USA > Kansas > Cherokee County > History of Cherokee County, Kansas and representative citizens > Part 52
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Mr. McDowell has been connected with the organization of many of the industries and the founding of many of the institutions in Colum- bus and none of these gives him more satis- faction or more redounds to his credit than the results from his earnest efforts in the estab- lishment of the Methodist Episcopal Church, now one of the largest religious bodies of the
city. Few men are better known in Cherokee County and few in public life have met with more tokens of genuine esteem.
AMES T. SMALL, president of the J. T. Small Lumber Company, of Scam- mon, and one of the county's promi- nent and influential citizens, whose portrait accompanies this article, was born in Miami County, Ohio, in 1836, and is a son of John and Margaret ( Betson) Small.
John Small spent his whole life in Ohio, where he died at the age of 85 years. He was a successful farmer, and was called upon to occupy local positions of trust and responsi- bility. His wife, whose memory is cherished by the subject of this sketch with the greatest affection and gratitude, died also in Ohio, at the age of 95 years. They reared seven sons and two daughters to maturity. Four of these still survive, namely: Martha A., widow of Daniel Sutton; David B .; James T .; and Lewis C.
James T. Small has had a most interesting career, and by tracing the gradual steps by which an ambitious youth overcame obstacles and perseveringly conquered adverse fate, a lesson may be learned by those similarly situ- ated. Mr. Small was born before the school privileges, now thrust upon the alien child as soon as he touches our shores, were within the reach of the common plowboy, and thus it was that he had reached the years of his legal ma- jority, without having had any educational ad- vantages, whatever. Although his father seems to have been a man of consequence in his local- ity, and the possessor of lands and stock, little provision was made for the education of the children. To his mother the youth turned, and she, with the maternal affection and sympathy which make mothers what they are, brought
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out a few hoarded gold pieces, and thus gave him a chance to attend the winter sessions of school in the neighboring town. His summers were devoted to farm work as usual, but in the winter, he willingly walked to the town in the morning, and back in the evening, three miles each way. He thus continued to attend school at Piqua, Ohio, and subsequently, by cutting logs and splitting rails, obtained the means to continue in the high school, his great desire being to gain sufficient knowledge to secure a certificate entitling him to teach. This he ac- complished, and taught his first term of school near Sidney, receiving for this service $25 a month.
After the closing of his school term, he returned home and again worked hard and at- tended school, but this proved too much of a drain on his health, and he was obliged to change his methods for a time. However, an- other examination was in view, and this he later passed by means of the same hard toil. He then secured a school three miles from home for a five months term, and walked to school and back every day. Finally he went to Day- ton, Ohio, and in that vicinity rented a farm of 30 acres, on which he raised corn and to- bacco. In the following fall, he secured a school in Montgomery County, which he taught about nine months, his remuneration being $40 per month. This was gratifying, as it was an advance on his former pay, but his pupils were not very intelligent. The work was not in the least inspiring, and he returned to farming, continuing thus until the outbreak of the Civil War. Mr. Small was one of the first to offer his services, but the state of his health caused him to be rejected by the recruiting officer, and he returned to Montgomery County and se- cured a school at $60 a month, which he taught three terms. In 1862 he joined the Ohio Na- tional Guards, and in the spring of 1864 accom- panied his regiment when it was ordered out
for 100 days' service. His command had charge of Fort Federal Hill and Fort Marcy, as long as the danger of invasion was imminent. He returned for another term of school in Montgomery County, and in 1866 was married. After his marriage, he settled down on a rented farm in Miami County. This he operated dur- ing the summer, and taught school during the winter, for three years. Just about this time, the agents and prospectors of Western lands aroused the whole East as to the desirability of the country west of the Mississippi River as place for settlement, and Mr. Small, ever am- bitious and progressive, was easily convinced. He sold his property, and prepared to move to one of the newly opened regions of what was then considered "away out West." Before the time of departure came, however, his mother- in-law, fearing for the personal safety of her daughter and her grandchildren, made so many objections, and submitted so many valid rea- sons against the removal, that Mr. Small gave it up for awhile. As he had sold his property, he rented another farm, which he operated in connection with teaching.
In 1872, Mr. Small removed to Cherokee County, Kansas, and joined his brother-in-law, WV. A. Wheatley, who had previously settled in Pleasant View township. Here Mr. Small settled on a section of land which was favorably located, but for which he could get no title for seven years, as the trouble between the Land League and the railroads was then at its height. The "pros" and "cons" of this conflict need not be discussed here as they are matters of State history.
