USA > Kansas > Montgomery County > History of Montgomery County, Kansas > Part 80
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
In party polities the DeMotts of this branch believe in and practice Democracy. The tenets of faith of this historic old party were imparted to the early generations of the family and their children and grandchil- dren accepted them and have lived by them. Richard H. DeMott has served as Trustee of Independence township, has taken some active part in county politics and has become somewhat known for his political aets.
JONAS BEEGHLY. In Somerset county, Pennsylvania, on May 16, 1832, Jonas Beeghly of this personal record, was born. When he was young in years his parents moved into Ashland county, Ohio, and in 1865, he located in Senaca county, that state. He brought his family to Montgomery county, Kansas, in October, 1883, and located. first, four miles west of the town of Independence. In 1897, he removed to his present farm in West Cherry township, located on section 15, township 32, range 16.
Mr. Beeghly was a son of John Beeghly, a native of Somerset county, Pennsylvania, a farmer, and a son of John Beeghly, Sr., of German origin. His grandfather married Miss Flory and reared Samuel, David, John, Mrs. Kate Arnold, Mrs. Sallie Miller, Mrs. Susan Miller, Mrs. Elizabeth Flickinger.
John Beeghly, Jr., married Kate Peek, a Pennsylvania lady and a daughter of Jacob and Eve Peck. Thirteen children were the issue of their marriage, namely: Abraham. David, Jonas, Jacob, of Ashland, Ohio; Joseph, of same place; Sammel, of Iowa; Mahlon, of North Da- kota; Mrs. Mary Trucel; Mrs. Anna Clark, of North Dakota; Mrs. Susan. nah Martin, of Ashland, Ohio; Mrs. Kate Hostetler, of Holmes county, Ohio; John, of Ashland, Ohio, and Friah, of Kansas.
Elizabeth Harper became the wife of Jonas Beoghly in Ashland county, Ohio. Her father was Samuel Harner and her mother
Miller. Four children have blessed the home of Mr. and Mrs. Berghly. as follows: Ezra J., of Iowa, who has four children; Sammel II., of North Dakota, with one child, and Frank and Emma, yet with the parental home.
Mr. Beeghty is a Republican and is a member of the German Baptist church.
704
ILISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
JAMES H. GRAVES. Among the old-time settlers of Montgomery county no one more deserves recognition in this volume than James H. Graves. He was born near Racine, Wis., March 1st. 1844. His father, Greenville Graves, was a native of Kentucky, and came to Illinois with his parents when only ten years of age. He was reared in Vermillion county, of that state, and married there, Mary Cook, a native of Ohio. He went to Wisconsin in the early years of that state, but returned to Illinois in 1844, where he died at the age of seventy-eight. his wife having died sixteen years before. There were nine children, five of whom are living : Margaret J., Cida, Samantha, James Il. and Larkin T. To his second marriage. to Sarah Davis, three children were born : Flora, Julia and Charles; Inlia, alone, is living.
James II. Graves was reared on the farm and lived with his father till 1864, when he enlisted in Company "C." 12th II. Vol. Inf. With this regiment he served till the close of the war, participating in several battles, among which were Dallas, Kenesaw Mountain and Atlanta; and was with Sherman on his march to the sea. After the long march np through the Carolinas he was taken sick, and finished his journey aboard a boat. A short period in the hospital at Alexandria, and then to Wash- ington, where he took part in the Grand Review. He received his dis- charge af Springfield, Ils., in .Inly. 1865. Returning home, he remained in Illionis until 1869, when he started for Kansas, an unele accompany- ing him from Kansas City on.
Going to Paola, Kansas, they joined a party of five other men, and, together, they came to Montgomery county and secured claims. Mr. Graves is the only one of the party who stayed through all the hard times, and deeded his land. all but one of the party dying too soon. Mr. Graves lived with his unele until their money gave ont, and they could get neither work nor provisions to live on. A large herd of Texas cattle came into the county and a great many of them died and the owners gave away hides for skinning and in this way the boy and his uncle got through the winter. For three years, Mr. Graves hired out as driver and drove cattle from Texas, still holding his claim. At the end of five years he had earned enough money to seenre his land, which he had rented, and then returned to his old home in Illinois.
