USA > Kansas > Reno County > History of Reno County, Kansas; its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 21
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On February 14, 1915, Frank M. McDermed was united in marriage to Clara Teter, who was born and reared in Hutchinson, a daughter of James L. Teter, who is now a grocer at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
ALBERT P. DIXON.
The Dixon family has been actively connected with the affairs of Reno county since the days of the beginning of a social order hereabout, Albert P. Dixon, a well-known and progressive young farmer of Salt Creek town- ship, this county, being a grandson of Nathaniel Dixon, a Hoosier, who came to Reno county in 1872, the year following the first permanent settle- ment made in the county, and son of the late Cyrus N. Dixon, who for years was regarded as one of the leading farmers of Enterprise township.
Nathaniel Dixon was born in Indiana and became a well-to-do farmer of the Aurora neighborhood in that state. He married Iantha Hoard and continued making his home near Aurora until 1872, in which year he and his family, his wife and five young children, came to Kansas, locating in Reno county, where, in Enterprise township, he homesteaded a tract of land, being among the very earliest of the settlers of this county and the second or third to settle in Enterprise township. When he erected his humble home on his homestead there was not another house to be seen in any direction from that point, nor was there a tree in sight, while vast herds of buffalo still were roaming the prairies hereabout, providing ample sup- plies of meat for the family larder. Nathaniel Dixon speedily proceeded to
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make a home on the prairie and soon had things in habitable shape. He planted a sightly grove on his place and quickly began to be recognized as one of the most progressive and energetic of the settlers in that part of the county. Nathaniel Dixon kept the postoffice in his home about 1874. His sons were active aids to him in the work of creating a new home and all grew up sturdy and independent farmers. Nathaniel Dixon and his wife were members of the Methodist church and early took their place among those who were continually active in good works in their neighborhood. In the early eighties he sold his home place to his son, Cyrus N. Dixon, and he and his wife went to Oregon, where their last days were spent. They were the parents of five children, as follow: Ezra L., who went to Oregon and died in Portland, that state; Luella, who married W. T. Hare and now lives in the town of Nickerson, this county; Cyrus N., father of the subject of this sketch, and Samuel and Michael, both of whom have for years been making their homes in Oregon, the latter of whom formerly was a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, but is now farming in Oregon.
Cyrus N. Dixon was twelve years of age when he came to this county with his parents in 1872, and he grew to manhood on the homestead farm in Enterprise township. When he came of age he married Annie Warnock, who was born in Iowa in 1861 and who came to this county with her par- ents when she was a girl, and then he bought the homestead of his father, the latter at that time moving to Oregon, and spent the rest of his life there. becoming a very successful farmer. He presently bought an adjoining half section of land and at the time of his death on January II, 1915, was the owner of seven hundred and twenty acres of choice land in Enterprise town- ship. He was a Democrat, ever taking an active part in local political affairs, and he and his wife were earnest members of the Methodist church. They were the parents of five children, namely: Albert P., the subject of this sketch: Iantha, who married Jesse Huckworth and lives on a farm in Enterprise township. this county; Lola, married Virgil T. Slifer, a farmer of Enterprise ; Ray, who is managing the home farm, and Ezra, deceased.
Albert P. Dixon was born on the old Dixon homestead in Enterprise township, this county, on December 17, 1885. He grew to manhood there, receiving his elementary education in the district school of that neighbor- hood, which he supplemented by a course in the Salt City Commercial Col- lege at Hutchinson. Following his marriage in 1911 he bought the old Claypool place, the southwest quarter of section 6 in Salt Creek township and moved onto that farm, on which he still makes his home. He has been
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quite successful in his farming operations and rents additional land from . his mother, which he is cultivating with profit.
On July 29, 1911, Albert P. Dixon was united in marriage to Katy Kittle, who was born in Rush county, this state, daughter of Stacy Kittle and wife, who now reside in Nickerson, this county, and to this union two children have been born, sons, Oscar, who was born in July, 1912, and Harold, in May, 1915. Mr. and Mrs. Dixon are members of the Methodist church and take a proper interest in the good works of their community.
WILLIAM E. CARR.
