USA > Kansas > Cherokee County > History of Cherokee County, Kansas and representative citizens > Part 28
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County, settled in Cherokee township and both died here. Mr. and Mrs. Callahan have had 14 children, namely: Agatha, a Sister in Mount Saint Scholastic Academy, at Atchison, Kan- sas ; Daniel ; Josie, also a Sister in Mount Saint Scholastic Academy : Eva ; Rosauna, who died aged 17 months ; and James, George, Charles, Mary, Chloe, John, Annie, Florence and Paul. These children have all been carefully reared. as members of St. Bridget's Catholic Church at Scammon. In politics Mr. Callahan votes with the Democratic party, but he is not an office seeker.
Mr. Callahan takes a just pride in what he has accomplished by years of personal industry. What he owns he has earned - honestly earned,-and during this time he has also won the respect and esteem of his fellow citizens. His word is as good as his bond, and he finds the hand of friendship extended to him on every side. He is one of the good citizens and good men of Ross township.
J HI. BAXTER, M. D., a prominent physician and surgeon of Columbus, where he has been located since 1875, was born in Shelby County, Indiana, November 30, 1848. He is a son of James M. and Lydia A. ( Rozelle) Baxter.
James M. Baxter was born in Kentucky, where he grew to manhood and obtained an excellent schooling, and where he also learned the trade of bricklaying and masonry. This he followed for five years in his native State, be- fore he had attained his majority, at which time he moved into Indiana. He followed con- tracting in the "Hoosier" State, and built many of the important buildings at Shelbyville and other points. He was interested in public af- fairs from boyhood, being at one time one of but three who subscribed for a newspaper in
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his native township. His scholarly attainments and his oratorical powers caused him to be in great demand in political campaigns, and he was also called upon to serve in many of the local offices, and as justice of the peace.
Mr. Baxter was married twice, both times after settling in Indiana. His first marriage was to a Miss DeWitt, of Kentucky, who at death left three children, of whom the only survivor, Phoebe, is a resident of Los Angeles, California. The second marriage was to Lydia A. Rozelle, who was born in Indiana, and died in 1879, at Columbus, Kansas, aged 60 years. Seven children were born to this union, four of whom died in infancy and carly childhood. Dr. Baxter has one surviving sister, Mrs. L. P. McAdams, of Scammon, Cherokee County. Another sister, Mrs. Mollie E. Graves, died at his home in Columbus in 1901. The father of this family died in Rush County, Indiana, aged 42 years.
The death of his father, when he was but seven years of age, placed heavy responsibilities upon the subject of this sketch and his boyhood was spent not like that of many, in search of innocent amusements, but was devoted to every, kind of employment by which he could earn something to add to the family purse. After leaving the public school, he secured academic advantages at Ladoga, Indiana, and began teaching when 17 years of age. Thus by alter- nate teaching and school attendance, up to his 24th year, he managed to spend two years in the Christian University at Indianapolis, and later, in 1875, was graduated at the Louisville Medi- cal College. Since then he has enjoyed many special courses, graduating at Bellevue Hospital Medical College, New York, in 1884, and in 1890 taking a special course in the Eye and Ear Infirmary there. In 1892 he took a special course in Homeopathy at St. Louis, thus equipping himself in every possible way for the scientific practice of his noble profession.
Dr. Baxter's settlement at Columbus was something in the nature of an accident. After graduation, while looking about for a suitable location, he advanced to met an old acquaint- ance, Jonathan Hunt, of Martinsville, Indiana, formerly sheriff of the county, who interested him in the new town of Columbus, in Cherokee County. It resulted in Dr. Baxter settling here, and he was the first physician to establish himself permanently at this point. He has grown into the confidence and affection of the people, and has performed some wonderful surgical operations.
Dr. Baxter was married at Columbus to Eva G. Shepard, who is a daughter of the late Col. D. F. Shepard, who come here from Fort Scott. The Colonel built the first four mill at Fort Scott, hauling the machinery from Kansas City with ox teams. Dr. and Mrs. Baxter have had three children, two of whom died in child- hood. The survivor, LeRoy, is a young man of brilliant promise. In 1898, he graduated at the Columbus High School, and then spent five years in the Kansas State University, where he was graduated in June, 1902. He is now attending the medical department of the University of Chicago, being in his second year.
