USA > Kansas > Cherokee County > History of Cherokee County, Kansas and representative citizens > Part 64
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siding at home, who is a barber at Hallowell. Mr. Watts and his entire family are much es- teemed in the county. Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Watts accompany this sketch.
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ILL E. SPIVA, a successful attor- ney of Galena, was born in Freder- icktown, Missouri, August 11. 1871, and is a son of J. C. and Mary (Anthony ) Spiva.
J. C. Spiva was born in Madison County, Missouri, and is a son of Elzalr and Mariah (Craddock) Spiva, his father being of Dutch and his mother. of Scotch stock. He has been very successful as a mining operator, and was among the first in Galena when ore was discov- ered here in 1877. He first mined and pros- pected on "Bonanza" ground. and later got a piece of ground on East Galena Hill, where he mined successfully. Prior to coming to Galena, he had been identified with silver and gold mining in Colorado, California and Oron- ogo and Mine La Motte, Missouri, and under- stands mining in all its details. In 1886 he moved from Galena with his family and pur- chased his old homestead in Madison County, Missouri, where he now lives. His wife, Mary Anthony, is of German and French ancestry; by their union they became the parents of 10 children, nine of whom now live. The record is as follows : Edward, who is mining at Galena ; WVill E .; George, who is married and connected with a powder factory at Joplin, Missouri ; L. A., who is married and lives at Aurora, Mis- souri; the fifth child died at the age of 18 months ; Olive, wife of Lawrence Matthews, of St. Louis. Missouri; J. A., who is in the em- ploye of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Rail- way; and Lena, May and Frank, who live at home.
Will E. Spiva lived with his parents in and
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about the Joplin-Galena mining district until 15 years old, and attended the district schools and the first public school in Galena. Upon returning with his parents to their old home in Missouri, he entered the schools at Frederick- town. During the fall and winter of 1893 he taught a country school, and in 1894 completed a course of study in a business college at Quincy, Illinois. Immediately thereafter he returned to Galena, Kansas, and remained two years, then returned to Fredericktown, in 1896. He had read law at times during these years and from 1896 to 1898 read at home, being ad- mitted to the bar in March of the latter year by Hon. J. D. Fox, now one of the Supreme Court judges of Missouri. He remained in Madison County for the September term of court, and on February 25, 1899, settled permanently in Galena for the practice of his profession. He began without capital, and during the first six weeks worked as bookkeeper for Rush & Ken- nedy. When he opened his office, his library consisted of the Kansas Statutes, and he is steadily gathering a very fine working library. His success in practice was assured from the start. On April 6, 1901, he was elected justice of the peace on the Democratic ticket, an office he filled until August 16, 1904, when he re- signed. He is an enthusiastic Democrat and works hard for party success, frequently repre- senting his precinct as a delegate to county conventions.
On January 1, 1902, Mr. Spiva was united in marriage to Beatrice Harrison at Sulphur Springs, Texas. She is a daughter of I. H. Harrison, a second cousin of Benjamin Harri- son, ex-President of the United States, and comes of old Kentucky stock. Two children were born to them: Mary Gladys, and Will E., Jr. Fraternally, our subject is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and has served as venerable consul.
OHN MELANCHTHON McNAY, one of the leading citizens of Cherokee County, who is secre- tary and general manager, at Co- lumbus, of the Inter-State Mineral, Oil & Gas Company, which is operating in the Chan- ute oil and gas field, also enjoys an enviable reputation as a successful newspaper man. Mr. McNay was born near Waynesburg, Greene County, Pennsylvania, July 20, 1848, and is a son of Brown and Rachel ( McConnell) McNay.
The McNay family is of Scotch-Irish ex- traction. At an early day seven brothers of the name came to America and all of them took part in the Revolutionary War. It has been distinguished in military affairs ever since, each American war finding members of the McNay family in the ranks of its loyal soldiery. One of the prized possessions of our subject is the sword, wielded by his father in the Mexican War.
The grandparents of Mr. McNay were John and Mary (Smith) McNay, both of whom were natives of Pennsylvania ; the former was born December 9, 1781, and died June 16, 1864, and the latter was born March 9, 1782, died May 22, 1871. They had nine children.
Brown McNay, father of our subject, was born February 14, 1816, and died August 4, 1880. His wife was born September 1, 1828, and died February 5, 1870. Their nine chil- dren were: John Melanchthon; James S. B .; Alexander T .; Nancy M. J .; Chauncey S .; Maggie M .; Sarah J .; Anderson H. and Della M. Brown McNay followed agricultural pur- suits all his life. In 1856 he moved to Iowa with his family, settled on a farm and continued to reside there the remainder of his life.
