USA > Kansas > Johnson County > History of Johnson County, Kansas > Part 34
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
George C. Hayden, who passed to his reward May 23, 1914, was a John- son county pioneer, and during his many years of residence in this county, by his straightforward and manly methods, built up a reputation for which he will long be remembered, as one of the first citizens of Miami and Johnson counties. George C. Hayden was a Kentuckian, born in Meade county, that State, June 23, 1832. He was a son of John and Mary (Goodrich) Hayden, both natives of Kentucky. John Hay- den was the son of Jacob Hayden, a native of Pennsylvania of Scotch- Irish descent. Mary Goodrich, John Hayden's mother, was of English descent. John Hayden was a physician, and at an early day removed with his family from Kentucky to Iowa. He bought land in Van Buren county, Iowa, where he reared his family, and where he and his wife spent some time. Later they went to Texas where they died. George C. Hayden, whose name introduces this sketch, remained at the family home in Iowa until 1858 when he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Struble. She was born in Hocking county, Ohio, November 20, 1839, a daughter of Jacob and Louisa (Rhinehart) Struble, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Pennsylvania, both of German descent. The Struble family removed from Pennsylvania to Iowa when Mrs. Hay- den was a young girl. They were neighbors of the Hayden family in Iowa, and Mrs. Hayden and her future husband, George C. Hayden, were childhood friends during the early pioneer days in Iowa. Shortly after their marriage in 1858 George C. Hayden and his wife came to Kansas, locating in Miami county where they preempted a claim which is still owned by the family. They were just started in life in their new home when the Civil war broke out, and George C. Hayden with his wife and two children left their Kansas home and went to Fort Worth, Texas. He was a pro-slavery man and a man of decided political con- victions, and conscientiously cast his lot with the lost cause. After going to Texas he enlisted in the Confederate army and served beneath the stars and bars until the war was ended. About 1869 he returned to Miami county with his family and followed farming for a number of years and prospered. In 1906 he left the farm and removed to Gardner where he practically lived in retirement until his death. Mr. Hayden was a Democrat and a well known citizen of Johnson county. He had a wide acquaintance and many friends. He was a member of the Masonic lodge. To George C. Hayden and Sarah E. Struble were born eleven children, as follows: Mary L., born December 26, 1857, married G. J. Waller; Lillian F., born December 26, 1860, married J. J. Williams; Georgia, born September 16, 1862, married L. C. Tuggle ; Sarah E., born February 16, 1866, married C. J. Powell; Alice J., born August 30, 1868, married S. C. Cooper; Dr. John, born February 8, 1870, a prominent physician and surgeon in Oklahoma City, Okla .; Martha E., born April 21, 1872, married D. J. McDaniel; Olive M., born December 26, 1874, married J. P. Carnes ; Jacob S., born December 30, 1876, Bishop G., born July 9, 1880, and Augustus Taylor, born February 4, 1884. Mrs. Hay-
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den is a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, and has a pleasant home at Gardner, Kan., where she has many friends and is much loved by those who know her best. She is proud to relate that she has twenty- seven living grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren.
W. H. Kelly, a leading business man of Edgerton, and a prominent factor in Johnson county, is a member of one of the representative pio- neer families of this section of the State. His parents, William E. and Catherine Kelly, were natives of Ireland. They were married at Mid- dletown, Ohio, in March, 1857, and about that time came west, locating at Elmwood, Ill. They remained there until 1870 when the family came to Kansas and located on a farm in Gardner township. The father was a successful farmer and at the time of his death owned 325 acres of land. In 1898, the parents left the farm, which is still owned by members of the family, and removed to Olathe, where the mother died in 1909, and about four months later the father passed away. William E. Kelly and his wife were the parents of the following children: William H., the subject of this sketch ; Mrs. W. D. Hendrix; John D. ; Thomas T .; Mar- tin J .; Rev. Bernard S .; Mrs. Ella Geer; Sister Marion; Joseph A .; Mrs. J. A. Marshall ; Frank X. ; Charles M. ; Edward E. ; Mrs. William Sherr and one who died in infancy. Edward E. and Mrs. Sherr are also deceased. W. H. Kelly was born in Peoria county, Illinois, April 25, 1858, and in February, 1870, came to Johnson county with his parents. He remained on the home farm and received a good common school edu- cation, and then took a commercial course in Spaulding's Business Col- lege at Kansas City, Mo. In 1882 he entered the employ of the Johnson County Co-operative