USA > Kansas > Leavenworth County > History of Leavenworth County Kansas > Part 52
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The present minister is the Rev. George Kimberlin, of Jarbalo circuit, and the present membership is about fifty.
W. I. Biddle, warden of the Federal Prison at Leavenworth, was born in Pennsylvania and came to Kansas in 1879 with his parents when a boy thirteen years old. He served four years as an apprentice learning the machine moulding trade, going to night school during that time.
In a dull winter period when all the single men in the moulding shop were laid off, he applied to the late Col. D. R. Anthony for a job as a "cub" reporter. At the end of a two weeks' tryout, during which time Colonel Anthony found that the boy could get the news even if he had trouble in writing it, he was given a place on The Leavenworth Times staff. Within
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two years he was city editor of the paper, a place he has filled at different times for more than thirty years.
Young Biddle was trained by Colonel Anthony in politics and he went through many local and state battles with him at a time when Leaven- worth contests were no pink tea affairs. Before he was twenty-one years old Biddle was secretary of the Leavenworth County Republican Com- mittee, and he has been chairman of the county committee six times. He has served as chairman of the First Kansas Congressional Republican Committee four times and has been a member of the Kansas Republican State Executive Committee three times. He has been the manager of the campaigns of Congressman D. R. Anthony, Jr., in the First District.
Biddle was register clerk in the Leavenworth postoffice four years, and later on postmaster four years during the administration of President Taft. Inspectors gave him a high rating on his management of the office.
Biddle was on the board of directors of the Kansas Penitentiary two terms covering six years, the last year as president of the board. During the time he was connected with the management of the prison the board had charge of all the business affairs of the institution, supervised the discipline and looked after parole matters. Three different wardens, E. B. Jewett, W. H. Haskell and J. K. Codding (the latter in his first year in the position), served while Biddle was on the board.
In the six year period while Biddle was on the board stripes for prisoners and the lock-step were abolished at the Kansas Penitentiary. The "water cure" and the frame "crib" punishment was stopped. The first prisoner's night school was established, Capt. John Seaton with Biddle going before Legislative committees to get a small appropriation to start it.
The contract convict labor system in which prisoners were hired out to companies to make overalls and furniture were abolished. Biddle personally made the motion to end them. A new brick plant, one to make paving brick, was established at that time. The twine plant was en- larged, ice plant put in and new buildings erected with prison labor at very little appropriated money from the state.
The old bad smelling kitchen was torn away and the present new and modern one put in, Biddle moving to do so, as the records of the prison will show.
The parole system was started at the Kansas Penitentiary, the sec- ond state in the Union to try it out, while Biddle was on the board. Warden E. B. Jewett and Biddle decided on and wrote the rules governing
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the granting of paroles and for the conduct of prisoners while out on probation, which have been copied by many states since. Under the care taken in recommending paroles by the board, while Captain Seaton, T. B. Ballinger and Biddle were members, only seven per cent proved delinquent.
In addition to six years' service in active prison management, Biddle has been making investigations of prison affairs and writing articles about the three penitentiaries at Leavenworth for more than thirty years. He has made a study of prison affairs, and no one with the exception of the late Major B. W. McClaughry has even been appointed to a wardenship at any of the three Leavenworth penitentiaries with Biddle's practical ex- perience in the management of prisons.
Harry H. Seckler was born in Leavenworth August 28, 1873, the sixth of seven sons of John and Catherine Seckler. The parents were pioneers of Leavenworth County, coming here from Cass County, Illinois, in 1857. Mr. Seckler pre-empted a claim in Atchison County, now a portion of the townsite of Effingham, being in the party led by Web Wilder and Col. D. R. Anthony. The father was a clothing merchant in Leavenworth, en- gaging in active business for forty-six years. He died in 1911 at the age of eighty-four. He often told of the early days in business when "bull- whackers" with ox-trains, coming in from the West, brought new outfits of clothes with gold dust, took their purchases to the banks of the Mis- souri River, got their first bath in weeks or months, changed apparel and then struck out for their eastern homes. He began business on Shawnee Street near the old Planters Hotel, and successively occupied stores first east of the present Leavenworth postoffice, then 315 Delaware Street, 423 Delaware, and lastly at the southwest corner of Fifth and Delaware streets. He was known as the first manufacturer of clothing for men in Kansas, at one time employing a force of twenty tailors.
