USA > Kansas > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery County, Kansas > Part 27
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95
The many other brilliant achievements of Mr. Peck at the bar have no particular significance to Montgomery county and for that reason I refrain from further following him in them.
In the practice he was quick, accurate and profound. He seemed to possess an intuitive faculty of at once grasping and solving the most intricate legal problems, and the power of elucidation. These qualities have long been recognized by many of the greatest corporations in the Union, and have kept him in enviable professional employment for near- ly a quarter of a century. While he has occasionally edified the most ex- acting audiences with his almost matchless oratory, his life has been de- voted to the duties of his profession. He has ever evinced a keen interest in politics, vet has never songht a public office. and on one occasion de clined to accept a seat in the United States Senate, which was uncondi- tionally tendered him; and on another, resigned from an important of- fice as before stated.
It is a pleasing feature in Mr. Peck's career, to think of him in 1873 using the poetry of Shakespeare in describing to his old friends in Janesville the mud and climatic conditions of his new home; and to see him thirty years after, at the head of the legal department of a great railway corporation that is being operated where "the slings and arrows of an eight-months' winter" prevail. This railroad company is operating nearly 7,000 miles of road, and in 1902, its gross earnings were over forty-five millions of dollars.
COL. CHARLES J. PECKILAM became a member of the bar of Montgomery county about 1871. So far as I have been able to learn, the Colonel was born in one of the New England States perhaps in the 30's. When a boy he spent two years on the seas as a common sai- lor and afterward enlisted in the Union Army where, during the Civil War, he rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was admitted to the bar in Illinois. After practicing some eight years in this county he moved to Sedan about 1878 and a few years later to Winfield and then, during the 90's, he went to Oklahoma where he died a few years ago. Col. Peckham was recognized by the members of the bar wherever he practiced as a very fine lawyer, and during the time he practiced here stood in the front ranks at the bar.
WILLIAM A. PEFFER was a practitioner at our bar for about six years, from 1875 to 1881. During this time, however, his time was mostly
235
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
taken up in other pursuits, and he never beeame prominent in the pro- fession. From his other achievements during his aetive and industrious life, he has fairly won a place among the distinguished members of our bar.
He was born in Cumberland county. Pennsylvania, on September 10. 1831. and resided there till 1853, when he located in St. Joseph eoun- ty. Indiana, where he remained till 1859. when he moved to Morgan county. Missouri, and stayed there till 1861.
In 1862, he settled in Warren county, Illinois, and while living there. and on August 6, 1862, enlisted in the Union Army and became a member of Company F. Eighty-third Illinos Volunteer Infantry, and re- mained in the service till he was mnstered out on June 26, 1865. Beforeen- tering the army Mr. Peffer's life was spent working on a farm, attending and teaching school. and after leaving the military service he settled at Clarksville, Tennessee, where he was admitted to the bar and practiced law till in 1869. He then, in 1870, located in Wilson county, Kansas, where he divided his time, till 1875, in practicing law and editing and pub- lishing The Fredonia Journal, a weekly newspaper devoted to the Repub- lican party doctrines. In 1875 he was elected to the State Senate as a Representative for Wilson and Montgomery counties, and located at Cof- feyville where, during his term of office in the Senate, he practiced law and edited and published the Coffeyville Journal from 1875 to 1881, ex- cept during the "close times" that prevailed in 1878, when he quit the law and taught a district school in Liberty township. In 1881 Mr. Peffer moved to Topeka where he edited the Kansas Farmer till 1890, meanwhile assisting in the editorial department of the Topeka Daily Capital. In the fall of 1890, he became a powerful leader in the populist party which elected a majority to the Legislature and he was chosen to represent the State in the United States Senate for six years.
After his retirement from the Senate of the United States, he de- voted much of his time to literary work, and to publishing the Topeka Advocate during 1897. He is now, at the age of 72 years, actively engaged in perhaps the most important work of his life, and that is the preparation of a complete index, by subjects, to the discussions in Congress from the beginning of 1789 to 1902 inclusive, which work was authorized by an act of Congress. For the most part, Senator Peffer's life, after leaving the army, has been devoted to the discussion of the public questions that have from time to time agitated the publie mind; and his writings on these subjects have shown deep thought and have been trenchant and ef- fective. While in the United States Senate he evinced a marvelous knowledge of statistics and figures and was a recognized authority by even those who did not agree with him in their application.
