USA > Kansas > Cherokee County > History of Cherokee County, Kansas and representative citizens > Part 70
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Mr. Randall was first married in Illinois, being wedded to Sarah Cecilia Alderman. She was born in 1834 in Connecticut, from which State her parents moved when she was a young girl. She died in 1874, shortly after the fam- ily had settled on their present farm, leaving four children, as follows: Euretta I., who mar-
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ELISHA C. CRAWFORD
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ried William Martin, and died in the Indian Territory, about 15 years ago, leaving four children,-Ethel, Bertha, Morris and Allie; Charles, who is conducting a dray line in Co- lumbus; Newton John, of Webb City, Mis- souri; and Orson Oliver, who lives in Iowa. William Martin is now in the meat business at Webb City, Missouri.
Mr. Randall's present consort was Sallie E. Rhynearson, formerly of Ohio. She has had four children as follows: Cora E., Ida, Ada and Curtis, Jr. Cora E. is the wife of F. H. Haynes, a farmer residing at Sherwin Junc- tion; they have three children,-Lloyd, Artie and Rosie. Ida is the wife of James Davis, a farmer residing near Angola, Labette County, Kansas; they have two children,-Opal, aged four years, and Viola Mabel. Ada died when six years old. Curtis, Jr., is 13 years old. An adopted son, Herman, was taken by Mr. and Mrs. Randall about three years since.
Formerly a Populist, Mr. Randall now acts independently in politics. For a number of years he has been identified with the Reorgan- ized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. In this organization he has acted in the capacity of a priest of the Aaronic priest- hood, and has been influential in collecting a membership of 64 in the local church.
Throughout the county Mr. Randall is known as a man of the strictest probity of char- acter, and he is a citizen whom all esteem most highly.
LISHA C. CRAWFORD, one of the large mine operators of Cherokee County, and a citizen well and favor- ably known in the district about Galena, is also an honored survivor of the Civil War. He was born at Strawberry Plains, near Knoxville, Tennessee, March 18, 1831,
and is a son of William and Matilda ( Church- man) Crawford.
The great-grandparents on both sides of our subject's family came from the Highlands of Scotland and settled in Culpeper County, Vir- ginia. William Crawford, one of the de- scendants and the father of our subject, re- moved to Tennessee, where he married Matilda Churchman, and in 1838 they removed to Indiana. They had II children, eight of whom reached maturity, but Elisha C. and three brothers in Iowa are the only survivors.
Althoughi at present Mr. Crawford's busi- ness is far removed from tilling the soil, he was reared on a farm and followed agricultu- ral pursuits for a number of years. When about 23 years of age, he married and shortly afterward moved to Iowa, followed farming there for a time, and then went to Indiana and engaged in the brick business. In July, 1862, he enlisted for service in the Civil War, enter- ing the 70th Regiment, Indiana Vol. Inf .. which had Benjamin Harrison for its colonel for three years. He served all through the Georgia campaign and accompanied General Sherman on the famous "March to the Sea." He was one of the scouts mustered out at Raleigh, North Carolina, and subsequently dis- charged at Indianapolis, Indiana.
Mr. Crawford removed then to Illinois and settled for a few years at Mattoon, and then, in 1875, came to Cherokee County, Kansas. Since 1877 he has devoted himself exclusively to mining interests, at various points, at pres- ent being particularly interested in a zinc mine at Empire City. When Mr. Crawford came here first, he found nothing but a great stretch of timber, his cabin being the only one in the bottoms. He was the first marshal of Empire City and has been a prominent man of Lowell township ever since.
In 1854 Mr. Crawford was married to Mary A. Syler, and they have had five chil-
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dren, viz. : Lucian A., a conductor on the Mis- souri Pacific Railway ; William M., a machin- ist and mechanic on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway; Ada Lincoln, who was accidentally burned to death, at the age of 22 months; and Minnie, who is the wife of Colonel Woodward, of Cincinnati, Ohio. In politics, Mr. Crawford is a Republican. He is quite a violinist and is the proud possessor of a beautiful Stradivarius violin, which he re- fuses to sell for $500. A portrait of Mr. Craw- ford, executed from a photograph taken in the fall of 1904, accompanies this sketch, being shown on a preceding page.
OHN A. RAWLINGS, owner of the "Long Branch Stock Farm," which is located in Pleasant View township, is one of the early settlers and promi- nent citizens of the county. Since the spring of 1903, he has been a resident of Columbus. He was born in Rush County, Indiana, in 1844, and is a son of the late Coleman and Eliza (Decker) Rawlings.
