USA > Kansas > Cherokee County > History of Cherokee County, Kansas and representative citizens > Part 58
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source of large profit. This mine he has leased, and has erected a large number of miners' cot- tages on his place.
Mr. Robinson was married on July 18, 1861, to Mary Green, who was born in Cun- berland County, England, and they have had a family of six children, namely : John, a miner on the home place ; James, a miner at Stippville, Cherokee County ; George, Jr., a miner ; Will- iam, a coal dealer; and Mary and Elizabeth, both deceased.
Politically, Mr. Robinson is identified with the Republican party, but has never accepted any office. He is a member of the Church of England, and Mrs. Robinson belongs to the Catholic Church. He has led a very active life, one of arduous labor, but he is now able to reap the rewards of his earlier industry. He is widely known, and is held in high regard by his fellow citizens.
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HURSTON J. SKINNER. Of the in- dustries which have been developed in Southeastern Kansas in the past few years, that of raising small fruits and berries has become important. One of the most successful in this line is the gentleman whose name forms the caption of this review. Mr. Skinner lives in a beautiful suburban home near Columbus, embowered in shade trees, and with an ample lawn covered with flowering shrubs of every description. He is a pioneer in the busi- ness which he here conducts, having come to the county as a young man with his parents, in 1878. He came here from Noble County, Indi- ana, which was the place of his birth, in 1856.
Mr. Skinner's father was H. H. Skinner, his mother, Julia M. Lisle (Skinner ) ; both now deceased, the former, in 1899, the latter, in 1891. They were respected members of the agricultural class, and both were consistent
members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. They came to the county with their five sons in 1878, and settled on a farm in Salamanca township, which they continued to cultivate until their decease. The names of the children were,-Harry, who died in 1897; Charles M., a farmer of Salamanca township; E. A., of Monmouth, Crawford County, Kansas; Ed- ward, of Monroe City, Missouri; and Thurs- ton J., the subject of our sketch.
Thurston J. Skinner was reared amid rural scenes in the northern part of the "Hoosier State". His education consisted in what was taught in the ordinary country school. He be- gan life for himself while still in his teens, as clerk in a mercantile establishment, but since coming to Kansas has devoted himself to his present business. He met with success from the first and with each year's added experience, he has become one of the best "truckers" in Southeastern Kansas. In 1890, he leased the farm of So acres where he has since resided, and four years later became its owner by pur- chase. As he prospered, Mr. Skinner has con- tinued to improve this farm, planting fruit and shade trees in large quantity and variety. He has now nearly his entire farm of 80 acres set out in small fruits, vegetables and berries of various kinds, the whole comprising one of the most extensive fruit farms in this section. In addition to his own farm, he rents about 120 acres, which he uses for the same purpose. As an idea of the force required to operate an in- dustry of this kind, it is stated that in the win- ter, Mr. Skinner employs about a dozen men and in the summer anywhere from 25 to 50. In berry picking time, he has had as many as 300 people actively engaged on the place. The reader will rightly conjecture that Mr. Skinner is a man of splendid business qualifications, of progressive ideas and strictly up-to-date in his methods. He is a most courteous and com- panionable gentleman, a Presbyterian in re-
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ligious faith, and a Democrat in his political belief.
Julia Taylor, a daughter of William Tay- lor, of Salamanca township, became the wife of Mr. Skinner in 1889, and they have a daughter, -Frances Marie,-aged 9 years.
With a beautiful home, a charming wife and a lovely little daughter, with prosperity courting him on every hand, and with the re- spect and esteem of the whole county it would seem that the subject of this sketch has little need of the fabled Aladdin's lamp, in order that he may find happiness.
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ILLIAM M. FRENCH, one of the representative citizens of Cherokee County, and deputy marshal of Weir City, was born in 1863 near Knoxville, Tennessee, and is a son of Jacob D. and Mary (McCammon) French.
