USA > Kansas > Labette County > History of Labette County, Kansas, and representative citizens > Part 74
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ARON BRAMMER, a prosperous farmer of Labette county, Kansas, lives in section 18, Montana town- ship. He was born in Fayette coun- ty, Ohio, in 1836, and is a son of Edmond and Nancy ( Hatfield) Brammer.
Edmond Brammer was born in Virginia, in 1801, and his wife was born in the same state in 1801. He was an own cousin of General Lee. They reared the following chil- dren: Roland, deceased; Mary, who married a Mr. Black and lives in Delaware county, Indiana; Malinda and Rachel, deceased; Aaron, the subject of this sketch; Rebecca, deceased; Elizabeth (Black); Henley, de- ceased; Malina (Wilcox), of Delaware coun- ty, Indiana; and Sarah Ann (Brammer).
Aaron Brammer was taken from his native county when a small child, and was reared in Delaware county, Indiana. He lived there
until 1866, when he located in Bureau county, Illinois, and farmed there for a period of eleven years. In 1877, he sold his farm and went to Muncie, Indiana, where he conducted a livery stable for three years. He afterward located in Carroll county, Missouri, and re- sided there until he came to Kansas, in 1882, and settled in Labette county. He took up his present farnı,-the west half of the north- west quarter of section 18, in Montana town- ship. He is engaged in general farming, and is meeting with good results.
Mr. Brammer was united in marriage with Catherine Black, who was born in Delaware county, Indiana, and is a daughter of Will- iam Black, who was born in 1813. William Black married Ruthey Stafford, who was born in Ohio, in 1816, and they reared the following children: Margaret (St. John) ; Susan, deceased; James; Catherine; Martha,. Salina and Sarah E., deceased; Annetta; and William. Mr. and Mrs. Brammer have had the following children: William, deceased; Flora (Gaston), who has one daughter,- Pearl; Caroline; Charley; and Laura (Tus- ton). In politics, Mr. Brammer is independ- ent, and fraternally, he is a member of the- Masonic order.
ACOB DREITZLER, a highly re- spected farmer living in section 16, township 34, range 20, Hackberry township, Labette county, Kansas, is a native of Hancock county, Ohio. He was. born in 1858, and is a son of J. H. and Mary (Ertzinger) Dreitzler.
J. H. Dreitzler was a native of Germany, and for many years farmed in Nebraska. He died in March, 1893, at the age of seventy
MR. AND MRS. PERRY O. C. NIXON.
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years. His wife was born in Ohio, and her death occurred several years ago. They had nine children, namely: Jonathan and Susanna, deceased; Ephraim, who is a liveryman at Hastings, Nebraska; Eli, who settled in La- bette county in 1896, and owns a farm in Hackberry township, in section 17, township 34, range 20; Emma (Rickle), who lives in Stromsburg, Nebraska; Jacob; John, also of Stromsburg, Nebraska; George, who lives in Indiana; and Ida (Kirkman), who lives near Stromsburg, Nebraska.
Jacob Dreitzler was reared in Indiana, whither his parents had removed from Ohio. In the fall of 1883, he left Indiana, and came to Kansas, deciding to make this state his future home. After his marriage, he settled in Hackberry township, in the northwest quar- ter of section 16, township 34, range 20, on 80 acres which was owned by his wife. Soon after his marriage, he bought the north 80 acres in that quarter section, and in 1900 he bought 80 acres of land in section 17. Much of the land on his home farm had been broken, and Mr. Dreitzler built an eight-room house, and set out a number of trees. He has made many fine improvements on the farm, and is very proud of its neat and attractive appear- ance. He did a great deal of threshing in addi- tion to farming, up to the fall of 1900, and since that time has given all his attention to general farming alone. He is a man who has worked always with the determination to suc- ceed, and his efforts have been well rewarded.
Mr. Dreitzler was united in marriage, in Labette county, with Tena Kibler, who was born in Ohio, in 1851, and who moved to La- bette county in 1871. Mr. Dreitzler and his wife have one child, John Clyde. In politics, Mr. Dreitzler is a Democrat. He is a member of the school board in his district, and has been
road overseer for a number of years. He is now treasurer of Hackberry township. He has always taken a deep interest in all measures which are for the good of the community in which he lives, and is highly esteemed by his fellow citizens.
B ERRY OLIVER COOK NIXON, who for more than thirty years past has been one of the foremost citizens of Osage township, Labette county, Kansas, is located in section 6, township 32, range 18. He was born in Washington coun- ty, Pennsylvania, in 1839, and is a son of George and Christina (Pence) Nixon.
