virginia I. Weaver, and to this union the following children have been born: Imogene, a grad- uate of the Atchison County High School; Walter S., at home, attending business college at Atchison; one child died in infancy. The mother of these children was born on April 17, 1864, near Lockburn, Franklin county, Ohio, a daughter of Samuel and Isabella (Gavel) Weaver, the former a native of Ohio, and the latter a daughter of German parents. The mother of Mrs. Gibson is aged eighty-one years and makes her home with her daughter.
Samuel M. Weaver was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, May 20, 1826, a son of George and Isabel (McConnell) Weaver, who were the parents of six children. The father, George, was a native of Berks county, Pennsyl- vania, where he remained until 1806, when he came west and located in Pick- away county, Ohio, near where the city of Circleville is now located. He was a tailor by trade, and for many years held the office of deputy sheriff of that county. He was a soldier in the War of 1812. He died in 1848. Samuel Weaver was well educated. When twenty years of age he went west and traveled in different states for ten years. When thirty years old, while travel- ing in Iowa he met Isabel Gavel, to whom he was married December 16, 1856. She was born in Germany and immigrated with her parents to America when one year old and was reared in Franklin county, Ohio. She was born April 3, 1835. Samuel and Isabel Weaver were the parents of five children : Mrs. Catharine E. Cunningham. She died at Cleveland, Ohio, in 1911; Mrs. Vir- ginia I. Gibson: Mrs. Mary F. Southern died at Marysville, Ohio, in 1900: George H. and Samuel, deceased. Samuel, after a residence in Franklin
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county, located in Delaware county, Ohio, in 1869 and farmed until his death, July 26, 1904.
Mr. Gibson is a Democrat who has taken an active interest in political and civic affairs in the county, and is now serving his third term as trustee of Center township. It is needless to remark that he is satisfying the people of the township and is an efficient and capable official who looks after the township affairs as carefully as he does his own personal affairs. He is fraternally affiliated with the Odd Fellows lodge, the Modern Woodmen, and the Central Protective Association.
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