USA > Kansas > Johnson County > History of Johnson County, Kansas > Part 39
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51
George Mower, a leading contractor and builder of Spring Hill, is a native of the Buckeye State. He was born in Wayne county, Ohio, May 3, 1846, and is a son of George and Lydia (Hershey) Mower. George Mower, the father, was a native of Franklin county, Pennsyl- vania, and was one of the early settlers of Wayne county, Ohio. He
363
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
was a successful man of his day and became wealthy and one of the prominent men of northern Ohio. He died in 1862. His wife, Lydia Hershey, was a daughter of Abraham Hershey, a pioneer of Stark county, Ohio. George Mower, whose name introduces this review, was one of a family of seven children. He grew to manhood, surrounded by the pioneer conditions of Wayne county, Ohio, under conditions that develop resourcefulness and self-reliance. His preliminary education was obtained in a pioneer log school house. When the Civil war came on he was a mere boy, only fifteen years of age, but even at that early age he enlisted in the Ohio State militia, but was too young to enter the regular service. However, two years later, when he was seventeen years old, he enlisted as a private in Company D, One hundred and Sixty-ninth regiment, Ohio infantry, and was mustered into service at Cleveland, Ohio, in the spring of 1864. His regiment was immediately sent to Arlington Heights, near Washington, D. C., to relieve a Penn- sylvania regiment that had been stationed there for two years and nine months. After four months' and four days' service, they were returned to Cleveland and were mustered out. At the close of the war he returned to school and received a good education. He was married in 1870 and removed to Marshallville, Ohio, where he took up carpenter work and thoroughly mastered that trade, and for a time worked in the capacity of foreman there when he engaged in contracting and build- ing, and during his career as a builder there he erected some of the finest residences in that city. In 1884 he came to Kansas with his fam- ily and located at Spring Hill and for five years was engaged in farming and also followed contracting, and since 1889 has devoted himself entirely to contracting and building, and during that time has erected some very fine buildings in Spring Hill and vicinity which stand as monuments to his ability as a workman. To Mr. and Mrs. Mower have been born seven children: Isie married Thomas McVey, Miami county, Kansas; Forest resides in Johnson county, Kansas; Eva married James Cuddeback, Johnson county, Kansas ; Annie resides at home; Elsie mar- ried T. P. Duffield; George, Kansas City, Mo .; and Ray, who resides in Johnson county. Mr. Mower is a member of the Grange and a stock- holder and director in the Grange store at Spring Hill, and is a stock- holder in the Spring Hill Banking Company. Politically he is a Repub- lican and takes an active part in politics and at one time was a candi- date for sheriff of Johnson county.
Col. W. C. Graves, of Spring Hill, Kan., is one of the best known auctioneers in eastern Kansas. He is a native of Ohio, born in Cin- cinnati, July 17, 1869. His father was a native of Dayton, Ohio, born in 1848, and his mother of Cincinnati. They were the parents of eight children, as follows, all of whom are living; Edward, Bolivar, Mo .; J. A., Spring Hill, Kan .; Ella Inman, Napvine, Wash .; J. M., Roosevelt, Okla .; Jennie Chamberlin, Roosevelt, Okla .; Ely, Spring Hill, Kan .;
364
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
Walter, Grand Pass, Mo., and W. C., whose name introduces this sketch. The Graves family are Miami county pioneers, coming to that county in the fall of 1869. They located on a farm two miles south of Spring Hill. W. C. Graves received a common school education and at the age of twenty-one he engaged in farming and stockraising and was successfully engeged in that business until 1902. For a number of years prior to 1902, Colonel Graves had been engaged as an auctioneer in con- nection with his farming operations, but since that time has devoted himself exclusively to autioneering. He began his career as an auctioneer under Col. Bill Buckeye, of Paola, Kan. He not only has cried sales in Johnson and Miami counties, but he is well known as an auctioneer in Oklahoma, Texas and Colorado, as well as Kansas. He is in general demand in this line of work and his sales amount to many thousands of dollars each year. Colonel Graves was married at Paola, Kan., in 1892, to Miss Lizzie Meeks, a daughter of S. S. Meeks, a John- son county pioneer and Civil war veteran. To Colonel and Mrs. Graves have been born four children, as follows: Meek, Gertrude, Margaretta and Bonnidell. The Graves family reside at Spring Hill where they are well known and highly respected.
