History of Montgomery County, Kansas, Part 87

Author: Duncan, L. Wallace (Lew Wallace), b. 1861, comp
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Iola, Kan., Press of Iola register
Number of Pages: 1162

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Ile was married in 1889, to Miss May H. Hehir, a native of Illinois, and a daughter of James Hehir, who was a native of Canada. The father was a farmer, at one time a miner and was a soldier in the 83rd TH. Vol. Inf. He served several years, returning at the close of the war with health badly impaired by rigorous service in the field. His death occurred in 1886. at the age of forty-eight. his wife having died two years previons at the age of thirty-two. Their one child is Mrs. Vanderpool.

To the marriage of Doctor and Mrs. Vanderpool has been born

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.

one child, Cland H., who is now a fifth grade student in the city school. Mrs. Vanderpool is a member and leading worker of the Presbyterian church, while The Doctor holds a membership in the Modern Woodmen and the Ancient Order of Pyramids, his wife also being a member of the latter and at present Secretary and Treasurer of the order.

The success which has attended Dr. Vandopool is particularly gratifying, in that he is a self-made man in the trnost sense of the word. He taught school to procure the means to secure for himself his medical education and began at the lowest "round" of the ladder. He and his wife, who is a valued assistant in the drug store, are popular citizens in Cherryvale and are potent factors in the city's business life and the esteem in which they are held is general and uniform in this part of the county.

CYRUS C. PAXSON, M. D .- In 1884, the subject of this personal sketch united his fortunes with the people of Montgomery county and became a citizen of Rutland township. While his professional duties have limited his sphere of action in the direction of the public welfare, yet he has crowded into the intervals of professional inaction many acts promotive of the public weal and conducive to the well-being of his locality.

Cyrus C. Paxson is descended from Virginia antecedents, his paternal grandfather having come out of the Old Dominion and settled in Belmont county, Ohio, in the first years of the nineteenth century. He was twice married and reared a family of twelve children. His name was Benjamin Paxson and the mother country of his European ancestry was England. Charles Paxson, the youngest child of Benjamin Paxson, was born in Belmont county, Ohio, in 1810, came west into Indiana as a young man and died in Howard county in 1853. He was a farmer and was united in marriage with Louisa, a daughter of Paul Coffin who emigrated from North Carolina early and was a pioneer settler of Indiana. Cyrus C. was the oldest and is the only surviving heir of Charles and Louisa Paxson. His mother died at the age of thirty-seven, leaving him an orphan at the age of sixteen years. Neces- sity compelled him to seek the field of industry to supply the necessities of life and he turned his attention to farm work. He labored as a monthly wage carner 'till past his majority when he engaged in farm- ing with a degree of independence, yet as a renter. He continued this some ten years and then took up the study of medicine in Howard county, Indiana. His old preceptor was Dr. Holiday, of Parke county, Indiana, and when he had completed his preliminary reading he entered Rush Medical College, at Chicago, where he completed his course, graduating in 1867. He located for practice at Ridge Farm, Illinois, in Vermillion county, where he ministered to the physical ailments

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of its citizenship some twenty years. From this point he transferred his family and his interests to Montgomery county. Kansas, where he is one of the esteemed and honored citizens.

Dr. Paxson was born in Henry county, Indiana, October 1, 1836. The rural schools furnished him with his elementary education and the activities of the farm and field, his physical exercise and development. He was first married in Indiana in 1856, his wife being Matilda Carter, who died in 1864, leaving one child, Flora A., wife of John Yates, of Whiting, Iowa. November 19, 1867, Dr. Paxson married Louisa Mack, who moved into Indiana from Ohio in an early day. By his second marriage the doctor has a son, Charles M. Paxson, born Nov. 11. 1868. The latter is Under Sheriff of Montgomery county, Kansas, and mar- ried Addie Wiley. Their children are: Orville, Flora, Lloyd, Vada and Frank M.

Dr. Paxson manifests no interest in polities save as a patriotic citizen of his county. His ancestors wore Whigs and when he came to choose a party he pinned his faith to the Republicans and has proven a firm and steadfast friend. He is a Master Mason and a mom- ber of Fortitude Lodge of Independence.

ANDREW JACKSON BUSBY, M. D .- In the person of Dr. A. J. Busby the people of Montgomery county are presented with one of the ancient landmarks of the departed frontier. The emblems of civiliza- tion have obliterated all evidences of the primitive border, save the hoary-headed pioneer whose halting speech and heavy tread mark the near approach of the final day. Weighted with years vet filled with hope and enlivened by the consciousness of duty done, our subject awaits the inevitable summons with resignation. Having spent more than a third of a century in identification with the development work of a new country, participating in its toil, ministering to its afflicted, encouraging its dejected and rejoicing in its successes and achievements, he occupies an unusual position as one of the characters of his county.

