USA > Kansas > Atchison County > History of Atchison County, Kansas > Part 69
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FRANK BEARD.
Frank Beard, furniture dealer, of Potter, Kan., was born on a farm near Abingdon, Knox county, Illinois, a son of William M. and Sarah ( Haw- thorne) Beard, the former a native of Tennessee and the latter of Maryland, both of Scotch Presbyterian ancestry. William M., the father, was born in Wilson county, Tennessee, on a farm not far from Nashville. The grand- father of Frank Beard was Rev. John Beard, born of Virginia parents, who were among the earliest settlers of Tennessee. The Beards are a family of pioneers, the pioneering of the family having begun over 100 years ago when the parents of Rev. John Beard crossed the mountains and made a settlement in western Tennessee, where John Beard was born December 25, 1800. The home of the family was not far from the birthplace of Andrew Jackson, with whom John was personally acquainted. The family later became pioneers in Illinois, and ever moved westward until they came to Kansas, and were among the first of the sturdy characters to build homes in the new State.
Frank Beard and Family
Thomas Highfill
HISTORY OF ATCHISON COUNTY
Rev. John Beard was a minister of the Cumberland Presbyterian denom- ination. He left Tennessee in 1848 and settled in Knox county, Illinois, and in 1856 came to Kansas, and was one of the first men to preach the Gospel in Atchison county. He was an ardent Free State man who was emphatically opposed to the institution of slavery and fearlessly attacked the pro-slavery party and its principles from the pulpit. On one occasion he preached a ser- mon in Mt. Pleasant and laid a huge revolver on the pulpit beside his Bible with the remark, "I hope there will be peace during the services," and there was peace. This action was in keeping with the fearless character of the man himself. Rev. Jolin Beard died at the age of sixty-six years. No pictorial likeness of this famous pioneer is available or his grandson. Frank, would have it inserted in the history. His last sermon was preached at Pleasant Grove church in South Atchison. During his career he served the Round Prairie and High Prairie churches in Leavenworth county, the Wolf Creek congregation in Brown county, and the Pleasant Grove church in Atchison county. He was traveling at all times, to and fro, in northeast Kansas while engaged in the Lord's work. His son, William M., left Illinois in 1862 and settled in Brown county, Kansas, and in 1865 came to Atchison county. Border ruffians at one time raided the home of William Beard in Brown county. Mattie Beard, a three months' old babe, was awakened by the noise made by the raiders and screamed loudly. One of the ruffians walked to the cradle, drew his revolver and said : "I'll stop her noise." The mother made frantic by this threat picked up a chair, and with all her strength, augmented by her fright, rushed at the raider and knocked him down. After this occurrence the Beards left Kansas and returned to Illinois, where people were more of one mind on the subject of slavery and life was much safer. They remained in Illinois until the close of the war and then came again to Atchison county, settling on a farm in Walnut township. This farm has been owned by the Beard family for fifty years and is now in possession of John Beard, a son of William. Rev. John Beard died in Atchison county in August, 1866. William M. died in 1905, and his faithful wife followed him to the great beyond two years later, in 1907. The father of Sarah Hawthorne Beard was also a pioneer settler of Knox county, Illinois, and planted the first apple orchard in that section of the State, and was the first and only apple exhibitor at the first county fair ever held in Knox county, Illinois.
Frank Beard was a boy of seven when his parents removed to Atchison county and was reared on the farm in Walnut township, receiving his school- ing in district No. 60. He followed farming until 1909, when he came to
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Potter and engaged in the general merchandise business in partnership with Mr. Hodges. This partnership continued until 1911, when he sold out his in- terest in the general store, and in July of that year purchased the furniture and undertaking business which he is now conducting successfully.
Mr. Beard was married in 1898 to Miss Bee Henson, a daughter of A. T. and Amanda (Cox) Henson, the former a native of Kentucky and the latter having been born in Missouri. The Hensons migrated to Kansas in 1854 before the organization of the State and settled in Jefferson county. They were Free State advocates and took part in the struggle which made Kansas a Free State. Mr. and Mrs. Beard have one child, Leona Beard, born in 1903.
The Democratic party has always claimed the allegiance of Mr. Beard in National affairs, but he is inclined to independence of voting in local, county and State affairs. He is a member of Kickapoo Lodge, No. 4, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Modern Brotherhood, and the Knights and Ladies of Security. Mr. Beard is one of Potter's best and well respected citizens, a successful and prosperous business man who is ever willing to put his shoulder to the wheel to advance the inter- ests of his home community.
