USA > Kansas > Labette County > History of Labette County, Kansas, and representative citizens > Part 66
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 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91
Mr. Rude has served seven years' as treas- urer of Liberty township, and has been a school director for twelve years. He is an active member of the Christian church. In political affairs, Mr. Rude votes with the Populists.
HARLES B. FESSENDEN, JR., a prominent and highly respected citi- zen of Parsons, Kansas, where he owns some fine real estate, was for many years agent for the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway Company, and has been a resident of Labette county since 1871. He is a son of Charles B. Fessenden, Sr.
Charles B. Fessenden, Sr., was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in July, 1810, and lived
MRS. LOVISA J. FRESHOUR. HOWARD SCOTT.
WILLIAM SCOTT.
MRS. MARIAN L. SCOTT.
573
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
to the advanced age of four-score years and nine. He reared four children, of whom the subject hereof is the eldest. The others were : Grace, who is deceased; Annie (Buckman), of New York City, who has one son, William, a civil engineer in New Mexico; and Susan, who lives with her mother.
Charles B. Fessenden, Jr., was born in Massachusetts, December 2, 1840. He was a pupil in the schools of Boston, and had ex- ceptional advantages cpen to him. Upon the outbreak of the Civil war, he responded to his country's appeal, enlisted, in 1861, in Company D, 43d Reg., Mass. Vol. Inf., and served until the successful termination of the war. After serving one year as sergeant major, he re- ceived a commission as captain in the 9th Reg., U. S. Colored Troops, and as such was hon- orably discharged.
Returning to Boston, he remained in that vicinity until 1868, when he came west to seek a new and more favorable location. In 1868, he accepted a position as agent for the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway Company. which was then in its infancy. In 1875, he was promoted to be special commercial agent on the same road, which was at that time a very lucrative position. While filling that po- sition, he traveled over various divisions of the system,-principally between Junction City and Parsons,-and from 1884 to 1898 he served as conductor. He made his headquar- ters in Parsons, which has been his home for many years. In 1898 he severed his connection with the road, and has since been practically retired. He was justly considered one of the best men who ever traveled in the interest of that company.
Mr. Fessenden was united in marriage with Hattie Everett, a daughter of Aaron Everett, of Boston, Massachusetts. She was born No-
vember 13, 1843, and is one of six children : Emmelius; Sarah E .; Frank, deceased ; Hattie ; Abbie and Charles. The last named was killed in action in the Wilderness, during the Civil war, while the others are all married and scat- tered. Two children were born to bless the home of Mr. Fessenden, namely: Harry, su- perintendent of the Otis Elevator Machine Shops, in San Francisco, California: and Susan, who is successfully engaged in teach- ing school in Parsons.
Politically, Mr. Fessenden has been a Re- publican since the organization of the party. He ranks today among the most prominent citizens of his adopted home, and has been the architect of his own fortune. Upon his ar- rival in Labette county, he was a poor man, with nothing to depend upon but his own exer- tions. He owns a fine residence at No. 2207 Johnson avenue, besides which he rents another pretty place in the city. He is now spending his declining years in enjoying the fruits of his toil and forethought.
ILLIAM SCOTT, a farmer living in section 24. township 31, range 18, east, in Osage township, Labette county, Kansas, is a native of Williams county, Ohio, and was born in 1845. He is a son of Christopher and Naomi (Franks) Scott.
