USA > Kansas > Atchison County > History of Atchison County, Kansas > Part 81
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HISTORY OF ATCHISON COUNTY
On October 15, 1912, John Griffin married Christena Hanson. Mrs. Griffin was born November 12, 1885, in Doniphan county, Kansas. Her par- ents, Nels and Christena (Henderson) Hanson, were natives of Denmark, who came to Doniphan county, Kansas, about 1870, where they engaged in farming. The father died in 1892, at the age of fifty. The mother is living with her son, Crist Hanson, in Kapioma township, Atchison county, and is sixty-three years old. Mrs. Griffin attended the district schools in Doniphan county, Kanas. Mr. Griffin is a member of the Catholic church, and polit- ically, has affiliated himself with the Democratic party. Mr. Griffin is a conscientious citizen and a hard worker.
DAVID BEYER.
David Beyer, farmer and stockman of Kapioma township, Atchison county, was born August 29, 1866, in Clearfield county, Pennsylvania. He was the fourth child born to Asa and Susan Beyer, who were the parents of eleven children, ten of whom are living, as follows: Mary Lewton, Benton township: Samuel, Kapioma township; Christena High, Texas; David, the subject of this sketch; Jane, living on the home place; Clarissa, deceased; Martha Schiffbauer, Sumner county, Kansas; John, banker, Arrington, Kan .; Albert, Caldwell, Kan .; Luctria Dodson, Kapioma township; Mabel B. Royer, Kapioma township, Atchison county.
Asa Beyer, the father of David, was a carpenter by trade ; he was born in Pennsylvania in 1835, and after following his trade in his young manhood, came to Kansas in 1868, and bought an eighty-acre farm in Kapioma town- ship, Atchison county. He gradually increased his holdings to 340 acres, which he owned at the time of his death in 1898. The mother of David Beyer is a Pennsylvanian also and is now living on the home place in Kapioma township. David attended district school in Pennsylvania and started out to shift for himself at the age of twenty-one. When he came to Kansas and bought the eighty-acre farm, there were no improvements on the place. In 1892, he built a substantial house and in 1907, he built a fine two-story, ten- room house, and modern in every respect. In 1911 he built a large barn, 36x52 feet. Mr. Byer now owns 258 acres of land which were formerly owned by his father.
In 1897 Mr. Beyer married Anna Cawley, who was born in Atchison, Kan., June 30, 1862. She is a daughter of John and Margaret (Welch)
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Cawley, both natives of Ireland. They were early settlers in Atchison, hav- ing come here in 1858. Later they came to Kapioma township. Mr. and Mrs. Beyer are the parents of three children, as follows: Asa, Marie and Margaret, all living at home. Mr. Beyer attends church regularly though he is not a member of any denomination. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a Republican, and has served as township treasurer.
GEORGE W. GIBSON.
George W. Gibson, farmer, of Kapioma township, Atchison county, was born May 16, 1855, in Clearfield county, Pennsylvania. He is a son of Jacob and Leah (High) Gibson, who were the parents of eleven children, eight of whom are living. The father was born in Maryland, and the mother in Pennsylvania. They came to Kansas in 1871 and settled in Kapioma town- ship, Atchison county. Here the father bought 160 acres of land and erected a small house on it. In the early days when he was just getting on his feet financially, he had to economize at every point and to begin with built a straw barn. Later, he improved the farm until it was a modernly equipped place. Mr. Gibson lived on this farm until his death in 1900, at the age of seventy- six years. The mother died the following year at the age of seventy.
George Gibson, the subject of this sketch, attended the district schools in Pennsylvania, Illinois and Kansas. At the age of twenty-one years he started out to farm for himself. He rented land for a year when he engaged in teaching at Larkinburg, Jackson county, Kansas. Later he taught at Ar- rington. Atchison county, and, altogether. Mr. Gibson taught school for three years. He then bought eighty acres of unimproved prairie land, which he broke and improved. Mr. Gibson used good judgment in his investments and was successful in every venture. He now owns 840 acres of land in Kansas and Texas. The farm on which he lives is modern in every respect and he has built an especially fine barn on it.
