USA > Kansas > Labette County > History of Labette County, Kansas, and representative citizens > Part 80
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2 ACOB S. STARE, formerly a carpen- ter and cabinetmaker, by trade, but in late years actively engaged in ag- ricultural pursuits, is a highly re- spected citizen of North township, Labette county, Kansas. He was born in York county, Pennsylvania, in 1825, and is a son of Jacob M. and Eva (Auchienbauch) Stare.
Jacob Stare was born in York county, Pennsylvania, and his wife was born in Lan- caster county in the same state. They reared the following children, namely : George; Jacob S .; Elizabeth, deceased; Benjamin; Sarah; Daniel; John; and Peter.
Jacob S. Stare, after finishing his school studies, learned the trade of a carpenter and cabinetmaker, which he followed for twenty- seven years. In 1853, he went to Macon county, Illinois, where he resided for seventeen years, and in 1871 he located in Labette county, Kansas. He was engaged in the fruit and con- fectionery business in Parsons for eleven years, and then sold his store, in 1885. He purchased the farm on which he now lives, from the government, in 1873, at $1.25 per acre. It is the east half of the southeast quarter of section 17, North township. There he has carried on general farming and fruit raising. He has made extensive improvements on his farm, and now has one of the finest homes in the county.
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His orchard is generally conceded to be the finest in the state. He is well known throughout the county as a farmer of great ability and in- telligence.
Mr. Stare married Catherine Bintz, who was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. This estimable lady, who was universally be- loved, and was esteemed as a woman of high character, died in February, 1901. Her death was sincerely mourned by all who knew her. Mr. and Mrs. Stare were blessed with two chil- dren, namely : Charles, deceased; and Edward, manager of the Stare dairy.
Mr. Stare is a Republican, in politics. Re- ligiously, he is a member of the Methodist church. He has many warm friends in the community. A picture of Mr. and Mrs. Stare accompanies this sketch.
OSEPH ALLEN, an old and highly respected citizen of Altamont, La- bette county, Kansas, was engaged in farming in this county for many years, but is now living in retirement, in the enjoyment of a well earned rest after years of hard and diligent work. Mr. Allen was born in Maysville, Kentucky, in 1827, and is a son of Charles and Sally (Lesher ) Allen.
Charles .Allen was born in 1791, and died in 1831. He married Sally Lesher, who died at the age of thirty-five years. They were the parents of three children, as follows: Charles, who was drowned when a boy; Joseph, the gentleman whose name heads these lines; and William, of Maysville, Kentucky.
Joseph .Allen served an apprenticeship as a stone-mason, and followed the trade for six years. He helped to build the county jail and court-house of Mason county, Kentucky, and
also many of the residences in the town of Maysville. He farmed in Mason and Bracken counties until 1880, in which year he moved to Kansas, and bought a farm in section 10, La- bette township, Labette county. There he suc- cessfully followed farming and stock raising until 1894, when he retired to Altamont, where he has since resided. He is a man of high character and is greatly esteemed by his friends and acquaintances throughout the county.
In 1851 Mr. Allen was united in marriage with Margaret Galbraith, who died in 1878, leaving the following children: Lettie, wife of S. B. Lynd, of Parsons, Kansas, by whom she has three children,-Maude, Claude, and Audra; William F. and Joseph G., who are farmers in Labette township; Charles, who is with Company C. 20th Reg., U. S. Army, now stationed at Manila; and Maggie, who is liv- ing with her brothers. Mr. Allen contracted a second marriage in 1892, by wedding Martha Galbraith. Fraternally, the subject of this sketch is a member of the A. F. & A. M. In religious attachments, he is a member of the Church of Christ.
EROME B. HOTCHKISS, engineer of the "Katy Flyer," running oppo- site Engineer Tierney, is one of the most capable and successful engineers on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway, and is a prominent citizen of Parsons, Labette county, Kansas.
Mr. Hotchkiss is of English origin, and traces his ancestry back to Samuel Hotchkiss, who was one of Davenport's New Haven Com- pany, which settled the city of New Haven, Connecticut, in 1638. From Samuel the lin- eage is traced down successively through "En-
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sign" Joshua, Stephen, Gideon, and David, to Gilead, the grandfather of Jerome B. Gilead Hotchkiss lived to be one hundred and six years old, and the family is particularly noted for the longevity of its members. He was a wealthy New Yorker, and at one time was a member of the board of trustees of Auburn, New York. He speculated on land in the vi- cinity of Chicago, long before that city was ever thought of. Various members of the fam- ily served in the Revolutionary War, and rose to the rank of officers.
