History of Butler County Kansas, Part 90

Author: Mooney, Vol. P
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Lawrence, Kan. : Standard Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 946

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Mr. Wait was united in marriage April 9. 1885, with Miss Florence L. Stevens, of Towanda, Kans. She is a native of McDonough county. Illinois, born in 1856, and is a daughter of H. Stevens and Amanda (Russell) Stevens, natives of New York. Mrs. Wait was a pioneer Butler county teacher. She was educated in the El Dorado High School. and the public schools of Santa Cruz, Cal. She taught her first school at Elm Creek district, three and a half miles southeast of Towanda. She recalls many instances of early school conditions and has pleasant memories of the old literary society which flourished in Towanda in the seventies and eighties. Here is where Judge Vol. Mooney, Judge Chris Aikman and many other men who later became well known, be- gan their oratorical careers, and played their dramatic roles in "East Lynn" and kindred dramatic masterpieces. The meetings were held in the old Towanda school building, which was later blown away by a cyclone. While the old literary society may seem of little interest to to the present generation, it occupied an important sphere in the social and literary life in those pioneer days, and its influence was far-reach-

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ing and it is doubtful whether its place has been adequately filled by modern methods and institutions. Mrs. Wait has never ceased her in- terest in the public schools, and has always given her influence to the upbuilding and betterment of the public school system.

J. W. Williams, of Augusta, who for the past twelve years has been identified with Butler county, is a native of Kansas. Mr. Williams was born at Spring Hill, Johnson county, November 18, 1881, and is a son of James and Mary A. Williams, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Maryland. The father died at Augusta in March, 1913, and the mother now resides at Edgerton, Kans. James and Mary Williams were the parents of twelve children, seven of whom are now living, as follows: Mrs. Violet Schendler, Augusta, Kans .; Mrs. Anna McKoin, Edgerton, Kans .; Joshua, Edgerton, Kans. ; Frank, Augusta, Kans. ; Mrs. Delila Markley, Augusta, Kans .; Mrs. A. E. Cowen, El Dorado, Kans., and J. W., the subject of this sketch.

J. W. Williams received his education in the public schools of Ohio and Johnson county, Kansas. In 1898 the family removed to Butler county and located at Keighley, where they remained one year. When a youth, J. W. Williams learned the barber trade, serving an appren- ticeship at Overbrook, Kans., for three years. He then came to Att- gusta and worked at the plasterer's trade and cement work in Augusta and various parts of Butler county. He has worked on many of the im- portant buildings erected in Butler county within the last ten years, in- cluding the Butler county court house, the old school building in Au- gusta, the postoffice building, the Mckinley school building at El Do- rado and R. H. Hazlett's residence there, and also the high school build- ings at Leon and Rosalia and the hotel at Beaumont. Mr. Williams is is perhaps the best known man in Butler county in connection with his special lines of work.

On December 29, 1908, Mr. Williams was united in marriage with Miss Pearl Malosh, of El Dorado. Her parents were natives of Ohio and came to Kansas at quite an early date. To Mr. and Mrs Williams have been born two children, as follows: James Duane and Howard Edward. Mr. and Mrs. Williams are well known in Augusta, and have a large circle of friends.

J. W. Smith, of Augusta, is a Butler county pioneer who in the early days was engaged in freighting. He is a native of Tennessee. born in 1849, and is a son of James and Martha (Burkhart) Smith, na- tives of Tennessee. They were the parents of nine children, only two of whom are living: W. C., who lives at Seneca, Mo., and J. W., the subject of this sketch. J. W. Smith was denied the advantages of an education in his boyhood days, but attended school in later life. and even when he was forty years old went to school with his own children. By constant application, he has obtained a good education, which is today a great source of satisfaction to him, and he appreciates it more from the fact that he experienced several years of his life without an

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education, and in that way came to appreciate its value to the fullest extent.

J. W. Smith began life as a freighter, hauling lead from the mines at Granby, Mo., to Sedalia, and later from Granby to Rolla. When the railroad was built between those points he and a number of other freighters were crowded out of business. He then took up freighting along the proposed line of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas railroad and managed to keep just ahead of the terminus of the railroad, and found plenty of business in the way of hauling goods from the terminus to the next town to which it was building. For seven years, while he was engaged in this line of work, he never slept in a house.

