USA > Kansas > Leavenworth County > History of Leavenworth County Kansas > Part 28
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H. H. and Mary Athey died in Putnam County, Indiana. The Athey children are: James H., Brazil, Indiana, who married a sister of George E. Carr; Mrs. Carr; Lucinda M., who died at the age of four years; Lawrence H., of Greencastle, Indiana; Nancy Elizabeth, of Greencastle; William D., of Singer, California (the two last named being twins) ; Sarah Frances, who died in infancy ; Isadora, who died at the age of eleven years ; Robert Milton, of Terre Haute, Indiana, and Flora M., wife of H. J. Loh- man, of Lansing, Kansas.
George E. Carr was one of the first members of his family to leave Indiana. He and his wife drove in a covered wagon from Putnam County, Indiana, to Council Grove, Kansas. They were one of seven teams in a train, making the trip in thirty-five days.
Richard Cogan, a well known dairyman of Lansing, Kansas, is a native of this state, born at Leavenworth in 1869, the son of William and Ellen E. (Bassett) Cogan. His mother was a native of England and his father was born in Ohio. The latter owned slaves in Louisiana prior to the Civil War. He came to Leavenworth in 1865. He drove an ambulance wagon during the war. For a number of years he conducted a dairy at Lansing and furnished milk to the state prison, prior to the purchase of the dairy herd by the state. He died about the year 1884 and his wife died in 1902. They are buried at Mt. Calvary Cemetery.
Mr. and Mrs. William Cogan were the parents of the following chil- dren: John, of Atchison, Kansas; Thomas, of Commanche, Oklahoma; Richard, of this sketch; William, of Leavenworth; and Ella, the wife of Edgar Matthews, of Berkeley, California.
Richard Cogan received his education in District No. 10 of Mt. Muncie and also the Catholic School under Father Downey. He enlisted in the
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Spanish-American War and was sent to the Philippine Islands with the Twentieth United States Infantry, and saw one year's service, during which time he went around the world.
Upon his return from the war he worked for ten years in the dairy of Mr. Phillips on the farm which he now leases. This is a farm of seventy-two and one-half acres, one mile east of Lansing.
Mr. Cogan has fifteen head of cows, and besides the dairying activities he also raises hogs.
In 1905 Mr. Cogan was married to Venitia E. Patty, a daughter of Thomas E. and Julia A. (Smith) Patty, both deceased. Mrs. Cogan was born in Kansas City, Kansas.
Mr. and Mrs. Cogan have two sons: Gail E., who was born April 3, 1906 and Cleo J., who was born February 11, 1908. The family are sub- stantial and well liked citizens of the community. Mr. Cogan is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America.
Robert L. Seymour, a prominent and well-known farmer of High Prai- rie Township, is a native of Kansas, and was born in Kickapoo Township, Leavenworth County, January 2, 1863, the son of G. W. and Susan (Gann) Seymour, both now deceased.
G. W. Seymour was born in Virginia and came to Missouri, via Mis- souri River, with the earliest settlers and located in Buchanan County. During the Civil War he drove from Ft. Leavenworth to Mexico, return- ing across the plains. On his last trip he was attacked by Indians, losing much of his property. Due to a bank failure, he also lost his money. In 1865, he settled on a farm in High Prairie Township, Kansas, and bought fifty acres, known as the government corral, where the government kept their horses and mules which were used in transportation. He later bought thirty acres more, and at another time forty acres, and made his home on this place until he died in 1895, at the age of eighty-two years. His wife died in February, 1904, and both are buried at Little Stranger cemetery.
Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Seymour were the parents of the following chil- dren: Mrs. Margaret Ettinger, of St. Louis, Missouri; Samuel A., of Boling, Kansas; Mrs. Anna Ettinger, of Lansing, Kansas; George, of Amarilla, Texas; William A., of Leavenworth; A. J., of Kansas City, Mis- souri; and Robert L., the subject of this sketch.
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Robert L. Seymour was educated at the Faulkner school, and has made his home on the farm at Boling for the past fifty-two years. He also owns the 120 acres of the home place at Boling. Mr. Seymour does general farming and raises mules and horses, also feeds hogs extensively. He is one of the substantial citizens of his township and has many friends.
R. L. Seymour and father conducted the first store in Boling, Kansas, which was sold in 1907. This store was burned and rebuilt by Mr. Sey- mour. Besides owning and operating the store, he was also postmaster, succeeding his father who held this position for about twenty years. Mr. Seymour's activities also extended to township affairs, and he served for ten years as constable, and for eight years as clerk.