Christopher Scott was born in Wayne county, Ohio, April 22, 1822, and died at the home of his son William, January 17, 1901. After his marriage, Mr. Scott was presented with 80 acres of land by his father-in-law. This was in 1841, when he located in Ohio. He traded a team of horses for 40 acres more, and began farming. He married Naomi
574
HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY
Franks, who was born October 17, 1823, in Ohio, but whose ancestors were natives of Pennsylvania. She died in Ohio, August 19, 1889. Mr. and Mrs. Scott reared the follow- ing children, namely: William; Peter ; Martha J .; Frank; Sarah; M. D .; Julia; Nancy; and Lucetta. Peter died in Labette county, Jan- uary 16, 1897. Martha J. (Laubsher ) lives in Goshen, Indiana. Frank is a farmer in Michi- gan. Sarah is the wife of C. F. Newman, who lives in Sherwood, Ohio .. M. D. is with his brother William in Labette county, where he began to study for the Gospel ministry; he completed his education at Wesleyan College, in Ohio, and has been preaching in Labette county since 1885. Julia (Saul) is the wife of a farmer living in Melbern, Ohio. Nancy (Berlin) lives near the old homestead in Ohio. Lucetta (Buda) lives on a portion of the old home place.
William Scott attended the common schools of his native county, and remained at home until July 12, 1862. He then enlisted from Williams county, Ohio, in Company C, IIIth Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf. He served first as a private and later as a noncommissioned offi- cer, in a part of the Second Brigade, Second Division, 23d Army Corps. He was in Gen- eral Sherman's army, and later was sent back with General Thomas to fight General Hood. Mr. Scott was mustered out of the United States service. at Salisbury, North Carolina, and out of the state service at Cleveland, Ohio, July 16, 1865. At one time a bullet grazed his cheek, but he was not seriously wounded ; being a man of iron constitution, he suffered no ill effects from the hardships of the war.
After his return from the army, Mr. Scott served a three years' apprenticeship in the plas- tering trade, and followed that occupation for
a period of eighteen years. In the fall of 1873 he went to Little Rock, Arkansas, to look over the surrounding country, but being dis- satisfied with the system of taxation, he started for Junction City, Kansas. On his way he stopped at Parsons, where he met a land agent, who persuaded him to inspect the land in that vicinity. He decided to buy his present farm, and, after settling the matter, returned to his home in Ohio. Six months later he came back to Kansas with his family. G. W. Everhart, who was the owner of the north half of section 24, township 31, range 18, deeded Mr. Scott the northeast quarter of the section, and Mr. Scott later secured the northwest quarter. Mr. Everhart had broken about 150 acres of the half section and had set out some hedge and built a small house. All of the present fine improvements have been made by Mr. Scott, and he now has one of the best farms in the county. He carries on general farming, preferring Red Polled Angus cattle and Poland-China hogs. He is one of the best farmers in the state, and is a self made man.
Mr. Scott was married to Marian L. San- ford, who was born in Ohio, in 1846. They have two children living: Howard and Lovisa J. Howard lives in the northwest quarter of section 24; he married Mary Ada Craft, and they have three sons and one daughter. Lo- visa J. (Freshour) lives southeast of Parsons, and has one daughter. Mr. Scott was for- merly a Republican, in politics, but now votes for the best man, irrespective of party views and affiliations. He has served as clerk of Osage township. He became a Master Mason in a lodge in Ohio, and is now a member of the Parsons Lodge, No. 117, A. F. & A. M. He attends the Baptist church, of which both he
575
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
and his wife are members. A picture of Mr. and Mrs. Scott and their son and daughter accompanies this sketch.
H. EAKINS has been an influ- tial farmer of Mound Valley town- ship, Labette county, Kansas, for a number of years, and is at pres- ent living in section 6, township 33, range 18. He was born in Adams county, Ohio, January 4. 1838. He is a son of John and Mary (Cree) Eakins.
John Eakins was a native of Adams county, Ohio, where he died, in 1845, at the early age of thirty-three years. His wife was also a native of that county, and her death took place in 1841. They had but two children,-W. H., the subject of this sketch; and Wesley, who died when an infant.
