USA > Kansas > Cherokee County > History of Cherokee County, Kansas and representative citizens > Part 34
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The first great event in the life of Mr. Sad- ler was the Civil War, in which he took an active and honorable part, bearing the scars of battle upon his body to this day. He enlisted in Henry County, Iowa, in September, 1861, as a private in Company F. 4th Reg .. Iowa Vol. Cav., Captain Winslow commanding. He saw service in Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Missis- sippi, Louisiana and Tennessee, and was mus- tered out December 12. 1864. He is one of the survivors of the dreaded Libby Prison, where he spent some time as the result of cap- ture during the operations about Vicksburg. In a sharp skirmish which occurred about 25 miles from Helena, Arkansas, he received five bullet wounds, and for many weeks was inca- pacitated for service. With the exception of his prison life and this hospital experience, lie was in the saddle during the entire period of his service.
Returning to Henry County in 1866, he there married Annie E. Smith, a native of Philadelphia, and in 1869 came to Cherokee County.
Upon the arrival of Mr. Sadler in Cherokee County in 1869, he immediately selected the claim which now constitutes his farm. This was unbroken prairie and the task of subduing it has been his life work. How well it has been done is evidenced by the many improvements on his farm. all of which are of a substantial character, the whole tract bearing evidence of the hand of an expert in agriculture.
Mr. and Mrs. Sadler are the parents of seven children, as follows: Sidney F., a far- mer of Crawford township, who is married; Lenford S .. a farmer of Crawford township. who is also married; Vinnie (Mrs. M. E.
Cowell), of Crawford township: and Cora. Clytie. Scott and Winslow, who are children at home.
Mr. Sadler's political affiliations are with the Republican party ; although not a politician in any sense of the term, lie has never failed to take an active part in the local contests. In the trying times of the early "nineties." when the Reform party was at its best, the need of a strong ticket caused the leaders of the party to urge upon him the nomination for county treasurer, and in the election which followed he was chosen to that office. He served with credit during the term of 1891-92, and turned over the office to his successor in most credit- able shape.
Fraternally, Mr. Sadler holds membership in the Grand Army of the Republic, John A. Dix Post, No. 59.
With a well spent past and no cause for financial worry in the future. the subject of this sketch bids fair to spend the remainder of his days amid the felicitations of his hosts of friends, who esteem him most highly for his true worth and merit.
D ANIEL EDWARDS, one of the highly respected citizens of Ross township. Cherokee County, Kansas, died on his well cultivated farm June 19.
1899. He was born in Cumberland County, England, January 8, 1847,and was a son of Daniel and Elizabeth Edwards.
The parents of the late Daniel Edwards were honest, worthy, industrious people, the mother coming from an old Cumberland fam- ily, and the father, from one in Lancaster. They had six children, namely: Margaret, Tamer, Daniel, Thomas, Elizabeth and James.
Although the subject of this sketch was a man of more than usual intelligence and of ex-
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cellent business capacity, he had but limited educational advantages in his youth, as he started to work in the coal mines when but a child of nine years. In 1869 he came to Amer- ica and worked at various places before coming to Cherokee County, in 1879, spending some years at North Lawrence, Stark County, Ohio. After his marriage he settled in Mineral township, Cherokee County, and, after be- ing engaged for a time in mining, bought 80 acres of land in section 36, town- ship 32, range 23, in Ross township. He had all the improvements to make here, as it was wild prairie land when he settled on it. He did some farming, but coal soon being found under his land, the develop- ment of this great commodity rewarded him better than agriculture. His knowledge of mines and mining assured him of much more than a competency, when he put down what is now known as the Edwards shaft on his farm, in 1899. This mine is worked with a force of from five to 14 men, and its output is very sat- isfactory. Mr. Edwards was a very hard- working man, and did not live to see how really valuable his property was to be.
In 1879, Mr. Edwards married Mary Shaw, who was born at Stockport, Cheshire, England, and is a daughter of James and Martha (Gib- bons) Shaw, with whom she came to America in June, 1863. They located at North Lawrence, Stark County, Ohio. Her mother died at Pig- eon Run, in that county. The father came to Kansas and spent his last years here. They had three children,-John, who is a retired en- gineer at Weir City; Mary (Mrs. Edwards) ; and Wright, of Massillon, Ohio.
Eight children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Edwards, namely: Jolin Albert, who died in Ohio; Ida Martha, wife of John McGregor, who farms the Edwards liomestead; Cora Eliz- abeth, who died in Ohio; Daniel Wright, who died in 1898; Nellie Belle, deceased, and Della
Estelle (twins), of whom the latter became the wife of William Earl, of Ross township; Wil- liam Walter, who is mining on the home place ; and James Thomas, who is at home. Mr. Ed- wards was a member, as is his wife, of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In politics he fa- vored the Populist party. Fraternally, he for- merly belonged to the order of Odd Fellows.