THOMAS HIGHFILL.
The late Thomas Highfill, of Easton township. Leavenworth county, Kansas, was born April 9. 1844. on a farm near the city of Madison, in southeastern Indiana. He was a son of William Highfill, who was born in South Carolina of German parents, and was there reared to young manhood, went to Kentucky from South Carolina, and there met and married Elizabeth Bonnell, born in Kentucky of German ancestry. Shortly after their marriage William Highfill and his wife crossed the Ohio river and settled near Madison on the Flat Rock river. He had charge of the toll-gate entrance of the bridge crossing the Flat Rock at that time. When Thomas was four years of age, or in 1849, the father and his family loaded their movable effects on wagons and started across the plains, en route to California, consuming six months on the long trip, their wagons being hauled by slow-moving oxen. The family remained in California for four years, and William spent the time profitably in placer mining for the yellow metal, after which they returned to the middle West, this time making the return trip with horses instead of oxen. They
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settled in Platte county, Missouri, and resided there until 1862, when William Highfill made a final settlement in Mt. Pleasant township, Atchison county. He died the same year in Atchison county. George Highfill, son of Thomas, is now the owner of the original home place of the Highfill family in Atchi- son county.
Thomas Highfill was eighteen years of age when his father came to Atchison county. He assisted in the operation of the home farm until his mar- riage, November 24, 1864, to Elvira Porter, who was born in Casey county. Kentucky, February 7, 1847, a daughter of George and Sarah Ann (Foster) Porter, both of whom were born in Kentucky, and resided in their native State until November, 1850, when they removed to Buchanan county, Mis- souri, and there farmed for two years on the McDonald farm, near Wallace. The Porters came to Atchison county, Kansas, among the earliest of the pioneers in the spring of 1855 and settled on a tract of land just one-half mile west of the present town of Potter. George Porter filed on 160 acres of land in the fall of 1854 which has never changed ownership but once and has never been out of the family, being now owned by George Highfill, the eldest grandson of George Porter. The elder Porter, although born and bred in a slave State, abhorred the institution of slavery, despite the fact that his father, Isaac Porter, was a slave owner. He saw the evils of slavery when a youth and determined never to support it, because it was utterly wrong. He came to Kansas imbued with the determination to do his part in making the State free. He suffered considerably from the forays of the border ruf- fians and his homestead on the banks of the Big Stranger was raided fre- quently by the pro-slavery element. At one time Mr. Porter had a fine saddle horse stolen from him by border ruffians. As soon as he learned of the theft he set out after the thieves armed only with a bowie knife stuck in his boot top. He followed them to Atchison and lay hid in a clump of jimson weeds. near the camp of the ruffians on the spot where the Santa Fe railroad yards are now located. The marauders were drinking and carousing in seeming safety and had no idea that they would be followed. As a consequence of their neglect in not placing a sentry Mr. Porter was enabled to secure his horse and return home in safety at 4 o'clock in the morning. At the outbreak of the Civil war Mr. Porter enlisted in the Thirteenth Kansas regiment and served throughout the war. While absent in defense of the Union his wife and five children were left to shift for themselves as best they could. George Por- ter was a stanch Republican in his political affiliations and was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. He died February 19, 1887, at the age of sixty-five years, having been born January 21, 1822. His wife, Sarah Ann,
HISTORY OF ATCHISON COUNTY
Who) June 25. 1897. They were the parents of eight children, of whom Mrs. Thomas Highfill was the eldest. Mrs. Highfill was ten years old when the Porter family located in Kansas, and during the days of the Civil war, when the breadwinner of the family was absent fighting for the Union, this brave woman ploughed with an ox team and did the hardest kind of farm labor.
To Thomas Highfill and wife were born the following children : George, born September 8, 1865, and is the owner of the farm preempted by his grand- father Porter ; John, born December 12, 1866; Sarah Elizabeth, wife of P. H. Fleer, of Potter, Kan., was born June 23. 1868, and died May 11, 1909: Thomas J., born April 8, 1870, residing in Potter; Mrs. Rose, wife of Clar- ence Binkley, of Atchison, born December 23, 1878; Abigail, wife of Ashton Hundley, of Atchison county, born October 19, 1879; Martina, wife of Louis Linville, of Spring Lake, Texas, born November 14, 1880; and Benjamin F., born June 10, 1884. The mother of these children resides on the Highfill place, west of Potter. Her son, George, is a prosperous farmer and good business man, who is connected with the Farmers State Bank of Potter.