Doubtless the little family many times re- membered the comforts of the old home in Ohio, as they were subjected to unaccustomed hardships, always incident to the settlement of a new country, and in this case made worse by the intrigues of the "land jumpers" and the depredations and threats of the still savage In-
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dians. In time, however, more settlers ven- tured into this goodly land, who took chances and secured farms after much trouble. The little settlement grew, fear was banished and law prevailed, and Mr. Small continued to peacefully and successfully pursue his agricult- ural operations until he gave up farming, in 1890.
For a time he remained at Baxter Springs, assisting his brother-in-law in his lumber busi- ness, and for a short time connected with a grocery store. Then he located at Scammon, Mineral township, and went into the lumber business for himself. Shortly afterward, he added a stock of furniture, hardware and builders' supplies, and built up a large business, which by 1895 required the admission of a partner. He accordingly associated with him his son-in-law, T. B. Pryor, the firm name be- coming, J. T. Small & Company. In the fol- lowing year the firm opened a lumber yard, furniture store, and builders' hardware store at West Mineral. The concern prospered to such an extent that, in 1903, it was incorpo- rated as the J. T. Small Lumber Company. The officers of the concern are: James T. Small, president; Charles Switzer, vice-presi- dent and general manager of the West Mineral store; T. B. Pryor, secretary; and Alonzo Robb, treasurer. The business has a most en- couraging outlook, and is a testimonial to the enterprise, courage and ability of its founder. In its conduct and expansion, he has shown the same perseverance which marked his course as a youth, in the pursuit of his education.
Mr. Small's marriage to Hannah Wheatley took place in 1866. She was born in Mont- gomery County, Ohio. They have four chil- dren, namely: Emma R., born in Ohio, who married David Mackie, Jr., and has two chil- dren,-Elsie and Mabel. both born at Scam- mon; Mabel E., born in Ohio, who married Thomas B. Pryor, and has one child,-Irene,
born in Scammon; Mary, born at Baxter Springs, Kansas; and Herbert E., who was born in Pleasant View township, Cherokee County.
Mr. Small and his family attend the Pres- byterian Church. He was one of the pioneers in establishing a church and Sunday-school in Pleasant View township, and has always taken an active interest in its affairs. The family is also prominent socially.
RANK R. McGREGOR, the accom- modating real estate agent at Baxter Springs, and a business citizen in the insurance line, was born in Kendall- ville, Noble County, Indiana, August 19, 1866, and is a son of Capt. Robert P. and Martha (Baker) McGregor.
The McGregor family is of Scotch extrac- tion, the name being still identified, after hun- dreds of years, with some of Scotland's best military representatives and its highest politi- cal and social circles. The grandfather of our subject crossed the Atlantic, from Scotland, in 1834, and settled at Montreal, Canada. His two sons, Robert P. and Adam, were born in the Dominion.
Capt. Robert P. McGregor was born at Toronto, Canada, July 4, 1835. His educa- tion was received there and when he had at- tained his majority he came to the United States, locating at Kendallville, Indiana, where he followed the trade of a painter and paper-hanger. He enlisted for service in the Civil War, and became captain of Company B, 152nd Reg .. Indiana Vol. Inf., and served three and a half years until the close of the war. He served mainly under General Grant, but was with General Sherman in the "March to the Sea." Captain McGregor returned to Kendallville after the close of the war, and
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resumed his business there until 1877, when he removed to Baxter Springs, Cherokee County, Kansas, where he resided until his death, in 1897. He was one of the organizers of the Bordertier Brigade, which has since been changed to the Inter-State Reunion Associa- tion and was its quartermaster and general manager until his decease.
Captain McGregor was twice married, first to Martha Baker, a daughter of Alpheus and Mercy Baker, of Vermont and New York, re- spectively. Our subject was the only child of this marriage. The second union of Cap- tain McGregor was with Eliza Moore, and one daughter,-Mary,-is the survivor of their three children.
Captain McGregor was past commander of the Grant Army of the Republic post at Bax- ter Springs ; a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen : Select Knights; Patriarchs of America ; Select Friends and the Legion of Honor. He was a man highly respected by all who knew him and a representative citizen of Cherokee County. He also served a term in the State House of Representatives at Topeka.