Mr. Edwards was a man of the highest in- tegrity. He was well known to a large number of people. In his home he was beloved and re- spected, being a loyal, loving husband and care- ful father, whose ambition it was to train up his children to be good men and women. He was a man of a great deal of character. He had earned all his possessions, and valued them as the result of his industry, but he was always ready to help those in need, and gave largely to charity.
ICHAEL HUGHES, one of the well known citizens and prosperous farmers of Cherokee County, re- siding on a finely cultivated and improved farm of 160 acres in section 8, town- ship 32, range 24, in Mineral township, was born April 18, 1863, in St. Clair County, Illi- nois, and is a son of Luke and Ann (Costello) Hughes.
Michael Hughes, the paternal grandfather, for whom the subject of this sketch was named. was born in Ireland and came in 1848 to Amer- ica, where both he and his wife subsequently died. Luke Hughes, was born in Ireland in 1829, and accompanied his parents to America in 1848. They settled in Pennsylvania, where Luke Hughes worked in a foundry for three years, and then moved to Wisconsin, where he worked in a blacksmith and foundry establish- ment. He was subsequently employed for about 10 years in the same business at St. Louis. He removed to Wyandotte, Kansas, in 1868, and
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several years later began to assist in railroad construction work, on a line then building. Thus he continued until he purchased the farms on which he and his son now reside. His own farm of 160 acres, lo- cated in the northeast quarter of sec- tion 9, township 32, range 24, he bought in 1887. He is a very highly respected citizen, and one of the oldest settlers in Mineral town- ship.
In 1857, Luke Hughes married Ann Cos- tello, who was born in Ireland. They had II children, the survivors being : Fannie, Michael, Daniel, Joseph and Edward. James died De- cember 31, 1903.
Michael Hughes was nine years old when his parents came to Kansas, and his whole life since then has been devoted to agricultural pur- suits. His finely cultivated farm of 160 acres was given him by a very indulgent father. This he has improved, and here carries on gen- eral farming with most satisfactory results.
In 1891 Michael Hughes was married to Maggie McArdel, and their interesting family of five children were all born in Mineral town- ship. They are named as follows: Patrick, Edward, Phillip, Frances and John. Politically, Mr. Hughes chooses to vote independently. He is a member of the Anti-Horse Thief Associa- tion. Mr. Hughes belongs to one of the old families of the township, and bears the reputa- tion of being one of a family of extraordinarily good farmers, as well as first-class citizens.
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6 EORGE M. FISHER, formerly ac- tively engaged in business at Colum- bus, but now retired, is one of the self-made and substantial men of Cherokee County, and owns a fine farm of 320 acres in Crawford township. He was born in Huron County, Ohio, November 12, 1838, and
is the only son of Benjamin and Jane (Curran) Fisher, natives of New York and Massachu- setts, respectively. The parents of Mr. Fisher died in Ohio in 1889, the mother, in January, and the father, in October. They had two daughters, one of whom is deceased, and the other, Charlotte, is Mrs. Edward Lincoln, of Sandusky, Ohio.
George M. Fisher received a good, com- mon-school education. He left home at the age of 18 years to seek his fortune, not wishing to learn his father's trade of stone cutting and bridge contracting. After working for the American Express Company for a short time at Richmond, Indiana, he went to Xenia, Ohio, to work for the same company, and later was located at Lafayette and Fort Wayne, Indiana. He spent seven years as express messenger on the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Rail- road. After leaving the express business, he continued in railroad work, spending four years with The Pullman Company, and four years with The Central Transportation Com- pany, on the sleeping car line, running first from Crestline, Ohio, to Altoona, Pennsylvania, and then from Crestline to Chicago; he was later transferred to the run between New York and Chicago. Following this service, he be- came a freight conductor on the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad and remained with this company until he went into business at Col- lins, Ohio. There, with his brother-in-law, he conducted a general store until 1884. when he came to Cherokee County, Kansas.
On coming to this county, Mr. Fisher first engaged in a meat business at Columbus, which he sold when he was employed by Special Dis- bursing Agent A. T. Lea, of Columbus, to as- sist in enumerating all the Indians concerned in the listing of the land sales of 1888-89, in Da- kota. The list included 20.578 Indians, and Mr. Fisher inscribed all the names in both the English and Indian languages,-a task that re-
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HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COLLY
quired for its completion a period of two years and four months. Mr. Fisher returned to Co- huummbus when the work was accomplished. in January, 1892.