WV. H. Eakins was left alone in the world when his mother died. An uncle took him to raise, and he lived with him until he reached the age of fourteen years. Since that time, he has earned his own way, and has been a self made man in the truest sense of the word. He was engaged in the mercantile business in Manchester, Ohio, for a number of months, and since that time his life-work has been the tilling of the soil. He was a member of the state militia, and took part in much of the border troubles. Toward the end of the war, he went to St. Louis, where he enlisted in the Army of the West, and served for one year. He returned to Ohio, in 1865, where he pur- chased a small farm in Highland county. He removed to Neosho county, Kansas, in 1878, coming by rail to Thayer, Kansas. He brought with him his wife and family, and had $100 in his possession. Not being greatly pleased
with the prospects which Neosho county af- forded, he located in Labette county, in 1879, and soon after bought his present home farm, which was settled by Manly J. Kinney. A portion of this land was ceded by the Osage Indians. A stone wall had been started pre- paratory to building a house. This had fallen down, and there was no stable of any kind. Mr. Eakins built on the original site, which is one of the finest in the county. The house was erected on a mound, which affords splendid view of the surrounding country for miles around. But one-fourth of an acre of land had been broken, and no trees had been set out. Mr. Eakins now has a fine orchard and a num- ber of large shade trees. His house is of stone · and the outbuildings are large and comfort- able. His early crops were flax and millet ; he also raised some sorghum, which quickly subdued the sod. Mr. Eakins first secured 80 acres of land in the southwest quarter, and in 1898 bought another 80 acres in the southeast quarter. He bought his first full blooded Hereford ten years ago, and his thorough- breds now number 75. He recently bought a calf for $50. He has 50 or 60 head of the best grade of Poland-China hogs. Corn, wheat and oats are his staple crops. Mr. Eakins has a drilled well, 66 feet deep, on the farm, and is reasonably sure that gas could easily be ob- tained. The farm is well supplied with water from a spring and wells. Mr. Eakins is a very successful man, and his business principles are sound and honest.
Mr. Eakins was married in Ohio to Ma- tilda Collins. She was born in that state sixty- two years ago. . Eight children were the re- sult of this union, namely: James Edward, deceased ; Anna B. (Wheatley ), who lives three miles southeast of Mound Valley : Emma (Kyle), who lives one mile north of her fa-
576
HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY
ther ; Charles; Johnson J .; Rosa ; Maggie; and Ida.
In politics, Mr. Eakins is a strong Repub- lican, and although he has not aspired to of- fice he takes an active interest in political af- fairs. He was formerly a member of the A. O. U. W. He assisted in the erection of the Methodist church and parsonage, at Mound Valley. He well remembers' the first sermon he heard in Labette county. It was preached by Rev. Mr. Slinker, at a little schoolhouse in the southeast part of Mound Valley township, and the text was: "Jonah was glad of the gourd." Mr. Eakins is a prominent worker in this church.
D AVID M. MILLER, a well known farmer living in section 15, township 34, range 20, in Hackberry town- ship, Labette county, Kansas, is a na- tive of Sandusky county, Ohio, and was born in September, 1846. He is a son of Joseph and Barbara (Overmire) Miller.
Joseph Miller was born in Pennsylvania, and when a young man removed to Perry coun- ty, Ohio. He afterward lived in Indiana, where his death occurred. His wife was born in Perry county, Ohio, and she also died in In- diana. Twelve children were the result of this union, eight of whom arrived at maturity, and five of whom are now living. Those living are : Elijah, who is a farmer, Emeline (Zink), Mary E. (Overmire) and Angeline (Briney), all of Indiana; and David M., the subject of this sketch.
David M. Miller removed with his parents, in the spring of 1850, to Indiana, where they located in Fulton county. He attended the common schools of that county, and remained there until 1880. He then located in Labette
county, where he rented a farm in Hackberry township, one mile east of his present home. In August, 1880, Mr. Miller bought his farm in section 15, which contains 120 acres, and was known as the De Cow farm. He also bought 80 acres of the northeast quarter, and 40 acres in the section lying north of section 15. He now owns 280 acres, altogether. In 1895 Mr. Miller erected his present eight-room dwelling, and now uses the old house as a granary. He has five acres of orchard, and raises stock and grain,-his stock being of the finest grade. Hackberry and Lake creeks flow. through his land, thus bountifully supplying the farm with water. Mr. Miller is a con- scientious worker, and takes great pride in the general appearance of his home, which bespeaks its owner's thrift and energy.
