USA > Kansas > Butler County > History of Butler County Kansas > Part 56
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S. Y. Curry, the subject of this sketch, is one of a family of six chil- dren, born to William H. and Lydia C. (Simmons) Curry, four of whom are living, as follows : Isaac, Kansas City, Mo .; S. Y., the subject of this sketch ; John, and Mrs. Nancy Sipe. S. Y. continues the farm and stock business which was founded by his father, and is one of the successful feeders of Butler county, usually preparing for market about four car loads of cattle each year. The Currys were among the first to success- fully grow alfalfa in this county, and now have about one hundred acres devoted to this crop. In addition to the value of the surfaces of the Curry farm, it is located in the rich and rapidly developing oil and gas field of Augusta, and is in close proximity to some of the best producing wells brought in in that locality. The Curry farm adjoins the Varner place which has been tested with such a good show of oil production. The Curry farm is leased to the Wichita Natural Gas Company and has two good wells and they are drilling another. The Curry place is well
W. H. AND LYDIA C. CURRY
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
improved, with a good residence, and a large new barn which was erect- ed about four years ago.
When the Curry family settled in Walnut township, most of the land was homesteaded and a small cabin generally stood on each place. The old stage coach still made its regular trips by their place, the rail- road not having been built south of El Dorado at that time. There were a great many settlers from Tennessee along the Walnut river in the lo- cality where the Currys settled, and a portion of the valley in that vicin- ity was known as Tennessee Bend.
John W. Moyle .- It is a conceded fact that we are now living in an age of successful organized effort, and it is not a difficult matter for the casual observer to determine the various towns where progressive har- mony, organization and cooperation are found among its business men and leading citizens. Augusta is preeminently one of the towns which in recent years has shown great commercial activity and municipal im- provement, and it is not an exaggeration to say that this condition has been brought about in a large measure through well directed efforts of the local Commercial Club and, as secretary of that organization, John W. Moyle is entitled to no small degree of credit for the many results that have been accomplished. Mr. Moyle has also taken an active part in the commercial life and industrial development of Augusta.
John W. Moyle was born in Augusta, Kans., and is a son of Henry Moyle, a native of Cornwall, England, born in 1845. Henry Moyle's father was the American manager for the London Development Com- pany, a company which was heavy investors in American land and min- ing interests. He was drowned at Gold Hill, N. C., in 1857, and at the time the incident was given considerable publicity by the press through- out the country, an extensive article appearing in Harper's magazine with a portrait of the victim of the accident. His wife also died in North Carolina.
Henry Moyle served in the confederate army during the Civil war, being one of the first to enlist under the colors of the lost cause, and took part in the battle of Big Bethel which was among the first engage- ments of the Civil war. He is now a member of the Confederate Veter- ans' Association of Wichita, which is the only organization of its kind in the State of Kansas. At the close of the Civil war, Henry Moyle went to Omaha, Neb., where he secured employment on the construction of the Union Pacific Railroad and was engaged in that work until the golden spike was driven near Ogden, Utah, which marked the connec- tion of the eastern and western divisions of that, the first trans-conti- mental railroad. Shortly afterwards Mr. Moyle came to Kansas and on May 20, 1869, homesteaded 160 acres of land in Augusta township about four miles northeast of Augusta. In 1873 he and Ed Boyle engaged in the hardware business at Augusta under the firm name of Boyle & Moyle. A few years later this partnership was dissolved and Mr. Moyle engaged in the grocery business which he successfully conducted until
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February. 1913. when he retired from active business after a commercial career marked with unusual success. He is one of the pioneer mer- chants of Augusta and during the course of his long years of business activity built up a reputation for honesty and square dealing which made for him many friends as well as customers.
Henry Moyle was united in marriage at Augusta in 1873 with Miss Josephine Sanders, of Augusta, and the following children were born to this union : Mrs. Grace V. Skaer, Augusta ; John W., whose name intro- duces this sketch ; Mathew T., Augusta : Mrs. Beulah Alexander, Burk- burnett. Tex .; William H .. Augusta, and Fannie A., Augusta. Jacob Moyle died at the age of two years ; Frank Moyle died at the age of one year.
John W. Moyle attended the Augusta schools and was graduated from the Augusta High School ; he then entered the Salina Normal Uni- versity where he was graduated with the degrees of Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts. He then returned to Augusta and shortly after- wards went to Oklahoma when that territory was opened to settlement and homesteaded 160 acres of land, which he still owns. He then re- turned to Augusta and since that time has been active in the develop- ment of his native town.