In 1880 Mr. Gibson was married to Elizabeth Miller, who was born May 9, 1860, in Atchison county, Kansas. She is a daughter of James and Eliza (Russell) Miller. The father was born in Clay county, Missouri, Au- gust 3, 1831, and was a son of Moses Miller, a Kentuckian. James Miller spent his early days in the West, working for the Government. Later he became a large cattle breeder in Atchison county and came to be known as the "Cattle King" because of his extensive activities in the cattle business. He died at
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Mscotah, Kan., September 12, 1913, and the mother of Mrs. Gibson died in 1879. She was a native of Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Gibson have nine children : Daisy M. Anderson, of Muskogee, Okla., who was graduated from the Kan- sas Western Business College, and later taught school in Kansas and Colo- rado; Dr. Frank C. Gibson, a graduate of the Physicians and Surgeons' School of Chicago, now practicing in Bovill, Idaho, where he is surgeon for a rail- road company and has charge of a hospital; Charles R., farmer, Kapioma township, Atchison county; Lucy M. Irwin, Dallas, Texas; Harry L., farmer on the home place; Ruth, attending Kansas University, Lawrence; George WV., Jr., John and William, living at home. Mr. Gibson is an independent progressive Republican. He has held the township offices of clerk, treasurer and trustee.
FRANK J. HUNN.
Frank J. Hunn has combined the activities of banker, public citizen, farmer, and stockman, with the refinements of education, and lives today as an example of an all around man of influence. Mr. Hunn is a native Kansan, having been born in Garfield township, Jackson county, Kansas, March 2, 1860. He comes of parentage of the sturdy pioneer type, brave, but God- fearing. The father, Joseph Hunn, was born in 1815, of English descent, being a son of a London minister. He was a native of Connecticut and lived there until he was of middle age. Coming to Kansas in 1857, he preempted a claim one mile east and a mile north of Arrington, Atchison county, Kansas. Here he constructed a cabin home and lived in the rough life of the frontier. But this was not new to Joseph Hunn, for he had been one of that vast army of adventurers who crossed the western plains in "forty-nine," to seek gold in California. For four years he had undergone the hardships of prospecting and the rigors of Kansas winters weighed less heavily on him than they did on many settlers. After two years on the Atchison county place, he sold out and removed to Larkin, Jackson county, Kansas, living there until 1865, when he took possession of the farm now owned by his son, Frank J. The father died two years later, leaving his wife, Elizabeth, with two children, Frank, and a daughter, Bessie, since married to Mr. Kathrens, a merchant, of Arrington, Kan.
Elizabeth Hunn, whose maiden name was Redman, is of English and Ger- man descent, coming from a line of religions ancestors, all of her family being of a devont nature. She was born in 1825, and died December 16. 1912, hav-
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HISTORY OF ATCHISON COUNTY
ing lived a long and useful career. After the death of her husband she was occupied with the management of the farm, but in her younger days she led a life full of service to others. She worked as a nurse among the sick in the early times, when medical attention was expensive and hard to get, and her efforts saved untold suffering and expense to many settlers. She was a school teacher in Iowa for some time, and always took a great deal of interest in the affairs of the church and Sunday school. Until two years before her death Mrs. Hunn taught a Sunday school class at the Arrington Methodist church, and, although she was eighty-five years old, her age never kept her away from her class. She was always on time and in her place and constantly set a good example for younger persons.
With such persons for parents it is to be expected that Frank Hunn would develop into a good citizen. With the high ideals instilled in his young mind, Frank when a boy was encouraged to study hard at school, and when he finished the graded courses at the Arrington school, he went to Campbell College, at Holton, Kan. Here he spent a short time, and at the age of twenty- two years began farming for himself. In 1893 he bought his father's old place and has since increased it to 250 acres. But his activities do not stop at the limits of his farm. He has broken the isolation of the farmer and has taken an active part in affairs for the good of the community. He is recog- nized as a conservative, shrewd business man, and now is president of the Arrington Bank, a position of trust and responsibility. The fact that his fellow-shareholders in the enterprise were willing to place such an honor upon him is proof of his character and achievements. He takes a great deal of interest in Shorthorn cattle and is recognized as a breeder of fine strains. He also keeps graded horses and hogs.
In 1894 Mr. Hunn was married to Susie Gibson. (A sketch of her brother, George W. Gibson, appears elsewhere in this volume.) Mrs. Hunn was born in January, 1860, in Pennsylvania, and was a teacher in the district school of Kapioma township before her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Hunn are the parents of three children, the oldest of whom is Frank, a graduate of Effingham high school, now living at home; Edna and Mildred, the other two children, also live with their parents. Mr. Hunn attends the Methodist church, although he is not a member. He is an independent voter, preferring to cast his ballot for the man whom he thinks will make the best official regard- less of party affiliations. He has held the office of township clerk, township trustee, and township treasurer, which positions he filled in a praiseworthy manner. At present Mr. Hunn is a member of the school board of Kapioma township.
