USA > Kansas > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery County, Kansas > Part 50
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Mr. Straub finished his education, on his return home, in the com- mercial college at Sedalia, Missouri, and, following the completion of his course was, for five months, Deputy Clerk of the District Court in Mont- gomery county. In January, 1902, he severed his connection with the
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office and returned to Liberty township, from which he soon afterward announced his candidacy for the office of Register of Deeds. Ae was nominated, against two competitors, and was elected, in November, by a majority of three hundred and seventy-five votes. He was installed into office January 12. 1903, to succeed T. F. Burke. He is a Republican and cast his maiden Presidential vote for the lamented William Mckinley.
HENRY BRADLEY, M. D .- A pleasant drive, one-half mile east of the little city of Caney. in Montgomery county, brings one to the splendid stock farm of Dr. Henry Bradley, a gentleman whose strong personality has affected. in a marked degree. the development of the sec tion in which he lives and whose pleasing address and kindly manner has made him the center of a host of friends.
Dr. Bradley comes of "Buckeye" stock, having been born in Indiana on the 22d of March, 1845. His father. Michael Bradley, was a native of Ohio and, on arriving at manhood's estate, was joined in marriage to Leah Glick, also a "Buckeye." They moved to Indiana, about 1840, and settled in Miami county, in the virgin forest, and. mn irne pioneer fashion, carved ont a home, and where they continued to reside until the death of the father, at the age of sixty-five years. The wife survives him, at the age of eighty-six years. She was the mother of twelve children, of whom Henry is the fourth.
Dr. Henry Bradley drew inspiration from the fields of the"Hoosier State," attending to the duties of farm life and acquiring such edneation as was possible, in the district school of that time, with its slab benches and puncheon floors and teachers who spared not the rod, in the making of the future scholar and statesman. He was, later, favored with a three years' caurse at a Presbyterian academy, at Wabash, Indiana, and then commeneed the study of his profession. He finished his studies at a med- ical college in Marion, graduating in February of 1882. With his "sheep- skin"underhis arm, he immediately came west, locating at Tyro, in Mont- gomery county. Here he built up a splendid practice, but, yielding to the excitement of the time, in the opening of the Oklahoma country, he went down, secured a claim, and stayed until he had proved up on it, in the meantime doing some practice at his profession. Kansas, however, had sunk her seeds of contentment so deep into his nature that he re- solved to sell out and return, and Montgomery again claimed him as a citizen. He, however, had become weaned from the profession to which he had devoted thirty years of his life, and, in conjunction with his son, purchased a farm and began the business in which they are now engaged. Here they make a point of handling nothing but the best stock. and do a large business in horses and mules.
Dr. Bradley's family consists of wife and one son, Nathaniel, who
J. E. HARDIN.
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was born in Miami county, Indiana, January 6, 1865, and was joined in marriage with Eunice Cornthwaite, a native of Indiana, and a dangh- ter of Thomas and Rhoda Cornthwaite. They have two children, Harold and Opal. The doctor's wife, whom he married, in Indiana, March 27, 1864, was Miss Eliza Ward. She was born December 19, 1844, in Ohio, the daughter of Robert and Jane (Adams) Ward, he of Ohio, and she a native of Ireland. Mrs. Bradley is one of twelve children, five of whom are now living: Alexander, Thomas, John, Elwood and Eliza. It is worthy of note and of all praise, that of the family, during the dark days of the rebellion, six members marched forth to do battle for their coun- try. The father, together with Alexander, John, Thomas, Elwood and Harry, early joined the army and served till the close, save Harry, who was mortally wounded, during the siege of Vicksburg, and died, seven days later.
JOSEPH E. HARDEN-With a character unique in its personality, probably no other name presented in this volume will attract a greater degree of attention than that of Joseph E. Harden. farmer, postmaster at Larimer and station agent of the Missouri Pacific railroad. He has "been here always;" at least, so it seems to many of his friends and neighbors, who have known him so long that the mind of man "runneth not to the contrary."
Mr. Hardin filed on a claim of eighty aeres, on section 2-32-15, on the 19th of March, 1870, which has constituted his home since that date. He was born near Baltimore, Maryland, May 19, 1828, and lived there and in the city until September of 1853. when he entered the employ of the B. & O. railroad, as a freight conductor. He served with efficiency in this position until he had the misfortune to get his hand mashed, when he worked as a stationary engineer at one of the company's pumping stations. In 1867, he came west, to DesMoines, lowa, where he worked in the Rock Island's freight house, for a short period. thence to Atlantic, Iowa. He remained at this point until the date of his coming to Kan- sas, the trip being made overland in the typical "prairie schooner" of the day.