Thomas Highfill departed this life March 7, 1899. He was a well re- spected and industrious citizen who did well his part in the development of Atchison county.
JOHN H. BEAN.
John H. Bean, having been a resident of Atchison county for a period of nearly sixty years, is naturally considered as one of the pioneers of the county. He has lived in the county since the year 1857. when his father, Michael Bean, filed on a Government homestead in Mt. Pleasant township, seven miles southwest of Atchison. John was born on a farm in Illinois October 22, 1850. His parents were Michael, born in Winchester, Ky., and son of William Bean, a native of Virginia, and Rebecca Northcutt, wife of Michael, who was born and reared near Winchester, Ill. Michael Bean came to Atchison February 5, 1853, filed on a claim, as stated above, and developed it into a splendid farm. On account of border troubles he returned to Inde- pendence, Mo., and remained for four years, and then returned to his claim. Michael died December 9. 1893, when a little over sixty-five years of age. He was a soldier in the Union army, having enlisted in Company F of the Thirteenth Kansas regiment in 1862 and served until the close of the war. He was mustered out at Ft. Leavenworth, after taking an active part in mili tary operations in southeast Missouri, Ft. Smith and Little Rock. Ark. To
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Michael and Rebecca Bean were born seven children, namely : John H. : Mrs. Mary Barber, deceased: William, in Colorado; Paul, deceased; Mrs. Minnie Ledger, of Kansas City; Mrs. Ida Mayfield, living on the old homestead in Mt. Pleasant township: Alvin, farmer, living in Shannon township: Barbara died in infancy ; Mrs. Barbara Helen Hayes, of Lincoln, Neb. The mother of these children died in 1903. at the age of seventy-five years.
When John H. Bean was twenty-three years of age he left home and went to Colorado, where he spent the intervening years until 1893 in the gold and silver mines of the State with intermittent fortunes attending his efforts. After two years' residence in St. Joseph, Mo., he spent four years engaged in lumbering in the woods of northern Michigan. He then returned to Atch- ison, and after two years on the Atchison police force, and for four years, from 1909 to 1913, inclusive, he was cell-keeper in the State reformatory at Hutchinson, Kan. He returned to Atchison and was attached to the Atchison police department as one of its most efficient and faithful members until October 1, 1915, when he became gate-tender for the Atchison Bridge Com- pany. He has been twice married, his first wife being Florence Bridges, who bore him one child, Mrs. Armina Bolen, of Leon, Kan. His second wife was Ella Mitchell, who died in Michigan in 1898.
Mr. Bean has always been a Republican in politics, but has never been a candidate for any political office. In this respect he follows in the footsteps of his father, Michael, who was an active politician in his day, although he never sought official preferment. Michael Bean was considered as one of the really influential men of Atchison county in political affairs and was a great and stanch friend of Senator John J. Ingalls, besides having a wide and favorable acquaintance with the people of the county. He counted among his friends many of the famous men of Atchison and the State. For thirteen years he was in charge of the county poor farm, and during that time he made a record since unsurpassed for management of the farm. Michael was a large man, physically, of the true pioneer type-one of those outspoken, honest fellows, who said outright what he thought, and was a friend to all who knew him and trusted him. It is said that no needy settler went to Michael Bean for assistance when in dire need and came away empty-handed. If a settler needed money to buy a cow or horse, it was forthcoming without the usual security or note which accompanies latter-day transactions of this character. Liberal in his views, he was liberal with his means and was always ready and willing to help an acquaintance.
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ANDREW SPEER.