JUDGE LUTHER PERKINS was born in Boston, Massachu- setts. on April 25. 1844, and lived there and at Chicago before locating in
236
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
Coffeyville, Kansas, about thirty-three years ago. He graduated at the Boston Law School in his native city in June. 1864. but never became a member of the bar of Montgomery county until June 29, 1895. Since lo- cating at Coffeyville he has always been one of the prominent men of that city, and has spent his life in loaning money and dealing in real estate on his own account and as agent for others. Before his admission to the bar he did considerable of that character of business that belongs to the legal profession-such as drafting papers, examining abstracts of title, rendering advice on legal problems, etc., and did some prac- tice in the justice and police courts.
Since his admission he has not engaged in the practice extensively, as his time has been fully taken up with his personal affairs and in ful- filling the duties of the office of Judge of the Court of Coffeyville, to which he was elected about one year ago.
SANFORD H. PETTIBONE was born at Springfield, Illinois, De cember 13, 1848. In September. 1862. when less than fourteen years of age. he enlisted in Company "D." Thirty-third Illinois Volunteer Infant- ry. While in the army he lost both legs in a railroad wreck at Butte, Lousiana, and afterward remained in a hospital at New Orleans until July. 1865, when he was taken to Jefferson Barracks, Missouri, where he was discharged Angust 4, following.
In 1867, he entered the Illinois Soldiers' College at Fulton and was graduated therefrom in 1871, and then read law in the office of Judge Crook af Springfield, Illinois. In July, 1872, he was admitted to the bar in Illinois and in the same
year located u the prac- tice of his profession in MePherson County, Kansas, being the first at- torney to settle in that county. In February, 1877, he returned to Illi- nois and practiced at Vandalia until 1881, when he returned to Kansas and located in the practice at Independence as the junior member of the firm of Hill & Pettibone, which he continned till about 1887, when he lo- cated at Kansas City, where he pursued his profession for a number of years and then moved to the Sonth.
SETH IN. PIPER was admitted to the bar of Montgomery county at the age of twenty-one years and has since been in the active practice of the law. He was born in Shelby county, Indiana, May 4, 1868, and resid- ed there till 1878 when he went with his parents to Champagne, Illinois, where he spent about three years, and then, in 1881, moved on a farm in Montgomery county, Kansas. He worked on this farm till he was nineteen years old when he engaged as a clerk in a store and read law for two years before his successful application for admission to practice.
After becoming a member of the bar he at once located at Elk City in the practice, which he pursued there until he moved to Independence on January 1, 1900. While living at Elk City, Mr. Piper filled to the sat- isfaction of the public these offices: member of the school board three
237
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
years, city attorney of Elk City from January, 1890, to July 1896, mayor of the city two terms and deputy county attorney for four years; and since locating at Independence he has served as deputy connty attorney for eighteen months and is now serving as city attorney of Independence, to which office he was appointed May, 1903.
He is now in the active practice in partnership with O. P. Ergen- bright under the firm name of Ergenbright & Piper.
SAMUEL M. PORTER was born at Walled Lake, Oakland county, Michigan, on December 14, 1849, and lived there on his father's farm till he entered the law department of the University of Michigan at Am Arbor. from which he graduated in 1874. He had, before entering the university, taken a literary course at Hillsdale College. Hillsdale, Michi- gan, and had also, before graduating at Ann Arbor, and on August 20, 1873, been admitted to the bar by the Circuit Court of Alpena Co., Michi- gan. and at that place actively pursued his profession for several years. He then came to Montgomery county, and, in March, 1881, was admitted as a member of its bar and has since continued in the general practice in the county.
While at East Saginaw. Mr. Porter served as alderman for two years and JJudge of the Recorder's (Criminal) Court of the city for one Voar.
For several years, in addition to his practice, Mr. Porter has lent his energies to the promotion and building of a line of railroad from Caney, sonth to Bartlesville and is now successfully promoting the development of a coal field in the Indian Territory, and other important enterprises.