Coleman Rawlings was born in Fleming County, Kentucky, and died at his home in Pleasant View township, Cherokee County, July 4, 1903, aged 87 years. At the age of 21 years, he accompanied his father, Aaron Raw- lings, to Rush County, Indiana. In 1861 he moved to Champaign County, Illinois, where he followed farming until 1871, when he came to Cherokee County, Kansas, and made his home in Pleasant View township for the re- mainder of his life. He was a Democrat in his political views. He belonged to the Methodist Church. His wife died when John A. was in his infancy, and he married again. Of the eight children born to these two marriages, three were sons and five daughters. Rev. James Rawlings, a brother of our subject, was a school
teacher and a local minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He taught school from the age of 16 years ; he came to Cherokee County in 1867, and died here in 1899. He is sur- vived by a widow and five children, who reside at Pittsburg, Kansas, and still own the farm in Pleasant View township. He assisted in the building on his farm of a fine church edifice, known as the Rawlings Chapel. A half brother of our subject, A. P. Rawlings, lives in Illinois, having formerly been a resident of this county. A sister of our subject, Sophia Hortense, mar- ried Walter Merrick, but is now deceased ; an- other sister, Isabel, afterward became the wife of Mr. Merrick, and resides in Pleasant View township. Mrs. Lizzie Hickson (a sister of our subject) and two half sisters live in Illinois.
John A. Rawlings came to Cherokee Coun- ty, May 16, 1866, and located in Pleasant View township, where he took up a "treaty right" of 160 acres. This he developed into a fine farm, adding to it until he now owns 440 acres in one body, which he leases as two farms. He was interested particularly in Shorthorn cattle and high grade Poland-China hogs, but has sold his stock since moving to the city, having conducted a very successful stock farm for many years. From 1896 to 1903, the Pleasant View post office was located on his land. His pres- ent handsome home on Minnesota street, Co- lumbus, he erected prior to removing to the city.
John A. Rawlings was married in Illinois, to Saralı E. Rice, who was born in Wood County, Virginia, now West Virginia, and is a daughter of Sheldon and Elizabeth ( Brown) Rice. Mrs. Rawlings comes of old and dis- tinguished ancestry,-from Revolutionary Vir- ginia stock on one side, and from Plymouth Rock derivation on the other. Her grandfather was a soldier in the Revolutionary War who lived to the age of 90 years, dying at his home in Virginia. The mother of Mrs. Rawlings was a descendant of the Carvers, one of the families
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represented on the "Mayflower." Sheldon Rice followed farming and stock-raising in Illinois, where he died January 11, 1863. Of his chil- dren, the survivors are,-Mrs. Rawlings; David, a farmer in Illinois; and Mrs. Martha Lavina Harrison, of Los Angeles, California. A son, Arthur, died May 30, 1903.
Mr. and Mrs. Rawlings have had four chil- dren, all of them born in Cherokee County, namely : Oscar, who died February 23, 1873, aged five years; Frank, who died January II, 1889, aged 19 years; and Cora, born in 1871 and Bertha, born in 1874, who are at home. These ladies are very accomplished musicians, and are social favorities. They have taught school, as did their mother, who prior to com- ing to Cherokee County was a teacher for three years in Champaign County, and for one year, in Piatt County, Illinois.
Politically, Mr. Rawlings is a Democrat. Since 1870 he has been a member of the Anti Horse Thief Association, and has served as treasurer of the local organization for 25 years. Mrs. Rawlings is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
IRAM F. RAINS, a retired farmer of Cherokee County, residing in a com- fortable home in Columbus, opposite the Cherokee County High School building, is one of the old settlers, having lo- cated on Cow Creek, in what is now Pleasant View township, May 10, 1866. He was born in Whitley County, Kentucky, June 11, 1848, and is a son of Greenbury B. and Elizabeth (Vanoy) Rains.
The parents never came to Cherokee Coun- ty, and the subject of this sketch never returned to the old home, so that he never saw them after leaving with his bride for Kansas, in 1866. One brother, Milton Rains, came to
Cherokee County after his brother had settled here. He remained several years, and at a later date was accidentally killed by being thrown from a horse, and was interred in Pleasant View Cemetery.
