USA > Kansas > Butler County > History of Butler County Kansas > Part 41
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Dr. Dillenbeck has served as coroner of Butler county for two terms and has been county and city physician for several terms, and has also served on the El Dorado school board. He is a staunch Democrat and has always supported the policies and principles of that party. Dr. Dillenbeck is not only a capable and painstaking physi- cian, with years of successful practice to his credit, but he is a genial and courteous gentleman whose kindly manner has won for him many friends.
William H. Avery, justice of the peace of El Dorado, is a Civil war veteran and a Butler county pioneer. Mr. Avery was born in Hillsdale, Mich., November, 19, 1837, and is a son of Horace B. and Mary (Hause) Avery, the former a native of Steuben county, New York and of New England stock, and the latter of Pennsylvania, and a descendant of Pennsylvania Dutch. The Avery family came from Vermont to New York State and Ebenezer Avery, grandfather of William H., was the founder of the family in New York. Horace B. Avery, and his wife, the parents of William H., removed from Steuben county, New York, to Michigan and spent most of their lives in Branch and Hillsdale counties, that State. H. B. Avery died at Pon- tiac, Ill., and the mother died at Hillsdale, Mich., in 1857.
William H. Avery is one of seven children born to his parents, as follows: William H., the subject of this sketch; C. F., a Civil war vet- eran who served in Company B, Eleventh regiment, Michigan infan- try, and now resides at Pontiac, Ill .; D. S. was also a Civil war vet- eran and served in the same company as O. F. and was wounded at the battle of Chickamauga, now living at Pontiac, Ill .; D. C. also served in the same company and regiment, was captured, and confined in Libby prison, contracting rheumatism from exposure, from which he never recovered and is now deceased ; Mrs. Emily V. Swartout, a widow, residing at Bancroft, Mich .; Mrs. Anne Jeanette Austin, a
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widow, residing at El Dorado, Kans., and Mrs. Ella Withington, a widow residing at Detroit, Mich.
Mr. Avery was reared to manhood in Hillsdale county, Michigan, and attended the public school. He was brought up on a farm and thus became familiar with that line of work, and in early life learned the stone-mason's trade, and worked at that occupation until July 31, 1862, when he enlisted at Hillsdale, Mich., in Company D. Eighteenth regiment, Michigan infantry. His regiment served with the army of the Cumberland, and after participating in a number of skirmishes, they took part in the battle of Nashville. Mr. Avery was thrown from his horse and his spine so severely injured that later he was placed in the invalid corps and detailed to duty in the quartermaster's depart- ment and served until after the close of the war, receiving his honor- able discharge in July, 1865.
Mr. Avery was married February 21, 1860, to Miss Mariah A. Hall, a native of New York who was reared and educated in Michi- gan. Mr. and Mrs. Avery passed their golden wedding anniversary six years ago and bear the distinction of having been married longer than any other couple in Butler county. To Mr. and Mrs. Avery were born two children, Ulysses Sherman and Hattie L., the latter dying at the age of sixteen years. Ulysses Sherman married Maggie Dean. a Butler county girl, now deceased. Two children were born to Ulysses Sherman Avery and wife: Anne M., who was educated in private school and is a graduate of El Dorado High School, now serving her second term as clerk of the District court of Butler county, and Elizabeth, a student in the El Dorado High School. 'The mother of these girls died when the younger was about a year old, and the children were reared and educated by their grandparents and they seem more like the chil- dren of Mr. and Mrs. Avery than their grandchildren.
William H. Avery is a Kansas pioneer in the fullest sense of the term. He came to this State, or rather territory, in 1860, and at that time there was not a mile of railroad in the territory of Kansas. Mr. Avery came as far as St. Joseph, Mo., by rail, having started originally for Pikes Peak, but about the time he reached St. Joseph he heard dis- couraging news from the Pikes Peak boom and he drifted as far west as where Emporia now stands, the town at that time consisting of three houses, one of which belonged to Preston Plumb who later be- came United States Senator from Kansas. Mr. Avery went as far west as Little River on a buffalo hunt and has seen the plains when buffalo could be seen as far as the vision reached. In 1860 he killed seven buffalo on one trip, and when Mr. Avery first came to Kansas deer could be seen here by the thousands. After remaining here dur- ing the summer and fall of 1860, he returned to Michigan where he remained until he enlisted in the army, as above stated, and in 1865. after receiving his discharge, he returned to Kansas and located in Clifford township, Butler county, and was a pioneer of that section of
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Butler county. He built the first stone school house in Butler county, which was in District No. 21, Clifford township, and was built in 1872 and is still standing. He built a number of stone dwellings in the early days. Further interesting historical information in reference to Mr. Avery's career in Clifford township will be found in the chapter containing the history of that township. When Mr. Avery settled in Clifford township his nearest neighbor was three miles distant and he experienced all the trials and vicissitudes of pioneer life in Butler coun- ty. He remained on his Clifford township homestead until 1887, when he removed to El Dorado. Here he bought out a marble works and conducted that business for two years.
