USA > Kansas > Marshall County > History of Marshall County, Kansas : its people, industries, and institutions > Part 82
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On March 23, 1892, John G. Graham was united in marriage to Clara Conard, who was born in Pawnee county, Nebraska, on August 11, 1871, and is the daughter of John and Elizabeth ( Winter) Conard. Mr. and Mrs. Conard were natives of the state of Indiana, where they were edu- cated in the public schools. They were later married, and soon thereafter came to Nebraska, where they homesteaded land and engaged in general farming and stock raising with success. They have ever been among the highly respected people of their home community and are held in the highest regard.
To John G. and Clara (Conard) Graham have been born the follow- ing children : Ray W., Ava Eola, Iva Igetta, Thelma Elizabeth and Walter Ivan. Ray W. was born on January 9, 1893, received his 'education in the public schools and is now at home assisting his father with the work on the farm: Ava Eola was born on June 19, 1895; Iva Igetta was born on Decem- ber 13. 1896; Thelma Elizabeth was born on October 3. 1898, and Walter Ivan was born on December 18, 1901. Mr. and Mrs. Graham are among the prominent and highly respected people of the township, and have ever taken a keen interest in the general development of the community. Their home life is ideal and they take much interest in the welfare of their children.
James Thomas Graham, the father of John G. Graham, was born on October 8, 1836, and the mother was born on October 7, 1842. They were the parents of the following children : Alva E., A. R., W. M., H. W .. John G., L. W .. J. T., Iva L., G. W. and Frank I. Alva E. was born on Decem- ber 25, 1859, and is now a resident of Norton, Kansas; A. R. was born on October 18, 1861, and is a well-known carpenter of Summerfield, Kansas; W. M. was born on December 27. 1863: H. W. was born on March 14.
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1866, and now lives in the state of Washington; L. W., born on August 4, 1871, is a resident of the state of Nebraska; J. T. was born on June 16, 1874, and is also a resident of the state of Nebraska; Iva L. Howard was born on December 13, 1876, and is now a resident of Oklahoma, where her husband is a professor of schools and a minister: G. W., born on December 10, 1878, is now living at Denver, Colorado, and Frank I., who was born on December 21, 1885, is now a successful farmer south of Home City. Marshall county.
John Conard, the father of Mrs. John G. Graham, was born in 1845 and was for many years one of the successful farmers and stockmen of Nebraska, is now a resident of Howell county, Missouri, where he moved in 1893. Elizabeth Conard, the wife of John Conard, was born in 1842 and died on October 13, 1910. Mr. and Mrs. Conard were the parents of the following children: Joseph. Clara, Jessie, Myrtle and Ray. Joseph is a successful farmer of Richland township, and near neighbor of Mr. and Mrs. Graham; Jessie Graham is a resident of Nebraska, where her husband is successfully engaged in farming: Myrtle Evans is a resident of Missouri, where Mr. Evans is engaged in overseeing an experimental station in the state of Missouri, and Ray is now deceased.
GEORGE MILLER.
George Miller, one of Wells township's well-known and progressive farmers and stock breeders and the proprietor of a fine farm of three hun- dred and forty acres in that township, is a native of the state of Illinois, but has lived in Marshall county since the days of his childhood, having come here with his parents from Illinois back in pioneer days. He was born in Madison county, Illinois, September 3, 1866, son of Charles and Belle (Trevor) Miller, natives of that state, who left Illinois with their family in October, 1871, and came to Kansas, settling three miles north of Blue Rapids, in this county, among the very earliest settlers in that part of the county.
Upon coming to Marshall county Charles Miller pre-empted an eighty- acre tract of land at the point above indicated, three miles north of Blue Rapids, established his home there and has ever since resided on that pioneer farm, being now in the eightieth year of his age. He and his wife are the parents of nine children, those besides the subject of this sketch being
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as follow: Mrs. Fannie Howes, living in the neighboring county of Ne- maha: Mrs. Lillie Neuman, of Marysville; Mrs. Celia MeNew, also of this county; Mrs. Cordelia Buck, of Los Angeles, California; Mrs. Florence Morris, also of Los Angeles; William L., of Osborne county, this state; Melissa, who is at home with her parents, and Maud Christianson, living near Bremen, Kansas.
