USA > Kansas > Marshall County > History of Marshall County, Kansas : its people, industries, and institutions > Part 84
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On June 13, 1883, Mr. Runkle was united in marriage to Emma Shirck, who was born in Monrovia, Atchison county, Kansas, on April 22, 1864. and is the daughter of Samuel and Mary (Young) Shirck, both of whom were natives of the state of Pennsylvania. Samuel Shirck was born in 1839 and died in 1910: Mrs. Shirck was born in 1842 and died in 1907. At the age of fourteen years, Mrs. Shirck came to Kansas with the Hipple family, who were pioneers of this section. Mr. Shirck came to the state in 1856, and here he was married and established his home. and for a number of years taught school in Atchison county, before locating in Mar- shall county. He later engaged in general farming and became one of the successful men of the county. He later retired to Waterville, where he died. His home farm, in Washington county, was one mile west of the county line from Marshall county, and was known as one of the best developed and improved in the district. To Mr. and Mrs. Shirck were born the following children: Emma Runkle, Anna Allingham, a resident of New Mexico; May Ritzel, who resides on the home farm in Washington county and Harvey, a mail carrier on a rural free delivery route.
To Mr. and Mrs. Runkle have been born the following children : Grace. Jessie, Elsie, Mabel and Clarence. Grace Hubbard is living at home with her parents; Jessie is the wife of Ellis .Alley, and is a resident of Cottage Hill township: Elsie Runkle lives at Waterville and is a telephone oper- ator : Mabel Reboul lives at Green, Kansas, and Clarence is at home.
Mr. Runkle has always been a hard-working man and has met with much success in his work as a general farmer and stockman. His life has been a most active one and by hard work and close economy he has risen
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to a substantial and influential position in the county. He is independent in politics, and while he has never been an office seeker, he has always taken an active interest in the affairs of the township and county, and his advice is often asked in matters pertaining to the important affairs of the district. He is a man of progressive ideas and is recognized as one of the successful men of the community.
Fraternally, Mr. Runkle is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and Mrs. Runkle is a member of the Royal Neighbors and also one of the active members of the Lutheran church. Both Mr. and Mrs. Runkle are among the representative people of the community in which they live and where they are prominent in the social life of the township, and where they are held in the highest regard and esteem.
HENRY TRAXLER.
Henry Traxler, one of the substantial men and high-class farmers and stockmen of Cottage Hill township, Marshall county, was born in the state of New York, on October 14, 1848, being the son of Adam and Sylvia (Roberts) Traxler, who were natives of Pennsylvania and the state of New York, respectively.
Adam Traxler was the son of Henry Traxler, a member of one of the old families of Pennsylvania and was of German origin. When Adam was a lad his father moved to the state of New York and there the boy was educated in the public schools and grew to manhood on the home farm. It was there that he was united in marriage to Sylvia Roberts, and some years later they established their home on a farm in Richland county, Ohio, and there they died, the mother in 1864 and the father in 1867. Mr. and Mrs. Traxler were excellent people and highly regarded in the community in which they lived.
At the time of the death of his father, Henry Traxler was nineteen years of age and was one of a family of seven children, two of whom are now living. After the death of his father he remained in Ohio for three years and then moved to Muscatine county, Iowa, where he farmed for one year. During his residence in that county he was married and in 1879 he and his wife came to Kansas, and established their home in Norton county. They homesteaded a tract of land and for a time lived in a dug-out or sod house. Here the little family experienced many of the hardships
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of pioneer life on the plains. In 1882 they moved to Brown county, where they lived for one year and in 1883 they came to Marshall county, and for three years lived in Logan township, southwest of Marysville. They then took up their residence in Herkimer township and purchased a good farm, and there Mr. Traxler engaged in general farming until 1891. when he purchased a farm in Waterville township, where the family lived for ten years. He purchased his present farm in Cottage Hill township. and is now the owner of four hundred acres of splendid land, all of which is under a high state of cultivation and well improved. He has erected a beautiful ten-room, modern house, with hot water heat, bath, hardwood floors and every convenience possible. He has a splendid barn with silo, for the housing of his stock and his grain. He is much interested in his Red Polled cattle and Duroc-Jersey hogs. He is to a large extent replacing his Duroc-Jerseys with Poland China hogs, and now has some fine animals. His well-kept fields and pastures dotted here and there with the herds of fine cattle and droves of hogs, present a pleasing sight. The buildings are kept in a fine state of repair and the place is beautified with trees and shrubbery and a fine young orchard.
