USA > Kansas > Cherokee County > History of Cherokee County, Kansas and representative citizens > Part 40
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he moved with his family to his land in Chero- kee County and continued its cultivation until his death, which occurred in Chetopa in 1896. Mr. Pargen was an industrious, hardworking man, and left a considerable estate as the result of his good management. He was a devout Catholic, as are also the family which he reared. As before stated, he was married in Cleveland, being wedded to Bridget O'Dowd, also a native of County Roscommon, her birth having oc- curred December 28, 1831. After the terrible famine which afflicted Ireland in the early "fif- ties" she and her only brother came to America and located in Cleveland. The brother, John O'Dowd, now resides in Missouri, at the age of 80 years. The subject of this sketch was the eldest of the five sons born to these parents, the others being as follows : Thomas O., yard foreman for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, at Cleburne, Texas; John, a railroad conductor living at Osawatomie, Kansas ; George P., also a conductor and a resident of the same place ; and James S., a twin brother of George P., who is a railroad brakeman residing at San Miguel, New Mexico. The mother of this family died in Cherokee County, Kansas, on her 72d birthday. She was a woman of many superior qualities, and a devout com- municant of the Catholic Church.
Francis O. Pargen is the only member of the family who is not in the railroad business. On the death of his father, he came into the management of the home farm, and later into possession of it, by satisfying the claims of the other, heirs. It consists of the original pur- chase of 280 acres, and a later one of 40 acres made by his mother. Of the 320 acres, 120 are in section 32, township 33, range 22, in Lola township, and the remainder in section 5, township 34, range 22, in Neosho township. Upon settling on the place, 26 years ago, the father built a large two-story frame house, 26 by 26 feet in dimensions, bringing the lumber
from the Indian Territory. For years this was one of the largest farm houses in the county. It was burned to the ground in April, 1896, after which Mr. Pargen erected the pres- ent fine residence. The farm itself is one of the best in the county. All of the land but 60 acres is under cultivation, there is a good orchard on it, and it is all well fenced. A large barn, to- gether with other necessary buildings for stock. puts on the finishing touch to a splendid farm property.
Mr. Pargen's family consists of four chil- dren,-Owen, Leo, John and James. His wife died September 23, 1901. Her maiden name was Ellen Johnson. She was a daughter of Michael and Katherine Johnson, and was born May 10, 1866, in County Roscommon, Ireland.
Mr. Pargen is well thought of in his com- munity and throughout Cherokee County. He has always interested himself in the welfare of his neighborhood, and has served at different times in the unsalaried offices. He has been a member of the School Board for the past 15 years, and has served as justice of the peace two terms. He is a Republican, with a strong leaning towards the union labor idea, having been that party's candidate for county recorder in its first fight in the county. His standing is unquestioned, and he deserves the large measure of respect accorded him.
AMILTON BEEBE LATHROP. One of the beautiful homes in the en- virons of Columbus is that of Hamil- ton B. Lathrop, who owns a farm of 80 acres in section 33, Salamanca township. Mr. Lathrop was born in March, 1834, in Chautauqua County, New York, and is a son of Anson E. and Mary (Beebe) Lathrop.
This family is an old and distinguished one in New England, its founders in America hav-
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ing come to those bleak shores on the "May- flower." Two brothers of this name settled in Connecticut; later the family branches scat- tered into New York, thence into Iowa and still farther West, and now it is well and honorably represented in Kansas.
Anson E. Lathrop was born in New York, and was engaged there in farming and stock- raising until 1850. Then he moved to Iowa and located in Dubuque County, where he con- tinued to farm until the fall of 1865. At that period he sold out there, and bought a farm and other property at what is now Humboldt, in the Des Moines River Valley. There he died in February, 1870, aged 65 years. He first married Mary Beebe, who died in 1848, leav- ing four children,-Catherine, Edwin A., Hamilton Beebe and Francis Marion. Of these, Catherine, born in April, 1828, married Sylvester Dean, and is now a widow, residing at Mitchell, South Dakota. Edwin A., born in September, 1831, accompanied the family to lowa, then went on to California and to Oregon, where he became principal of the schools of Empire City, Oregon. Later, he entered into political life, serving as county clerk for a long time. He accumulated considerable property, and became interested in mining at Baker City. At the time of his death, which occurred sud- denly in his office at Baker City, he was mana- ger of one of the large mining companies of that section. During the Indian disturbances in his carly life there, he did a soldier's duty and was thoroughly identified with that part of the country. His two children also arc deceased. Francis Marion, born in March, 1842, attended college at Hopkinston, Iowa, and on the out- break of the Civil War enlisted in Company I. 12th Reg., lowa Volunteer, Inf., under Lieu- tenant Fowler. He held the rank of sergeant. At Pittsburg Landing, he was taken prisoner, and was first incarcarated at Atlanta, and later at Macon, Georgia, where he succumbed to
the entailed hardships, and died in June, 1862.
