USA > Kansas > Butler County > History of Butler County Kansas > Part 66
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96
Mr. Hopkins was married in Decatur, Ill., in 1875, to Miss Emma Alice Roberts, a native of Muskingum county, Ohio, and a daughter of Charles and Catherine Roberts, natives of Ohio. To Mr. and Mrs. Hopkins have been born the following children: Gertrude, married William Cundell, a Butler county farmer, and John A., on the home farm.
Mr. Hopkins has been a life-long Republican and has taken an active part in the local councils of his party. He was elected sheriff of Butler county in 1894, serving a term of two years, and on two other occasions, he received the nomination of his party for the office of sheriff, but there happened to be unusual conditions prevailing, such as a wave of populism, etc., and Mr. Hopkins, although popular and favorably known, was a creature of circumstances, and defeated by small margins. He is one of the best known men in Butler county, and has many friends. He has seen Butler county developed from an un- peopled plain to become one of the great counties of the State, and has contributed his part to placing this county in the front rank of the agricultural and live stock producing counties of the country.
612
HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
D. M. Elder, a prominent citizen of El Dorado and Civil war vet- eran, who settled in Butler county at an early date, is a native of In- diana. He was born in Green county, that State, May 9, 1844, and is a son of James and Elizabeth (McCurdy) Elder, natives of Ohio. Eliza- beth McCurdy belonged to a prominent Ohio family, and was a daughter of Daniel McCurdy who was of Scotch-Irish descent. James Elder, the father of D. M., was born near Coshocton, Ohio, when that place was a mere Indian village. He was a son of John Elder, a native of County Antrim, Ireland, who settled in Ohio prior to the War of 1812, and dur- ing that war hauled supplies for the United States army to Upper San- dusky. In 1854. James Elder migrated from Indiana to Monroe county, Iowa, driving across the plains with horse teams and oxen and a prairie. schooner. He took up government land in Iowa, and later became an ex- tensive land owner and a very wealthy man for those times. He spent the remainder of his life in Iowa.
D. M. Elder was about ten years old when he went to Iowa with his parents and was one of a family of fifteen children. He grew to man- hood in Iowa and during the Civil war enlisted in Company H, first Iowa cavalry in August, 1862. This regiment operated chiefly in Mis- souri and Arkansas, and fought guerillas and bushwhackers, frequently coming in contact with the notorious Bill Anderson, James and Younger brothers, and William Quantrill's gang. The style of fighting in that section was not governed by any humane military code, and frequently no quarter was shown. Later they participated in the Red River expedi- tion and afterwards were transferred to the command of General Thomas and were given about the same kind of service in Mississippi and Ten- nessee as they had in Missouri-fighting bushwhackers. After the close of the Civil war, Mr. Elder went with his regiment to Mexico on ac- count of the impending trouble with France in that country. He served under Generals Sheridan and Custer there and after that affair had been disposed of. he was discharged at Davenport, Iowa, having been mus- tered out of service at Austin, Tex.
After receiving his discharge, Mr. Elder returned to his Iowa home and attended a private school for a time, and later attended an academy at West Bedford, Ohio. He then entered Monmouth College, at Mon- mouth, Ill., where he took a two-year course and after taking a special course in science, he came to Kansas in 1870, and filed on a quarter sec- tion of land in Clifford township, Butler county. He bought and sold land extensively, after coming here, and at times owned over 3,000 acres of Butler county land. He was active in the early affairs of the county and interested in a number of industries. He operated a sawmill for a time and also manufactured extra good sorghum, and at the same time was interested in farming and the cattle business. He operated a stone quarry east of El Dorado, and this industry, alone, gave employment to from 50 to 100 men. In addition to his vast and varied private enter- prises. Mr. Elder has taken an active interest in public affairs. In 1888,
613
HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
he was elected to the Kansas legislature and was instrumental in getting many important bills through that body; among the more important ones might be mentioned the bill reducing the salaries of county offi- cials, a bill providing for oil inspection, a bill establishing a home for army nurses and soldiers' widows, and above all. while a member of the legislature, he built up a reputation for honest legislation and clean poli- tics. He served on a number of the important committees, and could al- ways be relied upon to champion the cause of the people.
