USA > Kansas > Leavenworth County > History of Leavenworth County Kansas > Part 41
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In the days before the Civil War the work of a surveyor was full of many hardships and dangers. Not alone the wildness of an unsurveyed land but the lurking Indian, who was jealous of his rights, had the early pioneers to contend with. Oliver Short knew all of these things and ex- perienced the many hardships of his work. He surveyed all over the northern and western Kansas and also went into Indian Territory. In 1874 Oliver Short and his two sons, H. C. and Truman, in the company of nineteen other men were surveying land. For the convenience of their
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work they were camped in three camps, six men in each camp. The Cheyenne and Arapahoe Indians had been harassing them for some time and one day while H. C. was left in camp away from the rest of the com- pany the Indians came and destroyed every man in the three camps. Mr. Short and his son Truman were killed on Monday and their bodies were not found until the following Wednesday. Some of the men endeavored to get to the main camp where H. C. Short and three other men were stationed, but were waylaid by the Indians who killed every member of the party and also their oxen. This massacre occurred in Meade County near Meade Center. The bodies of Oliver Short and his son Truman were buried in Mt. Muncie Cemetery. His wife, Frances (Catlin) Short, sur- vived him many years, passing away in 1912 in Leavenworth, Kansas. The following children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Short: H. C., the subject of this sketch; Truman, met death in the Indian massacre; Frank, a farmer near Boise City, Idaho; Leonard, in the laundry business in Chicago, Illinois; and Metella, residing at Boise City, Idaho.
H. C. Short received his education in the public schools of Leaven- worth, Kansas, and later attended the University at Lawrence, Kansas, for two years. While his father was surveying the lands of Kansas, his son, H. C., accompanied him on many of his trips. Between 1880 and 1882 Mr. Short crossed the Oregon Trail twice. He spent six years in the West and upon his return to Lawrence, Kansas, he purchased the abstract business from S. F. Atwood, Wood, Spaulding and Bowen, con- solidating them into one big business. He has continued this line of work for thirty-five years and has built a reliable and trustworthy business. Mr. Short served nine months as city commissioner of Leavenworth and was elected a member of the Board of County Commissioners in 1904 and re-elected in 1908. At the expiration of this latter term the present courthouse, costing $100,000, was built. The finishing, wiring and heating plant cost an additional $60,000. This great sum, $160,000, was paid by the county without issuing any bonds. In 1916 Mr. Short was re-elected as county commissioner of the second district and in 1920 he was made chairman of the board.
H. C. Short and Emma W. Neubauer were united in marriage June 7, 1888. She is a daughter of Fred Neubauer, of Leavenworth, Kansas. Mr. and Mrs. Short have the following children : H. C., Jr., of Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the oil business; Helen M., wife of T. A. E. Belt, Schenectady, New York; Albert L., now a student at the State University. Mr. and Mrs. Short reside at 1206 Ohio Street.
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Mr. Short has always taken an active interest in local affairs and has contributed much of his time and talents in the upbuilding of the city of Leavenworth and the county.
Joseph Voorhees, the present capable and efficient county clerk of Leavenworth County, is a type of sturdy, vigorous manhood, of which the nation is justly proud. During the World War Joseph Voorhees vol- unteered his services for his nation's honor. He went into training at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, the second officer's training camp. After three months of training he was given the commission of first lieutenant, Re- serve Officers Corps. He was assigned to the Fifty-third Regiment, Sixth Division, Regular Army, and stationed at Chickamauga Park, Georgia. July 5, 1918, Lieutenant Voorhees with his regiment sailed for France, where they continued their training until they moved forward to the front line sector. In September, 1918, Lieutenant Voorhees was transferred to the Intelligence section of the Seventh Army Corps. After the arrange- ments of the Army of Occupation had been settled, he was reassigned to the Sixth Division, in charge of the Message Center. He was with the First Army Corps during the Meuse-Argonne offensive and spent twelve days at the front.
His re-election to the position of county clerk was received by cable- gram, December 25, 1918. This was a unanimous election from his many friends and supporters in Leavenworth County. March 19, 1919, orders were received to embark for the United States and Mr. Voorhees arrived May 5, 1919, ten months from the time he had sailed. He was mustered out at Camp Dix, New Jersey. Upon the arrival of Lieutenant Voorhees in the United States he took up his work as county clerk. He was re- elected without any opposition in 1920.
Joseph Voorhees was married February 25, 1918, to Elizabeth Jack- son, a daughter of William Jackson and wife. Mrs. Voorhees was a trained nurse and a graduate of Cushing Hospital of Leavenworth. To Mr. and Mrs. Voorhees one child, Joseph, Jr., was born September 1, 1920.