John M. McNay was reared on his father's farms in Pennsylvania and Iowa and had limited school opportunities. He at-
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tended the district schools at intervals and was assisted at home in the pur- suit of knowledge by his mother, who had been a teacher prior to her marriage. But being the eldest of the large family many of the heavy responsibilities of the farm fell upon him. In 1864, although but 15 years of age, he · enlisted for service in the Civil War, entering Company B, 45th Reg., Iowa Vol. Inf., in which he served until the close of the Rebellion. After his return to Iowa, he took an academic course of three years at Washington, Iowa, and then taught school for one year in Knox County, Illinois. On November 29, 1870, Mr. McNay came to Kansas, and spent the suc- ceeding 15 years in Ottawa and Clay counties. Soon after removing to Phillipsburg, in 1885, he established the Phillipsburg Dispatch, which soon became the Republican organ of that con- gressional district, and there he remained until June, 1894, when he removed to Columbus, and ere long became the editor in chief of the Columbus Advocate.
When Mr. McNay took charge of the Advocate, he had behind him a State-wide rep- utation as an editorial writer. He found here a poorly equipped office, old and worn out ma- chinery, a load of indebtedness and but a luke- warm interest in what should have been the leading organ of the Republican party in this intelligent portion of the State. Under his able management, which continued through eight and a half years, conditions were so changed that at the time he disposed of the property in order to give his entire time to other interests, in 1902, no office in South- eastern Kansas was better equipped. Mr. Mc- Nay's policy and his judicious management had resulted in not only the advancement of the paper to a front rank in the State, but in add- ing to his laurels in the profession.
The Inter-State Mineral. Oil and Gas Com- pany, in which Mr. McNay is the largest holder
of stock, has a capital stock of $500,000, all fully paid in and absolutely non-assessable. Its principal holdings consist of a liberal lease on 160 acres of land owned by one of the directors of the company, which is located four miles southwest of Chanute, within three-quarters of a mile of the main pipe line leading from Chan- ute to the Neodesha oil refineries, and in the center of the West Chanute and Earlton fields, with oil wells on all sides, and as good pro- ducers as any yet discovered in this oil dis- trict.
The development of this field has proved so successful that a lease paying one-eighth royalty, covering three quarters of a section, one mile north of this land, recently sold for $30,000 and one quarter section, one mile northeast, sold for $25,000. This company thus has very solid grounds for believing that this particular section will prove to be one of the most productive in the State. The officers of this important concern are: J. Wilbur Logan, president, now engaged successfully in the farm, loan and abstract business at Colum- bus ; George W. Rains, vice-president, an exten- sive mine owner and operator in the Joplin- Galena lead and zinc district, at Galena ; John M. McNay, secretary and general manager ; WV. M. Barbee, treasurer, a prosperous and sub- stantial real estate dealer, at Chanute; A. A. Godard, attorney, ex-Attorney General of Kan- sas, and president of the Topeka Savings Bank at Topeka ; and J. W. Clayton, director, a capi- talist and also a director in the Manhattan Min- ing & Milling Company of Wichita, Kansas.
Mr. McNay was married on December 21, 1875, to Ada B. Keeler, who was born on a farm near Valparaiso, Indiana, May 20, 1858, and is the youngest daughter of Alonzo R. and Mary J. (Brown) Keeler, natives of New Jer- sey and Ohio, respectively. Two sons have been born to this marriage, both of whom are successful business men, viz: Arthur S. and
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DENNIS KENNY
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Claudian H. The former was born November 4, 1876, and is a clerk in a large hardware store in Columbus. The latter was born August 20, 1878, and is deputy district clerk of Cherokee County. He married Nellie Leeper and they have one son,-John L. In continuance of the military record of the family, Claudian H. Mc- Nay was its representative in the Spanish- American War, serving as a member of Com- pany F, 22d Regiment, Kansas Infantry, U. S. Volunteers.
Mr. McNay has been one of the active citi- zens of Columbus ever since locating here. During his career as an editor his pen was fearlessly employed to point out evils and to support improvements and he could always be depended upon to exert his influence to foster substantial, public spirited enterprises of the city. His pleasant social qualities have at- tracted men to his friendship and he possesses the faculty of keeping the friends once made. He has been offered many public offices by his party leaders, but the large business interests, over which he has had more or less supervision for some years, have given him little time to devote to public affairs.