Association, where he remained until 1884, when he came to Edgerton in the employ of the G. B. Shaw Lumber Company, and remained with that concern until 1888. At that time Mr. Kelly and W. H. Short purchased the Phoenix Milling Company's mill at Edger- ton, and that business was operated under the firm name of Kelly & Short until the death of Mr. Short in 1890, when M. J. Kelley, a brother of W. H., purchased the W. H. Short interest in the business and it was conducted by Kelly Brothers until January, 1907, when the plant was destroyed by fire. M. J. Kelly then retired from the business, and W. H. rebuilt, and now the business is conducted by him and his son, Ira. They are extensive buyers and shippers of grain, field seeds and feed of all kinds, and in addition to their well equipped elevator. they operate a corn mill and manufacture corn meal, corn chop, graham and whole wheat flour, and also do custom feed grinding. They also operate what is known among grain men as a shelling and cleaning house. This is especially equipped for cleaning grain and shelling corn in "Transit." The plan is for shippers to have their wheat and corn cleaned here, be- fore shipping it to market and they have a very extensive business of that character. During the season of 1914 they cleaned about 100,000 bushels of grain which was in transit to the market. Mr. Kelly was married to Miss Mary Hendrix, who died at Olathe in 1885. In 1887 he
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was married to Miss Margaret I. O'Connell and the following children were born to this union: Ira J., who was educated in the public schools and St. Mary's College, and is now associated with his father in business. Maurine, a graduate of St. Mary's Academy in the class of 1914 and Mary W., a senior at that institution. His oldest daughter, Catherine, died in 1900, aged eight years; his youngest daughter, Mildred, died in 1902, aged one year, and their mother, also the mother of Ira, Maurine and Mary, passed away in 1901. In 1907, Mr. Kelly was married to Miss Anna M. Shea, of Kansas City, Mo. Mr. Kelly is a Republican and takes an active part in local politics and in 1910 was the nominee of his party for county treasurer for Johnson county.
H. L. Henry, a Civil war veteran, and early settler in McCamish township, is a native of Illinois. He was born in Ogle county, April II, 1845, and is a son of Samuel and Sarah (Linn) Henry, both natives of Concord, Franklin county, Pennsylvania. They left their Pennsyl- vania home in 1844 and came west, locating in Ogle county, Illinois. These were real pioneer days on the plains of Illinois, and railroads were almost unheard of in that State. When they made the trip to that State they went by boat as far as Savannah, and drove the rest of the way to their new home on the prairie, a distance of about sixty miles. The father bought a claim and engaged in farming there until his death, in 1880. The mother died the same year. The Henry family consisted of seven children, as follows. Dr. William, a physician of Harmon, Lee county, Illinois ; John, who resides on the old homestead in Ogle county ; Hester, also resides on the old homestead and is unmarried; H. L., the subject of this sketch ; Margaret (deceased) ; Mary Jane, married Milton Woolhiser, and resides in Nebraska, and James resides in Ogle county, near the old homestead. H. L. Henry attended the public schools and remained on the home farm until early in 1865 when he enlisted in Com- pany G, Twenty-third regiment, Illinois infantry. He enlisted at Chi- cago, and after spending a short time at Camp Fry, was sent to join the army of the Potomac, on the James river. He joined his regiment four miles from Richmond, Va., and for a time was located at General Grant's headquarters at City Point. At the close of the war he was dis- charged at Richmond, Va., August 3, 1865, and returned to Chicago, where he was paid. He then went to his Ogle county home and remained until 1867, when he came to Johnson county and located on a claim, four miles northwest of Edgerton, and followed farming until 1900 when he removed to Edgerton where he has since resided. He sold his Johnson county farm, and is now extensively interested in land in Kearney county. Mr. Henry was married September 1, 1867, to Miss Martha Davis. She was born near Hagerstown, Md., and removed with her parents to Ogle county, Illinois, when a child. To Mr. and Mrs. Henry have been born four children, as follows: Walter, Garden City, Kan .; Mary, married Ira Campbell, Garden City, Kan .; Margaret, mar- ried. Frank Stephenson, Gardner City, Kan., and Ray L., in the employ
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of the Union Pacific Railway Company, in Colorado. The wife and mother departed this life, April 2, 1905. She was a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and a conscientious Christian woman who lived an exemplary Christian life. Mr. Henry is a Democrat and has served as trustee of McCamish township. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and one of the substantial citizens of John- son county.
