USA > Kansas > Marshall County > History of Marshall County, Kansas : its people, industries, and institutions > Part 42
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On April 20, 1893, W. W. Hutchinson was united in marriage to Bessie L. Parrish, who was born in Jefferson county, New York, October 20, 1874, daughter of George W. and Emma ( Parker) Parrish, natives of that state, who are now living in Texas. George W. Parrish was born on January 6, 1849, and became one of the carly students of electricity upon the develop- mient of applied electrical energy for power and light. From New York state he moved to Illinois and came thence to Kansas, locating in 1878 in the neighborhood of Frankfort, where he was engaged in farming until 1888, when he moved to Marysville, where he resumed his trade as an electrician and in that capacity built Marysville's first electric-light plant. About 1900 he left Marysville and he and his wife are now living in Texas, where he owns a farm. To them four children were born. of whom Mrs. Hutchinson. the second in order of birth, is now the only survivor, her three brothers, Arthur, Franklin and Foster, being deceased.
To W. W. and Bessie L. ( Parrish) Hutchinson five children have been born, namely: Georgia V., born on March 22, 1894, who was graduated from the Marysville high school with the class of 1913 and on September 14, 1916, married Bryan P. Weeks, a linotype operator at Forest City, Iowa; Grace C., March 30, 1896, who was graduated from the Marysville high school with the class of 1914: Perry P' .. December 4, 1898, also a graduate of the local high school, completing the course there with the class of 1916 and now a student at Chauncey Hall, a preparatory school at Boston, Massa- chusetts: Glenn W., April 4, 1906, and Carol, August 11, 1908. The Hutchinsons have one of the finest homes in the city of Marysville and take an earnest interest in the general social activities of the community. Mr.
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and Mrs. Hutchinson are members of the Episcopal church and Mr. Hutchin- son has been treasurer of the local congregation of the same for the past fifteen years. lle is a member of the Masonic fraternity and takes a warm interest in the affairs of the same.
GEORGE I. THACHER, M. D.
Among the well-known and prominent residents of Marshall county, is Dr. George I. Thacher, who was born in Hornell, New York, on April 17. 1877. the son of Safford M. and Sarah ( Langworthy ) Thacher.
Safford M. Thacher was born on December 21, 1834, in Hornell, New York, where he received his primary education in the public schools and grew to manhood. After he had completed his common-school work he entered the .Mired University, from which institution he was later graduated. As a lad he had a taste of pioneer life in his native state, but received a splendid education. In 1856 he came to Kansas during the time of the fierce agitation on the slavery question. He and his brother. Dwight, established themselves in the printing business, and published the Lawrence Republican, a strong anti-slavery paper, and developed strong opposition. Their lives were even in danger on account of their opposition to the extension of slavery. At the time of the Quantrel raid in August, 1863, the brother, Dwight, was at Kan- sas City as editor of the Journal, but S. M. Thacher was in Lawrence and came near losing his life when the printing plant was destroyed by fire. started by the raiders. After the destruction of the plant the two brothers joined forces at Kansas City and the Republican plant was not rebuilt. After the close of the Civil War, Mr. Thacher returned to Hornell, New York, where on October 25. 1865. he was united in marriage to Louise Lang- worthy, and to this union four children were born : Frank Eugene, of Salina. Kansas: Dr. Mowry Safford Thacher. of Turon, Kansas; Dr. George Isaac Thacher and one that died in infancy. Mr. Thacher was a man possessed of much public spirit and took a lively interest in all that would tend to elevate and inspire a better life. During the time Grant was President he served as postmaster of llornell.
In 1885 Safford M. Thacher returned to Kansas and with his family established their home on a farm near Topeka. After three years of farm life Mr. Thacher moved to Lawrence, where he became associated with the West- ern Farm Mortgage Company and remained with the firm until 1892. at which
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time he accepted a position with the City Real Estate Trust Company of Topeka and moved to that city. His wife, who was born in 1834, died in 1898, and after the death of Mrs. Thacher, he was married to Kate Lewis, of Hudson, Wisconsin, who died at Waterville five years later. Mr. Thacher spent much of his time at Blue Rapids and at Waterville with his sons, and died at the home of his son, George I., on November 19, 1911. During his residence at Waterville the people of the city entertained a high regard for - him. He kept well posted on current events, and up to the time of his death he was interested in political affairs. Much of the time of his later years was devoted to the collecting and recording of interesting data of the Thacher family, whose history is traceable for many generations. The father of the first Thacher who came to America, was the Rev. Peter Thacher, who was minister at Salem, England, in 1620, and the son became pastor of the old South church at Boston, and it seems evident from family records that for more than a century and a half there was a continuous line of Thachers in the Congregational ministry of Massachusetts. In a sermon over the remains of Judge Otis Thacher, of Hornell, in 1868 the minister said, "Mr. Thacher's ancestry for two and a half centuries, at least, were puritans and Congre- gationalists, and thus they have become in America a part of that powerful influence that has helped so much in making this a Christian nation."