In 1875, Mr. Smith came to Butler county, Kansas, and settled six miles southwest of Augusta, where he traded a team and wagon for 240 acres of land. He has added to his original holdings and now owns 512 acres. This is one of the fine farms of Butler county and now pos- sesses the additional value of being in the oil and gas belt. which is being rapidly developed. Mr. Smith has followed farming and stock raising for thirty years, and was also a successful stock feeder on quite an extensive scale. He prospered and made money, and is one of Butler county's substantial men of affairs. In 1908 he removed to Augusta, where he built a comfortable home, and has since resided there.

In 1876 Mr. Smith was united in marriage with Miss Delila Golden at Seneca, Mo. Mrs. Smith is a member of a pioneer family of Mis- souri. To Mr. and Mrs. Smith have been born nine children, five of whom are living, as follows: J. C., married Miss Ollie Roundtree, and resides on the home place ; Harvey, married Hazel Fuller, of EI Dorado, and lives near Augusta ; Mrs. Cora Higgins, of Wichita ; Mrs. Ola John- son. Rose Hill, Kans., and Virgil, a student in the Augusta High School. Mr. Smith is a member of the Masonic lodge and has been identified with that organization for over twenty years.

Thomas J. Powell, a Butler county pioneer, who was one of the first to respond to president Lincoln's call for volunteers and for four and a half years served his country faithfully and well, is now living re- tired. Mr. Powell was born near Berlin, Worcester county, Maryland, within three or four miles of the coast, April 17, 1843. His parents were James R. and Matilda (Folks) Powell, the former of English and the latter of Irish descent. They were the parents of nine children. In 1849 the Powell family left their native State and went to Ohio and in 1852 drove across the country from there to Illinois, settling in Taze- well county.

Here Thomas J. Powell lived the peaceful life of the average pion- eer boy until the Civil war broke out and President Lincoln called for volunteers to defend the Union. He enlisted July 30, 1861, in Company B, Forty-seventh regiment, Illinois infantry and was mustered into the United States service at Camp Lyons, Peoria, Ill. He was one of the first to reach Benton Barracks, St. Louis, and from there went to Otter-

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ville, Mo., and then, with his command, marched back to St. Louis and from there went to Cairo, Ill., then to Point Pleasant, opposite Island No. 10. From Island No. 10, his regiment was sent to Fort Pillow and from there to Pittsburg Landing. He then participated in the battle of Corinth and that fall took part in Grant's Oxford campaign, and later to Memphis, and then took part in the Vicksburg campaign. He was at the capture of Jackson, Miss., and then joined Grant's army at Vicks- burg, in the meantime doing considerable scouting. His regiment was stationed at Young's Point, within ten miles of Vicksburg for a time, during which time the ranks of the Forty-seventh were badly depleted from sickness. In fact, Mr. Powell was one of the only three men in the regiment who were fit for duty. After the fall of Vicksburg, they were in camp on the Big Black River in Mississippi for a time and then went to New Orleans, later taking part in the capture of Mobile, this regi- ment capturing one of the forts on Mobile Bay at night. From Mobile they went to Montgomery. Ala., and then with the thirteenth corps went to help out Banks on the Red River expedition. They did con- siderable garrison dutty after Lee surrendered. Mr. Powell was acci- dentally injured while in the service by being struck in the eye by a bayonet. In July, 1864, after enlisting as a veteran volunteer, he was promoted to sergeant of his company, and in the fall of 1864 was com- missioned second lieutenant and in the spring of 1865. was promoted to a first lieutenant. He was discharged February 10. 1866, with a highly commendable military record, after having served four and a half years.

After the war he returned to his home in Illinois and after taking a course in business college, engaged in farming. He was married in 1869, to Miss Elizabeth Hart, a native of Illinois. Her parents immi- grated to America from Ireland in the early fifties, and the father died soon after coming to this country. In the fall of 1869. after their mar- riage, Mr. and Mrs. Powell came to Butler county and located on the banks of the Whitewater in Plum Grove township. They drove from Illinois to Butler county with a team and prairie schooner. After com- ing here Mr. Powell filed on a quarter section in section 12, range 3. township 24, and proceeded to build his cabin and make his home in the new country. His start was slow. The first few years he met with the various obstacles common to the lot of most of the pioneers of Butler county, but after a time prosperity dawned and Mr. Powell has become one of the successful and well to do men of Butler county. In addition to the 160 acres which he homesteaded, he owns considerable city pro- perty in Whitewater.