Hiram F. Rains was but 18 years of age when he took upon himself some serious re- sponsibilities, among them being his marriage, and liis search in a strange locality for a perma- nent home. His discharge of both of these ex- emplified his good judgment, and much of his success in the latter undertaking must be at- tributed to that in the former. He settled on a claim in Cherokee County, afterward spent two years in Bourbon County, and finally made a permanent home in Cherokee County. He has been a very successful man, engaging mainly in farming and in the buying, selling and shipping of stock. Coming here with prac- tically no capital, it must be a matter of much satisfaction to Mr. Rains to recount his posses- sions, all earned in the lines of legitimate busi- ness. When he felt ready to retire from active agricultural operations, in January, 1903, he sold his farm of 360 acres, which was located in four different sections in Pleasant View township. Recently, however, he has purchased another farm, this being located in Salamanca township. Since removing to Columbus, he has served the city as night policeman.
Mr. Rains was married to Nancy M. Skeen, who was born in his native county, and wil- lingly accepted the hardships she knew were awaiting her in the new country which was to be their home. She still survives, and has reared a family of five children, namely : Emily Jane, who married Riley Anderson, and died in 1899 in the Indian Territory, leaving five children; W. B., who is a farmer in Payne County, Oklahoma, six miles southwest of Still- water; Julia Bell, who is the wife of John Ed- dington, a farmer of Pleasant View township;
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Mattie F., who married Isaac Williams, and re- sides near Joplin, Missouri; and Hattie May, who resides at home.
The family belong to and liberally contri- bute to the support of the Baptist Church. In politics, Mr. Rains has always been an active Republican, and has frequently served in the township offices,-as school director and road supervisor,-always carefully and faithfully performing a citizen's full duty. He was a charter member of the Cow Creek Minute Men, which body was developed into the Anti-Horse Thief Association. He has long been a mem- ber of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and is connected with Lodge No. 387 at Columbus.
S OLOMON D. NEWTON. A thor- oughly representative product of Cherokee County is found in the per- son of Solomon D. Newton, a farmer residing a mile west of Columbus. Mr. New- ton is a member of one of the oldest families in the county, and was brought here in 1866 when he was four years of age. In connection with farming, he is extensively interested in real es- tate, in Benton, Madison and Carroll counties, Arkansas.
Mr. Newton was born in Marion County, Arkansas, in 1862, and is a son of William C. and Mary Ann (Carroll) Newton, both parents having been born and reared near Nashville, Tennessee. After their marriage they moved to a plantation in Marion County, Arkansas, where, at the breaking out of the war, they had accumulated considerable property. Being in an ultra pro-slavery neighborhood, Mr. New- ton soon found it desirable to move up into Illi- nois, where he would be permitted to hold views of neutrality concerning the war. He remained in that State until the fall of 1865, when he
moved into Northern Kansas, and in the spring of 1866 took up a claim on Fly Creek, in Lyon township, Cherokee County. He died in 1892 at the age of 64 years ; his wife at the age of 74 years, still residing on the old homestead. Will- iam C. Newton was a man of the strictest in- tegrity and of firm religious principles, and wielded a powerful influence for good in the early days, when the crude civilization of the time demanded men of the sternest and most unflinching moral probity. To these parents were born seven girls and three boys, as fol- lows: Celia E. (Thornton), of Nevada, Mis- souri ; James Jasper, deceased in 1875, at the age of 21 years; Maria, who married Ami Dennis, a farmer living on property adjoining the homestead; Mrs. Ditha Paralee, a widow residing with her mother; Miranda Clementine (Mrs. C. E. Marlette) living near the home- stead ; Solomon D .; Mary Frances (Mrs. W. M. Frank), of Lyon township; William B., a farmer of Neosho township; Lulu, a teacher in the Scammon schools: and Orpha A., wife of Ed McEwen, of Salamanca township.
Solomon D. Newton is a type of the true Westerner, breezy and enterprising, and with many of the qualities of his father shining in his makeup. He received a fair mental training in the schools of the home district, and remained dutifully at home until he was of legal age. He then began farming on his own account, and by untiring industry soon became the possessor of a fine body of land, amounting to about 400 acres. This he continued to improve in vari- ous ways known to the intelligent farmer, until, in March, 1902, he sold the property and pur- chased his present farm of 160 acres, his re- moval to a point so near the city being prompted by his desire for better school facili- ties for his children. Here he carries on di- versified farming, giving particular attention to the handling and feeding of stock. As stated above, Mr. Newton is interested in Arkansas
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real estate, in which he deals in connection with his brother-in-law, Fred Deem.
