USA > Kansas > Nemaha County > History of Nemaha County, Kansas > Part 76
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Mrs. Goodrich is a graduate of the Sabetha High School, and taught in the public school of Goff three years, and at Corning one year, pre- vious to her marriage.
C. S. Goodrich owns a quarter section of Nemaha county's farm land near Goff, besides several pieces of town property. He is president and director of the Goff Telephone Company, and his activities outside of his business affairs are worthy of commendable mention and rank him as one of the real leaders and workers of the community in which he resides. He is a stanch Republican in his political affilations. He is a member and elder of the Goff Christian Church, and is serving his third year as president of the Nemaha County Sunday School Associa- tion. He is likewise fraternally allied with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. As a banker and active citizen he has made himself known and his influence in behalf of a better city has been marked, and he is ever found in the van of all movements tending to advance the interests of his home city and community.
Willis Morrell, owner of a general merchandise store at Goff, Kans., is one of the progressive business men of that locality. He carries an excellent stock of goods valued at $4,000 and has cultivated a thriving list of customers which is constantly growing because of the courtesy and good service which Mr. Morrell renders.
He was born in Michigan, November 4, 1869, and is the son of Oren and Isabella (Tift) Morrell. The father was born in New York about 1839 and grew up on his father's farm. After finishing a district school- ing, he remained on his father's farm until the opening of the Civil war, when he enlisted in the Government service. With the exception of the time thus spent in the service of his country, Mr. Morrell spent his life on the farm. In 1885 he came to Kansas, buying eighty acres in Adams township, which he farmed for five years, when he accepted an excellent offer to buy his farm. He rented a place for a short time and then moved near Burns, Kans., where he died in 1898. The mother, Isabella Tift, was also born in. Michigan about 1845, and lived on her father's farm until her marriage in 1865. She is now living in Kansas City, Mo., with her daughter, Mrs. Nina Powell. She was the mother of six children. Willis, of whom this review treats; Andrew, barber, Kansas City, Mo .; Mrs. Nina Powell, widow, Kansas City, Mo .; Mrs. Edyth Tanner, whose husband is a mine operator in Cripple Creek, Colo .; John, deceased, and one child who died in infancy.
Willis Morrell was reared on the farm, and after a district Schooling had been completed, he started out, at the age of seventeen, to make his own way. His first job was on a farm, where he worked seven years for $16 a month. Then he rented eighty acres in Adams township and farmed five years for himself, after which he moved to Goff and worked in the general merchandise store run by J. G. Bickle until 1908. Having acquired some experience in conducting a merchandise business, he pur- chased a stock of $1,500 worth of goods and started a store of his own.
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He has operated this store since that time and has built up a substantial trade by the good service which he has rendered. The stock is much larger now than it was when he started in and a greater variety of goods is handled.
In 1894 he was married to Bessie B. Gettle, and one child, Veva, aged five years, was born to them. Mrs. Morrell is the daughter of William and Mary J. (Armstrong) Gettle. The father was born in Penn- sylvania about 1852 and was reared in the rural district on his father's farm. At the age of eighteen he learned the plasterer's trade, which he followed for many years. In 1880 he came to Kansas and bought eighty acres in Adams township, Nemaha county, Kansas, where he made his home until his death in 1905. The farm was unimproved when he took charge of it, but he soon converted it into a modern, well-improved farm. The mother was born in Pennsylvania in 1853 and lived on her father's farm until her marriage in 1872. Seven children were born to her: Mrs. Iva Likens, wife of a farmer of Centralia, Kans., mother of Samuel, Erma, Lawrence and Eva; Mrs. Sarah Clark, wife of a Burlington (Kans.) farmer, mother of Frank, Hallen, Roy and Inez; Mrs. Mary Watkins, wife of a Goff real estate man, mother of Hazel, Fred, Lloyd and Janice; Mrs. Etta Finch, wife of a Muscotah merchant, mother of Glen and Pearl; Mrs. Bessie Morrell, wife of the subject of this bio- graphical review ; Roy, a farmer near Goff, father of Robert and Maxine ; Alice, Oklahoma.
Mrs. Morrell was born July 31, 1875, and helped her parents work on the farm, both in the house and in the fields, before her marriage. She has always made herself useful wherever she was, and now that her husband is conducting a store, she helps him out by doing the clerical work, which she has taught herself. She works in the store every day and is as solicitious for the welfare of her husband's business as he is. It is largely this spirit of splendid co-operation which exists between them that enables the business to continue its success, and Mr. Morrell is greatly aided by having such a willing worker to assist him in the management of his business.
Mr. Morrell is a member of the Knights and Ladies of Security and is well known in Goff and vicinity.