In 1870 Henry Traxler was united in marriage to Hannah E. Moore. who was born in Ohio in November, 1850, and is the daughter of .Alex and Mina (Corson) Moore, both of whom were natives of Ohio, and who later settled in the state of Iowa, where they established their home on a farm and there the father died, and after his death the mother came to Kansas. To Henry and Hannah Traxler have been born the follow- ing children: Edwin, who is a teacher, having graduated from the normal school and is now working for a degree at Emporia : Herbert is at Kansas City: one child that died in infancy; Clyde, who died at the age of five years, and Maud, Robert, Ralph and Stanley, who are at home. Mr. and Mrs. Traxler are active members of the Methodist Episcopal church and have long been prominent in the social life of the community in which they live and where they are held in high esteem and regard by all. Mr. and Mrs. Traxler are members of the Knights and Ladies of Security and he is one of the influential men of the district.
Since coming to Marshall county, Mr. and Mrs. Traxler have by their own efforts and hard work, accomplished much that is worthy of note. They have one of the ideal farms and beautiful homes of the county. where they take much pleasure in the entertainment of their neighbors and their friends. Politically, Mr. Traxler is a Republican and while he takes much interest in local affairs, he has never been an office seeker.
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1 HIRAM LILLIBRIDGE.
Among the many well-known and substantial farmers and stockmen of Waterville township, Marshall county, Hiram Lillibridge ranks prominently. He is the owner of three hundred and ten acres of splendid land in section 18, and was born in Crawford county, Pennsylvania, on March 28, 1847, being the son of Thomas and Sophia ( Brooks) Lillibridge.
Thomas and Sophia Lillibridge were natives of the state of Vermont and there they received their education in the local schools, and later, with their parents moved to the state of New York, where they were married. The father was born in 1807 and died in 1865. The mother was born . in 1818 and died in 1895. After their marriage they established their home in the state of New York, where they lived for a time and then moved to Pennsylvania, where Mr. Lillibridge engaged in general farming. Some years later the family moved to Crawford county, Iowa, where they remained until the spring of 1860, when they settled in Oketo township, Marshall county. Here Mr. Lillibridge homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land, where he made his home until the time of his death. The trip from Iowa to their new home was made with oxen and a covered wagon, and the family experienced many of the hardships of that method of travel. They lived for a time in a dug-out on their homestead, during which time Mr. Lillibridge broke his land with his oxen and prepared the soil for the planting of his crops. In addition to his work on the farm, he was a well-known freighter, and made many trips from Marysville to Atchison with his team of oxen. His death occurred in the Rocky Moun- tains. His wife died at the home of her son, Hiram, at the age of eighty- two years. They were the parents of nine children, two of whom are now deceased, Hiram being the fourth eldest born. They were active memebrs of the Baptist church and always took a keen interest in church work.
Hiram Lillibridge came to Marshall county with his parents. He received his education in one of the pioneer schools, held in a dug-out. He was married when he was but eighteen years of age and soon there- after homesteaded eighty acres of his present farm in Waterville township. Here he constructed a dug-out in which he and his wife lived for some years. He at once proceeded to develop and improve his farm, which was at that time raw prairie. He had but twenty dollars when he was mar- ried. He worked as a farm hand and in that way bought himself a yoke of oxen, and he worked for twenty-five days for John Tulle and Newton
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Cook, in return for which they broke five acres of his land. As he began to prosper he built a log house, and in this the family lived until the present frame house was built forty-two years ago. Those first few years were trying ones to the young man and woman, who had attempted to establish a home for themselves on the wild and unbroken prairie of Kansas. They had the determination to win, and by hard work and close economy, they did in time become successful and influential people in the district. The territory was at that time sparsely settled, and their nearest trad- ing point was at Marysville, where they were compelled to go for the few necessities of life that they could get. There were no roads, and the trips to market were as few as possible.
