USA > Kansas > Marshall County > History of Marshall County, Kansas : its people, industries, and institutions > Part 52
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The elder John Pecenka was first married to Kate Casper, who died at the birth of a daughter and when John, the subject of this sketch, was two years of age. He later married Anna Fleder, who was also born in Bohemia, her birth having occurred in 1830. Mr. and Mrs. Pecenka were members of the Catholic church and were prominent in the social life of the district in which they lived and where they were held in the highest regard by all who knew them. By his first wife Mr. Pecenka was the father of two children, one who died at birth and John. By his second mar- riage eight children were born as follow: Joseph, a well-known farmer of lowa: Frank, who resides in Minnesota and is a railroad engineer : Anna, the wife of Joseph AA. Sedlacek, a prominent merchant of Bremen, Kansas;
PAML
FARM HOME OF JOHN PECENKA.
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Wesley, a musician of Seattle, Washington; Anthona C., a successful farmer of Logan township: Mary Pejsa, who lives at Hanover, Kansas, where her husband is a prominent dry-goods merchant; Milton is a well-known farmer of Logan township; Millie Sedlacek is a resident of Logan township, where her husband is engaged in farming and stock raising.
John Pecenka, the subject of this sketch, received his education in the schools of his native country, where he lived until he was thirteen years of age, when he came to the United States. His mother having died when he was but a small child, he on coming to this country made his home with an uncle until he was eighteen years of age. He then sought work in the woods of Minnesota and later assisted in rafting logs down Black river and Mississippi river. With much difficulty the logs were at last floated to Rock Island. The raft broke at Rapid City, Illinois, where there are great rapids in the river, and Mr. Pecenka came near losing his life. He then gave up the work and was engaged in the harvest field in Iowa, where he remained during the season. He then spent a month visiting his father at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, when he returned to the farm of his uncle, where he engaged in clearing land and cutting wood until 1869, when he came with his father from Cedar Rapids, with an ox team to Marshall county. Here he and his father each homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in section 30, Logan township. Mr. Pecenka improved and developed his tract and has since made this his home, where he is successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising. He generally keeps about fifty head of high-grade Shorthorn cattle and as many Poland China hogs, and is today recognized as one of the substantial men of the township and county. It has only been by hard work and close application to business that he has succeeded in his work. As a child and young man he experienced many of the sterner realities of life, and after reaching manhood he was compelled to depend upon himself. Settling in the county when it was new and unde- veloped, he had to battle with many of the hardships and privations common to the early settler. Ile has always been progressive and to him is due much of the prosperity of this section of the district.
In 1874 John Pecenka was united in marriage to Mary Alexa, the daughter of John and Kate Alexa, who are among the prominent residents of Washington county, Kansas, where they are the owners of some of the best land, all of which is under high cultivation and well improved. Mr. Alexa was eighty-nine years old when he died on Christmas Day, 1916, and his widow is eighty-two. They were long known among the substantial
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people of the county and held in the highest regard. They were the parents of seven children, only two of whom are now living.
Mary (AAlexa ) Pecenka was born in Bohemia in 1857 and at the age of four years came to the United States with her parents and for twelve years lived in Michigan, coming to Kansas in 1873, where she continued to live until the time of her death in 1882. She and Mr. Pecenka were the parents of four children as follow: Melia Manard, whose husband is a farmer in Oklahoma; Louisa Bower, who lives in Kansas, where Mr. Bower is engaged in farming: Mary Crevelinger, who resides in Hanover, where Mr. Crevelinger is engaged in the barber business, and Anna, who makes her home with her grandparents. In 1883, after the death of his wife, Mr. Pecenka married Kate Alexa, the sister of his first wife, and to this union have been born the following children: John. in Colorado: Helen and Wesley, deceased. and Kate and Sophia, at home. Mrs. Pecenka was born in Bohemia in 1859 and came to the United States. Mr. and Mrs. Pecenka are members of the Catholic church and have reared their children in that faith. Mr. Pecenka is a man of broad views and excellent judgment and has seen much of the world. In 1907 he visited Europe and spent five months in travel and sight-seeing. Mr. Pecenka has a well-built. modern brick house, containing eight large, airy rooms, and is equipped with every convenience for domestic comfort.