Joseph Voorhees was born near Dodge City, Kansas, March 17, 1887, in a sod house, the son of Isaac E. and Levina (Sizelove) Voorhees, a sketch of whom is given in Eph Voorhees' review in this volume. Joseph Voorhees was educated in the public schools of Lansing and Leavenworth, Kansas. He was employed by the Great Western Stove Company for six
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months and then taught school in District No. 49, twelve miles west of Leavenworth. He was only eighteen years of age and had a first grade certificate. He taught for six years in the rural schools of the county. He was then appointed deputy county clerk under Jessie A. Hall. In 1914 he was elected county clerk and received the following re-elections in 1916- 1918-1920, the last two without any opposition.
Mr. Voorhees is an active charter member of the Byron H. Mehl American Legion Post. This post has a membership of 250. Lieutenant Voorhees was its first vice-commander and is a strong advocate of the principles of greater Americanism. He is also a member of the Knights of Pythias.
Dr. Christian Waelti is a successful and well known chiropractor, lo- cated at 515 Delaware street, Leavenworth. He was born in Saint Clair County, Illinois, Stockey Township, January 2, 1889, the son of Charles and Elizabeth (Haas) Waelti. Charles Waelti died in Illinois in 1917 and his wife now lives in Stockey Township, Saint Clair County, Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Waelti were the parents of the following children: Elizabeth, who lives at home; Samuel and George, who also live at home; Daniel, of Saint Clair County, Illinois; Charles, who lives on the home farm; Emma, the wife of John Turnermeister, of Saint Clair County, Illinois; Albert, of Millstadt, Illinois; Louis, who lives on the home farm; Christian, the subject of this sketch; Bertha, the wife of William Reichart, of Saint Clair County, Illinois; Lena, the widow of Fred Arnold, of Saint Clair County ; and Fred, also of Saint Clair County.
Doctor Waelti attended Forest Hill School in Stockey Township, Saint Clair County, Illinois, and then spent three years at the Palmer School of Chiropractic and was graduated from this college December 29, 1915. He also attended an osteopathic school at Chicago, Illinois, and obtained a degree in 1917, but does not practice osteopathy.
Doctor Waelti came to Leavenworth, Kansas, in October, 1918, and began the practice of his profession at 515 Delaware Street. He has built up a good practice in Leavenworth, which is not confined alone to the town, as he has become well and favorably known throughout the county. While a few years ago the science of chiropractic was unknown, now fif- teen states have straight chiropractic boards, Kansas being one among them. Eight other states give chiropractic legal recognition. Twelve
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supreme courts have held drugless healing was not the practice of medi- cine. Two states and one territory have no legal restrictions against chiropractic, and one state and one territory exempt chiropractic from medical practice laws.
Doctor Waelti is a member of the Yeoman Lodge of Leavenworth.
David Herries, a splendid citizen of Tonganoxie Township, is a native of Scotland, born at Dumfries November 15, 1838, the son of James and Isabelle (Smith) Herries. His father came to Canada in 1846, and the year following David Herries and his mother joined him. Both James Herries and his wife died in Brant County, Canada, he at the age of sixty- nine and she when fifty-five years of age.
David Herries spent his boyhood in Canada and attended the public schools there. In 1865 he came to America and stayed with his brother, John Herries, in Alexander Township for two years, and then located on his present farm of 160 acres, where he has lived continuously ever since. This is a good farm, but Mr. Herries paid only $3.00 per acre for it. He has extensively improved the place, building residence, barn and other buildings. He built the first residence in 1869, which still stands and is now used for a wood house. The L. & T. railroad runs through the farm and a water tank, which furnishes water for the railroad, is located on the place. The land is well watered with a fine spring and water flows the entire year. Mr. Herries is a fine man and has many staunch friends in the township.
In 1870 Mr. Herries was married to Margaret Gatchell, a native of Wyandotte County, Ohio, near Sandusky. She is the daughter of Hiram and Sarah Gatchell, both of whom died in Ohio, she at the age of sixty- five years on January 16, 1887, and he in the year 1890.
Mr. and Mrs. Herries have had the following children: Myrtle, the wife of Herman Eggert, of Jefferson County, Kansas; Isabelle, the wife of Murray Eggleson, of Lawrence, Kansas; James, of St. Joseph, Mis- souri, who married Fannie Johnson; Emma, who lives at home; Hiram, of St. Joseph, Missouri, who married Rydia Cockrell, a prominent teacher of this county at one time, and who now teaches in St. Joseph as substi- tute; and William, who died at the age of twenty-three years.