Andrew Speer, county commissioner for the second district of Atchison county, Kansas, was born in this county, February 20, 1863. He was a son of Joseph and Mary (Fountain) Speer, both of whom were natives of Law- rence county, Indiana. In 1859 Joseph and his wife left the old home in In- diana, en route to Kansas, and stopped during the winter in Iowa, where the oldest child of the family was born. Joseph came on to Kansas, leaving his wife in Iowa among friends, and preëmpted a quarter section of land in Grass- hopper township, three miles northeast of Muscotah, now owned by William Speer. In the spring of 1860, the year of the great drought, the father of the family returned to Iowa and brought his wife and son, William, to the new home which he had prepared for them on the Kansas plains. While the drought of their first year in Kansas worked considerable hardship upon the settlers, Joseph was better prepared to withstand this hardship, because of the fact that he had brought considerable means with him, which enabled him to successfully weather the crop failure of that year. Joseph Speer was a man of more than ordinary education and had been a school teacher in Indiana in his younger days. All of his life, he was a student and was a fine mathe- matician. While teaching in Indiana he had read law to some extent, and be- came a justice of the peace in Grasshopper township, a position which he held for many years. He also served several years as township trustee. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Speer, of whom Andrew is the third in order of birth. (See biography of D. Anna Speer, county superin- tendent of schools, for further details regarding the Speer family.)
Andrew Speer, with whom this review is directly concerned, was educated in the district school of his neighborhood, and brought up on his father's farm. His marriage occurred after a trip to the western part of Kansas in 1888, and he then rented a farm. He has continually been engaged in farm- ing and is now cultivating the Moore farm of 320 acres in Grasshopper town- ship. When the Cherokee strip was thrown open to settlement in the Indian Territory by the Government in 1892 Mr. Speer, with eleven other Kansans from his neighborhood, made the run for homesteads on the opening day. Six thousand or more men were lined up ready for the great race and all rushed forward when the cannon boomed for the start. Andrew drove a wagon and was unfortunate in staking out his claim which proved to be a quarter section of school land. Each of the other eleven men who accompan- ied him secured a good claim.
Mr. Speer was married May 1, 1889, to Miss Alida Gilliland, who has
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borne him five children, namely: Myrtle, wife of Fred Draper, a farmer of Atchison county ; Albert, at home; Joseph, a teacher at Prospect Hill, Atchi- son county, and the first school teacher ever graduated from the Muscotah schools and directly became a teacher; Stephen, a pupil of the eighth grade of the Muscotah schools, and Nicholas, deceased. The mother of these children was born in Illinois, October 22, 1863, a daughter of Josiah and Delitha ( Maxwell) Gilliland, who died when she was but a child four years of age. She then went to the home of an aunt, Mrs. Kline, living in Jackson county, Kansas, who reared her to young womanhood. Josiah Gilliland lives in Nebraska, aged eighty-three years. He was a veteran of the Civil war from Illinois, and served in the Union army, and moved to Missouri directly after the war ended.
The Democratic party has always had the unswerving allegiance and support of Mr. Speer, and he stands high in the councils of his party in Atchi- son county. He was first elected to the office of township trustee and served for four years. Two years after his term of office as trustee expired he was elected to the office of county commissioner of the second district. Mr. Speer has performed the duties of his official position with great credit to himself and for the benefit of his constituents. He is an honest and capable county official who has the best interests of the entire county at heart. He is a mem- ber of the Masonic lodge of Muscotah, the Modern Woodmen of America, and the Central Protective Association. Mrs. Speer is a member of the Methodist church, the Eastern Star lodge, the Royal Neighbors and the Mys- tic Workers.
SAMUEL EDWARD FIECHTER.
Samuel Edward Fiechter, now living retired on his beautiful suburban place near Atchison, which is located on the west side of Forest Park, is a. native of Missouri. He was born in Andrew county August 25, 1856, and is a son of John George and Anna (Bright) Fiechter. The father was born in Baden, Germany, January 27, 1815, and died in Brown county, Kansas, December 20, 1893. Anna Bright, his wife, was born in Berne, Switzerland, October 26, 1822, and died in Brown county, Kansas, August 8, 1900. George Fiechter immigrated to America with his parents about 1835. They located in Missouri, and George engaged in farming in Andrew county, that State. In 1860 he traded his Missouri farm for a farm in Brown county. Kansas, where he was successfully engaged in farming until he retired. He
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accumulated considerable property, and at the time of his death owned some- thing over 400 acres. To John George and Anna (Bright) Fiechter were born the following children : John resides in Brown county ; Fred, deceased; Louise, deceased; George, deceased; Susan married S. E. Rush, and resides in South Dakota ; Samuel E., the subject of this sketch; Jacob, deceased ; Tina married Oscar Dean, and resides in Chase county, Kansas.