Our subject obtained his education in the public schools of Baxter Springs and Colum- bus, and at the age of 18 years began his train- ing under his father in painting and paper- hanging and assisted in the filling of many large contracts. He continued in this work until 1901, when he entered into the insurance busi- ness and later was appointed agent at Baxter Springs for the Adams Express Company, which he filled until August 22, 1904, when lie gave up the agency to engage in other business.
Politically, Mr. McGregor is a Republican. and he has held the office of constable. He also served as quartermaster-general of the Inter- State Reunion Association for two years after the death of his father. He is very prominently identified with the Knights of Pythias, Knights and Ladies of Security, Ancient Order of
United Workmen, Select Knights and Ladies and Sons of Veterans and in all the organiza- tions has held many of the offices. Mr. Mc- Gregor has by strict attention to his business made and held friends with people of all politi- cal parties and has the confidence and good will of all.
RS. MARY m NEWTON, widow of the late William Carroll Newton, is one of the old pioneer settlers of Cherokee County, com- ing here in 1866, and she has resided on her farm of 160 acres in section 8, township 34, range 23, in Lyon township. for almost 40 years. Mrs. Newton was born in North Caro- lina, December 14, 1830, and is a daughter of James and Mary ( Foster) Carroll.
The father of Mrs. Newton was born in Virginia and died in Tennessee, and her mother was born in North Carolina, and died in Ar- kansas. They lived many years in Tennessee. Mrs. Newton had four brothers and one sister.
Mrs. Newton was a babe in arms when her parents moved to Tennessee and located some five miles distant from Paris, and there she grew to fair young womanhood, and in 1851 married William Carroll Newton. Mr. New- ton was born near Paris, Tennessee, February II. 1828, and died in Lyon township, Chero- kee County, Kansas, March 13, 1894. Soon after their marriage the young couple drove overland to Marion County, Arkansas, and en- gaged in farming there until the outbreak of the Civil War, when they again fitted up their conveyances and made a second overland jour- ney in search of a new home. After a short time spent in Illinois, they continued on their way until they reached a point in Kansas, opposite St. Joseph, Missouri, where they spent the win- ter of 1865 and in the spring of 1866 entered Cherokee County. Mr. Newton took up a
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claim of 160 acres in section 8, township 34, range 23, in Lyon township. The first summer in Kansas was spent in a tent, but by the time cold weather came on a cosy shanty of logs, 16 by 18 in dimensions, was ready for occupancy.
Those were busy days for all members of the pioneer family. The father managed to break his land the first summer, but this was only a small part of his work. The family was kept supplied with food as turkeys and prairie chickens were very plentiful and an occasional deer could be killed, but in order to get other supplies a week or 10 days was the shortest time that could be made in the round-trip jour- ney between his home and Carthage and Springfield, Missouri. He went as far as Fort Scott to get his meal ground and Kansas City was the nearest railroad center. When Mrs. Newton receives the government official at hier door with her mail she can not help recalling the days when a long trip to Baxter Springs had to be made, through almost a wilderness, to get the letters and papers. Mr. Newton was a good farmer and a very industrious man, and Mrs. Newton materially assisted by her cheerful bearing of hardships and contriving to make the family comfortable by those little expe- dients a tender mother alone knows.
The 10 children born to this marriage were : Seely Elizabeth (Mrs. Thornton), of Nevada, Missouri, who has five children ; James Jasper, who died aged 21 years ; Mrs. Maria Narcissa Dennis, of Cherokee County, who has two chil- dren ; Mrs. Parelee Turner, who has three chil- dren and resides on the homestead with her mother : Miranda Clementine (Mrs. C. E. Mar- lette), of this county; Solomon D., of this county, who has five children; Frances (Mrs. Willie Frank), of Cherokee County, who has five children; William, of Cherokee County, who has two children; Lulu, a successful teacher for the past 12 years, who lives at
home ; and Mrs. Orpha McEwen, of Cherokee County.
Mrs. Newton has a happy, united family, the greater number of whom are settled near in homes of their own. She has 20 grandchil- dren and three great-grandchildren and they find much entertainment in the stories she can tell of the early days when Indians were her most frequent, if unwelcome, visitors.
Mr. Newton was a Democrat politically and fraternally was a Mason. He was a member of the Baptist Church and an honest, upright man, a devoted husband and a loving father.