He has always had faith in the natural resources and future great- ness of Augusta. He is an optimist but not of the optimistic type that sits down, and hopes for something to happen. Since he had become associated with the Commercial Club of Augusta. many enterprises have been brought about by the cooperation of that organization in the way of public utilities. Augusta has been given a good water system, natur- al gas and an electric light plant, a complete sewer system, and through the efforts of that body one of the extensive glass factories of the coun- try has been located at Augusta, and the impetus given to the industrial life of the city by the recent developments of oil and gas is equalled by few cities in the country today. Mr. Moyle is an active factor in the de- velopment of the Augusta oil fields in an individual way, and is the dominant factor of the Moyle Oil and Gas Company, which has eleven producing gas wells.
John R. Myers, deceased, was an early pioneer of the West, and made an unusual success of stock raising and farming in Butler county. He was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, in 1834, and was the last survivor of six children born to Peter and Catherine (Byerly) Myers, the former a native of Virginia, and the latter of Maryland. He died at Augusta, Kans., January 19, 1916, and is buried in Elmwood cem- etery, Augusta. Kans. John Myers received his early education in the common schools of his native State, and remained at home until he reached his majority. In 1855, he went to Iowa, locating near Massil- lon, Cedar county. This was an early day in that section of Iowa, and Mr. Myers experienced much Iowa pioneer life. He was engaged in farming there for twenty-six years, and in 1881, came to Butler county,
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
and located on section 3. range 4, township 28, where he bought 640 acres of land, which his heirs still own. This is mostly good bottom land, located just below the confluence of the Walnut and Whitewater rivers. Here he followed stock raising and general farming, and became one of the prosperous and substantial citizens of Butler county. He made substantial improvements on his place in the way of buildings, fencing, etc. He put out a big orchard, and was one of the extensive alfalfa growers of the county, having over a hundred acres of that crop. In 1908 hie removed to Augusta where he resided until his death.
Mr. Myers was united in marriage, May 4, 1862, to Miss Clara Mc- Leod of Cedar county, Iowa. She was a daughter of J. R. McLeod, a native of Philadelphia, Pa., who removed from Philadelphia to Dela- ware county, Ohio, and in 1855, went to Iowa, settling in Cedar county. To Mr. and Mrs. Myers have been born five children: C. L., a conduc- tor on the Missouri Pacific railroad, and resides in Wichita ; Hunter G., was a railroad postal clerk on the Rock Island railroad, and was killed in an accident at Caldwell, Kans., in 1903. a runaway engine colliding with his train; Howard U., a railway mail clerk between Blackwell, Okla., and Hutchinson, Kans., residing at the latter city; George E., a manual training teacher, New York City. He is a graduate of the Au- gusta high school and of the Ottawa University, class of 1896. After graduating, he taught in Bacon University of Oklahoma for two years, and then took a two years' course in the University of Chicago. He then went to Colorado Springs and, after teaching for a time, entered Clark University at Worcester, Mass., where he was graduated. He then accepted the principalship of the Mckinley Manual Training School, and after holding that position for five years, took charge of the Pittsburg Manual Training School, Pittsburg, Kans., and after an extended tour in Europe, accepted the superintendency of the manual training department of Columbia College, New York City. . The young- est child born to Mr. and Mrs. Myers is McLeod, who is a successful farmer of Walnut township.
Mr. Myers was one of Butler county's most substantial citizens, who, by industry and foresight, accumulated a competence, and won a high place in the estimation of his fellow citizens, who knew him best. He was a member of the Baptist church for over sixty-three years, and took an active interest in all Christian work.
John W. Guthrie, of Augusta, Kans., is a Kansas pioneer who has spent forty-six years of his life within the borders of Butler county, and is entitled to no small amount of credit for the part that he has played in making Butler one of the leading counties of the great State of Kan- sas. Mr. Guthrie is a native of Kentucky, born in 1848, a son of R. H. and Elizabeth (Stewart) Guthrie, both natives of Kentucky. The fath. re died in his native State at the age of ninety and his wife died in that State in December, 1915, at the age of ninety-four. They were the par- ents of eleven children, as follows : William H., deceased ; George S., de-
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
ceased ; John W., the subject of this sketch; Elizabeth, died in infancy ; R. H. lives at Honey Grove, Tex .; J. T., deceased ; O. W., living in Ken- tucky ; S. L., Danville, Ky .; Mrs. Lee Carpenter, lives in Kentucky ; Rol- lie and M. W., both living in Kentucky.