In July 5, 1902, Mr. Seymour was married to Edna Pulley, a daughter of W. D. and Mary (Cooper) Pulley. W. D. Pulley was born in Nodaway County, Missouri, and now lives in High Prairie Township. His wife was born in Platte County, Missouri, July 20, 1842, and died December 23, 1920, and is buried at Mt. Muncie. Mr. and Mrs. Pulley were the parents of the following children: Jennie, who lives at home; Jesse B., of Lex- ington, Missouri; Mrs. Elizabeth Norris, of Kansas City, Missouri; Mrs. Fannie Newton, of Linneus, Missouri; Mrs. Seymour, the wife of Robert L. Seymour; Grundy Pulley, of Simonton, Texas, and Bruce Pulley, who lives at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Seymour have two children: Doris E. and Robert Lee.
Mr. Seymour is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and Mrs. Seymour is a member of the Royal Neighbors.
Samuel Seymour, a brother of R. L. Seymour, makes his home with the latter. He is now seventy-two years of age. When eleven years old, he drove six yoke of oxen to Sale Lake, across the plains. John Carr, of Kickapoo Township was wagonboss. Samuel Seymour has devoted thirty years or more of his time in the West, and has had many interesting experiences.
T. J. Chesnut is the enterprising proprietor and owner of Elm Grove Farm, which is located in Delaware Township, two and three-fourths miles southwest of Lansing, Kansas. He was born in Saline County, Missouri, August 29, 1870, and is the son of L. and Mary (Coffman) Chestnut. They moved to Richardson County, Nebraska, in 1881, where he died near Fall
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City in 1899. Mrs. Chesnut is now living at Fall City, Nebraska. L. Ches- nut was in the Civil War, a veteran from Missouri, and served two years. To Mr. and Mrs. L. Chesnut were born the following children: Mrs. Dora Weddel, of Laselle, Colorado; Mrs. Bettie Weddel, deceased; T. J., the subject of this sketch; James, of Preston, Nebraska; Lesel, of Brown County, Kansas; Mrs. Minnie Joy, of Brown County, Kansas; Charles, of Fall City, Nebraska, and Roy, of Brown County, Kansas.
T. J. Chestnut was educated in Salem, Nebraska, and was engaged in, farming there and came to Leavenworth County in May, 1901, and lived near Lansing. He bought his present home in 1916, from W. J. Line- weaver. Mr. Chesnut has improved the farm, rebuilt the house, built new granary and cow barn. He has eighty acres of excellent land, and a good cistern with running water. Mr. Chesnut does general farming, operates a dairy, and raises stock. He and his wife are hustlers and are very suc- cessful. Mr. Chesnut has eleven acres of alfalfa land, which has been cut four times each year for the last two years.
Mr. Chesnut was married in 1892 to Hattie Jenning, who died in 1910, and is buried in Delaware cemetery. They had two daughters: Mrs. Ethel Watson, of Kansas City, Kansas, and Pearl, who lives at home. He married his presen twife November 6, 1911. She was Mrs. Flora Watson of Tarkio, Missouri. She has three children: Mrs. Lizzie Chiles, of Ard- more, Oklahoma; Vernon Watson, and John, at home.
Mr. Chesnut is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, of Lansing, Kansas.
Charles Edmonds, a thrifty and successful farmer, who lives in Dela- ware Township, is a native of Monmouthshire, England, and was born October 18, 1846, the son of Thomas and Mary (Vaughn) Edmonds. The family came to Wisconsin from England in 1848, locating in Chicago, where they lived for five years, coming to Kansas in 1859. They settled near Oskaloosa, Kansas, two years later, afterward moving north of McLouth, Jefferson County. Thomas Edmonds died January 19, 1869, at the age of fifty-seven years, and his wife died December 24, 1887. Both are buried at Fowler cemetery. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Edmonds are the parents of the following children: Thomas Edmonds, of McLouth, Kansas; Matt, who died in 1914, and who served in the legislature one term as rep- resentative and four years as senator, of Jefferson County ; Amos, who was
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born August 2, 1842, and who died in Jefferson County in 1912; John B. who was born in England, September 8, 1844, and died in Kansas City, Mis- souri, February, 1918; Charles, of this sketch; Mrs. Rachel Rumbaugh, who was born in England and died in Jefferson County; Albert, who was born in Chicago, Illinois, and now lives at McLouth, Kansas; Mrs. Mary Shepherd, of Lansing, Kansas, and David, a banker of McLouth, Kansas.
