History of Montgomery County, Kansas, Part 93

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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DANIEL PAINTER-Not many men have the distinction of having brought their house with them when they came to Kansas, but that seems to have been true of the gentlman whose name is herewith given.

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On the Hth. of March, 1885, Daniel Painter landed in Independence, bringing with him the Inmber out of which was built the "Buckeye House," the well-known hostelry on Twelfth and Railroad streets, and of which Mr. Painter was proprietor for a number of years. This lumber had been sawed by our subject away back in Ohio, hence the name, The Buckeye House.

Daniel Painter was born in Wayne county, Ohio, April 13, 1844, and is a son of John and Susannah (Fair) Painter, both pioneers to Ohio from the "Keystone State." They belonged to the sturdy farming class who came to Ohio early, and, by dint of hardest toil, carved out a home in the white oak forests of Wayne county. They became influential and promi- nent factors in the political, social and religious life of the county, both being leading members of the Evangelical Association church, their home being frequently used for meetings of that denomination. Both parents lived to a good old age, the father dying in 1881. at eighty-six. and the mother Dec. 26. 1901, at eighty-four. They reared four children; Elizabeth, Mrs. Samuel Richard. Wayne county, Ohio; David, who died of consumption in 1864, at the age of thirty-two, resulting from the ex- posures of army life in over-exerting himself in carrying the dead and wounded from a boat, wading in water up to his shoulders. David enlisted in Co. "E" 120th O. V. I., and served in the Trans-Mississippi army. On the Red River expedition, he took cold and, after a time in the hospital, came home to die ; Samuel. of Sheridan county, Mo., and Daniel, the subject of the sketch. These were children of a second marriage, the fathers' first wife having been Susan Brenker, to whom were born six children-William, deceased; Jacob, Catherine, Mrs. John S. Byers: Susannah, Mrs. John Rice; Mary, deceased; John, of Wayne county. Ohio. Of this family Jacob had rather a remarkable career. He was one of the earliest of the '49ers, and while at work in the gold field, had many thrilling experiences with the Indians, having engaged in twenty- seven pitched battles with the "varmints," it being necessary to work with his ritte always in reach. The family finally lost track of him, and in 1866, his brother John started to look him up. After suffering many hardships in the wilds of the mountains, he finally located him in Silver City, and induced him to return home.

The first event of importance in the life of our subject, after his school days, was his enlistment in the Civil War at the age of eighteen. Ile became a private soldier of Co. "E." 120th O. V. L., and served faith- fully until October 14, 1865, his discharge dating at Houston, Texas. His regiment was made a part of the Trans-Mississippi army, and saw much of the hard service which was the lot of the Union troops in the swamps and miasmatic country of the southwest. He was in seven pitched battles-Chickasaw Bluff, Arkansas Post, Port Gibson, Siege of Vicks- burg, Jackson, Snaggy Point and Fort Blakely. Upon returning home. he engaged exclusively in farming for a time, and then purchased a saw-

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mil! on his place, which he operated for the following fourteen years. He sold out his interests in Wayne county, and, as stated, in 1885, came to Independence.

After a busy and honorable career, Mr. Painter is now enjoying the fruits of labor well done in his early life. He has never been very active in a public way, though he served two terms in the city council from what is jocularly called in Independence, the "bloody 5th." The silent influence which he has exerted, however, has always been in the line of good government, and he deserves, as he unquestionably receives, the esteem of all who know him.

Mr. Painter was joined in marriage March 8, 1866, to Miss Sarah Hoegner, also a native of the "Buckeye State," and daughter of John W. and Maria (Manderback) Hoegner. Her mother still resides in Ohio, the father having died in 1889. at the age of seventy-eight years. The chil- dren of Mr. and Mrs. Painter are Ruemma, Mrs. Azariah Smart, of this county; Ella E., Mrs. E. Ilanson, deceased September 6, 1902; thorn July 4, 1870 and married November 1, 1888); JJohn William. married Florence Peterson and lives in Gainesville, Texas: Jennie R., wife of Harry Dunn, a barber of Independence, Kas.

Mr. Painter is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and he and his good wife are passing their declining years in the full enjoyment of the esteem of many friends.

WILLIAM P. LIVINGSTON-An obliging, efficient public servant, a veteran of the greatest Civil War in all history, and a loyal hustler in the interest of his local community, William P. Livingston occupies a large place in the hearts of Liberty township people, whom he has served for the past four years as postmaster.