George Nixon was born in Delaware, and died in Ohio, in the spring of 1861. His wife was a native of Pennsylvania, and died in Ohio in 1845. They were the parents of the following children: Elizabeth J., a widow, residing in Ohio; Seeds and Susan, also of Ohio; Emeline, who lives in Iowa; Perry O. C .; Isaiah, who located in Osage Mission, in, Kansas, in 1867, and later resided in Osage township until 1885, when he removed to Iowa, where he still resides; Marcus, who died while serving in the army during the Civil war; and Charles Alexander, who was killed in the army at Vicksburg.
Perry O. C. Nixon was very young when his parents took him to Ohio, where he was reared. At an early age he was bound out to Wilson Walden, and went with him to Knox county, Illinois. He worked for him ten years, at the conclusion of which period he had reached the age of eighteen years, and began looking out for his own interests. In 1860, he went to Pikes Peak, and spent his twenty- first birthday in the mountains. In the fall
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of 1860, he returned to St. Louis and began working in the American bottoms. Early in 1861, he returned to Knox county, Illinois, and there hired out by the month. In August, 1861, he enlisted in Company C, roth Reg .. Il1. Vol. Inf., as a private, and was later pro- moted to be a sergeant. He served three years and eleven months, and was at the front nearly all the time. He was in Granger's reserve corps during the battle of Chickamauga, and then was attached to the 2d Division, 14th Army Corps. Three days before Atlanta fell, he was placed with the 17th Army Corps, accompanied Sherman in his famous march to the sea, participated in the grand review at Washington, District of Columbia. His messmate and friend, William Morris, was killed at his side, but he was always fortu- nate enough to escape injury. He was mus- tered out July 4, 1865, at Louisville, Kentucky, received his pay, and was discharged at Chi- cago, July 12, 1865. He then bought a rough farm on Spoon river, and engaged in farming In 1869, he and his family, with two other families, drove from Knox county, Illinois, to Labette county, Kansas. He had a brother at Osage Mission, and stopped there long enough tc make him a visit. At that time the town of Parsons had not yet been thought of, and Girard was the nearest railroad station. Mr. Nixon took as a claim 40 acres in section 6, township 32, range 18, on which are located his present buildings, and three 40-acre tracts in section I, township 32, range 17. He has since disposed of some of his land, and now owns 100 acres. His first house was built of native lumber, cut on Big Hill creek. During the first year he raised sod-corn, which he planted with the assistance of an ax, and was very successful. with his first crop. Mr. Nix -. on's house was destroyed by a cyclone in
1892, and was replaced by a larger and more substantial one. He has recently completed a new barn, and the entire farm is kept in the best possible condition. He follows general farming, and raises high grade cattle and Po- land-China hogs. Mr. Nixon was present at the investigation of the famous "Bender slaughter pen," and saw seven of the bodies exhumed. ,
The subject of this sketch was united in marriage with Virginia Humphreys, who was reared in Illinois. She died in the fall of 1898, at the age of forty-two years, having given birth to the following children: John William T., who died at the age of eighteen years; Emeline (Edwards), of Oklahoma, who has five children,-Ethel, Minnie, Ross, Mabel, Ivy and an infant boy; Charles; Etta Jane (Tussig), of the Indian Territory, who has three children,-Mamie, Beatrice and Clara; Flora (Sinclair), who resides on her father's farm, and has three children,-Beu- lah, Millie and Ruth; Mary E .; Sabie; and Egbert P. In politics, Mr. Nixon is a Re- publican, and was formerly a member of the school board in District No. 36. He is a member of Hackleman Post, No. 142, G. A. R., of Cherryvale. Religiously, he and his family are Methodists, and attend the church at Excelsior, which he helped to erect. Por- traits of Mr. and Mrs. Nixon accompany this sketch.
ATHANIEL GREENE HENSHAW, one of the pioneer settlers of Mound Valley, Labette county, Kansas, has lived for many years at his present home, in section 36, township 32, range 17. He was born, January 4, 1847, in Effingham
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county, Illinois, and is a son of Nathan G. and Jane (Weatherby ) Henshaw.
Nathan G. Henshaw died on a mail packet at New Orleans, in the spring of 1850. His death was caused by cholera. Mrs. Henshaw died when her son, Nathaniel, was but one week old. She left two other children, name- ly : William, now conducting a nail factory at Belleville, Illinois; and Maggie, the wife of Stephen Apperson, of St. Louis, Missouri.