C. H. Mossman, a progressive business man of Ocheltree and one of the substantial citizens of Johnson county, is a native of Wisconsin. He was born at Branch, Manitowac county, in 1850, and is a son of H. N. and Derexa (Ellis) Mossman, both natives of Middlebury, Vt., and of old New England stock, the former of Scotch and the latter of Ger- man descent. H. N. Mossman was born in Vermont and was a son of Mark Mossman, who was a soldier in the Revolutionary war. C. H. Mossman remembers, as a child, of hearing his father tell of the his- toric case of Ethan Allen during the Revolutionary war. H. N. Moss- man left his Vermont home and went to Racine, Wis., and was mar- ried in Wisconsin. After living about a year in Racine county he removed with his bride to Manitowac county, where he took up Govern- ment land. He was one of the early pioneers of Wisconsin. When he passed through Chicago on his way to the Northwest, that great city of today was a mere village. H. N. Mossman, with his wife and family of five children, came to Kansas from Wisconsin in 1868, and here the parents spent the remainder of their lives. C. H. Mossman, whose name introduces this sketch, was seventeen years old when the family settled in Johnson county. He had attended school in Wisconsin and after coming here attended school in Aubry. Mr. Mossman has had an active business career ; he was a member of the company which built the Hadley Mill at Olathe in 1888, and for a time was secretary and general manager of that milling company. Previous to this he was engaged in the milling business alone and has been interested in the grain business more or less throughout his business career. In 1900 he disposed of his milling interests in Olathe and came to Ocheltree,
365
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
where he engaged in the hay, grain and general mercantile business, which has since occupied his attention. He has probably done more business of that particular kind, during the last twenty-five years, than any other concern in the country. From July 1, 1914, to July 1, 1915. he handled over 54,000 bushels of grain. besides his other business trans- actions. At a rough estimate his business probably amounted to con- siderably more than $50,000 per year. Mr. Mossman was united in marriage in 1870 to Miss Sarah Norris, a daughter of Amos and Valen- tin Norris, natives of Missouri, and to this union two daughters were born, as follows: Hattie D. married Telman Harrison, Kansas City, Kan., and Jessie P. married True Gorsline, of Gardner, Kan. The wife and mother died in 1880 while in Texas, where she had gone for a change of climate with the hope of improving her health. Mr. Moss- man was married the second time in 1886, to Caroline Ballou, a native of North Carolina, who was reared and educated in Georgia. Mr. Moss- man is a stanch Republican and one of the strong men of his party in Johnson county. He has served two terms as clerk of the district court and is at present postmaster at Ocheltree. He has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Spring Hill for the past thirty years and is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and the Masons, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, No. 56, Spring Hill, Kan., and has been a member of that lodge over thirty years.
Alfred J. Rebsamen, a Civil war veteran residing at Olathe, has been identified with Johnson county for over forty-five years. He is a native of Lucerne, Switzerland, born May 8, 1837, and is a son of John and Mary (Koch) Rebsamen, both natives of Switzerland. In 1850 the parents immigrated to America with their eight children and located at Herman, Gasconade county, Missouri, where the father located on unimproved land. The family was in poor circumstances and the father was a hard-working, industrious man. Times were hard and opportuni- ties for making a living in that section were limited. He often worked for a small pittance of twenty-five cents per day to keep the wolf from the door. The father died in February, 1856, and was survived by his wife a number of years. She departed this life in 1879, aged sixty-six years. Of their eight children only two are now living. Alfred J. Reb- samen remained on the Missouri farm until the death of his father, when he returned to his native land. In 1862 he came back to Herman, Mo., and a short time afterwards enlisted in Company A, First regi- ment, Missouri cavalry. His regiment was stationed for a time at Pilot Knob and Little Rock, Ark., and later at St. Louis when that city was threatened by General Price's forces. He was discharged at St. Louis, October 15, 1864, and reenlisted at Alton, Ill., in Company A, Fifty- ninth regiment, Illinois infantry, and immediately proceeded to Hunts- ville, Ala. He participated in the battle of Nashville, his regiment being in the thick of the fight in that engagement and lost 117 men.