In reviewing the life of Mr. Livingston, the keynote to his character must first be noted-intense and loving loyalty to country. Reared amid the fierce heat of discusion of the slavery question in a state where both freeman and slave mingled, he early developed a hatred for the institution and a consequent loyalty to the cause which had for its ulti- mate objeet the breaking of the shackles. As a boy in his teens, he left home in December of 1861, and enlisted at Columbia. Ky., in Co. G .. of the Fifth Kentucky Cavalry. He was soon appointed a corporal and was later promoted to First Sergeant for meritorions conduet on the field of battle. As was the lot of most of the cavalry regiments of the war, Mr. Livingston's regiment had plenty to do, participating in no less than 335 battles and skirmishes, in three hundred of which our subject was under fire. Through these scenes of conflict, our subject passed without bodily harm, though many times escaping by but a hair's breadth. His service was. for the most part, in the west. and covered the entire period of the war, being mustered out on the third day of May, 1865.

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.

Mr. Livingston is the son of James and Tabitha (Brown) Livingston, and was born in Overton county, Tenn., December 25, 1841. His people were well-to-do farmers of that county. Grandfather Samuel Livingston settled in Tennessee from North Carolina in an early day, the county seat town of that name having been christened by him. As with many another lad of like age, our subject's career was somewhat interfered with by the war. He had received a fair education and had anticipated a professional life, but circumstances after the war were not favorable to that end, and he gave up the study of medicine after a year's trial. His early life has been devoted mostly to agriculture; until 1871. in Tennes- see, and since then, in this state. In that year, he located in Labette county, where he remained some ten years, thence to Montgomery, where in 1881. he purchased a drug stock in Liberty, a business in which he has been engaged continuously since. The helpful personality of our sub- jeet has always made him a leading factor in the different communities in which he has resided. Possessed of a mind of fine grasp of civic ques- tions and an independent and fearless disposition, his opinions are of great weight in the settlement of questions affecting the welfare of his community. While in Labette county, he served as Justice of the Peace for four years, and as a Republican has always been prominent in the ronneils of the party, though never seeking office. His appointment as postmaster dates from 1899, and came to him in the nature of a com- pliment for past services to his country and party.

In March of 1869, Mr. Livingston was joined in marriage to Rebecca, daughter of Simeon Summers of Clinton county. Ky., a respected farmer and gallant soldier, having served in the same regiment as Mr. Livings- ton. Four children have been born to our subject and his wife, as fol- łows: Henry W., married Alice, daughter of W. C. Martin, of this county; they have one child, Hallie. Ella is the wife of Jordan Morris, and lives in Labette county with their four children-Fay, Irene, Don and Dallas; William, of Liberty, a barber, and Jessie M .. carrier of Rural Route No. 3, from her father's office. Miss Jessie is one of those inde- pendent, self-reliant Kansas girls who is not afraid of work. Her route covers 233 miles, and she makes it in all kinds of weather.

S. COMER, one of Elk City's most substantial citizens, now living in semi-retirement from a long and successful lite spent for the most part as an agriculturist, is a native of Indiana, born in Hendricks county, Sep- tember 16, 1834. He came of Quaker parentage, Joseph and Hester (Comptom) Comer, natives of North Carolina and Ohio, respectively. ITis father had come to the state with his parents in 1806, being then but four years old. They settled near Richmond. being among the earliest of the Quaker faith there. He was a farmer during his entire lifetime, a man of high moral character, and of good influence in the community.

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He belonged to that class of early abolitionists whose efforts kept the question of slavery before the nation until it had become so national in its character that its settlement became an absolute necessity. Ile was an active supporter of the "Underground Railroad," and on its rough roadway helped many a black patriot to freedom. He lived to the ripe age of seventy-four years, dying in 1876. The wife had preceded him in 1868, her age being sixty-four. Thirteen children were born to them, the five living being : our subject; Rachel, Mrs. Samuel Hobson; Rebecca, Mrs. Jos. H. Mills; John C., of Indianapolis, and Cornelius L., of Moore- ville, Ind. Those deceased were: Steven, Matthew, Jabez, Mary, Jona- than, James, Amos and Levi.