In 1890 Mr. Avery was admitted to practice as a pension attor- ney in the Department of the Interior at Washington, D. C., and since that time has conducted an extensive practice in that specialty of the law. He has been a notary public for a number of years and for twen- tv-four years has been a justice of the peace in El Dorado, and he has also been a police judge for six years. Mr. Avery is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, Lew Wallace Post No. 66, and is past commander of the local order here. He was made a Mason at Lexing- ton, Ky .. fifty-two years ago, and for fifteen years has been secretary of the local lodge. He is a Republican and takes an active part in lo- cal politics and served as chairman of the Republican county central committee for six years.
T. A. Kramer, senior member of the firm of Kramer and Benson, one of the leading law firms of Butler county, is a native of Illinois. Mr. Kramer was born at Mt. Carmel, Ill., December 8, 1862, and is a son of Henry and Martha (Calverly) Kramer. The father was a native of Saarbrucken, Prussia, and the mother was born in Beverly, York- shire, England. Henry Kramer came to America when a child with his parents and located at Mt. Carmel, Ill. He grew to manhood there and engaged in farming which was his chief occupation. He died at Fairfield, Ill., December 8, 1915, aged eighty-five years six months and fifteen days. He had been retired for a number of years prior to his death. His wife also came to this country with her parents, when a child. She died July 21. 1915. aged eighty-two years.
T. A. Kramer is one of a family of twelve children, seven of whom are living. as follows: James H., lumber dealer, Fairfield, Ill .: E. C .. a former district judge and at present general solicitor for the B. & O. and Southern railroad companies, East St. Louis, Ill .; T. A., the subject of this sketch ; R. J., a prominent corporation lawyer of East St. Louis and first assistant to his brother. Judge E. C .: Harry S., East St. Louis, Ill. : Clara C., unmarried, resides at Fairfield, Ill .; and Mrs. Belle Mann, East St. Louis, I11.
T. A. Kramer received a good common school education and in early life engaged in teaching school in Illinois. In 1884 he came to Kansas, locating at El Dorado, where he read law in the office of
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George Gardner, now deceased, and was admitted to the bar January 6, 1886. He practised law alone for a time and later became associat- ed with his former preceptor under the firm name of Gardner and Kramer. This partnership was dissolved years afterwards and Mr. . Kramer formed a partnership with Judge A. L. Redden under the firni name of Redden and Kramer. This partnership continued for eight years and was terminated by the death of Judge Redden in 1905. Mr. Kramer continued the practice alone until July, 1910, when the present partnership was formed with George J. Benson, a sketch of whom ap- pears in this volume. They have a large general practice and rank among the leading law firms of southern Kansas.
Mr. Kramer has long been recognized as one of the ablest law- yers of the Thirteenth judicial district. He is a close student of the law and an incessant worker. He is capable, conscientious and re- sourceful, and possesses a well balanced legal mind. As a trial law- yer he is ever ready, and is a formidable adversary to any lawyer in the State. He has held the office of county attorney of Butler county and has been city attorney for the city of El Dorado.
Mr. Kramer was united in marriage July 19, 1911 with Mrs. Clara Bourne Bright, a native of Shelby, Mo., and a daughter of Benjamin . F. and Martha A. (Pierce) Bourne. The Bourne family came to But- ler county in 1891, and now reside in El Dorado. At the time of her marriage Mrs. Kramer resided in Los Angeles, Cal.
Mr. Kramer is a Royal Arch Mason, having been made a Mason when he was a little past twenty-one. He also belongs to the Mod- ern Woodmen of America; Eastern Star; Fraternal Citizens; Knights of Mapira, and he and Mrs. Kramer are members of the Royal Neigh- bors. He is a member of the El Dorado library board and takes a keen interest in any movement for the upbuilding or betterment of the community.
While Mr. Kramer has always directed his energy and best ef- forts within the scope of his professional work, he has by judicious in- vestments become one of the wealthy men of Butler county.