On July 15, 1865, Hiram Lillibridge was united in marriage to Mar- garet M. Cook, who was born in Hamilton county, Indiana, on January 29. 1847, and is the daughter of Joseph and Rachel (Willis) Cook. Mr. and Mrs. Cook were both natives of the Hoosier state, the former having been born in 1811 and died in 1877, at the age of seevnty-seven years; the latter was born in Rush county and died on June 3. 1884, at the age of seventy-one years. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Cook established their home on a farm in Hamilton county, where they lived until 1865. when they decided to seek a home on the plains of Kansas, and that year they homesteaded eighty acres in section 19, Waterville township, Marshall county. Their early life on the prairie was fraught with many hardships, for the country was but thinly settled and was for the most part unde- veloped. They shared the hardships with other pioneers, and a bond of friendship and hospitality was developed that would be hard to find in a more advanced district. Their lot was a common one and each shared the hardships and the few pleasures with the others. They had three sons who took an active part in the Civil War, one of whom was killed in battle and another died a few weeks after coming home.
To Hiram and Margaret M. Lillibridge were born the following chil- dren : Ollie, Matthew, William,' Mary, Isabelle, John, Lulu, Daniel L., Daisy and Hiram, Jr. Ollie was the wife of L. Park and to them ten children were born, four of whom with the mother are now deceased : Matthew is a farmer and stockman of Washington county, Kansas; Mary J. is the wife of Al Arganbright, a resident of Waterville township, and to them have been born nine children, all of whom are now living; Isabelle is the wife of Bert Arganbright, of Waterville township and to them have been born five children, one having died some years ago: John P. is a land- owner and farmer of Waterville township; Hiram, J., resides in Nebraska ;
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Lulu, now deceased, was the wife of A. Mapes and to her three children were born; Daniel L. was killed when but two years of age; Daisy is the wife of J. Brooks of Frankfort, and to them no children have been born. Mr. and Mrs. Lillibridge have twelve great-grandchildren and forty- five grandchildren, and one of their greatest pleasures is experienced on home-coming days. Mrs. Lillibridge is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and Mr. Lillibridge is a regular attendant and a liberal subscriber to its support. They are estimable people and are held in the highest regard by all who know them. Their lives have been active ones and they have accomplished much that is worthy the emulation of all. Their early married life was started under the most trying circumstances, but as the years came and went, they advanced on the ladder of success and in the affection of the people with whom they associated.
Mr. Lillibridge has always taken an active interest in the affairs of the township and county. Although he has never been a seeker after office, he has felt it to be his duty to assist in the selection of the best men to administer the affairs of county and state. He is a stockholder of the Farmers Elevator at Waterville, and a man of much force and influence. He has his farm rented, yet there are few days in the year that he is not busy looking after his extensive interests.
JAMES W. STEWART.
James W. Stewart, a substantial and influential farmer of Waterville, township, Marshall county, was born in the state of Illinois on December 14, 1857, being the son of Samuel. and Saralı (Leach) Stewart, natives of the state of New York and Pennsylvania, respectively. The parents were married in Pennsylvania and soon thereafter established their home in Illi- nois, where the mother died in 1873 at the age of fifty-seven years. Two years after the death of his wife, Samuel Stewart moved to Iowa, locating in Wappelo county, where he died in December, 1889, at the age of seventy- nine years.
Samuel and Sarah Stewart were the parents of nine children: Hezekiah, Calvin, Julia, Irene, Sarah, Helen, Melvin, Clark, and James W. Hezekialı is a resident of Boone county, Iowa; Calvin resides in Grundy county, Iowa; Julia Bowen is a resident of Illinois; Irene Heath is a widow and resides with her daughter in South Dakota; Helen Smith lives in Minneapolis;
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Melvin lives in Grundy county, lowa : Clark M. is a resident of Marysville, this county, and James W., in Waterville township. Samuel Stewart was a member of the Fifty-fifth regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and the son Hezekiah was in the Seventy-fifth regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, both seeing much active service during the Civil War.