Harrison Lansdown, a Civil war veteran, now retired at Edgerton, has been an honored resident of Johnson county for nearly forty years. Mr. Lansdown was born in Ohio in 1839, and is a son of N. Lansdown, a native of Virginia. Harrison Lansdown was reared to manhood in his native State, where he received a good common school education. Like the average boy he was engaged in the peaceful pursuits of civil life when the country was plunged into the great Civil war. He enlisted in Company K, Thirteenth regiment, Ohio infantry, and after serving a term of enlistment in that organization, he reenlisted in Com- pany G, Ninety-fifth regiment, Ohio infantry, and served three years and six months in all. He participated in the battle of Richmond, Ky., Jackson, Miss., Vicksburg, Black River, Spanish Fort, Ala., Fort Blake- ly, Ala., Guntown, Miss., besides numerous other engagements of lesser importance and skirmishes without number. He was captured at Gun- town, Miss., and for a time confined in Andersonville prison. After being confined in Andersonville for some time, he was exchanged and returned home for a time when he returned to the front and joined his regiment. He was a good soldier and made a brilliant military record and was honorably discharged and mustered out of service, August 14, 1865. He returned to his Ohio home where he remained until 1877. He then came to Kansas reaching Johnson county, March 9, 1877. He farmed rented land for a time and prospered. He raised stock extensively, as well as large quantities of grain. After following farming for three years he removed to Gardner where he was engaged in the grain and elevator business for fifteen years. He then bought a small tract of land near Gardner where he built a home and engaged in raising fruit and garden produce. In 1904 he came to Edgerton and is now living retired. Mr. Lansdown has been twice married, first to Miss Louisa Sipes, and four children were born to this union: Albert, Floyd A., William and Cora. The wife and mother died in 1894 and Mr. Lansdown married Miss E. Edingfield. During Mr. Landsdown's long residence in Johnson county, he has won many friends and made an extensive acquaintance. Politically he is a Republican. He is a member of the Presbyterian church and the Grand Army of the Republic.
D. C. Dwyer, of Edgerton, Kan., is a Johnson county pioneer. Mr. Dwyer is a native of Ireland and a son of D. J. Dwyer, who spent his life in that country. D. C. Dwyer, whose name introduces this sketch, was the first mayor of Edgerton and served two terms in that office. He came to Kansas in 1866 and settled at Lanesfield, Johnson county.
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He is a blacksmith by trade and was one of the first to open a shop at Lanesfield. He worked at his trade there for a number of years, when he removed to Edgerton where he successfully conducted a general blacksmithing business until the present time. Mr. Dwyer married Miss Mary Sullivan, a native of Ireland, and they have three children, as follows: Mary, resides in Kansas City, Mo .; Jeremiah, engaged in farm- ing near Edgerton and Maggie resides in Kansas City, Mo. Mr. Dwyer has spent nearly half a century of his life in Johnson county, and during that time has built up a reputation for honesty and integrity, and has made many friends. He has had a great deal to do with the upbuild- ing and betterment of the town of Edgerton and has been interested in its welfare from almost its beginning, and has seen it grow until it has become one of the important and prosperous towns of Kansas. Besides being the first mayor of Edgerton, Mr. Dwyer has served as justice of the peace for thirty-eight years and for a number of years was police judge.
C. E. Harbour, manager of the Farmer's general store at Edgerton, has had an extensive mercantile experience, and is one of the enthusiastic boosters of commercial Edgerton, who have given it a conspicuous place on the map of Johnson county. Mr. Harbour was born at Rosebud, Ohio, in 1876, and is a son of George W. and Mary A. (Bostic) Harbour, natives of Ohio. C. E. Harbour was two years old when his parents removed from Ohio to West Virginia. He was reared and educated in that State where he remained until 1907 when he came to Stanley, Kan., and worked on a farm about a year. In 1908 he came to Edgerton and was employed in the Farmer's store as clerk. He started at $25.00 per month, but was soon raised to $30. Eighteen months later he returned to Stanley as manager of the Grange store there. He conducted the affairs of that concern there, successfully, for three years when he accepted the management of the Farmer's store at Edgerton in 1913, and since that time has held that position. Mr. Harbour is a successful mer- chant and has proven himself to be a thoroughly capable manager of a large mercantile establishment, such as the Farmer's store of Edgerton is. Mr. Harbour was united in marriage May 18, 1909, to Miss Mar- querite E. Wolfey, a daughter of Ebenezer and Mary (Penery) Wolfey, both natives of Ohio, and both born in 1842. They are the parents of four children: P. E., a real estate man, Wichita, Kan .; Milly Ann; Llewellyn and Jennie Lytle. The Wolfey family came from Ohio to Kansas in 1871 and settled in Miami county where the father bought a farm and followed farming until he retired and removed to Edgerton. He still owns his farm. To Mr. and Mrs. Harbour have been born three children, as follows : Charles W., Mary E. and Leland F. Mr. and Mrs. Harbour are members of the Methodist Episcopal church, and he has been Sunday school superintendent for four years. His fraternal affilia- tions are with the Masons, Modern Woodmen of America, the Knights of the Golden Eagle and the Grange.