Politically, Dr. Baxter is a Republican. He has taken an active part in civic affairs, having served on the School Board for 14 years, and having been from 1878 to 1880 county superin- tendent of the public schools. For eight years he has been a member of the pension board. He was one of the early members of the South- eastern Kansas Medical Association, which has been absorbed by the State organization. Fra- ternally, he is an Odd Fellow, and joined the Masons in Indiana ; he is also a member of the Columbus lodge of the Knights of Pythias. Since boyhood he has been a member of the Christian Church. A portrait of the Doctor accompanies this brief review of his life.
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ILLIAM E. BROOKS, one of the most successful of the pioneer far- mers of Neosho township, Chero- kee County, owner of what is known as the "Forest Fruit Farm," was born in DeKalb County, Illinois, October 14, 1844, and is a son of Henry E. and Samantha (Meade) Brooks.
The Brooks family was established in Ver- mont, about the time of the Revolutionary War, by four brothers, of Welsh-English ex- traction. The name is variously spelled in dif- ferent sections, one branch adopting the forni of Estabrook. The father of our subject spent his early life as a ship-builder, on Lake Cham- plain, but later removed to Illinois and subse- quently to Iowa and finally, in 1867, came to Cherokee County, Kansas, and died in Chau- tauqua County at the home of his son, John Brooks, at the age of 80 years. He was a large farmer and stock-raiser and owned several ex- tensive tracts of farming land in Cherokee County. He married Samantha Meade, who was born near Dayton, Ohio, and was a cousin of Gen. George B. Meade who gained distinc- tion during the Civil War and was the hero of Gettysburg. Mrs. Brooks died in Iowa at the age of 72 years. Their children were: John, a resident of Chautauqua County, Kansas ; William E., our subject ; Mrs. Jane Nugent, of Iowa City, Iowa; and Mrs. Laura Wool- wine, of Waterloo, Iowa.
William E. Brooks was reared in Illinois until 1853, when he accompanied his parents to Black Hawk County, Iowa. They located on a farm near Waterloo, and there our sub- ject attended the district schools and assisted his father on the farm until 1861, when he of- fered his services, although but a boy of 17, to his country, enlisting on November 19th, in Company I, 16th Reg., Iowa Vol. Inf., under Col. Alex. Chambers. Mr. Brooks was dis- charged on November 16. 1864, but served
until April, 1865. These years of danger, hard- ship, sickness, imprisonment and excitement changed the sturdy young farmer boy into a grizzled veteran, with a record for courage, valor and fidelity. He participated in many of the hardest fought battles of the war, including Pittsburg Landing : siege of Corinth and bat- tle of Corinth ; Iuka ; siege of Vicksburg ; and the battle of Kingston, North Carolina, in 1865.
Mr. Brooks was also a member of General Sherman's army that made the memorable "March to the Sea." At Atlanta, Georgia, he was unfortunate enough to be taken prisoner : he was sent to Andersonville Prison, where he was kept for two of the longest months of his life. On September 22, 1864, he was ex- changed at Rough and Ready Station, near Atlanta, and was then sent to the convalescent camp at Chattanooga, Tennessee, in order to be treated for prison scurvy which had infected his wounded leg. This terrible imprisonment reduced his weight from 160 to 107 pounds. Upon recovering sufficiently, he was detailed to Block House, No. 14, Chickamauga Creek. It was while located here that he liad some amusing adventures. Being detailed as quar- termaster of the Block House, it was incumbent upon him to look after the commissary, and this entailed considerable skirmishing through the enemy's country. While on one of these expeditions lie became acquainted with a fam- ily of Confederate sympathizers by the nine of Knowles. They were probably hospitable Southern people of great kindness of heart, for they took pity on Mr. Brooks and invited him and his partner to dine with them and en- joy the festivities of Christmas Day. Youth is youth, and, as there were young ladies in the family and as such tempting offers came but seldom in their lives at that time, the two young Union soldiers did not hesitate long before ac- cepting. The occasion was also an old-fash-
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ioned quilting party and all the maidens of the neighborhood had gathered, according to cus- tom, and the succeeding festivities were at their height, about 10 o'clock in the evening, when they were startled by the rattle of sabres con- ing over the rail fence. Mr. Brooks and his companion for a few moments felt they had been betrayed and prepared to defend them- selves from what they supposed a posse of Con- federate soldiers. In answer to a loud demand at the door, they met the intruders with pointed revolvers, but fortunately did not shoot, as the two visitors, when stripped of their Confeder- ate coats, showed the Union blue beneath and disclosed the fact that two other Block House men were also out seeking recreation.