HARRY BOMMER.
Ilarry Bommer, the owner of two hundred and forty acres of splendid land in section 26. Oketo township. Marshall county, and one of the success- ful general farmers and stockmen of the township, was born in Benton county. lowa, on September 24. 1864, the son of Henry and Christina Bommer, who were born in Germany, the former in 1823 and died in February, 1889, and the latter born in 1828 and died in August. 1914.
Henry and Christina Bommer received their education in the schools of their native land, and there they grew up and were married. After their marriage they established their home in their native land. They later decided to come to America, where they might have a better opportunity of obtain- ing a home for themselves and those dependent upon them. On their arrival in the United States, they located in the state of Illinois in the early fifties. They continued to reside in that state for some years and then located in
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Iowa, where they remained until 1879, when they came to Kansas. They first located four miles north of Marysville, after which they moved to Oketo township, where they purchased the farm now owned by J. W. Gibson. Here Mr. Bommer engaged in general farming and stock raising with suc- cess, for many years. He and his wife were among the highly esteemed people of the township and were held in high regard by all who knew them. They were the parents of nine children, six having died in infancy. Frank died in October, 1905, and William and Harry are residents of Oketo town- ship.
Harry Bommer received his education in the common schools of Iowa and Kansas and grew to manhood on the home farm, where he remained with his father until he rented his present farm, which he later purchased in 1905, and has lived on the place since May, 1887. He has placed all the present substantial improvements and his house is one of the good farm residences of the county, and his barn, granary, corn cribs and hog houses are substantial structures. He takes the greatest interest in the upkeep of his farm, which is one of the best in the county. He believes in the highest standard of modern farming and the keeping of good stock.
Harry Bommer was united in marriage in May, 1887, to Nolia Ilelms. who was born in the county in March. 1868. She is the daughter of William and Nancy Helms, natives of Pennsylvania. The parents received their primary education in the schools of their native state and later located in the state of Nebraska, where they were married. Shortly after their mar- riage they came to Oketo township, Marshall county, where they homesteaded their home farm in 1868. They established their home in a log cabin that they erected, and in which Mrs. Bommer was born. They were true pioneers and had much to do with the growth and the development of the district. Mr. and Mrs. Helms were born in 1834 and 1841, respectively, and the former died in 1905 and the latter in 1895. They were the parents of four children as follow : Mary, Sophronia, Nolia and William. Sophronia Bom- mer is a resident of Oketo township; Mary is now deceased and William is a resident of Norton county, Kansas. Mr. Helms was a stanch Democrat and took the greatest interest in the civic life of his home township. Fra- ternally, he was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Oketo.
Mr. and Mrs. Bommer are the parents of four children as follow : Henry, who was born on October 13, 1888; Myrtle, now the wife of Mr. Howes, a successful young farmer, residing west of Marietta, and Ernest
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and Ethel at home. Mr. and Mrs. Bommer are among the prominent people of Marshall county, and have long been prominent in the social life of their community, where they are held in the highest regard and esteem by all who know them. Their lives have been active ones and they have accomplished much that is worthy the highest commendation. They have always taken much interest in the physical, the moral and the educational development of the township.
WILLIAM J. HELVERING.
William J. Helvering, an honored veteran of the Civil War, former mayor of Beattie and the present assistant postmaster of that city, father of the Hon. Guy T. Helvering, congressman from this district, and of Alma M. Helvering, postmaster of Beattie, and for years one of the best- known citizens of Marshall county, is a native of the state of Ohio, but has been a resident of Kansas since the year 1887. Hle was born in Pickaway county, Ohio, June 8, 1846, a son of Daniel and Susanna ( Leonard ) Hel- vering, Loth natives of Maryland, born near Hagerstown, the former of whem was born in 1812 and the latter in 1819. Daniel Helvering was a shoemaker and farmer, and his father, who was a native of Pennsylvania, was a hotel-keeper. Susanna Helvering was a daughter of John Leonard and wife, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Germany. she having come to this country with her parents when she was six years of age. Daniel Ilelvering early established his home in Pickaway county, Ohio, and there he spent the rest of his life. His wife died in 1866 and he survived her until 1882. They were the parents of thirteen children. of whom the subject of this sketch was the seventh in order of birth.