Mr. French can trace his paternal line back to his great-grandfather, Frederick French, who was born in Pennsylvania and removed to Tennessee, where his five sons and three daughters were reared. Michael French, the grandfather, was born in 1800, near Lynch- burg, Virginia, and married Dorothy Kountz, who was also born in Virginia, but removed to Tennessee.
Jacob D. French, our subject's father, was born in 1836 in the vicinity of Knoxville, Ten- nessee, where he was engaged in farming until 1881, when he came to Kansas, and worked for a time in the coal mines at Weir City. He now lives in retirement in Kentucky. He mar- ried Mary McCammon, who was also born near Knoxville, Tennessee, and died at Weir City. Kansas, in December, 1901. The surviving members of their family of io children are as follows : William M., Samuel M., Eliza Jane, Martha, Marshall O., Albert B., Della and
Arthur H., all of whom with the exception of the youngest were born in Tennessee. The mother of Mr. French was a daughter of Sam- uel McCammon, who came to America in 1802, settled near Knoxville, Tennessee, and became one of the prominent men of his day. In poli- tics, he was a Whig and served for six years as a member of the Tennessee State Legislature from Knox County; he was also sheriff of the county for six years. He was the father of eight children, namely : Jane M., who married Caleb French, an uncle of William M .: Wil- liam, who served through the Civil War in the Union Army as a lieutenant in the 2nd Reg., Tennessee Vol. Cav .; Oliver P., a captain in the same regiment; Mary (Mrs. French) ; Thomas ; Samuel ; Martha and Clementine.
The subject of this sketch was reared on a farm in Tennessee until he reached the age of 18 years, and then accompanied his parents to Kansas, and assisted his father on a farm near Crestline, until he attained his majority. He married in 1884, and then farmed for himself in the same locality until 1887. At this period he became interested in coal mining at Weir City, and afterward at Waco, Missouri. In 1892 he went to Chicopee, Kansas, where he served as postmaster for two years, and worked in the coal mines until 1899. At this time he removed to Lansing, Kansas, and was con- nected, until 1902, with the penitentiary mines on the prison farm. Mr. French then returned to Weir City, where he was again interested in the coal mines until 1903. He was then ap- pointed deputy marshal of Weir City, a posi- tion he has filled ever since, with the utmost efficiency. In 1902, Mr. French went into partnership with his brother-in-law, H. M. Davis, in the furniture and undertaking busi- ness, but sold his interest in August, 1904.
In 1884, Mr. French married Norah A. Ferguson, a native of Illinois. They have four children, namely : Eveline, born in Weir City;
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Dorothy, born in Waco, Missouri; and Wil- liam E. and Naomi, both of whom were born in Chicopee, Crawford County. During Mr. French's residence in Crawford County, he served as one of the trustees of Baker township. In politics he is a Republican.
A LEXANDER WADE, one of the rep- resentative farmers and good citizens of Mineral township, who owns a finely cultivated and well improved farm of 200 acres, situated in section 8, town- ship 32, range 24, was born in 1845 in Vir- ginia. and is a son of Govey and Susan ( Bland) Wade.
Govey Wade was born in Indiana, and died in Lola township, Cherokee County, Kansas, in 1893, aged 75 years. His life had been de- voted to farming in different States. In 1851 he went to the southern part of Iowa, where he owned property and followed agriculture until 1875, when he came to Kansas, where he first took up 160 acres of land in Salamanca town- ship, and later, 160 acres in Ross township, both in Cherokee County. He married Susan Bland, who was born in Pennsylvania, and died in Lola township in 1895. They had 10 chil- dren, the survivors being: Lizzie Anna, Alex- ander, Thomas, Rachel, George, Palmira and Andrew. The two eldest, Elsah Jane ( Baker) and Delilah (Harris), are deceased.