In February. 1865, Mr. Brooks reported to his regiment at Goldsboro, North Carolina, although his term of enlistment had expired four months previously. While camped at Vicksburg, in 1863, a member of Crocker's brigade, many forms of amusement were tried by the weary and homesick soldiers, and Mr. Brooks was never behindhand in thinking up new ones. The place where they were located had many Confederate arsenals in the vicinity, and the Union soldiers were in the habit of amusing themselves by exploding the cannon cartridges they found there. For various rea- sons this amusement did not find favor in the eyes, or ears, of General Crocker, and he gave orders that the next offender should be dealt with. The tents were wedged together, with bunks of poles stretched two feet from the ground and a plank passing through to serve as a table. As may be imagined, one of the greatest discomforts of these small dwellings were the swarms of flies, which in Southern countries amount to intolerable pests. Upon one occasion when Mr. Brooks came into his tent, he saw his companion lying apparently asleep, while the flies were holding a kind of
carnival. With the best intentions in the world, he decided that at least one tent should be freed from them and set about his prepara- tions accordingly, by pouring molasses in the middle of the tent table and surrounding it with a goodly amount of powder from a six- pound cartridge. When the molasses seemed to have attracted every fly under the tent cur- tains, he reached inside, with a lighted paper, and it is his conviction that the tent went at least 60 feet in the air. Fortunately Mr. Brooks' tent-mate was only blackened with the powder and nearly frightened to death, but probably not more so than Mr. Brooks himself, as he was completely dumbfounded by his suc- cess. Doubtless many other members of the old 16th Iowa can recall the incident.
Mr. Brooks returned to Iowa after the close of the war and farmed there until 1869, when he followed his father to Kansas, accom- panied by his wife and one child. The jour- ney was made in 22 days in a prairie schooner, which served as a home until he completed a log cabin, 12 by 14 feet in dimensions. He purchased a tract of 160 acres of land, half of which he later gave to his children. It is well located, in section 1, township 35, range 22, in Neosho township, and has rewarded him well for the labor and expense he has put on it. Trading his team for a yoke of oxen, he began to break his land on June 15, 1869, but after two days of plowing found he could do noth- ing more that season on account of the rains setting in. He then hauled coal from the Neosho River and surrounding territory to Baxter Springs, receiving 25 cents a bushel. When winter set in he went with his cattle to the woods, procured hickory and maple, and fashioned ax-halves and ox-yokes, receiving 35 cents for the former and $2.50 for the lat- ter, averaging $5 a day. Although he could earn this amount by being industrious, the
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price of living was proportionately high, for he paid $9 per hundred for flour, 30 cents a pound for meat and $2 a bushel for corn. Kan- sas City was the nearest railroad point and a tri- weekly mail passed from Baxter Springs to Chetopa. Deer were plentiful in those days and he went on many hunting expeditions with J. A. R. Elliott, a champion shot of the world, who married his niece and now lives in Kansas City.
For some years Mr. Brooks has devoted himself to the raising of corn and hogs. He set out a fine apple orchard of 60 acres, has a large evaporator and cider press and gives much of his attention to the growing of fruit. He has also five acres of forest trees, there being more on his quarter section than on any other farm in the county, and it deserves the name of the "Forest Fruit Farm." In 1900 he built a new and modern home and now has one of the best houses in the township.
On December 30, 1867, Mr. Brooks was married to Sarah Jane Tallman, who was born in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, November 16, 1843, and is a daughter of John R. and Jane (Corson) Tallman, both natives of Penn- sylvania. They have had four children: Jo- seph, a teacher of music, located in Colorado; Mrs. Alice Owens, of Neosho township; Rosa, who died at the age of two years ; and John, who lives on a farm adjoining that of his father.
Mr. Brooks has been treasurer of the town- ship for two years, elected on the Republican ticket, but in political matters he is independ- ent. For a number of years he served as a school officer. Fraternally he has been an Odd Fellow and a Woodman, and in the latter organ- izationi still continues. He has also been a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and of the A. H. T. A.
Being a great lover of music, Mr. Brooks in 1882 organized a band of 16 members,
which for 16 years was the leading band of the county. He still maintains for pleasure and local pasttimes an orchestra of five pieces.