Chauncey M. Abbott, traveling superintendent for Kirschbraum & Sons, of Omaha, is one of the best known business men in northern Kansas. He enjoys the close friendship of a great number of business men whom he has met in his work as traveling salesman and traveling superintendent. He was born September II, 1883, in Goff, and is the only son of Edmund B. and Prudence (Scofield) Abbott, whose lives are recorded in this volume. After completing his grammar school education in 1899, he went to Havensville High. School one year and from there to Campbell College at Holton, Kans., where he remained two years. At the end of his sophomore year he transferred to Baker University at Baldwin, Kans., where he studied one year. He left Baker University
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to attend the Central Business College in Kansas City, Mo., where he prepared himself for commercial work. He then took a position with Kirschbraum & Sons, of Omaha, as road man. His work was so suc- cessful that in two years he was made manager of their plant at Goff, Kans. He so successfully executed the duties of the office that he was promoted at the end of five years to the position of field superintendent, a position which he now holds.
July 1, 1905, he was married to Vera E. Hindes, and to this union three children have been born: Rachel H. and Horace E., both deceased, and Mary A., aged four years. Mrs. Abbott is the daughter of Horace F. and Mary (Burch) Hindes. Her father was born in Milwaukee, Wis., May 15, 1857, and lived on a farm during his early years. When he was seven years old his father, who had enlisted in the Union army for the Civil war, was taken ill of fever and was sent to a hospital at Memphis, where he died. The father had enlisted in Wisconsin and served until December 4, 1863. Upon the death of the father, Horace Hindes was taken to live with his aunt, a sister of his father, in Rockford, Ill., where he received his schooling and made his home until he was sixteen years of age. Then he started out for himself and did various kinds of labor, including work in a creamery. In 1890, he organized a stock company to erect a creamery, and he was made general manager because of his ability in this industry. But in three years he had an opportunity to sell his stock at a general increased price and he immediately went from Tampico, Ill., where his first enterprise was launched, to Stella, Neb., and organized another company after the same plan he had employed at Tampico. He managed this for four years, and in 1897 the company dissolved and the creamery closed its doors. The following year Mr. Hindes moved to Goff, Kans., and took a position as manager of the branch wholesale house of Kirschbraum & Sons. For twelve years he directed the work of this branch house and was then sent out for three years as field super- intendent. In this position, as in others which he had previously held, he proved a capable executive. Mr. Hindes began to feel the call of the farm and watched for a chance to purchase a good plot of land. Finally he bought 320 acres near Logan, Kans., and he is still living on this place. It is well improved and stocked with good horses and cattle. The mother of Mrs. Abbott, Mary (Burch) Hindes, was born in Union Grove, Ill., April 21, 1862, and was reared in the country. She was married Novem- ber 22, 1882. She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. To Mr. and Mrs. Hindes, three children were born: Vera E., wife of Mr. Abbott, of whom this history is written; Gladys M., musician, and Hen- rietta, who died in infancy. Gladys Hindes is an accomplished musician of wide renown, having toured the country on various Chautauqua and lyceum circuits. She is a graduate of the Peoria College of Music and of the Illinois Woman's College of Music at Jacksonville. She also spent two years studying with Prof. Loudenback at Atchison, Kans., and followed this with one term of study at the Horner Institute, in Kansas City, Mo.
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Mrs. Vera Hindes Abbott was born March 14, 1886, at Prairie Cen- ter, Ill. She completed grammar school and was graduated from Goff High School in 1903. During the following two years she worked for her father in the creamery office. She is a member of the Methodist Church and of the Eastern Star lodge.
Mr. Abbott is a man of large ability and has achieved a reputation above the average. His work throughout has shown results and he has proved one of the best executives in the business. He is a young man and has a great future ahead of him.
Edmund B. Abbott, retired merchant, Goff, Kans., was born in Canada, July 18, 1845, and was reared in the country district and spent his boyhood working about the farm and going to the district school a few months each year. At the age of twenty, he went to the Academy of Bakersville, Canada, for four terms. He also spent four months in the military academy at Quebec, and was so efficient in his work that he was able to qualify as second lieutenant in the king' army. On leaving school he worked on the farm until he was twenty-eight years of age, when he migrated to Idaho and spent two years in the wild western country. Recrossing the border, he spent several years in Canada, and then came to Kansas, locating at Goff, where he.engaged in the lumber business and also dealt extensively in live stock. This business held his interest almost exclusively until 1904, when he retired to enjoy the fruits of his long and intensive labors.