-The wife of Mr. Newton's youth was Jen- nie Walker, who died in 1896, at the age of 29 years, leaving him with four children, as fol- lows : Lonnie J., born in 1889 : Frederick Earl, born in 1890; Ethiel Pearl, born in 1892; and Floyd, born in 1896. The lady who now pre- sides over his home was prior to her marriage Mattie Deem, who was, for about seven years, one of the popular and successful school teach- ers of the county. She is a daughter of John W. Deem, of Columbus. She is the mother of a baby boy,-Johnnie Carroll.
Mr. Newton has always taken an active in- terest in neighborhood affairs. While in Lyon township, he was one of the trustees, and was always the prime mover in any movement look- ing to the betterment of society. The present efficient rural mail delivery service in the · county is to a certain extent the result of his ef- forts, as he was one of the prime movers in securing it. Politically, he favors the Populist party, and is a worthy and active member of the A. H. T. A. He and his family move in the best social circles of the county, throughout which they are held in the highest esteem.
AMUEL CUNNINGHAM. There is something ennobling and elevating in the occupation of farming. It is a sordid temperament, indeed, that can commune with Nature in all her varied moods, and not be influenced to live a pure and virtuous life. It is for this reason that the agricultural class is the salvation of the nation. The close association of men in the larger centers of pop- ulation has a tendency to make them mercenary and selfish, but a life-time on the farm is almost certain to bring out the best traits in a man's character. Cherokee County is no whit behind
the sisterhood of counties in Kansas in the pos- session of a solid and morally correct body of yeomanry, and as one of the best examples of these it is our pleasure to present the brief record of the career of Samuel Cunningham, residing at present on an 80-acre farm in sec- tion I, township 33, range 23, in Salamanca township.
Carroll County, Ohio, was the birthplace of Mr. Cunningham, and the date of his birth was June 14, 1843. He is of Irish extraction, his parents, Matthew and Sarah (Walkup) Cunningham, having been natives of County Tyrone, Ireland. Some time after their mar- riage, they came to America, stopping for sev- eral years in Philadelphia ; thence they went to Carroll County, Ohio, where they spent the rest of their lives engaged in farming. They reared but three children. Of these, Mary is the wife of Robert Logan, of Shelby County, Ohio, while John is a farmer in his native county.
Samuel Cunningham came to man's estate amid scenes common to life on a farm in his time, securing a fair education in the rather in- . different schools of his day. When he became his own master, he learned the trade of black- smith, and followed it for a number of years in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, before coming to Kansas. It was in the spring of 1884 that Mr. Cunningham came to the county. With the in- tention of "trucking" he purchased a 10-acre tract a mile south of Columbus, and pursued that occupation until about five years ago, when he moved to his present location. He had pur- chased this farm some years previously, but had continued to reside on the smaller tract. He is engaged in diversified farming, and with good success.
Mr. Cunningham is a veteran of the Civil War, that fratricidal struggle finding him a boy yet in his teens. He enlisted as a private sol- died in his home county in 1862, going out in Company I, 98th Reg .. Ohio Vol. Inf. This
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regiment became part of the 14th Army Corps, and saw service in the Middle West and in the South. His first action was at the bloody battle of Perryville, his last at Jonesboro, Georgia, al- though he continued with General Sherman in his famous "March to the Sea." His service covered a period of three years. He was mus- tered out at Cleveland, Ohio, June 5, 1865. He received no serious wounds, but the rigorous life of the campaigns left him in an impaired state of health. He returned home with the satisfaction of having done his duty, but glad indeed to "turn his sword into the pruning hook of peace."
Mr. Cunningham has twice entered the mat- rimonial state. The wife of his youth was Charity Leckner, of Malvern, Ohio, the mar- riage taking place in 1868. She died in 1873, leaving two children,-Annie, who married Elmer Unum, and lives in Darke County, Ohio; and Alice, who married John Fishley, and is now deceased. Mr. Cunningham's pres- ent wife was before marriage Catherine Mc- Clure, of Ohio. To her have been born three children, namely : William, a telegraph operator in Texas, who is married; Robert, residing at Gardiner, Johnson County, Kansas ; and Mar- garet, who lives at home.
Mr. Cunningham and his family are worthy members of the Presbyterian Church, and in a social way he holds membership in the Grand Army of the Republic, John A. Dix Post, No. 59, of Columbus. Politically, he is a stanchi Republican.