Harry H. Seckler was educated in the Leavenworth grade schools, attended the Ohio Military Academy, Portsmouth, Ohio, graduated from Marmaduke Military Academy, Sweet Springs, Missouri, attended Kansas University and the University of Wisconsin. In college he was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. At the first call for volunteers in the war with Spain he aided in organizing Company C, Twentieth Kansas Volunteer Infantry, went to the Philippines as its first lieutenant and afterwards commanded for three months a battalion of recruits of the
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First Oregon Regiment at Camp Merritt, San Francisco. He took part in the Philippine Insurrection and was discharged from the service on surgeon's certificate of disability.
Harry Seckler has spent almost his entire life in journalistic work. His first effort was as editor-in-chief of a military school monthly; then he was sporting editor of the Wisconsin Cardinal, and upon his return to Leavenworth from college he was employed on the Evening Standard. In 1897 he went to The Leavenworth Times and obtained schooling in news- paper work under the late Col. D. R. Anthony. In 1900, upon his return from the Philippines, he worked in St. Louis, Portland, Oregon and was city editor of the Astorian at Astoria, Oregon. He returned to The Times in 1901, then was city editor of the Evening Standard when it came under Colonel Anthony's management, and in 1902 went back to The Times as telegraph editor. He has filled successively the posts of reporter, tele- graph editor, city editor, advertising manager and business manager of The Times.
On July 27, 1902, Harry Seckler and Alice C. Hertel were married. Mrs. Seckler is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Hertel, Sr., of Leav- enworth. They are members of the First Presbyterian Church.
Harry Seckler is a member of Leavenworth Lodge No. 2 Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Azor Grotto Mystic Order Veiled Prophets of the Enchanted Realm and Abdallah Temple Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine.
LeRoy T. Hand, lawyer, Leavenworth, Kansas, has been engaged in the practice of his profession for the past five years. He was born March 1, 1888, in Easton Township, Leavenworth County, Kansas. His parents were John J. Hand, Jr., and Katherine L. (Byron) Hand, who is now deceased.
John J. Hand, Jr., was born in the city of Leavenworth December 6, 1859. He was the oldest son of John and Katherine Hand, who emigrated to this country from Ireland at an early date. Both of the parents of John Hand, Jr., are deceased, the father having died October 31, 1913, while the death of the mother occurred December 3, 1903. John and Katherine Hand were the parents of five children, four of whom are living, as follows: John Hand, Jr., the eldest son, resides in Leavenworth County near the little village of Lowemont; Thomas and Henry Hand
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also reside in the above mentioned community on farms, while Alice Herren resides in the city of Leavenworth. James Hand is deceased.
Upon arriving in Leavenworth, the first employment secured by the late John Hand was with the saw mill company which was operated in early days at the mouth of Three Mile Creek by Murphy and Scruggs. Later Mr. Hand was for a number of years employed on the government farm at Fort Leavenworth. During the 60's he purchased a farm a short distance northwest of the village of Lowemont and removed there with his family. He remained on this farm until his death, in 1913.
Katherine L. (Byron) Hand, the mother of LeRoy T. Hand, was the oldest daughter of Michael and Mary Byron. They emigrated to Leaven- worth from Ireland during the '50s and for a number of years after arriv- ing here Michael Byron was employed as a cabinet maker. Later he pur- chased a farm in the locality of the little village of Millwood in Easton Township where he lived until his death, October 16, 1897. He survived his wife three years, she dying at the age of fifty years, June 19, 1894. Michael and Mary Byron were the parents of twelve children, five of whom are living. Patrick L. Byron, the oldest living son, resides at Portland, Oregon; Margaret V. Harrigan resides at Linden, Indiana; Mary V. Byron lives in Washington, District of Columbia; Nellie B. Clavin re- sides at Lowemont, Kansas, while Robert E. Byron is at present in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Katherine L. Hand, the oldest daughter, died August 21, 1920.
John Hand, Jr., and Katherine Byron were married March 9, 1886 at Easton, Kansas. During the early part of their married life they resided in Easton Township, Leavenworth County, Kansas, where they engaged in operating a farm. Four sons were born to their union and no daugh- ters. LeRoy T. Hand, the subject of this sketch, an attorney, resides in Leavenworth; James Leo Hand resides at Lincoln, Nebraska; Capt. Harry Vincent Hand, A. S. S. C. U. S. A., is at the present time stationed at Coblenz, Germany, with the American forces at that place, while Tracy A. Hand resides with his father at the Hand home near Lowemont, Kan- sas. In 1900 John Hand, Jr., with his family, removed to Kickapoo Town- ship, Leavenworth County, Kansas, where he is at present living. On August 21, 1920, Katherine L. Hand the mother and wife, died at the family home after a comparatively short illness.