Mr. Elder was first married in 1874 to Miss Frances Josephine Wal- lace, a native of Indiana and a daughter of Thomas Wallace, a former merchant of Lawrenceburg, Ind. Two children were born to this . marriage: Edith, married Bert Gorman and they now reside in Califor- nia ; and Alice, deceased. The wife and mother died in 1882, and in 1889 Mr. Elder married Sadie Josephine McFarland, a daughter of Andy Mc. Farland, a Butler county pioneer. The following children have been born to this union; Ralph, a government forester in Oregon; Don, El Dorado, Kans .; Fay, a teacher at Mound Ridge, Kans .; Herbert M., a graduate of the El Dorado High School, El Dorado; and Atta Ray, a teacher in Hodgeman and Butler counties, Kansas.
Mr. Elder is a member of the Knights and Ladies of Security, the Grand Army of the Republic and the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a Republican, and since coming to Butler county has been prominent in the local councils of his party and has assisted with his influence, many successful candidates to county office. Mr. Elder has seen many changes in the settlement and development of southern Kansas since coming to Butler county. In 1870, he picketed a wild pony on what was then un- broken prairie, but that spot is now on one of the principal business streets of Wichita. He has always taken a keen interest and an active part in the welfare of his county and State, and supported every move- ment, the object of which has been for the upbuilding or betterment of the community.
J. D. Harrison, one of the leading farmers and stockmen of Butler county, is a native of Illinois. He was born in Shelby county in 1864, a son of Joseph and Isabelle (Banting) Harrison, natives of England. where they were married. The father was engaged in the sheep indus- try before coming to America in 1860. After coming to this country. he settled in Illinois, where he was also engaged in sheep raising about four years, when he removed to Missouri, where he remained until 1882.
J. D. Harrison was reared on his father's farm, and in early life, went to work by the month for stockmen, and in that way gained a thorough knowledge of the stock business. He came to Butler county in 1891. and bought a quarter section of land in Plum Grove township. Here he engaged in the stock business and later bought another quarter section, and has added to his original holdings until he now owns 640 acres, and is one of the successful and substantial stockmen of Butler county. Every dollar that he is worth, he has made himself. Beginning
614
HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
as a farm hand in Greenwood county, he has become one of the pros- perous men of affluence, and holds a prominent position in the business and financial world of Butler county today.
Mr. Harrison was married in 1889 to Miss Anna Lercher, a daugh- ter of C. F. and Tirzah (Pennywitt) Lercher, the former a native of Germany. and the latter of Ohio. They were married in 1870, and the following year, came to Kansas and settled in Butler county, where the father filed on a quarter section of government land. Mr. Lercher was a veteran of the Civil war, having answered President Lincoln's first call for volunteers. He died at Topeka, Kans., in 1910, where his home had been for several years, and his wife died in that city in 1907. They were the parents of six children, of whom Mrs. Harrison is the eldest. Mr. and Mrs. Harrison have no children. Mr. Harrison is a Democrat, and his wife is a member of the Lutheran Church at Peabody, Kans.
In addition to his broad acres of fertile Kansas soil, Mr. Harrison has various other interests. He has invested in Potwin property to some extent, and was one of the organizers of the Potwin State Bank. Altogether, he is one of the live, progressive, business men of Butler county, who are doing things worth while.
Ora Wyant, of El Dorado, is the most extensive manufacturer of harness and retail dealer of harness, harness sundrys, blankets, robes, etc., in Butler county. Mr. Wyant is a native of Hamilton county. Indiana, born March 22, 1868, and is a son of Isaac and Margaret ( Wertz) Wyant, the former a native of Hamilton county. Indiana, and the latter of Pennsylvania. In 1870 when Ora Wyant was about two years of age, the family came to Kansas, locating in when they came to Greenwood county, and took a homestead near
Jefferson county where the father was engaged in farming one year. Severy where he engaged in farming and stock raising and became one of the propserous and influential men of Greenwood county. He died August 1, 1913, and the mother now resides at Severy, aged sev- enty years. When the Wyant family located in Greenwood county, the locality in which they settled was a broad expanse of unbroken prairie sparsely settled and for the first year or so there was no school in that locality.