H. B. Hotchkiss, the next in line, was the father of Jerome B. He was a native of the state of New York, where his marriage took place. In 1848 he left that state for Calhoun county, Michigan. The following year he traveled overland to California, and then, after being successful in mining for a few years, returned to his family in Michigan. His death occurred in September, 1862. He was united in marriage with Laura A. Cooper, a native of Pennsylvania. She is still living at the advanced age of eighty-two years. Twelve children were born to her and her hus- band, of whom five reached maturity, as fol- lows: Rush, a well known property owner of Spokane, Washington ; Jerome B., the subject of this sketch; Charles, a locomotive engineer in Minnesota; H. B., also an engineer, and president of a mining company in Spokane, Washington ; and Warren, for many years also a railroad man, but now in the hotel business in California.
Jerome B. Hotchkiss was born near Au- burn, New York, at a place called Carver's Corner, December 17, 1844. While still small, his parents moved to Allegany county, New York, and later to Michigan. He had exceptional educational advantages. After passing through the common schools, he at-
tended high school at Battle Creek, Michigan, and subsequently took a thorough course in Albion College. When old enough to choose a vocation for himself, he readily adopted rail- roading. January 27, 1863, he began work as fireman on one of the old hook-motion wood- burner engines at Marshall, Michigan, on the Michigan Central Railroad. He remained on that road for three years, and then followed similar work on the Chicago & North-Western Railway, running out of Clinton, Iowa, west to Belle Plaine, Iowa. In January, 1870, pro- motion followed and Mr. Hotchkiss became an engineer on the same system. He has followed this line of work ever since. He pulled both freight and passenger trains on the Chicago & North-Western Railway until 1878. On ac- count of failing health, he was then obliged to seek a milder climate and accordingly came south to Kansas. It was his intention to seek a position on the Santa Fe road, and he car- ried letters of introduction and recommenda- tion to the master mechanic at Topeka, Kan- sas. Having acquaintances at Parsons, he went there on a visit, previous to soliciting a situation. While there he was induced to seek a position on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway, which he did, and decided to remain in Parsons.
September 5, 1878, he commenced work on the "Katy," first pulling freight trains north to Junction City, and continued on that run for several years. Advancement followed, and he became a passenger engineer, and has run as such up to the present time ; he is now pulling the "Katy Flyer,"-one of the fastest trains on the system.
Mr. Hotchkiss was joined in marriage with Maria Olivia Alexander, a daughter of Charles and Juliette ( Praddock ) Alexander, respected residents of Marshall, Michigan.
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Mrs. Hotchkiss was born in Ypsilanti, Michi- gan ; when she was nine years old her parents removed to Marshall. Her father was of English origin, and passed to his final rest in 1885, aged seventy-one years. He was a well- read, influential man, and mainly followed the occupation of farming. He was always a stanch Democrat. He assisted in the survey of Wisconsin, and camped out at Sheboygan. Five children were born to him and his wife, namely : Charles Henry, now engaged in the hardware business in Chicago; Maria Olivia, the wife of Mr. Hotchkiss; Lydia Jane (Peters), of Clyde, Kansas; Albert, an em- ployee in the postoffice at Riverside, Califor- nia; and Theodore L., a printer in Chicago, Illinois.
Two sons have blessed the union of Mr. and Mrs. Hotchkiss. Charles B., the only liv- ing child, was born September 14, 1866, in Marshall, Michigan. He married Ethel Hearst, resides in the city of Parsons, and is teller of the First National Bank of that city. Harry, deceased, was born November 3, 1871, and died when six months old. Mr. Hotch- kiss purchased a fine residence from Engineer J. F. Russell, at No. 1923 Clark avenue, where lie is very pleasantly situated. He has always voted a straight Republican ticket, although the family politics were Democratic up to the time of President Buchanan. Mr. Hotchkiss has served four years as alderman from the Fourth Ward. He is a member of Division No. 179. B. of L. E., of Parsons, having been transferred from Division No. 125. B. of L. E., of Clinton, Iowa. He has filled all the chairs, and for the past fifteen years has been secre- tary. He joined the A. O. U. W., in 1883, and is still a member, his wife being a member of the Degree of Honor. She is also a member of the Knights and Ladies of America, while
Mr. Hotchkiss affiliates with the order of B. P. O. E., Lodge No. 527. In their religious views, they are members of the Baptist church. Mr. Hotchkiss has had a few accidents to con- tend with in his lengthy railroad career, none of which, however, has been of a serious na- ture. Altogether, he has been most fortunate and successful, and his success has been but the just reward of his carefulness and superior skill.