AMUEL LIFTON HURLBUT, one of the leading citizens of Pleasant View township, residing in section 24, township 32, range 25, and the owner of 320 acres of land, was born in Mason County, Illinois, October 13, 1864, and is a son of Lewis G. and Matilda (Till) Hurlbut.
The father of our subject was born in Con- necticut, not far from Hartford, and died in Pleasant View township, Cherokee County, Kansas, November 28, 1903, aged 78 years. By trade he was a machinist, which he followed in Pennsylvania and later in Illinois. In March, 1866, he removed his family to Kansas, taking up a claim of 160 acres in Pleasant View township, on which he lived until his death. For some years prior to this event, he lived re- tired and spent his time visiting with his chil- dren, passing his last eight years with a daugh- ter, Mrs. Henrietta Maxey, of Hamilton, On- tario. He was one of the oldest settlers of the township, and in his day, a man of much promi- nence. He married Matilda Till, and they reared five children, viz : Dexter M., of- Waco, Missouri : Harry, of Vesta, Arkansas; Charles M., of Pleasant View township; Henrietta, of
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Hamilton, Canada; and Samuel Lifton, of Pleasant View township. The parents were consistent members of the Christian Church.
Samuel Lifton Hurlbut was two years old when his parents came to Kansas, and he has a very vivid recollection of pioneer times in Cherokee County. He assisted in improving and cultivating the home farm of 160 acres until his marriage, and then bought a farm of 160 acres for himself. To this he later added 160 acres and continued to operate this large body of land until 1891, when he rented it and since then has been interested in land and emi- gration work for the Southern Pacific Railroad Company.
In 1879 Mr. Hurlbut married Effie May Flinckinger, who is a daughter of William and Eliza (Buchanan) Flinckinger, and they have three children: Elvin Millar Herbert, Edith Pearl, and Gladys Gwinne. Mrs. Hurlbut is a member of the Christian Church.
The father of Mrs. Hurlbut was born in Perry County, Pennsylvania, in October, 1825. He came to Kansas in young manhood and set- tled near Emporia, in Lyon County, where he still lives, occupying the claim which he staked out when he had no neighbors except Indians. He always remained friendly with the savages and found that they responded readily to kind- ness and were entitled to be as fully trusted as many of the white settlers. For some years he was engaged in freighting from Emporia to Colorado, and on many occasions he took part in buffalo hunts. As one of the representative men of the locality, he was elected to office, and served for a considerable period as county commissioner. In 1864 he married Eliza Ann Buchanan, and they had three children, of whom Mrs. Hurlbut is the only survivor.
The Buchanans were early settlers in Mis- souri, and Mrs. Hurlbut's grandparents were farming people on Spring River. There the maternal grandmother still lives, at the age of
87 years, strong and well, having survived all her children. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Hurlbut have flowing in their veins the blood of some of the best pioneer stock of this sec- tion.
Mr. Hurlbut has been the means of attract- ing much capital and many homeseekers to this section. He is one of the well known and much respected citizens. He belongs to Colum- bus Lodge, A. F. & A. M. ; the Modern Woo.1- men of America camp, of Carl Junction : ard the Anti Horse Thief Association.
EORGE STOSKOPF, one of the prominent citizens of Spring Val- ley township and the owner of a fine farm in section 18, 'township 35, range 24, is also one of the pioneers of Chero- kee County. He was born April 16, 1836, about 15 miles from Strasburg, Alsace-Lor- raine, at that time a province of France, and is a son of Leonard and Salome (Voltz) Stos- kopf.
The father of our subject was born in 1792, in Alsace-Lorraine, and there followed the occu- pations of blacksmith and farmer. He married Salome Voltz, of the same locality, a daughter of John George Voltz, a large farmer and grain dealer. The eight children of this marriage were: Valentine, a blacksmith and wagon- maker of Freeport, Stephenson County, Illi- nois, for many years, who died there in 1892, the wealthiest man in the county at one time ; Catherine, who is the wife of George Miller, a farmer in Alsace-Lorraine; Margaret, who is the wife of John Mallo, of Alsace-Lorraine ; Salome, deceased, who was the wife of John Karcher, of Stephenson County, Illinois, also deceased; Andrew, who is a blacksmith of Freeport, Illinois; George, of this sketch; and Mary, who is the wife of John Bastian, of Ste- phenson County, Illinois.