William E. Carr, general manager of the "Monarch" mills at Hutchin- son, this county, vice-president of the Monarch Milling Company, promi- nently connected with the banking and commercial interests of the city and for years one of the most active promoters of the best interests of "the Salt City," is a Hoosier, a fact of which he has never ceased to be proud, having been born in the village of New Corydon, Jay county, Indiana, February 19, 1857, son of D. W. and Charlotta ( Daugherty) Carr, both natives of that same state.
William E. Carr was reared in his native village, receiving his educa- tion in the local schools, and even as a youth started out to make his own way in the world. In May, 1877, he came to Kansas, being located for a time in Hutchinson, then a village of promising proportions, but still bear- ing all the evidences of its recent origin, and while there worked in various capacities for the Santa Fe Railroad Company. In 1881 he was sent by that company to Garden City, this state, to edit a newspaper, the Irrigator, which the railroad company had financed for the purpose of "booming" the sale of lands thereabout. In 1883 Mr. Carr moved to Ellinwood, this state, where he was engaged in editing and publishing the Ellinwood Express (now known as the Advocate ) until 1887, in which year he moved to Great Bend to take the position of bookkeeper in the office of the Great Bend mills, owned by Hume & Kelly. In 1897 Mr. Carr and William Kelly, of . the above firm, came to this county and erected the "Monarch" mills at Hutchinson. In 1905 Mr. Kelly sold his interest in the flour-mill to N. B. Sawyer, who, with Mr. Carr, H. A. and E. B. Sawyer and R. E. Carr, organized the Monarch Milling Company, incorporated, and which is doing a very flourishing business. Upon the entrance of the Sawyer interest into
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the milling company, N. B. Sawyer was elected president of the company, and Mr. Carr vice-president and general manager, Mr. Carr having had practically entire management of the mill ever since it was erected. It is universally acknowledged that the product of the "Monarch" mills is as fine as there is made in Kansas. The plant has a daily capacity of six hundred and fifty barrels and the flour is shipped to all parts of the United States, in addition to which the company enjoys a considerable export trade. The "American Lady" brand of flour manufactured by this company is its lead- ing brand and is known in all parts of the country.
Not only has Mr. Carr given his most thoughtful and intelligent atten- tion to his milling business, but he has taken an active part in several other enterprises of a local character and is known as one of Hutchinson's most representative business men, being a stockholder in the Commercial National Bank, First National Bank and numerous other concerns.
In 1886 William E. Carr was united in marriage to Alice Jacobs, who was born in Union county, Ohio, and to this union one son has been born, Ralph E., who is associated with his father in the milling business. Mr. and Mrs. Carr are members of the First Presbyterian church, in the various beneficences of which they take an active interest, and Mr. Carr is a member of the Modern Woodmen and of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He and his son are active members of the Hutchinson Country Club, and the latter is an enthusiastic golfer.
JOSEPH P. FARLEY.
Joseph P. Farley, superintendent of mails in the postoffice at Hutchin- son, this county, and one of the best-known citizens of that city, is a native of Pennsylvania, having been born in Tamaqua, that state, June 15, 1860, son of Michael and Ann ( Colum) Farley, the former a native of Ireland and the latter of England, both of whom are now deceased.
Michael Farley was born in County Cavan, Ireland, and came to the United States with his widowed mother when four years of age. The widow Farley settled in Tamaqua, in the heart of the Pennsylvania coal field, and there Michael grew to manhood, early becoming a miner, which vocation he followed all the active years of his life. He died there on Octo- ber 30. 1875, and his widow later moved to Philadelphia, where she died in November, 1910. She was born in St. Helens. England, and had come to
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this country when a girl with her parents. There were ten of these chil- dren, all of whom are living save two, Thomas having died when eighteen years old and Catherine when four, those besides the subject of this sketch (all residents of Philadelphia) being as follow : James C., a railroad con- tractor; Mary, widow of Thomas Mundy; Daniel, Michael, Sarah, who married Jacob Borrell, a brick mason; Margaret, who married William Blaich, superintendent of circulation in the office of one of the Philadelphia newspapers, and Connor, inspector of upholstery for the Pennsylvania rail- road.