His parents were Chauncey and Mary (Carpenter) Abbott, who were the parents of five children : Isadore, deceased; Cynthia, deceased; Ed- mund B., of whom this sketch deals; Salina G., deceased, and Chandler C., deceased. The father was born in Canada near the site of Abbott's Corner, on October 17, 1807. He was a member of the Methodist church and was a devoted church worker and held the office of trustee for many years. That he was highly respected by his neighbors is shown by the fact that for many years he was the justice of the peace in his Canadian district and administered the functions of his office justly and with ability and efficiency.
His wife, Mrs. Mary Abbott, was born December 6, 1814, at St. Ar- mond, East Canada, and grew up on her father's farm in that district. She lived at home until her marriage to Mr. Abbott, April 26, 1835, which was performed by the Rev. Matthew Lang, of their home Methodist church.
Edmund B. Abbott, of whom this biographical report is written, was married November 7, 1879, to Prudence Scofield, daughter of Lorenzo and Charlotte (Carpenter) Scofield. One son, Chauncey, was born to them. An extended account of his life will be found in this volume. Mrs. Abbott's father, Lorenzo Scofield, was born at St. Armond, East Canada, April 26, 1809. and was reared in that vicinity. He devoted his life to agriculture and lived the greater part of his life in Canada. He was a devout member of the Methodist church. Mrs. Abbott's mother
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was born September 28, 1811, in the same village as her husband. She was married to Mr. Scofield, March 8, 1835, and they lived a long and happy life together. Like her husband, Mrs. Scofield was a member of the Methodist Church. Seven children were born to this union : Lucy J., deceased ; William S., deceased ; Jeremiah, deceased, capitalist at St. Albans, Vt .; David F., deceased; Patricia A., deceased; Prudence C., wife of Mr. Abbott, and Louis D., St. Albans, Vt.
Mrs. Abbott was born at St. Armond, East Canada, April 14, 1848, and was reared on her father's farm. As she was an unusually bright pupil, she developed an ambition to teach school, and as soon as possible she qualified herself for such a position. At the age of seventeen years she obtained a teaching position, and for twelve years she followed that profession in Canada and Vermont. Retiring from teaching at the end of that period, she returned to her parents, where she lived for two years, and then she was married to Mr. Abbott, in 1879. She is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and of the Eastern Star Lodge.
Mr. Abbott is one of the public-spirited men of his community and takes an active part in civic matters. Until recently, he served on the school board and the city council of Goff and was held in high respect for his efficient and capable work in those offices. He is a member of the Masonic order and of the Modern Woodmen of America. He usually votes the Democratic ticket.
Philip J. Scott .- Some of the interesting history of Marion town- ship has been told around the fireside in the home of Philip J. Scott, farmer and stockman, on long winter evenings. His mother, Catharine (Hogan) Scott, was born January 14, 1833, in Ontario, Canada. She was the daughter of Patrick and Sarah (Burk) Hogan, natives of Ire- land. Both parents died in Canada. Mr. and Mrs. Scott had been living in Nemaha county only a short time when an incident occurred which nearly proved fatal to Mrs. Scott, and of which she never tires of telling. It was one afternoon in 1876, while they were living on the Sullivan place, southwest of Baileyville. In those days many Indians lived around the country by stealing horses and grain, and often attacking houses and burning them. On this particular afternoon she was alone and out across the prairie she could see a band of red men coming. They came closer, and Mrs. Scott began to grow fearful. But when they were two miles away, neighbors went out and frightened them back and no harm was done. The Indians frequently came into the settlements and drove off the hogs belonging to the white people, but the hogs usually found their way back home. William Scott, the father of Philip, has also seen' a very interesting part of Kansas history and before his death he used to tell story after story to the young folks who had not gone through the days which were more dangerous and uncertain. He was born in Ireland, February 26, 1828; and when a child he came to Canada with his parents. He was a son of William and Elizabeth Scott and his father followed farming. In 1870 the father of Philip Scott came to Nemaha
tH
MRS. CATHARINE SCOTT AND FAMILY.
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county, Kansas, where he worked as a laborer, mostly in Seneca. The following year he rented a farm, which he managed until 1877, when he homesteaded forty acres in Marion township, section 28. He put up a small one-room house 16x18 feet, with an additional small room above. He broke up this land and in 1881 bought another forty acres, thus mak- ing eighty acres, which amount he owned at his death in 1882. He was married, January 16, 1859, and the facts concerning his wife's life have already been related. She is now living with her son, Philip. Eight children were born to Philip's parents: Elizabeth, now Mrs. Sullivan, of Marion township, widow; Sarah, Mrs. Donnelly, of Center township; William, Center township; Mary, Mrs. Rice, of Baileyville; Richard, Marion township ; Philip, of whom this biography is to deal in full ; Ella, living at home ; Agnes, Mrs. Anderson, Marion township. Mr. and Mrs. Scott were members of the Catholic Church.