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HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
W. S. Speer, of Olathe, has been a prominent factor in the affairs of Johnson county for forty-seven years. He was born at Cambridge, Guernsey county, Ohio, April II, 1839, and is a son of A. S. and Mary (McKinney) Speer, natives of Scotland. The grandfather was a lieu- tenant in the War of 1812 and an early settler in Guernsey county, Ohio. A. S. Speer, father of W. S. Speer, took a prominent part in politics and was the first county commissioner elected in Guernsey county, and served as justice of the peace for a number of years. He was one of the pioneer advocates of prohibition. He followed farming and for a number of years kept a hotel in Cambridge, Ohio. He and his wife spent their lives in Ohio and are both now deceased. They were the parents of eight children, as follows: John S., was a major in the United States Signal Corps, in the Civil war, and is now a retired minister at Cambridge, Ohio. W. S., the subject of this sketch ; Matthew W., served in the United States Signal Corps during the Civil war, and was with Sheridan in the eastern army ; Henry was a lieutenant in Company H. Seventy-eighth regiment, Ohio infantry, and was mortally wounded before Atlanta, July 22, 1864; Newton, died at the age of eight ; James F., a farmer, Edgerton; Anna Margaret, married James A. Lorimer, of Johnson county, and Ella, resides at Pasadena, Calif. W. S. Speer was reared in Guernsey county, Ohio, educated in the public schools and when a youth learned the carpenter's trade. November 1, 1861, he en- listed at Cambridge, Ohio, in Company A, Seventy-eighth regiment, Ohio infantry, as a private, and during his term of service was pro- moted to sergeant. He participated in the following engagements : Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, Grand Junction, La Grange, Bolivar, Iuka, Memphis, siege of Vicksburg and Monroeville. At the expira- tion of his term he reenlisted at Vicksburg, as a veteran volunteer, and after a thirty days' furlough joined the Seventeenth corps at Cairo, Ill., where it remained one day and then under command of Gen. Frank Blair, embarked on boats and passed up the Tennessee river to Clifton. On the morning of the sixteenth day of May, 1864, the long march over- land across Tennessee, northern Alabama and into the heart of Georgia was commenced. Tennessee was respected as a loyal State. No forag- ing was allowed, not even a garden or a hen roost was disturbed. The march was the longest and most severe one that the men had ever made, but they stood it well. They plodded on without a murmur through choking dust and also rain and mud, fording creeks and rivers and resting at night without shelter from the dew and rain, their weary limbs and backs aching under the weight of the knapsacks, arms and other munitions of war. After that he was at the battle of Resaca, Big Shanty, Kenesaw Mountain, siege of Atlanta, being wounded twice in the latter engagement. He was struck by a fragment of an exploding shell and received a gunshot wound in his cheek. From Atlanta he was with Sherman in his famous march to the sea and after the surrender of Lee
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his regiment marched to ,Washington and. participated in the grand review. They then went to Louisville, Ky., where they were discharged, July 17, 1865. He then returned to Cambridge, Ohio, and engaged in farming until 1868, when he came to Kansas and located on a farm in Johnson county where he has since been successfully engaged in farm- ing and stock raising. He resides in Olathe and directs his farm from there. Mr. Speer was united in marriage March 7, 1866, to Anna Wilson, of Cambridge, Ohio, and to this union three children were born, as fol- lows: H. W., a teacher, Knoxville, Tenn .; Myrtle and Mary were both teachers and are now deceased. The wife and mother of these children died July 31. 1872, and on November 13, 1874, Mr. Speer was united in. marriage to Miss Julia M. Henderson, a native of Washington county, Pennsylvania. Two children were born to this union: N. C., a graduate of the Kansas City Medical College, and now a practicing physician at Osawatomie, Kan., and William Lewis, a graduate of the Jefferson Medi- cal College, Philadelphia, Pa., now practising his profession at Clay Cen- ter, Kan. Mr. Speer has taken an active part in local and State politics and has been a life-long Republican. He cast his first vote for Abraham. Lincoln in 1864 while in the line of March. Mr. Speer says that voting at that time was not a complicated process. He merely dropped his. ballot in a coffee pot which was held out for that purpose as the soldier boys went marching by. He has held many offices of trust and responsi- bility and has always faithfully and efficiently discharged the duties of any office or trust imposed in him. He has served as township trustee- and as a member of the school board a number of years and served as. county commissioner for two terms from 1896 to 1902. In 1902 he was. elected to the State legislature but refused to accept the nomination for reelection. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, Frank- lin Post, No. 68, and is past commander. He and his wife are members. of the United Presbyterian church.