366
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
After Lee's surrender his regiment was transferred to Green Lake, Texas, and after spending the summer there they returned to Spring- field, Ill., where they were discharged, December 8, 1865. Mr. Rebsa- men had received military training in his native country and was a brave soldier and made a good military record. He had many narrow escapes and a number of thrillling experiences but was never wounded. At one time his horse was shot from under him and another time his rifle stock was shot into splinters in his hands. At the close of the war he returned to Herman, Mo., and engaged in wine culture, this having been his boyhood occupation in Switzerland. In 1870 he came to John- son county, Kan., and was engaged as, a farm laborer until 1874, when he bought a farm of eighty acres in Olathe township, at fifty dollars per acre. He sold this in 1909 at $125 per acre. He still owns 160 acres, besides his fine home in Olathe, where he removed in 1909. Mr. Reb- samen was married Februrary 15, 1868, to Miss Louisa Hegsse, of Her- man, Mo. To this union were born six children as follows: August, Olathe; Louisa K. resides at home ; Mary died in Los Angeles, Calif., in I9II; James F., Paola, Kan .; Edwin, Pittsburgh, Kan., and William, Olathe. The wife and mother died June 5, 1912, aged sixty-eight years. She came to America with her parents, who located at Herman, Mo., when she was a child. Mr. Rebsamen is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and a charter member of the Olathe Grange, which was organized in 1873. Politically he is a Republican and takes an active interest in the well-being of his party. He has never missed attending a primary since coming to Kansas.
W. T. Turner, former treasurer of Johnson county and a Kansas pio- neer, has been a prominent factor in the affairs of this county for nearly a half century. Mr. Turner is a native of North Carolina, having been born in Guilford county, in 1851. His parents, E. and Susan (Hendrix) Turner, were natives of North Carolina and of Scotch- Irish descent. The Turner family left their North Carolina home in 1856 and went to Iowa, remaining but a very short time in that State; they came on to Kansas the same year. They made the entire trip from North Carolina with ox and horse teams. After coming to Kansas they located in Franklin county but were not satisfied with that locality and went from there to Jackson county, Missouri, where they remained one winter and in the spring returned to Kansas and located in Gardner township, Johnson county, where they made their permanent home. They endured the many hardships which fell to the lot of the average Kansas pioneer. They not only had to battle with the elements and face the early day crop failures and inconveniences and hardships of pioneer life but this section of the country was rent by the factional conflict known as the border war, when neighbor was pitted against neighbor and no one knew when an enemy was lying in wait for him. The senior Turner, although a native of the Southland, was a strong
367
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
Union man. During these troublesome days he served in the local militia and was frequently away from home for weeks at a time in the service of the State and the Union. E. Turner, the father, spent his life in Johnson county and followed farming. He became one of the substantial men of the county and at the time of his death owned 240 acres of land. He died in 1903. His wife preceded him in death about five years. W. T. Turner, the subject of this sketch, is one of a family of ten children. He was about five years old when the family came to Kansas and he has a vivid recollection of the early days of pioneer life on the plains, and the exciting times of the border war. He experi- enced these many incidents in the history making epoch of the Nation at a time when they left an indelible impression on his young mind. He attended such schools as the primitive conditions of the times afforded and remained at home until he reached his majority when he acquired land for himself. He first owned 160 acres which he sold after twenty years, and bought a quarter section where his son, Oliver, now resides. He was extensively engaged in stock raising and feeding as well as general farming and prospered. He bought additional land until he owns 425 acres, which is one of the finest farms in eastern Kansas. It is well improved with a fine residence and two large barns. Mr. Turner's stock raising and feeding have not been confined to cattle alone, as he has also been one of the most entensive hog feeders in that section of the country, frequently buying a carload of hogs at a time for feeding purposes. Mr. Turner was united in marriage in 1875 to Miss Maria Gay, a native of Illinois. Mrs. Turner was a daughter of Sidney and Jane (Dodson) Gay. They were early settlers in Johnson county, coming to this State from Illinois. To W. T. Turner and wife were born five children as follows: Edward N., hardware merchant, Gardner, Kan., married Minnie Mitchell, and they have one child, Marcelia ; Net- tie, wife of John Meng, a Johnson county farmer, and they have three children, Bertha, Leona and Dora; Cora, wife of Eugene Rees, farmer, Miami county, Kansas, and they have one child, Minnie; Olliver, a Johnson county farmer, has three children, Orville, Howard and Lucile; and Roy, also a farmer in Johnson county. W. T. Turner has been active in the affairs of Johnson county since boyhood and has taken' a prominent part in politics. He was reared in a Republican atmosphere and cast his first vote for General Grant for President and since that time has been a Democrat and taken a prominent part in the councils of the Democratic party in Johnson county and Kansas. He was elected treasurer of Johnson county in 1905 and at the expiration of that time was reelected, serving two terms. The normal Republican majority of Johnson county at that time was about 700, but Mr. Turner carried the county by a majority of 458 at his first election and at his second elec- tion he was given a majority of 460, a gain of a vote a year, which shows at least that he was not losing ground. He carried his own township
368
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
at his first election by a majority of 101 and the second time by a major- ity of 150. Mr. Turner is a member of the Grange and he and his wife are members of the Church of Christ. Mr. Turner is one of Johnson county's most substantial citizens and has built up a reputation for honesty and straightforward methods which extends beyond the boun- daries of Johnson county.