Reared on the home farm in Pickaway county, Ohio, William J. Hel- vering received his early schooling in the district school in that neighbor- hood and supplemented the same by a course in the high school at Circle- ville, Ohio. During the Civil War he enlisted as a member of Company C. One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, known as the Home Guards, and served on garrison duty for four months in the year 1865. At the conclusion of his military service he entered the South- Western Normal School at Lebanon, Ohio, and in 1867 began teaching school in Pickaway county. The next year he went to Clermont county, in that same state, and was there engaged in teaching for twelve years. In 1879 he engaged in farming and tobacco raising there and later went to the
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nearby city of Cincinnati, where for a year he was engaged in the employ of the Street Railway Company. That was in the days of the cable system of the operation of street cars in that city.
In the meantime one of Mr. Helvering's brothers, Louis E. Helvering. had come to this state and had engaged in the mercantile business at Beattie. Thither William J. Helvering came in the year 1887 and for a year there- after was engaged with his brother in the latter's hardware store. He then, in 1888, was engaged in the sale of fruit trees throughout this part of the state, and the next year turned his attention to truck farming at Beattie, where he owns a snug bit of property. From the very beginning of his residence at Beattie, William J. Helvering has given his thoughtful attention to local political affairs and has for years been recognized as one of the leaders in the Democratic party in that part of the county. He has held numerous public offices, including that of township clerk, city council- man, marshal of Beattie, police judge and mayor of the city. It was during his incumbency as mayor of Beattie that the city built the opera house block and city hall. Mr. Helvering is now serving as assistant postmaster of Beattie, under appointment of his daughter, Alma M. Helvering, who was commissioned postmaster by President Wilson in 1915. Mr. Helvering is a pensioner on account of his services in behalf of the Union during the Civil War and receives eighteen dollars a month from the government.
In 1870, at Felicity, in Clermont county, Ohio, William J. Helvering was united in marriage to Samantha Jane Jones, who was born in that county on April 4. 1850, eller of the two daughters born to William and Mary ( Hicks) Jones, natives of Ohio, and to this union five children have been born, Edward G., Lillie. Guy T., Robert L. and Alma M., all of whom are living save Lillie, born on September 3. 1873, who died in 1878.
Edward G. Helvering was born on June 24, 1871, and was educated in the Cincinnati common schools and in the high school at Beattie. He is an expert mechanic and steam engineer and has traveled over the greater part of the globe. the most of the time in government employ, having served for some time as inspector of the material that entered into the construction of battleships. For the past eight years Edward G Helvering has been in the government employ in the Philippine Islands, as a steam engineer, and is now in charge of a force of seven hundred men. He married Mrs. Ida ( Williams) McGregor.
The Hon. Guy T. Helvering, present member of Congress from this district. was born at Felicity, Ohio, January 10, 1878, and received his ele- mentary schooling in the schools at Cincinnati and at Beattie, this county.
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In 1903 he entered the University of Kansas at Lawrence, with the expecta- tion of completing the pharmacy course there, but in that same year changed his course of study and entered the law department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, from which he was graduated in 1906. During his senior year at the university he was president of his class. Upon com- pleting his law studies Guy T. Helvering opened an office for the practice of his profession at Marysville, this county, and was presently elected county attorney, a position he occupied for two terms. He then was elected con- gressman from this district and is now serving in that capacity. On March 16, 1910, Guy T. Helvering was united in marriage to Tena L. Koester.
Robert L. Helvering, who also was educated to the law, was born on January 27, 1883, and is now engaged in the practice of his profession at Marysville, one of the best-known young lawyers in this part of the state.
Alma M. Helvering was born on November 19, 1888, at Beattie, and was graduated from the high school in that city. She then took a course in the fine arts and music at the State University at Lawrence and on January 3. 1015, was appointed postmaster at Beattie, which position she now occu- pies. Miss Helvering continues to make her home with her parents at Beattie and her father is serving as assistant postmaster. The Helverings have a very pleasant home at Beattie and have for years been among the lead- ers in all good works in that community.