Nathaniel Greene Henshaw, whose name opens this sketch, was reared by a kind-hearted Pennsylvania-Dutchman, whose name was Trober. He remained with him until he reached the age of sixteen years, when he enlisted in Company E, IIth Reg., Ill. Vol. Inf., and later was transferred to the 8th Reg., Ill. Vol. Inf., and assigned to Company B. He served in the army very nearly three years, and was mustered out at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1866. After that, he returned to Illinois, where he farmed until he located in Labette county, Kansas.
Mr. Henshaw moved to Labette county, October 23, 1870. He settled on the farm where he now lives, and for eight or ten years was in litigation with the railroad company. He sold 80 acres of his farm, and now has 86 acres of finely improved land. When he located in Kansas, he was accompanied by his brother-in-law. He built a log house, and brought his family here to live. In 1872, a cyclone swept through that part of the county, devastating a space about 200 yards wide, and finally reaching Iowa, where it did much dam- age. Mr. Henshaw's farm is situated at the head of two creeks, or draws, one going north and one south. The storm followed these draws, and while no one was injured, every- thing was badly shaken up, and distributed over a large area. The log house was de-
stroyed, but Mr. Henshaw soon built another, which is now standing. A stone hen-house was also destroyed by the cyclone. Mr. Hen- shaw is very proud of a large elm tree which stands back of his house, and which is nine feet in circumference. He carried the switch from which it grew in his pocket. He has some very large maple trees, which add greatly to the appearance of his farm. In 1876, he set out some hedges, which divide the farm into seven parts. When he first located on this farm, he broke some land, and raised sod-corn, oats and buckwheat. He now gives much at- tention to the raising of Poland-China hogs. His home is a very comfortable one, and he has one of the best farms in the section. The buildings are all commodious and substantial, and the orchard and grounds are in fine con- dition.
Mr. Henshaw was united in marriage, in Illinois, with Lurinda Stapleton. She was born in Illinois, in 1845, and is a daughter of Elisha Stapleton. Elisha Stapleton held the first justice court in the western part of the county,-serving a number of years. He died in 1875, in Labette county, and his wife died in 1885. Mr. and Mrs. Henshaw have six children living, and had one, who died when an infant. The living are: Maggie Dean; Edward, who married Miss Cooper, lives on the old Potter farm, and has two children, --- Carrie and Mabel; Laura Belle; Mary Alice; Daisy (Gillett), who lives near her father's farm ; and Jennie.
Mr. Henshaw has always voted the Repub- lican ticket. He has served on the school board in District No. 68. He is a member of the G. A. R. Post, of Mound Valley. He was for- merly a member of the Anti-Horsethief Asso- ciation. Religiously, he belongs to the Chris- tian church.
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AMES A. LONG & BROTHER. These gentlemen are extensively en- gaged in general threshing, and a machine and repair-shop business, and are well known in Labette county. They are sons of Avington and Esther (Elliott) Long, and were born in Indiana.
Avington Long, the father of these broth- ers, was born in Kentucky, but his ancestors originally came from Virginia. He married Esther Elliott, who was reared in Indiana, and is now living in that state. This union result- ed in the birth of four children, whose names appear as follows: James A .; George A., who lives in Kay county, Oklahoma; Sarah, who. lives in Indiana, with her mother; and Charles F.
James A. and Charles F. Long were reared and educated in Indiana, where they learned the machinist and wood working trade. In 1874, they built a grist-mill at Hall, Indiana, which they conducted until 1878. Charles F. Long then removed to Labette county, Kan- sas, and was engaged in threshing until 1881. James A. removed to Edna, Kansas, in 1888, and formed a partnership with Charles F.,- the firm name reading James A. Long & Broth- er. For several years they have done general threshing, and a machine and repair-shop busi- ness. They own two threshing machines, and during harvesting time their services are in great demand, as they are well and favorably known throughout the county. They own three lots, and have a space under roof, 38 by 60 feet in extent. They employ one assist- ant regularly, and during the busy season often hire large crews. They are thrifty and con- scientious workmen, and perform their duties in a very satisfactory manner.
James A. Long married N. J. Lanpher, and they have three children, namely : Charles
L .; Edwin Fishback; and Avington. The fa- ther owns three lots and a comfortable home in Edna. James A. is an independent in politics, has been a member of the city council, and is an ex-police judge. Fraternally, he is a mem- ber of the I. O. O. F., and his wife is a mem- ber of the Rebekahs.
Charles F. Long married Della Williams, and they have three children, namely: Her- man; Verl; and Howard. He is a member of the Methodist church, and owns a good home in Edna.