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HISTORY OF ATCHISON COUNTY
AUGUST J. WOLF.
August J. Wolf, farmer and stockman, of Atchison county, was born October 17, 1862, in Doniphan county, Kansas. He is a son of Gottlieb and Johanna Wolf, who were the parents of fourteen children, seven of whom are living. The parents of August Wolf were born in Germany and both grew up there and were married in the capital city. In 1860 they left the Fatherland with their five children and came to Doniphan county, Kansas, where they engaged in farming. In 1880, they came to Atchison county, Kansas, and bought the farm of 240 acres which is now owned by their son, August, the subject of this sketch. Five years later they moved to Atchison, Kan., where the father died in 1904, at the age of eighty-five years. The mother died in 1914, at the age of eighty-one. August Wolf grew up on his father's farm and at the age of twenty-seven started out to shift for himself. He rented his father's farm, and also helped his father in the threshing busi- ness. While feeding a thresher he had his right hand torn off. This, of course, disabled him greatly, but he kept up courage and after his injury had healed engaged in threshing again. In 1902 he bought his father's farm, and kept up both farming and threshing until 1905, when he gave all of his atten- tion to farming. Just after this a storm destroyed many of the buildings on his place and he rebuilt them better than they were before and made several additions. He now owns 320 acres of land, seventy of which he plants in corn each year. In 1910 he retired from active work on the farm. and his son-in-law, Will Graham, now has actual charge of the place. Mr. Wolf has been twice married, his first wife being Mary Walsh, a native of Germany, to whom he was married in 1890. No children were born to them and the wife died in 1912. Mr. Wolf later married Dorothea Hoffman, who was born in Atchison county, April 15, 1870, and is the daughter of Frederick and Katharena ( Scheu) Hoffman. Her parents are of German birth, both hav- ing left their native country when quite young. They were married in Illi- nois and came to Kansas about 1860, where nine children were born to them. Three had been born to them while they were living in Illinois. The father engaged in farming in Center township and worked the place which Frank Hubbard now farms and was also a blacksmith in Atchison, Kan., for a few years. He died in July, 1887, at the age of fifty-six years. No children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Wolf, and the wife died in July. 1913, at the age of seventy-six years. Mr. Wolf is a Republican. He is a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and belongs to the Evangelical church. Mr. Wolf has striven under the greatest difficulties, having lost his right hand when a
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HISTORY OF ATCHISON COUNTY
young man, he has been immeasurably handicapped through the greater part of his life. This is especially true in view of the fact that he followed farming, where, if anywhere, the use of both hands is necessary. Though it was a great disadvantage that Mr. Wolf was placed under, he made a success of his career by hard work and good management.
FRANK J. WAGNER.
Frank J. Wagner, farmer and stockman, of Center township, Atchison county, was born July 16, 1864, in Austria. He is a son of Frank J. and Louise (Frennar) Wagner, and was one of seven children, four of whom are living. The parents were born in Austria 'and the father remained there un- til his death in 1870. He was a farmer and was seventy-eight years old when he died. In 1888 the mother left Austria and came to Atchison, Kan., where she is now living. She was married a second time and this husband is also dead. She will be seventy-six years old in August, 1916. Frank J. Wag- ner, the subject of this sketch, was educated in his native land and after at- tending the Austrian schools learned the trade of wagon maker. Until 1884 he worked at this trade in Austria. He then immigrated to America and came to Atchison, Kan., where he worked for a lumber company for some time. Three years later he went to work on a farm, and after five years he returned to Atchison and worked two years. He then rented land in Shan- non township, Atchison county, and in 1905 bought 160 acres in Center town- ship. He bought this place just in time to have his buildings torn to pieces by the storm of 1905. Most of the buildings were blown down by the wind and it was necessary to rebuild practically all of them. In doing this he made some $5,000 worth of improvements. Mr. Wagner takes a great deal of interest in the breeding of fine Poland China hogs.
He was married to Amelia Wonder, March 5, 1890. She is a daughter of Wenzel and Amelia Wonder, and was born in Austria in August, 1873. She came to America with her mother in 1888, and later settled in Atchison county. Mr. and Mrs. Wagner are the parents of the following children : Frank, farming with his father ; Karl, living with his father ; Frances, married to M. Mudice; Ada, deceased ; John, Albert and George, living at home. Mr. Wagner is an independent Democrat in politics. He is a member of the Catholic church and of the Fraternal Order of Eagles.
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HISTORY OF ATCHISON COUNTY
WILLIAM WEHKING.