George Miller was just past five years of age when his parents moved from Illinois to this county and he grew to manhood on the home farm north of Blue Rapids, receiving his schooling in the neighborhood schools and proving a valuable aid in the labors of developing and improving the farm. In 1886, at the age of twenty years. Mr. Miller married and began farming on his own account, he and his wife making their first home in Wells township. A year later he rented the Scully place west of Marys- ville, and there made his home for thirteen years, or until 1899. when he bought his present farm in Wells township and has since made his home there, he and his family being very comfortably and very pleasantly situ- ated. Mr. Miller has a farm of three hundred and forty acres and has one of the best farm plants in that part of the county. He is progressive in his operations. his farming being carried on in accordance with modern meth- ods, and he is doing very well. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Miller gives considerable attention to the raising of pure-bred Hereford stock and now has about thirty-five head of registered Herefords, his herd being headed by "Woodrow," his strain being the same as that of his neigh- bor. A. W. Gibson, a veteran breeder of Herefords. Mr. Miller disposes of his stock at private sale and gets good prices for the same, in the year 1916 having disposed of two thousand dollars' worth of thoroughbred cattle. He is a member of the American Hereford Breeders' Association and keeps fully alive to the developments in the live-stock business.
In 1886 George Miller was united in marriage to Emma Goodwin, who was born in the province of Ontario, Canada. March 20. 1865. daughter of Judge Jervis and Carrie (Cornell) Goodwin, natives, respectively, of Eng- land and Ontario, who moved from the latter place to Wisconsin and four years later, in 1878, came to Kansas and settled on a farm in Wells town- ship. this county. Judge Jervis Goodwin early became one of the most active and influential men in Marshall county and was widely and favor- ably known throughout this part of the state. In 1888 he was elected judge of probate for Marshall county and served for eight years in that important office. Judge Goodwin died in September, 1897. His wife had long pre-
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ceded him to the grave, her death having occurred in 1879, the year after she came to Marshall county.
To George and Emma (Goodwin) Miller seven children have been born, namely: Mrs. Edna Cook, of Ness county, this state; Earl, who is farming in Blue Rapids township, this county, and Bessie, Vern G., Hazel, Charles and Everett, who are at home with their parents. The Millers have a very pleasant home and take a proper part in the general social activities of their home neighborhood. Mr. Miller is a Democrat. Fraternally, he is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen of America. He also is a member of the Anti-Horsethief Association.
ANTHONY CHARLES PECENKA.
Anthony Charles Pecenka, one of the best-known and most substantial farmers of the Bremen neighborhood in this county, former trustee of Logan township, former clerk of that same township and formerly and for years a well-known and influential school teacher in this county and in the neighboring county of Washington, is a native of the state of Iowa, but has been a resident of this county since the days of his boyhood, his parents having settled here back in pioneer days. He was born at Cedar Rapids, in Linn county, Iowa, December 6, 1863, son of John and Anna (Flidr) Pecenka, Bohemians, who came to this country after their marriage, set- tling in Iowa, but later came to Kansas and settled in this county, where their last days were spent, earnest pioneers of this region.
John Pecenka was born in the village of Ridky u Litomysle, in the dis- trict of Chrudim, kingdom of Bohemia (Cechy), June 14, 1825, and his wife, Anna Flidr, whose ancestors were of the Svobodnik, or freemen, was born in the village of Osyk, in that same district, October 31, 1830. They were married in their native land and afterward came to this country, locat- ing at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where they remained until 1869, when they came to Kansas and settled on a farm in the then Marysville, now Logan, town- ship. Marshall county, where they established their home and where they spent the remainder of their lives, Mrs. Pecenka dying there on January 5. 1897, and Mr. Pecenka, November 17, 1902. They were the parents of nine children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the sixth in order of birth, the others being as follow: John, of Bremen, this county; Joseph,
(55)
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whose present address is unknown to his family; Frank A., of Condee, South Dakota; Mrs. Anna Sedlacek, of Bremen, this county; Waclav, of Seattle, Washington; Mrs. Mary Pejsa, of Hanover, this state; Milos .A., of Bremen, and Mrs. Emilie Sedlacek. also of Bremen.