Mr. Wade was six years of age when his parents settled in Iowa, where he was reared and schooled, and was engaged in farming through the earlier part of the Civil War. In 1863 he enlisted for the war in Company G, 36th Reg., Iowa Vol. Inf., and was honorably discharged in September, 1865, at Davenport, Iowa. In 1875 he accompanied his father to Kansas and settled upon his present location, where he secured 160 acres, to which he added
40 acres in section 17, township 32, range 24. All this was wild prairie land, which the settlers had to break before they could begin to culti- vate. Mr. Wade now has a very fine farm which produces abundantly the grains of this climate, and he also has considerable stock and fine orchards. His life has been a busy one, but he has been rewarded in a very satisfactory manner.
On January 1, 1864, Mr. Wade was mar- ried to Adeline Marchbanks, who was born in Missouri. They have had a family of nine children, the seven survivors being: Mary, born in Iowa, who married G. W. Paxton, and has seven children,-Florence, Grace, Annie, Blanche, Doris, Jesse and William; Elijah M., born in Iowa, who married Maud Russem, of the Indian Territory, and has five children ; Alice, born in Iowa, who married Charles Wanger, and has one child,-Alexander ; Jesse, who was born in Iowa; Laura, who was born in Kansas, who married Thomas Lotus, and has two children,-Mabel and John; Andrew, born in Kansas, who married Mary Shoopman, and has one child,-Lawrence ; and Annie who was born in Kansas and lives at home.
Mr. Wade takes considerable interest in politics, and now votes with the Populist party.
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ENRY SHIDELER, one of the suc- cessful farmers of Cherokee County, who owns a fine farm in section 19, township 31, range 23, in Ross town- ship, consisting of 200 acres of good land, was born in Holmes County, Ohio, and is a son of Daniel and Sarah (Lower) Shideler.
Daniel Shideler was born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, and his wife in Co- shocton County, Ohio. The father moved to Ohio in young manhood, following the trade of blacksmith. After his marriage, he moved
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to Jennings County, Indiana, where he lived from 1859 to 1860, and then removed to Clay County, in the same State. In 1881 he came to Cherokee County, Kansas, where he died three months later. He was affiliated with the Republican party, but never accepted any politi- cal office.
Daniel Shideler's first wife died in Ohio, and the father married, for his second wife, Mary Culler, who was born in Holmes County, Ohio, and died in Clay County, Indiana. Both were members of the Dunkard Church. The four children of the first marriage were,-John, who died in the Civil War, at Mount Sterling, Kentucky; Henry; Alfred, who was also a soldier in the Civil War, being a member of the 7Ist Reg., Indiana Vol. Inf. ; and Isaac. The children of the second marriage were as follows : George, William, Elizabeth and Clara, all deceased; and David O., who resides at Salmon, Oregon.
The subject of this sketch had few educa- tional opportunities in his youth, and attended subscription schools for but a short period. Through reading, observation and association with the world, he has cultivated his faculties until he is now able to rank in general culture with all with whom he is thrown in contact, but all his knowledge has been acquired by his own persistent efforts. He remained at home until the spring of 1864, when he was 18 years of age, and then enlisted as a private in Company G, 59th Reg., Indiana Vol. Inf. His service lasted a year and a half, during which time, he took part in the campaign made memorable by the "March to the Sea," with General Sherman. After the close of his army term, he returned home and went to work as a blacksmith and wagon-maker; he also taught school for a long period. In 1882 he came to Ross township, Cherokee County, and first bought 120 acres in section 19, township 31, range 23, in Ross township, which farm he has
increased to 200 acres. Here he has made sub- stantial improvements, and has one of the finest homes in the township. He raises wheat, oats and hay, and takes much interest in his cattle and stock, paying attention to their qual- ity as well as numbers. He is ranked with the superior farmers of this section.
In 1870, Mr. Shideler was married to Sophia Harbaugh, who was born in Coshoc- ton County, Ohio, and died in 1885, having been the mother of four children, namely : Capt. Harry W., a teacher for 14 years, and now county superintendent of schools of Craw- ford County, who was captain of Company F, 20th Regiment Kansas Infantry, U. S. Volun- teers, during the Spanish-American War ; Daniel W., a teacher and farmer residing at Pittsburg, Kansas; John W., also a teacher ; and Dora E., the wife of H. F. Painter, of Crawford County. In 1886 Mr. Shideler was married to Mrs. Susan E. Huffer, of Tippe- canoe County, Indiana, and they have two children,-Floyd and Goldie May,-both of whom are at home. The present Mrs. Shideler is the mother of two children by her marriage with Mr. Huffer,-Charles N., a teacher in Cherokee County, and Grace, wife of B. C. Marshbanks, of Labette County, Kansas. Mr. Shideler has given his children the best possible educational advantages, and they are a credit to him.