0 F. RITTENHOUSE. Of the many solid and substantial citizens of Cherokee County, few stand higher in the public estimation than the gentleman whose name is here presented. Mr. Rittenhouse is a farmer living on the northwest quarter of section 3, township 33. range 23,
in Salamanca township. His residence in the county dates from 1886, his former home hav- ing been in St. Clair County, Illinois, where he was born in 1853. The parents of Mr. Ritten- house, John and Sybil ( Barker) Rittenhouse, located in St. Clair County "in its infancy," as they were wont to remark ; they were young children in their respective families when the settlements were made. The father was born in Illinois, and died in St. Clair County in Feb- ruary, 1901, at the advanced age of 90 years. The mother was a native of Maine, and her death occurred at the age of 87 years. They were married in St. Clair County, and passed their lives in farming. John Rittenhouse was a man of many sterling qualities, and during his long life was a power for good in the communi- ties in which he lived. In political affiliation he was first a Whig, and later a Republican. It was always a source of satisfaction to him, that he helped to elect the Immortal Lincoln to the presidency. He was also proud of the fact of having voted for both the Harrisons.
The family born to these parents consisted of six sons and two daughters, of whom three of the former and two daughters are still living, all in Illinois, save the subject of this sketch.
O. F. Rittenhouse was the youngest of this family. He was reared to farm life and had a good common school education. He has always followed the occupation of an agricult- urist, and success has attended him. The first marriage of Mr. Rittenhouse took place in St. Clair County, Illinois. His wife, whose maiden name was Julia Higgins, died in Illinois, leaving Mr. Rittenhouse with a daughter, Estella. This daughter now resides in Columbus, and is the wife of C. H. Briggs, a business man of that city; they have three children,-Bessie, Roscoe and Mabel. Mr. Rittenhouse was joined to his present wife after he came to Kansas. She was reared in the same neighbor- hood in Illinois as her husband, her maiden
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name having been Rachel H. Kraft, and came to Cherokee County in May, 1886. To her have been born three children,-Reuben R. and Lucy, both still at home, and one that died in infancy.
The success of Mr. Rittenhouse may be attributed to his untiring industry, a penchant for keeping "everlastingly at it," and to a keen grasp of the financial end of the farming in- dustry. He cares nothing for political prefer- ment, but is a stanch Republican, when he drops his ballot in the box on election day. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church. In the fraternities, he holds membership in the Odd Fellows and Modern Woodmen of America.
ESSE BUZARD, one of the excellent farmers and well known citizens of Ross township, who owns a finely im- proved farm of 210 acres in sections 35 and 36, township 32, range 23, was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, September 15, 1833, and is a son of Daniel and Susanna ( Ran- dles ) Buzard.
The parents of Mr. Buzard belonged to old agricultural families of Fayette County. They moved from there to Guernsey County, Ohio, where Daniel Buzard followed farming some 30 years. He then moved with his family still farther West, locating in McLean County, Illi- nois, and later in Cherokee County, Kansas. Here he bought a farm in section 32, township 31, range 23, in Ross township, on which he died in March, 1904, at the age of 93 years. His wife passed away in 1884. They had nine children, as follows: Margaret, deceased ; Jesse ; Sarah, wife of Thomas Haynes, of Ross township; Elizabeth, wife of John Arbuckle, of Ross township; John, a farmer of Ross town- ship; Ann, wife of Daniel Stucky, of Harper County, Kansas; Holts, of McLean County,
Illinois; Susan, wife of William McGowan, of Salamanca township; and Samuel, of Craw- ford County, Kansas. The parents of these children were worthy members of the Metho- dist Episcopal Church. Politically, Daniel Buzard was a Democrat.
The subject of this sketch remained with his father until he was 23 years of age. His mental training was obtained in the schools of the localities where the family lived, and he grew to young manhood, well equipped both mentally and physically for the burdens of life. He remained in Guernsey County, Ohio, for some years after his marriage, following farming, accompanied his father to McLean County, Illinois, and in 1877 came to Cherokee County. Here he secured 160 acres of land in Ross township, on which some breaking had been done, but no improvements had been made. To this he subsequently added land, until he now owns 210 acres. This land he now rents, and is thus relieved from the active duties of farming. It has proved a valuable property, producing satisfactory crops of wheat, oats, corn and flax, and some excellent cattle, horses, mules and hogs. He has made many substan- tial improvements here, and has carried on his operations with modern machinery, and by modern methods of agriculture.
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