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Leonard Stoskopf died in his native land in 1848 and his widow brought her children to America, locating at Freeport, Illinois, where she died in 1872, at the age of 75 years. She was a woman of great capacity and reared her family carefully and well.
Our, subject attended school in his native land until the age of 14 years and then assisted his mother in the management of the home farm. In 1856 he came to America with his mother and spent four years engaged in farm- ing in Stephenson County, Illinois, and four years in Hancock County, Iowa. He then sold his Iowa farm and returned to Stephenson County where he engaged for three years in a fire insurance business, and then came to Cherokee County, Kansas. Mr. Stoskopf has since been engaged very successfully in farm- ing and stock-raising here and also cuts a large area of hay in the Indian Territory. His home farm consists of 142 acres well improved and under a fine state of cultivation and he owns another farm of 160 acres, equally well culti- vated.
On May 2, 1875, Mr. Stoskopf was united in marriage to Louise Niemeier, who is a daughter of William Niemeier, a farmer of the Indian Territory, and they have had six chil- dren, viz: Leonard, a farmer of Cherokee County, married Hilda Anderson and has two children,-Opal and Helen; Mary Evalena, who married Alva D. Chubb, a farmer of the Indian Territory, and has one child,-James; Valentine, a farmer of the Indian Territory, who married Maud Paxon and has one child,- George; John, a farmer of Cherokee County, who married Ethel Chubb and has one child,- Pros John ; and William and Andrew, who live at home. The family belong to the Lutheran Church.
For the past five years, our subject has been a justice of the peace in Spring Valley town- ship. Politically, he is a Republican of long
standing. Fraternally, he is a Mason. Mr. Stoskopf is a man held in very high esteem and is a worthy representative of the men who have done so much for the agricultural and educa- tional development of Cherokee County.
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OB A. ROGERS, one of the pioneer set- tlers of Sheridan township, and one of its most highly respected men, died on his farm of 160 acres, situated in section 13, township 32, range 32, on Septem- ber 30, 1903. Mr. Rogers was born in London, England, April 23, 1825, and lived in that great metropolis until he was 21 years of age.
In 1846, after the death of his mother, Mr. Rogers accompanied his father and sisters to America. The family settled in Des Moines County, Iowa, and there Job learned the first principles of farming. Prior to this his work had been in the city fish markets, where he had acquired business methods but no knowledge of tilling the soil. He was pleased with the new mode of life, learned every detail of farming, and, at his death, was considered one of the best farmers of his township. After his mar- riage, Mr. Rogers and wife decided to seek a home on the beautiful rolling prairies of Cher- okee County, Kansas, and with their house- hold goods drove across the country and settled in Sheridan township. They found the coun- try wild and unimproved, but this they had ex- pected, and they cheerfully went to work to clear and improve their land and make a good home. In the course of time, through Mr. Rogers' industry and good management and his wife's assistance and encouragement, the 160- acre farm was all cleared and placed under cultivation, a comfortable dwelling sheltered them and barns and other necessary buildings were erected, fences made and shade trees and orchards set out. For many years Mr. Rogers
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successfully carried on general farming and stock-raising here, becoming one of the sub- stantial men of his township.
In Des Moines County, Iowa, November 29, 1854, Mr. Rogers was married to Martha E. Barnes, who was born February 29, 1838, and is a daughter of Uriah and Pauline ( Barn- hill) Barnes. Her parents were natives of Kentucky, who went as pioneers to Indiana, and later settled in Des Moines County, Iowa. By trade Mr. Barnes was a carpenter. Both he and his wife died in Des Moines County, highly respected by all who knew them. Five of their eight children still survive. The four children of Mr. and Mrs. Rogers are : James, a carpen- ter by trade, residing at West Mineral, who married Sarah Goldie; Sarah, who married Nathan Spencer, and has nine children; Mar- tha, who married James Groves, of Sheridan township, and has 10 children; and Robert, re- siding at West Mineral, who also follows his grandfather's trade,-he married Mollie Dun- can and has one son. All the children are com- fortably settled and are respected members of society.
Mr. Rogers was a very intelligent man and took an interest in public affairs, but would never consent to hold any office, although being a man of such reliable character, he was often approached on the subject. In political views he was a Republican. For many years he was a consistent member of the Baptist Church. He was well known and was highly esteemed. In his death, the community lost a good citizen, his neighbors a kind and helpful friend, and his family a devoted father and loving husband. He will long be recalled for his many virtues.
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