Mr. Fisher was married at Galion, Craw- ford County. Ohio, to Jennic Neff, who was born at Bucyrus, but reared at Galion. She is a daughter of Henry and Isabelle ( Bucking- ham) Neff. Her father was born in Pennsyl- vania, and died in Ohio, in 1884, and her mother was born in Maryland, and died in 1882. Mrs. Fisher was one of eight children and is the only survivor, except a brother. James L. Neff, who is now one of the best paid and most efficient engineers on the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railway, with which he has been connected for 35 years. his home being at Galion, Ohio. James L. Neff enlisted in the Civil War at the age of 19 and served through the whole struggle.
Mr. and Mrs. Fisher have three daughters and two sons, namely: Carrie, Benjamin H., Georgia, Frederick and Kathryn. Carrie, who resides in Kansas City, Missouri. with her two children, Georgia and Louise, is the widow of Sherry W. Marshall, who was receiving teller of the National Bank of Commerce of Kansas City, Missouri, at the time he was accidentally killed by the cars, on December 8, 1901, at La Cygne, Kansas. Benjamin H. Fisher, who is a graduate dentist, has lived during recent years in Portland, Oregon, but is now with a party en route to Alaska on a prospecting tour. Georgia married Asa Lca, and has one child,- Sherry E. ; they reside in Kansas City, Missouri, where Mr. Lea is manager of the Ancient Or- der of Pyramids, of that city. Frederick, who was a member of an Oregon battery in the Spanish-American War, lives in Columbus, Kansas, where he is a machinist and general mechanic. Kathryn lives at home with her parents. Mrs. Fisher is a member of the Pres- bytcrian Church, to which Mr. Fisher gives a
liberal support. Politically, he is a Republican. while his social connection is with the Order of the Triple Tie, at Columbus, of which his wife is also a member.
A ARON LYERLA, a former well known farmer of Cherokee County. whose farm was in sections 9 and 16. Shawnee township, died April 3. 1892. He was born in Union County. Illinois. February 28, 1850, and was a son of Solomon and Delilah (Williams) Lyerla. The Lyerla family were among the pioneer settlers in Illi- nois, having moved to that State from North Carolina at an early day. Aaron Lyerla's grandfather moved to Jackson County, Illinois. form the Old North State. bringing all he had in a two-wheel ox cart.
Solomon Lyerla was born in Jackson Conn- ty, Illinois, and remained on the home farm until about the time of his marriage, when he entered a tract of land and engaged in farming. He continued adding to his property, which was situated in Union County, until he became an extensive land owner for those days. This property he sold about the year 1859, and bought a 360-acre farm in Montgomery Conn- ty, Illinois, where he lived until his death. He was a justice of the peace for many years, in Union and Montgomery counties. He was married twice, and II children were born to his union with Delilah Williams, his second wife. Of these, the following grew to matur- ity : Jacob, a resident of Montgomery County, Illinois : Calvin : William R .. who is engaged in farming in Shawnee township. Cherokee County ; Richard, of Montgomery County. Illi- nois; Mary Jane, wife of P. W. Plyler, of Montgomery County; Sarah Ann, deceased. who was the wife of Frank Sellers: Margaret E., wife of William Redmond, of Montgomery
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County : Solomon, of Jackson County, Illinois ; and Aaron. The parents of the subject of this sketch were members of the Christian Church.
Aaron Lyerla spent the first nine years of his life on his father's farm in Union County. Illinois, and then moved with the family to the Montgomery County farm, where he grew to manhood, becoming familiar with all kinds of farm work. There he remained, following the occupation of farming. until 1883, when he moved to Kansas, and located on a 160-acre tract which he had purchased. Four years afterward he returned to Ilinois, and managed his mother's farm until the time of his death.
A stanch Democrat, Mr. Lyerla always voted the ticket as set forth by that party, yet did not take a prominent part in political affairs. Fraternally, he affiliated with the Masons, hiav- ing become a member of that order in his native State. He was a consistent member of the Christian Church, in which he was a faithful worker.