GEORGE W. PURCELL was born in Saline county, Missouri, about fifty years ago, and when about grown pursued farming and teaching, till about 1895, when he was admitted to the bar of Montgomery county and entered the practice at Caney. which he pursued about three years and then located at Bartlesville, Indian Territory, where he practiced about two years and then moved to Gray Horse, Indian Territory, where he now resides pursuing his profession.
JOSEPH P. ROSSITER was born at Norristown, Pennsylvania, on September 20, 1869. He spent his childhood at Girard, Pennsylvania, and graduated at the State School at Edinboro, in the same State in 1890. He was principal of several different schools, the last being one of the ward schools in the city of Chicago, Illinois. He also has worked at life insurance and been connected with building and loan associations.
fle was admitted to the bar of Montgomery county on June 28. 1898, and at once located in the practice of his profession at Coffeyville and has since devoted his time exclusively and successfully to profession- al work at that city.
THOMAS S. SALATHIEL was born at Lawrence, in Douglas
238
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
county, Kansas, in October, 1866, and a sketch of his life and family genealogy is presented in another place in this volume.
CAPTAIN HOWARD A. SCOTT was born near Parker's Landing in Butler county. Pennsylvania, on April 7. 1873, and lived there till Sep- tember 2t. 1883. when he moved with his parents to Neodesha, Kansas, where they spent about six months, and then settled on a farm in Syea. more township in Montgomery county, where Mr. Scott remained, working on his father's farm until he was eighteen or nineteen years of age. Hle then attended the high school at Neodesha, Kansas, and after- ward took a business course in a college at Kansas City, Missouri. He was admitted to the bar of Wilson county, by the District Court in Sep- tember. 1897. and to the bar of this county in January, 1898, after hav- ing read law with Hon. T. J. Hudson of Fredonia. Kansas, and after having attended a course of lectures delivered at Kansas City, Missouri, by the leading lawyers of that place. Before becoming a member of the bar, Captain Scott had taught four terms of school in this county. At first he held a third-grade certificate, then a second and finally a first grade. After his admission to the bar, he at once entered the practice at Independence, Kansas, and continued in it until May 3, 1898, when he enlisted in Company "G." Twentieth Kansas Volunteers, and entered the Spanish-American War, and spent eighteen months in active military life. At the organization of his company he was elected first lieutenant, and on February 12. 1899, was promoted to the office of captain and as- signed to the command of Company "A" in the same regiment and on Marel: 1, 1899, was transferred to the command of Company "G."
During his term in the army he served in threegeneral courts martial, one in San Francisco, California, one in Mololos, Philippine Islands, and another in the city of Manila, Philippine Islands, in which last two he presided over the courts. The court in Malolos was held in a cathedral that had just previously been occupied by the Filipino National Con- gress.
Ile was also several times detailed to defend parties on trial before courts martial and served in the Philippines on Colonel Funston's staff as ordnance officer.
On his return from the war, and in the fall of 1899, he resumed the practice of his profession at Independence in which he has continued to the present time, and is now deputy county attorney under Mayo Thom- as.
He was a candidate for the office of judge of the Fourteenth Judicial District at the November, 1902, election and was defeated by Judge Flan- nely, the present incumbent.
JOHN M. SCUDDER was one of the pioneer members of the bar of Montgomery county. He came from Tennessee in the 60's and first lo- vated in Douglas county, and in 1869 or 1870. came to this county, where
239
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
he first settled at Westralia or Parker. He shortly after moved to Cof- feyville, where for three or four years he did an extensive and profitable professional business. In 1873. he was a candidate for Judge of the Elev- enth Judicial District and was beaten in the race by Judge B. W. Per- kins and a few months later moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where he prac- tired for a short time and then located at Virginia City, Illinois, where he died about 1877. Mr. Sendder was a talented man, a fine lawyer, and had an eager taste for literature, in which he was well informed.