S. Comer was reared amid the quiet and correct influences of a Quaker home, whose spirit of justice, equality and patriotism was early infused into his nature by precept and example. The boys of the family were taught trades, there being four carpenters and one painter. Mr. Comer, at seventeen, went to Iowa with his parents where, for three years, he worked on a farm. lle then took up the carpenter's trade, and though he had never served a regular apprenticeship, his lifelong familiarty with tools enabled him to soon become a finished workman. He worked in Henry county, lowa, until 1871, and in February of that year came to Elk City. He remained here but a short time, however, as an opening offered in the Territory in the Government Indian service, and proceeding there at once, remained for a period of five years. He re- members this period of his life with much satisfaction, as his influence among the Indians was such as to make them very tractable and docile. On account of his growing family, he concluded to again get back to civilization, and, buying a farm in Chautauqua county, in 1876, began a strictly agricultural life. He cultivated this farm until 1887, when he sold it and purchased a quarter section in Salt Creek township, which he still owns. He continued to reside there until 1897, and then came to live in town, where he works at odd times at his trade, on the princi- ple that "it is better to wear out than rust out."

In the different communities in which he has lived, Mr. Comer has been true to the best conceptions of civic duty, has served on school boards and in the various offices necessary in the conduct of any well- regulated community. He married, March 24, 1858, Sarah A., daughter of Peter and Rachel J. Hobson. Mrs. Comer was a native of lowa and is one of eleven children. Her people were of the Quaker faith, and very active workers, the father having been at one time a missionary among the Indians. He lived to the advanced age of eighty-nine years, the wife dying at the age of seventy.

Mr. and Mrs. Comer had seven children born to them as follows: Peter H., who died at twenty-four years; Nettie JJ .. now Mrs. R. S. Thorn- burg; Rachel, who married JJ. W. Lewis, of Sedan, Kansas, and has four children-Jessie, Brent, Kent and Dale ; Maria L., Mrs. W. D. Riley, wife

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HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, KANSAS.

of a Chautauqua county farmer, three children-Martha S .. Nettie R .. and Marie; Anna L., who died in infancy ; Herbert S.a successful teacher in Chautanqua county ; Joseph H., a student in the State Normal School at Emporia, where he is fitting himself for advanced work in his chosen profession, having already had great success in such work in the Indus- trial school at Topeka. The mother of these children, after a life of splendid devotion to them and her home, and to the Friends' church of which she was a birthright member, entered into her rest January 23, 1898, aged fifty-nine years. Mr. Comer, while a birthright member of the Friends' church, has a membership also in the Methodist denomina-' tion. le is a Mason and his political preferences lie with the Republi- can party. Both he and his family are the recipients of a large measure of esteem in the county where they have made their home.

REV. M. O. BARNES, Police Judge and respected citizen of the town of Elk City, is one of the more prominent of the "old soldier" ele- ment of the county, the record of his deeds during the dark days of re- bellion entitling him to honorable mention among our most worthy citi- zens.

Entering the army in July of 1861, he saw active service until his discharge July 28, 1865. He and his father became privates in the same company, Co. "A." 12th Ky. Inf. Their first battle was at the siege of Corinth, after which they participated in the chase after Bragg through Kentucky, thence to Knoxville, thence south on the Atlanta campaign. Rev. Barnes remembers this as one of the most trying periods of the war; his company being under fire for 21 conseentive days, and scarcely a day of that time but it received one or more drenchings from the pitiless rain. At Jonesboro they turned with Gen. Thomas to follow Hood into Ten- nessee, where they fught the bloody battles of Franklin and Nashville. This was the end of the war for most of the soldiers of the western army, but not so for our subject. He went around via Cincinnati and the B. & O., to Washington, thence sonth, participating in the battle of Ft. An- derson. From there to Wilmington, to Goldsboro, to Raleigh and to Greensboro, where he sheathed the sword and journeyed peacefully and gladly back to Louisville, conscions of duty faithfully performed.

Rev. Barnes is a Kentuckian by birth. Pulaski, the county and Octo- ber 31, 1837. the date. His parents were Josiah and Delila (Turpin) Barnes, both natives of the Blue Grass State. His father was a black- smith and pursued his occupation in Pulaski county until his death in 1876, at the age of 69 years. Mother Barnes died at 63 years in 1873. They were worthy and respected citizens of their county and in the nation's distress wore most zealous in its support. The father entered the army, though really exempt from military duty, and served for two years in the middle west, where he participated in some of the hard-

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fought battles as his son, retiring on account of disability. They were the parents of eight children, three of whom yet survive. Our subject is the eldest of these, the others being Martha J., (Mrs. Andrew Lay), and Eli W., both residents of Pulaski county, Kentucky.