ON. BENJAMIN F. HOGG. The death of Hon. Benjamin F. Hogg, at Pasadena, California, on November 13, 1896, removed one of Cherokee County's large capitalists, and a citizen who had distinguished himself as a soldier, as a local public official, and as a wise legislator. Mr. Hogg was born at Lyndonville, New York, April 23, 1842, and was a son of George and Abigail ( Reynolds) Hogg.
The Hogg family is of Scotch extraction, the grandparents of the late Mr. Hogg coming to America from Scotland and settling in Phil- adelphia. Later they moved to Lyndonville, New York, where George Hogg and his wife spent their lives. They had nine children, two of whom died in infancy. Five still survive, all of whom are residents of the Empire State except one, Adam, who resides at Lawrence, Kansas,-he is the father of Prof. Archibald Hogg, who is a member of the faculty of the State University of Kansas.
The late Benjamin F. Hogg attended the common schools, where he prepared for a useful career. The outbreak of the Civil War changed his plans and probably turned the whole current of his life, as it did that of many another young and loyal youth of those stirring days. In the fall of 1861 he enlisted in Com- pany I, 104th Reg., New York Vol. Inf., in which he served without injury until the dread- ful slaughter of Gettysburg, where the gallant young soldier lost a hand. Subsequently he was honorably discharged. For several years following this disaster, he served in State offi- cial life, as an officer of the Soldiers' Ilome at Albany, and later in the New York City Post Office, under Postmaster James.
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After his marriage, in 1869, he moved with his wife to Cherokee County, first locating in Pleasant View township, but later moving to Mineral township. His natural ability was shown in the success which met his endeavors in farming and stock-raising. He became the owner of much rich farming land, aggregating 560 acres, 480 acres of which are still owned and managed by his widow. Almost from the period of his settlement in Cherokee County, Mr. Hogg took an active and intelligent inter- est in political life and devoted his time. strength and means to the advancement of such legislation as seemed to him likely to pro- mote the welfare of his adopted State and County. In 1880 he was elected by the Demo- cratic-Populist party to the State Senate, where for four years, by pen, voice and influence, he faithfully served his constituents.
On June 28, 1869. Mr. Hogg was married at Franklinville, New York, to Julia A. Searle, who was born in New York, and was one of a family of II children. Her parents were A. D. and Jane M. (Scott) Searle, both of whom were born in America, of German and English ancestry, respectively. Mrs. Hogg is the only member of her family residing in Kansas. One brother, Judge D. B. Searle, has been a resi- dent of Stearns County, Minnesota, for the past 15 years. Another brother, Frank, is a prominent attorney of New York City, and the others all reside in the vicinity of the old home.
Mrs. Hogg has three children, viz : Abigail J .. who is at home; John, who is connected with the Citizens State Bank of Joplin, Mis- souri; and James, who is associated with the Continental Creamery Company at Topeka. The last named completed the law course at the State University of Kansas, and was ad- mitted to the bar. John attended the State University, and Abigail J., the State Normal School at Emporia. Mrs. Hogg, who is a highly cultivated lady, is a graduate of the New York
State Normal School at Albany. In the man- agement of the large interests left in her care, she has shown admirable judgment and busi- ness sense. She is a valued member of the Presbyterian Church in Columbus, and both she and her daughter belong to the city's ex- clusive social circles.
The death of Mr. Hogg took place while sojourning in California, where he was in search of health, a change of climate having for some years been found necessary. He left be- hind many who appreciated his excellent qual- ities of mind and heart, and felt that his demise was a great loss to the county, with whose de- velopment he had been so long and prominently identified.
EORGE F. SOUDER, a farmer re- siding in section 6, in Salamanca township, is one of the very oldest settlers of Cherokee County, and a gentleman whose influence has been powerful in molding her institutions. Mr. Souder is a "Buckeye" by birth, having been born in Fair- field County, Ohio, on March 14, 1839.
It was on May 10, 1869, when Mr. Souder. accompanied by a Mr. Tice and another gen- tleman, drove up to the town-site of Columbus, having made the trip from Tipton, Missouri. They were in search of a place to locate, and after some figuring with Hannibal Scovel, one of the two merchants then at that point, Mr. Souder purchased his stock, together with the northeast quarter of the section upon which the town-site was located,-the geographical cen- ter of the county being the southwest corner of this quarter. The purchase price of the goods and land was about $1,500. The location of the building was about the center of the west side of the square. A Mr. Lewis conducted a store on the northeast corner of the square, and these
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two establishments did the business of the whole section at that time.