Horace Parks, a Civil war veteran who has spent over forty-three years: of his life in Johnson county, is a native of Indiana. He was born in St. Joseph county in 1843, and is a son of Isaac K. and Sarah (Huntsman) Parks, the former a native of the Empire State and the latter of Ohio. They were the parents of five children, all of whom were born in Indiana,. as follows : Seth, was a soldier in the Civil war and was killed at the bat- tle of Chickamauga; Robert also served in the Civil war and was wounded near Memphis, Tenn., and taken prisoner. He was later ex- changed and died at Annapolis, Md., while in service. Norman, now re- sides at Mishawaka, Ind .; Ebin, spent his life in Indiana and died at Mish- awaka; and Horace, the subject of this sketch. Horace Parks received his educational discipline in the public schools of Indina and before he had reached maturity the great Civil war came on and when he was about eighteen years old he enlisted in Company I, Ninth regiment, Indiana in- fantry, and served three years. He took part in many of the important and.
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and hard fought battles of the Civil war, including Greenbriar, Stone River, Shiloh, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, and at the latter battle was wounded in the thigh by a minnie ball, after which he returned to Indianapolis on a veteran's furlough where he remained six months, when he was mustered out of service on account of expiration of his term of service and was honorably discharged. He remained in his native State until 1872 when he came to Kansas, locating in Johnson county. He bought a farm of 160 acres in Spring Hill township, four miles north of Spring Hill, where he has since been successfully engaged in farming and stock raising. In 1912, he removed to Olathe, but continues to con- duct his farming operations. Mr. Parks was united in marriage at Misha- waka, Ind., in 1868, to Miss Sarah Minor, and six children have been born to this union, as follows: A daughter, died in infancy; Seth, a practicing physician at Bartlesville, Okla. ; Wade R., an attorney in Mon- tana ; Isaac, an attorney in South Bend, Ind .; a son who died at the age of one year ; and Lillian died at the age of one year. Mr. Parks is well known in Johnson county and is one of the substantial citizens of the community, and has many friends.
Arthur P. Williams, cashier of the Spring Hill Banking Company, has held that position with this important financial instituton for the past fifteen years. The Spring Hill Banking Company is one of the prosperous and substantial banking houses of eastern Kansas with a spotless record of over a quarter of a century. It was organized in 1889. with a captial stock of $20,000, and has a surplus of $15,000, and is one of the best dividend paying banks in the State. The bank is organized on a common sense safe plan. There are thirteen directors and each director has an equal voice in the administration of the affairs of the bank, regardless of how many shares of stock he owns. However, a stock holder must own a minimum of five shares before he is eligible to. become a member of the board of directors. The following are the present officers and directors of the bank: Eli Davis, president; Loren Grarofar, vice-president; A. P. Williams, cashier; Steward Simpson, assistant cashier and W. C. Palmer, secretary ; and the present board of directors are : Eli Davis, Leon Granford, W. M. Adams, S. R. Hogue, W. H. Rutter, Eugene Davis, W. C. Palmer, W. M. Tibbetts, George S. Sowers, S. C. Ranney, A. P. Williams, P. O. Coons and Lizzie Bun- nell. Arthur P. Williams, the cashier, is a native of Wales, and was born in 1848. a son of William A. and Given (Pugh) Williams, also natives of Wales. When A. P. was about nine months old, the family im- migrated to America. They landed at New York after a voyage of five weeks, and immediately proceeded to Wisconsin, settling in Green Lake county. The mother died in Pennsylvania a few years after the family located there and the father, who was a slate quarry man, removed to Pennsylvania, taking his wife with him. A. P. Williams received a good common school education and before he was twenty-one years old went.
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