The merry ring of the anvil constituted the music to which our sub- jeet developed a strong physical constitution, his mental equipment being such as could be secured in his earlier boyhood in the district school. Ile was engaged in helping his father up to the war, after which he worked at the anvil until 1868, in his home county, and then joined the tide of emigration which had set in so heavily to the west. Until 1884, he tried several of the more advertised counties of the state, notably : Johnson. Butler, Cowley and Franklin. He then came to Mont- gomery and, buying a home in Elk City, has since resided here, for the most part engaged in working at his trade. His title of Reverend comes from his having for years been active in ministerial work in the Friends' organization. He is, of course a leading member of the G. A. R., and has been Chaplain of the local post for 12 years. No more worthy citi- zen lives within the bounds of the county than Rev. M. O. Barnes, and the esteem in which he and his family are held is uniform.

Our subject has been twice married. The wife of his youth was a Kentucky girl, Miss Mary A., daughter of Isaac Kelly, to whom were born: W. T. S., now a prominent minister of the M. E. church, located at St. Joe, Mo .; Florence W., deceased; S. F., a farmer of the county, and Charles B., a blacksmith at Elk City. The mother of these children died June, 1897, and on Feb. 20, 1901, Rev. Barnes consummated mar- riage with Mrs. Millie M. Byers, a most estimable lady, widow of the late William Byers. Her children are: Fern, Hershal, Mary and Orville. Mrs. Barnes is a member of the M. E. church, and both she and her family are valued workers therein.

THOMAS A. GARRISON, although not an old settler, has worthily identified himself with Montgomery county and Fawn Creek township, as a farmer and business man, and as such is entitled to a place in the history of Montgomery county. He was born in Madison county, Ind .. February 18, 1853. His father, Elijah E. Garrison, was a native of Mary- land and his mother, noe Hannah JJ. Smith, was a native of Kentucky. The parents were married in Indiana and died in that state, the father. at the age of seventy-tive, the mother later, also at seventy-five.

Thomas A. Garrison was one of cleven children, and was reared on a farm in Indiana, receiving only a common school education. Hle was a member of his father's family until of age, when he entered a dlax factory and worked there for four years, and later, bought a small farm in Wabash county, Ind., and took possession of it.

He was united in marriage to Malentha J. Brothers, September 6,

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1875. His wife was a native of Indiana and a daughter of William and Sarah (Stanly) Brothers. Her death occurred in 1895. They were the parents of eight children: Ora W., Maud, wife of Aby Jeffery; Eliza, deceased; Winifred, Joel and Hazel.

Mr. Garrison has been married a second time, the wife being Emily Riger, a native of Indiana, and a danghter of F. D .. and Virginia Riger.

In later years, Mr. Garrison did a huckstering business, going to An- derson and other nearby towns, following this occupation about four years. In 1901. Mr. Garrison came to Kansas, settling in Fawn Creek township, Montgomery county, where he bought 80 acres of land, three miles east of Tyro.

Mr. Garrison is a member of the Odd Fellows of Coffeyville Lodge. In polities he is a Republican, and has recently been appointed night police in the city of Coffeyville.

MRS. PATIENCE BAKER-The majority of the names introducing the sketches in this volume are of the sterner sex, not because they are more worthy, but custom governs such selection. A number, however, will be found to represent the gentler sex, ladies, who, by the ernel hand of the grim destroyer, are fighting the battle alone. Society bows in rev- prent admiration to these women, who, with stout hearts and strong wills, take up the burden of keeping the family together until qualified to fight their own battles. The lady whose name appears above, is an esteemed and worthy resident of Drum Creek township, residing two and a half miles from Cherryvale on a well-tilled quarter seetion of land.