During the year 1869, Dr. Busby brought his family and effects from Coshocton county, Ohio, journeying two months enroute to the Osage lands of Kansas. Two teams transported the household of six and the little band was unloaded at the door of the Chouteau cabin. occupying their half section of land which the Doctor had purchased. A claim of one hundred and sixty acres was also taken and within six years the tract of four hundred and eighty acres was under board fence from the saw-mill of Dickerson and Reeves nearby. As the country seitied up, the Doctor reduced his realty holdings, reserving only the farm in section 34. township 31, range 16.

For a few years the Indians and whites occupied Montgomery county jointly. The white man was there by sufferance and it occa-

A. J. BUSBY, M. D.

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.

sionally happened that the Osage became displeased with his progressive neighbor and at times threatened to order him away. On a certain occasion the order actually issued but a conference of the two interests reached a compromise and trouble was thus averted. Dr. Busby had less trouble with the Indian than many of the settlers because he treated their sick and gave them medicine and the big Chiefs Nopawalla, White Hair, Big Hill Joe and Mad Chief were all his personal friends.

During the first two years in the county the Doctor did little medi- cal practice, devoting his time rather to the development of his farms. When he did engage regularly in the work he pursued it with vigor and enthusiasm and in his declining years his professional work is limitedty carried on.

In his home life Dr. Busby is especially interesting. He has reared three families by as many marriages and his children and grand- children number fifty-six. They are scattered "throughout the four winds" and are taking their places as worthy citizens of our broad land.

Andrew J. Busby was born in Harrison county, Ohio, .Inne 27, 1827. llis father was John W. Bushy, a native of the same county, whose father, John Busby, settled there as a pioneer from England. The grandfather married Agnes Wisner and thirteen children resulted from the union, of whom the following are mentioned: Doreas Cona- way, Mrs. Nathaniel Baker, Deborah Singhaus, Jane Strausburgh, Edith Baker, Harriet Thompson, John W., and Isaac. John W. Busby married Ann Merryman and was the father of: Johnson, of Iowa; Andrew J., our subject; Abraham, of Nebraska; Elijah, of Iowa; Mrs. Nancy Dunlap, of Ohio; Mrs. Elizabeth Cordell, of Missouri; Isaac H., of Iowa; Mrs. Julia A. Conaway, of Iowa; Mrs. Mary Anderson, of Spo- kane, Washington, and John M., of Missouri.

As a boy and youth hard work was his lot. and the advantages of school were almost unknown to A. J. Busby. Nine months was all the time he spent in a country school-house and six months in a graded school. He was ambitious to learn, however, and he applied himself diligently at spare intervals and alone. After attaining his majority he took up the study of medicine with Dr. Samuel Stocking in Hagers- town, Ohio, but finished reading with Dr. Revelle and began practice without the advantages of college training. He relinquished his prae- tice in four years and entered the University of Pennsylvania, where he took a course of lectures and received the degree of M. D. Ile took up professional work again in Coshocton county, Ohio, and followed it 'till his departure for Kansas in 1869.

Dr. Busby was first married in 1856, his wife being Sarah Norie, a daughter of Joseph and Mary Noric, Ohio settlers from Pennsylvania. The children and grand-children of this union are: Mrs. Mary Langhlin, of Oklahoma, with six children, viz: Ray, Iva, Loy, Nora and Sylvia;

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.

Pearl, wife of Homer Busby, is the mother of Sylvia and Mary C .; Johur Busby. of Montgomery Co., has children : May, Bessie, Floyd, Nola, Eva. Leona and Merle. For his second wife Dr. Busby married Mary McCain, daughter of Charles and Catherine (Morgan) McCain and their chil- dren and grand children are: Mrs. Emma J. Stont, of Oklahoma with chilrden : Bertha, Anna, Cleo, Addie, Ingersolia. John, Gladys and Maun: Aaron D., of Montgomery Co., has children as follows: Flossie, Andrew J., Cymbel, Ethel and Lee; Homer, of Oklahoma, has: Earl D., Charles, Sylvia and Mary Ola; Mrs. Ida Carter's children are: Cland- by her first marriage-( Claud married Lola Holf and has a daughter Thehe Fern and as Mrs. Ida Summers has : Mand, Odessa, Homer, How- ard, Frank and L. Z. ; Mrs. Alice R. ( Busby ) Orr has three children by Mr. Busby, namely: Homer, Pearl and Dwight, and by Mr. Orr, one child, Glenn C .; Mrs. Lura B. Orr, one child. Lee: James F. Busby, of Col., concludes the second family. The third time Dr. Bushy married he took for wife Amanda Kelly, an Illinois lady and a daughter of Jackson and Sarah Kelly, natives of Indiana. The three children of this marriage, Leon, Harvey and Ralph, are all with the family circle.