September 4th, 1880, he was married to Nancy Lanham, of Madison, Indiana, and a native of the state. They immediately came to Kansas and took possession of the little log cabin that had been built before his return to Ilinois. Here the young couple went to work, and, by per- severance and the faculty of overcoming difficulties, they made a com- fortable competence and a good home. Ilis farm now comprises four hundred and eighty acres of fine land. upon which there are two large residences. In addition to the enltivation of all kinds of farm products, Mr. Graves is interested in the raising of stock.
July 25th, 1894, death claimed the wife and mother of the family
J H. GRAVES AND WIFE.
705
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
of our subject, she leaving two children: Ethel B., now the wife of E. E. Duckworth, and Earl, a young man at home. Sept. 29, 1901, Mr. Graves married Mary S. Duckworth, who now presides over his home. She is a native of Indiana, a daughter of John Duckworth, a near-by farmer, who came to Kansas in 1884. Mr. Graves is a Republican in politics, and is satisfied with the deposit of his vote on election day, leaving the holding of office to others.
GEORGE W. FINLAY. In the subject of this brief biography is presented the life history of one of the carly settlers of Montgomery county. From his entrance of its confines as a permanent settler on the 14th of October, 1874. to the opening of the third year of the iwen- tieth century he has modestly and honorably conducted himself as be- comes a loyal and public-spirited citizen.
Mr. Finlay is a native of the State of Michigan, being born in Kala- mazoo county February 13, 1842. His parents were of New York origin, his father, David Finlay, having come into Michigan from that state as early as 1837, and settled in Kalamazoo county. He was of Scotch origin, as to consanguinity, and resides now in Petosky, Mich., at the age of eighty-six years. The family have been represented in the United States since before the American Revolution and the father of David Finlay was a soldier in that famous struggle. Our subject's mother was Rhoda Phillips, who died in 1866, leaving a family of five children, two of whom, only, survive, namely: Sarah J. Winslow and George W., of this personal record.
The common schools of his day and the Kalamazoo Commercial College furnished George W. Finlay with his educational equipment for the battle of life. He graduated from the latter in 1860, and took a posi- tion as book-keeper with a firm in Kalamazoo, Mich., and tilled it till his enlistment in the army in 1862. His command was Company "H." 25th Mich. infantry, and he enlisted as a private. Ile was soon promoted to Orderly Sergeant, and still later to Sergeant Major of his regiment and finally was commissioned Second Lieut. of Company "I" of the same reg- iment. Being detailed as Acting Adjutant of the regiment in a short time, he was not with his new company long until after his detail duty was finished. He then returned to the company and had charge of it till after the capture of Atlanta, when he was immediately detached as A. A. Q. M. of the Second Division of the 25th Army Corps and placed in command of forty wagons with six mules to the wagon. Some time after that period of detail he received a First Lieutenant's commission and was assigned to duty with Company "C," 30th Mich. Vols. He was in command of this company from then on to the close of the war. He was in all the service from the campaign in East Tennessee until after the fall of Atlanta, including all battles and skirmishes of his corps, and
706
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
was on duty all the time during his active service. He was discharged on the 17th of June, 1865.
On resuming civil pursuits Mr. Finlay engaged in merchandising at Jackson. Mich., a short time, then was engaged in the same line at Ft. Wayne, Indiana, but some time later returned to Kalamazoo, where he took a position as book-keeper for a lumber company, finally giving up this work and drifting to Kansas.
Becoming a citizen of Montgomery county and of Independence, he took a position with Hull's Bank as book-keeper, which bank was one of the financial institutions of the town. He remained with this concern nine years, and for some time succeeding his separation threfrom, was employed at various other things. In 1889, he engaged with The Eagle Roller Mills as the firm's book-keeper and spent the next ten years there. He then engaged in the insurance business, with which he is now con- nected as one of the leading firms of Independence.
June 4. 1865, occurred the marriage of Mr. Finlay with Susan M., a daughter of William Norris, of Jackson, Michigan. No children have re- sulted from this union.
The public schools of Independence have known and felt the force of Mr. Finlay's public service. He was four years a member of the Board of Education and was two years Treasurer of that body. He is a Republican and is well known for his political convictions. He is one of the high Masons of the state. December 9. 1898 he became a member of the Fort Seutt Consistory, Scottish Rite Masonry, and has achieved the distinction of beng one of the twelve thirty-two degree Masons of Independence. He has since transferred his membership to the Wichita Consistory. He has served McPherson Post, G. A. R., as Adjutant for two years and is now Commander of the Post. He also belongs to the I. O. O. F Encampment Cantons and Rebekahs.