While a resident of Indiana, Mr. Miller was united in marriage with Catherine Buhler, who was born in Seneca county, Ohio, in 1850. She is a daughter of Frederick and Christina Buhler, of Fulton county, Indiana. Mrs. Miller was reared in that state. She is a member of the United Brethren church. Ten children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Miller: Mary; Emma; Sarah Clarinda; Marion M .; Lewis Albert ; Joseph F .; Milo; Bert; Edna; and Myrtle. Mary is the wife of Henry Sharp, who is in the creamery business at Matfield, Kansas, and has two children. Emma married Thomas Kirby, who lives three miles east of her parents, and has one daughter. Sarah Clarinda died at the age of three years. Ma- rion M. is married to Ila Dobbins, has one daughter, and is living one mile east of his parents. Lewis Albert, a farmer of Fairview township, is married to Lillie Dobbins, and has one son. Joseph F. is married to Bertha Brock. Milo is a farmer, but lives at home. Bert, Edna and Myrtle are at home.
577
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
Mr. Miller was a Democrat, in politics, but is now a member of the Populist party. He has served as a justice of the peace, and as trustee of the township; he was a member of the school board of District No. 7, for a num- ber of years, but resigned a short time ago. Fraternally, Mr. Miller is a member of the I. O. O. F., of Bartlett. He and his wife are members of the Sons and Daughters of Justice, and each carries a $2,000 life insurance policy. Mr. Miller has always been an active and pro- gressive citizen, and is highly respected by his townsmen.
J. LATTA, D. D. S., one of the foremost dentists of Chetopa, La- bette county, Kansas, was born near Columbia, Tennessee, in 1847, and is a son of Calvin and Arminta ( Mitchell) Latta.
Calvin Latta was born in North Carolina in 1812, and is a carpenter and bridge builder by trade. He lived in North Carolina until he was twelve years old. In 1852 Mr. Latta removed to Jefferson county, Illinois, where he bought a farm. He was engaged in general farming,-in which he was assisted by his sons,-and also followed his trade. His wife died in that county, aged fifty-seven years. Mr. Latta still lives there. Their children were: Mary E. (Spawr) (Johnson), who has been twice widowed; John M .; W. J .; C. R. J. C., of Kentucky; Martha J. (Johnson), who lives in Southern Illinois; Jerome B. P., of Hunt county, Texas; Harriet C. (Hopgood), of Ken- tucky ; Tennessee K., deceased ; Gertrude (Ben- son), deceased; and Mrs. E. B. Whitlow, who lives in Southern Illinois.
Dr. W. J. Latta attended the common schools in his vicinity and assisted on his fa-
ther's farm until he reached the age of twenty- one years. Always ambitious to secure a good education, he quit business and went to Eureka, Illinois, and then to college at Morganfield, Kentucky. He then learned his father's trade, but finding the duties too arduous for his con- stitution, in October, 1868, he began the study of dentistry at Ashley, Illinois, with a brother- in-law. At that time there were but two dental colleges in the United States, and students pur- sued their courses mainly with preceptors. Dr. Latta studied and practiced with his preceptor, and was located at different places in Southern Illinois for a period of eight years. In 1876 he went to Texas, and practiced in Dallas county for four years. He then located in Chetopa, June 19, 1880. He opened his office in August of that year, and since that time has attended to a large and lucrative practice. Dr. Latta has a thorough knowledge of dentistry, and, inheriting a mechanical nature from his father, the choice of his profession was a wise one. He is a painstaking worker, conscientious and faithful, and has the confidence and re- spect of all who come in contact with him.