WV. MCEWEN, a gentleman promi- nent in the financial circles of La- bette county, Kansas, is vice-presi- dent of the Citizens State Bank of Chetopa, which is owned by the McEwen fam- ily. In addition to this, he carries on a large business in private loans, etc., having a sep- arate office for this purpose. He is a man of great strength of character, and of pleasing personality, and has many friends throughout the county. He was born in Allegheny coun- ty, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburg, in 1841, and is a son of J. R. and Nancy ( Crooks) Mc- Ewen. J. R. McEwen and his wife were of Scotch descent, and of the United Presbyterian faith. He was a farmer and died in Ohio.
G. W. McEwen was reared in Pennsyl- vania, where he attended the common schools and at the same time handled the plow and drove oxen for his father. He removed to Guernsey county, Ohio, with his father, in 1867. He was married there, made that coun- ty his home, and followed farming until 1872. Then he returned to Pennsylvania and engaged in the lumber business at Oakdale, Allegheny county. In 1876 he removed to Gage county, Nebraska, where he was engaged in farming until the spring of 1880. He then came to Chetopa, Labette county, Kansas, where he
ROBERT A. BARTLETT.
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was engaged in mercantile pursuits for three and a half years with his brother-in-law, J. F. Sterling. In 1884 he commenced the loan business, and was for a time in partnership with F. M. Smith, now of Vinita, Indian Ter- ritory, but now conducts it alone.
Mr. McEwen was united in matrimony, in Ohio, with Mattie Best, who died in 1889, at the age of thirty-nine years leaving three chil- dren: John F .; Winnie, who died in 1897, at the age of nineteen years; and W. C. In 1892 Mr. McEwen formed a second marital union,- Kate Slagle, of Columbus, Ohio, becoming his wife. In politics he is a strong Republican ; he has been a councilman, and also on the school board for the past twelve years. He was clerk of the board of education for ten years. He joined the Ancient Order of United Workmen in 1880, and is still an active member of the lodge at Chetopa. He was reared in the United Presbyterian faith.
R OBERT A. BARTLETT, whose por- trait appears herewith, is one of the most prosperous farmers of Hack- 0 berry township, Labette county, Kan- sas, and it was in his honor that the town of Bartlett was named. He was born in Dela- ware county, Indiana, in 1836, and is a son of Robert L. Bartlett.
Robert L. Bartlett was born in Harrison county, West Virginia, and was a farmer by occupation. He was joined in Hymen's bonds with Mrs. Mary Hall, and they became parents of the following children : Mary, Eleanor, John, Emily and Enoch, all deceased ; and Rob- ert A.
Robert A. Bartlett lived in his native state until he reached the age of fourteen years, when he went to Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin,
and finally returned, in 1857, to Indiana, where he located at Anderson. He followed the trade of a carpenter and was a resident of Ander- son until 1869. In the spring of that year he journeyed west to Labette county, Kansas, and in 1870 located on his present farm,-the southwest quarter of section 27, Hackberry township. He built a cabin 12 by 12 feet, in size, on his claim, and through several con- spicuous improvements made it one of the most valuable pieces of land in the community. The town of Bartlett is located on his northwest 40 acres and, as before mentioned, was named in his honor. 'The town was organized in 1887, with Mr. Bartlett as president, and Charles C. Black, as secretary. The land on which he located was one of the many tracts claimed by the railroad company, and he was one of the foremost in contesting the title of the adverse claimant. He, with other farmers. fought the railroad corporation in the courts for a period of five years, and finally won. At the present time he rents his farm. In 1895, he built a handsome, two-story, frame residence, of 15 rooms, nicely arranged and equipped with modern conveniences.
Mr. Bartlett was united in matrimony with Lucinda J. Makepeace, who was born in Indi- ana, in 1836, and they have reared the follow- ing children : Hattie, Norman, John, Edith, and Nellie. Politically. Mr. Bartlett is a strong Republican. He belongs to Chetopa Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen.
E. WELCH, of Parsons, Kansas, has a fine record as an engineer and conductor, and has distinguished himself in these capacities on vari- ous roads. He is a nephew of L. W. Welch,
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superintendent of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway, at Parsons.