OSBORN SHANNON located at Independence about 1871, he hav- ing previously been admitted to the bar in Douglas county. He married a Miss Delong, whose father served several terms as mayor of Independ- ence, and as such, made the entry of the townsite. Out of the purchase and disposition of the land so entered by the mayor, much litigation re- sulted for several years and Mr. Shannon was actively engaged in mat- ters connected with such entry and disposition of the lands and in the lit- igation that ensued.
About 1876 he returned to Lawrence, where his father, Governor Shannon. then one of the most eminent lawyers in the west, resided and was practicing. Later Mr. Shannon moved to Chicago, where he died a few years ago. He was a genial, companionable and warm-hearted man.
JOHN T. SHOWALTER was admitted to the bar of Montgomery county in August, 1871, he having, the year previous, been admitted to practice at Ashley, Illinois. He was born at Clarksville, Missouri, July 27, 1840. and before coming to Kansas had lived with his parents a few years in Grant county. Wisconsin, and afterward resided for a time in Ohio, and later in Illinois. After his admission to practice, in 1871, he opened an office here but shortly afterward followed the local land office to Neodesha, Kansas, to which place it was moved under orders from Washington. Shortly after. the land office was returned to Inde- pendence and Mr. Showalter came back with it, and located, entered and continued in the practice here until about May, 1872, when he moved to Wellington, Kansas, where he has since resided and pursued the business of an attorney, real estate and loan agent.
Since he went to Wellington he has served the public in various of- fices, among which are, register of deeds of the county from 1877 to 1879. member of the Legislature in 1891, deputy bank commissioner from 1891 to 1893 and is now serving his term as probate judge of Sumner county, to which he was elected in November, 1902.
MICHAEL SICKAFOOSE was born in Whitney county, In- diana. June 12th, 1842, where he was a school teacher until 1868. when he was admitted to the bar at Columbia City, in that state. He then en- tered the practice and continued there in the same until the spring of 1873, when he located at Independence, where he practiced law for two
240
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
years in partnership with John S. Cotton, under the firm name of Siek- afoose & Cotton. He then returned to Columbia City where he continued the practice until 1889, when, on account of failing health, he moved to Lincoln. Nebraska, where he has since lived. Mr. Siekafoose was, while here, a talented young lawyer, well read and a courteous gentleman.
OLIVER P. SMART was born in Union county, Ohio, on December 13th, 1839, and lived there until August. 1868, when he went to Warsaw, Benton county, Missouri. Prior to leaving Ohio, his life was spent on a farm, except six years, while he was a student at the Ohio Wesleyan Uni- versity, from which he was graduated in a classical course in 1869. He was admitted to practice in December, 1869, by the Circuit Court of Benton county, Mo., on an examination, after having read law in the of- fice of Col. A. C. Barry at Warsaw, Mo. In March, 1870, he located in the practice at Independence, and a few months later became a member of the law firm of Smart & Foster, which continued in the business until Mr. Foster retired, and engaged in real estate business. Mr. Smart was one of the first members of the bar of Montgomery county, having been admitted on May 9th. 1870.
After Mr. Foster retired from the firm, Mr. Smart continued the practice 'till 1890, and then for the next six years spent his time on a farm. In 1896 he returned to Independence, where he has since resided. He was county attorney for a short time in 1870, and a member of the city council one term. Since his return to Independence in 1896 Mr. Smart has devoted but little time to his profession.
GEORGE R. SNELLING was from Jowa. He located some years ago in the practice of law at Anthony, Kansas, and afterward filled the office of Assistant Attorney General for two years under General Boyle, during Governor Leedy's administration, ending in 1899. Short- ly afterward he located in the practice of his profession at Coffeyville, which he has since pursned at that place.
SAMUEL F. SPENCER was born at Greensburg, Kentucky, about 1850, and was admitted to the bar there about 1874, and practiced at that place 'till late in 1878. when he located at Independence. Kansas. Early in the next year he was admitted to the bar of this county, and practiced law until about October, 1880, when he moved to Colorado, where he remained about six months and then returned to his old home in Kentucky. About 1884 he married and moved to California, where he pursued his profession 'till he returned to Kentucky about 1890, and died there about two years later.