Dr. Latta was married, in Labette county, · to Miss S. E. Riter, who was born in Central Illinois. She came to Cherokee, Kansas, at the age of twelve years, and before her mar- riage taught vocal and instrumental music. She studied with Mrs. Handley, a very successful teacher in St. Louis. Mrs. Latta now has a class in music in Chetopa. She is highly ac- complished, and moves in the best social circles of Chetopa. Dr. and Mrs. Latta had one child which died in infancy.
Dr. Latta was a Democrat early in life, but changed to the Greenback ticket in Texas, and is now a strong Prohibition Populist. He served as police judge two years in Chetopa. He has always been an active worker in the
578
HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY
Christian church, of which Rev. W. F. Guy is the present pastor. Dr. Latta owns his own home in Chetopa. He has been very success- ful and is well and widely known.
ILLIAM A. WINTERS, a promi- nent and influential farmer of La- bette. county, Kansas, has been a resident of this county since 1897, and owns 400 acres of land in Hackberry township, in sections 5 and 8, township 34, range 20. He was born in Bureau county, Illinois, in 1853, and is a son of James and Catherine A. (Sheller) Winters.
James Winters was born in Pennsylvania, and after his marriage went west to Burling- ton, Iowa,-plying his trade as a carpenter. He was robbed by his partner of all his inoney, trunk and effects, and so he located in Illi- nois and devoted himself to agricultural pur- suits. His father was a native of Germany, and his mother was of Scotch-Irish stock. He married Catherine A. Sheller, and of the 12 children born to them they reared nine, as fol- lows: Anna M .; William A .; Mary E .; Han+ nah C., deceased; Emma J .; Sarah B .; Alice M .; John R .; and A. Christian. William A. and Alice M. (Hawley) reside in Labette county. James Winters came west to Kansas previous to the arrival of William A. and acquired property in Ross township, Cherokee county, but later returned to Illinois, where he died in June, 1898.
William A. Winters moved to Cherokee county, Kansas, in 1875, whither his father had preceded him some years, and purchased land, which the former bought from him in 1883. There he resided until he located in Labette county, March 6, 1897, purchasing 400 acres
of fine land in sections 5 and 8, township 34, range 20. He set out an orchard that year, and also ornamental trees, and in 1900 erected his present fine home of nine rooms, which is one of the most attractive residences in the southern part of the county. He expects to build a large barn in the near future. He is a very progressive man and is well deserving of success.
Mr. Winters was united in marriage, in Cherokee county, with Mary E. Hawkins, a daughter of G. W. D. Hawkins. Mr. Hawkins was born in Oneida county, New York, in 1826, and there was reared. He moved west to the vicinity of Aurora, Kane county, Illi- nois, in 1848. He was married there, and also purchased a farm, on which he lived until 1861. He was then located in Nebraska until 1866, when he took a claim east of Columbus, in Cherokee county, Kansas. There he re- sided for a period of twelve years, and then moved to Ross township, where William A. Winters' was located. In 1886, he removed to Pratt county, Kansas, where he farmed until 1891. He went to Washington, in 1891. In 1898 Mrs. Hawkins died, and he went to Ore- gon ; thence, August 29, 1899, he returned to Kansas, and has since made his home with the subject hereof. He married Adelaide R. Jay, and unto them were born seven children, as follows: Arthur O .; Minnie A .; Mary E .; Martha A .; Hattie V .; Ralph R .; and Allie J.
Mr. and Mrs. Winters have one son, J. Ross, who is twenty-one years of age, and is living at home. In politics, William A. Win- ters belongs to the Peoples party, while Mr. Hawkins is a Republican. The former has filled many of the township offices. Frater- nally, he and his son are members of the A. O. U. W., of Bartlett. In religious views, Mr. Winters is liberal.
579
AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.