Having been but a lad when his parents came to this county from Iowa, Anthony C. Pecenka was reared on the home farm here and grew up familiar with pioneer conditions, even in the days of his youth becom- ing a practical farmer. He early became imbued with the desire for a higher education and upon completing the course in the district schools entered the AAtchison Institute at the age of twenty, in 1884, and after a short course there and at the St. Benedict College of Atchison, Kansas, in 1885. began teaching the home school and was thus engaged during the following winter. He then took a further course of instruction in 1887-89 at the Campbell University of Holton. Kansas, and in 1898 was graduated from the junior scientific course at the Modern Normal College at Marys- ville. Meanwhile Mr. Pecenka had been continuing to teach school. farm- ing during the summers, and after his marriage in 1890 rented a farm and established his home; continuing for some time after his marriage to teach, his teaching experience including schools in this county and in the neigh- boring county of Washington, but finally finding it difficult to give his proper attention to both of these vocations, gave up teaching and has since confined his efforts to farming and stock raising and has done very well, being now the owner of a fine farm of two hundred and forty acres on rural route No. 2. out of Bremen, and the possessor of one of the pleasantest and most comfortable homes in that community, he and his family being delightfully situated. Mr. Pecenka takes an active interest in the general business affairs of his home community and is a stockholder in the Farmers' Elevator Company at Hanover and a stockholder in the Farmers' Educa- tional Co-operative Union of America, in the affairs of both of which organizations he takes a warm interest. Politically. Mr. Pecenka is a Den- ocrat, though inclining to independence of party on local issues, reserving his right to vote for the men best qualified for the offices sought. and in 1895 was elected clerk of Logan township, a position he held for four years. In 1902 he was elected trustee of that township and held that office for four years, his friends declaring that his administration of the affairs of that important office was the most satisfactory that had ever been ren- dlered there.
On January 7. 1890, at the Catholic church of St. John the Baptist at Hanover, in the neighboring county of Washington, Anthony C. Pecenka
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was united in marriage to Christina Pacha (Pejsa), who was born at Min- den, in Sanilac county, Michigan, April 17, 1865, daughter of Matej and Marie Pejsa. Bohemians, who were married in their native land and later came to America, presently settling in Michigan, where the former died. his widow later coming to Kansas with her children and establishing her home here. Matej. or Mathias, Pejsa was born in the village of Drhovice No. 2, in the kingdom of Bohemia (Cechy), February 24, 1806, and his wife, Marie Placha, was born in the neighboring village of Drazice No. 18. February 19, 1824. They were married in the latter village on November 26, 1844, and five children were born to them in Europe. In the latter part of September, 1853, they came to the United States and located in the city of Cleveland, Ohio, in the latter part of December of that same year. In the February following twins were born to them. In August, 1854. Matej Pejsa and his family moved up into Canada and there remained until in May, 1859, when they moved down into Michigan and settled in Sanilac county, Matej Pejsa buying a tract of land in the immediate vicinity of Minden, in that county. The land agent at Detroit, from whom he pur- chased the land, had difficulty with the spelling of the foreign name and with a careless disregard for the proper preservation of the family name and the accuracy of the land record, recorded the purchase in the name of "Matthis Pacha," which latter spelling of the name, in order to keep the record straight, the family afterward observed and has since maintained, all the members of this considerable family, with the exception of Albert Pejsa, of Hanover. this state, continuing to spell the name Pacha. Matej Pejsa died in Michigan in November, 1868, and his widow maintained her residence there until 1875, when she came to Kansas with her family and established her home on a farm, where her last days were spent, her death occurring on June 5, 1895. Of the large family of children born to Matej Pejsa and wife, Mrs. Pecenka is the youngest, the others of these children who grew to maturity, several having died in infancy, being as follow: Frank, of Pleasant Plain, Iowa: Jacob, of that same place; Matej, of Rich- wood. Union county. Ohio; Mrs. Mary Benda, of Lanham, Nebraska; Joseph, of Marysville, this county; Mrs. Katherina Triska, of Hanover ; Mrs. Anna Klecan, of Hanover; Mrs. Elizabeth Hladik, who died on Feb- ruary 1, 1893: John, of Black Duck, Minnesota, and Albert, of Hanover.
To Anthony C. and Christina (Pejsa) Pecenka have been born eight children, namely: John Anthony, born on January 5, 1891 ; Katherina and Christina (twins), February 1, 1893; Mary, December 11, 1898, who died on April 8, 1901; Mary, October 4, 1901 ; Zita, April 24, 1903; Francis
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Anthony, May 11, 1906, who died on July 13, 1906, and Francis Alois, August 6. 1908, all of whom are at home. Katherine Pecenka was gradu- ated from the Marysville high school in the spring of 1917. Mr. and Mrs. Pecenka are members of the Catholic church and their children have been reared in the faith of that church. The family have a very pleasant home and have ever taken a proper part in the general good works and social activities of the community in which they live, helpful in promoting the general welfare.