With our limited space the life of Dr. Busby can barely be touched upon. The thousand-and-one little things which he has done to con- tribute to the contentment and happiness of his community can only be hinted at here, but enough has been brought out to show to posterity that his life in our midst has not been spent in vain.

THOMAS B. CLIFFORD-A familiar date with the old settler in Montgomery county is the year 1871. Probably a greater portion of the families now resident in the county settled here in that year than any other single year in its history. Prior to that date the county had been given up pretty much to the lawless cow-puncher and the more or less worthless Indian. But the large number of law-abiding and pro- gressive citizens who in that year staked out claims on her virgin soil, soon brought Montgomery into the civilized class and started her on the road to prosperity. One of the prominent families of the county to take up land in that year was the Cliffords, now represented by the gentleman whose name appears above.

Thomas B. Clifford is a son of William and Mary (Irwin) Clifford. His birth occurred in the old Keystone State. Westmoreland county, in the year 1845. Thomas Clifford, grandfather of our subject, was one of the carly pioneers of that county, having taken up land in what was known as the "Tomahawk Survey" in the early part of the Nineteenth century. William Clifford was a farmer by occupation and spent the greater portion of his life in his native county. He came to Montgomery county with his family in 1871, and took up a claim in Sycamore town-

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.

ship, near Table Mound. Here the father died a few years later, the mother still residing on the old homestead.

Mr. Clifford was reared and educated in his native county and con- tinued to reside with his parents six years after his majority. Ile then engaged in farming on his own account and in 1888, purchased the piece of land he is now cultivating. It lies in Independence township, three and one-half miles southeast of the county-seat, and consists of eighty acres of fine land, well watered and in a good state of cultivation. The intelligent methods used by Mr. Clifford on this farm has placed him in the front rank among the successful agrienturists of the county. Ile is looked upon as an authority in all matters pertaining to proper crop rotation and is an excellent judge of farm animals of all kinds. In his social relations Mr. Clifford is most happy, numbering among his friends the leading men of affairs in the county. He is not inelined to polities, but can always be counted on to support by his vote the party of Jefferson and Jackson.

Marriage was contracted by our subject, November 12, 1890. Mary, daughter of John and Nancy Flack, was the maiden name of Mrs. Clifford. Her father was a respected farmer of the county. his death occurring in 1882, his wife passing to her rest soon after. They were natives, respectively, of Worcester, Ohio, and Pittsburg, Penn,, and they reared a family of seven children-Frank, Mary, James, Gardner, Mattie, Jolin and Ella.

The problem of life is well on toward solution when we have found an occupation to suit us and have health of body and mind to pursue it. The problem is being solved successfully because of these conditions being met by our subjeet, and he and his good wife are enjoying the deserved esteem of a host of friends and neighbors as they travel along life's journey.

PATRICK C. CLENNEN-Had the rulers of Great Britain been as wise in the early part of the 19th century as King Edward of the present, the Emerald Isle would now be in the hands of a loyal. home-loving and home-owning people. But 'tis an "ill wind that blows nobody good," and Great Britain's loss of so many fine citizens proved the Great Re- public's gain.

From County Tipperary. Ireland, there came to this country in 1839. Pierce Clennen and his son. Patrick C. Clennen. an honored resident of West Cherry township, being then a twelve-year-old lad. Pierce was the son of Patrick, and one of five children, the other mem- bers of the family being : JJames, Patrick, Betty and Mary. Pierce had married in his native county, Margaret MeLaughlin (daughter of Pat- rick), who became the mother of: John. Patrick C. (subject of this

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.

sketch) William, James, Pierce, Margaret and Katharine. The family settled in Huron Province, Canada.

Patrick C. Clennen, the gentleman whose name initiates this review, left Canada with his family in the fall of 1870, and came out to the Sunflower State, where he took up a claim near Girard. This he relinquished the following spring, and, coming to Montgomery Co. purchased of William Tinker his right to 160 acres of section 17, range 16, township 32, paying therefor $800. This has since constituted his home, though by his skillful hand it has been greatly transformed in ap- pearance. Since his coming to the county, Mr. Clemmen has been a po- tent factor in shaping its institutions, and he and his family which he has reared stand second to none in the county for reliability and integ- rity.