Mr. Souder conducted the store for a time, and then sold out. The land he cultivated for about six years, building a house and improv- ing it otherwise. In 1875 he traded the farm for the one he now owns. When this came into his possession, it had a small house of four rooms and a bit of orchard, and but four acres of it were broken out. This was little better than virgin prairie, so that the splendid farm he now owns is the product of his labor and intel- ligent management. Besides the quarter sec- tion, he has an 80-acre tract adjoining, and in Ross township he also owns a tract of 225 acres. About four years ago, Mr. Souder built the large and modernly appointed house in which the family now resides, the whole con- stituting one of the best farm properties of the county.
Frederick and Agatha (Kirns) Souder were the parents of the subject of this sketch. Both were natives of Germany and both had been previously wedded. They remained in the "Fatherland" until 1838, when they crossed the ocean in a sailing vessel. Landing at New York, they immediately removed to Fairfield County, Ohio, where they settled on a farm near Lancaster. When Mr. Souder was a lad of seven years, the family moved to Fort Ball, Seneca County, Ohio. Several years later, they moved to a farm in the western part of the same county, where they resided the re- aminder of their lives. Mr. Souder had six half-brothers and three half-sisters. A full- brother, Adam Souder, now resides at Fostoria, Ohio.
The subject of this sketch was reared for the most part in Fort Ball, now known as Tiffin, Ohio. He received a common school education, and remained at home until his mar- riage, in Tiffin, to the lady who has been his faithful companion and helpmeet,-Sybilla
Fruth. Mrs. Souder is a native of Seneca County, Ohio, and is a daughter of George and Margaret (Shubach) Fruth, natives of Ger- many. Soon after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Fruth removed to Seneca County; they are now deceased ; a daughter is still living at the old homestead. Mr. Souder followed farm- ing in Ohio with good success, owning at dif- ferent times several farms, all of which were improved and sold to advantage. He served the government for a time during the war, in the barracks at Lima, Ohio, but was not in serv- ice in the field. Since coming to Kansas, he has devoted himself exclusively to farming. He is not one of those that fear the recurrence of drought, holding that wet weather has done Kansas more damage than the lack of moisture.
Mr. and Mrs. Souder have reared seven children, as follows: Lucy M., wife of E. C. Hicks; William, who died in Ohio when three years old; Adam, who died in Cherokee Coun- ty at the age of 14 years; George, who died in Cherokee County at the age of nine years ; W. H., operating and residing on the home farm, who married Anna Bergman, and has six children, ---- Gladys, George, John, Anna, Albert and Ralph; Charles A., a farmer of Ross township. Cherokee County, who married Birdie Reesman, and has three children, -- Henry, Lyle and Cleda; and Anna, who died on the home farm when a child of six years.
E. C. Hicks, son-in-law of Mr. Souder, owns a 120-acre farm in section 6, Salamanca township, and 80 acres in section 1, Lola town- ship. He was born at Tremont, Illinois, in 1859. He is a son of Elah Hicks, now of Coal Center, Pennsylvania. Mr. Hicks came to Cherokee County with his parents. He learned telegraphy at Columbus, and spent about 20 years in the service of railroad companies, being with the Missouri Pacific for years at different points. He is independent, in politics, and is a member of the Masons ( Blue Lodge and Chap-
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ter), and of the . O. U. W., I. O. O. F., and the O. R. T. Mr. and Mrs. Hicks have had four children,-Edna; Gladys; Archie; and Lee, who is now deceased.
The above constitutes a brief review of one of Cherokee County's best families. Mr. Sou- der takes little part in politics ; he is a Populist, in principle, but reserves the right to vote inde- pendently. He belongs to the German Evan- gelical Church. The esteem in which he and his family are held throughout the county is universal.
J OHN MCLAUGHLIN. Among the early settlers of Cherokee County. Kansas, the late John Mclaughlin took a prominent part, for he was a man of sterling traits of character, a promoter of all enterprises undertaken for the public good, and one, who, while working for the wel- fare of his family, remembered the claims of education and morality. He was born in Coun- ty Derry, Ireland, December 22, 1825, and died on November 29, 1874, in Cherokee Coun- ty, Kansas. His parents were William and Mary (Patterson) Mclaughlin.
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