Safford M. Thacher early in life became a member of the Congrega- tional church. At Lawrence he was associated with Dr. Richard Cordely in his Christian work, with its humble beginning. At Kansas City, what is now a great consolidated Congregational church, was in 1863 a weak struggling organization, but it had in the Thacher Brothers a good foundation and strong support. Mr. Thacher often said that in those days, his brother, Dwight, and family and himself made up the congregation. When he located at Waterville, he transferred his membership from the Congregational church at Topeka to the English Lutheran church of that place, and when his health permitted he was a regular attendant at all church services.
Dr. George I. Thacher received his primary education in the district schools of Kansas, after which he entered the public schools of Lawrence. He then attended the high school of Monte Vista, Colorado. In 1893 he completed a course in the Strickler Business College at Topeka. After com- pleting his education he was employed by the City Real Estate Trust Com- pany and the Shawnee Milling Company, as stenographer. In 1898 he entered the Medical College at Topeka and completed his work in 1902 and since 1903 has been actively engaged in the general practice at Waterville. where he has met with much success.
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In 1903 Doctor Thacher was imited in marriage to Lucy Knowles, a native of Topeka, the daughter of C. O. and Rebecca (Holmes) Knowles. Her father was born at Cape Cod. Massachusetts, in 1843. There he received his education in the public schools and there he lived until he was seventeen years of age, when he came to Kansas, and was for a number of years engaged in driving an ox team from Leavenworth to Denver, Colorado. being engaged in the freighting business. His trips took him through Mar- shall county, but he had never seen Marysville until Doctor Thacher took him there some time before his death, which occurred in 1916. For many years Mr. Knowles was engaged successfully in the real-estate business at Topeka and was one of the progressive and prominent men of the com- munity. Ilis widow is now living at Topeka at the age of sixty-four years. They were the parents of five children, George, who died in New Mexico in July, 1916; Katherine, the wife of J. . 1. Cole, superintendent of the bridge and iron works at Topeka: Charles; Lucy, the wife of Doctor Thacher and one that died in infancy.
Mrs. Thacher received her education in the public schools of Topeka, and is a graduate of Washington College at Washington, D. C. She then tock a course in kindergarten at Kansas City, Missouri, after which she taught for one year before her marriage. She and Doctor Thacher are the parents of three children. Rebecca L., Philip L. and Luin K., they being twelve, ten and seven years of age respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Thacher are prominent in social life of the community and are held in the highest regard.
Doctor Thacher has long been identified with the Republican party and has ever taken the keenest interest in local affairs. In 1907 he was elected a member of the council of Waterville and served for two terms, and was then elected mayor, which position he held for two terms. During his term of office the electric lights and waterworks were installed and many other substantial improvements were made, that have added much to the beauty and importance of the city. The Doctor is progressive and is an advocate of the highest class of public improvements. He is a firm believer in the best scheels possible and the building of good roads, for in these he feels that much of the future depends. He served as county health officer for four years, and his term of office was regarded as successful. To him the health department, if rightly conducted, is of the greatest importance.
Fraternally, Doctor Thacher is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and has held all the offices in the local organization. Ile is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America. He takes much interest in the conduct of these
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orders. Few men in the community have met with more success in their chosen work and few are held in higher regard. He and his wife are active members of the Evangelical church; they take much interest in all church work and are liberal supporters of the local society.
CLARK M. STEWART.