Mr. Welch was born in Susquehanna coun- ty, Pennsylvania, in 1851, and is a son of Stephen S. and Fayette (Edwards) Welch, who were descendants of English ancestors. His father was a native of New York, and died in Pennsylvania, in 1879. The mother of C. E. Welch came, with her people, from Rhode Island, her father having been a port inspector for over fifty years. C. E. Welch is one of a family of three children. One sister, Louise, is deceased, and another sister, Frances, is now Mrs. W. D. Whittaker, and resides at Waverly, New York. The family moved to Scranton, Pennsylvania, where the subject hereof attended the common schools. He joined the 50th N. Y. Vol. Engineer Corps, as a drummer boy, and was mustered out with his regiment, in 1865, having sustained no in- jury during the whole time of his army serv- ice.
In 1866 Mr. Welch returned to Scranton, Pennsylvania, and began work as fireman on the Delaware Lackawanna & Western Rail- road, and later on the Geneva, Ithaca & Athens Railroad. He was promoted to be an engineer, in 1871, and ran an engine on the Geneva, Ithaca & Athens Railroad until 1875. He spent the following year on the Missouri Pacific Railway,-run- ning on the Sedalia division. In 1876 he en- tered the employ of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway as brakeman on the Sedalia Division. After working thus one year, he returned to the Missouri Pacific Railway, as engineer .- running out of Sedalia to Kansas City; he remained on that road until 1890. Returning to service on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway, with headquarters at Par- sons, he spent the following year as engineer,-
covering runs to Muskogee and Denison, Texas. Mr. Welch then became a conductor, and served as such in the freight department. He has been in charge of the chain-gang run- ning out of Parsons for the past seven years. Mr. Welch is interested in property in Parsons, and has a comfortable home. He was mar- ried at Sedalia, Missouri, to Mary Lynch, a native of that city. Three children were the result of this union: Stephen G., formerly of Denver, Colorado, who was employed on the Denver, Texas & Fort Worth Railway, and later enlisted in a volunteer company and sailed to the Philippines; and Mary Esther and Charles W., who are at school.
Mr. Welch is a Democrat, in politics. Fra- ternally, he is a member of the O. R. C., and also of the B. of L. E., Division No. 179, of Parsons. Mrs. Welch is a member of the auxiliaries of both orders. In their religious views, they are Catholics, and are devout and faithful members of that church.
ISS M. NELLIE McGINLEY. This estimable lady is the efficient superintendent of the Chetopa High School, and is widely known in Labette county. She was born in Cleve- land, Ohio, and is a daughter of P. C. and Anna ( Brady ) McGinley.
Her father, who was a native of County Donegal, Ireland, came to America in 1857. and located at Cleveland, Ohio. He married Anna Brady, and their union was blessed with five children : F. J., a merchant of Norman, Oklahoma; P. J., cashier for the Missouri Pa- cific Railway Company, at Coffeyville, Kansas ; Anna; Hannah, a teacher in the Pittsburg, Kansas, schools; and Margaret Helen, the sub-
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ject of this biography, who, with her mother and sisters, has her home in Chetopa. Mr. McGinley died at Norman, Oklahoma, in 1897.
Miss McGinley received her primary edu- cation at Cleveland, Ohio, where she lived un- til her parents removed to Chetopa, in 1875. She was one of the first graduates of the Che- topa High School, in the class of 1883, which consisted of four members. Subsequently Miss McGinley attended the Kansas State Nor- mal School at Emporia, and also the Univer- sity of Chicago. Her first work as instructor, a task to which she is admirably adapted, was in 1883, when she accepted a position in the primary department of the Chetopa schools under Superintendent J. W. Weltner. She has since taught in all the grades. In the fall of 1897 her superior ability was recognized, and she was made superintendent of the Che- topa High School, which position includes the superintendency of the city schools. She is at the head of 10 teachers and 700 pupils. Miss McGinley gives the names of the 12 members in the 1901 graduating class of the Chetopa High School, and they are as follows: Charles Crookhan; Ethel Smith; Pearl Remington; Mabel Rosier; May McPherson; Nell Miller ; John Thompson ; Charles Amos; Ada Simons ; Jennie Cooper; Hannalı Cunningham; and Bertha Ditzler. Miss McGinley has had a thorough education, and is well prepared to take charge of such a large number of schol- ars. Her duties are arduous and exacting, but she manages to find time in which to keep thoroughly informed on all progressive move- ments in educational circles. The Chetopa High School is a large and handsome building, and one of which any town might well be proud. The citizens of Chetopa have just cause to feel that the training of its young people could not be placed under better super-
vision than Miss McGinley's. She is greatly esteemed by all who come in contact with her pleasing personality. Miss McGinley is a member of the district and county teachers' associations. In religious views, she is a Catholic.