Ora Avant is one of a family of seven children, in the order of birth as follows: Ora, subject of this sketch; Amanda, married S. M. Dougherty, Canton, Okla .; Mattie, married Al. Dunn, and they reside in Idaho: Charles, Jackson, Mich .; Maggie, married C. W. Latta. Klamouth Falls, Ore .; Pearl, married Dr. Evans, Butler, Okla. : and Ella, married F. M. Dailey, El Dorado. Mr. Wyant spent his boy- hood days on the Greenwood county farm and received his education in the public schools. He served his apprenticeship at harness making at Severy, Kans. He was a natural mechanic and from early boyhood was inclined toward the harness maker's trade, and worked at it a great deal of his own accord on the farm before he went to learn the trade
615
HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
and was a good average workman in that line when he began his ap- prenticeship. After working in Severy for two years, he came to El Dorado in 1901 and entered the employ of B. Gibson, now deceased, as a journeyman harness maker. At that time Mr. Gibson conducted the business on North Main street in the store now occupied by Mr. Wyant.
In 1906 Mr. Wyant and A. L. Layton bought the business from Mr. Gibson and conducted it in partnership at the old stand for five years, when Mr. Wyant bought his partner's interest and since that time has successfully conducted the business alone and has built up a large trade and has many satisfied customers in El Dorado and vi- cinity. He was united in marriage October 14, 1908, to Miss Harriet Younkman, a daughter of G. N. Younkman, El Dorado, and they have one child : Margaret Louise. Mr. Wyant is a member of the Masonic Lodge, the Knights of Pythias, the Kansas Fraternal Citizens, the Modern Woodmen of America and he and Mrs. Wyant are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Jackson Baldwin, a prominent farmer and stockman of Plum Grove township, was born in Hancock county, Indiana, February 25, 1853, and is a son of Thomas and Nancy (Dillard) Baldwin. The mother was a native of Indiana, her parents being pioneers of that State. Thomas Baldwin was a native of North Carolina, born in 1819. His parents were North Carolinians. His father was killed, while serv- ing as constable of his native county. He was called to the door of his house one night, and when he opened the door, was shot. In 1829, his widow, with her family, removed to Indiana, and settled in Han- cock county, which was then a wilderness. Here Thomas Baldwin, the father of Jackson, grew to manhood, and was married. In 1854, he migrated to Monroe county, Iowa, with his family. Although there was plenty of government land open to settlement in Iowa at that time, he bought 280 acres about five miles from Albia, in Monroe county. Here he engaged in farming and prospered, and he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives there. He died in 1001, and his wife died in 1910. They were the parents of ten children, four of whom were born in Indiana, and the others in Iowa.
The Baldwin family came originally from England, but for a number of generations, had lived in Ireland, from whence five brothers immigrated to America in Colonial times, three of whom settled in New York, and two went to North Carolina, and Jackson Baldwin, the sub- ject of this sketch, is a descendant of one of the brothers, who settled in North Carolina.
Jackson Baldwin was scarcely two years old when the family set- tled in Iowa. He grew to manhood on his father's farm there, and was educated in the public schools. He was united in marriage, February 24. 1876, with Miss Mary Alice Elswick, a native of Monroe county. Iowa, and a daughter of William and Susanna (Scott) Elswick. The
616
HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
father was a native of Tennessee, and the mother of Kentucky. The Elswick family were early settlers in Indiana, and went from that State to Iowa in 1851. The Elswicks are of German origin, and the Scott family came from Scotland. To Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin have been born two children, as follows: C. W., farmer, Plum Grove township, was born March 4, 1877; and Jennie M., born August 15, 1879, married James Snavely, farmer, Butler county, and one child died in infancy.
Mr. Baldwin followed farming in Iowa until 1884, when he came to Kansas with his family, and located in Sedgwick county, where he spent the first winter. In the spring he bought 160 acres of land in Plum Grove township, which has since been the family home. When he bought this place there were very few improvements on it; the resi- dence was a two room stone house with a clapboard roof, which freely admitted the snow and wintry winds. This served as the family resi- dence for four years, when a commodious and comfortable home was erected, and Mr. Baldwin has made other improvements of a substan- tial nature until he has one of the best improved places in Plum Grove township, the appearance of which evinces the thrift and prosperity of . its owner. Mr. Baldwin is a Republican, and has steadfastly supported the policies and principles of that party. Mrs. Baldwin is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Potwin.
