USA > Kansas > Marshall County > History of Marshall County, Kansas : its people, industries, and institutions > Part 72
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JOHN C. DOLEN.
John C. Dolen, now deceased, and at one time one of the large land owners and successful farmers and stockmen of Marshall county, was born on October 2. 1844. in Kentucky, being the son of Benjamin and Nancy ( Chesney ) Dolen.
Benjamin and Nancy (Chesney ) Dolen were natives of Kentucky, where they grew to maturity and were educated in the public schools. They were later married and established their home in that state, where they resided for some years, when they decided to seek a home in one of the more northern states. They at first located in the state of Missouri, where they remained for a time, after which they settled in Nebraska. There Benjamin Dolen established his home on a farm, and in time became one of the successful men of the district. There he and his wife spent many years of their lives and were held in the highest regard and esteem. There they reared and edu- cated their children and were influential in the physical and the moral develop- ment of the district.
John C. Dolen received his education in the schools of Missouri, and remained with his father on the home farm until he enlisted in 1861 in the
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Confederate army and served four years. He joined the Second Missouri Infantry, and part of the time he was in a cavalry regiment. He was mar- ried on July 22. 1866, to Araminta Henton, who was born on April 28. 1843, in the state of Illinois, the daughter of James and Susan (Primm) Henton. Her parents were natives of Tennessee and Illinois, respectively. Susan Primm was the daughter of John Primm and wife, who were natives of North Carolina and later settled in Virginia and then went to Illinois, just east of St. Louis. In Illinois they located on a tract of land and engaged in farming. The territory at that time was new and there were but few settlers, neighbors being far apart. Many were the hardships that the family endured in their struggle to obtain a home on the frontier of the state. St. Louis at that time was little more than a trading post, with little pros- pects of becoming the great city of today. James Henton, the father of Mrs. Dolen, was a rover. On leaving his home in Tennessee he located in Illinois, and then moved to Missouri, where he remained for a time, when he returned to Illinois and later came to Nebraska in 1855. Here he pre- empted land near Table Rock and was one of the first permanent settlers in the state. Mrs. Dolen remembers well the trip from their home in Illi- nois to their new home in Nebraska. The journey was made with horses and wagon, and many hardships were encountered on the way. After hav- ing established their home in the then far West, they were subjected to many privations and hardships. Their nearest trading points, Brownsville or St. Stephens, were many miles away. There were few neighbors in the district and they were a long distance from the Henton home. On their arrival at their new home, the father cut logs and built a house of three rooms, in which the family lived for many years. Mr. Henton being a good carpenter was enabled to construct a substantial, though small. house in which his little family was to live.
James Henton was born on August 2, 1812, and died on April 10. 1900. His wife was born on September 1, 1818. and died on May 8. 1899. They were the parents of the following children: Araminta, Catherine, Hester, Matthew. Minnesota. Columbus, Arthur, Louisiana and Lucinda.
In 1854 Benjamin and Nancy Dolen left their home in Kentucky and located in Missouri, where they remained for ten years, when they estab- lished their home in Gage county, Nebraska. They made the trip by the overland route, with horses and wagon, and on their arrival in Gage county Mr. Dolen homesteaded a tract of land, which he later developed and im- proved and in time became a successful and prosperous farmer. Mr. and,
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Mrs. Dolen were the parents of the following children: John C., Emily, Edward. Harriet, Prather and James.
John C. Dolen engaged in the hotel business with his uncle, Warren Chesney, at Beatrice, Nebraska. This was the only hotel in the town and was operated in a log building. While living at Beatrice John C. Dolen was married and there he lived until one year later, when he went to the home of his father and later homesteaded a tract of land. There he remained for seven years, during which time he did much in the way of developing his new farm. He then moved to DeWitt. Nebraska, where he remained for five years, after which he returned to Beatrice and operated a tavern until 1882, when he came to Marshall county, Kansas. Here he purchased a large tract of land in the Otoe Reservation, but did not move onto the tract until 1886. In 1903 he built a fine home on his tract in section 13 and was the owner of four hundred and forty acres of splendid land. with one of the beautiful farm homes in the county. He met with much success in his work as a general farmer and stockman and was known as one of the most successful and influential men of the district. One of the finest stone quarries in this section of the state is located on Mr. Dolen's home farm. He was a most thorough farmer, and his well cultivated fields and his splendid stock were indicative of his ability and caretaking. He took great pride in the development of his farm and in the upkeep of his buiklings.