The Long Brothers are highly respected in Edna, as honest and upright citizens.
G. KINCAID, who is the well- known liveryman of Mound Val- ley, Labette county, Kansas, was born in Switzerland county, Indi- ana, in 1851. Mr. Kincaid is a son of James and Catherine (Clark) Kincaid.
James Kincaid was a contractor, and has been dead a number of years. His wife died recently, at the age of eighty-nine years. They reared three sons and three daughters, and W. G. is the only one living in Kansas.
W. G. Kincaid was reared and schooled in Indiana, where he learned the trade of a blacksmith. He came to Kansas in 1884, and located in Winfield, where he started a car- riage shop. He conducted this line of busi- ness for one year and a half, when he became a member of a town company, and assisted in founding the town of Ashland, Kansas. From Ashland Mr. Kincaid moved to Connersville, Indiana, where he engaged in the shop of Mc- Farlin & Company, as upfitter and foreman of the upfitting room. Later, he removed to Mound Valley, where he lived on a farm one
MRS. J. L. WILSON.
LEON C. WILSON.
J. L. WILSON.
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mile from town, until 1891. He subsequently purchased the livery barn, which was kept by James Bell, who was the pioneer liveryman of the town. He rented this barn to George H. Savage until the beginning of 1901, when he restocked it and began business under his own name. He has a fine, new line of buggies, and keeps from 12 to 14 fine horses, eight of them being registered animals. He takes charge of funerals, and also operates a cab and hack line. The building in which Mr. Kincaid conducts his business is about 60 by 40 feet in dimensions. Patrons are given the best and most prompt attention, and Mr. Kincaid wins many friends by his genial manner. He is ably assisted by his son Albert.
Mr. Kincaid married Viola Markland, who died in 1882, leaving one son, Albert. He married again,-Jennie Ice becoming his wife. Mr. Kincaid is a Republican in politics. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M., having joined the order in Indiana, and being now affiliated with the Mound Valley blue lodge. He is also a member of the I. O. O. F., M. W. of A., A. O. U. W., and I. O. R. M. Re- ligiously, he is a member of the Baptist church.
L. WILSON, who lives in section 23, township 18, range 31, in Osage township, Labette county, Kansas, has been identified with the county's development for the past twenty-two years. He was born in Illinois March 26, 1852, and is a son of James and Hannah (Heaton) Wilson.
James Wilson was born in Uniontown, Ken- tucky, in 1813, and followed farming all his active life. He died at the age of seventy-
three years. His wife, whose maiden name was Hannah Heaton, was born in Ohio, and died at the age of thirty-six years, in April, 1852. They reared six children, namely : Ambrose, who lives in Illinois; William H., who lives at Long Beach, California; Sam- uel R., who lives in Princeton, Illinois; Par- thena E., who lives at Lincoln, Nebraska; Cyrus E., of Humboldt, Iowa; and James L., the subject of this sketch.
After remaining at home for a number of years, James L. Wilson moved to Idenbro, Kansas, where he bought a farm. He then went back to his home in Illinois, where he staid the rest of the year. In December, 1880, he traded the farm near Idenbro for another in Osage township, which was known as the James Master farm. He again returned to Illinois, where he remained until December, 1881, and then came back to Kansas, where. he was married, in February, 1882, and passed the rest of the summer in Parsons. During that time he worked for the Parsons Coal Company, near Weir City, Kansas. He then moved to Dennis, Kansas, and was there en- gaged in the hardware business for three years. During this time he was appointed postmaster by President Cleveland. He kept the post- office in his store. After serving one term, he sold out his hardware business and moved upon his farm, where he has since lived. He owns three farms in, Osage township, all of which are rented out.
Mr. Wilson is a stanch Democrat; he has held various offices, among them that of jus- tice of the peace. He was treasurer of the school board for eight years, and is now serv- ing as trustee of Osage township. He is president of the Anti-Horsethief Association. He is a Mason, having taken 26 degrees. He is also a member of the Odd Fellows lodge,
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and belongs to the Sons and Daughters of Justice. Mr. Wilson was married February 7, 1882, and his wife died February 25, 1898. They were the parents of five children, name- ly : James William, deceased; Leon C., who lives with his father, and was the first child born in Dennis, Kansas, the date being De- cember 24, 1884; and Edgar M., Glen and Addie P., deceased.
Mr. Wilson is a very prominent man in the township, is always interested in the wel- fare of the community, and lends his assist- ance to all worthy and charitable enterprises. Portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Wilson and son, Leon C., appear on a preceding page in prox- imity to this.