Mr. Clennen in 1859, was happily joined in marriage to Margaret, daughter of Daniel and Bridget (Downey) Moran, the parents being natives of Kings county, Ireland, while she was born in the Province of Toronto. The fruit of this union has been seven children, as follows: John, who married Ann Young and whose children are: Maggie, Mary, Lizzie, Bertha, Lena, Leroy and an infant; John lives in Coffeyville; Thomas, living in Denver, Col., married Lonise Trout and has two children-Margaret and Howard: Patrick resides Montgomery connty; his wife's name was Clara Squires and she is the mother of Mabel and Thomas; Jasper, of Montgomery, married Ollie Little and has one child, Howard; Mary, is a single lady at home; Maggie is Mrs. Joseph Kelley, of this county; her two children are: Selva and Clara. The youngest of the family is William, who is single and resides in Denver.

E. B. PENN-The gentleman here mentioned is one of the leading contracting carpenters of Independence, and sustains an excellent repu- tation as a workman and citizen. He was born in Highland county, Ohio, June 22, 1849, the son of Lloyd and Mary (Core) Penn, natives of Ohio. Lloyd Penn was a well-to-do farmer and influential citizen and passed his life in the aforesaid county, dying in July of 1864. He was twice married. After the death of our subject's mother, in 1852, he took to wife Mrs. Harriet Heiser. To the first marriage there were five children-John W., who died in 1861; Esther A., Mrs. W. H. Head. of Hillsboro, O .; William, of Leesburg. O .; James, of Mi. Carmel, O., and E. B. Of the second family there were : Stephen, of London, O. ; Spencer, of Cynthiana, O .; Ruth, Mrs. John Shipton, of Rainsboro, O., and Joseph, of Pike county, Ohio.

Our subjeet was married in 1869, to Rebecca A. Canter, who is the mother of : John L., a bookkeper of St. Louis, married Lillie Reed, whose children are: Ruth and Hester; Rose O., Mrs. Jerrell Ofwell, a farmer

JACKSON GRAY AND FAMILY.

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.

near, Independence; one child, Jeraldine; Cora, a milliner of Pittsburg, Kan., and Dora, a successful teacher of the county. Mrs. Penn was born in the Shenandoah valley of Virginia, the daughter of Rev. John M. and Mary (Pitman) Canter. Her father was a prominent minister of the U. B. church for long years prior to the war in that section of the "Old Dominion" state, and, later, in Ohio, and was noted as a most successful worker in 'revival services. The Canter home was unfortunately in the path of both armies as they passed up and down the valley and became the rendezvous of each in turn. Rev. Canter was a Union sympathizer, but took no part in the fighting; he and his family confining their attention to caring for the wounded of both sides. During the noted battle of Fisher's Hill the Canter home was between the contending lines, but while cannon balls frequently struck near the honse, no one was injured. The family finally found it necessary to refugee into Ohio, where they found a welcome in the home of Mrs. Penn's grandfather, John Canter, who lived near Hillsboro. Rev. Canter continued his labors in the ministry in Ohio nutil his death at Athens, June 6. 1888, the mother having passed to her reward in 1878. There were seven daughters in the family, as follows: Mary E., Mrs. Jacob Hayse, of Independence, Kansas; Hester, S., Mrs. Henry Cantor, of Independence; Martha C., of fones Tropp, Ohio; Mrs. E. B. Penn, Emily J., Mrs. A. Neel, of Lawrence county, O .; Rosanna, who died at nineteen, and Eve F., Mrs. Charles Lake, of Independence.

E. B. Penn received a fair education, after which he was apprenticed to the carpenter's trade, his first efforts for himself beginning in 1871, in Highland county, Ohio. He continued operations there until 1884, when he settled in Independence, Kansas, since which time he has been identified with the progress of the city. His work during this time has been of the highest character, many of the best residences and bnsi- ness buildings of the city having been erected under his supervision. He is a member of the United Workmen and of the Select Knights, is a Republican in politics, and he and his family are leading workers in the M. E. church.

JACKSON GRAY-In the early spring of 1869, Jackson Gray, int company with the settlers, Sylvester Gray, G. W. Leedy and Alfred Catron, with families, drove through from Carter Co., Kentucky, and each head of a family took a claim in Montgomery county, Kansas. A wife and three children and a few household goods, together with his team, constituted the Jackson Gray possessions and he established himself on one hundred and sixty acres in section 4, township 31, range 16, where he created a small cabin, 11x14 foot. This modest and rude dwelling was of short duration for it was tired by the torch of one of White Hair's band of Osages and the family was left homeless,

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.

and even ordered not to rebuild in this country. The band absented itself from the county soon after this and while it was away a new house went up on Jackson's quarter and its owner treated the returning band so kindly and dealt with them so liberally that he won their friendship and remained undisturbed in the peaceful posses- sion of his claim.