Mr. and Mrs. Dolen were the parents of the following children : Edward, James, Benjamin, Lillian. George and Nellie. Edward is on the old home place, which is the original purchase of his father in this section. Here he is meeting with much success in general farming and stockraising. He is a progressive man and one of the successful younger farmers of the county. He is married to Delia Robinson, and to them have been born the following children: Edward, Mildred, Cecil. Seita and Harold. James is a farmer of Oklahoma and is married to Mattie Munson and to them has been born one chikl, Hope. Benjamin is in Panama, where he is employed on the canal: Lillian, George and Nellie are at home. Since the death of John C. Dolen. Mrs. Dolen has received attention from her children, the daughter Lillian giving the greater part of her time to the care of the home and her mother. The family have long been prominent in the social life of the community, and have had much to do with the general prosperity and growth of the district in which they have lived for so many years.
John C. Dolen was identified with the Democratic party, always taking deep interest in local affairs, and while he was not an office seeker, he had
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much to do with the civic life of the township and county, and was often consulted in matters pertaining to public affairs. His life was a worthy one, and his death was mourned by a large circle of friends.
BERNARD MYERS.
Bernard Myers, one of the well-known and substantial farmers of St. Bridget township and the proprietor of a fine farm in that township, is a native son of Marshall county and has lived here all his life. He was born on a pioneer farm in St. Bridget township, in the St. Bridget settlement, in the neighborhood of his present home, March 3, 1863, son of Sebastian and Margaret ( Huffman) Myers, natives of Pennsylvania, who were among the earliest settlers in Marshall county, where their last days were spent.
Sebastian Myers was born in 1830 and his wife was born in that same year. They were married in Pennsylvania and about 1856 came to Kansas and settled on a homestead farm which a sister of Mrs. Myers, Elizabeth Huffman, had homesteaded the year before in the St. Bridget settlement in this county. Later, Sebastian Myers bought out a land patent in that same township. later adding to his holdings and becoming the owner of four hun- dred and eighty acres of land, which he was developing in good shape when death overtook him in 1864. His widow survived him many years, her death occurring on October 31, 1900. They were the parents of five children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the last-born, the others being as fol- low: John, who is now living in Montana : Nicholas, deceased; Mrs. Bar- bara Koelzer, who is now living in the neighboring county of Nemaha, and Mary, who is a Sister in the convent at Mt. St. Scholasticas at Atchison.
Bernard Myers was but one year of age when his father died and he was reared by his aunt, Elizabeth Huffman, continuing to make his home with her until his marriage in the spring of 1882, when he took possession of the farm on which he is now living, in section 36 of St. Bridget town- ship, and ever since has made his home here. Mr. Myers started farming with one hundred acres, but has gradually added to his holdings, as he pros- pered in his farming operations, until now he is the owner of three hundred and thirty acres, eighty acres of which lies in section 25 and the remainder in sections 35 and 36. On this farm he has forty acres of bottom land and has plenty of water and timber. He has made excellent improvements on his place, has given considerable attention to the raising of live stock and
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has done very well, long having been regarded as one of the leading farmers in that part of the county. Mr. Myers is a Democrat and has ever given thoughtful attention to local political affairs, but has not been a seeker after public office.
On April 9, 1882, Bernard Myers was united in marriage to Mary Shaughnessy, who also was born in St. Bridget township. September 25, 1863, daughter of Michael Shaughnessy and wife, who were among the early settlers in that part of Marshall county. Of the children born to this union seven are now living, namely: Nellie, who married Harry Finnegan, who was born in Guittard township, this county, and is now living on a farm one mile south of Beattie, and has two children, Patrick and Edward: Mrs. Margaret Creavan, a widow, of Nemaha county, who has two children, Beatrice and Wilma: Joseph, who married Dollie Nelson and is now living at Kansas City: John, who married Theresa Eagan and lives on a farm near Beattie: Nicholas, who is at home: Bernard, now a student in the Axtell high school, and Mary, who was born in 1907. Mr. and Mrs. Myers are members of St. Bridget's Catholic church and they and their family have ever taken an active interest in parish affairs, as well as in the general social affairs of the community in which they live, helpful in promoting all worthy causes thereabout.