In 1872 Mr. Lyerla was married to Sarah Catherine Sellers, a daughter of Samuel Sellers, of Montgomery County, Illinois. Four chil- dren were born to this union, all of whom are living. They are as follows: Adah Heletha (Mrs. Fay Stone), of Villa Ridge, Illinois ; Eva Delilah (Mrs. Earl Bray), of Joplin, Mis- souri; Elsie Addie Euphemia (Mrs. Arthur Gibson), now living at Messer, Kansas; and Walter S., living on the old home place. Mrs. Lyerla's father was born and reared near Day- ton, Ohio. Although much of his time was spent in doing farm work, he was a carpenter by trade, and at intervals followed that occu- pation. Although not a politician, he took some interest in politics, always voting the Demo- cratic ticket. He married Ruth Isaruah Moniah Isabelle Buchanan Beck, a daugh- ter of John Beck. Of the seven children born to them, six are now living, name- ly : Sarah Catherine, widow of the sub-
ject of this sketch: Euphemia Alice ( Mrs. William R. Lyerla), of Shawnee township. Cherokee County ; Andrew Preston, of Deca- tur, Illinois ; Melvin Powell, living at Grand Junction, Colorado; Amasa Erastus, of Illi- nois ; and Samuel Wesley, of Grand Junction. Colorado. Mrs. Sellers was a member of the Christian Chuch. Her death occurred during the Civil War. in 1864. The father is still liv- ing. hale and hearty, at the age of 77 years. His home is in Coffeen, Montgomery County. Illinois.
Mrs. Lyerla resides on the 160 acres origin- ally purchased by her husband on his arrival in Kansas. It is good, rich farm land, much of it under cultivation, and with the assistance and good management of her son, Walter S., who lives on the farm, it brings forth all the products of the average farm. As is the cus- tom of large land holders in this part of the country, a part of the farm is rented out.
A L. F. WILLIAMS. county attorney of Cherokee County, was born at Ap- pleton City, St. Clair County, Mis- souri, in 1876, and is a son of L. A. and Jennie (Wylie) Williams.
The father of Mr. Williams, who was de- scended from Irish and Welsh ancestors, was born in Illinois, and reared ucar Cairo. He re- moved to Missouri where he married, and fin- ally located in Columbus, Kansas, where he was engaged in the grocery business with his son- in-law. C. W. Van Zandt. He continued thus until about two years prior to his death, in May, 1901, at the age of 52 years. His wife still survives, and is a resident of Columbus. She has one daughter, Mrs. Edith Van Zandt, who is a singer of note, and has taught and studied music extensively. Mrs. Van Zandt has had the advantages of being a pupil of Madam Clagett, who studied under Patti.
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When our subject was a child, his parents located at Lamar, Missouri, and there he grad- uated from the high school and subsequently taught a term of school in Barton County. Then he went into the newspaper business at Mountain Grove, Missouri, where in 1894, he conducted a paper for seven months. He re- turned to Lamar in 1895, and was on the edi- torial staff of the Barton County Republican for 12 months. He also spent some months in the law office of Thurman & Wray at Lamar, and later was in the office of C. D. Ashley, of Columbus, Kansas. On October 10, 1896, he located at Columbus, and was admitted to prac- tice in 1897, in which year he was employed in the offices of the county clerk and county treasurer.
On May 2, 1898, Mr. Williams enlisted for the Spanish-American War as Ist lieutenant of Company F, 22nd Reg., Kansas Inf., U. S. Vols., and accompanied the regiment to Topeka and to Leavenworth, and to Camp Alger, Vir- ginia. Ile crossed the mountains into Penn- sylvania, returning six months later as regi- mental quartermaster on the staff of Col. H. C. Lindsay. of Topeka. He then began his law practice at Columbus, and in April, 1899, was elected city attorney, on the Republican ticket. He was reelected in the spring of 1900. Soon afterward he formed a law partnership with C. A. McNeill, under the firm name of McNeill & Williams, which continued until he became county attorney of Cherokee County. To this office he was elected on the Republican ticket in November, 1902, by a majority of 252, indicating a change of more than a thousand votes, as compared with previous elections. IJe is without doubt the youngest prosecuting attorney in the State, and his county furnishes more criminal litigation than any other in the State, with the possible exception of two. In July. 1902, Mr. Williams opened a branch
office at Weir City, which is now really his home.
In addition to his successful practice of the law, Mr. Williams has shown unusual business ability and is one of the leading spirits in a prosperous enterprise which has its headquar- ters in Columbus. This is the Western Cigar & Tobacco Company of Columbus, incorpo- rated December 19, 1902, by C. A. McNeill, Al. F. Williams and W. W. Bowers, with a capital of $2,000. In January, 1904. the busi- ness was reincorporated with a capital of $5,000. While the controlling interest is held by Mr. McNeill and Mr. Williams, there are now about 40 stockholders, and its board of officers is as follows : C. A. McNeill, president ; Dr. C. S. Huffman, vice-president ; Al. F. Wil- liams, secretary and treasurer: and W. W. Bowers, general manager. The traveling rep- resentative is W. M. Frogue, who covers Southeastern Kansas, Oklahoma and a part of Missouri. The company employs 40 people and turns out 125,000 cigars monthly, the lead- ing brands being the "Hoo-hoo," a five-cent cigar, and the "American Dignitaries," a 10- cent cigar. The success of this business has been almost phenomenal, and reflects the great- est credit upon the foresight, energy and ability of its founders. Fraternally, Mr. Williams belongs to the Grand Lodge of Kansas Knights of Pythias, the Odd Fellows. Elks, Eagles and Woodmen of the World. Religiously, he fa- vors the Methodist Episcopal Church.
