USA > Kansas > Nemaha County > History of Nemaha County, Kansas > Part 50
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Peter M. Ridgway worked on the parental farm until he attained his majority and then moved to a tract of 160 acres which his father gave him, in Polk county, Iowa. Some years later he bought a section of land in Page county, Iowa, and lived thereon. During the Civil war he served as captain of the Iowa Home Guards, and after the war he sold his Iowa land and moved to Kansas, in 1866, engaging in the livestock business in Neosho county. When Peter Ridgway came to Kansas he brought along with his outfit some very fine livestock, but suffered a serious misfortune when his herd of fine cattle became infected with Texas fever, caught from herds of cattle which were driven north from Texas for grazing on the Kansas lands. He died on a farm near Seneca, Kans., in 1879, and his remains are interred in the Seneca cemetery. Peter M. Ridgway and Louisa Hamlin were married in 1848, and they were the parents of the following children : Samuel and Abraham, deceased ; Charles W., the sub- ject of this review ; Lois L., deceased ; Peter W., living in Nemaha county, a farmer and father of twelve children; Ephraim, deceased ; Elmer E., a harness merchant, Kelly, Kans. The mother of these children died in 1869.
Charles W. Ridgway's early life was spent on a pioneer farm in Page county, Iowa, whither his parents had removed when he was a small boy. Settlements were few and far between and school houses were very rare. The school which he attended, and which was located on the border line of Iowa and Missouri, required a three-mile walk on his part morning and evening. However, Mr. Ridgway remembers the good times which the Iowa and Missouri boys had while attending this school.
Pháp
CHARLES W. RIDGWAY.
MRS. CHARLES W. RIDGWAY.
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After attaining his majority, he attended school in Topeka, Kans., for two years, the family having removed to Neosho county, Kansas, in 1866. He and his three brothers bought eighty acres of land in partner- ship and farmed it in common for five years. At the time of Mr. Ridg- way's marriage, in 1882, he had eighty acres of land and owed one-fourth of a $1,555 mortgage on the eighty-acre tract. However, he worked hard, managed his finances ably and eventually became the owner of 480 acres. It might be well to add here that the Ridgway family came to Nemaha county in 1879. The Ridgway farm is one of the finest tracts in Nemaha county and is well improved with a large thirteen-room house, fitted up in a modern manner with a water plant and heating and acetylene light- ing system.
The barn is 40x48 feet, with a large stone basement. Other buildings on this fine agricultural plant are kept in first-class condition. Mr. Ridg- way has long been a breeder of Percheron horses, and is president of the Kelly Draft Horse Company, a concern which has imported several fine Belgian and Percheron horses from abroad. He also maintains a drove of over 100 pure bred Poland China swine. The Ridgway farm boasts some of the finest livestock in northern Kansas, but the proprietor has never placed any animals on exhibition, preferring to handle well bred live stock simply because it is the best thing to do on the farm.
Mr. Ridgway has been appointed to serve as township treasurer on · two different occasions, has served several terms as justice of the peace and has served as delegate to the Republican State conventions at To- peka. However, although he has always taken a keen interest in political matters and is interested in the success of his party at the polls, he has never allowed politics to interfere with his farming operations, and be- lieves that a man's first duty is to his business. home, and to his family.
The marriage of Charles W. Ridgway and Julia Thomas was con- summated February 14, 1882, and has been blessed with five children, as follows: Olive, who died in infancy ; Mrs. Rose M. Karnowski, living on a farm two miles north of Centralia, and has four children, namely : Gladys, Raymond, Bernice and Edna Fay ; Edward C., resides on one of his father's farms and has one child living, Dewart; Tracy E., living on one of his father's farms, and has two children, Gerald and Bernetta : Mrs. Amanda B. Gettle, mother of two living children, Roberta and Maxine. Mrs. Julia (Thomas) Ridgway was born in Kentucky, November 22, 1861, and is a daughter of Rev. A. S. and Mehalie (Harrington) Thomas, natives of Kentucky. Rev. Thomas was reared in Kentucky, being born in February, 1830, and was educated for the ministry, and followed his ministerial career until his demise at Reno, Neb., June 5. 1914. His wife, Mehalia Harrington, was born in Kentucky and died in Texas. She was the mother of nine children, as follows: Mrs. Sarah E. Purtee, living on a Colorado fruit ranch ; Mary I., deceased; Alfred F., a ranchman in Texas; Mrs. Elizabeth Purtee, Kansas City, Mo .; Mrs. Maria Defrees,
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Kansas City, Mo .; James W., Kansas City, Mo .; Martha, deceased ; Asa S., a farmer near Kansas City, Mo .; Julia, wife of Charles W. Ridgway, subject of this review, and who was reared in the country until she was ten years old, and then removed with her parents to Kansas City, Mo., where her father was pastor of the Christian Church. She remained with her parents until her marriage.