€ RASTUS A. MILLIKEN. This gen- tleman is the well known and effi- cient postmaster of Valeda, Labette county, Kansas. He has been a resi- dent of this county since 1882, and is owner of a well improved farm in Howard township. He was born in Shelby county, Illinois, in 1871, and is a son of H. F. and Mary A. (Jones ) Milliken.
H. F. Milliken was a native of Shelby coun- ty, and was born in 1850. He was a prominent farmer of Labette county for many years. He married Mary A. Jones, who was born in Spencer county, Indiana. They reared three children : Erastus A. ; Bertha G. ; and Ada .M.
Erastus A. Milliken, whose name heads this biography, was eleven years old when his parents removed to Labette county, where they located, two miles northeast of the town of Edna. After residing there seventeen months, they moved to Howard township, and there Mr. Milliken lived until he reached the age of nineteen years. He spent one year in Illinois, and returned to Howard township in 1890, where he farmed until March, 1900. His farin is the southwest quarter of section 29, township 34, range 18. He now rents part of this farm, and on the remainder carries on general farming for himself. He was ap- pointed postmaster of Valeda, January 5, 1901, and bids fair to hold this position several terms.
Mr. Milliken married Mellie M. Townsend,
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who was born in Indiana in 1872. They have one child,-Charles M. Mr. Milliken is a Re- publican in politics, and takes an active interest in all local affairs. He belongs to the Mod- ern Woodmen of America, Valeda Lodge, No. 75II ; and also to Edna Lodge, No. 368, I. O. O. F. He is a member of the Anti-Horsethief Association. Mr. Milliken attends the Meth- odist church. He is a man of honest and up- right principles, and is held in high esteem by his fellow citizens.
ILLIAM G. KOCH, train dispatcher for the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway, at Parsons, Kansas, is a native of Gray Summit, Franklin county, Missouri. He is the youngest son of Herman and Wilhelmina (Tappe) Koch. His father was a native of Lippe Detmold, Ger- many, while his mother descended from Bruns- wick (Germany) ancestors. She is still liv- ing, but the father is now deceased.
The family left Germany, where the par- ents were married, and where several of their children were born, in 1855, and came to America. They located in St. Louis, Mis- souri, where Herman Koch engaged in the shoe business. With the exception of three years spent as a soldier during the Civil War, he followed this business continuously for the re- mainder of his life. The parents remained in St. Louis until most of the children were grown and scattered. The family consisted of nine children, as follows: Fred, who died at the age of twenty years; the second child, who died in infancy; Sophia (Neuhaus), who re- sides on a farm in Franklin county, Missouri : Herman, who died aged twenty years; Amelia, wife of Mr. Hellman, secretary of the Interna-
tional Cigar Makers' Union, at St. Louis, Mis- souri, where Mrs. Heilman studied medicine and is now a practicing physician ; Henry, who died in infancy, as did also the next child in order of birth; Julius J., a conductor on the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway, at Par- sons; and William G., the subject of this bi- ography.
William G. Koch had limited educational advantages, having attended the common schools only. He left home when but thirteen years old, having previously studied telegraphy at Gray Summit, Missouri. After leaving home, he worked at telegraphy, for which he had a special aptitude. He worked as night operator at New Haven, Missouri, on the Mis- souri Pacific Railway. He subsequently filled similar positions at Kansas City, Pleasant Hill, Missouri, and Chetopa, Kansas.
May 1, 1887, Mr. Koch was promoted, and served as a regular operator at Parsons, Kan- sas, until June of the following year. Further advancement then followed and he became train dispatcher under Chief Cowden. For the past three years he has worked the second trick,-that is, from 4 o'clock P. M. to mid- night.
Mr. Koch was joined in wedlock with Ida L. Prather, a daughter of Henry and Lydia (Livesay) Prather. Mrs. Koch was born near McCune, Kansas, in 1877. Her father is now successfully engaged in the coal busi- ness at Parsons. Her sister, Bertha Prather, is a competent clerk in Bing's clothing store, in the same city.
Politically, Mr. Koch is a Republican; he is not a member of any fraternal society. The family attend the Methodist Episcopal church. They own a comfortable and attractive resi- dence at No. 1900 Morgan avenue, and take a deep and intelligent interest in the welfare of
ALEXANDER McCULLY.
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Parsons, of which community they are con- sidered 'model citizens.
A LEXANDER McCULLY, who con- ducts a large livery and transfer business at Oswego, Labette county, Kansas, is also engaged in breeding and selling blooded horses, owning some of the best known animals in the state.
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