V. A. Osburn, an extensive real estate dealer of El Dorado, is a native of Illinois. He was born at Tallula, Menard county, that State, July 3, 1863, and is a son of Alfred M. and Amanda J. (Arnold) Osburn, the former a native of Virginia and the latter of Kentucky. They located in Menard county, Ill. at an early day and came to But- ler county, Kansas, in 1884, locating in Augusta, where the father was successfully engaged in farming and stock raising during the remaind- er of his active career. He died in March, 1915, aged eighty-eight years, and the mother died in March, 1913, aged eighty-six. They both died in Wichita, where they had resided since 1910, the time of the father's retirement from active business.
Alfred M. Osburn was a real pioneer of the West. In 1849 he made the trip overland to California, with a party of about 150. from
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Springfield, Ill., and the noted Indian scout, Kit Carson, was the guide of the expedition. They went by way of the southern route. Mr. Osburn remained in California about two years when he returned to Illinois and was married. In 1864, with his wife and family, in com- pany with two or three other families, when V. A., of this review, was nine months old, he started on his second trip to the Pacific coast, this time over the northern trail, through Nebraska and over the inoun- tains. They remained on the coast, however, but a short time when they returned by way of the Isthmus of Panama and New York City. Shortly after that they came to Butler county, as above stated.
V. A. Osburn was one of a family of five children, three of whom are living. Mr. Osburn received a good common school education in the public schools of Illinois and upon coming to Butler county en- gaged in the stock business, and later was engaged in the mercantile business at Augusta for six years. In 1905, he engaged in the insur- ance and land business at El Dorado and has built up a profitable and extensive agency in both these lines. He makes a specialty of hand- ling large stock ranches and has handled some of the most extensive deals of that character that have taken place in the county since he has been in business. He is also extensively engaged in handling oil properties.
Mr. Osburn was married June 12, 1889, to Miss Hattie Safford, of Augusta, and six children have been born to this union, as follows : Spencer. manager of a lumber yard, Clayton, New Mexico ; Ruth, mar- ried Earl Brandon, El Dorado; Clara, a graduate of the El Dorado High School, class of 1914, resides at home ; and Frank, Harriett and Robert, all residing at home and attending school. The wife and mother departed this life September 21, 1904.
Mr. Osburn is a Democrat and has been a conspicious figure in Butler county politics for a number of years. He served two terms as clerk of the district court. He was chairman of the Democratic cen- tral committee for ten years. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge and is a Knight Templar. He also belongs to the Knights of Pythias; the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America. He is a member of the Christian church, and is one of But- ler county's most substantial citizens.
Dr. Joseph D. Hamilton, the present county treasurer of Butler county, is a man whose faithfulness and efficiency and genial ond courte- ous manner in the discharge of the duties of this important office, have won for him many friends throughout the county. He believes that public office is public trust, and that the patrons of his office are entitled to efficient and courteous service, and while he was generally well known throughout the county when he began this term of office, many taxpayers have learned things about Doctor Hamilton, as a public offi- cial that they did not know before, and each day during his term of of- fice has added to his already long list of friends and supporters among the taxpayers of Butler county.
DR. J. D. HAMILTON
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Dr. Hamilton was born July 9, 1848, in Pine Creek township, Ogle county, Illinois, and comes from a long line of American ancestors. His parents were Francis and Abilgil J. (Haller) Hamilton, both na- tives of Washington county, Maryland, and pioneer settlers of Illinois. Francis Hamilton was a son of George Hamilton who was born in Maryland, May 4, 1800; and he was a son of George Hamilton who came from Ireland, and settled in Baltimore, during the latter part of the eighteenth century. The old Hamilton homestead was in the vicinity of the battle ground of Antietam. Doctor Hamilton's mother, Abigil Haller, was a daughter of Henry and Abigil J. (Hewett) Haller, both natives of Connecticut, and of old New England stock. When Dr. Hamilton's father went to Illinois, he and his father, and their families drove across the country from Maryland and took up homesteads on Government land in Ogle county, where Doctor Hamilton was born. In 1868, they came to Kansas and drove the entire distance from Il- linois. They settled in Louisburg, Miami county, where they remained until 1874, when they removed to Keokuk county, Iowa, near Thorn- burg, and the Doctor's parents and his grandfather died, and are buried in that locality. The mother died in 1886, age sixty-three years. The father died in 1910, aged 86 years, and the grandfather died in 1878. and the grandmother died in 1880.