Charles Edmonds received his education in the public schools of Jef- ferson County, and, at the age of twenty-three years, began farming for himself in Jefferson County. He purchased a 240-acre farm and improved it. He lived there for thirty-four years and sold it in 1906 and came to Leavenworth County, where he bought 240 acres, which he sold in 1914. He then bought his present home of thirty-three acres in Delaware Town- ship, one mile from the city limits of Leavenworth. He has a nice resi- dence on this place, which is modern, and the land is second bottom and very fertile. Mr. Edmonds understands farming thoroughly and has made a success in life by hard work and careful management.
December 31, 1872, Mr. Edmonds was married in Leavenworth, Kan- sas, to Louisa Sinclair, a daughter of Robert and Elinor (Henshaw) Sin- clair. Mr. and Mrs. Edmonds have had nine children, as follows: Edward, who died in 1905, at the age of thirty-one years; Fred, of Topeka, Kansas ; Albert, of Leavenworth; Effie and Elva, who live at home; Otto, of Kansas City, Missouri, and who was in the United States Army during the World War, and was stationed at Camp Funston when the armistice was signed; Matt, a farmer of Lansing, Kansas; Oliver, of Alexandria Township, who is a farmer; and Paul, who lives at home. Paul Edmonds served six months at Camp Funston during the World War and was with the heavy artillery, Battery F, Twenty-eighth Field Artillery.
Mr. and Mrs. Edmonds have eight grandchildren; Vesta, Elsie, Dale, Orville, Charles, Howard, Wilber and Albert Edmonds.
R. F. Faulkner, a well-known and progressive farmer and stock raiser of Leavenworth County, was born on the farm where he now lives in, High Prairie Township, southwest of Leavenworth, February 8, 1866. He is the son of John K. and Margaret (Stearns) Faulkner, who are both deceased.
John K. Faulkner was born near Morgantown, West Virginia, and came to Platte County, Missouri, when a young man and worked for a
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merchant at Farley, Missouri. He later was in the mercantile business for himself. He came to Leavenworth County in March, 1861. Mr. Faulk- ner made a number of trips across the plains from Fort Leavenworth to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Salt Lake City for the government, going by way of ox team route. John Faulkner was a Democrat, and served three terms in the House of Representatives. His father, J. F. Faulkner, was Alexander Faulkner, who was born on the ocean, while his parents were coming to America. Alexander Faulkner's father, Thomas Faulkner, was a native of Ireland, and a pioneer of Virginia. John Faulkner died in 1900 at the age of seventy-four years, and his wife died December 25, 1915, being seventy-eight years of age. Both are buried at Greenwood Cemetery.
Mr. and Mrs. John Faulkner were the parents of the following chil- dren: William, a farmer of High Prairie Township; Charlie, of Guthrie, Oklahoma ; Clarence, of Kansas City, Kansas; James, of Lansing, Kansas ; and R. F., the subject of this sketch.
R. F. Faulkner was educated in the public schools of his township, and has lived on the home farm all his life. He has 200 acres of well- improved land, eight miles southwest of Leavenworth, on the Lawrence road. He has a good residence and barn. He does general farming and stock raising and raises Shorthorn cattle, and is one of the most success- ful farmers of the community.
Mr. Faulkner was married October 30, 1895, to Josephine Sanders, a daughter of John and Nettie (Ewing) Sanders. The former died in 1895 in Stranger Township, his home, and Nettie Sanders is now living in Leavenworth, Kansas.
Mr. and Mrs. Faulkner have one son, Howard, who was born May 8, 1898. He was educated in the public schools, and was graduated from the Leavenworth high school. During the war, he enlisted April 9, 1917, and shortly afterward was made a sergeant in Company E, One Hundred and Thirty-ninth Infantry. He was sent to Fort Sill, Oklahoma for six months, and transferred to the Thirty-ninth division. In May, 1918, he was sent overseas, and was left two months in England under quarantine. He then went to France and was transferred to the Fifth Army Corps headquarters troops. He was a clerk in the message center of the Fifth Army Corps headquarters troops. In April, 1919, he returned to the United States, after one year's service in Europe. He now lives with his parents.
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R. F. Faulkner is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and has served as democratic committeeman for several years, being one of the prominent Democrats of the county.