Politically, Mr. Shideler is a Republican, and has served on the School Board for 12 years. He is one of the leading members of the Dunkard Church in Ross township.
OHN B. PUTTKAMER, a prominent citizen, extensive land owner and suc- cessful prospector of Cherokee Coun- ty, has a well cultivated farm of 200 acres, in section 13, township 34, range 23, in
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Lyon township. He was born in the province of Pommerania, Germany, within 15 miles of the Baltic Sea, on August 30, 1855. He is a son of Baron Gustave and Johanna ( Putt- kamer) Puttkamer.
Baron Gustave Puttkamer, father of John B., was born also in Pommerania, in the old home of the family, and on the estate which had been entailed since the days of serfdom. This estate comprised 7,000 acres of land, and the entail continued until 1864, when the value of the land was paid to the King of Prussia, and the entail was broken, according to the laws of Prussia. Baron Puttkamer spent his whole life in Germany. He had two brothers, both of whom were distinguished military men, one being a general and the other a colonel. His only sister married von Dorpophsky, who was a commander of the troops of Braun- schweig, in the war of 1870-71. Baron Putt- kamer disposed of 5,500 acres of the old estate, and the remainder is now owned by one of his sons. He was a man of strong political con- victions, and, although the wife of Prince Bismarck was his first cousin, he always opposed that statesman's methods of governing Germany.
The mother of the subject of this sketch was a relative of her, husband,-a cousin once removed. To their union 19 children were born, 10 of whom lived to maturity, viz : Anna, George, Jeskow, Helen, Erich, John B., Al- brecht, Elizabeth, Albertina and Fred. Anna (Richard) died in Germany. George and Jes- kow (twins) came to America, traveled through the Middle West, and took claims in Cherokee County, Kansas. Both returned to Germany, where George died and where Jes- kow is engaged in farming. Helen lives with a brother in Germany. Erich is a captain of police in Berlin, where he has been connected with the service for 25 years. Albrecht, form- erly a captain in the Germany Army, owns
2,500 acres of the old estate. Elizabeth is the wife of the owner of large estates in Germany. Albertina married an Austrian duke and died in Austria. Fred, who has been in America for 22 years, is now the owner of extensive timber tracts in the State of Washington.
The subject of this sketch had educational and social advantages in his own country, be- fore coming to America. He came to this country in November, 1873, with the purpose of joining a brother, with whom he worked for two years, but ill health discouraged him and he returned to Germany in 1875. After two years spent in his native land, he came back to Amer- ica and located in Texas. The next season he came to Kansas, and in the spring of 1878 made the deal by which he became the owner of his present fine property of 200 acres in Lyon township. When he settled here, only 15 acres had been broken, and all the cultivation and im- provement have been accomplished by him, or under his direction. He set out groves and orchards, erected a commodious home and substantial barns, and converted the place into one of the finest farms and most pleasant homes of the township. For the past two and a half years he has turned over the conduct of the farm to his sons, and with his eldest son has been actively engaged in prospecting in Colo- rado, Wyoming and California, and on Spring River, in Cherokee County.
On April 5, 1879, Mr. Puttkamer was mar- ried to Mollie Alsenz, who was born in Texas, April 20, 1858, and is a daughter of John and Sophia Alsenz, natives of Germany. The six children of this marriage who survive are: Gustave, who is prospecting with his father; and Andrew, Herbert, Mabel, Joseph and Rose. One son, Cicero, died, aged three years.
