USA > Kansas > Marshall County > History of Marshall County, Kansas : its people, industries, and institutions > Part 78
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in an Indiana reigment and served three years in the cause of the Union. He then returned to Indiana, where he was later married and there he and his wife lived for some time. They then took up their residence in Illinois, where they lived until 1884, when they came to Kansas, and here Mr. Kirk- wood purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land near Marysville, where he lived until 1896, when he sold the farm and bought three hundred and thirty-three acres of land one mile north of where he had lived. There he engaged in general farming and stock raising until 1901, when he rented his place and moved to Manhattan, Kansas, so that his children might have better educational advantages. After a residence of four years in that place the family returned to Marysville, where Mr. Kirkwood lived a retired life until his death on April 18, 1916. Mr. Kirkwood was a man in whom the people had the utmost confidence and respect. He was a warm supporter of the Republican party and served his township as trustee for several years. Fra- ternally, he was a Free and Accepted Mason and had attained the order of Knight Templar. He was also a member of the Eastern Star and was active in the work of the Grand Army of the Republic. He attended the Presbyte- rian church and was a liberal supporter of that denomination. Mrs. Kirk- wood was also reared on the farm and received her education in the common schools. At the age of sixteen years she left school and until her marriage she worked for others, away from her home. She was ever a constant help and inspiration to her husband in his work, and shared his hardships. She sympathized with him in reverses and joined him in thanksgiving over successes. Her life has been a worthy one and she is loved and admired by all. She is a member of the Presbyterian church and she has long been prominent in the religious and social life of her home community. She is a member of the Knights and Ladies of Security; the Eastern Star and the Woman's Relief Corps, and has always been active in the latter organiza- tion.
Mr. and Mrs. Kirkwood were the parents of eight children as follow : Charles N., Laura J., William M., Robert L., one, that died in infancy ; Owen, who died at the age of eighteen months; Mildred I. and Nina H. Charles N. is engaged in farming and stock raising on the home place; Laura is the wife of W. J. Kinsley; William M., resides at Hull, Kansas, and is engaged in farming, as is his brother Robert L .; Mildred and Nina are graduates of Manhattan College and are now teaching in the Marysville public schools and are at home.
Laura (Kirkwood) Kinsley was born in Iroquois county, Illinois, on February 27, 1874. She received her elementary education in the public
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schools and later attended the normal school at Marysville. After complet- ing her education, she was for three years one of the teachers of the county before her marriage. She is a woman of fine attainments, cultured and refined and by her kindly disposition and womanly traits, she has won for herself many friends who hold her in the highest regard. Mr. and Mrs. Kinsley are the parents of two sons, both of whom are at home: Elmer R., who was born on July 2, 1897, and is a graduate of the Marysville high school in the class of 1915, and Ross K., who was born on September 17. 1901. and is a junior in the high school.
Mr. and Mrs. Kinsley were active members of the Presbyterian church and are prominent in the religious and social life of the community, in which they live and where they are active in all that tends to the betterment of the home township and are among the strongest supporters of the best school system possible. Mr. Kinsley has for many years had much to do with the civic life of the township and the confidence placed in him has not been abused. His official work in the schools and in the general civic life of the township has been of the highest class.
JOHN L. HAMILTON.
One of the prominent and successful farmers of Blue Rapids City township, Marshall county, and the owner of four hundred acres of prime land, is John L. Hamilton, who was born on January 3, 1855, at St. Joseph, Missouri, and is the son of Frederick and Amelia ( Bainbrich) Hamilton.
Frederick and Amelia Hamilton were natives of France and the state of Missouri, respectively. The former was born in 1818 and died in 1897: the latter was born on September 17, 1824, and died in 1901. Amelia Hamilton was the daughter of Frederick and Mary Bainbrich. The former was born on August 29, 1782, in Prussia, and the latter in December, 1792, in Wurtemburg, Germany. They were educated in the schools of those countries and later came to the United States, locating for a time at Phila- delphia, where they were married on October 7, 1810. Some time after their marriage they went to Missouri, where they established their home on a farm and there the mother died on Januarly 28, 1847. They were among the early settlers of the state and had much to do with the general development and growth of their home county, becoming prominent and influential members of the community.