LeRoy T. Hand, after graduating from the common schools of Leav- enworth County, took up the work of teaching at the age of eighteen
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and followed that line of work for eight years in Leavenworth and Atchi- son County common schools. In 1916 he was admitted to the Kansas State Bar and since that time has been engaged in the practice of his profession in the city of Leavenworth. His legal education was obtained through hard and persistent study during his spare moments, he never having had the opportunity to attend college. At the age of thirteen years Mr. Hand met with an accident which necessitated the amputation of his left arm at the elbow. While this misfortune has impeded him in his work to a great extent, it has served as an incentive to him to go into the game of life for the bigger things. Few, even of his most intimate friends know that Mr. Hand is rapidly forging to the front as a writer of short stories. His "stuff" as he refers to it has appeared in a number of eastern magazines under a nom de plume. In collaboration with Jesse A. Hall, his associate in the practice of law, he has compiled and written the greater part of the historical chapters of this History of Leaven- worth County.
Mr. Hand is an ardent Democrat politically and was a great admirer of the Wilson administration. He is plain spoken ofttimes to the point of acridity. He has a large circle of admirers and friends in his home county and city. Mr. Hand is a member of the Knights of Columbus, Council No. 900, of Leavenworth, and while he has never held public office has always taken an active interest in civic and public affairs .- Written by M. J. Flannery.
Jesse A. Hall, a well known attorney of Leavenworth, was born No- vember 12, 1875, on a farm four miles southwest of Easton, Leavenworth County, Kansas. He is a son of Joshua and Lydia L. Hall.
Joshua Hall was born January 10, 1825, in Patrick County, Virginia. He came to Leavenworth County, Kansas, in August, 1854, and located on a farm four miles southwest of Easton. He was married to Lydia L. Bristow in Easton Township, May 19, 1857. Lydia L. Bristow was born near Lafayette, Indiana, the daughter of William H. Bristow, who con- ducted one of the first stores at Easton. She was a woman of high char- acter and attainments. She shared the trials and difficulties of her hus- band and family during the pioneer days of Leavenworth County. She reared a large family and on her shoulders fell the duties of the head of the family in 1885 when her husband died. She remained on the old
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homestead and with the aid of her son, Daniel, was able to rear the minor children to manhood and womanhood.
The education of Jesse A. Hall was obtained largely under the direc- tion of his brother, John F. Hall, who graduated from the University of Kansas in 1897. Principally through his brother John's efforts, Jesse A. Hall attended Campbell College at Holton, Kansas. From this college he entered the University of Kansas in the fall of 1898 and was graduated from that institution in 1901 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. After his graduation he served as principal of Bonner Springs Schools, El Do- rado High School and teacher of Mathematics in the Leavenworth High School. In the fall of 1910 he was elected county clerk of Leavenworth County and held that office for four years. He was appointed police judge of Leavenworth city in the spring of 1918 and held this office till the spring of 1921.
Mr. Hall was admitted to the practice of law in the Supreme Court of Kansas in the spring of 1910 and has practiced in Leavenworth since that time. On August 6, 1902, Mr. Hall was married to Nettie E. Griffith, of Lawrence, Kansas, and to this union was born one child, Helen, now thirteen years of age. She has just been graduated from the eighth grade in the Leavenworth schools.
Mr. Hall became a member of Easton Lodge No. 45, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, in the fall of 1897. He affiliated with Leavenworth No. 2 in 1907 and has served as its master. He is a Royal Arch Mason, a Knight Templar and a member of Abdallah Shrine. He belongs to the Kiwanis Club, Young Men's Christian Association and is secretary of the Leavenworth County Chautauqua Association.
This history of Leavenworth County which he, in conjunction with LeRoy T. Hand, has written, has been a pleasure on his part. To record the story of Leavenworth County so that posterity might know what manner of men and women were those who developed this fair and fertile land into the thriving and rich county has been a labor of love with him. -Written by M. J. Flannery.