The Ridgways are members of the Evangelical church and Mr. Ridg- way is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, No. 19, of Seneca.
George E. Kohler .- The life story of George E. Kohler, of Ber- wick township, portrays in expressive and substantial terms a record of success which is seldom equalled. When a man can become owner of 600 acres of valuable Kansas land in the comparatively short space of twenty-four years, it is evidence of ability and industry of a very high order and the tale of his accomplishments is well worth record- ing in terms of praise.
George E. Kohler was born on a farm in Fayette county, Iowa, March 1I, 1868, and is a son of Benjamin and Magdalena (Wenzer) Kohler, natives of Germany. Benjamin Kohler, his father, was born in Switzerland in 1830 and learned the miller's trade. When sixteen years old he immigrated to America and settled in Elgin, Iowa, where he became manager of a flour mill, lived there the remainder of his days and died at Elgin in 1905. George E. Kohler's mother was born in Switzerland in 1831 and is making her home at West Union, Iowa.
When George E. Kohler was twenty-three years old he married and left his home city of Elgin, Iowa, with a capital of $175. He started West in the hope of finding a place where he could make his fortune and become owner of a farm. His westward pathway led him to Bern, Kans., where many Swiss people had settled and formed a Swiss colony. For a few months he worked as farm hand at a wage of $20 per month. He then rented his present home farm in section 28, four miles northwest of Sabetha, and in 1892 he bought the place.
At the time Mr. Kohler purchased his farm the improvements were not of much account. He set out trees and shrubbery, built a large house and barn and eventually created a desirable homestead in ac- cordance with his ideas of what a farm home should be like. The first farm was not sufficient for him, however, and as his means allowed he reached out for more and more land until at the present time he owns 600 acres of good farm land in Brown and Nemaha counties.
Mr. Kohler was married to Sarah Wenger, who has borne him one child, namely: Mrs. Lulu Munz, who makes her home at the Kohler place. Mrs. Kohler was born in Elgin, Iowa, March 28, 1869, and is a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Kizer) Wenger, natives of Switzer- land, who emigrated from their native land to America in 1874 and made an early settlement in Nemaha county, Kansas.
It is only natural to find that a citizen of the calibre and ability of
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Mr. Kohler should take an influential part in civic and political mat- ters in his home township. He has done so and served the people as township trustee for six years, beginning with 1909. He has also been a member of the school board of district sixty-two. The Democratic party has always had the allegiance of Mr. Kohler. While he is con- servative in his methods of doing business and is a careful business man, he is big hearted and generous and he is known as a ready and liberal contributor to the needy and destitute and is a firm believer in practical Christianity without the outward show.
John M. Shaefer .- Neat appearing and well kept is the summary of the observation of the average onlooker when he views the home farm of John M. Shaefer in Home township. The Shaefer farm well deserves all of the praise which can be bestowed upon it, and Mr. and Mrs. Shaefer can be justly proud of their handsome home and the fertile acres which surround it. Evidence of industry and thrift are seen on every hand, and fat swine, handsome horses, and sleek and well fed cattle are seen in the fields to please the eye of the observer. Added to these is a fine family of children, of whom their parents are very proud, with good and just right, inasmuch as this family is their contribution to their home county and State:
John M. Shaefer was born in Ulster county, New York, March 2, 1863, and is a son of Adam and Wilhelmina (Smith) Shaefer, who were the parents of six children, as follows : John, deceased ; Adam, deceased ; Mrs. Mary Hailey, deceased ; John M., subject of this review ; Leonard M., whose biography is given in this volume; George, twin brother of Leonard, deceased. The reader is referred to the biography of Leonard M. Shaefer for further details concerning the lives of Simon and Wil- helmina Shaefer. John M. Shaefer was educated in the district schools, and was reared on the Shaefer home farm in Nemaha county since he was six years old. When he was twenty-six years old, he became heir to the northwest quarter of section 26 in Home township, and has made his home thereon since that time. He has improved this tract with a good home of eight rooms and other buildings in keeping with a well defined plan of locating his farm buildings.