A. D. Wagoner, of El Dorado township, is not only a prominent farmer and stockman of Butler county, but he is a dominant factor in the affairs of the county. Mr. Wagoner came to Kansas with his par- ents when he was a child. The Wagoner family settled in Jefferson county upon coming to this State, and some years later A. D. Wagoner and his two brothers settled at Harveyville, where they engaged in the cattle business on an extensive scale. Their place was known as "Wagoner Brothers' Stock Farm," and for a number of years this was one of the leading stock concerns of the State. They handled as many cattle as any other firm in Kansas, doing an enormous business in that line.
In 1904, A. D. Wagoner, with his wife and two young daughters, came to Butler county and located on a farm a short distance south of El Dorado, in El Dorado township. This is one of the fine productive bottom land farms of Butler county. During his first few years in Butler county, Mr. Wagoner fed cattle, and while he made money in that de- partment of animal husbandry, he has found raising and feeding hogs a more profitable business, and during the past few years he has applied his efforts to this line of endeavor with very satisfactory results from a financial standpoint. Mr. Wagoner's broad acres of fertile land are largely devoted to alfalfa and corn in connection with hog raising, and while the average farmer suffers more or less loss from dry and uncertain seasons, Mr. Wagoner is sure of a profit from some one of his three specialties. and at least comes out even in the others. He conducts his farming operations on a safe business and scientific basis, and the student of mod- ern agricultural methods can derive the basis of a real successful plan of
617
HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
conducting a farm in a profitable and practical way by following Mr. Wagoner's method.
Mr. Wagoner has seen many changes since coming to Butler county. He is a close observer and is a constant student of events. He says he remembers when thirty-five cents per bushel was considered a good price for corn, as compared with the present average price of eighty cents, and it was only a short time ago that hogs brought only from five to six cents per pound, as compared to the present average of nearly twice that much. Many other market conditions are now in proportion, and he believes that an industrious farmer has no just cause for complaint under present conditions.
Within a few rods of Mr. Wagoner's place is the station, Vanora, with switch and loading facilities on the line of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad, and this market facility is of inestimable value to his place as well as to the other farmers and stockmen of that immediate locality. Such close proximity of a station reduces the expense of mar- keting, or hauling to market, which is of great importance to the pro- ducer.
Mr. Wagoner is a strong advocate of good roads, and points to the telephone as another medium which is of great importance to the farmer and which has put a new phase on rural life; but, he says, that the tele- phone service, like the roads, can be improved. He has great faith in the future oil and gas development in Butler county, and is gratified to see the countless number of wells yielding the rich underground treasure. Yet, he says, "Let us not lose sight of the fact that it is the farmers and stockmen who are entitled to the credit for the great 'State of Butler' being here.
Mr. Wagoner owns one of the best farms in Butler county and is one of its most prosperous farmers and stockmen.
John Sheppard, now deceased. was an early settler of Fairmont township, Butler county, and bore the unusual distinction of having been a pioneer in four States. He was born in Maryland January 27, 1809, a son of Peter and Mary Sheppard, natives of Maryland. In 1818, when John Sheppard was nine years old, the family removed from their Maryland home to Muskingum county, Ohio, settling near Taylorsville. They were among the very first settlers of that section and here the father cleared land and built a cabin in the heart of the wilderness. Later he became a well to do farmer ; and he and his wife died in Muskin- gum county.
John Sheppard grew to manhood in Muskingum county, and in 1853 removed with his wife and children to McLean county, Illinois. where he followed farming until 1857, when he loaded his family and personal effects into wagons and started west again, this time with Benton county, Missouri as his destination. He was disappointed in his Missouri venture, as that section of the State looked poor and unfavor- able. However, he remained there until 1860, when he returned to Mc-
618
HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
Lean county, Illinois, considerably worse off financially than when he left there. About the time he returned to Illinois the Civil war broke out. He was loyal to the cause of the Union throughout that conflict, but he was past the age limit for military service. His eldest son, O. S., however, enlisted at President Lincoln's second call for volunteers, and became a member of Company C, Ninety-fourth regiment Illinois in- fantry. He served under General Grant and also under Sherman, par- ticipating in thirteen important battles. He was with Sherman on his memorable march to Atlanta and from Atlanta to the sea. serving three years and six months.