Mr. McNay is a Mason, an Odd Fellow and a member of the Improved Order of Red Men and of John A. Dix Post, No. 59, Grand Army of the Republic. He is also connected with several beneficiary organizations, and he and his family take part in much of the city's pleas- ant social life.
D ENNIS KENNY, formerly a promi- nent and highly respected citizen of Cherokee County and the owner of one of the best farms in Ross town- ship, consisting of 200 acres in section 36, township 31, range 23, died February 16, 1904. He was born April 25, 1856, in Bureau
County, Illinois, and was a son of Patrick and Bridget (Tollett) Kenny.
Both parents of Dennis Kenny were born in Ireland, and both came in youth to Bureau County, Illinois. The father carried on farm- ing there until his death, and was survived by his widow, who died at Joplin, Missouri. Their children were: Dennis; Jennie, widow of Socrates Sanders, of Iola, Kansas ; and Rodger and William, of Kansas; all of them were born in Illinois.
The late Mr. Kenny remained in Bureau County, Illinois, where he attended the local schools until he reached the age of 17 years, when he came to Kansas. He remained at Stillson, in Cherokee County, until he pur- chased the present home farm, which was then wild prairie land. This he improved and culti- vated, set out beautiful groves and fruitful or- chards, and made the improvements here which converted it into one of the very best farms in the county. He dealt extensively in stock, and fed a large number of cattle and hogs. While he acquired much other property, he always re- tained his farm and continued to take an inter- est in its development. For about 12 years he conducted a meat market at Scammon, owned a store and a bank building there, and was one of the owners and a director of the Scammon State Bank. The family home has been on the farm since 1878. The homestead has always been considered valuable property, and promises to become much more so on ac- count of its underlying vein of coal, the Mackie Coal Company being in operation here.
In 1878 Mr. Kenny married Mary Griffin, who was born in Bureau County, Illinois, and is a daughter of John and Jane (Webb) Griffin. In 1854 Mr. and Mrs. Griffin moved from New York to Bureau County, and in 1870 came to Cheroke County, where they located in section I, township 32, range 23, in Ross township, having purchased a half section of wild land.
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This Mr. Griffin improved into a fine farm, and worked also as a carpenter. He died in 1893, his wife having passed away in 1876. Mr. Griffin was one of the brave defenders of his country, during the Civil War, being an hon- ored member of Company B, Sth Reg., Illinois Vol. Inf. Mrs. Kenny is the fourth member of his family of nine children, the others being as follows : Ellen, wife of Edward Scammon, of Columbus; Margaret, wife of Samuel Scam- mon, of Cherokee County; Edward, who first married Edith Walton, and afterwards, Ann Dawson, all of whom are deceased; John, who married Maggie Milroy, and lives at Moberly, Missouri ; Jane, who married William Harned ; Anna, who is deceased; James, who married Lillian Harris, and lives at Dodge City, Kan- sas ; and Emma, who married Alonzo Wade, of the Indian Territory.
Mr. and Mrs. Kenny had 12 children, viz. : Ellen Jane, who is deceased; Ada, who gradu- ated from the Columbus High School in 1897, and from the State Normal School in 1901, and has been one of the successful teachers in Cherokee County for the past four years; Ed- ward; Gertrude, who teaches music, having graduated from the Columbus High School in 1899, and from the State Normal School, in 1904; William, who graduated from the Co- lumbus High School in 1903; Frank, who is a student in the Crawford County High School; Mary; Angie, who died, aged three years ; Jolın, deceased ; George; Clarence, deceased ; and Charlotte. The family belongs to St. Bridget's Catholic Church, at Scammon.
Politically, Mr. Kenny was a stanch Re- publican, and was well known all over the county. He belonged to the Modern Wood- men of America at Weir City; the Ancient Order of United Workmen, at Scammon; and the Knights of Pythias. Devoted to his family and faithful to his friends, he left many to
mourn the death of a good man. His portrait accompanies this sketch.
R ICHARD DRISKILL ELLIS, who is engaged in agricultural pursuits in section 16, township 33, range 25, in Shawnee township, is one of the pio- neers of this county and has been located on his present farm for more than 35 years. He was born in Cocke County, Tennessee. Febru- ary 26, 1838, and is a son of Elbert and Tem- perance (Driskill) Ellis, grandson of Samuel and Mary ( Howard) Ellis, and great-grand- son of Isaac Ellis. The last named was a native of England and came to this country before the Revolution, settling in North Carolina.