To Mr. and Mrs. Powell have been born the following children : Julia F., born March 25. 1870, died October 24. 1873; George C., born October 16, 1871, died October 26, 1871 ; Luicy L., born May 7. 1873. married Joseph Wallace and lives in Arkansas; Lewis C., born May 12. 1876, lives in Butler county ; Callie, born June 7, 1878, married Engene LaFever, Fort Worth, Tex .; Caroline J., born October 6, 1880, married

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J. Baman of Caldwell, Kans .; Royal O., born November 14, 1882, lives in San Antonio, Tex .; Musie A., born July 2, 1888, lives in Los Angeles, Cal., and Bessie H., born April 29, 1890. The wife and mother died June 21, 1903, and thus one of the noble pioneer women of Butler coun- ty passed to the great beyond.

Mr. Powell is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and is a progressive Republican. He is one of the brave pioneers of the plains and defenders of the Union who will be remembered as long as gratitude remains an element of American patriotism and civilization.

Abel Cartwright, now living retired on his farm in Fairmount town- srip, bears the unusual distinction of having passed the one hundred and first milestone in the journey of life, which of itself, without further in- quiry, bespeaks a life of right living for himself as well as his antece- dents. Mr. Cartwright comes from an old and honorable American family who were ably represented in the Revolutionary struggle by his grandfather, Christopher Cartwright.

Abel Cartwright was born in Hinesburg, Vt., November 9, 1814. His parents were Silas and Sallie (Heath) Cartwright, natives of Vermont. Silas Cartwright, the father, was a son of Christopher Cart- wright, who was born in Connecticut in 1755. The archives of the War Department at Washington, D. C., contain records which show that Christopher Cartwright enlisted February 10, 1777, in Captain McCune's regiment, Col. Seth Warner's Continental regiment at Pownal, Vt. The war records also show that he applied for a pension, July 28, 1818, which was allowed, and he received the same until the time of his death. March 7, 1839. Christopher Cartwright reared a family of several daughters and two sons, Silas, the father of Abel, being one of the sons. Silas Cartwright married Sallie Heath, and they spent their lives in their native State, Vermont. Four children were born to them: Abel, whose name introduces this sketch, and three daughters.

Abel Cartwright grew to manhood in his native State, and after- wards removed to New York State, and on March 20, 1848, he was united in marriage at Plattsburg, N. Y., to Miss Adaline Hilliard. She was a native of Plattsburg, born September 4, 1828, and a daughter of Anson and Amity (Smith) Hilliard. Anson Hilliard was also a native of Plattsburg, N. Y., born in 1795, and spent his life in that locality, and died December 1, 1857. He was the son of Joshua Hilliard, who was born in Norwich, Conn., January 7, 1757. According to the records of the War Department at Washington, D. C., Joshua Hilliard served four terms of enlistment in the Continental army during the Revolutionary war, one term of which was in the marine service under Captain Smedley, and he saw service on the Continental brig, "Defense." He was at the battle of White Plains, N. Y. It will be remembered that here it was that Alexander Hamilton distinguished himself as a soldier. Joshua married Mollie Grinnell, a member of the Grinnell family known in the history of this country as a family of explorers. Captain Grinnell,

ABEL CARTWRIGHT AND WIFE

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who fittted out an expedition and went in search of the North Pole, being the distinguished member of this family.

Abel Cartwright, the subject of this sketch, and his wife resided in Plattsburg, N. Y., until 1865, when they went to LaSalle county, Illi- nois. Here they bought 160 acres of land and followed farming until 1903, when they came to Butler county and bought 480 acres of land in Fairmount township. This is one of the fine farms of western Butler county, and makes an ideal home. To Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright have been born the following children: L. N., Whitney, Neb .; Hettie A. resides at home; Truman, at home; Silas, died in infancy ; Mary E., wife of William Hallett, Elbing, Kans .; Albert H., at home; John H., deceased ; Abel C., Jr., deceased, and Sherman A., Moline, Ill.

Mr. Cartwright has been a lifelong Republican and a steadfast supporter of the policies and principles of that party at all times. His life represents an unusually honorable as well as a long career, which might well be emulated by the present and future generations for the benefit of the human race, physically, mentally, and morally.