William Wehking, farmer and stockman, of Center township, Atchison county, was born in Westphalia, Germany, November 26, 1866. He is a son of Christian and Christena (Ruhe) Wehking, who were the parents of seven children, one of whom is dead. The parents both died in their native land. William Wehking worked in a flour-mill in Germany until 1886, when he immigrated to America. He thought that the West offered the best oppor- tunity to a poor boy, and came to Kansas, settling in Cummings, Atchison county. He began working on a farm at thirteen dollars a month. Eight years later he rented land near Nortonville, Kan. In 1894 he bought eighty acres in Jefferson county, Kansas, where he farmed eight years. Later, he sold this place and bought the farm of 150 acres which he now owns. He erected a fine silo on this place and is especially prepared to raise fine stock. He has since increased his holdings to 190 acres and has ventured into the dairy buiness. He owns fine Durham cattle and Poland China hogs in which he takes great pride. Mr. Wehking is a stockholder in a mercantile enter- prise in Nortonville, Kan.
In 1895 Mr. Wehking married Minnie (Giesking), who was born in Germany August 31, 1876. When sixteen years old she came to America and settled at Lancaster, Kan. Mr. and Mrs. Wehking have eight children : Martha, Edward, Clara, William, Alma, Ernst, Frederick and Henry, all living at home. Mr. Wehking is an independent voter and is a member of the Luth- eran church. He is a shrewd business man and has been successful primarily because of his conservative judgment in handling his business ventures.
WILLIAM HARTMAN.
William Hartman, prosperous farmer, of Mt. Pleasant township, Atchi- son county, was born in Platte county, Missouri, in 1851, a son of Jonathan and Christina (Wolking) Hartman, the latter a native of Hanover, Germany, and emigrated from her native land with her parents when ten years of age, locating in Cincinnati, Ohio. Jonathan Hartman was born in 1821, at Brook- ville, Franklin county, Indiana, and was a son of Henry Hartman, who was born in Pennsylvania, and was among the first settlers of Franklin county, Indiana. In 1842 Henry left Indiana and settled in Platte county, Missouri,
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HISTORY OF ATCHISON COUNTY
and was among the early pioneers of that county. He died on his farm in Missouri in 1860. Jonathan, the father of William, was reared to young man- hood in Indiana and was married there. In 1847, he with his wife and two children followed his father to Platte county, Missouri, and there followed his trade of millwright in Platte City until 1849. when he made the overland trip to California with ox teams, remaining on the coast for two years. He made some money while in the gold fields and returned home by way of Cape Horn, paying $500 for his passage. Captain Fulger was in command of the ship and he lost his vessel on the coast of Central America, the vessel striking the rocks and breaking in pieces. All aboard were rescued except the first mate. There were 500 passengers on this vessel who were compelled to wait on the west coast for five weeks before an opportunity presented itself to cross the mountains to the eastern shore. They were eventually taken across the mountains, but several died from the hardships they endured during the trip. Mr. Hartman secured passage to New Orleans, and from that city came up the Mississippi river to St. Louis, arriving there in December of 1850. From St. Louis the returned argonaut went to his home at Platte City. Three years later he set out with five wagons in partnership with his brother-in-law. R. D. Johnson, en route to Salt Lake City, Utah. The wagons were heavily loaded with provisions, drygoods and liquor. When the expedition arrived at the south fork of Green river they left three wagonloads at that point and pressed onward to their destination to the north fork of the river. They traded with the Indians and Mormons and made considerable money. Prices were fabulous in the far West in those days, flour bringing $100 per hundred weight ; com- mon work shirts sold for five dollars each, whiskey brought five dollars per pint, and the prices of other commodities were in proportion. Returning home from this trip Mr. Hartman lived in Platte City until 1854, and then came to Kansas with the first steam sawmill ever erected in Atchison county, and one of the first to be placed in operation in Kansas. He established his mill at old Port William and operated it successfully until 1857. He then came to Mt. Pleasant township and preempted a claim now known as the Howe farm which he sold for fifty dollars. He traded his sawmill for a farir ned- Parnell, Kan., now owned by Robert Volk. Jonathan was personally acquainted with Pardee Butler, and met and conversed with Butler after he had been set adrift on a raft on the Missouri river by pro-slavery men. He took Butler to his home and gave him his stipper. He hid the refugee at the home of a neighbor until the next day and then accompanied him to Weston. from which point Mr. Butler made his way to his old home in Ohio, where
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HISTORY OF ATCHISON COUNTY
he remained in safety for nine months before he returned to Kansas. Jon1- athan Hartman was a Free State man and a Republican in politics, who took a prominent and influential part in the affairs of his locality. He was ap- pointed guardian for the war widows and was selected by the Civil war vet- erans of the county to distribute the money apportioned to the war widows. On account of defective hearing, contracted as a result of an attack of moun- tain fever, he was not eligible for service in the Union army, but lent his moral support to the Union. He died on the farm January 24, 1897. He was the father of nine children, three of whom are living, as follows: R. D. Hartman, born in Missouri in 1847; William Hartman, the subject of this review ; and Henry Hartman, born in Indiana; Frederick Hartman, former sheriff of the county; Elijah Hartman, born in Atchison county, Kansas, in 1856, and died in 1890; Alice, wife of E. N. Eshom, of Atchison county.