Clark M. Stewart, a well-known architect and builder, of Marysville, Marshall county, was born in Steuben county, New York, on March 21, 1854, being the son of Samuel and Sarah Ann (Leach) Stewart, who were natives of the state of New York, the father having been born in that state on March 7, 1811. and the mother on September 17, 1815. They received their education in the public schools of their native state and there grew up and were married on February 6. 1836. The father was born at Troy and there he learned the trade of a carpenter. He worked at his trade in the state until 1854, when he located at Millidgeville, Illinois, where he estab- lished himself as a contractor and builder and continued in the business until the outbreak of the Civil War when he enlisted in the Fifty-fifth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry and saw much active service in the campaigns about Vicksburg, Shilo and Pittsburg Landing. His eldest son also served in another regiment. After a service of one and one-half years, Samuel Stewart received his honorable discharge and returned to his home at Millidgeville and again engaged in his work of contractor and builder until 1875, when he went to Iowa, where he died on November 29, 1889. Mr. Stewart was of a family whose history dates back to over two hundred years in the state of New York. Mrs. Stewart died on February 24, 1873, after a useful and active life. She was an active member of the Methodist Epis- copal church and took a prominent part in all the services of that denomina- tion. Her paternal grandparents were natives of Holland and established themselves in New York and became identified with the life of that state.
Samuel and Sarah Ann Stewart were the parents of nine children as follow: Hezekiah, Calvin, Julia, Rena, Sarah, Helen, Melvin. Clark M. and James W. Hezekiah resides at Madrid. Iowa, where he lives a retired life. He is a veteran of the Civil War and was during his younger days an accomplished musician : Calvin lives in Grundy county, Iowa, where he is a successful farmer and stockman; Julia Bowen is a resident of Illi- nois, where she and her husband live retired after active service spent on the
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farm: Rena Mead is a widow and lives in Illinois: Sarah Heath is now deceased: Helen Smith and husband reside in Minneapolis; Melvin lives at Conrad, lowa, and is a retired farmer, and James W. lives at Waterville. Kansas, and is a well-known farmer.
Clark M. Stewart was reared in Illinois and there received his education in the public schools and as a young man learned the carpenter trade. In June, 1878, he and his brother. James W., came to Marshall county, having driven a team of horses from Grundy county. They each purchased eighty acres of railroad land, for which they paid five dollars and fifty cents per acre, and had to borrow the money to make the first payment. Mr. Stewart at once engaged in breaking the wild prairie land and the next year he built a small house and devoted his time to farming until 1881, when he went to Herkimer, where he worked at his trade until 1887, when he went to western Kansas and purchased a tract of land in Thomas county, and again engaged in farming for a short time. He later lived in Colby and Kansas City, Mis- souri, and in 1888 returned to Marshall county and located at Marysville. where he established himself as a contractor and builder. He has built some of the finest residences as well as the Pusch cigar factory and the city hall. He has substantial property in the city. He sold his farm of eighty acres in the county in 1915, but owns the other farms that he purchased.
Politically, Mr. Stewart is identified with the Democratic party and has served on the city council for a number of years. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America, and is a man of much influence in his home community.
In 1879 Clark M. Stewart was united in marriage to Mary E. Purcell. who was born in Berkeley county. Virginia, on September 18. 1855, and is the daughter of Thomas V. and Nancy N. ( Walters) Purcell. Thomas and Nancy Purcell were natives of Loudoun county, Virginia. the former hav- ing been born on June 7, 1818, and the latter in 1820. They received their education in the schools of their native states and there grew up. They first met in the state of Virginia and were there married. They continued to reside in Virginia after their marriage until 1860, when they moved to Illi- nois. Mr. Furcell being a Quaker, was not compelled to serve in the Civil War, the religious belief of that denomination being recognized by the gov- ernment. On their arrival in Illinois, Mr. and Mrs. Purcell established their home on a farm, where Mr. Purcell was actively engaged as a general farmer and stockman until seven years before he died when he moved to Millidge- ville, Illinois, where he died on February 19, 1887. and his widow died on November 2. 1893. They were the parents of the following children : Joseph,
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Mahlon, Anna, John, Thomas, Mary E. and Elias H. Joseph is now deceased ; Mahlon is a retired farmer of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Anna married Jasper Shoemaker, and after some years of married life, Mr. Shoemaker died and the widow is now living at Pasadena, California; John is a resident of Billings, Montana; Thomas is a resident of Polo, Illinois; Mary E. is the wife of Clark M. Stewart; and Elias H. is professor of music in Chicago. Illinois.