The second marriage of Anson E. Lathrop was in the fall of 1849 to the widow of Dr. Averill, a prominent physician who lived near Syracuse, New York. One daughter was born to this second marriage.
The subject of this sketch scarcely remem- bers his birthplace, as he was but a small child when his parents removed from the vicinity of Jamestown to Wayne County, New York, where he grew to manhood. He accompanied the family in 1850, when it removed to Cas- cade township, Dubuque County, Iowa, and re- mained there until 1865. In 1863 he enlisted with the unattached men who were subject to call in case of emergency, the demands of a growing family making it inexpedient for him to enter into active service at that time. In 1865 he settled on a wild tract in Buchanan County, Iowa, which he developed into a fine farm, and remained on it until the spring of 1880, when he decided to take up a tree claim in Spink County, South Dakota. He also ac- quired a homestead here, upon which he re- mained long enough to make it a fine farm, al- though, in order to do so, he and his family were obliged to endure the many hardships of pioneer settlers. In 1894 Mr. Lathrop traded this farm for 255 acres in Union County, South Dakota, and again entered upon the develop- ment of an agricultural property out of a wild prairie. This he succeeded in doing, and in March, 1898, he sold this third farm and re- moved to Cherokee County, Kansas, purchas- ing his present home and farm. He is now retired from active pursuits, in the enjoyment of ample means, and surrounded by all that makes his declining years peaceful and con- tented.
Mr. Lathrop was married in 1856, at Cas- cade, Dubuque County, Iowa, to Mary Elliott, who was reared in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, whence she had removed to Iowa. Three
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daughters and one son were born to them, namely : Minnie Beebe; Viva E .; Frances Marian, and William Anson. Minnie Beebe married a Mr. Andrus, who is a resident of Pueblo, Colorado, where he has been a promi- nent business man for a number of years, and where she has buried her three children. Viva E. is Mrs. Hickman ; she was married in Buch- anan County, Iowa, and now resides in Colum- bus, Kansas, her two children being: Myrtle, a teacher at Empire City, and Byrl, a youth of 10 years. Frances Marian, wife of Frank C. Andrus, a prominent grocer of Spokane, Washı- ington, has one son, Clyde, a high school grad- tate. aged 19 years, and has lost a little daugh- ter. William Anson, who is now a resident of Minneapolis, Minnesota, is an express messen- ger running between Minneapolis and Chicago. His two daughters are deceased, but he has one son, Fred, to still perpetuate an honored name.
Politically, Mr. Lathrop has always been a zealous supporter of the Republican party, since he cast his first presidential vote for Abraham Lincoln, in 1860. Mr. Lathrop was reared a Congregationalist, but is now connected with the Presbyterian Church at Columbus. His long and useful life has been replete with in- terest, and as he is a man of most retentive memory and gentle courtesy, a visitor feels that lie has been abundantly entertained during a few hours' conversation with the subject of this sketch. He is well known in Columbus and vicinity, and is universally esteemed.
ILLIAM D. BROWN, who proba- bly owns the best home in Neosho township, Cherokee County, and for many years has enjoyed easy circumstances, has seen many trials and hard- ships since he first came to this locality. He was born in Montgomery County, Indiana,
September 19, 1846, and is a son of Matthew and James (Graves) Brown.
Matthew Brown was born in Kentucky, July 3, 1812, and died in Kansas at the age of 74 years. He accompanied his parents when 15 years old, to Indiana, where he followed mer- chandising and stock dealing, and continued this after moving to Marion County, Iowa. He was very successful and possessed considerable capital, which he invested in property in Chero- kee County, Kansas, in 1871. He was a Re- publican in politics, and fraternally was a Ma- son. He married Jane Graves, who was born in Randolph County, North Carolina, October 29. 1819, and still survives, making her home with the subject of this sketch. This venerable lady is probably one of the oldest residents of the county. She was the mother of 10 chil- dren, William D. being the only surviving son. Two of his sisters were killed in a cyclone, soon after the family settled in Kansas.