William Hartman grew up on his father's farm and was educated in the district school of his neighborhood. He was married in 1883 to Florence A. Good, a daughter of Daniel Good, an early settler of Atchison county, and originally from New York State. Mr. Hartman is the owner of 140 acres of very fine and productive land near old Parnell. The children of William and Florence Hartman are as follows: Morris, Jonathan H., Nelson, Mari- willie, wife of H. W. Gilbert, of Horton, Kan. ; and Flossie, wife of J. C. Cart- mille, of Atchison county; Warren, the youngest of the family, was born November 1I, 1901.
Mr. Hartman is a stanch Republican in politics, is a member of the Chris- tian church, and is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
ROYAL BALDWIN.
Near the old village of Kennekuk, in the northeast corner of Grasshopper township, Atchison county, Kansas, stands the old home of Maj. Royal Bald- win, Indian agent. This home was built sixty years ago by Major Baldwin and is at present the home of Mrs. Jennie L. Dollinds, the last of the race of Baldwins in Atchison county. This narrative, therefore, will deal principally with the life career of Royal Baldwin, United States Indian agent, who was widely known in all of northeast Kansas as Major Baldwin.
Royal Baldwin was born in Litchfield, Conn .. June 22, 1817, and was a descendant of ancestors who came over from England in the Mayflower. Three brothers, Ira, Julius, and Thomas, landed at Plymouth Rock with the
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HISTORY OF ATCHISON COUNTY
party of Pilgrims who sought homes in the forbidding wilderness of New England in 1620. Julius Baldwin was the founder of the family of whichi Royal Baldwin descended, and he finally settled in Connecticut, where Royal was born and reared to young manhood. Royal Baldwin received a good education in the public schools and academy of liis neighborhood in Con- necticut, and when fifteen years of age he began teaching school. Later, the spirit of adventure moved him and he went to Ohio, where he became a boat- man on the Muskingum river. While living in Ohio he married Miss Ann Campbell, who was born February 15, 1820, in Belmont county, Ohio, and died July 16, 1894. She was a daughter of Joseph Campbell, of Scotch parents, and who married a lady of Welsh parentage. After his marriage Royal Baldwin settled in Meigs county, Ohio, where their three children were born. In 1856 Mr. Baldwin was appointed Indian agent by the United States Government and sent to northeast Kansas to take charge of the moving of the four tribes, the Kicakpoos, Sacs, Foxes and Pottawatomies to their Kansas reservations. When he received his appointment he removed with his family overland to St. Joseph, Mo., and immediately began his duties. of set- tling the Indians on their reservations. He remained as Indian agent for twelve years and then resigned his position on account of poor health, but was again appointed and held the office for three years, after which he resigned, but was re-appointed by the Government, and died October 3, 1878, soon after the acceptance papers were sent back to Washington. Major Baldwin also conducted the Indian trading post at old Kennekuk in Grass- hopper township. During the border ruffian days a party of Jayhawkers called at the home of the Baldwins one night when the major was absent, and, knocking loudly upon the door, gave the information that Government authorities had sent them to get arms and ammunition from the stores with which to fight against General Price's army, which was about to invade Kan- sas. Jennie L. Baldwin was then a young girl of sixteen years. Mrs. Bald- win met the men at the door, and by the exercise of tact and diplomacy induced them to move on and let them alone. During his career as Indian agent Major Baldwin accumulated several hundred acres of land. He was a shrewd trader, and during the early days before the building of the trans- continental railroads he became interested in the freighting of goods across the plains to Denver and western points. He was a brilliant success as an Indian agent and never had trouble with his proteges. His first interpreter was Peter Kadgue, and his second interpreter was John Chawkickey. The old Indian mission was also built by Major Baldwin, and the old Baldwin
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