Clark M. and Mary B. Stewart are the parents of one child, Edith S., who was born on October 9, 1883. She is a graduate of the Marysville high schcol and the University of Kansas. She was married in 1903 to Clarence T. Rice, who is prominently connected with the high schools of Kansas City, Kansas, where he is principal. To Mr. and Mrs. Rice has been born one child. Mary, whose birth occurred on August 7, 1914. Mr. Rice is the son of Charles and Inez (Crane) Rice. Charles W. Rice was born in Eng- land on October 16, 1856, and was the son of William and Ellen (Watson) Rice, who came to Canada in 1864 The parents were ribbon-makers in England, and when they located in Canada they were employed as laborers. In 1867 they came to Indiana and located near Bluffton, where they engaged in general farming, and there William Rice died in 1869. It was there that Charles W. Rice lived until 1877, when he left his mother, two sisters and a brother and on a horse started on the long trip to Marshall county. Here he located in Winifred and for two years worked as a farm hand, at which time he was married in a log cabin, in 1879, to Inez Crane, after which he rented a farm and there established his home. After three years he pur- chased a farm two miles south and one mile east of Home City, where he and his family lived until 1889 when he engaged in the grocery business at Home City, which business he conducted until 1891, when he engaged in the car- penter work. In 1896 he moved to Marysville, where he worked in the general store of Frank Powell until October, 1899, when he purchased the furniture store of H. B. Walker, which he conducted until the time of his death on December 20, 1911. The mother of Clarence T. Rice was born on November 15, 1862, in Milford, Illinois, and died on August 6, 1890. Her father was born in Pennsylvania in 1830 and was one of the early home- steaders in Marshall county. His wife, Sarah Anna (Deeds) Crane, was born in 1834 in Pennsylvania and is now living in Marysville, Kansas. Clar- ence T. Rice received his education in the local schools and at the University of Kansas and later engaged in teaching, in which profession he has met with much success, and is now the principal of the high school of Argentine, Kansas City, Kansas. He and his wife are held in the highest regard and
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esteem by all who know them, and they are among the cultured and refined people of the community in which they live, and where they have an extended influence on the moral and educational development.
Clark M. Stewart is a man who has always taken a prominent part in the activities of his home community, and on the occasions of celebrations he has been selected as marshal of the day, and on his large black horse he has presented a commanding appearance. He has ever taken much interest in hunting and is recognized as one of the genial sportsmen of the district. He has hunted ducks from the lakes of Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, and his ability in this line is known to all. In his home life he is an ideal hus- band and father, and his highest ambition has been to make his home one of pleasure and comfort. His home on North Broadway is one of the beautiful places in Marysville.
REV. FRANCIS H. TATON.
The Rev. Francis 11. Taton, pastor of the Catholic church of St. Michael's at Axtell, this county, is a native of the old Hoosier state, but has Leen a resident of Kansas ever since the early days of his ordination to the priesthood, a period of nearly thirty years, during which period he has per- formed a wonderful work in the mission fiekls of this state, a labor that has endeared him to the hearts of many in various portions of the state. Father Taton has been in charge of St. Michael's parish at Axtell since the s1111- mer of 1903 and has a record for faithfulness and efficiency of service rarely equaled in a Western diocese. In an interview published following the celebration of the silver jubilee of his ordination to the priesthood in 1914. Father Taton said: "During my charge at Easton, Kansas, I took sick on the 10th day of January, 1890, whilst in Leavenworth and was confined to St. John's hospital there for six weeks. Otherwise I never missed a Sunday whilst in charge at Easton. Whilst in charge of Paola I was absent one Sunday. Since my appointment in Astell 1 took a vacation for six weeks in 1910, during which I visited the Pacific coast from Los Angeles to Seattle. Washington. Outside of this ! was absent from duty in AAxtell on three Sundays. This is the extent of my being absent from duty in twenty-five years."
A sympathetic fellow-priest, the Rev. T. H. Kinsella, a companion of Father Taton's seminary days, writing on that jubilee occasion and com- plimenting his old friend upon becoming a jubilarian, said: "The celebra-
REV. FRANCIS H. TATON.