Mr. and Mrs. Herries have the following grandchildren: Bessie, Mar- garet, Howard, Fannie and Lottie Eggert; Edward, Hiram and Ruth Eggleson; David H., Mary Marine and Glenn Herries.
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Edward Eggleson was in the United States Navy at the Great Lakes Training Camp for a few months during the World War, and was trans- ferred to Boston, where he developed tubercular trouble. At the time he volunteered for service he was a medical student at Lawrence, Kansas.
David Herries was a charter member of the Eureka Grange and later transferred his membership to Delaware Grange at McLouth, Kansas. Mr. Herries has filled the offices of director and treasurer of the school board.
Mr. Herries remembers the hard times of '73 and '74, when the chintz bugs destroyed the crops, and also the grasshopper "panic" of "74 and '75. He says the grasshoppers were so thick that the dust on the earth seemed to be alive, but that the chintz bugs did more damage than the grasshoppers.
Roy Seifert, a member of a pioneer famliy of this section, is the owner of 160 acres of land in High Prairie Township, seven miles south- west of Leavenworth, Kansas, and two and one-fourth miles north of Boling. He was born in Stranger Township August 28, 1895, the son of William and Flora Seifert, of Leavenworth. William Seifert is a native of Ohio and came to Kansas with his father when about ten years of age. His wife is also a native of Ohio and is the daughter of Herman Ittner, an early settler of High Prairie Township.
Roy Seifert was educated in the public schools of Leavenworth, at- tending both the ward and high schools and, since finishing his education, he has followed farming and dairying, making a success in both lines of work. His farm of 160 acres is well improved. He built a fine farm residence in 1917, has a good silo and barn, and the farm is watered by natural springs, which, with the rolling and fertile grass land, make the farm ideal for raising cattle. Mr. Seifert has seven grade cattle and four- teen registered Holsteins with a registered male. Mr. Seifert sells his milk to a dairy in Leavenworth, Kansas. He also raises pure bred White Leghorn poultry, having about 200 hens. Mr. Seifert has a good farm, which is well kept, and the residence is on an elevation, giving one a fine view of the surrounding country.
September 19, 1917, Mr. Seifert was married to Lula English, a daughter of W. A. and Cora English, of Leavenworth. Mrs. Seifert was born in Delaware Township and was educated in the schools at Leaven-
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worth. Mr. and Mrs. Seifert have one son, LeRoy. They receive their mail on a route from Leavenworth.
Mr. Seifert is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America of Bol- ing. He also belongs to the Grange at Boling.
George L. Rapp, a well known and enterprising farmer of Easton Township, was born July 31, 1861, at Baldwin, Kansas, the son of Jacob and Louisa (Rapp) Rapp, being the third of eight children, three of whom are living: Martha, the wife of John Vollmar, of Kansas City, Kansas; Katherine, the wife of David Freedle of Piper, Kansas, living on a farm. Jacob Rapp was born in Wertumburg, Germany, in 1836 and died in 1878. He was a tinner in his native land, and came to the United States when sixteen years old, and settled in Baldwin, Kansas, in 1862. He afterward moved to a farm in Easton Township, where John G. Heim now lives. In 1865, he went to Leavenworth, Kansas, and burned lime there for four years, his family living on the farm, to which he returned in 1869 and engaged in the flour mill business, building a flour mill at Millwood, in Easton Township, which he conducted until his death
The Jacob Rapp Water Power flour mill at Millwood was one of the first mills to be built in Easton Township. Mr. Rapp built the mill in 1871. It was one of the historic spots of the township. Thirty thousand bushels of wheat and ten thousand bushels of corn were ground each year at this mill. The mill products were never shipped; the mill was used only to grind grain for the farmers of the community.
Jacob Rapp is buried on the Heim farm, together with his wife and two daughters in a private cemetery of the Rapp family. Mrs. Jacob Rapp was also a native of Germany. She died 1889 at the age of forty- nine years.
George L. Rapp was one year old when his parents came to Leaven- worth County. He was educated in school district No. 6, and remained on the home farm until his mother's death. In 1907, he bought his pres- ent farm of eighty acres. He does general farming and stock raising, and is one of the dependable citizens of the township. In politics, Mr. Rapp is a republican. He served nine years on the school board in district number twenty-three.
Mr. Rapp was married January 3, 1895, to Eliza Schwettman, who was born in Clinton County, Illinois, November 22, 1867, the daughter of
THE JACOB RAPP GRIST MILL
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Fred and Louisa (Poss) Schwettman, both natives of Germany. They lived in Leavenworth County for twenty-five years; both are deceased.