John W. Guthrie was reared to manhood in his native State and educated in the public schools. He was a boy during the Civil war and has many recollections of incidents which took place in the vicinity of his home at times when the Union and Confederate troops were forag- ing and fighting in that neighborhood. One event that made a lasting impression on his mind, was a skirmish that took place in the vicinity of his old school ground. The Confederate soldiers occupied the school building, and in attacking their position, the Union soldiers fired a can- non ball through the old temple of learning, which impressed young Guthrie in a way that he never forgot.
At the age of eighteen Mr. Guthrie began life for himself as a farm- er near Perryville, Ky., and a year later went to Missouri, but after one year returned to Kentucky and in 1870 came to Kansas. He first settled on the Little Walnut in Bloomington township, Butler county, where he bought 160 acres of land at $10.00 per acre, and also filed on a quart- er section in that locality. In 1903, he sold this property and removed to Augusta, buying sixty-four acres adjoining the town, and later bought forty acres more near Augusta.
Mr. Guthrie experienced all phases of pioneer life in Butler county, as this section was almost in its primitive state when he came here, in 1870. There was some settlement in this section, a few years prior to that time, but there were no substantial improvements, and settlers were few and far between. The land upon which he settled was un- broken and unimproved, but in a short time he made material progress, and it was not long until he had a well improved and productive farm with bearing fruit trees and substantial and well appointed dwelling and other farm buildings. His farm was well equipped with hedge fence which was the popular fence in the pioneer days, before the advent of the wire fence. Mr. Guthrie carried on farming on an extensive scale, both as a grain raiser and stockman, and met with well merited success, and is today one of Butler county's substantial citizens who has made good.
Mr. Guthrie was united in marriage in 1869 at Perryville, Ky., to Miss Nancy J. Hope, a daughter of Richard Hope of Kentucky. The Hopes belonged to a pioneer Kentucky family. To Mr. and Mrs. Guth- rie have been born two children, one of whom died in infancy, and Mayme Lee, who married James B. Bourgett and is now deceased.
Few of the old settlers who were active in the development of that section of Butler county, along the Little Walnut are now living. Among the many who were identified with that section in the early seventies, Mr. Guthrie is unable to recall but two, Mr. Wirth and Mr. Snodgrass, who are still living. Many changes have taken place in the
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
political geography of Butler county since Mr. Guthrie first beheld the waving blue stem of the Little Walnut valley. The towns of Leon. Whitewater, Potwin were not even contemplated, and Augusta at that time was a mere trading post.
Besides his farming interests Mr. Guthrie is identified with the in- terests of Augusta in many ways. He is a director of the First National Bank of Augusta, and has been associated with that institution since its organization.
James Bruce Bourgett, of Augusta, Kans., has been identified with newspaper work in southern Kansas for a number of years. Mr. Bour- gett is a native of Indiana, born in Bartholomew county, in 1865. He is a son of Jacob B. and Anna M. (Thomas) Bourgett, natives of Ohio. Jacob B. Bourgett was left an orphan at an early age, his parents both dying of cholera at Cincinnati, Ohio, in the forties. Jacob was reared by an aunt, Anna Schive, who brought him to Indiana, where he grew to manhood and died in 1870. James Bruce Bourgett was one of a family of three children, as follows: Ella R. Dougherty, Hollywood, Cal .; Ida. died at Greenfield, Ind., at the age of nine, and James B., whose name introduces this sketch.
James B. Bourgett received his education in the public schools of Greenfield, Ind., where in early life he acquired an ambition for news- paper work. He served an apprenticeship at the printer's trade on the "Hartford City News," his uncle, John M. Ruckman, being the pub- lisher of that paper. In 1887, Mr. Bourgett came to Kansas, locating at Wichita, where he was employed by the Wichita "Eagle" and other papers, and later accepted a position in the Wichita postoffice as mail- ing clerk. Later, he came to Augusta, and for several years, was local editor of the Augusta "Gazette."