HARLES H. BETTY, one of the later settlers of Cherokee County, lives on a farm of 160 acres, in section 19. Shawnee township. He is a native of Montgomery County, Illinois, where he was born June 11, 1859. His parents were Isaac and Louisa (Allen) Betty, both natives of
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Smith County, Tennessee, where both grew to maturity and were married.
Isaac Betty lived at home until his marriage, when he rented a farm and engaged in farming for himself for several years as a renter. In 1849 he removed to Montgomery County, Illi- nois, and there remained until his death, which occurred in 1891, at the age of 72. Before his removal from Tennessee, he enlisted in the army for the Mexican War, and served faith- fully to the end, participating in many skir- mishes and in the battle of Buena Vista. He married Louisa Allen, a daughter of Archibald Allen, of Tennessee, and granddaughter of Ar- chibald Allen, a soldier of the War of 1812, who participated in the battle of New Orleans. They had eight children, seven of whom are living, namely: Caroline, wife of Thomas Gray, of Montgomery County, Illinois ; Fran- cis, who is married and lives in Shawnee town- ship, Cherokee County ; Robert, of Oklahoma ; William, who lives near Spokane Falls, Wash- ington ; Alonzo. of Illinois: Charles H .: and Amanda, who lives with our subject.
Charles H. Betty received such schooling as the schools of his native county afforded. He remained at home until the age of 27, OCC11- pying himself with the labors of the farm. In 1887 he came to Kansas, and purchased the farm of 160 acres where he now resides. Four years after taking up his residence in Kansas, he married Mary Atkinson, who was born in Columbus, Cherokee County, and is a daughter of J. C. Atkinson. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Betty are : Russell C., born July 2, 1893 ; Irven, born February 17, 1895: Mirten, born December 9, 1896; Alonzo J., born January 25, 1898; Willis R., born September 6, 1899: Jesse N., born October 22, 1900; and Wilbert D., born May 26, 1903.
Mrs. Betty's father, J. C. Atkinson, was born in Indiana in 1836, and came to Kansas
when very young, being numbered among the State's early settlers. A farmer all his life, he acquired enough of a competency to retire from active work in later years. His wife was a widow, whose maiden name was Sarah Caldwell. The only child of her first marriage was Eva (Mrs. Emanuel Jenkins), of the Indian Territory. To the marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Atkinson seven children were born, five of whom are living, as follows: Flora (Mrs. Young), of Hillside, Indian Territory ; Ada, wife of Joseph Hampstan, of Shawnee township, Cherokee County ; Fannie, wife of William Mantonia of Crestline, Cherokee County ; Mary, wife of our subject ; and Marena, wife of William Adams, of Ralston, Oklahoma.
Mr. Atkinson was a member of the Society of Friends, as is also his daughter. The Atkin- son family is of English descent, the great- grandfather having migrated from England to America. The grandfather was Robert Atkin- son, a native of Indiana. Mrs. Atkinson, the mother of Mrs. Betty, died September 25, 1881.
Mr. Betty has a fine farm for gardening purposes, and raises large quantities of garden produce. Of the small grains, corn is his prin- cipal crop, most of which he feeds to the stock raised on the farm. Our subject prides him- self on the fine melons he raises, large numbers of which are placed on the market each year. Several tincs, at the Old Settlers' Reunions, he has exhibited his produce in competition for the prizes offered, and the size and good quality of his exhibit have won the prize each time.
Mr. Betty, though not taking an active in- terest in politics, always votes a straight Repub- lican ticket, and at all times stands for the prin- ciples of his party. The family is well and favorably known in the locality and are held in the highest respect and esteem by all who know them.
INSTORE OF CHEROKEE COUNTY
TOPHIEN I. WALKER. junior com- ber of the law firm of Skidmore & Walker, of Columbus, was born June 22, 1873, in Cherokee County, Kan- sas. and is a son of Arcenith F. and Lucinda 1. ( Le Grand ) Walker.
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