After putting up his box house, Mr. Harden had but a bare fifty-cent piece in his pocket to begin life in the new country, but he went to work with the "whin and whil" of the true Marylander and, in two years' time, had paid for his place and had a splendid start in improvements. It is interesting to note, that in his primitive box house, there met the first quarterly meeting of the Methodist church in these parts, those pres- ent being Elder C. E. Lewis, William Laird. Solomon Duncan, William Conch, John W. Keller. A. Harris, Mrs. Mendinghall and Mr. and Mrs. Harden. This first shelter gave place to a strong stone house. at the be-
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ginning of the third year, which served until the railroad was built, when the present home was erected.
The following points concerning the family of Mr. Harden are of in- terest : Ignatius Harden, grandfather of our subject, left Carlton, Eng- land, and worked his way over to America on the same vessel in which was Charles Carroll, the owner of "Carroll Manor," in Harford county, Maryland. He accompanied Mr. Carroll to his Manor and lived ont his life in that vicinity. He reared four children : Ignatius, Nicholas, Joseph and Sarah. Nicholas, of this family, married Clarissa Gore, a native of Germany, to whom were born fourteen children, as follows: Adazilla. Allen, Teresa Ward, Billazippa Allen. Cornelia Bartholow. Francis A .. William II., Samuel G., Elizabeth Nicholas. Sarah A. Steward, Nicholas Louis F .. Clarissa A. Gardner, John W. and Joseph E. The father of this family was born in Carroll Manor. in 1784. When he grew to manhood, he became a man of much prominence. He served, as first lieutenant. in the war of 1812. Hle was of well-developed physique, standing six feet two and weighing two hundred and fifty pounds. He took great interest in the manly art of boxing and became the champion of America, besting John JJ. Selby of England, then considered the master of that country. Selby came over to America for the express purpose of meeting Mr. Harden and the mill took place in Freedom, Carroll county, Maryland, in 1809. Nicholas won the fight in the sixth round, his opponent failing to give him so much as a scratch.
Joseph E. Harden was joined in marriage in 1854, to Emeline, daughter of Benjamin and Sarah Leech, of Virginia. After the death of his first wife, withont issue, JJoseph, in 1868, married the lady who now so efficiently presides over his home. Mrs. Harden is a native of West Virginia, and is the daughter of John and Barbara Welch, her christian name being Mary A. To her have been born : Joseph W. and Mary Alice, deceased ; Dora Ross, of Sedan, Kansas, whose daughter's name is Mary L .; Clarissa A. Lobangh, who, after the death of her husband, came to live with her parents, with her two children, Mabel and Joseph W .; Walter H., who served his country gallantly in the Philippines for three years without the loss of a day by sickness. He received a bullet wound in the foot while on guard dnty at Manila and now resudes under the home roof.
Joseph E. Harden has had a long and honorable career. In early life, he was a captain of militia, in Virginia, under the administration of Gov. Wise, and his company was called ont to quell the John Brown raid. In Montgomery county, he has served two terms as justice of the peace and has been postmaster since 1891. For the past ten years, he has ·served the Missouri. Pacitic company at Larimer, as station agent, and is .proud of the fact that his hand signed the bill of lading for the first car
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
of oil sent from this section, to the retinery at Neodesha, the date being February 12, 1893.
Any word of commendation on the character of Joseph E. Harden will seem entirely supertuous bere, as nearly every reader of this volume will have personal knowledge of him. Suffice it to say, that he and his family are in every respect worthy the great esteem in which they are held and merit the universal good wishes with which they are showered.
CHARLOTTE T. KIRKPATRICK-In the autumn of 1870, the sub- jeet of this personal nofice came into Montgomery county, Kansas, with her husband, the late Hardin W. Kirkpatrick, well remembered by the early settlers of West Cherry township. The two settled on a claim-right, . bought of one Edward Burt, for which they paid the sum of $900.00, and remained there twelve years, going thence to their new farm, in sec- tion 3. township 31. range 16. which was entered, as a claim, by Mr. Me- Govern. Here the family had its permanent home and here Mr. Kirkpat- rick died, February 10, 1903.