In 1889, he set out an orchard of two acres which, when it came into bearing, was one of the finest and most prolific in Nemaha county. He made exhibits of his fine apples and peaches at Centralia, and people came from far and near to buy the products of his orchard in season. During the last great drought in Kansas, many of the trees died, or were so badly injured that they have ceased bearing. He also set out a beau- tiful grove of shade trees, which add to the attractiveness of the sur- roundings, and give a grateful shade on the hot summer days. Mr. Shaefer keeps well bred Durham cattle and Duroc Jersey hogs, and also has some fine Norman horses. He is a shareholder of the Farmers Ele- vator Company of Centralia.
Mr. Shaefer was married, in 1889, to Octavia Jessee, a daughter of
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George T. and Laura J. (Buckles) Jessee. She was born in Russell county, Virginia, November 18, 1869. Her parents were early settlers of Nemaha county, and came to this county in 1880. Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Shaefer, as follows: George E., born July 31, 1892, a graudate of the Centralia High School, and now bookkeeper for the Pueblo, Colo., Electric Light and Power Company; Lillian, born November 28, 1894, graduated from the Centralia High School, pursued a course in music at Pueblo, Colo., in 1914, and has taught music in her home district-she also taught a term of school in Harrison township in 1913; Grace E., born January 18, 1901, attends school at Centralia ; Mat- tie, was born September 10, 1904.
Mr. Shaefer is a standpat Republican who thoroughly believes in Republican principles, and is interested in his party's success at the polls. He has been road supervisor, and is now a member of the school board of district No. 73. He is affiliated with the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and the Odd Fellows of Centralia.
George A. Magill, cashier of the State Bank of Kelly, Kans., was born November 24, 1886, in Brown county, Kansas, and is a son of James D. and Ida E. (Shiffer) Magill, pioneer settlers of Nemaha county, who were among the first to come to Nemaha county. James D. Magill was born in Platte county, Missouri. His parents came to Kansas from Missouri in 1856. He homesteaded 160 acres of land one mile north of Capioma, Nemaha county. The family drove from Missouri to the Kansas homestead with ox wagons and James D. broke up the first land on his farm with oxen. The family first resided in a log cabin, which served as the family domicile for a number of years. James D. Magill served as trustee of Capioma township and was elected district clerk of Nehama county in 1898, and held the office until his de- mise in 1900. James D. and Ida E. Magill were the parents of seven chil- dren, as follows: Millie, wife of C. V. Williams, a veterinary surgeon of Frankfort, Kans .; Blanche, wife of Frank L. Geary, a banker of Seneca, Kans .; Mrs. Bessie Britt, whose husband is a barber located in Seneca ; Mrs. Alice Hayner, Elm, Wyo .; George A., with whom this review is concerned ; Frank, operating a lumber and grain business at Victor, Kans .; Paul, a farmer living in Richmond township.
When George A. Magill was twelve years old his parents removed to Seneca and he attended the public schools for four years after the family located in the city. When sixteen years of age he entered the employ of Thompson & Wempe as clerk in their general merchandise store. He remained with this firm for five years and then pursued a course in bookkeeping and commerce at Central Business College, Kansas City, Mo., for six months. For one year thereafter he was em- ployed on an Idaho ranch. In December, 1908, he returned to Seneca and became bookkeeper of the National Bank of Seneca, and served in this capacity until 1909. He then took charge of the State Bank of Kelly. Mr. Magill is likewise a shareholder and director of this bank
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and the prosperity of the institution is sufficient evidence of his ability to conduct its affairs in the interest of both patrons and stockholders.
Mr. Magill was united in marriage with Miss Emily Scrafford in 1910. Mrs. Magill was born February 26, 1887, in Adams township, Nemaha county, a daughter of Frank M. and Eva (Alexander) Scrafford, who formerly resided in Nemaha county, but are now located on a farm in North Dakota. Mrs. Magill is a graduate of the Seneca High School and taught school for three years previous to her marriage.
Mr. Magill takes an active part in county affairs and is usually found in the forefront of community undertakings. He is a member of the County Fair Association and is a Republican in politics. He is affil- iated with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, No. 39, of Seneca, the Ancient Order of United Workmen, No. 60, of Seneca, the Inde- pendent Order of Odd Fellows, No. 570, of Kelly, Kans.