Mr. Bourgett was married October 14, 1896, to Miss Mayme Lee Guthrie, a daughter of John W. Guthrie, a sketch of whom appears in this volume. Mrs. Bourgett died in 1906. To Mr. and Mrs. Bourgett were born three children, as follows: Ernestine, resides at home at Augusta, and is a student in the high school; Ruth Hope, died in in- fancy, and John, attending the graded school.
Mr. Bourgett is a member of the Knights of Pythias, Modern Woodmen of America and Anti-Horse Thief Association.
J. C. Robison, owner and proprietor of the "Whitewater Stock Farm," is a breeder of Percheron horses, and his reputation as such extends far beyond the borders of Butler county. In fact, Mr. Robison is a national figure in this important industry. He is a son of J. W. and Sarah (Woodrow) Robison. J. W. Robison, the father, who was the founder of this great Percheron horse business on the Whitewater, was a native of Scotland, and came to this country with his parents, James and Isabell (Leslie) Robertson. The original spelling of the name was Robertson, but through an error in the land office at Wash- ington, it was recorded Robison, and rather than go into detailed cor-
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
respondence in correcting this spelling, James Robison accepted the change and other members of the family have followed that form of spelling the name.
The Robison family, upon coming to America, located in Tazewell county, Illinois, and since that time members of the family have been prominent as stockmen and breeders. Sarah Woodrow, mother of J. C. Robison, was a daughter of Hugh Woodrow, a pioneer of Tazewell county, Illinois, and one of the first settlers in that county. J. W. and Sarah (Woodrow) Robison were the parents of nine children, three of whom died in infancy, and those who lived to maturity are as follows : Elmer C., born February 12. 1864, married Ida Fulton, December 26, 1889, and died September 10, 1895. and his widow now resides in El Dorado, and has two children, Helen and Sarah : Leslie W., the largest cattle feeder and shipper in Butler county, married Ida Chain, and they are the parents of two children, Chain and Louise : Edgar, born August 29, 1867. married Dona Fertich, of Covington, Ind., and died December 14, 1903, leaving one son, James F., born August 9, 1897: Frank L., born December 4. 1869. unmarried and resides at Towanda, Kans : James C., the subject of this sketch, born July 24, 1872, and Fred G., born March 2. 1874, is unmarried, and resides at Towanda, Kans.
James C. Robison was united in marriage. February 2. 1897. to Miss Bertha Ellet, and they are the parents of the following children : William Ellet, born November 9, 1897: Amy, born March 19, 1900, and died August 3, 1900: Ruberta Ruth, born June 27. 1902 ; Alfred E., born May 13, 1906, and James C., Jr.
J. W. Robison, the father, bought 1,280 acres of land in Butler county, in 1879, and in 1884, brought his family here from Illinois. In 1884, the first .investments in Percherons were made, and since that time, the business has been gradually and substantially extended, and the character of the stock improved until, at the present time, it is rated. by those who should know, as one of the leading Percheron breeding establishments in America, and during the lifetime of the father, the firm was known as J. W. & J. C. Robison. "Whitewater Falls Farm," proper, now comprises 1,920 acres, devoted chiefly to the Percherons. and more or less extensive cattle breeding operations. Eight hundred acres of the bottom lands produce alfalfa, and doubtless much of the success in the development of the Percherons is due to the limestone grasses and the alfalfa, nature's great conditioner.
Five imported stallions have successfully headed the stud. The first, Norval, half brother to the famous Brilliant, was used for ten years. Social, a son of Sultan, was in service eight years in this stud. Laschine, a French gold medal winner, died after two years' service, and Fantome was used a similar period, followed by Casino, the great- est of them all, and the head of the stud for the past thirteen years. Since the foundation of this stud. 3,000 registered Percherons have been sold from the farm, and the present stock numbers approximately 200 head.
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Prizes have been awarded the Robison Percherons at the World's Fair, International, American Royal, at the State fairs of Illinois, Mis- souri, Virginia, Indiana, Kansas, Colorado, Arizona, Oklahoma and in far-away Canada. At the World's Fair at St. Louis, the Robison Percherons won more prizes than the exhibit of any other Percheron breeder, and their show entries were, all but two, foaled at "Whitewater Falls Farm." The experimental stations of Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Illinois, Washington, Missouri and Arkansas have all drawn upon the Whitewater Falls stock for mares, a recognition of the su- periority of this stud.