Mrs. Kirkpatrick was born in Scott county. Ilinois, January 13, 1845, and was a resident of that county till her departure for Kansas. Her parents were Edward and Delilah ( Baxter) Elliott, born in Penn- sylvania and Kentucky, respectively. Edward Elliott was a son of - Elliott, who removed from the "Keystone State" to Kentucky and subsequently became a pioneer of Scott county, Illinois. Edward, Thom- as and Harriet Hamilton were the three children of the original Elliott. herein mentioned. and by his marriage with Delilah Baxter, Edward Elliott reared eight children. namely : William II., Mrs. Julia A. Cline, Mrs. Mary Hamilton, Mrs. Caroline Dawson, John S., Mrs. Sarah E. Kel- ly, Mrs. Amanda E. Fletcher and Mrs. Charlotte T. Kirkpatrick.
Hardin W. Kirkpatrick was born in Winchester. Scott county, Illi- nois, and was a son of Thomas and Jane R. (Summers) Kirkpatrick, natives of Monroe county, Virginia, and of Todd county, Kentucky, res- pectively. The elder Kirkpatricks bad four children, namely: Hardin W., Samantha H., Mrs. Alice A. MeEvens and Mrs. Emmorilles Edmond- son. Mr. and Mrs. Kirkpatrick became the parents of tive children, viz : Harry E., of Montgomery county, bas three sons : Roy, Ivan C. and Burt R .: Chas. S., of Latah. Washington, has a daughter, Mildred. Those deceased are : Edward, Vera and an infanf.
In his young manhood, Hardin W. Kirkpatrick learned cabinet- making, but when abont twenty years of age, he abandoned the trade and became a teacher in the country schools, for some time. At the opening of the Civil war. he enlisted. as a private, in Company "F." One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Illinois Volunteer Infantry. After the war. he returned to his native place, with a minnie ball in his arm, and followed farming
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
till he left the east to become identified, in the same manner, with the west.
As a citizen of Montgomery county, he practiced industry and brought up his family to useful and upright lives. He was a prominent factor in local politics and was called to serve in public office by the voters of his township. He held the office of treasurer one term and was a number of years trustee and justice of the peace. He affiliated with the allied forces, as against the dominant political party of the county, and contributed his mite toward the overthrow of Republicanism.
JOSEPH S. HENDERSON-Brought into Montgomery county in infancy, when nature was supreme. Joseph S. Henderson is numbered with the pioneers. It was October 1, 1869, that his parents entered the county and became permanent settlers here. Their location was made on section 29, township 32, range 15, which traet was substantially im- proved, in time, and which has remained the continuous abiding place of the family. The head of the family early took rank as one of the pro- nouncedly successful farmers of the county and his landed accumulations and'excellence, as a citizen, have made him widely known and highly esteemed.
William D. Henderson, father of our subject, is well on the shady side of life. Arduons and continuous labor. for a third of a century, in a new conntry, has finally told on him, and in the zenith of his achieve- ments and when ready to enjoy life, he is broken in spirit and emaciated and wasted in body. He came to Kansas, a strong and ambitions man, and while achieving his ambition, his strength has wasted away. The accumulation of his four hundred and seventy-five acres of land and the rearing and starting of a large family on successful careers, furnish the briefest synopsis of the events of his career. He was born in Johnson county, Indiana, in 1835. He grew to manhood on the farm and married Susan, a daughter of James R. Debo, also of Indiana origin. The issne of this marriage is the following children : Carrie, wife of Andrew Mc- Ginnis, of Wilson county, Kansas; Miss Lonella, Nannie, who married Solon Swartz, of Montgomery county; Amy, Mrs. G. W. Riggle. of Mont- gomery county; Joseph S., the subject of this personal review; Eliza- beth, wife of W. S. Utterback, of Oklahoma; Minnie, who became Mrs. J. S. Inman, of Montgomery county ; and Frank, yei on the old home- stead. Four others died young.
Joseph S. Henderson is a product of the country schools and, while growing up, became familiar with all the "ins and outs" of farm work and development. He had a fine opportuntiy to get acquainted with hard work and he accepted the condition without complaint. He resided with his parents till past the twenty-fifth mile-stone of life and then, Novem-
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
ber 29, 1894, married Effie J. Brown, a daughter of Isaac Brown. Mr. Brown came to Kansas from Illinois, where Mrs. Henderson was born, but was originally from Tennessee. He is, now, a resident of Oklahoma. Mrs. Henderson was born on the 11th day of December, 1869, and is one of a family of four children. Three children are the issue of this union of Mr. and Mrs. Henderson, namely : Homer, Jessie and Edith M.
