USA > Kansas > Reno County > History of Reno County, Kansas; its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 29
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Parke Smith was married on November 6, 1899, to Anna L. Wimple- berg, daughter of William and Sarah Wimpleberg. Mrs. Smith was born in Indiana, March 25, 1875. Her father was a retail flour merchant; both he and his wife died in Hutchinson in 1913. He was a Republican, a veteran of the Civil War, and a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. Albert, born in St. John. Kansas, September 12, 1900, is the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
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E. B SCHMITT.
E. B. Schmitt, a well-known resident of Pretty Prairie, this county. who has been actively connected with the work of the Rock Milling and Elevator Company of that place since 1909, is a native son of the Sunflower state, having been born at Halstead, Kansas, September 4, 1880, son of D. W. and Anna (Graber ) Schmitt, the former a native of Germany and the latter of Poland, who later came to Reno county and located at Pretty Prairie. where both spent the remainder of their lives.
D. W. Schmitt, who was born on June 6, 1852, was but two years old when his parents. Johannas Schmitt and wife, came to the United States from Germany in 1854 and located near Summerfield, Illinois, where they spent the rest of their lives, active members of the Mennonite community in that section of the state. When a young man D. W. Schmitt, who had become an excellent carpenter, came to Kansas and located at Halstead. There he met and married Anna Graber, who was born on September 30, 1861, daughter of John C. and Fannie ( Stuckey) Graber, and who was about ten years old when her parents came to the United States from Russian Poland in 1871. settling at Halstead. this state, where they lived for about four years, at the end of which time they moved north of Mound Ridge, whence. in 1888, they came to Reno county, where John C. Graber died in February. 1907. and where his widow is still living, being now nearly eighty years of age. 4
In the fall of 1889 D. W. Schmitt and family came to Reno county and located at Pretty Prairie, where Mr. Schmitt engaged in contract and car- pentering and made wise investments in land, being the owner of two hun- 'Ired and forty acres of land in that vicinity at the time of his death on June 10, 1905. He and his wife were active and prominent in the work of the New Jerusalem church and their children were reared in that faith. There were ten of these children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the eldest, the others being Ida, Gussic, John. Harry. Reuben, Daniel, Albert, Susan and Stella.
E. B. Schmitt was about nine years old when his parents came to Reno county and settled at Pretty Prairie and he completed his schooling in that village. On October 29, 1905, he was united in marriage to Mary Laun- hardt, who was born in Germany, April 21, 1884, daughter of Philip and Mary Launhardt, who came to this country and settled about 1895 in Hodgeman county, this state, where Philip Launhardt was killed by lightning
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the next year. To Mr. and Mrs. Schmitt three children have been born, irvin, born on November 26, 1906; Elwia, October 20, 1909, and Harold, January 20, 1912. Mr. and Mrs. Schmitt are active members of the New Jerusalem church and take a proper interest in the general affairs of their home community. Since December, 1909, Mr. Schmitt has been prominently identified with the Rock Milling and Elevator Company's industry at Pretty Prairie, being now manager of the same, owns property in that town and is regarded as a substantial and useful citizen. Mrs. Schmitt is a trained nurse and a graduate of the Welch hospital at Hutchinson.
JAMES E. FERGUSON.
James E. Ferguson, the son of William and Nancy J. (Mills ) Fergu- son, was born near Bedford, Lawrence county, Indiana, on July 13. 1873. William Ferguson was born in Lawrence county, Indiana, in February, 1849. After completing his education in the common schools, Mr. Ferguson devoted his life to farming, first in Lawrence county, Indiana, then for twelve years in Texas, after which he removed to Kansas, near Sedan, where he died in 1901. Nancy ( Mills) Ferguson was born in Lawrence county, October 13. 1854, and died at her home in Chautauqua county, Kansas, on October 13, 1900. Both Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson were members of the Christian church.
James E. Ferguson has four brothers, as follow : Dillon, a farmer in Chautauqua county, Kansas; George M., a former farmer and stock man. is now in Larned, Kansas, where he is the representative of Ferguson-Shir- cliff Grain Company: Lee A., a stock raiser and farmer in Chautauqua county, Kansas, and Lawrence, engaged in the elevator and milling business at Independence, Kansas.
James E. Ferguson received his education in the common schools of Montague county, Texas, and in Chautauqua county, Kansas. After com- pleting his education he was engaged for five years in the buying and selling of stock in his home county in Kansas. He then removed to Blackwell, Oklahoma, where he was engaged in the grain business, from 1897 to 1905, after which he continued the business at Winfield, Kansas, until 1908, when he located at Hutchinson, where he now has offices at 508 and 509, First National Bank building. The firm name is Ferguson-Shircliff Grain Com- pany.
On October 28, 1903. James E. Ferguson was united in marriage. at
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Sedan, to Mary Eudora Shircliff, who was born on June 3, 1875, at Hay- densville, Ohio. Mrs. Ferguson is the daughter of Bernard C. and Sarah ( Turner) Shircliff, both of whom are natives of Ohio.
Mr. and Mrs. Ferguson have a beautiful house at 903 North Main street. where they live with their only child, Azel Eudora, who was born in Winfield. November 2. 1907. The family belong to the Methodist Epis- copal church and are active in all church work.
CAPT. WILLIAM R. BENNETT.
Capt. William R. Bennett, head of the Bennett Mineral and Distilled Water Company, of Hutchinson, this county, of the plant and product of which he and his son are the owners, is a native of the Empire state, having been born in the town of Wurtsboro, Sullivan county, New York, on Octo- ber 5. 1837, son of Captain Eli and Elizabeth (Cranse) Bennett, the former of whom, born in Connecticut in 1801. died in January, 1878, and the latter of whom, also a native of Connecticut, born in 1811, lived to the great age of ninety-three years and nine months.