Robert L. Leeman, a substantial citizen of High Prairie Township, and who is a well-known farmer and stock raiser, was born near Jarbalo, in High Prairie Township, Leavenworth County, Kansas, August 4, 1875. He is the son of Lewis G. and Charlotte (Edlin) Leeman; the father was born in Kentucky, May 20, 1837, and came to Leavenworth County in 1857 and settled near Jarbalo. He worked for the government and crossed the plains a number of times, driving mules and cattle to Ft. Laramie, Wyo- ming, and, on one trip, the party was attacked by Indians, and several men were killed. Lewis Leeman was sergeant during the Civil War, with company six in the Kansas State Militia. He also had two brothers, Jacob and Thomas, who served in the same company; the former died February 9, 1920, at the home of his nephew, Robert Leeman. He had made his home in this township since the Civil War. His brother Thomas is now living at Lawrence, Kansas, and is eighty-five years of age. Until recently he lived in High Prairie Township. Lewis G. Leeman died November 10, 1906, and his wife, who was born in Kentucky, February 26, 1852, died June 20, 1912.
Mr. and Mrs. Lewis G. Leeman were the parents of the following children: Robert L., of this sketch; Mrs. Rosa Norris, of Jarbalo, Kansas; William, a merchant police of Leavenworth; Ed, a barber of Leaven- worth; Mrs. Mattie Bott, of Springdale, Kansas; and Mrs. Myrtle Geop- hart, of Perry, Kansas.
Robert Leeman was educated in the public schools of this township and has been engaged in farming practically all of his life. In 1904 Mr. Leeman bought his present farm. It is situated ten miles southwest of Leavenworth on the Lawrence road. He has ninety-one and one-half acres of good land, and a comfortable house, and other improvements. He does general farming and stock raising.
June 9, 1903, Robert Leeman was married to May Plummer, a native of High Prairie Township and daughter of Peter J. and Elizabeth (Lewis) Plummer, who now live at Topeka, Kansas. Peter Plummer was with the Union Pacific Railway Company for eighteen years, and farmer near Perry for several years. Both Mr. and Mrs. Plummer are of pioneer families of
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Kansas. They are the parents of the following children: Mrs. May Lee- man; James, who married Myrtle Whaley, and is a farmer near Perry, Kansas; Loren L., a student in the high school at Topeka; and Emery M., who was in the World War. He enlisted at Salt Lake City in the summer of 1917 with the One Hundred and Fofty-eighth Field Artillery and was sent to Camp Mills and Camp Merritt, New Jersey. He was sent to France February, 1918, and returned July, 1919, during which time he served six months with the army of occupation in Germany. He is now a surveyor in the employ of the government and is located at Salt Lake City. He married Josephine Behring of Wyoming.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Leeman have had two children: Ferol, who died at the age of sixteen months; and Freda, aged twelve years, who is a junior in the high school at Topeka, Kansas.
John Milton Gilman, deceased, took an active interest in the public affairs of this county and had many warm friends. He was born at Lan- sing, Kansas, March 2, 1862, and was the son of John Gilman, a pioneer of Leavenworth County, who settled here in 1857, coming from Canada. John Gilman was born April 30, 1830, of English parentage, and was married in Canada to Esther Harvey, a teacher there, and who afterward taught in Kansas. John Gilman was a truck gardener and also did car- penter work. He died in 1870, and his widow later married L. A. Stone and they now live in Emporia, Kansas.
John Milton Gilman received a good education, attending the public schools and Baker University. For nineteen years he taught in Kansas and was principal of the Baldwin city schools for one year. While prin- cipal of the Lansing schools in 1902, he was elected county superintendent of public instruction, and was reelected in 1904. He owned 231 acres of land in High Prairie Township, and his greatest work was from 1901 to 1915, when he conducted an experimental farm on his home place, under the supervision of both state and national governments. His experiments were conducted along the line of raising grain and vegetables, and eighty acres were devoted to this work. He made displays at the state and inter- state fairs, and, at one time, showed 680 different varieties of farm produce. His sons have many interesting photographs of the displays made at different times and places.
Mr. Gilman was not only successful and active in a business way, but
JOHN M. GILMAN
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during the course of his career he has always given public affairs thought- ful consideration and a good citizen's attention. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 1912, re-elected in 1914, 1916, 1918 and 1920 and was serving his fifth term at the time of his death, November 20, 1920 He was also superintendent of State Free Employment Bureau at the time of his death. He is buried in High Prairie Cemetery.
February 12, 1882 Mr. Gilman was married to Eva Louisa Stone. Mrs. Gilman died February 24, 1919. They had ten children: Louis M., who is owner of a cattle ranch in Montana; a daughter, who died in in- fancy; Ray Edwin, a professor of mathematics at Brown University in Rhode Island; John LeRoy, deceased; Ralph, an electrical engineer at Norris, Montana; Paul Everett, who lives on the home farm; Eva, the wife of Louis A. Hermann, of Butte, Montana; Myron E. and Ivan E., on the home farm; and Martha, deceased.