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0 SCAR L. HOWELL, a well-known farmer residing in section 14, La- bette township, Labette county, Kansas, has been one of the influ- ential farmers of the county since 1883. He was born in Mason county, Illinois, in 1844, and is a son of Charles and Elizabeth (Long) Howell.
Charles Howell was born in Pennsylvania in 1808, and now, at the age of ninety- three years, resides with his son, Oscar L. He is the oldest man in Labette county, and is quite proud of the dis- tinction. His wife. Elizabeth (Long) Howell, was born in Pennsylvania in 1814, and they reared ten children, namely: Frank- lin, deceased; Mary E .; Orpha, deceased; Sally; Martha; Oscar L., the subject of this sketch ; Lewis; Anson; Catherine; and Emma.
Oscar L. Howell received his mental train- ing in the common schools of his native coun- ty, and in 1863 enlisted in Company K, 85th
Reg., Ill Vol. Inf., but as he was not of age his parents kept him at home. In 1883, Mr. Howell moved with his father to Labette coun- ty, where his father bought the farm on which he now lives, in 1872. In 1882, a new house was erected on the land, and the elder Mr. Howell conveyed the farm to Oscar L. There he carries on general farming and stock rais- ing. He is a thrifty farmer, and has made many improvements on the land, and it pre- sents a good, substantial appearance.
Mr. Howell was united in marriage with Tilarah Gerry, who was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1849. She is a daughter of Peter and Elizabeth (Valentine) Gerry, both · natives of New Jersey. Peter Gerry was a farmer by occupation. He and his wife reared two children: Tilarah and George. Mr. and Mrs. Howell have been blessed with six chil- dren, all of whom are living. Their names are: Frank A., a miner, who resides at Ou- ray, Colorado : Harry, Emma S. and Minnie, of the same place; and Clyde and Ralph, who. are at home.
Mr. Howell votes an independent ticket. He has served on the school board since first coming to Labette county, and now holds the office of clerk of the board. He belongs to. the Anti-Horsethief Association.
AMES T. PEFLEY, one of Walton township's most esteemed citizens, and joint owner and head proprietor of Pefley Brothers' farm, which is among the largest and finest in Labette county, Kansas, is a native of Illinois, in which state he was born in 1853.
His father, Henry Pefley, is descended from a prominent Virginia family, and was,
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himself, born in that state, in April, 181I. He followed carpenter work in his native state and was considered an expert in that line of work. In 1864, he moved with his family into Iowa. Several years afterward,-about 1869, -he took leave of his family and sought a better location for them farther south, where the climate was somewhat milder. He found a desirable locality in Labette county, Kansas, and removed his family in 1870. The same year, he took up a homestead claim in Walton township,-the northeast quarter of section 14. This is a part of the farm now occupied by several of his sons. In this western home, where it was difficult even to obtain building material, aside from the additional expense of hiring carpenters, the trade which the elder Pefley had followed for years now stood him in good stead, and proved very valuable to him. He was enabled to build his own resi- dence, and in 1870, erected a large, two- story frame house, containing seven rooms. In those pioneer days a house of that size was considered almost a palace, and Henry Pefley's was, in this respect, an object of envy to not a few of his less fortunate neighbors, who were not so handy with tools.
August 22, 1890, Henry Pefley passed to his final rest. He was survived by his widow, whose maiden name was Catherine Caton, and who was a native of Muskingum county, Ohio. Seven children were born to her and her husband, namely: Mary, deceased; Ra- chel J., who is at home; Henry, deceased; Archibald, a farmer, whose land adjoins the farm of our subject; James T., the subject of this record; J. C .; and Abe L. The two last named are joint proprietors with James T. of the homestead farm, and they carry on agri- cultural pursuits in perfect unison, each one seemingly indispensable to the success of the
other. These brothers have made a specialty of general farming, and have raised stock also to a limited extent. The homestead farm, to which they succeeded upon the death of their father, is their special pride. They have greatly improved and beauti- fied this and have added to it from time to time until they now own 320 acres of as fine and productive farming land as one would wish to see. These brothers. are all Republicans in politics, and although they have at all times taken an interest in the cause of good government, they have never been office-seekers, but have devoted the best of their time and energy toward making a suc- cess of their business.
James T. Pefley is a prominent member of the Anti-Horsethief Association. His success in life is not surprising to those who are fa- miliar with his traits of character. In the extensive farming interest of the brothers he is considered the head, and it has been his ex- ecutive ability as well as his active service that has made their farm what it now is,-a credit to the township, the county, and the state.
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