Mr. Puttkamer has taken a very active part in township affairs, and has been a justice of the peace, road overseer and school official for a long time. He is one of the solid, substantial
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MR. AND MRS. JAMES MORROW
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men of his locality,-well known and highly esteemed. He is an active member of the Democratic party in Lyon township, and enjoys the confidence of many of the party leaders.
Although Mr. Puttkamer was born in an- other country and still has a deep affection for the "Fatherland," he is in every essential, a loyal American citizen, who takes pride in his adopted land.
AMES MORROW, a prominent retired farmer who now resides at Columbus, but still owns his finely improved farm of 300 acres in Crawford township. was born in County Antrim, Ireland, in 1833, and is a son of George and Isabel (Dunlap) Morrow.
The parents of Mr. Morrow died when he was young and, as he was the eldest of the family of six children, more than the usual amount of responsibility fell upon his shoul- ders. Of this family he is now the only survivor, one brother, who also came to America, having since passed away.
In 1854, a young man of 21 years, Mr. Morrow came to the United States and found employment with the operator of a cotton mill in Pennsylvania, who had been a friend of the family in the old country. Two years later he went to Philadelphia, and there learned the trade of carpet weaver. This craft he followed for a time, but his ambition was to secure a tract of land and follow farming. Coming to the West, he located on a small tract in South- ern Michigan, at Tecumseh, and built a small house on it, which he later traded for 80 acres of land. Circumstances led him from Michi- gan to Missouri, where he managed a farmi for two years. In 1862 he enlisted in Company A, 115th Reg. Illinois Vol. Inf., and served as a private soldier through the whole succeed- ing three years of the war, being mustered out
in 1865. He then returned to Illinois and later sold his Michigan land, which enabled him to buy a farm in Christian County, Illinois. There Mr. Morrow made his home until 1882, when he came to Cherokee County, Kansas, and lo- cated on a farm of 160 acres in Crawford town- ship, three miles south and a half mile east of Columbus. This he improved and enlarged, and engaged in a general line of farming.
Prior to coming to Kansas, Mr. Morrow married, in Illinois, Anna M. Ladd, who was born in Connecticut, but had resided in Illinois since childhood. At her death, one year later, she left one son,-William G., now of Colum- bus. Mr. Morrow married, for his second wife, Mary E. Throckmorton, who was born in Virginia, reared in Ohio, and later moved to Illinois. The only daughter of this marriage is Mrs. Ella M. Holcomb, who resides with her father at Columbus, and has two little daugh- ters,-Hazel and Theodora, -- who are great pets and boon companions of their indulgent grandfather.
Formerly, Mr. Morrow was very active in the Republican party, but latterly has confined his interest to the mere duties of citizenship. For a long period he served as a justice of the peace in Crawford township.
While living in Missouri, Mr. Morrow joined the Masonic fraternity, and he belongs also to the Grand Army of the Republic. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a citizen whose sterling traits of character command the respect of all who know him. Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Morrow ac- company this sketch.
ILLIAM WILLARD WHIT- MORE, who now resides on a compact little farm of 12 acres, in Cherokee township, has been a resi- dent of the State since 1872, having come to
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this locality when pioneer conditions prevailed. Mr. Whitmore was born May 8, 1836, in Noble County, Ohio, and is a son of John and Eliza- beth (Archibald) Whitmore.
The father of Mr. Whitmore was born in Pennsylvania, and the mother, in Wheeling, Virginia, now West Virginia. Both died in Henry County, Illinois, the former, aged 96 years, and the latter, 76 years. The two sur- viving members of their 10 children are Will- iam Willard and his sister, Eliza, who is the wfe of William Bailey, and a resident of Ne- braska. John Whitmore was a millwright by trade, and built many grist mills and sawmills throughout Ohio and Illinois, a number of which are still standing and in use. He was well known as a reliable contractor and builder.