As a suggestion of the confidence of the horse breeders of Amer- ica, buyers of Robison Percherons represent Kansas, Missouri, Arkan- sas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana. Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Idaho, Utah. Montana, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Virginia and old Mexico. The private demand has annually absorbed a large number, the majority, in fact, of the surplus stock, but it is in the records of the public sales that the most decisive evidence of public confidence appears. Twenty-one public sales have thus far been made from this farm.
The horses have sold on their merits to an intelligent class of buy- ers, representing a wide territory, and it is to the credit of the Robison methods that buyers have returned year after year and renewed their business relations. Mr. Robison also deals extensively in registered and high grade Holstein cattle. Usually a herd of two hundred head is kept on hand. A recent acquisition to the herd was the purchase of a carload of registered females and a new herd sire from New York. a son of the $50,000 King Segis Pontiac Alcartra, costing $1,000.
And to whom is this successful accomplishment due? To the in- telligent and persevering effort of "Jim" Robison, who, for more than a decade, has been the active force, and is now the sole owner of the "Whitewater Falls Farm" and stud. He has builded on a broad basis. and his handiwork has won the favorable recognition of the best in- formed in his line wherever Percherons are grown in numbers in Amer- ica. The business has grown to such proportions that the improve- ments of the farm have of necessity been enlarged from year to year, with the latest addition of a $9,000 horse barn, which is one of the best arranged and most complete barns in the country.
The Whitewater is a beautiful stream bordered by a generous growth of elm, walnut, hackberry and sycamore. Located conveniently near to the farm home, is a delightful waterfall that runs its course by day and by night as the years pass. It is from this beautiful fall that the farm takes its name. The environment is one of fascinating interest to the visitor. As the shadows forecast the closing day, the activities subside. The Percherons gather contentedly about the feed racks. The parting kiss of the sinking sun is printed in subdued colors on the tree tops. You enter the home. a home that is capacious, but not luxir-
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HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
ious, inviting but not superb, in which abides the spirit of comfort and cheerfulness. Unconsciously you draw your chair to the broad fire- place, and the dancing flames shed a welcome warmth. On the library wall hangs a wonderful study in oil of a group of Percherons with Casino in playful pose in the foreground. A generous collection of trophies tells the story of numerous show ring conquests. Without, the duties of the day are done and twilight gently draws its veil of mys- tery. The fire on the hearth burns low, and the ceaseless song of the waterfall lends enchantment to the hour.
F. W. Robison, cashier of the Towanda State Bank, is one of the younger members of the banking fraternity of Butler county, whose ability as a financier has won for him just recognition in the banking world. Mr. Robison was born at Pekin, Ill., and is a son of Archie L. and Lida (Richmond) Robison, both natives of Illinois. Archie L. Robi- son was a son of Frank Robison, a native of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, who first settled in Ohio upon coming to this country. From Ohio he went to Illinois at a very early date, walking the entire distance and set- tled in Tazewell county, Illinois, and was an early settler in that sec- tion.
Archie L. and Lida (Richmond) Robison were married at Delavan, Tazewell county, Illinois, and the following children were born to this union : F. W., the subject of this sketch ; Archie L., of Pekin, Ill., who is one of the leading importers and breeders of Percheron horses of the country, and also a very extensive importer and breeder of short horn cattle; Richmond, a prominent farmer and stockman of Delavan, Ill .; Don, a member of the firm of A. L. Robison & Sons, importers and breed- ers ; James L., a member of the firm of A. L. Robison & Sons ; Leslie, also a member of A. L. Robison & Sons, and Mary. All the boys attended the Illinois Agricultural College, Champaign, Il1.
F. W. Robison was educated in the high school at Tremont, Ill., where he graduated and afterward completed a course in the Illinois State University at Champaign, where he specialized in agriculture. He then took a business course and after that spent three years in the im- porting and breeding business in Illinois.
In 1907 Mr. Robison came to Towanda, Kans. and invested in the Towanda State Bank, becoming its cashier, and has held that position to the present time. This bank was originated in 1906 and began busi- ness in July of that year. It is one of the substantial institutions of the county and has had a substantial and constantly increasing business since its doors were opened to the public. The bank was organized with a paid up capital of $10,000.00 and has an earned surplus of $10,- 000.00. The present officers of the bank are : J. C. Kullman, president ; A. C. Higgins, vice president; F. W. Robison, secretary and cashier, and its directorate consists of the above named gentlemen and E. A. Shriver and J. C. Robison.
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