Mr. and Mrs. Rapp have four children, all living at home; Walter, Minnie, Mary and Elva. The family are members of the Lutheran Church.
Thomas K. Wilson, a prominent farmer, and one of the oldest pioneers now living in High Prairie Township, was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, April 7, 1846, the son of William and Lucinda (Mckinney) Wilson, who came to Kansas in 1857 and settled at LeCompton and entered 160 acres of land. About six years later they moved to Leavenworth County and settled in High Prairie Township near Boling, later moving to Leaven- worth, where Mr. Wilson died in 1908. He is buried in High Prairie Cemetery.
William Wilson was prominently identified with the Presbyterian Church and came west with the view of doing church extension work. He was instrumental in building churches at Olathe, Topeka and Lawrence, Kansas, the first Presbyterian Church at Lawrence, and, with Doctor Minor and others, Mr. Wilson assisted in establishing the State University at Lawrence. After coming to High Prairie Township he also built a Presbyterian Church here. During the Civil War he was chaplain of the Sixth Kansas, appointed by the governor. Mr. Wilson was a clerk in the State Legislature at one time, giving him an opportunity to be- come acquainted with the pioneers of territorial days. He was personally known to Judge LeCompton, James H. Lane and Governor Carney, also Quantrill, who sacked Lawrence in Civil War times. Mrs. Wilson is also buried in High Prairie Cemetery.
Thomas K. Wilson came to Leavenworth in 1863, but has lived on his present farm since 1866. This place consists of 240 acres and was formerly known as the Thompson farm, Mr. Wilson buying out the heirs. In 1870 he was married to Sarah Thompson, a daughter of William and Sarah Thompson, who settled here about the year 1860 and lived here until their deaths. Mr. Wilson also owns 160 acres, formerly his home place, northwest of Boling, Kansas, and 320 acres in Wallace County, Kansas.
Mr. Wilson's home place is an excellent farm, with good improve- ments. The rock building where he lives is one of the best constructed dwellings to be found here. He also has a well constructed barn with
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dimensions of fifty by fifty feet. The land is fertile soil and well watered. Mr. Wilson has been renting the place for the past five years and spends his time in reading.
Mr. Wilson has filled the office of trustee of his township and also served on the school board for twenty years.
Mrs. Wilson died in 1913 and is buried in High Prairie Cemetery. They had the following children: Mrs. Lulu Cook Copeland, of San Fran- cisco; Mrs. Mamie Harrison, of Leavenworth, Route One; Mrs. Daisy Warden, of Easton, Kansas, Route One; Mrs. Zoe Smith, of Leavenworth, Route One; Mrs. Hester Schweizer, of Los Angeles, California; Newton, of Leavenworth; and William, who died in Osborn County, Kansas, in 1912 and is buried in High Prairie Cemetery.
Mr. Wilson has twenty-three grandchildren living: John, Lloyd, Catherine, Thomas and Gordon Cook; Guy, Hazel, Daisy, Hubert, Howard, Woodrow, Isabelle, Eugene and Robert Harrison; Jack, Ward, Zoe and Elizabeth Schweizer; Harold and Walter Smith, Jr .; Irwin Wilson; Hester and Helen Warden. He also has two step-grandchildren: Clarence and Elmer Warden.
Mr. Wilson has a keen memory and vividly recalls pioneer days and many interesting incidents. As he saw eastern, central and western parts of Kansas many years ago, he says he would like to take a trip over the routes he made in those days and see the progress made since the Indian days of the fifties. He remembers hearing James H. Lane make a speech at LeCompton, Kansas, when making a race for United States Senator against Marcus J. Parrott, and that Mr. Lane wore a faded buffalo overcoat with a rip down the back a foot long. Mr. Wilson attended church at LeCompton in 1857, which was then the capital of the state, and he says there were only three women present: Mrs. William Lamer, the merchant's wife; Mrs. Wilson, his mother, and her daughter, Mary, who died in Salt Lake City. He says that the hall was crowded with men, all armed with pistols in their belts and bowie knives in their boot tops.
Mr. Wilson has been a consistent good roads booster from the time the agitation for good roads was commenced in this county, and the Leavenworth-Springdale road runs along the north side of his farm. His long residence here has made his face familiarly known in Douglas and Shawnee counties as well, where he has a host of friends.