Dr. Hamilton's father was a farmer and an only child, and he and his wife were the parents of the following children :, Mary Abi- gal, married John Wolf, Moravia, Iowa; Dr. Joseph D., the subject of this sketch; Sarah, married Freman Cory, Des Moines, Iowa ; George W., a minister, Denver, Colo .; Stephen A. D., farmer near Helena, Mont .; Charles M., physician and surgeon, Thornburg, Iowa; Frances Jane, married Frank Gibbons, Des Moines, Iowa; D. W., one of the leading attorneys of Iowa, and he has been a member of Congress from the Sixth Congressional district of that State, resides at Sigourney, Iowa; Della, married Mart Rigley, editor of the "Fremont News," Fre- mont, Ohio, and Margaret E., married Oliver Snyder, and resides near Sigourney, Iowa.
Dr. Hamilton received his education in the public schools of Ogle county, Illinois, and Rock River Seminary, and after coming to Kansas with his parents, taught school for a time in Miami county, and read medicine with Dr. G. W. Akers. Later he attended Bennett Medical College, and was graduated in the class of 1874, with the degree of Doc- tor of Medicine. He then engaged in the practice of his profession at Victor, Iowa, remaining there one year, when he went to Delta, Iowa, being the first physician in that town. He remained there until 1883. when he came to Butler county, and located at Douglass where he was actively engaged in the practice of his profession, and met with uni- form success. In 1897, he was elected county treasurer of Butler coun- ty, and after serving a term of two years, returned to his practice at Douglass which he followed with the same degree of success as before.
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and built up a large practice. In 1914 he was again elected county treasurer, and is now serving in that office. He has a nice farm of 80 acres, near Douglass, and a good home in Douglass.
Dr. Hamilton was married, near Louisburg, Kans., October 24, 1872 to Miss Amanda J. Childers, a native of Kenawha Falls, W. Va. She is a daughter of Nathan and Harriet (Hudleson) Childers, natives of Virginia, and very early settlers in Miami county, Kansas, coming there in 1859 when Mrs. Hamilton was nine years old. Her parents spent their lives in Miami county, and their remains are buried near Louisburg. To Dr. and Mrs. Hamilton have been born five children, as follows: Oliver, died in childhood; Della, married Joseph Creed, Douglass, and they have two children, Neva and Raymond; Clarence, died in childhood; Dean died in childhood ; and Francis N., manager of the Hamilton pharmacy, Mackville, Stafford county, Kansas, married Miss Muryle Hern, of St. Johns, Kans.
Dr. Hamilton is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, the Rebekahs, Modern Woodmen of America, and the Knights and Ladies of Security, and holds membership in the Christian Church at Douglass. Politically he is a Democrat, but is not hide bound in his political creed, and is inclined to be liberal. He has served as mayor of Douglass, and was a member of the city council for a number of years and also served on the school board for five years. Dr. Hamilton is a man who makes friends not for the purpose of using them-but because that is his nature, and he is a loyal friend, himself. He is not of the type of men who live altogether for themselves, but perhaps, he may be selfish after all, for he has every ear mark of a man who gets pleas- ure out of doing good for others, at any rate that is his way of living, and we are inclined to think he could not do otherwise if he were to try.
Mrs. J. D. Hamilton is the author of the following verses :
On a bright May morning, I was born, A. D. 1852;
Thus, it was recorded in the family bible, and I know 'twas true.
Kanawha county, West Virginia, was the State,
But of that, I do not remember much to relate.
Now, in 1857 this country was inhabited by Indians wild,
We had no fears of them, for we knew they would not harm a child ; And just like all parents who have a chance
For their children's sake, like to enlarge their finance.
So in Miami county they decided to reside,
And, in 160 acres of land they took much pride.
Just forty years on those verdant hills, they made their home.
Being happy and contented they cared not to roam.
Now I was the first one to leave the home nest;
I had married a young M. D., and him I loved best. He had reached his highest ambition, doctoring human ills ; And for ten years in Delta, Iowa. he dosed out the pills.
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
But so much snow in Iowa you never did see, Having talked the matter over we both did agree That to Butler county, Kansas, we would go, Thirty-three years have passed, never went slow. Butler county is already noted for its soil,
And recently was made famous by both gas and oil.
Forest H. Haines, owner and proprietor of the leading depart- ment store of El Dorado and one of Butler county's most progressive merchants. is a native of Missouri. He was born in St. Joseph, March 6, 1877, and is a son of H. C. and Josephine (Hartzell) Haines, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Pennsylvania. The father is a veteran of the Civil war and has been in the mercantile business all his life and is now a member of the mercantile firm of H. C. and. C. S. Haines of Sabethia, Kans. He retired from active participation in the business at the age of fifty, and since then has spent most of his time in traveling.