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Frederick Hamilton, when a lad nine years old, ran away from his home in France, and as a stowaway on a ship got passage to the United States. For a number of years he lived in the East and then decided to try his fortune in the West. He located in the state of Missouri, where he was later united in marriage to Amelia Bainbrich, a native of Missouri, where she was educated and grew to womanhood. During the gold craze in 1849 Mr. Hamilton was one of the first gold seekers to go to California. He later engaged as freighter and made many trips to Salt Lake and the farther west. Life on the plains was a liard and dangerous one and in time Mr. Hamilton retired from the work and engaged in general farming.
In 1858 Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton came to Marshall county, and estab- lished their home on a farm in Blue Rapids City township, where they were among the very earliest settlers. They settled on the farm now owned by George Dean. They developed and improved their holding and in time became successful in their agricultural operations. When coming from their home in St. Joe, Missouri, they were accompanied by Elbert Stout, who was for a long period a resident of the county.
John L. Hamilton, when a child of three years, came with his parents to Blue Rapids City township, where he has since resided. Here he received his education in the schools of that period and was reared on the home farm, where he became conversant with the early pioneer life of the times. His first home in the county, would not nowadays be considered a pretentious affair. His father had built two log cabins, ten feet apart. In one was a large fire place, around which the family spent their evenings, and the other was used mostly as a sleeping room. His home at that time was one of the best, considering pioneer conditions, and in fact, was one of the first in the community. It became a favorite stopping place for the settlers about Irving. At one time, Mr. Hamilton's parents entertained seventeen of the early settlers in their pioneer home. It was during those early days that the family entertained Senator Pomeroy and Doctor Reed. The latter had been sent from Fulton, Illinois, to seek a location for the Irving colony. and for two summers he stopped at the Hamilton home, after which he withdrew from the colony. Those were most strenuous times and were conducive in making all men kin. The greatest hospitality was extended to all, and no one was turned away, without receiving assistance, if it were needed. As the family prospered, the father boarded up the space between the two houses, thus making a much larger residence.
John L. Hamilton first attended school at Irving and in the winter of 1864 and 1865 attended school at Marysville. He continued to live with
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his father, with the exception of three years, which he spent ranching in Oregon, from 1875 to 1878. He cared for his father and mother until their deaths. and when he left the okl home farm he purchased the place where he now lives.
On December 28. 1881, John L. Hamilton was united in marriage to Alice Fitzgerald, who was born in Peterboro, Canada, on September 8. 1855. She was the daughter of William and Agnes (Davidson) Fitzgerald. Her parents were also natives of Canada and were of Irish descent. They remained residents of Canada until 1871, when they immigrated to the United States, and in February of that year located two and one-half miles east of Blue Rapids, on a farm. This farm was improved and developed and here the mother died in 1878; the father later moved to Blue Rapids, where he died in 1898. They were the parents of the following children : Mrs. Margaret Isabelle Hamilton, of Blue Rapids; Robert James, who died in the fall of 1871 : Mrs. Alice Hamilton ; Ross, who lives on the old homestead; William, now deceased, and Isaac Francis, who also lives on the old home farm.
To John L. and Alice Hamilton have been born the following children : Lula Isabelle, Gertrude May. Virgil Blain, Russell, Agnes Amelia and Hazel Maude. Lula Isabelle Estes is a resident of Blue Rapids; Gertrude May Pulleine lives at Home City, where her husband is a successful banker : Virgil Blain died at the age of seven years; Russell Myron is at home; Agnes Amelia, who is the wife of Mr. Hartling, of Kansas City, Missouri, was for a number of years one of the successful primary teachers of the state. She received her primary education in the local schools of the county and completed her work in the National Kindergarten School of Chicago. After completing her education she was for a time a teacher in the schools of Marysville, Manhattan and Wichita. Hazel Maude was educated with the view to becoming a teacher and is now engaged in that work at Jewell City, Kansas. She is playground instructor for the Redpath Chautauqua. All the children are graduates of the Blue Rapids high school and the girls have all been teachers. Mrs. Hamilton is an active member of the Baptist church and has ever taken much interest in all church work. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton have long been identified with the social life of the home com- munity and have had much to do with the moral and educational development of the township. They have always displayed considerable interest in the educational life of their children and have encouraged the higher education for all.