1
WILLIAM JONES. Among the many "prairie schooners" which rolled into the county in the fall of 1870, was one manned by Pierson De- weese, Mosier Fleener and William Jones, the latter the esteemed subject of this review. Mr. Jones proceeded to Sycamore township, where he filed on eighty acres in section 14. township 32, range 15. the deed to which he holds to-day, together with an additional 120-acre tract ad- joining. Over on the creek near him were camped some three hundred Indians, but Mr. Jones soon found that this was a matter of little con- ceru, as they proved very friendly. The old log cabin which he then erected has long since made way for a more pretentious home, and the virgin prairie has been transformed by patient and painstaking effort into a productive and well-regulated farm.
William Jones is a Kentuckian by birth, that event having occurred
707
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
in Butler county, April 6, 1830. Here he was reared to farm life and remained until the date of his coming to Kansas.
As the mutterings of civil strife became more and more distinct, Mr. Jones watched each succeeding event with an absorbing interest and was ready to defend the honor of the flag when the call was made in the fall of 1861. In December, he enrolled as a member of Company "C." 11th Ky. Inf., under Col. P. B. Hawkins, and which became a part of Generals Crittenden and Burnsides' Divisions. The bloody battle of Stone River initiated him into the "delights" of mortal combat, and later at Knoxville he had a month's taste of siege life. At Burne's Sta- tion and Cumberland Gap his regiment had a brush with the enemy, after which the rest of his service was mainly in long and weary marches over the States of Kentucky, Tennessee and Georgia.
Noting somewhat briefly the essential points in Mr. Jones' family history, the biographer records that he is a son of William and Rebecca (Jones) JJones, both natives of the Blue Grass State. but of no blood re- lation. Their children were : Josiah, Joab, William, Rebecca and Luvica. The paternal grandparents of our subject were James L. and Nancy Jones, who came into Kentucky from Virginia, where James was per- sonally acquainted with Gen. Washington and served under him as a Captain in the War for Independence. The children of James were : Peg- gie, Philip, Thomas. R. G. L., Moses, Polly, Nancy, Nellie. Rebecca and William.
The immediate family of William Jones consists of four children: Charles M., Mena, Clara and Edward, the mother having died in April, 1890. Mr. Jones first entered wedlock in 1853, being joined to Mary Deweese, daughter of William Deweese. She became the mother of two children. Elvira and Columbia, all of whom are now deceased. Ilis sec- ond marriage occurred Nov. 26. 1873. The maiden name of the mother of his children being Lonisa (Ellenger) Brost.
S. J. HOWARD-The gentleman whose name initiates this review is the efficient assistant cashier of the Montgomery County National Bank, and has been identified with the life of Cherryvale for some fif- teen years. He is a son of J. T. and Jane R. (Williamson) Howard, both of whom are natives of Hinois. The father was a farmer and carpenter by occupation. He was a man of intensely patriotic convictions and at The breaking ont of the Civil War left his family and enlisted in the service, becoming a member of Company "L" 47th IN. Vol. Inft., in 1862. This regiment saw exceedingly active service, in which Mr. Howard took a prominent part, serving from August of 1862 to August of 1865. Although in many of the bloody battles of the war, he did not suffer wounds, nor was he so unfortunate as to be taken prisoner. These facts are the more to be remarked, as he was a member of the disastrous
708
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
Banks Expedition np Red river, which ended in the death of so many of the "Boys in Blue," or to the wrecking of their physical health. Since the war he has followed his trade in Kansas City, Kansas.
Our subject was the eldest of five children and the second child was a daughter. Lizzie, now the wife of C. E. Garrison, telegraph operator at Albuquerque, New Mexico; Addie is Mrs. A. D. Hall; Lorin, of Kansas City; Elmer, also lives at Kansas City.
S. J. Howard was born in Woodford county, Illinois, March 16, 1863. He received his education in the common schools of his native state, and one year in college at Eureka, Ilinois. Upon completing his education, he returned to the home farm, where he continued to reside until he was twenty-five years of age. He then entered the banking business, starting as a book-keeper in 1891, and later. being promoted to the position of assistant cashier, which position he is now holding with satisfaction to his employers.