FRANK SEDIVY.
Frank Sedivy, one of the well-known and successful farmers and stockmen of Blue Rapids City township, Marshall county, where he is the owner of two hundred and ten acres of splendid land in section 2, was born in Bohemia on December 13, 1860, and is the son of Frank and Anna ( Machacek) Sedivy.
Frank and Anna Sedivy were also natives of Bohemia and there they received their education in the schools of that country, grew up and were later married. They established their home in their native land and con- tinued to live there until 1870. when they decided to come to America, where they might better have an opportunity to make a home for them- selves and those dependent upon them. On their arrival in the United States they at once proceeded to lowa, where they resided for a year, after which they came to Kansas, and here they settled in Marshall county, near the Riley county line. A home was made on the homestead of eighty acres. where the father engaged in general farming and stock raising until the time of his death in 1885, at the age of fifty-five years. His wife, who was born in 1835, died in 1908. During their residence in the county. where they led worthy lives. they made many friends, who held them in much regard and esteem. They were the parents of the following children : Frank, Louis, Anna and William. Louis is a resident of Cottage Hill township, Marshall county, where he is the owner of two farms and he is successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising. Anna is the widow of L. Swacha and is living in Grant county, Oklahoma. William is a well-known farmer of Blue Rapids township.
Frank Sedivy resided in the land of his birth until he was ten years of age, when he came to this country with his parents and with them settled in Marshall county. Here he received his education in the common schools
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and grew to manhood on the home farm, where as a lad he assisted his father with the farm work and became impressed with the dignity and inde- pendence of the life of a farmer. In 1891 he purchased a farm of eighty acres four miles south of the town of Blue Rapids. The farm at that time was for the most part undeveloped and unimproved. Mr. Sedivy at once entered into the task of making development of the place, and in addition to the building of a good house and barn, he made many other valuable improvements that added much to the beauty and the value of the place. In 1904 hie traded the farm for his present place in Blue Rapids City town- ship. Here he has erected several buildings and made many valuable im- provements. Today he is known as one of the substantial and successful men of the township and the county. He is a stockholder of the Farmers' Elevator Company and of the Fair Association of Blue Rapids.
Politically, Mr. Sedivy is identified with the Republican party and has always taken an active interest in local affairs, and for many years has been a member of the local school board. He is a progressive citizen and takes the keenest interest in the development of the schools of the township, and has had much to do with the growth and prosperity of the county in general.
On March 31, 1891, Frank Sedivy was united in marriage to Antonia Pishny, who was born in Moravia, on February 7, 1865, and is the daughter of Ignatz and Antonia (Roman) Pishny. Her parents were also natives of Moravia and there they received their education in the schools of that country and grew to maturity and were married. They were the parents of five boys and two daughters, and when the daughter Antonia was thir- teen years of age, in 1878, the parents decided to come to America. Here they located in Cottage Hill township, Marshall county, Kansas, where they still reside. Mr. Pishny is eighty-five years old and has retired from farm work. Each of his sons are living on their own farms in the sanie town- ship.
To Frank and Antonia Sedivy have been born five children, as follow : Richard, Bessie, Helen, George and Mila. Richard, a graduate of the ani- mal husbandry course of the Kansas State Agricultural College, is employed at Tremonton, Utah. Miss Bessie is a graduate of the short course of Kansas State Agricultural College. Helen is a graduate of the Blue Rapids high school and is now one of the successful teachers of Marshall county, and Georgia is a student in the Blue Rapids high school and is completing her senior year.
Mr. and Mrs. Sedivy endured many of the hardships of life, before they succeeded. Now they have many friends in their community and are held in the highest regard by all.
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JOHN RUEGER.
Among the many well-known residents and successful farmers and stockmen of Guittard township, Marshall county, is John Rueger, who was born in Sauk county, Wisconsin, on September 8. 1863, the son of Leonard and Leona Rueger.