Mike Halpin, the superintendent of Leavenworth County Hospital and Inspector of Hospital Buildings, is a well known and successful citi- zen of Leavenworth. He has won the esteem and friendship of many people during his years as street commissioner and policeman and lastly as the capable superintendent of the Leavenworth County Hospital.
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Mr. Halpin was born December 18, 1860, in Missouri, the son of James and Johanna (Dawson) Halpin. James Halpin was born in County Tippe- rary, Ireland, in 1827, and received very little schooling, but a good edu- cation from his experience and associations. He learned the blacksmith trade from his father. For a number of years before James Halpin came to the United States in 1848, he was employed by the British government in Ireland as a blacksmith. Upon his arrival in the United States he landed at New Orleans and later went to Pennsylvania, where he was engaged in blacksmithing until the Civil War. After this he took up the work of teaming and road grading. In 1907, he died at Leavenworth, Kansas, where he had lived since his retirement in 1889.
Johanna (Dawson) Halpin was born in County Limerick, Ireland, in 1834 and in 1846, with her parents came to the United States. They landed in New York and in 1847 established their home in Pennsylvania where they lived until 1849 when they came to Missouri. In 1865, Jo- hanna Halpin came to Leavenworth, Kansas on the boat "Jennie Lewis" up the Missouri River. Mrs. Halpin makes her home with her daughter in Leavenworth.
To Mr. and Mrs. James Halpin were born three children, as follows: Mike, the subject of this sketch; Kate B., with her mother, Leavenworth; and Mary B., born in 1875 and died June 29, 1920. James and Johanna (Dawson) Halpin were members of the St. Johns Church.
Mike Halpin received his education in the schools of Missouri, and remained at home with parents until he was employed by the govern- ment, November 18, 1879, in driving an ambulance. In August, 1882, he went to Pueblo, Colorado, where he was employed to help in the building of the steel works located at that place. He returned to Leavenworth in September, 1884, and worked until 1886 on the state roads. From the years 1886-1888, Mike Halpin was the department street commissioner, under M. L. Hacker. Then for six years he was employed by the Mis- souri Valley Bridge Works. In 1894 he was employed by the city of Leavenworth and appointed on the police force in 1896, where he was em- ployed for ten years. For four years Mr. Halpin was superintendent of the Leavenworth County Hospital. He is now inspector of hospital buildings.
July 5, 1891, Mike Halpin and Lizzie Donehue were married in Leav- enworth, Kansas. Lizzie (Donehue) Halpin was born November 9, 1860, in Virginia. They are the parents of three children, as follows: Edward,
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born October 4, 1893, lives at Kansas City, Missouri; Rose Mary, a teacher, born February 21, 1896; and Walter M., born November 4, 1899.
In politics, Mr. Halpin is independent in his views. He is a member of St. Johns Church and a valued citizen of Leavenworth, who has won his way through honest and persevering endeavors.
William F. Drews, a successful farmer of Kickapoo Township, was born in Walnut Township, Atchison County, Kansas, September 26, 1865, the son of Rudolph and Katherine (Kempter) Drews and the second of eight children. Rudolph Drews was a native of Germany, but left there when fourteen years old and came to the United States. He was a car- penter in Germany, and engaged in that work here for awhile, but soon settled on a farm in Atchison County, Kansas. Before the Civil War, he was a freighter. He served in the Kansas State Militia during the war, after which he farmed until his death, which occurred in California in 1900, he having lived there five years. He was a member of the Presby- terian Church. His wife was a native of Germany; she is now living at the age of eighty-three years. ,
William Drews attended the district schools during his boyhood days, and he has been engaged in farming practically all of his life. He came to Leavenworth County, Kansas, with his parents, when he was eight years old. He now lives on the farm on which his parents settled, and he owns this place, which he bought in 1896. He keeps a good grade of stock and has met with success. The farm, which consists of 220 acres, is well improved and one of the valuable farms of that locality.
Mr. Drews is a democrat, but votes the independent ticket. He is a member of the Knights and Ladies of Security ; Knights of Pythias, and a charter member of the Grange, having assisted in the Grange's organi- zation. He is a member of the Baptist Church, of which he is a deacon, and for nine years he has been superintendent of the Sunday School.