Politically, Mr. Hamilton is identified with the Republican party. While
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he has not been a seeker after office, he has had much to do with the civic life of the township. He has devoted his energies to the development of his four- hundred-acre farm, which is one of the best in the district, and he is recog- nized as one of the substantial men of the county.
JOHN D. VANAMBURG.
John D. Vanamburg, of Elm Creek township, Marshall county, where he is a well-known farmer and a breeder of high-grade poultry, was born in Grundy county, Illinois, on August 3, 1861, and is the son of Graham and Martha (Turner) Vanamburg.
Graham and Martha Vanamburg were natives of the state of New York, where the father was born on August 20, 1820. They later established their home in the state of Illinois, where they lived for some years. In 1876 they decided to establish their home in Kansas, and on October 20 of that year they landed in Elm Creek township, Marshall county. After a year the fam- ily moved to Wells township, and soon after that they moved to Mitchell county, where Mr. Vanamburg engaged in general farming until the time of his death on September 22, 1901. To Mr. and Mrs. Vanamburg were born the following children: Gardner, Henry, Katherine, Anna, Mary, Homer, Jane, Philip, Lurinda, William, Sarah and John D. Gardner, who was a sol- dier of the Civil War, is now a resident of Marysville; Henry is a resident of Jewell county, Kansas; Katherine is deceased; Anna died in infancy; Mary became the wife of W. C. Barrett and died some years ago; Philip, also a sol- dier of the Civil War, is now deceased, as are Homer Jane and Sarah; Lurinda is the wife of H. Effland and they reside at Victor, Kansas, and William lives in Smith county, Kansas. Mrs. Vanamburg, who was born on August 2, 1815, died on December 24, 1879. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and took much interest in all religious work, and was a woman who was universally beloved by all who knew her.
John D. Vanamburg, the youngest of the family, was fifteen years of age when his parents left their home in Illinois and came to Kansas. He attended school in the state of Illinois, and completed his education in the schools of Wells township, Marshall county. He later went to Mitchell county, Kansas, with his parents, where he lived until 1885, when he returned to Marshall county. For a number of years he worked as a farm hand and learned the trade of stone mason at Oketo, and for eleven years engaged in
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that work. In 1896 he rented a farin in Rock township and engaged in farm- ing until 1904, when he purchased his present home farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Elm Creek township. He started life a poor boy and during his early life he assisted his father in a financial way. After assuming pos- session of his present farm, he remodeled his house, making it more modern and complete, and has also erected a splendid barn, forty by sixty feet. He has beautified and improved the place with a fine orchard and many beautiful shade trees, and today his farm home is one of the ideal places of the town- ship. In 1914 he bought another one hundred and sixty acres and his farm now consists of three hundred and twenty acres.
On July 3, 1884, John D. Vanamburg was united in marriage to Augusta Kloxin, who was born in Germany on November 22, 1868, and is the daugh- ter of John and Louise (Hawkins) Kloxin. She spent her girlhood in the family home near Pomerania, and in 1879. at the age of eleven years, she came with her parents to America. They located in Center township, Mar- shall county, where the parents lived for a number of years, before moving to Marysville, where they now live. They are the parents of eleven children and are among the highly respected people of the county.
To Mr. and Mrs. Vanamburg the following children have been born : Mabel. Eva, Elsie, Nellie, Benjamin, Alice, Christena, William, Daniel. Ken- neth and Myrtle. Mabel, now thirty-one years of age, was married in Feb- ruary, 1903. to Mr. Gordon, of St. Joe, Missouri, and they are the parents of four children, three of whom are now living; Eva, twenty-nine years of age, is the wife of Mr. Duckworth, and they are the parents of three children ; Elsie died in infancy: Nellie, twenty-five years of age, is the wife of A. McNew, of Elm Creek township, and they are the parents of one child: Ben- jamin, at home, is twenty-three years of age; Alice, twenty years of age, is the wife of Mr. Shell, of Ehm Creek township, and is the mother of one child : Christena is seventeen years of age : William, fourteen ; Daniel, thirteen : Ken- neth, ten, and Myrtle, eight years of age. The family is a most interesting one and all take the greatest interest in the home life.