Bert G. Cole, grain dealer and merchant of Kelly, Kans., is one of the live wires of his city, and has filled the office of postmaster of Kelly for four years. He was born in Brownsville, Cass county, Michigan, January 10, 1880, and is a son of Milton J. and Etta (Lee) Cole. Milton J. Cole was born in New York State in 1860, went from his native State to Michigan where he remained until 1882, and then migrated to Kansas, locating on a farm near Kelly in Nemaha county. The mother of Bert G. Cole was born in Michigan, and is now residing in Wetmore, aged fifty- two years. The father died in July, 1912. Milton G. Cole and wife were the parents of the following children: Bert G .; Donald, an automobile salesman at Wetmore; Maud, wife of Dr. Searles, residing in Wetmore ; Mrs. Zelpha Cawood, wife of a leading merchant of Wetmore.
Bert G. Cole received his primary education in the district school, and accompanied his parents to Kansas, where he assisted his father in cultivating the farm until he began life for himself. In 1898, he pursued an engineering course in the agricultural college at Manhattan, Kans., and then returned to the home farm. He located on a farm owned by his father near Kelly, and in partnership with his father and brother, operated a livery business in Goff and Wetmore. He later engaged in farming until 1909, and then located in Kelly, where he became manager of Denton & Kuhn Commission Company's grain elevator. Mr. Cole has lately engaged in the automobile business in the capacity of auto salesman, and has handled considerable real estate.
Mr. Cole's first marriage was in 1903 with Miss Ella Drager of Illinois township, Nemaha county. She was born in 1882, and died in 1904, leaving one child, Iscah, with grandparents at Waterville, Kans. His second marriage occurred in 1909 with Kathrine Stoldt, born in Adams township, Nemaha county, a daughter of George and Minnie (Jordan) Stoldt, natives of Germany. The Stoldts were early settlers in Nemaha county. George, the father of Mrs. Cole, is deceased, and the mother resides with Mrs. Cole at Kelly.
Mr. Cole is a Republican, and has taken a more or less active part in
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political affairs in his town and county, being considered one of the lead- ers of the G. O. P. in Nemaha county. In 1911, he was appointed post- master of Kelly, and served for four years, until his Democratic successor was appointed. Mr. Cole is a member of the Kelly Lodge of Odd Fel- lows, and is a past grand chancellor of this lodge.
Abram Funk, carpenter and builder, and Union veteran, of Kelly, Kans., might aptly be called the "Father of Kelly," inasmuch as he started and operated the first general store in the town in 1887. Mr. Funk was born January 6, 1847, in Putnam county, Ohio, a son of Henry and Elizabeth (Hampshire) Funk, natives of Virginia and Ohio, respectively. Henry Funk was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, November 27, 1808, and became a farmer, removing to Putnam county, Ohio, where he died in 1887.
Abram Funk was reared on the pioneer farm in Putnam county, Ohio, attended the district school of his neighborhood and enlisted in the Union army. His enlistment took place in May, 1863, at Lima, Ohio, in Company F, in the One Hundred and Fifty-first Ohio regiment, and served until his discharge in August, 1863. He was in service in the environs of Washington, D. C., and at Fort Bayard contracted measles, from which he was laid up for a time. After his war service, Mr. Funk learned the carpenter trade, and about 1867 began to take
building contracts on his own account. In 1870 he bought a farm in Putnam county, Ohio, which he cultivated for ten years, then sold out and came to Kansas. His first settlement in Kansas was in Nemaha county, six miles south of Sabetha, where he bought 160 acres of partly improved land in 1880. He sold this tract in 1881 and bought 240 acres near Kelly, in Adams township. This farm was poorly im- proved at the time of purchase and he erected the necessary buildings and changed the appearance of things, being enabled to sell out at a good profit in 1887. He then went to western Kansas, but returned to Kelly within a year and started the first general store in this vil- lage. Six months later he disposed of his business and has since de- voted himself to carpentering and contract work. During past years Mr. Funk has been kept fairly busy at his trade and has erected several structures in Kelly and around the country side.
Abram Funk was married in 1869 in Allen county, Ohio, to Eliza- beth Clevenger. This union has been blessed with the following chil- dren: Mrs. Edna Blackwell, living in Delta county, Colorado; Lowell, a teacher in Centralia, Kans., and graduate of the State Normal School at Emporia, Kans .; Grace, who has taught in the Seneca Public Schools for the past twelve years; Russell C., a practicing dentist at Lemore, Cal., and graduate of the Western Dental College of Kansas City, Mo. One child died at the age of four years. Mrs. Funk was born August 29, 1850, in Allen county, Ohio, a daughter of I. H. and Lucinda (Ford) Clevenger, natives of New England.