J. B. Moore, a prosperous farmer and stock raiser of Fairmount township, is a native son of Butler county. He was born in Fairmount township in 1875, and is the only child born to Albert and Jane (Harris) Moore. Albert Moore, the father, was born near Terre Haute, Ind., in 1843, and when about twelve years old went to Iowa with his parents, who settled in Mohaska county. They were very early settlers in that section of Iowa, going there in 1855. Jane Harris, mother of J. B. Moore, was born in Illinois, a daughter of John and Nancy Harris, who went to Iowa when she was a child.

Albert Moore and Jane Harris were married in Iowa in 1870 and the following spring drove through from that State to Butler county, Kan- sas, with a yoke of oxen and wagon. They brought with them all their earthly possessions, which consisted of the emigrant outfit and a few chickens and a pig. The pig and chickens were hauled in a cart behind the regular wagon. It required three weeks to make the trip. When they reached Butler county they homesteaded a quarter section in Fairmount township, which is still the family homestead. During a part of the first summer they lived in the wagons in which they made the trip until they were able to build a small house, which in turn was replaced a few years later with a modern farm residence. Mr. Moore bought additional land, which he added to his original homestead, and became a very prosperous farmer. He died in 1900.

J. B. Moore, the subject of this sketch, was reared on the old home- stead in Fairmount township. and attended the district schools. He ob- tained a good common school education and later attended the Wichita Business College for two years. Mr. Moore was married in 1902 to Miss Nora Worline, a daughter of Marion and Harriet (Evestone) Worline, the former a native of Delaware county. Ohio, and the latter of Illinois. Marion Worline was a son of Abraham and Susan (Wor-

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line) Worline, who, although they bore the same name, were not related. They were both natives of Pennsylvania. They were the par- ents of ten children, nine of whom were born in Pennsylvania and one in Missouri.

When Marion Worline was a young man he went to Fayette county, Illinois, and there met Harriet Eyestone and they were later married. She was a daughter of Martin and Nancy (Loche) Eyestone. The father was born in Germany, but of Welch ancestry, and was brought to Amer- ica by his parents when he was a child, and they settled in Fayette- ville, Ill., where the parents died. Shortly after their marriage. in 1870, Marion Worline and his wife removed to Missouri, and after spending one winter with Abraham Worline, they came to Kansas in 1871 and settled in Butler county and took a homestead in Fairmount township on the northeast corner of section 2, where they engaged in farming and stock raising, and added to their original homestead until they owned 200 acres of land. Mr. Worline became well-to-do and was one of the influential men of the community. He took an active interest in local political affairs, but never aspired to hold political office. He died in 1914 and his widow now resides on the old homestead in Fairmount township. They were the parents of seven children, of whom Mrs. J. B. Moore is the eldest. She was born in Fairmount township in 1874. This will be remembered as grasshopper year, and the Worline family. as well as the other early settlers, suffered greatly from the devastation wrought by these pests of the plains, who devoured and destroyed everything in sight that year. Both Mr. and Mrs. Moore bear the distinction of belonging to two of Butler county's old pioneer families. Mr. Moore is a stanch Democrat, and has always advocated and sup- ported the principles of that party.

William T. Davis, a prominent farmer of Clifford township, is one of the oldest living pioneers of Butler county and has been a witness to the great transformation that has taken place here in the last forty- eight years. Mr. Davis was born in Lewis county, Kentucky, March 18. 1841, and is a son of Thomas and Susan (Cottingham) Davis, the for- mer a native of Virginia and of Irish descent, and the latter a native of Maryland and of Scotch ancestry. The parents were pioneers of Ken- tucky, and eleven children were born to William T. Davis' parents, of whom he was the eighth in the order of birth. The Davis family mi- grated from Kentucky to Missouri in 1848 or 1849 and located in Jack- son county. After remaining there four or five years they removed to Vernon county, where the father died, after which the mother came to Kansas and spent the balance of her life with her sons, Dr. J. V. and WV. T., of this sketch. She died in 1884.