APTAIN W. H. WESTON. This gentleman, who was an early settler of Montgomery county, Kansas, has since 1883 occupied a leading place in the agricultural circles of Labette county. He resides in section 26, township 32, range 17, in Mound Valley township. He was born near Salem, Washington county, Indiana, in 1837. His parents died and left three chil- dren: W. H .; Almeda, who died young; and Joseph M., who was taken prisoner at Chick- amauga, and died in Libby Prison, in 1864.
W. H. Weston was bound out to a Mr. Albertson, with whom he remained until he reached the age of twenty-one years. He pur- chased time for the last few months. He learned the trade of a shoemaker while with Mr. Albertson, and has followed this trade more or less ever since. He had a shoemaker's shop in Cherryvale, Kansas, for a number of years. August 9, 1861, Mr. Weston enlisted as a private soldier in Company G, 18th Reg., Ind. Vol. Inf., and was in the 13th Army Corps, under Gen. John A. McClernand, of Illinois, and later under General Banks, and Gen. E. O. C. Ord. He was discharged in February, 1862, and reenlisted in Company B, 16th Reg., Ind. Vol. Inf., July 21, 1862. The latter part of his service was under Maj .- Gen. E. R. S. Canby, in the Army of the Gulf. Mr. Weston was commissioned first lieutenant, in May, 1864, served as acting captain, and was commis- sioned captain in May, 1865. Though he took part in many battles, he was never seriously wounded. In August, 1862, on a Saturday, he was taken prisoner at Richmond, Kentucky, and the following Tuesday he was paroled. He was under fire forty-eight days, in the cam- paign of Vicksburg, was in the famous Red River expedition, under General Banks, as a mounted infantryman, and went seven days
and nights without sleep. His regiment lost heavily, and the men remaining were sent to fight guerrillas in Louisiana. In April, 1865, they had their last engagement with the guerrillas, and captured many. Mr. Weston was mustered out as captain, July 21, 1865.
After the war, Capt. Weston farmed in Indiana until he located in Kansas, in 1872. He took a claim in Montgomery county, Kan- sas, one and a half miles from Cherryvale. He remained there until the fall of 1883, when he bought his present home farm of i60 acres, which is described as the north half of the northeast quarter, the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter; and the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter, of section 26, town- ship 32, range 17. This was taken as a claim by an early settler,-Mr. McMichael,-who built on the place a log house, which is now used as a hay-barn. Capt. Weston built á comfortable home in 1883. There is a fine cave, 8 by 10 feet in size, near the house, and a 150-barrel cistern. Big Hill Creek runs through the farm, and there is a goodly amount of timber. Capt. Weston devotes three acres of the land to various kinds of fruit. He car- ries on general farming,-raising stock and grain. He is a man who succeeds in anything he undertakes, and his farming career has been as successful as his career as a soldier.
Capt. Weston was married in 1863 to Louisa S. Beck. She died in Cherryvale, in 1888, leaving one child, William Robert. Will- iam Robert Weston is a general mechanic liv- ing at Cherryvale. He is married and has sev- eral children,-having had four twins. Cap- tain Weston married, in 1889, Mrs. Mary Cross (nee Lasure). She lived in Ohio a number of years, and located at Abilene, Kansas, in 1872. She has three children, namely. Emma (Rob- ison), of Cherryvale; Rosa (Berentz), of
580
HISTORY OF LABETTE COUNTY
Chautauqua county, Kansas; and Della (John- son), who lives on Capt. Weston's farm.
Capt. Weston was raised a member of the Democratic party, but since the Civil war he has voted the straight Republican ticket. The citizens of the township have shown their con- fidence in him by electing him to the offices of clerk, treasurer, trustee of the township, and also to that of justice of the peace. He has been treasurer of the school board in District No. 19 for the past seven years. Captain Weston has many agreeable qualities, and is a man of firm principles. He has numerous warm friends in Labette county.
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.