In politics, the Hendersons of this branch are, and have always been, Democrats. For many years, William D. served on the school board in his home district and thus contributed of his time toward advancement in public education.
GEORGE W. MOONEY-June 4, 1858, George W. Mooney, of this sketch. was born at Fort Madison, lowa. He lived the life of a farmer boy in his youth and the first twenty-six years were passed in his native county. After three years, spent as a teamster in Ft. Madison, he remov- ed to Taylor county, lowa, where he resumed farming and continued it for twelve years. Coming thence to Kansas and settling in Montgomery county. he purchased eighty acres, in section 36, township 31, range 16, where he maintains himself at home.
Mr. Mooney is a son of George Mooney, a native of Ohio, who left the farm there, came into Iowa and engaged in the operation of a saw- mill. He was a son of an Irishman, Charles Mooney, whose youthful home was in the State of Maryland. Charles Mooney had sons, Daniel and George, and the latter married Rosanna Piatt, a Virginia lady. John and Hannah were their two children, the latter becoming Mrs. Joseph Shetller, of Missouri. Jane Smith became the second wife of George Mooney. She was a Pennsylvania woman and was a daughter of John and Mary Smith. The issue of this second marriage were: Smith, of Illi- nois: Mrs. Elizabeth Knock, of Ft. Madison, Iowa ; George W., our sub- ject ; and Rachel, who resides with her brother George.
The life of Mr. Mooney has been an uneventful one, in the light of political or other excitement, and has been passed mainly within range of his own home and under the shadow of "his own vine and fig tree." Ilis household is presided over by his younger sister and both acknow]- edge a close and sympathetic relationship with the plain people. Mr. Mooney is a Democrat and has a membership in the A. H. T. A.
HARRY E. BRIGHTON-The weekly newspaper is an institution to which may be attributed, in a large measure, the remarkable develop- ment of the great west. Through no other agency could the advantages of this section have been placed before the people so fully, and it is grati- fying to find here and there a publisher who has been partially repaid for
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
the painstaking effort he has made to serve his town and county. The popularity of the gentleman, here introduced to our readers, is attested by the splendid support given his very excellent paper. the Caney Weekly Chronicle, of which he has been editor and publisher since 1892.
Mr. Brighton is an Illinoisan by birth, Tazewell county the place and December 22, 1867, the time. He is the son of Israel M. Brighton. The father was a native of the "Hoosier State," where the Civil war found him a young man of loyal spirit and a will to help "break the Afrie's chain." He went to the front and, for three years, was engaged in the service, as a member of the One Hundred and Thirteenth Indiana Cav- alry, participating in many of the hard-fought battles of the war. Turn- ing his implements of war into the pruning hooks of peace, he left the "Hoosier State" and settled in Illinois, where he was shortly married to Mary E. Logue, of "Buckeye" nativity. In 1868, they joined the stream of emigration setting in toward the west and became one af the pioneer families of Montgomery county. For six years the family lived on a farm near Independence, then removed to that place, where the father soon died, being carried off at the early age of thirty-tive years. The wife still resides in Independence. bearing her sixty-eight years with remark- able activity. She is the mother of three stalwart sons and one daughter, our subject being the eldest. Hoid N., the second son. imitated the spirit of the father and, during the war with Spain, served valiantly as a mem- ber of the Fortieth U. S. Infantry. He had completed his term of ser- vice and was returning on board one of the government transports when he was attacked with a malignant disease and carried away. The young- er son is Edgar M. and the daughter is Mrs. D. N. Ball, of Elk City.