Joseph P. Farley was reared at Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, and received his schooling there. He "grew up" in the coal mines and worked there until he was seventeen years old, when, in 1877, about two years after his father's death, he went to Indiana and was engaged in farming in the Terre Haute neighborhood for ten years, at the end of which time he came to Kan- sas, arriving at Hutchinson on November 21, 1887. The Crystal Salt Com- pany of that city had been organized by Terre Haute men and Mr. Farley was engaged as foreman of that company's plant, a position' he held for four years. He then engaged in the grocery business and two years later received an appointment as letter carrier in the Hutchinson postoffice. For fifteen years Mr. Farley faithfully performed the duties of postman and then was advanced to the position of clerk, which he held for five years, or until his appointment to the position of superintendent of mails in 1912, which position he still occupies. Mr. Farley is a Democrat and has ever given a good citizen's attention to political affairs.
On January 1, 1890, at Nevada, Missouri, Joseph P. Farley was united in marriage to Hannah Rukes, who was born near Brazil, in Clay county, Indiana, not far from Terre Haute, daughter of James and Elizabeth ( Hoff- man) Rukes, both natives of Clay county, Indiana, the former of whom is still living, now a resident of Brazil, Indiana, and to this union six children have been born, namely: Anna E., who married Ralph J. Chesney. a freight clerk for the Chicago. Burlington and Quincy railroad, stationed at Kansas City, Missouri : James N., an attorney-at-law at Hutchinson; Helen, who married Fred Danielson, baggage master at the Rock Island railroad depot at Hutchinson; Edna, a graduate of the Hutchinson high school, and Mar- garet and Joseph P., Jr., who are still in school. The Farleys have a plea- sant home at 516 B avenue, east, and are quite comfortably situated. Mr. Farley is a Mason, an Odd Fellow, a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and in the affairs of all these organizations takes a warm interest.
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FRED W. THORP.
Fred W. Thorp, a prosperous lumber and coal dealer in Haven, this county, a large landowner, first postmaster of the town of Haven, editor of the first newspaper published in that town, founder of the bank established in Haven, former mayor of the town and who in other ways has been actively identified with the promotion of the best interests of that flourishing little city, is a native of Wisconsin, having been born in Washington county, that state, April 22, 1860, son of the Hon. Frederick O. and Maria (French) Thorp, the former of whom was born in Massachusetts and the latter in Connecticut, who emigrated to Wisconsin with their respective parents, the former in 1831 and the latter in 1832, Wisconsin then being unorganized as a state, existing merely as a part of the great Northwest Territory. Fred- erick O. Thorp and his wife were members of the Congregational church. They were the parents of three children, the subject of this sketch having had two brothers. George H., a promising lawyer, who died at the age of twenty-six, and Herman S., who died in early youth.
Fred W. Thorp received his elementary education in the schools of West Bend and of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, supplementing the same by a course in the University of Wisconsin, from the scientific department of which excellent institution he was graduated in 1878. The following year he came to Kansas, locating in Reno county, where he has ever since made his home. For some time after coming to this county, and while getting "the lay of the land." Mr. Thorp worked on farms in Haven township, and in one capacity and another, until 1886, the year in which the town of Haven was founded, he began the publication of a newspaper in that prom- iing village, the Haven Independent, with the purpose to "boom" the town, and was thus engaged for four or five years, at the end of which time he sold the Independent, of which he had made a sprightly and flourishing pub- lication. In the meantime he had married and had become the owner of a fine farm about one and one-half miles east of Haven, and upon leaving the newspaper moved to the farm, where he made his home until 1903, in which year he moved back to Haven, where he ever since has made his home and where he and his family are very pleasantly and comfortably situated.
Mr. Thorp was the first postmaster of Haven and from the very begin- ning of that thriving town has taken a warm interest in its development. Upon returning to Haven he organized the Citizens State Bank and was elected cashier of the same, a position he held until he sold his interest in the
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bank, in 1911. He then established his present up-to-date lumber yard, one of the best appointed concerns of the kind in the county, where he also handles coal, cement and brick and manufactures cement-block. Since mov- ing back to town, Mr. Thorp has rented his farms, being now the owner of several well-tilled tracts of land in this county, and is looked upon as one of the most substantial citizens of the Haven community. He is a Democrat and served as mayor of Haven during the years 1913 and 1914.