James W. Stewart received his education in the public schools of Illinois and remained a resident of his native state until he was eighteen years of age; he then moved to lowa, where he remained for two years, when he came to Kansas in 1878. Here he located on the old Indian reservation and three months later sold his claim and purchased eighty acres in Herkimer town- ship at five dollars per acre, on ten-year time. The times were hard and Mr. Stewart had many difficulties to encounter for a few years in meeting his payments, but in the end he succeeded and at the same time developed and improved the place. He sold the farm in 1888 and located three miles northwest of Waterville, where he obtained eighty acres of excellent land. This he also improved and engaged in farming until 1906, when he sold out and purchased his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres at the edge of Waterville and forty acres further north. This is a splendid farm, highly developed and nicely improved, with a beautiful modern house and other farm buildings. With the excellent and substantial buildings, surrounded with trees and shrubbery, the place is one of the ideal country homes of Mar- shall county, and as a general farmer and stockman, Mr. Stewart is meeting with much success.
On August 1, 1879, James W. Stewart was married to Eugenie Hill Yale. who was born in the state of New York and is the daughter of Samuel and Margaret Hill, both of whom were also natives of that state. Mrs. Stewart received her education in her native state and there she grew to womanhood and was united in marriage to Tracy Vale. They came to Kansas where Mr. Vale died some time afterward. To James W. and Eugenie Stewart the following children have been born: Edward, who is deputy county treasurer at Tologo, Oklahoma : Gladys is the wife of Louis Eddy, of Marys- ville: Fred is engaged in farming in Cottage Hill township: Frank resides in lowa: Walt is at home: Walter is a clerk at Toluca, Oklahoma; and Fletcher is at home. The children received their education in the common and high schools of the county, and are well prepared for life's battles. Mrs. Stewart and the children are members of the Lutheran church and the family is prominent in the social activities of their home community.
Mr. Stewart is identified with the Republican party and has held the office of township treasurer. He is a member of the Ancient Free and
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Accepted Masons and the Modern Woodmen of America. He is vice- president of the County Fair Association and one of the active members of the board of management.
ORTWIN F. WOHLER.
Ortwin F. Wohler, one of the substantial and progressive farmers and stockmen of Cottage Hill township, Marshall county, where he has a splendid farm liome and an excellent farm of one hundred and sixty acres of land. was born on the home farm in the county on December 24, 1885, being the son of Theo and Sophia (Elstroth ) Wohler.
Theo Wohler was born in Lueppedelmold, Germany, on October 25, 1861, and died at his home in Marshall county, on January 10, 1913. When he was but four years of age, he came with his parents, Fred and Louisa Wohler, to the United States. The family established their home on the farm in Cottage Hill township, Marshall county, where the father and mother spent the remaining days of their lives. Fred Wohler died in 1909 at the age of ninety-two years and Louisa Wohler died in 1879 at the age of seventy-six years. Fred Wohler and his family came to this country without any money, yet with the determination to make a home in the new land. Mr. Wohler at once homesteaded a tract of land in Cottage Hill township and built a log cabin in which the family lived for number of years. He broke his first land with one horse and planted his crops. It was in this manner that he laid the foundation for a successful life as a farmer and stockman. He met with much success and at the time of his death he was the owner of one of the splendid farms of the county. Fred and Louisa Wohler were the parents of four children: Henry, August, Gotha and Theo. Henry and August are residents of Riley county, Kansas, and Gotha is the wife of William Klocke, of Missouri.
Theo Wohler was reared on the home farm in Cottage Hill township and received his education in the local schools. He assisted his father with the work on the farm, and at the age of twenty-one years he assumed the management of the place, and in 1882 he purchased the home farm of one hundred and sixty acres. To this farm he added until at the time of his death he was the owner of four hundred and eighty acres of splendid land. all of which was under a high state of cultivation and well improved. In 1892 he built a large horse barn and a few years later he erected the cattle
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barn, which is twenty-eight by one hundred and fifty feet. In 1906 he built the splendid modern house at a cost of two thousand five hundred dol- lars. Mr. Wohler was a great home man and took the greatest pleasure with his family. He was a great admirer of good horses and kept a fine lot of draft animals. He was a breeder and raiser of grade hogs and Aber- deen Angus cattle. He was both a feeder and shipper, and each year he placed a carload of good cattle on the market.