Mr. Brown remained with his parents in Iowa until he enlisted for service in the Civil War. In the spring of 1864, he entered Com- pany A, 33rd Reg. Iowa Vol. Inf., and served under Captain Price and Colonel Mackey, par- ticipating in the battles of Saline River, Arkan- sas; and Mobile, Alabama. The rest of his term was taken up in scouting expeditions, in which he took part in a great deal of skirmish- ing. On two occasions he was sent to the hos- pital, spending about six months there in all, and was finally honorably discharged on Sep- tember 19, 1865, from the 34th Iowa Regi- ment, to which he had been transferred.
In 1871 Mr. Brown accompanied his par- ents from Marion County, Iowa, where he had lived since he was six years old, to Cherokee County, Kansas, driving the whole distance, which consumed four weeks. The father took the large family, plenty of household goods . and seven of his fine horses with him, one of the latter being valued in Iowa at $500. A
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small frame house was hastily built on the tract of 160 acres of government land first secured, and for a time prospects seemed encouraging. Then came the grasshoppers and the chinchi- bugs, and all the growing crops were totally destroyed; five of the fine Iowa horses died, and, worse than all, a terrific cyclone blew down the house and in its wreck killed two of the children. It required courage, indeed, to retrieve these losses, and to discern any hope in the future.
Mr. Brown has made all the improvements on his present farm in section 1, township 34, range 22, which he operates as a stock farm, and on which he keeps 60 head of fine grade cattle. This place is well known and univer- sally admired. Mr. Brown has set out orchards and shade trees of all kinds and, under changed climatic conditions, it is but remotely possible that the disasters of the past could be repeated here.
On March 6, 1890, Mr. Brown was mar- ried to Nora Tetrick, who was born in Kansas. They have one son,-William Lloyd. Mr. Brown is one of the leading members of the Republican party in his township, and is now serving liis fifth term as trustee. For the past 29 years, he has been a member of the School Board, and takes an interest in all public affairs. He belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, the Grand Army of the Republic and the Anti-Horse Thief Association.
HARLES M. HORD, a retired farmer of Cherokee County, and a promi- nent resident of Columbus, where he has built a beautiful residence, was born in 1862 at Marion, Marion County, Ohio, and is a son of Peyton and Mary J. (Hutch- inson) Hord, natives of Rockingham County,
Virginia, and Franklin County, Ohio, respect- ively.
Peyton Hord died in 1875, leaving seven children, namely : Charles M., Thomas B., Addie, Bailey, Laura H., Amaziah and Jennie M. Thomas B. Hord is a very prominent busi- ness man of Central City, Nebraska. He owns about 20,000 acres of land, and is a large, inde- pendent feeder of cattle and raiser of stock. He is also the president of a bank. Addie, deceased, was the wife of Rev. D. M. Harris, who was formerly located in Crawford County, Kansas. Bailey is deceased. Laura H. is the wife of Charles D. Juvinal, and lives in Spring- field, Ohio. Amaziah is deceased. Jennie M. is the wife of James B. Guthrey, a capitalist of Marion, Ohio.
The subject of this sketch remained in Ohio until he was 20 years of age, and his life has been mainly devoted, until his retirement, to handling stock and to other agricultural pur- suits. He spent two years on cattle ranges in Wyoming and three years in Nebraska, and came to Cherokee County in 1888. He re- mained upon his farm, situated within a mile of Columbus, until 1902, since which time he has enjoyed the comforts of his city home.
In 1887 Mr. Hord was married, in Ohio, to Millie Johnston, who was born in that State, and is a daughter of the late Dr. Johnston, of Bucyrus, who conducted a drug store there for more than 50 years. The business is continued by Mrs. Hord's brother, the father having died in 1900.
Mr. Hord is a Mason, having membership in the Blue Lodge at Columbus, while his wife is with him a member of the affiliated organiza- tion,-the Order of the Eastern Star. He is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. In religious connection, Mr. Hord is a Baptist, while Mrs. Hord is a Presbyterian. She is a member of the Topeka Chapter, Daughters of the American Revolution, being
MR. AND MRS. JOHN GRAY
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the only lady from Columbus that enjoys that distinction. Her brother is a member of the Sons of the Revolution.
OHN GRAY, one of the prosperous and highly respected farmers of Mineral township, where he owns a well culti- vated farin of 160 acres, was born in 1845, at Tewksbury, Massachusetts. He is a son of Jonathan and Phœbe ( Batchelder) Gray.
Jonathan Gray'died August 15, 1845, when his son, John, the youngest of the family of nine children, now the only surviving member of the family, was less than a year old. Tlie mother was born at Reading, Massachusetts, and died at Tewksbury, aged 52 years. After the death of Jonathan Gray, the State of Mas- sachusetts bought his property, which was ad- vantageously located for public purposes, and thereon erected the State Alms House, where it still stands.