In 1889 Fred W. Thorp was united in marriage to Hattie Mount, daugh- ter of Cyrus and Mary Mount, who were among the very earliest settlers of Reno county, they having located in Haven township in 1871, their daughter, Hattie, then having been but two years of age, and to this union two chil- dren have been born, George H., who is assisting his father in his business office, and Caroline, who is still in school. Mr. Thorp is a Mason, affiliated with the blue lodge of that order at Haven: with the commandery of the Knights Templar at Hutchinson and with Midian Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, at Wichita. He also is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and in the affairs of these several organizations takes a warm interest.
ISAIAH DANFORD.
Isaiah Danford, a well-known and prosperous farmer and dairyman of Reno township, this county, now living retired in the city of Hutchinson, is a native of Ohio, having been born on a farm in Noble county, that state. June 27, 1841, son of Abraham and Lavina ( Bates) Danford, both natives of that same state, the former born in Belmont county and the latter in Noble county.
Abraham Danford was reared on a farm and became a successful and well-to-do farmer in his own right, the owner of two hundred and eighty acres of land. He was a Whig in his political belief and for many years served his township well in the capacity of justice of the peace. He and his wife were members of the Christian church and their children were reared in that faith. Abraham Danford lived to be ninety years of age. His wife died ten years previous to his death. They were the parents of eight children, five of whom are still living, those besides the subject of this biographical sketch being Eli, Elizabeth, who married John Rowe: Nancy,
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who married Julius Groves, and Roland Jasper, all of whom still live in their native county, substantial, well-to-do people.
Isaiah Danford was reared on the paternal farin in Ohio, receiving his education in the district school in the neighborhood of his home, and after his marriage his father helped him buy a one-hundred-acre farm four miles from the old home place. Presently he sold that farm to advantage and bought a farm of two hundred and ninety-seven acres in the same county, becoming an extensive farmer, and there his ten children were born. In 1887 he sold his farm in Ohio and came to Kansas with his family, locating in Hutchinson, this county, where he engaged in the hotel business, operating the Noble County Hotel for a year with much success, that being in "boom" times. He then traded the hotel for a quarter of a section of land in Reno township and moved to the latter place, making his home on that farm for four years, at the end of which time he sold the farm and rented a ranch of sixteen hundred acres in Cowley county, this state, which he operated for five years. He then returned to Reno county and bought a farm of ninety acres in Reno township, on which he made his home for two years, at the end of which time he bought a dairy farm in South Hutchinson and in 1905 started the South Hutchinson Dairy, which he still owns, the same now being operated by his son-in-law, Benjamin Myers. In 1907 Mr. Danford and his wife retired from the active labors of the farm and moved into Hutch- inson, where Mrs. Danford died on November 10, 1909.
In 1862 Isaiah Danford was united in marriage to Eliza Ellen Groves, who was born in Noble county, Ohio, August 16, 1846, daughter of John and Matilda Groves, and to this union ten children were born, all of whom are still living, namely: Lincoln, born on July 11, 1866, now operating a large ranch in Edwards county, this state; Annie, July 8, 1868, who mar- tied Benjamin Myers, who conducts the South Hutchinson Dairy; Eli Frank- lin. September 9, 1860. a large farmer in Reno township, this county; Will- iam Collins, May 25, 1871, an extensive farmer in Oklahoma : Lavina Della. October 19, 1872, who married L. S. Kent, a well-known auctioneer, of Hutchinson: Louis P., January 9, 1874, a well-to-do farmer of Reno town- ship, this county; Mary Alice, January 31, 1876, who married A. T. Mou- pin, proprietor of the "Sunflower" dairy in South Hutchinson : Carrie May, January 27, 1878, who married Robert Carlisle, a merchant of Stafford. this state: Rosanna, August 17, 1880, who married Patrick Hamilton and lives in South Hutchinson, and Ella, October 30. 1882, who married Rich- ard Kennedy and lives at Haven, this county. The Danfords are all doing well in their several undertakings and all are held in high regard in their
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respective communities. Mr. Danford is a Republican and ever has given a good citizen's attention to local political affairs, though never an aspirant for office. He has many friends in Hutchinson and throughout the county and is held in high regard by all.
HERBERT E. RAMSEY.