W. T. Davis came to Butler county from Vernon county, Missouri, in 1868 and homesteaded the southwest quarter of section 15, in the Congressional township. which was later called Clifford. He built a log

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cabin on his claim, overlooking what was then known as Davis creek and now called the Whitewater. Mr. Davis was unmarried and lived in his cabin on the plains alone. There was now and then a claimer's cabin to be found here and there, but they were few. Thomas L. Felt- ner and W. H. Avery were his neighbors, but they were a long distance away. The winter of 1868 and 1869 is memorable in the history of Kan- sas for its Indian uprising and rumors of threatened Indian raids were frequent ; in fact, that is about the only kind of news they had in those days. On one occasion some Paul Revere of the plains notified the settlers of approaching hostile Indians, but overlooked Mr. Davis, and while all the other settlers fled to safey he continued to live on, ignorant of his impending fate. Some days before that he had borrowed a plow of Avery, and after plowing his garden, drove over to Avery's place with the plow and found that the door of Avery's cabin was barred and the place deserted. Thinking that Avery had gone to Emporia, a dis- tance of sixty miles, for supplies, which was not unusual, and seeing that Avery's own garden needed plowing, Mr. Davis proceeded to plow it and then took the plow back home with him. But Avery had gone away on account of the Indian scare, and when he returned he told Davis that those Cheyenne Indians were not such bad fellows after all, for they had plowed his garden while he was gone.

The summer of 1868 was dry and the settlers raised little or no crops, and they were hard up the following winter, which was a hard winter, with considerable snow. One day a stranger came to the Davis cabin and said that the trail was so badly drifted that he would like to stay over night. It proved to be Col. William F. Cody, "Buffalo Bill," who at that time was a Government scout and engaged in watching the movements of the Cheyenne Indians, who were making hostile demon- strations. Mr. Davis entertained the famous Indian scout with the best that his table afforded. He had no meat of any kind, but having a supply of meal and flour, he gave his honored guest all the biscuits and johnny cake that he wanted.

When Mr. Davis came here buffalo were plentiful in the locality where he homesteaded, and he has seen a great many herds northwst of his claim, and deer and prairie chickens were in abundance for sey- eral years after Mr. Davis settled here. He was something of a hunter in the early days and made several trips or hunting expeditions over the plains still farther west. While on one of these expeditions south- west of Wichita, he and his two companions, after they had gone into camp one night, heard the warwhoop of a band of hostile Indians, who seemingly had located them, and the hunters proceeded to throw up earthworks and fortify themselves for the impending assault. After they had completed their fortifications they decided that on account of the vast number of Indians they would move farther west. They traveled all night and the Indians did not pursue them, so they escaped once more. The Indians were numerous in this section when Mr. Davis

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settled here, but most of them were friendly nuisances. They were great beggars, but never did any great amount of harm.

Mr. Davis was married in 1874 to Miss Henrietta Dean, a daughter of Culbertson and Elizabeth (Myers) Dean both natives of Pennsyl- vania, the former of English and Irish and the latter of Holland-Dutch descent. Culbertson Dean was a son of Daniel Dean, who removed from Pennsylvania to Illinois in 1847. Elizabeth Myers came to Illinois with her parents when she was fourteen years old. The Dean family came to Butler county in the fall of 1868 and homesteaded on the Whitewater and afterward went to Cedar Point, where the father died in 1873. The mother now resides at Whitewater at the advanced age of eighty-three. To William T. Davis and wife have been born three children, as follows: W. I., Martha Alma and George.

Mr. Davis has been engaged in farming and stock raising ever since coming to Butler county, excepting two years, from 1873 to 1874, when he was engaged in the drug business in partnership with his brother, Dr. J. V. Davis, at Cedar Point, Kans. He owns 160 acres of land and is in comfortable circumstances. Mr. Davis has been a witness to many of the history making events of Butler county and he is entitled to no small amount of credit for the part that he has played in the develop- ment of the "State of Butler."

Joseph P. Liggett, a pioneer stockman and farmer of Butler county, is a native of Ohio. He was born in Zanesville, in 1846. He grew to manhood in his native State, and when the Civil war broke out, he enlisted in an Ohio regiment and served until the close of that great conflict. He then returned to Ohio and was married to Mary Jane Tucker, also a native of Ohio. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Lig- gett remained in Ohio until 1870, when they went to Missouri, and the following year, came to Butler county, Kansas. They drove through from Missouri with a team and prairie schooner, camping nights on the trail. When they reached Butler county, Mr. Liggett pre-empted the southwest quarter of section 6, Clifford township, and proceeded to níake a home for himself and his family in the new country. In those days times were hard, and money scarce, and Mr. Liggett frequently worked out by the day to get money, with which to support his family. He has worked many a day for fifty cents.

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History of Butler County Kansas, Part 90

Author: Mooney, Vol. P Publication date: 1916 Publisher: Lawrence, Kan. : Standard Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 946

Author: Mooney, Vol. P
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Lawrence, Kan. : Standard Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 946