The following pioneer settlers of this county are recalled by Mr. Wilson: Leslie Salisbury, who entered the land now owned by his son,
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Emerson; Captain Scruggs, who entered the land now owned by C. V. Campbell; George Burges, who entered the land now owned by Mr. Bar- nard; H. Donahue, who entered the land of Mr. Myers; and Ute Barr, who entered the Brummel farm.
Russell Wilson, more familiarly known as "Russ" Wilson, is the pop- ular and efficient sheriff of Leavenworth County. He was born in Doni- phan County, Kansas, November 6, 1879, the son of John and Minnie (Alford) Wilson, both natives of Kentucky. John Wilson and Minnie (Alford) Wilson were early settlers of Doniphan County, settling there in 1854. He was a farmer and stock buyer until his death in Leaven- worth in 1902. He was buried in Mt. Muncie Cemetery. His wife died in 1881 and was buried in Wolfe River Cemetery. Two children were born to them, Julia, wife of R. A. Atkinson, Kansas City, Missouri, and Russell, the subject of this sketch.
Russell Wilson was educated in the public schools in Doniphan County and came to Leavenworth with his father in 1895. For many years they conducted a feed and sale stable, where they worked up a very lucrative business. In 1918 Mr. Wilson was elected sheriff of Leavenworth County and was re-elected in 1920 with no opposition. During the World War, when the government was buying up every available mule that the county afforded, Mr. Wilson bought mules for the government.
Russell Wilson and Anna Thompson were united in marriage in Octo- ber, 1903. She is the daughter of James and Bridget (Sullivan) Thomp- son, residents of Leavenworth. Five children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, four of whom are living, as follows: Bessie; Frank, died in infancy ; Floyd; Julia, and Jane. They make their home in the sheriff's residence at the county jail.
Mr. Wilson is a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles. His popu- larity as a county official is shown by the fact that in 1920 there was no opposition to his re-election.
Charles Seifert, the energetic proprietor of Sunny Side Dairy Farm, which is located one-half mile from the city limits of Leavenworth on the Lawrence road, was born in Stranger Township January 17, 1894, and is the son of William and Flora Seifert.
Charles Seifert was educated in the public schools. He has been
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engaged in the dairy business for the past six years in High Prairie Township, and purchased his present farm of 1661/4 acres, formerly the Kowalewski farm, in March, 1920. Mr. Seifert has put many improve- ments on the place, rebuilding the residence; built a new silo fifteen by thirty-five feet, and also a modern milk house. He uses a Pinetree milker of three single units. Mr. Seifert has twenty-one head of registered Hol- stein cattle with registered bull, "U. S. Amesby Skylark Canary Home- stead," who is from one of the best cows of the Disciplinary Barracks. He also has ten grade cows. Mr. Seifert raises hogs, mules and horses, and has water piped to the feed yards and in the buildings, which is pumped by a gas engine. He retails his milk in Leavenworth, having a truck and Ford roadster he uses when delivering to his customers.
Mr. Seifert is a wide awake dairyman and has built up a wonderful business in the short time that he has operated his dairy.
December 31, 1915, Mr. Seifert was married to Caroline E. Kuhnhoff, of Leavenworth, who is a native of Atchison, Kansas, and a daughter of W. A. Kuhnhoff, a sketch of whom appears in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Seifert have one daughter, Georgia Marie.
Mr. Seifert is secretary of the County Farm Bureau and is also a member of the State Bureau. He is progressive and possesses those qualifications which will always make him successful.
Rev. A. G. Dick, the present pastor of the St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Leavenworth, Kansas, is a worthy successor of the two noble pastors who succeeded him in this parish. The St. Paul's Evan- gelical Lutheran Church had its beginning when Rev. M. Meyer came to Leavenworth November 9, 1862, organized his church and started prep- arations to build the church edifice. This was placed at Sixth and Dela- ware streets and the first service was held Christmas Day, 1862. In 1866 the church was moved to Seventh and Miami streets, where the pastor, Reverend Meyer, was enabled to do greater and more efficient work for his growing flock.
In 1863 the parochial school was established and the field of its labor has increased as the years have gone by. In 1882 Rev. M. Meyer moved to St. Louis, Missouri. The Rev. C. Hafner succeeded him and remained as pastor until the fall of 1907. At the beginning of his pastorate the frame building was replaced by a substantial brick one, which was again
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replaced, in 1911, by the present brick church. Rev. A. G. Dick took up his duties as pastor January 5, 1908. The church was built in 1911 and the parsonage was built in 1916. The church property, including the parochial school located at Sixth and Osage streets, the present prin- cipal of which is R. E. Appelt, is valued at $60,000.
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