Mr. Howard married in 1888, on the 14th of February, Miss Mary I., daughter of James Bell .. Mrs. Howard is a native of Hlionis. Her people reside in Montgomery county on a farm. She is one of eleven children. ten of the family now living: Mrs. Howard, Jennie, wife of D. R. Jones, Montgomery county; Ettie, widow of J. D. Orr; Ella, wife of James B. James, Montgomery county; Daisy, Mrs. S. S. Johns; Frank, Martin and Ross are farmers of Montgomery county; Corda, Mrs. Walter Mull, Montgomery county, and Miss Bertha, single, at home. Mr. and Mrs. Iloward are the parents of five interesting children: Edith L., Ruby B., Ralph F., Clarence R. and Edna. The family are all members and active workers in the Baptist church. of which organization Mr. Howard is Treasurer. Prior to Mrs. Howard's marriage she was an efficient and successful teacher in the public schools of Illinois for a number of years, and her reputation as an instructor and disciplinarian was of the best.
In fraternal life, Mr. Howard is a valued member of the Knights of Pythias, in which he has passed most of the local chairs. He is also con- nected with the Modern Woodmen, of which organization he has been clerk for the past seven years. He is living an upright and consistent life in the community and is held in very high esteem.
-
EDWARD B. SKINNER-The subject of this personal mention is the efficient Treasurer of Montgomery county and has been a citizen of the county since 1885. His material connection with the affairs of the county has been prominent from his advent and, as a citizen of Caney, he is at once a leader and prominent man-of-affairs.
A native of Monroe county. New York, Mr. Skinner was born June 19, 1858, and was a son of Charles Skinner, a native of the same state. and of Vermont ancestry. The lafter came west toward the close of his life
709
IIISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
and died at Butler, Missouri, in 1888, at the age of sixty-five years. He married Mary Bliss, who bore him an only surviving child, and who re- sides in the city of Rochester, New York.
Edward B. Skinner remained in his native state till past his major- ity, when, in 1879, he went west and located at Colorado Springs, Col- orado, where, for a time, he was in the sheep business, but lastly in the employ of the Denver & Rio Grande Railway Company. After six years spent in the Rockies country he returned eastward and found his choice of locations at Caney, Kansas. Here he engaged in the live stock busi- ness and only closed it out when he was elected Treasurer of Montgom- ery county. In November. 1897, he was the candidate of the Fusion forces-as a Democrat-for the office he holds and was elected by a majority of only fifteen votes. He took office in October, 1898, and the fall of 1899, he was again elected. his majority this time being nearly three hundred votes.
To his favorite town of Caney Mr. Skinner has been a useful citizen and has rendered it sincere and unselfish official service. His first office was that of member of the city council, where he served two years, and his second publie position was that of Mayor of the city. This latter he filled for three years, and the interests of the corporation were cared for as he would care for his private business. His frankness and Honesty in those positions and his personal popularity made his candidacy for a county office a formidable one. and, when the test came, it proved to be a successful one.
October 28, 1887, Mr. Skinner married, in New York, Miss Frank White, a daughter of J. B. White, of Rochester. Four children have re- sulted from this marriage, namely: Ray, Perey. Ted and Marian.
In 1900, Mr. Skinner secured a franchise from the city of Caney to furnish it gas and was instrumental, chiefly. in the organization of the Caney Gas Company, of which he is the general manager. Successful prospecting was done. an abundance of gas discovered and the Caney Brick Company was formed with Mr. Skinner as its President. Leases covering twenty thousand acres of land in Caney township are held by the gas company and its proven value promises much material good to Caney and to the prime movers in this mineral development.
In the fraternal world, Mr. Skinner affiliates as a member with the Modern Woodmen. Knights of Pythias and Elks. He is a Master Mason and is a Past Noble Grand of the 1. 0. 0. F.
JAMES D. BUDD-The possibilities of life to one without the ordi- nary preparation of youth, yet having and being endowed abundantly with the essential qualities lo a successful career, are strikingly fur- nished in the person whose name appears in the introduction to this articie. As an example of conspicuons financial and business achive-
710
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
ment without any of the auxiliaries of an education to encourage him, his position is unusual in contrast with that of the average business man of our day. Orphaned, even before his birth, and being forced from home, as a child, by an unfeeling step-father, he was doomed to carve out his own destiny, guided largely by the experiences which came to him from day to day. Nature provided for the misfortunes of infancy and childhood by unusual mental endowments such as capitalize one's life and initiate him into the world's affairs, equipped for the successful career which is finally his.