The subject of this sketch was only 13 years of age when he began to earn his living. He worked up from a humble position on a Mis- sissippi River steamboat until he became clerk, and for about seven seasons was employed in this capacity on steamers plying from St. Paul to New Orleans. In 1858 he married, and then settled in Henry County, Illinois, where he con- tinued to live until the fall of 1872. Then he moved to Cherokee County, Kansas, taking up a government claim of 160 acres of wild land. At that time there were no settlements in his vicinity. No roads had been laid out nor any public improvements made ; nothing could be seen but miles and miles of undulating prairie. Here Mr. Whitmore put in some years of very hard work, and made a good farm. This he sold to advantage at a later period, with the proceeds of which sale he bought another which he also improved and sold. His present farm of 12 acres is highly cultivated. Here he has made many substantial improvements, and here he is passing the evening of a busy, useful life, in the enjoyment of comfortable surround- ings.
In 1838, Mr. Whitmore married Julia
Stephens, who was born in Morgan County, Ohio. They have the following named chil- dren: Dora, Cora, Nora, Flora and Mora, (twins), Ora, Zora, Lora and Clora. Dora, who was born in Illinois, married John Mor- gan, and has one child, Lena. Cora, who was born in Illinois, married Arthur Goes, of Iola, Kansas, and has three children,-Blanche, Hazel and Xenia. Nora, who was born in Illinois, is the widow of Joseph Morgan, and has one child,-Juda. The twins, Flora and Mora, were born in Illinois ; the former married William Livingston, and has two children,- Bennett and Mora,-and the latter married Mary Naven, and has four children,-Lena, Joseph, Neil and Josephine. Ora was born in Miami County, Kansas. Zora, who was born in Cherokee County, Kansas, married Monty Arbuckle, and has two children,-Stewart and Fay. Lora, was born in Cherokee County. Clora, who was also born in this county, is the wife of Ross Reid, of Weir City, and has one child, Irene.
Politically, Mr. Whitmore is identified with the Democratic party. Since moving to his present location, he has not accepted any office, but while living on the farm he served for sev- eral terms as township trustee.
EORGE W. DOUGLASS, a pros- perous farmer of Cherokee County, who is located on a good farm in section 13, township 33, range 24, in Crawford township, was born in 1853 in Lucas County, Iowa, and is a son of Milton and Samantha (Bales) Douglass.
The father of Mr. Douglass was born in 1818 in Indiana and, after his marriage, on December 29, 1839, settled down to farming until 1851, when he moved to Iowa. taking with him his teams and household possessions.
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In 1868 he again moved Westward, and lo- cated, with his wife and their 10 children, in Cherokee County, Kansas. He secured the southeast quarter of section 12, in Crawford township. He was one of the earliest settlers in this section, and at that time no one could have been found rash enough to predict that the present bustling city of Columbus would grow up on the prairie wilderness. His death took place July 26, 1897, at the age of 79 years. His wife was born in 1823, and died on the home farm in Crawford township, Cherokee County, January 23, 1899. For several terms Milton Douglass served as a member of the Board of County Commissioners of Cherokee County, and he assisted in the organization of the Re- publican party, while in Iowa. This party he continued to support until President Grant's second administration. He was one of the lead- ing members of the Baptist Church in Lucas County, Iowa. He was the father of 12 chil- dren, namely : Mrs. Melinda Lane, born June 2, 1841, who lives in Columbus ; Mrs. Eliza Vin- cent, born May 21, 1843, who resides in Brit- ton, Oklahoma ; Martin, born June 26, 1845, who resides at Oswego, Kansas; Sylvia, born October 17, 1847, who died, aged II months; Lloyd Judd, born September 11, 1849, who lives at Crestline, Kansas ; George W., who was born June 16, 1853 ; Mrs. Elizabeth A. Owens, born November 20, 1855, who lives near Crest- line; Joseph Benson, born April 9, 1858, who resides at Victor, Colorado ; Charles Ellsworth, born April 22, 1861, who was killed at Afton, Indian Territory, September 7, 1896; Noah Milton, born June 28, 1863, who resides at Shawnee, Oklahoma; William Walter, born January 27, 1867, who lives in Crawford town- ship; and one child who died in infancy.
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