Samuel Edward Fiechter was reared on the farm, and received a good common school education. At the age of twenty-one he engaged in farming for himself, and later rented his father's farm, and cared for his parents dur- ing their lives. He followed farming in Brown county until 1902, when he removed to Atchison, and after residing in the city for eight months pur- chased his present place. His farm is one of the best improved places in Brown county, consisting of 360 acres of land, under a high state of cultivation.
Mr. Fiechter was married November 20, 1884, to Miss Sarah Parker. She was born in Andrew county, Missouri, July 17, 1863, and is a daughter of Willianı and Rachel (Esslinger) Parker, the former a native of Indiana, born March 12, 1835, and the latter was born in Andrew county, Missouri, September 20, 1842. William Parker came to Missouri with his parents, Daniel and Sarah ( Davis) Parker, when he was a child. The parents were natives of Kentucky, and after coming to Missouri, spent the remainder of their lives in that State. Mrs. Fiechter was the oldest of a family of six chil- dren : the others in order of birth are as follows : Frank resides in Colorado Springs, Colo .; Jennie resides with her parents; Daniel, Boise, Idaho; Mrs. Mae Zimmerman, Boise, Idaho; and Stella Allen died September 16, 1915, at Cosby, Mo. To Mr. and Mrs. Fiechter has been born one child, Edna, who married Ray McGaughey, and resides on a farm in Brown county. Mr. Fiechter is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and is a Repub- lican. The family are members of the Lutheran church.
MRS. JENNIE CIRTWILL.
Mrs. Jennie Cirtwill, of Lancaster, Kan., is the widow of Richard N. Cirtwill, one of the well known and substantial farmers of Atchison county, who was among the early settlers of this county. Richard N. Cirtwill was born in Jefferson county, New York, September 20, 1828. He was reared to young manhood in New York, and at the outbreak of the Civil war offered his services in defense of the Union. Mr. Cirtwill enlisted August 24, 1864,
Jennie Kürtwill
HISTORY OF ATCHISON COUNTY
in Company I, One Hundred and Eighty-sixth regiment of New York indi- try, and served until his honorable discharge, June 2, 1865. He was color bearer of his regiment, and fought at the battle of Petersburg and at the siege and capture of Richmond. Mr. Cirtwill carried the regimental colors at Petersburg and during this fierce engagement his clothing and flag were rid- dled with bullets, and he received a slight wound in his side. His son, Al- bert D., was also a member of the same company and regiment, as his father and was wounded at the battle of Petersburg. Mr. Cirtwill was first mar- ried in New York State to Susan Burns, who departed this life in 1885.
Mr. Cirtwill came to Kansas in 1871 and developed a fine farm and be- came well-to-do.
In January, 1889, Mr. Cirtwill married Mrs. Jennie ( McClain) Cam- eron, whose first husband was James Cameron, a native of Carrickfergus, Ire- land, born in 1848. When a young man, James Cameron became a sailor, and was first mate on a vessel sailing the Atlantic ocean. At the outbreak of the Civil war, Mr. Cameron enlisted in the Union army at Bangor, Me., and served until the close of the war. In 1869 he came to Muscotah, Kan., and worked as a contractor and brick mason. Six children were born of this marriage : Frank, deceased; William, a traveling salesman, Kansas City, Mo. : John R., a railway operator, of Mountain Home, Idaho; Rose died in infancy ; Frank J., a railroad conductor, St. Joseph, Mo., and Walter H., a traveling salesman, Kansas City, Mo. The father of these children died in 1903.
Mrs. Jennie Cirtwell was born at the Bank Cottages, Scotland, May I. 1849, a daughter of William and Rosanna (Saul) McClain, who emigrated from their native heath in 1855, and first settled in Illinois, where the father became a contractor and builder in the employ of the Illinois Central Railroad Company. He, too, became a soldier, thus making a remarkable coincident, wherein Mrs. Cirtwill was the daughter of a soldier, and both of her former husbands were Union veterans. Mr. McClain served with bravery in an Illinois regiment of volunteers. In 1870 he came to Atchison county and engaged in the lumber and building business at Muscotah, Kan. He became the owner of several farms and was well-to-do at the time of his death, Feb- ruray 13, 1907. The mother of Mrs. Cirtwill died in 1915. at the ripe old age of ninety-three years. Both parents are buried at Lancaster. Kan. A bright spot in the memories of Mrs. Cirtwill is the fact that she was permitted to care for her aged parents in their declining years and made a home and fur- nished every comfort for them.
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