James D. Budd is a native of the Hoosier State. He was born in Hendricks county, Indiana, on Feb. 8th. 1855. His father, Marcus Budd, was a Virginian who settled in Hendricks county in the early fifties and died in 1854. He married Margaret McCloud who resides, now, in Crawfordsville, Indiana, as Mrs. Margaret R Ralston. Mrs. Minerva Welch, of that city and our subject constitute her family and she is now 76 years old.
As expressed above, James D. Budd found himself, in early child- hood, without that parental love, guidance and advice common to other children and so necessary to the proper rearing of the human offspring. He came into conflict with his teacher in school and finished his educa- tion with a very few week's attendance upon a country school. He went to live with a prominent farmer in the neighborhood, made himself useful in many ways and was afterward placed on the regular payroll. He continued a farm band till about sixteen years of age, when he employed with a walnut lumber concern, entting down trees and saw- ing off logs for shipment to the factory. In time, he became an expert judge of walnut timber, conld estimate intelligently and accurately the contents of a tree and was promoted to a position commensurate with his ability and worth. He was in the employ of Col. Straight, the famous escaped prisoner of war and tunneller at Libby Prison, and con- tinned with that firm till about the time of his departure from the State of Indiana in 1876.
Leaving his native state he came to Kansas and established himself at Burlington, engaging again in the walnnt lumber business. He had charge of the business of his firm in that locality and accumulated a few hundred dollars, the most of which went to defray the expense incurred by a serions accident which befell him shortly after he went there. While carrying a manl and ax together on the same shoulder, he attempted to drop the maul behind him and the ax followed and the blade took him across the achilles, as he raised his foot backward to intercept the fall, and half severed the foot from his ankle. Soon after recovering from this accident, he came down into Montgomery county, Kansas, on a prospecting tour. He chose Elk City as a place of business and located there in 1878, engaging in buying and trading stock and finally in the mercantile business. He remained there till JJuly, 1883,
711
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.
when he took up his residence in Independence where he has since resided.
About this era Mr. Budd became interested in invention. The idea seized him that the greatest perfection in a washing-machine had not vet been achieved. He followed up a principle which suggested itself to him and in 1886, patented a machine which outrivaled other similar inventions and which he had manufactured and placed on the market. In 1895, he patented an improvement to his machine and, in 1898, 1ook out an entirely new patent covering another invention much superior to the first one and which is, apparently, the climax in the washing- machine line. For the manufacture of his machine George and Twedale, of Constantine, Michigan, erected a plant and supplied the demand of the country for a number of years. In June, 1900, Harvey and Son of Constantine equipped a plant for making the machine, also, and while the plant of the first firm had a capacity of 50,000 machines annually the Harvey factory's capacity is 100,000 machines a year. From early in the history of the patent Mr. Budd was in partnership with . Hymer -the firm being Budd and flymer-but in 1899, the firm was dissolved and since then no machine can be obtained except they be purchased through the patentee, himself. More than two hundred persons handle this invention in the United States, fourteen of which states have been opened, and it is not surprising that many car loads of them are annually consumed. Little else has consumed Mr. Budd, for nearly twenty years, than the successful invention and handling of his patent. lis merit has established its popularity and with its introduction to the trade began an inflow of profit to its owner. He owns valuable real property. not only in Kansas, but in Arkansas, where, in Little River county, he has a rich bottom tract of 6,000 acres, situated onty a few miles from Texar- kana.
August 12. 1878, James D. Budd married Dora Beekman, born on the . . . . th of . 1859. Mrs. Budd is a daughter of Sam Beckman, of German lineage, and is the mother of Harry, born 1879, married 10 Maud Morgan and has a son, Marcus; Roy Budd, of Little River Co., Ark., is married to Maud Oliver; and Charles and Bonnie, yet with the parental home.
Mr. Bodd has been a singularly successful man. His personal efforts have won him the confidence of men looking for investment and the result of his genius has been the creation of industrial enterprises and the consequent employment of labor. From the dark and forbidding future of his early life he hewed ont a career of usefulness and profit and the world has looked on in encouragement and with pride.
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.