Forest H. Haines is one of a family of eight children, as follows : Belle, deceased; Charles S., merchant, Sabetha: Mame, married A. E. Sloesson, banker, Newkirk, Okla .; Grace, married Joseph A. Crantz, iron manufacturer. Canal Dover, Ohio; Harvey L., proprietor of a de- partment store, Maryville, Mo .: Forest H., subject of this sketch; Annie, married Walter C. Hardesty, manufacturer, New Philadelphia, Ohio; and Ethel, married Albert F. Young, proprietor of a department store, Lake City, Minn. Forest H. Haines was reared in Sabetha, Kans. and was educated in the public schools, and began his mercan- tile career February 9, 1894, at the age of seventeen, at which time he entered his father's store at Sabetha as a clerk. He remained in that capacity until 1900 when he and his brother, Harvey L., came to El Dorado and opened up a new store under the firm name and style of Haines Brothers. This partnership continued until 1912 when Forest H. became the sole proprietor and Harvey L., engaged in a similar en- terprise at Maryville, Mo., where he is now located.
The business has had a constant and substantial growth and its many modern features places the business in a class with the modern department stores to be found in the larger cities, and the general ap- pearance of this great mercantile institution bears conclusive testi- mony of the enterprise and progressiveness of Mr. Haines. In 1914, he saw the necessity of meeting the demand for a special line of goods and promptly added an annex to the general department store, where he carries a popular priced line of goods. This innovation has proved popular with the public and has fully met with the patronage which Mr. Haines anticipated. The Haines department store is located, perhaps, at the best business point in El Dorado, on the east side of Main street, near the center of the block between Central and Fourth ave- nues. The store has a frontage of seventy feet and is a substantial
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two-story brick building, ninety-five feet deep, which building he owns. There are about fifteen employees in the store and the place usually pre- sents a busy appearance.
Mr. Haines was united in marriage June 1, 1905, to Miss Mary, daughter of T. C. Ellett, president of the Ellett-Kandall Shoe Com- pany, Kansas City, Mo. To Mr. and Mrs. Haines has been born one child, Irene, now a student in the El Dorado schools. Mr. Haines is a York Rite Mason and a member of the Mystic Shrine, and was the young- est man to become a member of the Shrine at the time he joined.
Zella Lamb, the capable and efficient register of deeds of Butler county, is a native of Morgan county, Indiana, and a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (McKinley) Lamb, both also natives of Mor- gan county. Joseph Lamb was a son of Alfred and Rebecca (Tarry) Lamb, both natives of North Carolina. Alfred Lamb accompanied his older brother from North Carolina to Indiana when he was five years old. He grew to manhood in that State where he met and married Rebecca Tarry, a native of Indiana.
Alfred Lamb was a son of Cyrus Lamb, who was a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and prominent in the political affairs of North Car- olina in the early days of the Republic. He served as United States senator from that State shortly after the establishment of the Govern- ment. The Lambs are of Scotch-Irish descent, coming from the north of Scotland and the name Lamb was applied to the early members of the family on account of their vocation, they being shepherds in the highlands of Scotland.
Miss Lamb's mother, Elizabeth Mckinley, was a daughter of George and Mary (Packwood) Mckinley, both natives of Indiana. George Mckinley was a son of William, a native of Ireland, who set- tled in Indiana, or what is now Indiana, when it was a part of the Northwest Territory. He was a soldier in the War of 1812.
Joseph Lamb was reared and educated in Indiana, and when the Civil war broke out, he was one of the first to respond to President Lincoln's call, and enlisted in Company I, Thirty-third regiment, In- diana infantry, and served his country faithfully and well for a period of four years, or until the close of the war. He wa's with Sherman on his historic march through Georgia and to the sea, and at the battle of Atlanta was severely wounded by a piece of exploding shell which struck him on the forehead, leaving a scar about two and a half inches long which he carried throughout life. At the time he was wounded, he was unconscious for several hours and supposed to be dead, and was carried from the field of battle. After recovering from his wounds, he joined his regiment and served until the close of the war and after receiving his honorable discharge, returned to Indiana where he en- gaged in the mercantile business and farming until 1874, when he came to Kansas. A short time afterward he returned to Indiana and in 1879 was married to Elizabeth McKinley, and to this union were born
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