Leonard Rueger was born in Bavaria. Germany, in 1820, and there received his education in the public schools and grew to manhood. When but a young man he left his native land and came to the United States, and after his arrival in this country he proceeded at once to Wisconsin, where he engaged in general farming until 1874. He then came to Kansas and located in Balderson township. Marshall county, where he first purchased eighty acres of land. on which he built a log house, in which he and his family lived for a number of years. After having settled on the land he at once engaged in the breaking of the tract. and with his oxen he soon had some of the farm under cultivation. He later purchased another one hun- dred and sixty acres of land, which he sold to his sons, and at the time of his death in 1888 he was the owner of eighty acres of excellent land.
Leonard Rueger was first married to Leona Rueger and by her he was the father of five children, of whom John was the youngest. After the death of Leona Rueger, Leonard Rueger was later married to Roseine Wendle, and to this union two children were born. Mrs. Rueger is now living in western Kansas at the age of eighty-one years. Mr. Rueger and his family were active members of the Catholic church and were for many years prominent in the social life of the community in which they lived, and where they were held in the highest regard and esteem.
John Rueger received his education in the local schools, and was ten years of age when he came to Kansas with his parents. . As a lad he began working for six dollars per month on the farm, and for thirty-one years he worked for Xavier Guittard, who owned the section of land, where John Rueger now owns one hundred and sixty acres. Mr. Rueger purchased the tract from Mr. Guittard, having earned the money during his many years of labor on the place. In addition to this one hundred and sixty acres of excellent land. he is the owner of another eighty acres, that he has added to his original place. He is engaged in general farming and stock-raising with much success and keeps a fine lot of Durham cattle and many fine hogs. He is also a shareholder in the Union elevator at Beattie, and is recognized as one of the prominent and successful residents of the township.
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In 1907 John Rueger was married to Mary Wiler, who was born in Switzerland on February 26. 1878. and is the daughter of Christ and Eliza- beth (Street) Wiler. Mr. and Mrs. Wiler were also natives of that coun- try and there they received their education in the public schools, grew to maturity and were married. After their marriage they continued to live in the land of their nativity until 1881, when they decided that they would come to the United States. On arriving in this country they located in Balderson township, Marshall county, where they lived nine years, after which they moved to Oklahoma, where they lived until the time of their deaths some years ago. They were the parents of seven children, all of whom are now living.
To Jolin and Mary Rneger have been born two children, Arthur F., who was born on February 10, 1908, and Eugene J., born on January 7, 1913. Mr. and Mrs. Rueger are devout members of the Catholic church and have long been prominent in the social life of the district. They have always taken a keen interest in the development of the educational and the social life of the community, and are held in the highest regard for their many excellent qualities.
Mr. Rueger has seen many changes in the country since as a lad he herded cattle for Guittard. During those early days much of the country was a wild tract of prairie land. and at times not less than four hundred Indians were encamped not far from the present home of Mr. Rueger.
JOSEPH MANNING.
Joseph Manning, one of Franklin township's well-known and substan- tial farmers, an honored veteran of the Civil War and the owner of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres in section 18 of that township, is a native of Ohio, but has been a resident of Marshall county since 1870, when he came here from Iowa with his family and settled in Franklin township. where he ever since has made his home, one of the best-known pioneers of that part of the county. Joseph Manning was born on a farm in Franklin township, Clermont county, Ohio. November 20, 1837, son of John and Ursula B. (Morgan) Manning, both natives of that same state, the former of whom also was born in Clermont county, son of John Manning, one of the earliest settlers in that part of the state.
In 1850 the younger John Manning and his family left Ohio and moved
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to Appanoose county, Iowa, where he established his home and where he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives, honored pioneer residents of that county. They were the parents of eleven chldren, of whom the sub- ject of this sketch was the fourth in order of birth. Joseph Manning was about thirteen years of age when his parents moved to Iowa and he at once became a valued assistant to his father in the labors of developing and im- proving the new homestead. He was living there when the Civil War broke out and in August, 1862, he enlisted as a private in Company I, Thirty- sixth Regiment, Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and served with that command for three years, or until the close of the war. Upon the completion of his military service, Mr. Manning returned to his home in Iowa and on Decem- ber 31, 1865, was united in marriage there to Maria 1. Holshouser, who was born in Putnam county, Indiana, August 30, 1849, fourth in order of birth of the eight children born to her parents, Milus A. and Caroline (Atkinson ) Holshouser, the former a native of North Carolina and the latter of Indiana. who moved from the Hoosier state to lowa in 1850 and settled in Wapello county, later moving to Appanoose county, where they spent their last days.
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