Mr. Funk is progressive in his political views and is a member of
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the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Corning Lodge, No. 13. He is tolerant in his religious views and while an attendant at religious worship, is not a member of any denomination. Mr. Funk is a citizen who believes in the "Golden Rule" as applied to a man's behavior, and is living an honest, upright and industrious life. It is to his everlasting credit as a citizen and father that he has given all of his children every advantage possible in the attainment of a good education.
Barney Wichman .- One of the most attractive and best improved farms in Nemaha county, Kansas, is that of Barney Wichman of Mit- chell township. This farm consists of 250 acres, is well fenced, and has excellent buildings. When Mr. Wichman took possession of the place in 1895, the improvements were of a negligible quantity, but the place now is a fine indication of the thrift and enterprise of its owner. In 1904, Mr. Wichman erected a fine nine room farm residence, painted cream color, modern in every respect and heated with a hot air furnace. This home, with its cluster of attractive farm buildings, sits well back from the road- way in the midst of well kept grounds. The following year he built a large barn 50x56 feet in extent, attractively painted in red and white.
Barney Wichman was born in Oldenburg, Germany, April 13, 1867, and is a son of John Casper and Josephine (Bokin) Wichman, who were the parents of six children, as follows: Barney, the eldest of the family, and concerning whose life career this review is written ; Henry, a farmer of Richmond township ; Joseph, deceased ; Clements, of Richmond town- ship; Elizabeth and Josephine, deceased. John Casper Wichman was born in Germany in 1835, married in Germany and immigrated to America in 1883 and, after a six months' residence in Cincinnati, Ohio, he came west and settled in Nemala county, Kansas. He first settled in Marion town- ship, but later removed to Mitchell township. He died in Richmond . township in 1899, at the home of his son, Clements. His wife, Josephine, was born in 1834, and died in her native land in 1871.
Barney Wichman left his native land in 1887 and came to America. He was employed in an undertaking establishment in Cincinnati, Ohio, 11ntil 1892. He then came west and settled in Nemaha county, Kan- sas, where he rented land in Marion township for three years. His three years of renting proved profitable and he was enabled to buy 160 acres of land in section eight, Mitchell township, in 1895. He has since increased his acreage to 250 acres and made the improvements on his land as stated in the preceding paragraph. Mr. Wichman keeps con- siderable live stock on his farm and is thus enabled to market the pro- duction of his plant in the most economical and profitable manner, while insuring the continued fertility of his broad acres.
He was married in 1893 to Miss Mary Stueve and this union has resulted in the birth of the following children: Benjamin, Harry, Louis, August, Joseph, Elizabeth, Anna, Rosa, Francis. The mother of these children was born in Oldenburg, Germany in 1865, and left her native land in 1887. She settled in Cincinnati, and there met and was
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wooed by Barney Wichman-the marriage resulting has been a happy and prosperous one, and Mrs. Wichman deserves a considerable meas- ure of praise for the success of her husband.
Mr. and Mrs. Wichman and their children are members of the Cath- olic Church and contribute of their means to the support of this de- nomination. They take part in the many social doings of the church and are highly respected citizens of the county.
Robert M. Bronough, one of the oldest pioneers of Nemaha county and a prominent and progressive business man at Baileyville, Kans., has made a conspicuous success of his life career and his business, which is that of furniture dealer in his home city. Mr. Bronough comes of a family which figures prominently in the early history of Nemaha county and Kansas. His father was Thomas Bronough, born in Kentucky in 1805, and reared in his native State, living there until he removed to Illi- nois in 1830. He lived in Illinois until he followed his older sons to Kansas in 1859, at which time he drove out to Nemaha county with a train of three wagons and settled on a homestead three miles south of the pres- ent site of Baileyville. He broke up the ground for his farm and culti- vated it for a number of years. In his old age he made his home with his son, Robert M., after the death of his wife, and he enjoyed living to a good old age of eighty years, respected and loved by all who knew him. His death occurred in 1884. During the earlier years of his life, Thomas Bronough filled the office of county assessor of Nemaha county, to which office he was elected in 1866. Seven deputies were employed under him and he was the last county assessor to serve before the law provided for township assessors. His son, Robert, was his chief deputy and assisted in changing the tax roll from the alphabetical to the numerical order, thus getting all the taxable land on the county tax rolls.
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