On March 24, 1882, Theo Wohler was married to Sophia, the daughter of Henry and Marie ( Elstroth) Elstroth, both of whom were natives of Germany, and in that country Mrs. Wohler was born on May 11, 1857, and there she was educated in the public schools and grew to womanhood. In 1881 she left her home in the fatherland and came to some of her friends in Marshall county, and the next year was married. She now resides on her fine farm, and since the death of her husband the son, Frank, operates the farm. Besides Frank, Mr. and Mrs. Wohler were the parents of two other children, Ortwin, the eldest and a successful farmer of the township, and Lillie, the wife of Ed. Kaump, a resident of Riley county, Kansas. Mr. and Mrs. Wohler were active members of the Evangelical church and always took much interest in all church work.
Ortwin F. Wohler received his education in the local schools and grew to manhood on the home place. When but a lad he decided that he would be a farmer and always took much interest in all farm work and the care of stock. After reaching manhood, he soon obtained a farm for himself. and is today one of the progressive and successful young farmers of Mar- shall county. He pays much attention to the breeding and raising of cattle and has a fine lot of Aberdeen Angus cattle on the place.
On April 13. 1910, Mr. Wohler was united in marriage to Emma Sand, a native of Riley county and the daughter of G. and Eliza Sand, both of whom were natives of Germany and early settlers in Marshall and Riley counties. To Mr. and Mrs. Wohler one child has been born, Mable, whose birth occurred on July 18, 1912. Mr. and Mrs. Wohler are active members of the Evangelical church and are prominent in the social life of the town- ship, where they are held in the highest regard and esteem. They have one of the neat and desirable farm homes of the county, and take the great- est pleasure in the entertainment of their neighbors and friends.
Mr. Wohler is identified with the Democratic party and has always taken a keen interest in the affairs of the township and county. In the selec- tion of men to administer the affairs of the district. he looks rather to the
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man than to any party affiliation. He is one of the progressive men of the community, and is a firm believer in the building of good roads and the support of the best schools.
MICHAEL FREDERICK FOCKS.
Michael Frederick Focks, now deceased, and who was long a resident of Marshall county, was born at Barth, Germany, on January 5, 1850, and died on May 23, 1915. He was the son of J. F. and Margaret (Brumzagsn) Focks, the former of whom was born in 1811 and the latter in 1821. The parents received their education in the schools of Germany and there grew to manhood and womanhood and were there married. The father was a ship carpenter and for many years worked at his trade in the land of his nativity. In 1871 he and his wife decided to leave the fatherland and seek a home in America. After their arrival in the United States they at once proceeded to Chicago, where they lived until the next year when they came to Kansas. The father obtained a farm in Waterville township, Marshall county, and engaged in general farming and stock raising until the time of his death in 1885 and here the widow died in 1899. They were the parents of two children, Lena, who died in 1888, and Michael Frederick. Mr. and Mrs. Focks were highly respected and were active members of the Lutheran church and took great interest in all church work. During his residence in the county, Mr. Focks was active in local affairs, and soon became interested in the new order of things. He was a man of much ability and possessed of excellent judgment.
: Michael Frederick Focks received his education in the schools of Germany and there he was reared and continued to live until he was eighteen years of age, when he decided to come to America. He landed in the United States in the years 1868, and at once continued his journey to the city of Milwaukee, where he lived for two years. His life in the Fatherland had been spent as a seaman and a fisherman and at Milwaukee he sought a position on the Lakes. In 1870 he went to Holly Springs, Mississippi, and did much traveling through the south. In 1872 he came to Kansas, where he homesteaded the present home farm of the family, in Waterville township, Marshall county. He built a log cabin of two rooms, and at once started the task of developing his farm. The tract was a good one, of rich bottom land, and in 1878 he purchased another eighty
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acres, making the farm one hundred and sixty acres. This tract he thor- oughly developed and improved, and in time his farm was known as one of the best in the township, and Mr .. Focks was recognized as one of the successful and substantial men of the county. He took the greatest inter- est in his general farming and stock raising, in both of which he was successful.
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