CHARLES A. B.ALDERSON.
Charles .A. Balderson, one of Marshall county's best-known farmers, former trustee of Franklin township and the proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres in that township, is a native of the state of Illinois. but has been a resident of this county since he was fourteen years of age, having come here with his parents back in pioncer days. He was born on a farm in Ogle county, Illinois, May 3. 1855. son of John and Mary Ann (Smith) Bakderson, the former a native of the Dominion of Canada and the latter of England, who became early and influential pioneers of Marshall county and here spent their last days.
John Bakdlerson was born on a farm near Toronto, Canada. April 19. 1826, son of Thomas Balderson, a native of England, and was reared on a farm. About 1845 he located at Creston, in Ogle county, Illinois, where, in 1854, he married Mary Ann Smith, who was born in England on March 9. 1833, and who was but an infant when her parents, Thomas T. and Jane ( Thompson) Smith, came to this country. In 1869 John Balderson and
CHARLES A. BALDERSON AND FAMILY.
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family came to Kansas, driving through from Illinois in a "prairie schooner," and settled in Marshall county, taking a homestead in section 28 of township I south, range 8 east, which township, presently, upon the organization of the same, was given the name of Balderson, in compliment to this pioneer set- tler, who was one of the most forceful characters and important factors in the development of that part of the county in pioneer days.
Upon taking possession of his homestead tract, John Balderson built a house, fourteen by twenty-eight, boarded up and down, the lumber for which he hauled from Frankfort, twenty-five miles away, proceeded to break the soil and presently was well established there. During the grasshopper visita- tions he suffered, in common with all the settlers of this region, but he stuck to the farm and in time acquired additional land holdings and became one of the most substantial pioneer farmers and stockmen in that part of the county, spending the rest of his life on that farm, his death occurring in 1905. His widow survived him ten years, her death occurring on May 28,
1915. They were the parents of ten children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the first-born and all of whom are living save four, two having died in childhood before the family left Illinois and two dying in youth after the family located in this county, the others being as follow: Mrs. John King, of Tacoma, Washington ; Mrs. Jane Hardenbrook, a widow, of Balder- son township, this county; Frank, who is now living in Idaho; Minnie, who married Myers Withey and is living on the old home place in Balderson town- ship, and Mrs. Rena Sheppard, of Lawrence, this state.
As noted above, Charles A. Balderson was fourteen years of age when he came to Marshall county with his parents and he grew to manhood on the pioneer farm in Balderson township, a valuable assistant to his father in the labors of developing and improving the same. In his younger days he, as well as his brother, Frank, both of whom owned ponies, herded cattle on the plains and grew up hardy and robust sons of the open range. After his marriage in 1880 his father gave him a quarter of a section of unimproved land in Franklin township, on which he established his home and where he ever since has resided. Mr. Balderson has made excellent improvements on his place and long has been accounted one of the leading farmers in that part of the county. He has always made more or less a specialty of raising a good grade of stock and has done very well in his operations. He has ever given his thoughtful attention to local civic affairs and for four years served as township trustee, while for thirty years he has been a member of the
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school board and has in other ways given of his time and services to the public good.
On December 1, 1880, Charles .\. Balderson was united in marriage to Laura Foulk, who was born in Jefferson county, Ohio, March 2, 1863, daughter of James and Mary ( Beattie) Foulk, also natives of Ohio, the former born in 1835 and the latter in 1845, who came to Kansas in 1870 and settled on a farm in this county, north of Marysville. For years James Foulk farmed in Marshall county and is now living in the state of Wash- ington. His wife is making her home with her daughter, Mrs. Balderson. To James Foulk and wife eight children were born, all of whom are living, save one, and of whom Mrs. Balderson is the eldest. To Mr. and Mrs. Balderson two children have been born, Edna, who married Frank Withey, of Franklin township, this county, and has three children, and Alta, who is attending high school at Marysville. The Baldersons are members of the Christian church, of which Mr. Balderson is one of the elders. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that organization.