Mr. and Mrs. Vanamburg are active members of the Baptist church, tak- ing much interest in all church work, and have long been prominent in the social and the religious life of the community. They have always shown much interest in the growth of the educational system of the township, and their influence and best efforts have been exerted in the promotion of those enterprises that would tend to the betterment of the community in general. They have been progressive, hard-working and economical people, who by their own efforts have made good in their work. Mr. Vanamburg is a mem-
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ber of the Modern Woodmen of America and is one of the hustlers of the local lodge.
In 1912 Mr. Vanamburg engaged in the poultry business to a large extent and has met with much success, shipping his chickens to many of the states of the Union. He is also a successful general farmer and breeder and raiser of fine horses, cattle and hogs.
HENRY W. MOELLER.
Henry W. Moeller, a successful farmer and one of the well-known resi- dents of Marysville township. Marshall county, was born in this county, on January 25, 1878, and is the son of Fred W. and Mary ( Holle) Moeller.
Fred W. Moeller was born in Buckeburg, Germany, April 7, 1843, and there received his education in the public schools and grew to manhood. He continued to reside in Germany until 1855, when he decided to come to America, where he might have a better opportunity to obtain a home. After his arrival in the United States he proceeded to Illinois and after some years he rented a farm and engaged in farming for five years. He was married on June 27, 1867, to Mary Holle. He came to Kansas in 1869, where he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land near Marysville. This farm he developed and improved and became one of the successful farmers of the township. Here he made his home for many years when he retired from the farm, and moved to Marysville, where he operated a hotel and saloon for some time, and there he died on January 23, 1890. For a number of years he devoted a part of his time to the work of an auctioneer, and was recognized as one of the best in the district. He was able to speak both English and German in his work, and was thus in a position to make his profession most effective. Mr. Moeller was county commissioner for one term of three years-1876-79.
Mary ( Holle) Moeller was born in Hessen, Germany, on December 3, 1845, and there received her education in the common schools and there spent her girlhood days. As a young woman she came to the United States in 1867 and located in Illinois, where she was united in marriage to Mr. Moeller the same year. They were residents of that state for some time after their marriage, and came to Kansas in 1869. She and Mr. Moeller were members of the German Lutheran church and were prominent in the social life of the community. To them were born ten children, two of whom died in infancy,
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and Charles H. died in California in 1916 at the age of forty-five years. Mary Schroeder resides in Omaha, Nebraska, where her husband is a cigar-maker; Christina Luedders resides in Marysville, where Mr. Luedders is a clothing merchant ; Fred H. lives at Emporia. Kansas, and is the agent of a wholesale grocery company; Philip is at Omaha and is engaged as a cigar manufac- turer; Henry W. is the subject of this sketch; Emma Moser is a resident of Thomas, Oklahoma, where her husband is a farmer, and Alma Huber resides at Blair, Oklahoma, where Mr. Huber is a banker. After the death of her husband, in 1890 Mrs. Moeller remarried in 1893 to John Duever and lived on the farm till the death of Mr. Duever on February 23, 1904. Mrs. Duever. two years later, became the wife of Peter Rahde in 1906 and now resides at Marysville.
Henry W. Moeller received his education in the common schools of Marshall county, and at the age of fifteen years, began life for himself. For three years he worked as a farm hand, after which he worked in a bakery at Lincoln, Nebraska. for five years. He then gave up his work as a baker and returned to farm life. He rented a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, near Marysville, where he remained for one year. when he purchased his present farm of one hundred and forty-seven acres in Marys- ville township. He is successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising, and gives much attention to the breeding and the raising of Short- horn cattle and Duroc-Jersey hogs, and has some of the finest of these ani- mals to be found in this section of the county. He feeds all the grain that he raises, selling the finished hogs and cattle rather than the grain.