JULIUS JOHNSON SHELDON, M. D.
AAmong those earnest pioneers of Marshall county who wrought well during the days of their residence in pioneer times in this county, there is none entitled to more grateful remembrance on the part of the present genera- tion than the late Dr. Julius Johnson Sheldon, one of the first settlers of Guittard township, who was known as "the father of Beattie," and who died at his home in that village on March 14, 1884.
Doctor Sheldon was a native of the Southland, born in December, 1830, but was reared in Ohio, to which state his parents moved when he was a boy. Early evincing a taste for the medical profession he directed his studies to that end and in due time was graduated from the medical college at Cleve- land, Ohio. In 18544 he married and he and his wife presently moved from Ohio to Missouri, Jater, in 1860, coming to Kansas and locating at Centralia, where they were living when the Civil War broke out. Doctor Sheklon
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straightway returned to Ohio and at Columbus enlisted for service in the Union army, being accepted as a surgeon, and went to the front. At Loudoun, Tennessee, he was captured by the rebels and was taken to Dalton. Georgia, where for some time he ministered to wounded Confederate soldiers. He then was taken to Libby prison at Richmond, Virginia, and after six weeks of confinement there was exchanged. The Doctor then returned home on a furlough, but presently rejoined his regiment and continued in the service until discharged. But later he enlisted in the First Veteran Volunteers Regiment and he was retained about a year and was located at Baltimore. He then was appointed surgeon in charge of the disabled soldiers in the hospital at Baltimore and continued serving in that capacity for another year, during which period he was ably assisted by his wife, who had rejoined him at Baltimore.
In 1867, a year or two after the completion of his military service, Doctor Sheldon and his wife returned to Kansas and located at Seneca, where the Doctor opened an office for the practice of his profession. His health presently failing, he gave up his office at Seneca and came over into Marshall county and bought a farm in Guittard township, believing that the life on the open prairie would prove beneficial. He continued his practice, however, and was soon widely known among the pioneers of this section of the state. When the railroad came Doctor Sheldon established his office and home at the new railway station not far from his farm and thus became known as "the father of Beattie." his efforts in behalf of the new station undoubtedly having done very much to promote the growth and the interests of that vil- lage in its early days. He engaged in the lumber business upon the estab- lishment of the village and presently also started a bank there, the first bank in Beattie, now the First National Bank of that city, and in other ways did all in his power to promote the new town. Some time later Doctor Sheldon's health again failed and he spent a year at Hot Springs, Arkansas. He con- tinued his practice, intermittently, until his death, there being some of his old patients who would not permit him to find the retirement he sought. Doctor Sheldon was a Republican and ever took an earnest part in local political. affairs, having been coroner of Marshall county at the time of his (leath. He attended the Methodist Episcopal church and, fraternally, was a very ardent Mason, in the affairs of which organization he took a prominent part. He was the first master of the Seneca lodge. The members of the lodge at that place and other friends he had gained during his residence there, chartered a special train after his death in order to make the trip to Beattie to attend his funeral.
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In 1854 Dr. Julius J. Sheklon was united in marriage to Mary Sheldon. who was born in Lorain county, Ohio, November 22, 1833, daughter of Elam and Azuba ( Robinson ) Sheklon, natives of New York state and repre- sentatives of old colonial families, the Robinsons tracing their descent to the Robinson who came to this country on the companion ship of the "Mayflower." To Doctor and Mrs. Sheldon one child was born, a daughter, Mina, who married W. B. Hawk, who was born in Missouri and who is a well-known druggist at Beattie. Mr. and Mrs. Hawk have one child. a daughter, Mrs. Ruby Wooster, of the village of Home. Mrs. Sheldon has a very pleasant home at Beattie and retains a lively interest in local affairs. Despite the fact that she is now well past four score years of age, she continues physically and mentally vigorous, is able to read without the aid of glasses and finds much pleasure in the making of fancy work for her friends. Mrs. Sheldon retains the most vivid recollections of pioneer days in this county and is a veritable mine of information on matters relating to the early history of the county and of the events leading up to its present high state of development.