William R. Anderson, a Civil war veteran and one of Johnson coun- ty's representative citizens, has been successfully engaged in farming in Gardner township until within the last few years, during which he has rented his land and practically retired. Mr. Anderson is a native of Ohio, being born in Belle Center, Logan county, January 17, 1841, and is a son of John B. and Emily (Hopkins) Anderson, both natives of Ohio. John B. Anderson was a son of Gretchen Anderson, who was probably a native of Kentucky, and was a soldier in the War of 1812. Emily Hopkins, the mother of William R. Anderson, was a daughter of Hazard Hopkins, a native of Virginia. John B. and Emily (Hop- kins) Anderson spent their lives on a farm in Logan county, Ohio. They cleared up a heavily timbered farm and made a home in the wil- derness and spent their later lives in their quiet home which their industry had created. They were the parents of ten children: Mary Elizabeth, Milton; Serilda, Amanda, John, William R., Margaret, Mar- tha, Hugh and Frank. William R. Anderson spent his boyhood days at home on the farm. When the Civil war broke out, after serving in the Ohio militia for some time, he enlisted in Company C. One Hundred and Thirty-second regiment, Ohio infantry. He served in the army of the Potomac under Grant, participating in the terrific fighting in front of Petersburg and Richmond. At the close of the war he returned to his home in Ohio, and in November, 1866, was united in marriage to Miss Emma, daughter of John Duff, of Logan county, Ohio, where she was born in 1847. After his marriage, Mr. Anderson bought the old home farm near Belle Center and resided there until 1884 when he sold out and came west, locating in Anderson county, Kansas, where he fol- lowed farming until 1888, when he traded his Anderson county farm for his present farm in Gardner township. This is one of the best appear- ing, well kept farms in the township. To Mr. and Mrs. Anderson have been born six children, as follows: Effie, wife of W. S. Cubbison, Gard- ner; J. M., farmer, Gardner; Charles, farmer, Gardner; Mamie, wife of Elmer Cubbison, Springhill; Elmer McCamish; and Lola M., wife of L. Root, Rockford, Ill. Mr. Anderson has been a lifelong Republican and cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln in 1864. He has taken a prominent part in local politics, both in Anderson county and since coming to this county. He served fourteen years as trustee of Gardner township and then gave up the office on account of his health. He is a Methodist and has served as trustee of the church. His fraternal affiliations are with the Grand Army of the Republic.