Harry E. Brighton narrowly escaped being numbered with the native Kansans, being but nine months old when he landed in Montgomery county. In education, he is the product of the splendid school system of his adopted state, and, at the age of fifteen, entered a printing office, second only to the public school in the work of education. This was in 1882, and Mr. Brighton has been in the business continuously since that time. He worked at the rase until 1891, when he associated himself with W. S. Irving and bought the Coffeyville News. He retained his interest in the News but a year when he sold out to his partner, and, coming to Caney. worked for a year in the office of the Caney Times. Again he essaved the role of editor and publisher, this time purchasing the Caney Chronicle, in association with Mr. Charles Taylor. The Chronicle was a good newspaper property, but needed the energetic attention of two such men as were now in charge. It soon took rank as one of the best papers in southern Kansas and has maintained its high standard since the re- tirement of Mr. Taylor, whose interest was bought by our subject, in 1896. The secret of Mr. Brighton's success, is his untiring devotion to the inter- ests of the community in which he resides. The Chronicle is always
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
open to tell the story of Caney's superior advantages, and much of the marvelous progress of that enterprising little city is due to the adver- tising it has received in its columns. Politically, the Chronicle is a firm supporter of the policies of the Republican party and its strong utter- ances, during the days of Reform ascendancy, did much to turn the tide again in favor of what Mr. Brighton fully believes to be the salvation of the country.
The family of Mr. Brighton consists of wife and four children : Maud M., Thomas H., Hobart A. and a little girl one year old. Mrs. Brighton, whom he married on the 25th of December, 1889, was Miss Ida I. Compton, daughter of W. W. Compton, an early settler of Kan- sas. They live in a nice residence, where they dispense a gracious hospi- tality to a large circle of friends.
Mr. Brighton is a member of I. O. O. F. and A. O. U. W. and both are members of the M. E. church.
JOHN N. DOLLISON-Well and most favorably known to the citi- zens of Montgomery county, as a teacher, public official and worthy citi- zen, is he whose name initiates this personal record. Eight years a teacher, four years in charge of public education in the county and nine- teen years a citizen here, constitutes a brief synopsis of the life of J. N. Dollison, as spent in Montgomery county.
Born in Guernsey county, Ohio, April 4, 1854, Mr. Dollison was a son of a farmer, William E. Dollison, who brought his family into Owen county, Indiana, about 1857, and soon thereafter settled in Clay county, the same state. William E. Dollison was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, in 1815, and passed away in Independence, Kansas, in 1893. He was a son of John Dollison, born in Pennsylvania, and reared the follow- ing family : William E., John K., George, James, Harvey. Mary, wife of James Rowland, and Sarah, who married Morgan C. Neff and moved to Wisconsin. W'm. E. Dollison married Susannah M. Laird, a lady of Irish antecendents and a daughter of James Laird, who erossed the Atlantic ocean at twenty-five years old. To this couple were born six sons, two of whom, Jasper W., of Rector, Arkansas, and John N., of this review, are living.
The subject of this sketch learned farming in youth and he followed it till he was twenty-four years old. He had the privileges of the com- mon schools and, at eighteen years of age, began teaching a country school. He continued this line of school work for some nine years, also acquiring some experience in graded school work. He increased his educational endowment by attendance upon a private normal and, with his experience in teaching, came to Kansas, in 1884, equipped to take his place among the successful teachers of the county. For three years he
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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
was engaged in country school work and for eight he was connected with the graded schools of Independence, being principal of one of the wards of the city. In 1896, he was elected Superintendent of Public Instruction of Montgomery county and. two years later, was reelected to the same office. His administration of the office was most efficient and had to do with encouraging country school grading and the establishment of a system of examinations for promotion to the county high schools and eity schools. The County High School was established , during his term, and he aided much in encouraging a sentiment in its favor and was ex- officio chairman of the board. Upon leaving the Superintendent's office, he engaged in the real estate business in Independence, where he and his son are now well established.
September 19. 1878, Mr. Dollison married, in Clay county, Indiana, Sarah D. Nelson, a daughter of Philip and Martha ( Birchfield) Nelson. The children of this marriage are: O. Vere, a graduate of the city and county high schools, a partner with his father and was married July 10, 1902, to Olive Parker; Merton E., with the Long-Bell Lumber Co., of Independence.
Mr. Dollison is a member of the Masonic Chapter, is an Odd Fellow and affiliates with the Democratic party.
WILLIAM T. OLIVER-William T. Oliver, a respected and worthy representative of that occupation dignified by such men as Washington- farming-resides on a well cultivated farm, three miles from the stirring market town of Elk City. He is approaching the evening of life, and has reached a point in his career where he can lay aside, to some extent, the implements of industry and, thereby, lighten the burdens of life. He comes of patriotie stock, his grandfather having been one of the "immortals" who bravely took up arms against English tyranny, in the days of the war for American independence.
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