Philip Scott attended district school in district No. 70, Marion town- ship. He has always lived on the old home place, and since 1892 he has never missed a year feeding hogs and cattle, handling ten or twelve loads each year. He usually keeps two hundred head of cattle the whole year and buys hogs and cattle for the markets continually. His farm is also productive and nets him a comfortable return. He owns 515 acres of land at this time.
Mr. Scott is a Democrat in politics and in 1911 served a term as justice of the peace and later served a second term, his work being so satisfactory to the people of the township. He has always taken an in- terest in public affairs. Mr. Scott is not married. He is a regular at- tendant at church and contributes liberally to religious and charitable enterprises. For many years he has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and has held all offices in the Baileyville Lodge of Odd Fellows. Mr. Scott is a popular man in his community and is al- ways a leader in public enterprises. His good judgment and wide ac- quaintance have made him unusually influential in the affairs of Marion township.
Roy Roscoe Gilmore .- For over half a century the Gilmore family have been tillers of the soil in Nemaha county, Kansas. During the early fifties Isaac Gilmore, grandfather of him whose name heads this biogra- phy came from his home near Pomeroy, Ohio, after selling the mineral rights of his 160-acre tract of valuable coal lands in Meigs county, Ohio, and bought two and one-half sections of prairie land in Nemaha county. He divided this land among his children, who left their old Buckeye State home and settled on the prairies of this county and developed splendid farms. The father of Roy R. Gilmore was Timothy Gilmore, who came to Kansas in 1865 and began to develop his tract of unbroken prairie land.
Timothy Gilmore, father of Roy R. Gilmore, was born in Ohio, De- cember 22, 1843, and was a son of Isaac and Polly (Stivers) Gilmore, the former of whom was born at Marietta, Ohio, in 1821 and dying in July, 1864, and the latter was born in New York February 2, 1821, and died in
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1905, a daughter of Benjamin and Sophronia Stivers, who immigrated to Meigs county, Ohio, in 1835. Six years later, 1841, the marriage of Isaac and Polly Gilmore took place. Timothy Gilmore assisted his father on the farm in Meigs county, Ohio,, until he attained the age of eighteen years and then enlisted in Company B, One Hundred and Sixteenth Ohio infantry, and served for three years in the Civil war. His company captain was Captain Keyes. He fought at the battles of Piedmont, Va., Fisher Hill, near Strausburg, Cedar Creek and Win- chester (1864). He fought through the three days' battle of Winchester under General Sheridan and took part in the final rout of Early's com- mand. His command was later detailed for field duty south of Peters- burg, captured Fort Gregg, near Petersburg; followed Lee to Appomat- tox and witnessed Lee's surrender. The regiment remained at Rich- mond until June, 1866, and were then sent to their homes. In the fall of 1866, Timothy Gilmore came to Nemaha county, Kansas, and began de- veloping the quarter section of land which his father had given him as his share of the estate which he obtained in exchange for his coal rights in Meigs county, Ohio. Not being very well fixed in funds when he first came to this State, he worked out as a farm hand for some time before making a permanent settlement on his place, which was wild, unbroken prairie. He first built a two-room frame house, to which he later added a single room addition. As time went on and his crops became better and better each year, and his prairie farm was stocked with cattle and horses, he felt able to build a modern home of twelve rooms in 1892. He also erected a large barn, 36x56x19 feet, in 1901. For many years Mr. Gilmore was an extensive stock raiser and specialized in high-grade Per- cheron horses, the sale of which at his demise brought the large total of $2,600. He was also a specialist in the breeding of Berkshire hogs, which took many prizes and blue ribbons at the various stock shows. Not long after he began farming his first quarter section, he added 200 acres to his farm. This sturdy pioneer died in 1911 and his remains were interred in the Oneida cemetery. He was an honored member of the Grand Army of the Republic.
Mr. Gilmore was married in June, 1867, to Harriet Vilott, who re- ceived the second marriage license granted in Nemaha county. His wife, Harriet Vilott, was born in Indiana, February 14, 1848, a daughter of James and Marian (Noble) Vilott, who immigrated to Kansas in Janu- ary, 1865, and settled in Nemaha county. Seven children were born to Timothy and Harriet Gilmore, as follows: Mrs. Luella Briggs, Summer- field, Kans., mother of seven children, namely : Percy (deceased), Merle, Eunice, Naoma, Mildred, Lela and Helen; Mrs. Stella Burk, a widow, Emporia, Kans., has two children, Celia and Gloyd; Ira Lee Gilmore, lumberman, Oklahoma, has three children, Basil, Dale and Rosamond ; Mrs. May Bloss, Seneca, Kans., has two children, Nelly May and Ed- mond C .; William C., living near Oneida, Kans., father of three children,
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Howard, Gilbert and Cornelia ; Roy Roscoe, subject of this review ; Mrs. Inez Leftwich, Pittsburg, Pa., has one child, Morris M.