On June 4, 1899. Henry Moeller was united in marriage to Rosa Klug. the daughter of Jonathan and Henrietta (Wiscow) Klug. Mr. Klug was born on May 14, 1849, in Wisconsin. Mrs. Klug was born on April 5. 1855. in Abbot Sherman, Wisconsin. Mr. Klug came to Nebraska in 1875 and there purchased a tract of land, where he has since been successfully engaged in farming. He and his wife are active members of the German Lutheran church, of which Mr. Klug has served as trustee for many years. They are the parents of seven children, five of whom are now living. as follow: Rosa. Matilda, Frank. Lizzie and Jessie. Matilda Goeble is a resident of Lincoln, Nebraska, where Mr. Goeble is employed in the parks ; Frank is a farmer and is now on the home place : Lizzie Knuistadt is a widow and is at home with her parents, and Jessie is at home.
Rosa ( Klug) Moeller was born in Seward county, Nebraska, on March 18. 1879, and was reared on the home farm and educated in the common schools of her community. Before her marriage she did some work away
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from home. She and her husband are active members of the German Lutheran church and are prominent in the social life of the township, and are active members of the Knights and Ladies of Security. Mr. Moeller is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and the Bankers Life Insurance Company of Nebraska. They are the parents of the following children: Uneeda, born on September 23, 1900; Elsie, August 28, 1902; Arthur, May 22, 1905; Alnia, April 19, 1907; Marietta, October 28, 1912, and Henry Ford, December 4, 1915. Alma died at the age of five years in 1912.
Henry W. Moeller has by his own efforts risen from the position of a poor boy, making his own way in the world, since the age of fifteen years. to that of one of the substantial and influential men of the township, honored and respected by all who know him. His life has been one of activity and he has accomplished much that is worthy of note, and has always taken a keen interest in local affairs. As a farmer and stockman he is recognized as one of the most progressive and successful in the county.
JAMES L. POTEET.
James L. Poteet, deceased, was for many years a well-known farmer and stockman in Richland township, Marshall county. He was born on July 8, 1859, and died on February 19, 1915, after a useful and successful life. As a lad he located in Nebraska with his parents and there he was married on February 23, 1898, to Celest White, a native of Illinois and the daughter of Joseph and Lillie White, and after their marriage they estab- lished their home on a farm in Kansas, where they always lived.
Soon after their marriage, James L. Poteet and wife rented land one mile south of Summerfield. They had no money, yet they purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, in the fall of that year. To this they later added more land and became the owners of four hundred and eighty acres. It was by close management and application to business that they met with success. Mr. Poteet was a good manager and a man possessed of much business acumen. He thoroughly developed his excellent farm and erected a magnificent modern house of ten rooms in 1912. He installed every modern convenience such as water, lights, bath and a furnace.
Mr. and Mrs. Poteet were for many years active members of the United Presbyterian church and took much interest in all church work and were
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prominent in the social life of the community, where they were held in the highest regard. Mr. Poteet was identified with the Republican party and always took much interest in local affairs, and was a man in whom all had the ntmost confidence. He was a home man and after his marriage he never spent a night away from home. He and Mrs. Poteet were the parents of one child. Luther, who is now thirteen years of age and attending the public schools.
Since the death of her husband, Mrs. Poteet, has with much ability and success, managed the home farm and rents one hundred and sixty acres of the tract. With some hired help she has met with great success in her general farming and stock raising.
ED. W. RINGEN.
Ed. W. Ringen, one of the well-known and successful farmers and stockmen of Richland township, Marshall county, was born in Dearborn county, Indiana, on March 5, 1865, the son of John and Louisa (Rholfing) Ringen.
John and Louisa Ringen were natives of Pennsylvania and Germany, respectively. The father came of German ancestors and was educated in the schools of Pennsylvania and there grew to manhood. He later moved to Dearborn county, Indiana, where he engaged in general farming and stock raising for many years. He and his wife were among the highly respected people of the community. Their later years were spent in the Hoosier state and there they died some years ago.
Ed. W. Ringen received his education in the common schools of his home district and grew to manhood in Dearborn county, Indiana, and there he lived until he was twenty-two years of age. At that time he decided to seek a new location, and in 1887 he came to Kansas, locating in Richland township, Marshall county, and here he worked by the month for some years. After having spent some eight years of his life working for fifteen dollars per month, he rented land until 1907, when he purchased his present farm. Ilere he has made all the improvements and today has one of the best developed and nicely improved places in the township.
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