John Gray continued to farm in his native locality until 1863, when lie enlisted for service in the Civil War, entering the 15th Massachu- setts Battery. He was mustered out when the war closed, in 1865, at Readville, Massachu- setts. In 1867 he went to Illinois, and there rented land for seven years, during which period he married. In 1873 he made a visit to Kansas, and finally purchased his present farm of 160 acres, in section 28, township 32, range 24, in Mineral township. In the following year he brought his family and has resided here ever since. He is engaged successfully in gen- eral farming, raises considerable stock, has fine orchards and excellent buildings and, in fact, has all the pleasant and convenient surround- ings which years of industry and good manage- ment have naturally procured. Many and great have been the' changes wrought in Mineral
township since his settlement liere, and he has done his full share in bringing about some of the most desirable of them. The children of Mineral township have, to-day, as good educa- tional opportunities and business chances, as have those of any other section of the country. For seven years Mr. Gray served on the School Board, and he has taken an interest in all pub- lic measures which have been of substantial benefit to this locality.
At Chebanse, Illinois, in 1870, Mr. Gray married Ellen Radley, who was born in In- diana. They have had nine children, viz: Martha, born in Illinois, who married Rev. J. H. Carter, a minister of the Methodist Church, in Washington, and has three children,-Beu- lah, Caroll and Forest; Lizzie, born in Illinois, who married Roy Duncan, and lives in Pleas- ant View township; Nellie, born in Kansas, who married D. C. Eakin, and has twin chil- dren,-Ralph and Ray ; John G., born in Kan- sas, who married Alta Johnston; Edith, who died in infancy ; and Lucy, William E., Tressa and Harry, all of whom were born in Kansas, and live at home.
In politics, Mr. Gray is a stanch Republi- can. He belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic, and was a charter member of the post in Chebanse, Illinois. He is one of the substantial farmers of this section, and one of its enterprising, progressive and representative citizens. Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Gray ac- company this sketch.
ILLIAM HENRY BARRETT, a large land owner and a prominent coal operator of Cherokee County, was born in 1857 in England, and is a son of Thomas M. and Mary Ann (Sampy) Barrett.
Thomas M. Barrett was born in Ireland in
19
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1835, and during the whole of his active life fol- lowed coal mining, first in his own country, and later in Pennsylvania and Kansas. He now lives a retired life at Weir City. His wife clied in Weir City in September, 1883. These parents had a family of nine children, of whom the survivors are,-William Henry; Bartholo- mew, who married Bridget Phillips; Thomas ; Josepli; Mary; and John, who married Ola Adams.
William Henry Barrett has been identified with coal mining ever since he was 11 years of age, beginning at the mouth of the pit, and going through all grades and degrees until he became an operator on leased land, and finally the owner and operator of great shafts of his own. There is little about the whole business, from every standpoint, with which Mr. Barrett is not acquainted. He accompanied his parents to America in 1860, and grew to manhood at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. He followed mining there until he was 22 years of age, and then came to Kansas. He became an operator of coal mines in Cherokee township, Cherokee County. He has accumulated a large amount of land, aggregating 900 acres here, some of which he rents for farming purposes, and the rest le devotes to coal mining, operating the shafts himself. He owns mines in other locali- ties, some in Crawford County and some in Arkansas. He has mainly centered his interests in this business, and outside affairs and political office cannot tempt him from a field of activity in which he is master.
In 1881, Mr. Barrett was married to Kate Walsh, who was born in Canada, reared in Ohio, and came to Cherokee County, Kansas, with her parents, who settled at Scammon, in Mineral township. Mr. and Mrs. Barrett have four children, all born at Weir City, Kansas, namely : Thomas, Mary, Kate and William.
Mr. Barrett's success in life must be attrib- uted to his persevering industry and excellent
management. He started out in life as a poor boy, who had enjoyed few educational advan- tages. Now he is one of the capitalists of one of the leading counties of the great State of Kansas. Such success teaches a lesson to those who care to heed it.
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DWIN ST. GEORGE NOBLE, who for a quarter of a century has been one of the prominent citizens and business men of Galena, has long been identified with the lead and zinc interests of this section and is at the present time presi- dent of the Galena Light & Power Company. He was born in County Meath, Ireland, in 1842, and is a son of Rev. Robert and Catherine (Burrowes ) Noble.