Timothy Gilmore was a prominent and influential leader of the Re- publican party in Kansas and served as central committeeman for several years. He was a delegate to State conventions on several occasions, but was never anvoffice seeker. He preferred to take an active interest in politics solely for the love of the game, and during his career he assisted many friends to political preferment.
Roy R. Gilmore was born on the home place of his parents in Adams township, May 22, 1881. After completing the course of study prescribed in the district school of his neighborhood, he entered the State Agricul- tural College at Manhattan and studied for two years. Failing eyesight compelled him to relinquish his studies, however, and he took the short course in agriculture. He returned home from the college and for five years he tilled his father's acreage on the share plan. He then made a trip to California for his health and returned by way of Oregon and Washington, stopping on his return trip at Everett, Wash., for two months. Upon his return home he again farmed the Gilmore home place for four years, in the meantime building himself a four-room cottage across the highway from his father's home. He moved into this new home and has since remained there, cultivating his own farm of 120 acres.
Mr. Gilmore was married December 26, 1907, to Enid Lulu Keeler, a daughter of Morris and Alberta (Hostetter) Keeler. Morris Keeler, the father of Mrs. Gilmore was born in Connecticut and became a carpenter. He immigrated to Kansas at an early day and still follows his trade at Sabetha, Kans. Mrs. Gilmore was born April 14, 1883, and was reared on a farm. She graduated from the Sabetha High School and taught school for three years. For two years previous to her mar- riage she filled the post of cashier and bookkeeper in the Haines store at Sabetha. One child has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Roy R. Gilmore, Helen Margaret, aged six years.
Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore are members of the Methodist church, and Mr. Gilmore is affiliated with the Republican party. The Gilmores are popular in their home locality and have many warm and steadfast friends who esteem them for their many good qualities.
Dr. James B. Roberts, an Eclectic practitioner, is a well known pro- fessional man of Goff, Kans., and has a very large practice in this vicinity. Dr. Roberts is skilled in his specialty and enjoys the confi- dence of a large clientele because of his unquestioned integrity and high ethical standard as well as the attestation of many years of suc- cessful practice of the profession of medicine.
Dr. Roberts is a native of Indiana, and is a son of Thomas and Sarah A. (Anderson) Roberts, who were the parents of four children, whose names are as follows: Amanda, deceased ; William, deceased ; Jennie M., wife of Mr. Jones, retired, Kansas City, Mo., and James B.,
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of whom this review is written. The father died when Dr. Roberts was a small boy, and little can be recalled of the incidents of his life. The mother was born in Ohio in 1829, and died in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1897. She was reared on the farm and attended the district school; but her education was by no means confined to her school room instruction, for she was taught the household arts by her mother in the most thor- oughgoing fashion, which was so widely followed in former years. This training included spinning and weaving. She lived with her parents until her marriage, which took place in 1857. Her husband's death caused her to sell the family farm in Indiana and move to Iowa, near Hartford, Warren county, where she lived with her brother-in-law, and by the hardest kind of work, managed to keep her children together. As soon as the little tots were large enough to work, they helped their mother shear the sheep by holding them while she deftly ran the shears over the animals. Then she carded, spun and wove the wool into cloth and made their clothing. After spending four years with her brother- in-law, her children were growing up, and she moved to Hamlin, Iowa, and kept house for the children. For five years her two oldest sons taught school and the struggling family lived in modest comfort by the earnings of the children and the careful management of the mother. Moving to Adel, Iowa, the sons, William and James, taught school at that place until the health of William began to break under the strain, and he was compelled to go to Colorado for his health. To accomplish this, William made the trip overland in a wagon driven by a span of mules, and stopped at Idaho Springs to recuperate. Six months later his brother, James, the subject of this biography, joined him and they en- gaged in mining. A year later the mother joined them, and during the next four years the two brothers worked desperately to save up money. Fortune favored them, and at the end of four years they had saved sufficient funds to enable them to study medicine. They returned to Iowa and attended the Eclectic Medical College, where they were grad- uated in 1891. William went to Nebraska, where he practiced until his death. The mother lived in Des Moines until her death, December 22, 1897.
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