THOMAS B. DEXTER.
Thomas B. Dexter, one of the pioneers of Marshall county, for many years justice of the peace in and for Center township and the proprietor of a well-kept farm in that township, where he and his family have a very comfortable home, is a native of the Dominion of Canada, but has been a resident of Kansas and of this county since 1870, having therefore been a witness to and a participant in the development of this part of the state since pioneer days. He was born on June 19. 1841, son of Asahel and Jane ( Whitfield) Dexter, the latter of whom was of the same family of Whit- fields to which the great English divine, George Whitfield, who founded the sect of Calvinistic Methodists, belonged. She was but a child when her parents emigrated from England to Canada and she wore wooden shoes at the time she crossed the ocean.
In 1870 Asahel Dexter and his family left Canada and came to Kan- sas, settling in Marshall county, among the pioneers of this county. Thomas B. Dexter came here in April. 1870, and a week after his arrival homesteaded a tract of eighty acres north of Reedville and proceeded to develop the same. Four years later he married and established his home there, remaining on that homestead until 1880, when he moved to a half section of land a mile
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south of his original location. This latter tract, a quarter of a section of school land and a quarter of a section of railroad land, he had bought with money earned as commissions for the sale of lands of the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company. He paid four dollars an acre for the half section, and in 1910 sold the identical tract for one hundred dollars an acre. Mr. Dexter early took an active part in the affairs of his home township and from the beginning of things there was regarded as one of the leaders in the new community's activities. It was he who circulated the petition for the estab- lishment of a postoffice at Home in the winter of 1872-73 and when the office was created it would have been called Dexter, in his honor, save for the fact that there already had been established a Dexter postoffice in the southern part of this state. As Mr. Dexter prospered in his farming operations he gradually added to his land holdings until he became, the owner of eight hundred acres of land. As his children married and started out for them- selves he gave each an "eighty" and now holds for himself, in the pleasant "evening time" of his life, only the eighty surrounding his home. In 1907 he bought a quarter of a section for four thousand dollars. After selling the half section above referred to in 1910 he bought a half section, including his present home place, paying for the same fifty-three dollars an acre. He has taken advantage of rising land values and has made money in his real-estate transactions. Politically, Mr. Dexter is an "independent." He has ever given close attention to local civic affairs, for years served as a justice of the peace and for twenty-five years was a member of the school board, during that period doing much for the advancement of the cause of education in his district. He and his wife were among the charter members of the Marshall Center Baptist church, and when the Baptist church at Winifred was organ- ized in 1910, Mr. Dexter was one of the leaders in that movement. Fra- ternally, Mr. Dexter is a member of the local lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and for years has taken a warm interest in the affairs of - the same.
On October 4, 1874. Thomas B. Dexter was united in marriage to Emma L. Smith, who was born in Pennsylvania, August 3, 1856, daughter of Nathan C. and Amanda J. (Adams) Smith, natives, respectively, of New York and Pennsylvania, the former born on June 29, 1820, and the latter, March 13, 1835, who came to Kansas in September, 1870, and located in Wells township, this county. Mr. Smith bought a homesteader's right to a tract of land five and one-half miles northwest of Frankfort and there estab- lished his home, remaining there until 1894. when, under the administration of Governor Ilewellen, he was made overseer of the state farm at Ossawat-
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tomie. Upon the completion of that service he made his home at Horton. where he died on March 12, 1900. His widow survived him more than four years, her death occurring on December 1, 1904. Nathan S. Smith was an honored veteran of the Civil War and was one of the leading members of the Grand Army of the Republic in this section. In September. 1861, he enlisted for service in the Twenty-fourth Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and with that command served until the close of the war. During this service Mr. Smith participated in some of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, including Gettysburg, Lookout Mountain. Missionary Ridge, Winchester and the campaigns through Virginia and Maryland. At one time he captured Mosby. the famous guerilla chief, but did not recognize him. He took him to headquarters, where he also escaped identication and he was exchanged as a common soldier and permitted to go.