October 5, 1885, Mr. Drews was married to Emma Knapp, who was born in Kickapoo Township, the daughter of Adam and Barbara (Dressel) Knapp, both natives of Germany, and early settlers of Leavenworth County, Kansas. Mr. and Mrs. Drews have had four children: Rudolph W., of Kickapoo Township, who married Eunice Hugh, and who have two children, Howard and Emma; Linnie, the wife of John M. Cook, of Kick- apoo Township, who have three children, Alva, Sarah and Lillian; Eliza-
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beth, married Roy Hundley, who is now deceased, and she lives at home, with her two daughters, Leona and Lavara; and Della, the wife of Samuel Hundley. They have two children: Emily and Orville.
William Drews has always been very industrious, a careful investor, and is one of the most thrifty farmers of Kickapoo Township.
Frank Timpe, owner of a well-improved farm in Kickapoo Township, and who is a well-known stock raiser, is a native of Kansas. He was born in Easton Township, Leavenworth County, May 28, 1876, the son of Christ and Ella (Oberdiek) Timpe; his father was born in Hanover, Ger- many, July 23, 1843, and his mother also was a native of Hanover, Ger- many, and was born May 3, 1852.
Christ Timpe came to the United States about the year 1870, and bought land in Easton Township, owning 230 acres. He was an active member of the Lutheran Church, and was instrumental in organizing St. John's Lutheran Church in the township in which he lived. Mr. Timpe died April 18, 1917, and his wife lives with their son Henry Timpe. Mr. and Mrs. Timpe were the parents of six children, as follows: Fred of Easton Township; Frank, the subject of this sketch; William of Easton Township; Henry of Easton Township; Martin of Omaha, Nebraska; and Louise, the wife of Fred Heim, also of Easton Township.
Frank Timpe was reared on his father's farm, and attended the district schools of his township. In 1913, he and his brother Henry Timpe bought a farm of 200 acres near Easton, Kansas, and farmed this place for two years when they sold the place, and then engaged in the automo- bile business at Leavenworth, Kansas, handling the Overland cars. One year later, Mr. Timpe bought his present farm of eighty acres and made good improvements on the place. Mr. Timpe raises high-grade stock, having the pure breed of Shorthorn cattle and the Duroc Jersey hogs, and is meeting with merited success.
April 3, 1918, Mr. Timpe was married to Louise Hampel, who was born in Leavenworth, Kansas. Her parents were George and Louise (Meyer) Hampel, both natives of Germany, but came to Leavenworth, Kansas, in the early days, where Mr. Hampel followed his trade which was that of cabinet maker. He died May 1, 1920, and his wife lives at 113 Chestnut Street, Leavenworth. Mr. and Mrs. Timpe have no children.
Mr. Timpe is independent in politics, and is a member of the Lutheran
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Church. He and his wife are well respected and stand high in their community.
August Ode, an energetic farmer and stockman of Kickapoo Town- ship, who owns 402 acres of land, is a native of Germany. He was born in Hanover, January 4, 1860, the son of Frederick and Elizabeth Ode. His mother was the sole heir to property in Germany, and, when she mar- ried, the name of her husband was changed, that being the custom in that county. Her husband's name prior to his marriage was Kramer.
Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Ode came to the United States in 1875 and located in Platte County, Missouri, where they lived until their deaths. They were the parents of eight children.
August Ode came to the United States in 1873, two years before his parents located here and in 1894, he came to Kickapoo Township and bought a farm of eighty acres, on which he made necessary mprovements. He later added more land, and, in February, 1918, moved to his present location. He does general farming and has 300 acres in cultivation. Mr. Ode is very industrious and one of the substantial men of the community. His residence, which is a nice, well-kept building, is situated just north of Lowemont, Kansas.
February 26, 1887, Mr. Ode was married to Bertha Hettich, who was born in Platte County, Missouri, and died February 5, 1917. Mr. and Mrs. Ode were the parents of six children: Louise, who is deceased; Herman, who lives on a farm; Leo, of Omaha, Nebraska; Pauline, who is a student at St. Mary's Academy at Leavenworth, Kansas; and Adolph and Lydia, both of whom are at home.
Mr. Ode is an independent in politics, and is a member of the Lutheran Church.
L. A. Mottin, a well known and prominent farmer and stock raiser of Kickapoo Township, was born April 14, 1868, the son of Leger N. and Mary (Desalin) Mottin, a further history of whom appears in connection with the sketch of J. F. Mottin.
L. A. Mottin spent his boyhood days in this township and attended the district schools here. At twenty-one years of age, he began working for himself, and bought eighty acres of land in 1903, which he afterward
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