Rev. Robert Noble was married October 25, 1833, to Catherine Burrowes, eldest daughter of Rev. James Annesley Burrowes, whose wife, Catherine Stock, was a daughter of Joseph Stock, D. D., Lord Bishop of Killala. Mrs. Noble was co-heir of Edward Smyth, Esq., of Callow Hill, County Fermanagh, Ireland, and a grand daughter of the Ven. James Smyth, Archdeacon of Meath, whose wife Catherine was a daughter of the Most Rev. John Vesey, Archbishop of Tuam. Mrs. Noble was born in County Sligo, Ireland, in 1809, and is still living at the advanced age of 95 years. She is a sister, of the late Judge Burrowes of Kings- ton, Ontario. Rev. Robert Noble, father of our subject, was born August 29, 1796, and died October 2, 1870. He was a prominent clergyman in the Church of England, and for a period of 40 years was rector of Athboy Parish, County Meath, Ireland. He and his wife became parents of a large family of chil- dren, among them being: William Henry, de- ceased ; John D'Oyly, mayor of Petrolea, On- tario: Edwin St. George, subject of this biog-
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raphy ; Robert D'Oyly, who was born July 6, 1846; Helen Catherine, who was married Au- gust 18, 1863, to Rev. Graham Craig, rector of Tullamore, and a son of Stewart Craig, Esq., of Banbridge, County Down, Ireland; Emily Mary, who was married May 25, 1864, to Robert Stewart Craig, Esq., son of Stewart Craig, Esq., of Banbridge, County Down, Ire- land; and Maria Louisa, who was married April 7, 1877, to her first cousin, Edmond Noble Waller, Esq., third son of James Noble, Esq., of Allenstown, County Meath, Ireland.
A wedding that occurred June 14, 1904, at St. Catherine's Church, Tullamore, is of partic- ular interest as the contracting parties are closely related to the Noble family. The occa- sion was the marrige of Helen Mary Stewart Craig, a daughter of Most Rev. Dean Craig, to Capt. Robert Annesley Craig of the Royal Ar- tillery. Commander A. W. Craig was best man, while the bridesmaids were Miss Sybil Noble, a daughter of Gen. William Henry No- ble, R. A., and a cousin of the bride, and Miss Muriel Toles-Durrow Abbey. The officiating clergyman was Most Rev. Dr. Keene, Lord Bishop of Meath, assisted by Rev. R. S. Craig and Rev. R. M. Craig. The costumes of the bridal party were creations of art, the decora- tions of the church superb, and withal it was an occasion long to be remembered by those for- tunate enough to be present. The bride's pres- ents were princely and included jewels of great value.
Gen. William Henry Noble, R. A., eldest son of Rev. Robert and Catherine ( Burrowes) Noble, was born October 14, 1834. He re- ceived the degree of M. A. at Trinity College, also the degree of LL. D. He served as a lieu- tenant in the Royal Artillery and saw service in both hemispheres. He fought through the Afghan War, but will best be remembered as superintendent of gunpowder factories at Woolwich. During his tenure of that office
he made numerous improvements in the manu- facture of prismatic gunpowder, was the author of many books on military subjects, and an in- ventor of many scientific instruments relating to military manufacture. He died in the serv- ice May 17, 1892, at that time ranking as gen- eral in the Royal Artillery. On July 11, 1861, he was united in marriage with Emily Mar- riott, eldest daughter of Frederick Marriott, Esq., of Taunton, Somersetshire, England, and this union resulted in the birth of seven children.
John D'Oyly Noble, second son of Rev. Robert and Catherine (Burrowes) Noble, was born November 17, 1835, and as early as 1862 came to America, locating in Canada. He was a vessel owner on the Canadian lakes until 1866, when he located at Petrolea, Ontario, as an oil operator. His first oil well yielded 266 barrels per day for three months, when a disas- arous conflagration caused by the carelessness of an engineer of a neighboring well destroyed his and some 20 other wells. The flames spread over 10 acres of oil-saturated ground and leaped 100 feet high, the fire lasting two weeks. Mr. Noble then with others inaugurated a sys- tem of underground storage tanks, which they connected by pipe lines with the different re- fineries. He is one of the most enterprising oil producers of Canada, having been managing director of the Petrolea Oil Company, vice- president of the Petrolea Crude Oil and Tank- ing Company, vice-president and managing director of the Crown Warehousing Company, and is a large stockholder in each. He lias consolidated all of his oil interests with others into a company known as the Canadian Oil Fields, Limited, and by bringing them under a single management has effected a great saving in running expenses. He has sunk and operated in all, over 300 wells, and has given employment to hundreds of men. Mr. Noble was appointed delegate to the first petroleum congress, which was held at
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