John Sheppard remained in McLean county, Illinois, until 1875. He met with success in his undertakings and prospered ; and although then a man past sixty-five years of age, he was still possessed with a pioneer spirit, and in 1875 turned his face to the west again and came to Butler county, Kansas. Reaching here November II, of that year, he bought a homestead relinquishment in Fairmount township from a man named Mansfield, and engaged in farming and stock raising and proved up on his claim and remained here until his death July 7. 1880. He was a man of strong personality and an interesting and entertaining conversation- alist. He was an extensive reader, and well posted on general lines of in- formation. He was a stanch Republican and a great admirer of Presi- dent Lincoln. He was one of the widely known men of Butler county, during his time here, and commanded the profound respect of all who knew him. His wife died in Illinois in 1868. They were the parents of the following children: Obadiah, born August 5. 1832, served in the Civil war as above stated and died in Chautauqua county, June 26, 1910, having settled there in 1870; Mary, born September 28, 1833, died in Sep- tember, 1880; Rebecca, born February 19. 1835, died in June, 1915; Peter H., born October 26, 1836, died in 1878; Maria M., born in 1838, married Adam Lambert, Miami county, Kansas; Amy L., born September 23, 1840, and died August 22, 1907; Hannah E., born January 30, 1844, mar- ried John Starkey of Osage county, Kansas, and died in 1912; Margaret A., born September 28, 1846, is now deceased ; John W., born November 7. 1848; Sophia, born December 27, 1850, now the widow of Thomas Barrett ; David, born November 17, 1853, lives at Alien, Okla .; Charles E., born January 27, 1857 ; Ida L., born June 19, 1861. John W. and Ida L. are unmarried and reside on the old home place, which is one of the best farms in Fairmount township.
Mr. Sheppard is one of the progressive farmers and stockmen of that section. He relates many interesting events of early conditions in Fairmount township when he came here. He has a distinct recollection of a number of thrilling incidents of pioneer life, in the days when bliz- zards, prairie fires and grasshoppers varied the monotony of dull life on the plains, and developed the resourcefulness of the early pioneers in coping with the ever changing conditions. He is one of the substantial
619
HISTORY OF BUTLER COUNTY
citizens of Fairmount township, and well and favorably known through- out that section of the county.
Thomas L. Ferrier .- Closely interwoven, is the romantic and thrill- ing story of the great West and the lives of its pioneers. To the intrepid spirit of these men and women who came to conquer, and to whose determination, failure was an unknown quantity, we owe our present advancement. The word, fear, was not of their vocabulary. And, in the winning of the West, the race was to the strong, and life in those days was the survival of the fittest.
In the varied career of Thomas L. Ferrier, we can read the develop- ment and growth of a State; for as the individual develops, so does the country which he inhabits. Before he was of age, Thomas L. Ferrier saw life in many of its phases, and in his early life saw much of the glamor and romance of the old West. He was born near Bowling Green, Kentucky, May 30, 1845. While yet a child, with his parents, Thomas H. and Catherine (Lewis) Ferrier, he moved to Andram county, Mo., where he lived until he was sixteen years old. At that time, 1863. he joined a party of freighters who were crossing the plains from Westport to Salt Lake City. Arriving there, he found employment as a cook on a steamer plying on Great Salt Lake. To the adventurous spirit of the boy, this employment soon grew monotonous, and he turned to the mines at Silver City, Idaho, to seek his fortune, and to sat- isfy that irresistable desire for adventure. After a considerable time in the mines, he made a trip into Oregon, and finally drifted back to Salt Lake City. The adventurous and dangerous life of the West appealed strongly to one of his nature, and his next employment was that of a stage driver, between Salt Lake City and the Black Hills. In this em- ployment, he spent several months, and again became a miner.
While engaged in this occupation at Silver City, he received a let- ter, telling of the fatal illness of his mother, at her home in Missouri, and he prepared to go to her side. After reaching Salt Lake City, he took the stage to Omaha. For some reason. no ferryman could be found to pilot him across the river at Omaha. It was the month of March, and the turbulent Missouri was full of floating ice : the prospect of swimming the muddy, rapid stream was anything but alluring, but Tom Ferrier had inherited from his French ancestors not only a love for adventure, but a will that was unconquerable, and a delay of any kind. and from any cause, was not included in his plans for the trip to the bedside of his mother. He swam the river and proceeded on his journey. After no further adventures, he arrived at the home of his parents, where he remained for some months.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.