County Attorney Herbert E. Ramsey, an active and popular young lawyer, of Hutchinson, county seat of this county, is a native of Reno county, having been born on a farm in Reno township, December 26, 1885, the only son of Enoch M. and Nellie D. (Belfour) Ramsey, both natives of Illinois, and both of whom are still living in this county.
Enoch M. Ramsey owned a farm in Hancock county, Illinois, when he was married, but in 1882 he and his wife decided to come farther West and came to Kansas, locating near Larned, where they bought three quarter sections, but not being satisfied with that location shortly afterward disposed of their place and came to Reno county, buying three quarter sections in Reno township, which has been their home ever since and where they have prospered- largely. Mr. Ramsey still gives close attention to the general management of his place, though practically retired from the active labors of the same. He and his wife have a pleasant home at 633 Sherman street, east, in Hutchinson, where Mrs. Ramsey makes her home most of the time with her son, the subject of this sketch, and Mr. Ramsey alternates his time between his town house and the farm. Mr. and Mrs. Ramsey are active members of the Presbyterian church, in the various beneficences of which they take much interest, and Mr. Ramsey is a Democrat and a member of the Masonic order.
Herbert E. Ramsey was reared on the home farm in Reno township, receiving his elementary education in the district school in that neighbor- hood, after which he entered the high school at Hutchinson, from which he was graduated with the class of 1906. He then entered the law office of Hettinger & Hettinger and after a course of reading there, entered the law department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, from which he was graduated in 1910. Upon receiving his diploma, Mr. Ramsey returned to Hutchinson, was admitted to the bar and began the practice of his pro- fession. He was appointed assistant county attorney under E. T. Foote and for four years was thus engaged, acquitting himself so satisfactorily in
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that position that in 1914 he was elected county attorney and is now serving in that important office, his administration of the affairs of which is giving general satisfaction to the public.
Mr. Ramsey is an active, energetic young lawyer, public spirited and enterprising and is very popular in his large circle of friends throughout the county generally. He is a member of the Presbyterian church and takes a warm interest in all good works hereabout.
JOHN A. MYERS.
John A. Myers, a well-known retired farmer and cattleman, is a veteran of the Civil War and a native of Ohio, having been born in Harrison county, that state, on July 28, 18440, son of James R. and Maria (Romney) Myers, both natives of Pennsylvania. James Myers moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio after he was grown and there was married. For some time he owned and operated a farm in Harrison county, that state, but in 1852 he sold that farm and moved to Tuscarawas county, same state, where he bought another farm on which he made his home until later when he moved to Uhrichsville, death occurring in 1877, at the age of eighty-one years. His wife had died some years previously. They were members of the Presbyterian church during their residence in Harrison county, but after moving to Tuscarawas county joined the Moravian church. To James Myers and wife fifteen chil- dren were born, as follow: Hiram, who died in Los Angeles, California; Mrs. Melissa Welshimer, who died at her home in Hutchinson, this county, in 1913. at the age of ninety-one; Harriet; Mary, who died unmarried in 1895, in Hutchinson; Elizabeth, who died in infancy; James, a physician, who lived in Hutchinson, until his death in 1915, in his eighty-fifth year; Salome, who married a physician at Urbana, Illinois; Mrs. Elvina Smith, deceased : Albert, aged seventy-nine, living in Belville, Kansas, retired; Alvin, who died at the age of twenty-one: John A., the immediate subject of this biographical review; Mrs. Martha Anderson, who lives at Muskogee, Okla- homa : Jonathan, a dentist, of Troy, Kansas: Minerva, who lives in Cham- paign county, Illinois, and Gracilla, who died in childhood.
John .A. Myers completed his elementary education in the public schools of Tuscarawas county, having been but twelve years of age when his family moved to that county, and supplemented the same by a course in Trenton Academy, after which he taught one term of school in the town of Newport,
gno a myers
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in his home county. In July, 1861, he enlisted in Company B, Fifty-first Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for service during the Civil War, and served until he was mustered out with his regiment in Texas in October, 1865. His regiment was attached to the Army of the Cumberland and he participated in all the great battles in which his division of that army was engaged, including Chickamauga, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Stone's River and in the Atlanta campaign, aiding in the taking of that city, and then at the battles of Franklin and Nashville, and in all this severe service never received a wound.
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