Samuel Ellis was born in Rutherford County, North Carolina, and although still in his teens served in the latter part of the Revo- lutionary War under Francis Marion, the "Swamp Fox," famous as a scout and soldier in the Carolinas. He was wounded at the battle of Cowpens, South Carolina, and carried the bullet in his shoulder throughout life. About 1824, he removed from Tennessee, where he had resided for some time, to Polk County, Mis- souri, where he was was one of the pioneers. He first married Mary Howard, who was of Scotch birth, and of their children the youngest was Elbert.
Elbert Ellis was born in North Carolina in 1795, and was a youth when his parents moved to Sullivan County, Tennessee, where he grew to maturity. He was reared on a farm and fol- lowed farming all his life. He was 28 years old when he was joined in marriage with Temper- ance Driskill, who was born in Cocke County, Tennessee, in 1805, and was a daughter of Richard and Amanda (Young) Driskill. He conducted the Driskill farm of 360 acres until
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after Mrs. Driskill's death, then purchased it of the heirs. Mr. and Mrs. Ellis became the pa- rents of 14 children, namely : Mary, deceased, who was the widow of James Breeden of Jeffer- son County, Tennessee ; William H., deceased ; Martha Louisa, widow of William B. Reams, residing in Hamblin County, Tennessee ; Eliza- beth, widow of Drewry Dawson, now living in Cocke County, Tennessee: Lucinda, wife of Alexander Fowler, of Cocke County, Tennes- see; Patrick Howard, deceased; Sarah Ann, deceased; Richard Driskill; Catherine Jane, wife of J. L. McMillan of Shawnee township; Dorcas M., widow of Pleasant Poe, residing in Jefferson County, Tennessee ; Elbert A., of Shawnee township : Samuel Jefferson, of Shaw- nee township; Moses L., of Shawnee township; and one who died in infancy. Mr. Ellis was an Old Line Whig. Religiously, he was a Primitive Baptist and his wife a Missionary Baptist.
Richard D. Ellis received such educational training as could be liad in the township schools and was reared on his father's farm, on which he lived until he reached the age of 23 years. He then rented a neighboring farm which he cultivated, and the following year was married. Shortly afterward, he enlisted in Company C, 8th Reg., Tennessee Vol. Inf., and served with it nine months, when he was advanced to a Ist lieutenancy in the 11th Regiment, Tennessee Vol. Cav., participating with that regiment in all its battles until the spring of 1865. The regiment was then consolidated with the 9th Regiment, Tennessee Vol. Cav., and our sub- ject was promoted to the position of captain of Company M., serving as such until mustered out, October 19, 1865. After the war he re- turned to Greene County, Tennessee, and en- gaged in farming and buying and selling stock and grain. In April, 1869, he came West to Kansas and purchased his present farm of 240 acres, which he devoted to grain and stock
raising. He met with excellent success and continued until 1891, since which time he has been in practical retirement.
On August 3. 1862, Mr. Ellis married Sarah J. Holdway, a daughter of Hezekiah Holdway, and they had five children : James H., of Columbus ; Thula, wife of George WV. Doug- lass, of Crawford township; Elbert H., of Springfield, Missouri ; Samuel J., deceased ; and Sarah F., deceased. Mrs. Ellis died Decem- ber 2, 1877. On September 26, 1878, Mr. Ellis was married to Martha Chestnutt, a daughter of Thomas Chestnutt, of Shawnee township. Re- ligiously, both are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, of which he has been an elder for many years. Politically, he is inde- pendent, but has served as township trustee and for 15 years or more served on the School Board. He does not care for office but was the nominee for the office of township treasurer, the nomination coming unsought.
ALTHER VON WEDELL, one of the prominent citizens of Garden township, now living retired at Lowell, was born in Germany, January 30, 1850, and is a member of one of the prominent families of the German Empire.
He received his educational training in his native land. In 1875 he came to America, leav- ing four sisters in Germany. In 1876 he was attracted to Kansas, when ore was discovered here in large quantities, and he was one of the early settlers of Garden township and has been more or less interested in the agricultural and mineral development of the county ever since. He owns a large amount of valuable land,- 160 acres in Garden township; 160 acres in Spring Valley township ; and 80 acres of min- ing land in Lowell township. He has been one of the extensive farmers and stock-raisers of
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this section and continued to operate his farm until 1885, since which year he has resided at Lowell. He is interested with Hon. E. B. Schermerhorn and others in the Galena Devel- opment Comptny. Although never a politician, he has always been prominent in his township and on many occasions has had the duties of minor offices placed officially in his care.