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tion of the silver jubilee of a Catholic priest is no longer an event of rare importance. Its frequent occurrence in our day has reduced it to the com- mionplace : yet. to the priest himself. and to all who are near and dear to him, the twenty-fifth anniversary of his ordination must always retain its joyful aspect, its symbolism and its solemn significance. It is usually the only mile- stone he comes up on in his weary journey from his sacredotal consecration to the last anointment. Few there are who live to count the golden years. and fewer still who find sympathy and affection in a generation not their own, and in a world they have outlived. Twenty-five years of struggle and self-effacement-in rain and sun and storm, in weakness of health and depression of spirit ; and a loneliness on the prairies of Kansas, that at times forces the mind to woo the stars and the eye to admire the kindly human face that is reflected on the moon-twenty-five years of faithful effort on the Western missions cannot but leave their traces on the brow of every faithful priest of God who has lived through them."
Though Hoosier born, Father Taton is of French descent, both his parents having been born in the beautiful Champagne country of France. He was born on a little farm well back in the woods of Perry county, in the southern part of Indiana, three and one-half miles from the village of Leo- pold, September 15, 1861, only son of Alexander and Appoline ( Duchainois) Taton, the former of whom was born in 1842 at Assigny, in the old province of Champagne. France, and the latter of whom was born at Meziere, in that same district, in 1842. In 1849 Father Taton's parents came to this country, his father then being eleven years of age and his mother, nine years of age. Their respective families emigrated from France together, being a part of a considerable colony that came over on the same vessel, and they settled in the woods of southern Indiana, which even at that date retained much of their unbroken, primeval grandeur. Amid pioneer conditions the two grew up and in 1860 were married, making a home for themselves on a little farm in the Leopold neighborhood. In 1864 Alexander Taton and his little family left Indiana and came to Kansas, having heard much of the possibilities that awaited the homesteader in this state. He homesteaded a quarter section in Johnson county, the tract now occupied by the town of Edgerton. and pro- ceeded to develop the same, his son, the future priest, thus, in childhood, gaining a very distinct impression of Kansas pioneer life. Three years later, in 1867. Alexander Taton sold his homestead and returned to Indiana, where he died in 1874. leaving a widow and three children, the subject of this sketch having had two sisters, Victoria, who married Jacob Oaks and is now living at Ottawa, this state, and Mary, who died in girlhood. Years later, in 1889.
(31)
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after her son had become an established priest at Easton, this state, the Widow Taton returned to Kansas and rejoined her son, later moving with him to Axtell, where she spent her last days, her death occurring on April 2. 1908. The beautiful. clinging affection that marked Mother Taton's devo- tion to her only son was often the occasion of comment. It has been written of her that from his very infancy ".Al! her heart's love went out to him ; every good influence was thrown around him, her prayers were unceasing and, in the exuberance of her French nature, she gave over to 'Notre Dame' a gift like unto the one given her on Mount Calvary. Madame Taton dedicated and in a manner consecrated her only son to the Blessed Virgin in the early days of civilization in southern Indiana, just as had been done so often in her beloved France. A memento of that event may still be seen in the gold chain that hangs, or did hang, around the figure of the Madonna in the parish church.'
It is related that an extraordinary event, twice repeated, when he was thirteen years of age, determined young Taton's vocation to the priesthood, but the means to prosecute a course of study extending over many years was entirely absent. He conceived the idea of laying his case before the abbot of St. Meinrad's Abbey, over in the neighboring county of Spencer. AAbbot Finton was greatly impressed by the young man's story and took him in at once, free of charge, until the day that Father Isadore recommended him in glowing terms to Rt. Rev. Louis Mary Fink, O. S. B., of the diocese of Leavenworth, as a young man of extraordinary piety, good talent and excel- lent health. In 1887. from Bishop McClosky, of Louisville, Kentucky, Father Taton received minor orders. Sub-deaconship and deaconship were con- ferred in 1888 by Bishop Chatard, of Indianapolis, and on February 24, 1889. in the cathedral at Covington, Kentucky, he was ordained to the holy priest- hood by Bishop Maes. On March 17, the following St. Patrick's Day, Father Taton celebrated his first mass in St. Michael's church at Cannelton, Indiana. He then was sent to Kansas and after ten days spent at the cathedral at Leavenworth, was appointed to Easton and the outlying missions, taking charge on the first of April of that appointment, which then comprised Easton, Springdale and St. Joseph, of Mt. Olivet. During that appointment Father Taton completed the church at Springdale and built the new church of St. Joseph at Mt. Olivet. He said mass frequently in private houses in out-of- the-way places, instructed the neighboring children and administered the sac- raments. Though Catholics were then few and far between in that district, many converts came to the church and the mission was a great success. For six years and three months Father Taton had charge of those missions and
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