Mr. Spencer was a young gentleman of polished address and of fine ability. His father, General Samuel A. Spencer, was a distinguished lawyer in Kentucky, and practiced his profession at Greensburg, that state, from his early manhood till his death a few years ago, at the age of over ninety years.
241
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
THOMAS H. STANFORD was born at New Albany, Indiana, on March 7th, 1851, and was reared on a farm near Brookston, in that state, until he was seventeen years of age. He then taught school for four years and was afterward, and on June 17th, 1879, admitted to the bar of White county, Indiana, and since that date has devoted his time ex- clusively to his profession. After pursuing the practice in Indiana for nearly six years, he moved to Kansas and located in the same business at Independence, where he was admitted to the Montgomery county bar on March 18th, 1885. He was shortly afterward admitted to the Su- preme Court of the state and to the Federal Courts.
Mr. Stanford now gives his whole time looking after his extensive professional business in the various courts above named. The only pub- lie position he has ever filled was the office of city attorney for Indepen- dence. He was the fusion candidate for Judge of the 11th Judicial Dis- triet, then composed of Montgomery, Labette and Cherokee counties, in 1898, and defeated by Judge A. H. Skidmore, who was elected as his own successor.
L. T. STEPHENSON was one of the earliest practitioners at the bar of Montgomery county, and was in many respects a most remarkable character. He was a man of fine natural ability, indomitable energy and industry, aggressive and fearless and generally "in a peck of trouble," during which times he never failed to furnish the cause of a liberal supply of perplexity to his enemies. While his achievements in the practice of law, on true scientific lines, were never conspicuous, his power and influence were often felt in important cases, especially in the numerous land contest suits incident to the settlement of the country and in many of the grave criminal cases that arose from the struggles between the pioneers.
Mr. Stephenson wrote a beautiful hand, having spent at one time a portion of his life giving writing lessons. He was clerk of the district court for one term in the early 70's and performed many of the legitimate duties of that office through deputies, while he energetically looked after various interests on the outside. He was one of the very foremost men in locating and laying out the townsite of Independence, and was ever on the alert in looking after the welfare of the eity, when it was struggling in its infancy. Ile located on a valuable claim at the southeast corner of the townsite and became involved in a number of suits and contests over it and adjoining lands. These contests in the U. S. Land Office and suits in the District Court lasted for years and were bitterly fought and very expensive, and during their progress Mr. Stephenson was, in the night, shot at on two different occasions, and at one of these times his life was probably preserved by a large gold collar button against which the bul- let lodged. On another occasion he "horse-whipped" on the public streets, the mayor, with whom he was having a contest in the land office. He
242
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
finally built a fine house on one of the most sightly places near the city, and traded a lot of his lands south of his home, for a herd of thorough bred, short horn cattle, and for several years peacefully devoted his en- ergies to raising fine cattle. This business, as was generally his misfor- tune in all he undertook. resulted in financial loss, his home burned down and he finally lost all his property and a few years ago, at the age of about sixty years, went to the Rocky Mountains, where, through some of his close friends, he became interested in mining. He carried with him all the appearances of the activity and energy that were character- istie of his younger days, and the absolute confidence of quickly realizing a fortune in the new enterprise. "Colonel Sellers" was never a greater optimist than was L. T. Stephenson.
MIR. - SWEENEY was an elderly gentleman in 1872. and lived in Wilson county. He was admitted to the bar of Montgomery county in December of that year, but never entered the practice in this county. He did some practice in Wilson county and died in that county a few years ago.
JOSEPH STEWART was born in Allen county, Kansas, October 30th. 1859, where he was reared. After working in the Humboldt bank two or three years he, at the age of twenty years, joined his father, Hon. Watson Stewart, at Independence, and worked in his office about two years, when he went to Washington as the private secretary of Congress- man Funston, and served in that capacity 'till about 1883, when he went into the service of the Government in its Postoffice Department, where he remained for about five or six years and then came to Independence, where he was admitted to the bar of Montgomery county about 1889.
After remaining here a few months he located in the practice at Kansas City and pursued his profession there and in Allen county, Kan- sas. for about two years and then, abont 1891, returned to Washington and entered the Postoffice Department as an important official and has since remained there.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.