Paul, Myron E. and Ivan E. Gilman are operating the home farm of 232 acres, which they own. They followed corn breeding for several years, winning several premiums in both state and national contests, hav- ing many medals to show for their work.
During the late World War, Ray E. Gilman was captain in the Coast Artillery, stationed at Fortress Monroe, Great Lakes and different places, and was at Fort Totten when the war closed. He specialized in gun range and findings and was an instructor in that line. He was with the first officers' training school and served until the war closed. He now lives at Providence, Rhode Island.
Ralph A. Gilman enlisted in the Engineer Corps in Montana during the war, and served at Vancouver Barracks and owing to suffering from rheumatism was discharged after a service of one year.
Paul E. Gilman enlisted at Leavenworth, October, 1918, in the voca- tional training school at Lawrence, where he was at the time the armistice was signed.
The Gilman farm is eight miles southwest of Leavenworth and the three brothers are engaged in stock and grain business, feeding cattle and hogs.
The Victor Manufacturing Company is one of Leavenworth's impor- tant industries, and is located at Pennsylvania and Lawrence avenues. It was orgaized by F. J. Tallant and E. V. Allen, and began business in Hia- watha, Kansas, in 1905, in a very modest way, but soon realizing the need (22)
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of better shipping facilities the business was moved to Leavenworth in the fall of 1906 and the present plant, including nearly two acres of ground, was purchased. It has since been improved in many way and the addition of much labor-saving machinery thus increasing production greatly, mak- ing it one of the leading businesses in the industry.
The principle business is the manufacture of the wonderful Wonder Washer, a machine of great effectiveness, yet of simple mechanisms. It is adapted for use by hand, or water power, also gas or gasoline and elec- tricity, and readily produces clean clothes in one-third of the time required by its nearest competitors. Its process combines the special features of suction; stirring; squeezing and a slight rubbing. In other makes of washing machines only one of these processes can be used but the Wonder Washer uses all at the same time.
The product of The Victor Manufacturing Company is shipped to all parts of the United States and to many foreign countries indicating the importance and popularity of this machine. The machines are sold to dealers through salesmen and they have employed as many as eighteen salesmen on the road at one time. The name of Leavenworth is thus car- ried into all points of the compass by a wide distribution.
The present company was incorporated under the laws of Kansas in 1908 and again in 1917 when the capital was increased to $100,000.00. Mr. F. J. Tallant is president. Mr. John M. Topper is secretary and treasurer. The directors are principally members of these two families and the stock is principally owned by them. The business has developed gradually but constantly from the earnings of the business until it has reached its pres- ent stage. The buildings of the company are brick, four stories in height and are surrounded by spacious lawns.
Mr. F. J. Tallant takes a great interest in all the welfare of the city, was for a number of years president of the Leavenworth Y. M. C. A. and is still a director of that organization, and is ever ready to devote his time and money to the advancement of this institution. He is married and has besides his wife one daughter Ruth, a student in the Leavenworth High School. He resides at 1105 South Broadway.
Mr. John M. Topper also takes a great interest in local affairs, being a live member of the Rotary Club. He is married, having a wife and three children. Mr. Topper also takes an active part in the Abdallah Shrine. He resides at 1328 South Broadway.
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Gus A. Brown is the dependable and well-known superintendent of the Leavenworth County Hospital. He was born in Atchison County, near Potter, Kansas, June 13, 1880, and is the son of Felix C. Brown, who came from Buchanan County, Missouri, about 1879, and who now operates a private sanitarium at Quincy and Madison streets of this city.
Gus Brown received his education in the public schools in Leaven- worth, and prior to accepting his present position, he helped his father in his sanitarium.
On May 3, 1911, Mr. Brown was married to Anna Kempton, of Leaven- worth, who was born at Kickapoo, and a daughter of Jacob and Magdalene (Staiger) Kemptor, the former being deceased, and Mrs. Kemptor now living at 504 North Broadway, Leavenworth. Mrs. Brown was also edu- cated in the schools of this city. Mr. and Mrs. Brown have one daughter, Dorothy Ann, who is seven years of age.
Mr. Brown is well fitted for the position which he holds. Both he and Mrs. Brown are adepts at managing the home, and they handle the inmates under their care with skill. The place is kept clean, the inmates are well fed, and everything possible is done for their comfort. The hospital is located at Broadway and Reese streets, and has two buildings, one for the insane and one for the county poor. At present, there are sixty-eight inmates of all ages. This home also cares for incorrigible juveniles until they are sent to houses of correction.
Mr. Brown is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Fraternal Order of Eagles. He has many friends and is well liked by all in Leavenworth and community.
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