To Thomas B. and Emma L. (Smith) Dexter ten children have been born, namely: Minnie, who married Alvin Watkins and lives in Center township; Dane O., also a resident of Center township: Gertrude, who mar- ried George Denton and lives in Rock township: Ray, who married Mabel Newton, of Marysville, and now lives at Siloam Springs, Arkansas: Thorne. who married Emma Hull, of Frankfort, and lives in Center township: Olga, wife of Roy Evans, of Washington, this state; Earl, who died in his third year : Arnott. a minister of the Baptist church, who married Grace Loomis, of Chicago, and is now preaching at Iron Mountain, Michigan: Ellis, who married Bessie Banks and now lives at Whiting, this state, and Lorne, at home.
GUSTAV A. WITT.
Gustav A. Witt, one of Murray township's best-known and most pro- gressive farmers and the proprietor of one of the best-improved farms in that township, is a native of Germany, but has been a resident of this country since he was three years of age, and of Marshall county since 1893. He was born in Germany on August 5. 1869, son of John A. and Augusta Witt, natives of the Fatherland, who came to the United States with their family in 1873 and settled on a farm in Richardson county, Nebraska, where they established a home and there remained until 1908, then moving to Falls City. Augusta Witt died on February 1, 1916, she then being seventy- two years, four months and twenty-six days old. They were the parents of ten children, six of whom are still living. Of these the subject of
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this sketch is the eldest, the others being as follow: Agnes, who married George Mathews and lives in Nebraska; Henry, also of Nebraska; Frank, who continues to live on the old home place in Richardson county, Nebras- ka: Mrs. Bertha Myers, of Nebraska, and Ida, who lives in her father's home. The father died on March 16, 1917, . seventy-nine years six months and twenty-nine days old.
As noted above, Gustav A. Witt was but little more than three years of age when his parents came to this country and settled on a farm in Ne- braska, and on that pioneer farm he grew to manhood, receiving his school- ing in the neighboring schools. He retains distinct childhood recollections of the Indians, who still were numerous in that part of the country and bands of whom often would stop and camp on his father's farm. During his boyhood he spent much time herding cattle on the open range and he grew up with a thorough familiarity of conditions on the plains. He remained on the home farm, a valued assistant to his father in the labors of develop- ing and improving the same, until 1893, when he came down into Kansas and bought the quarter section on which he is now living in section 22 of Murray township, this county, and proceeded to develop the same. Upon his marriage in 1895 he established his home there and has ever since resided on that farm, he and his family now being very pleasantly and very comfortably situated. Mr. Witt is possessed of progressive ideas regarding agriculture and now has one of the best-improved farms in that township. In 1910 he built a modern eight-room house and in that same year also built a fine new barn, thirty-six by forty feet. The other buildings on this admir- able farm plant are in keeping with the same and the place is equipped with numerous modern appliances and conveniences for the most profitable and expeditious farming. The place has quite a bit of natural timber on it, a very attractive feature of the landscape thereabout. Mr. Witt has given considerable attention to the breeding of Poland China hogs and the pro- ducts of his pens have won first prizes at the stock shows at Axtell. He also has a fine herd of Shorthorn cattle and has done very well in his farm- ing operations. Mr. Witt is a Democrat and has ever given a good citizen's attention to local political affairs, but has never been a seeker after public office.
In 1895 Gustav A. Witt was united in marriage to Sophia Hubner, who also was born in Germany and who left her native land when a child with her parents, the family coming to this country and settling in Richardson county, Nebraska, where she grew to young womanhood and where she married Mr. Witt. To this union four children have been born, Ella, Nor-
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man, Dayton (deceased ) and Wilson. Mr. and Mrs. Witt are members of the Presbyterian church and take a proper interest in the various beneficences of the same, as well as in the general social activities of the community in which they live, ever helpful factors in promoting such movements as are designed to advance the common welfare thereabout.
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