369
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
Harry C. Aainsworth is one of Johnson county's most successful farm- ers and breeders. He is a son of Newton Ainsworth and Rosanna Ham- ill. Harry C. Ainsworth comes from Johnson county pioneer stock. His father, Newton Ainsworth, was one of the pioneer settlers of John- son county and known as "The Grand Old Man of Lone Elm." He died April 20, 1915. This venerable patriarch of Johnson county was one of the best known pioneers of eastern Kansas. He came here March 27, 1857, and settled on the virgin prairie at Lone Elm, on the Santa Fe Trail at the head of the waters of Cedar creek, which was the first camp- ing grounds of those going west, after leaving Independence, Mo. New- ton Ainsworth was one of the successful men of Johnson county. He accumulated a large amount of property and some time ago, prior to his death, divided among his sons nearly 1,700 acres of the best land in Johnson county, which he had accumulated by hard work and good management, and, of course, with the help of his splendid wife and sturdy sons. Newton Ainsworth was a man of striking figure and strong personality and a true friend of humanity, no matter what their race or creed. He stood erect at the age of eighty and looked persons to whom he might be speaking squarely in the eyes. If he liked a man he would tell him so, and if he believed the man to be tricky or dishonest he would tell him so, yet he never was rash or quarrelsome. His death removed one of the most prominent and useful men from Johnson county. He was not only a pioneer but a worker, a man of liberality, strength and greatness of mind. His name was a synonym for courage, integrity and honor. His morals stood the test of time, his honesty was never shaded and his charity was as broad as the State. His wife died in 1904. Harry C. Ainsworth is one of the five Ainsworth brothers, sons of Newton Ainsworth and Rosanna Hamill. They are as follows : D. E. resides at Stilwell; R. E., Ocheltree; Harry C., the subject of this sketch ; G. B., Salisbury, Mo., and H. A., Salisbury, Mo. Harry C. Ains- worth, whose name introduces this sketch, was born March 25, 1876. He received a good common school education and has made farming and stock raising his life's work. He owns 160 acres of some of the best land in Johnson county with a fine modern twelve room house, which is one of the best farm residences in Johnson county. It was built by Mr. Ainsworth's father and is equipped with all modern conveniences usually found in the best residences of the larger cities. Not only the residence but the other buildings on the place are lighted with electric- ity, even the chicken house. Mr. Ainsworth takes great interest in the up-keep and appearance of his farm, and says it is his ambition to make it the best improved place in Johnson county and the writer is of the opinion that Mr. Ainsworth's place has already attained that distinction. Mr. Ainsworth has some very fine stock and is a successful breeder of pure bred Berkshires, in which he takes more than ordinary interest. Mr. Ainsworth was married in 1903 to Miss Ella E. Spencer, a daughter
(24)
370
HISTORY OF JOHNSON COUNTY, KANSAS
of Isaac Spencer, of Johnson county, and they have three children as follows: Isaac Newton, Stella Rose and Susie Elizabeth. Mr. Ains- worth is a Granger and belongs to No. 152, having been identified with that organization for the past twenty-five years. He is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge, No. 59, Olathe. He is a stockholder in the Patrons Bank of Olathe. He is a public spirited and a kind and accommodating neighbor and has many friends in Johnson county, where he is widely known.
H. L. Phillips, agent for the Santa Fe Railroad Company at Olathe, is one of the veteran railroad men, of the West. He is a native of the Keystone State, born in Greene county, January 9, 1848, and is a son of John and Sarah (Stewart) Phillips, also natives of Pennsylvania. The Phillips family came west in 1863 and located near Bloomington, McLean county, Illinois, where they resided until 1877, when they came to Kansas and located on a farm near Newton, Harvey county, and the parents spent the remainder of their lives there. The father died July 1, 1889, aged sixty-four, and the mother departed this life September 6, 1914, aged eighty-six, and their remains rest in the Newton ceme- tery. H. L. Phillips was the oldest of a family of eleven children, seven of whom are now living. He attended the public schools of Pen- sylvania and the subscription schools of Virginia, as the family home was near the State line. He was about fifteen years old when the family removed to Illinois and he continued to attend school until he was eighteen, and by that time had acquired a very good common school education. He then taught in McLean county for two or three years and in 1872 took a course of telegraphy in a private school in St. Louis, Mo., and after learning the elements of that art he entered the Chicago & Alton railroad office at Shirley, Ill., and mastered telegraphy and taught school some in the meantime. In 1875 he became night operator at Summit Station, Cook county, Illinois, for the Chicago & Alton and served in the capacity of operator and agent about a year and a half for that company. He then entered the employ of the Illinois Central as operator at La Salle, Ill. He was there about a year when he was appointed agent for that company at Rutland, Ill., and held that posi- tion for six years. In 1883 he came to Kansas, making his home at New- ton and entered the employ of the Santa Fe Company as operator and agent and worked at Arkansas City, Florence and Eureka, and on No- vember 8, 1883, came to Olathe as operator for that company and in the spring of 1885 was appointed freight and passenger agent and has held that position ever since. For thirty years he has conducted the affairs of the Santa Fe railroad at Olathe in a way that has made many friends for the company, and beyond doubt has met with the approval of his superior officers, as the general public has an idea of the exactness and the near approach to perfection of the Santa Fe methods, and a man who can comply with them for all these years is certainly a capable and
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.