In 1876, Mr. von Wedell was united in marriage to Mary E. Murray, who was born in Missouri. Seven children were born to this marriage, viz: F. W., engaged in farming in Garden township, who married Carrie Cum- mings, and has three children,-Florence, Alva and Ethel; and Clara, Ella, Victor, Harry, Arthur and Icie.
Fraternally our subject is a member of a number of the leading organizations, among these being the Modern Woodmen of America and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
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OHN T. AND ROBERT MCCOMBS. These gentlemen represent a family which is a somewhat late arrival in the county, but they have by their courteous bearing and upright conduct already established themselves in the affections of the early settlers. They are from the "up-State" country, McPherson county, where they settled with their parents in 1872 from Mahaska County, Iowa. They came to Cherokee County in 1897 and purchased a quarter section near Columbus. In 1901, Robert McCombs pur- chased a farmi in sections 15 and 16, township 33, range 22, in Lola township. These gentle- men are the sons of David McCombs, who was born in Harrison County, Ohio, in 1809.
David McCombs, who was of Scotch-Irish lineage, followed the occupation of farming
during the 74 years of his life, until the close of the war in Harrison County, then in Ma- haska County, Iowa, and from 1872 to the year of his death, 1883, in McPherson County, Kansas. He was a great worker and succeeded well in life, always being in possession of con- siderable property. In the different communi- ties where he resided, he was always influen- tially connected with affairs, holding many of the minor offices. In politics be was a Jackso- nian Democrat. In Harrison County, Ohio, he married Isabelle Ferrell, a native of the county, born in 1812. She was a daughter of Charles and Mary Ferrell, who were from the Emerald Isle, and were early pioneers in Ohio. She died in Mahaska County, Iowa, November 19, 1871. In the family born to these parents were 12 children, 10 of whom lived to maturity. Four of the sons served their country faith- fully and loyally during the Civil War. In order of birth, the 10 children who grew to maturity were as follows: Charles, James, John T., Samuel, Mrs. Mary M. Todd, Wil- liam, Mrs. Sarah J. Sales, Robert, R. Wesley and David Alexander. Charles, at present re- siding in Monroe County, Iowa, served 90 days in the Civil War as a member of the Ohio militia. James, who died in Iowa, sent a sub- stitute to the war, as conditions were not such as to permit of his leaving home. Samuel re- sides in St. Clair County, Missouri; he first enlisted with his brother John T. in Company F, 98th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., in which he served some nine months; during this service he was injured by a horse and spent some time in the hospital at Louisville ; returning home after his discharge, he soon again enlisted, this time in Company H, 185th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., in which he served to the close. Mrs. Mary M. Todd was the eldest daughter ; she died in Har- rison County, Ohio. William, now a resident of Custer, Nebraska, served in the militia three
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MOSES F. MERRILL
MRS. MARY S. MERRILL
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months during the war. Mrs. Sarah J. Sales resides in Cherokee County. R. Wesley lives in Oklahoma.
Of the two brothers now residing in Chero- kee County, the elder, John T., single, and liv- ing with his brother Robert, was born in Harri- son County, Ohio, October 3, 1832, and during the life of his parents resided with them. On the 8th of August, 1862, he enlisted in Com- pany F, 98th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., Captain Butts commanding the company and Colonel Webster, the regiment. He participated in the battles of Perryville, Missionary Ridge, Look- out Mountain, Buzzard's Roost, Nashville, and many minor engagements, being mustered out June 30, 1865. During this service he was twice wounded, once in the left hand and again in the right heel, necessitating his spending some eight months in the hospital.
Robert McCombs, who is much younger than John T., was born in Harrison County, Ohio, January 3, 1846. He remained at home until the war was nearly over, being too young to enter earlier. However, on February 13, 1865, he succeeded in passing muster and be- came a member of Company H, 185th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf. There was little to do but guard the railroads in Kentucky, and he was mustered out at the close of the war after seven months of service.
After the war, he accompanied the family to Iowa and on to Kansas, coming to Cherokee County as stated above. Mr. McCombs was rather deliberate in choosing a life partner, his marriage not occurring until 1884. Mrs. Mc- Combs was born in 1866 in McLean County, Illinois, and is a daughter of Lawrence and Christiana (Price) McHaffey, her Christian name being Adella. To her have been born six children, all of whom are at home, as follows : David E., Myrtle, Belle, Robert J., Edith and Joseph.
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