PETER H. DELAIR.
Peter H. DeLair, deceased, who was one of the early pioneer farmers of Marshall county, was born in Canada on February 4. 1837, and died in the year 1904. He received his education in the schools of his native country and there he grew to manhood and engaged in general farming. In 1863 he was united in marriage to Susan A. Dickhout, who was also born in Canada on February 28, 1840, the daughter of Henry and Sarah Dickhout, natives of that country, but of German and English parents, respectively.
Mr. and Mrs. DeLair were married in their native country and there they resided until 1867. when they came to the United States, where they might have a better opportunity to obtain a home for themselves. On their arrival in this country they at once came to Kansas and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land in Herkimer township. Marshall county. During the early years on their new tract of land, they lived in the style of house common to that section in those early days, but some years later they built a substantial residence, one of the best in the district. The farm was developed and improved and Mr. DeLair became one of the successful and progressive men of the county. Hle and his wife had one thousand dollars
SUSAN A. DE LAIR.
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when they ventured into the new land and amid new conditions, but by hard work and strict economy they saw their early savings grow into larger proportions. They continued to live on the homestead farm until 1903, when they retired from the more active duties of life and moved to Oketo, where Mr. DeLair died the next year. He was a man of pronounced con- victions and was held in the highest regard by all. He was an excellent farmer and a worthy citizen. He with his wife and two children suffered many of the hardships common to the early settlers in a new country, yet they had plenty of plain food and their lives were made happy with the anticipation of a better home in the near future, and with their children they enjoyed many pleasant days. Both Mr. and Mrs. DeLair took the greatest interest in township and county affairs and their every effort was to ad- vance the best interests of all. They had much to do with the moral, social and educational progress as well as the physical development of the home district. They always lived noble and active lives and at the death of Mr. DeLair the community knew that they had lost an excellent citizen and a kind neighbor. Both were members of the Baptist church and took much interest in all religious work. They were members of the Good Templars and the Grange.
Peter H. and Susan A. DeLair were the parents of the following children: John E., Ethelbert D., William E., Edmund W., Clement M .. and Cynthia A. John E. was born on December 29, 1865, and is now a general merchant at Oketo. He married Ida Blackburn, of Alpena, Mich- igan, and they are the parents of four children as follow: Blanche, George, Norma and Raymond. Ethelbert D. was born in 1867 and is now a resident of Junction City, Kansas ; William E., who was born on May 22, 1870, is now the head miller at the Hutchinson mills at Marysville; Edmund W. was born in January, 1873, and is engaged in general farming and stock raising on the home place; Clement M. was born on December 12, 1875. and is a successful hardware merchant at Oketo; Cynthia A., who is a twin of Clement M., is the wife of N. Brubaker, of Oketo, and is the mother of two children, Myrle and Edna.
Mrs. DeLair is still living at her home in Oketo at the age of seventy- seven years and is a most remarkable woman for one of her years. She is a most interesting person to meet and her many interesting stories of the early days on the plains of Kansas are instructive and are impressive of the great work done in those days by the men and women, who by their determination and hard work have transformed Marshall county into one of the finest sections of Kansas. Mrs. DeLair makes her own dresses
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and those of her daughter and granddaughter, and it is one of her greatest pleasures to assist others in the duties of the home. She still takes much interest in her church work and when her health permits she is a regular attendant at the church services.
MATHIAS M. SCHMIDT.
The Hon. Mathias M. Schmidt, representative from the fortieth district in the Kansas Legislature, a former educator and banker, who is now actively engaged in the insurance business in the village of Home, is a native of the state of Wisconsin, but has been a resident of Marshall county since he was three years of age. He was born at Port Washington, Wisconsin, July 8, 1876, son of Michael and Mary ( Molitor) Schmidt, natives of Europe. both born in the grand duchy of Luxemburg, the former of whom, an hon- ored veteran of the Civil War, spent his last days in this county and the lat- ter of whom is still living, now making her home at Marysville, an honored pioneer of this county. Michael Schmidt was twice married. By his first marriage he was the father of three children and by his second marriage was the father of ten children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the first- born and all of whom are living.
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