Mrs. Baker is a native of Cass county. Ill .. where she was born October 20, 1847. She is a daughter of William and Sarah (Smedley ) Shoopman, her parents having been early homesteaders in Cass county and now deceased. They reared the following family of children: Jacob, Mary, David and Thomas are deceased; Elizabeth, the widow of Elijah Davis, residing with her children in Cass county, Mo .; William, lives in Illinois; John in California; George is one of Montgomery county's worthy farmers, mentioned elsewhere in this book; Nicholas is a farmer residing near the old homestead in Ilinois; Nancy married Noah Sho- walter and lives in Idaho; Mrs. Baker the youngest child.

In Beardstown, IN., on the 10th of February, 1876, she was happily joined in marriage to Gilbert R. Baker, a farmer of that county. Mr. Baker was born in the State of North Carolina, May 10, 1844. There he grew to manhood and served a period in the Confederate army, after which he settled in the county where he met and married Mrs. Baker. In 1879. they settled in Montgomery county, Kansas, on a farm, and Janu- ary 11, 1897, he died on the Flemings farm, two and one-half miles south of Cherryvale.

Mrs. Baker is the mother of four children: Cora E., born December

GILBERT R. BAKER (Deceased) AND FAMILY.

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7, 1876, married William Cook; they reside in Cherryyale, and have a daughter, Neona June; Alma, born February 17, 1879, died September 27, 1879; Ledru S., born Angust 28, 1880, is her mother's companion at home, as is also Nellie IL., whose birth occurred August 20, 1890.

Mrs. Baker is a woman of superior mentality, of splendid business capacity, and she and her two danghters are most popular and esteemed members of society in their locality. They are members of the Baptist church, to which they give their earnest and loyal support.

JAMES F. MCCORKLE-The rapidly increasing distance of the Civil War from these times of the nation's great prosperity tends to a seeming forgetfulness of the glorious deeds of the "boys in blue" which made that prosperity possible. And yet it is a "seeming" forgetfulness. for whenever opportunity offers, the public is not slow in showing its ap- preciation of the sacrifices and hardships endured during those four ter- rible years of the nation's peril. This is not only true in a public sense, but in private life as well. The tribute of respect paid the "old soldier" in every community is general and of the utmost sincerity. Like the father of his country. the old soldier is "first in peace, Arst in war, and first in the hearts of his countrymen." The list of Grand Army veterans is unusually large in Montgomery county, owing to the fact that her broad acres lay in inviting idleness at the time when the implements of war were being turned into the pruning hooks of peace.

The gentleman whose honored name initiates this paragraph, is one of the nation's defenders who settled on a quarter section seven miles south of Independence, in the year 1870, (but having come to the county in 1869), and has since been continuously engaged in the pursuit of agri- culture. At the breaking out of the Civil War, Mr. MeCorkle was a student at the Lebanon. (Ohio) Normal. He immediately returned home and enlisted as a private soldier in Company "G," Ist W. Va. Cav .. in which organization he served three years and four months, being dis- charged at Harper's Ferry in the fall of 1864. During his period of ser- vice, he saw much of the horrors of war, having participated in nine- teen hard-fought battles, in which artillery was used on both sides, and in 117 skirmishes, many of which partook of the seriousness of a battle. He was wounded at Gettysburg, receiving a ball in the fleshy part of the neck, which, though painful, was not serious. He, however, had several close calls, having had two horses killed and one wounded under him. During the period of his service he was an unwilling witness to the fall and wounding of several prominent officers, notably Gen. . Shields, wounded at Kernstown, Gen, Mulligan, at Winchester, and Farnsworth af Gettysburg. He also saw Gen. Custer when shot in the leg at Cul- peper, Va. Of those days of carnage, Mr. Meforkle speaks with the feel-

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ing of the true soldier-glorious, but awful, and may they never return again.

The parents of our subject were Henry and Polly (Elkins) MeCorkle, the father born at Blacksburg. W. Va., in 1812, the mother also being a native of that state, and a member of the same family brought to national attention by the late Senator Elkins. They were leading farm- ers in their section of the state, members of the U. B. church, and con- cerned in the development of that spirit of freedom and loyalty which dared to refuse the demand of the mother state to follow her into dis- union. Their family consisted of seven children, as follows: James F., subject of this review; Villetta, Mrs. Gabriel Lister; Miranda, Mrs. Lieut. Snitors; Ann, Mrs. George Matthews; Franklin, a farmer of Lih- erty. township, this county; Madison, of Lawrence county, Ohio, and Jefferson, living on the home farm.

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History of Montgomery County, Kansas, Part 93

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