The tribe so ingratiated itself upon the confidence of the Gray family as to warrant the parents in permitting their son, Samuel, then just large enough to run abont, to visit the village of White Hair's people, near by, and play with the little papooses and be thrown up in a blanket just as the Red Man was wont to do. But while Mr. Gray was unmolested in his residence he was not allowed to cultivate more than a small tract of land until the Indians were removed from the county in accordance with the arrangements made in the treaty for the Osage Diminished Reserve.

When the county was left in undisputed possession of the white man, the settlers engaged in earnest in the peaceful pursuits of agricnl- ture and grazing. Mr. Gray, among others, was encouraged to exert his best efforts in behalf of his family and to the end that, today, his farm embraces, instead of a single quarter of land, five hundred and forty-five acres, much of which is under and yielding to the magic touch of its intelligent and practical owner. The second pioneer cabin gave way, in ten years, to a modern and comfortable farm residence, then one of the best in the township. Barns came into existence as fast as they were needed for the accommodation of the grain and stock, and the decoration of the landscape with trees and shrubs during all the years produced a pleasing and civilizing effect and marked the Gray settlers as substantial and progressive citizens.

Jackson Gray was born in Wythe Co., Virginia, Sept. 13, 1840. He received a meager education in the schools then common to the state and was employed, as he neared manhood, as a brick-moulder. In 1861, he went to Carter Co., Kentucky, where he purchased a farm and was occupied with its enltivation 'till his removal to Kansas in the spring of 1869.

Elizabeth Gray, mother of our subject, was a native of Wythe Co., Virginia. She had four children, viz: Sylvester, of Neodesha, Kansas; Mrs. Eliza Newman, of Smith Co., Virginia; Jackson, and Mrs. Mary Leedy, of Montgomery county, Kansas.

Jackson Gray married Catherine Shelton, a native of Wythe Co., Virginia, and a daughter of Creed and Mary (Hlaunchell) Shelton, of North Carolina and. Virginia, respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Gray are the parents of William S., of Montgomery county, with children, Sammel and William; Samuel Gray, of Montgomery county, with children, Edward and Howard, and Miss Lucy Gray, yet with the domestic circle.

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.

In his political relations Jackson Gray is a Democrat and he holds a membership in the Methodist church.

MRS. MARY M. DAUGHERTY-Introdneing this personal record is a West Cherry township settler of the year 1876, who, on Sept, 13th of that year, came to Montgomery county with her late husband Samuel W. Daugherty, and purchased the Murphy claim for $650, near the north line of West Cherry township. A pole shanty served the farmer family as a dwelling for a time, but a frame house took the place of this and the primitive hut was installed as the Dangherty's "Kansas barn." For five years Mr. Daugherty lived on his original settlement and then added by purchase one hundred and sixty arres in section 16, township 31, range 16, the present family abiding place.

Samuel W. Daugherty was one of the well-to-do modest farmory of his township. Industry and good management made him thrifty and when death removed him in September 1897, a good and worthy citizen was taken away. He served as a public officer in his township, both in Ohio and Kansas, was a Democrat in polities and an Elder in the Cumberland Presbyterian church.

Mrs. Daugherty was born in Coshocton Co., Ohio, April 6, 1848, and was a citizen of that county until her removal to Kansas, with the exception of three years, when she resided in Bureau county, Illinois. She was a daughter of John W. and Susanna (Melary) Norman, natives of Ohio and grand daughter of isaac Norman and Abraham and Sarah (Miller) Mebary ;the Mebarys, of Maryland and Pennsylvania, respectively. The Normans had a family of seven children, as follows: Mrs. Mary M. Daugherty, our subject ; Isaac, of lowa; Mrs. Belle Shrock, of Avondale, Ohio; Mrs. Hannah Stiner, of the same place: Mrs. Hester E. Nichols, of Kidder, Missouri; Mrs. Geneva Emerson, deceased; Lester J., of Newcomerstown, Ohio.

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History of Montgomery County, Kansas, Part 87

Author: Duncan, L. Wallace (Lew Wallace), b. 1861, comp Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Iola, Kan., Press of Iola register Number of Pages: 1162

Author: Duncan, L. Wallace (Lew Wallace), b. 1861, comp
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Iola, Kan., Press of Iola register
Number of Pages: 1162