Capt. Eli Bennett was the son of Amos Bennett and wife, who came to this country from England and established a new home in Connecticut, becoming influential farming people in the neighborhood in which they set- tled. AAmos Bennett participated in the struggle of the Americans against England in the War of 1812, a member of a Connecticut regiment, and was in all ways a good citizen of his adopted country. He and his wife reared a family of eleven children. Their son, Eli, grew to manhood on the Con- necticut home farm and early began teaching school, in which profession he was engaged for some years, during which period he moved to Wurts- boro, Sullivan county, New York, where for some time he was engaged as a teacher and where he established his permanent home, becoming one of the most prominent residents of that section of the state. Shortly after locating there he took a contract for the construction of a portion of the Delaware division of the Erie railroad and upon the completion of that contract embarked in the mercantile business at Wurtsboro and was thus occupied during the remainder of his active life. He was captain of the local com- pany of the New York state guards and during the period of his activity in that connection became one of the best-known officers of the New York state militia. He was a Whig in his political belief until the formation of
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the Republican party, when he identified himself for life with the latter party and ever after ardently supported its men and its measures. Capt. Eli Bennett was called upon to serve the public in various official capacities, having served in nearly every local office, though always stoutly declining to accept any office that would require his removal from his established home in Wurtsboro. He and his wife were the parents of four sons and two daughters, whom they reared in the faith of the Presbyterian church, of which they were active and carnest members. Of these six children, the subject of this sketch was the only one to make his home in Kansas.
William R. Bennett received his early education in the local schools of his native home and assisted his father in the latter's store until twenty-one years of age, at which time he embarked in business for himself, first engag- ing in the flour-milling business, which he continued for a year, at the end of which time he went to New York City, where, at 631 Hudson street, he opened a grocery store which he conducted until the breaking out of the Civil War. In April, 1862, he enlisted in behalf of the cause of the Union and for some months served in the engineering corps of the Army of the Potomac, engaged in the construction of bridges, after which he returned to his home county, where he and Ira Dorrance recruited Com- pany E, One Hundred and Forty-third Regiment, New York Volunteer Infantry, Ira Dorrance, captain, and William R. Bennett, first lieutenant, the enlistment dating from October, 1862. In March, 1863, Lieutenant Bennett was promoted to the position of captain of Company C and in that rank served until the close of the war, his company having the honor of being color company of his regiment. Captain Bennett saw much active service in the army and was a participant in some of the most important engage- ments of the great war. His regiment was at first attached to the Army of the Potomac, but in 1863 was joined to Sherman's army, with which it served until the close of the war and with which it proudly marched in the Grand Review at Washington, D. C. Captain Bennett's regiment fought at White House Landing in 1863 and was then marched double quick to Gettysburg, arriving there at the close of the great battle. In the winter of 1863-64, the division with which Captain Bennett's regiment was doing service opened up the "cracker" road from Bridgeport, Alabama, to Chatta- nooga and helped raise the siege there. Continuing in the Tennessee cam- paign, he then fought at Lookout Mountain and at Knoxville and all the other battles down to Atlanta and thence to the sea. The regiment rested at Savannah until the spring of 1865, when it was started north through the Carolinas ; meeting General Johnston at Averasboro and taking part in the
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heavy fighting at Bentonville, this being the last important engagement pre- ceding Lee's surrender. Following the Grand Review, the regiment pro- ceeded to New York City, where it was mustered out on July 20, 1865.
At the close of the war, Captain Bennett returned to Wurtsboro and was there engaged in carpentering for about a year, at the end of which time he went to Towanda, Pennsylvania, where he opened a bottling works and engaged in the manufacture of soda waters. Four years later he sold that plant and moved to Meadville, Pennsylvania, where he opened a new establishment of the same character and was there thus engaged in business for sixteen years. In 1887 he sold out and came to Kansas, locating in Hutchinson, where the next year he resumed the manufacture of soda waters and the like and has been thus engaged ever since, having been very successful, the products of his establishment having a wide sale throughout the Southwest. The plant which Captain Bennett erected in 1888, in A avenue, west, was greatly enlarged in 1908 and is now regarded as one of the most complete and thoroughly equipped plants of its kind in the state. His grow- ing business caused Captain Bennett to erect, in 1906, a branch plant at McPherson, this state, which is also widely patronized.
On October 5, 1865, Capt. William R. Bennett was united in marriage to Mary Elizabeth Brown, who was born at Monticello, Sullivan county, New York, daughter of James and Mary Brown, and to this union five chil- (Iren have been born, namely : Adelaide, born in 1866, widow of Crawford R. Thobert, son of Bishop Thobert, of Meadville, Pennsylvania; Charles G., May 7, 1870, associated with his father in business, who married. in Illinois, Frances L. North, daughter of Jacob L. and Amanda (Lemon) North, resi- dlents of Chase county, this state; Elizabeth, 1872, at home; Helen Jane, who married Scott E. Lieber, of Chicago, and Josephine, who married Charles Squires, a well-known scenic artist of Washington, D. C. Captain and Mrs. Bennett have a very pleasant home at 915 North Main street. Hutchinson, bought in 1903. They are attendants at the Presbyterian church and for years have taken an active interest in good works, hereabout.
Captain Bennett is a Republican and is warmly interested in local gov- ernmental affairs, for some years having been a member of the city council. He is a member of Byron Lodge No. 197, Knights of Pythias, and is a charter member of LaRue Division No. 4. Uniformed Rank, of that order. of which he was the first captain, and for four years served as colonel of the regiment to which No. 4 is attached. The Captain is a devoted member of the Grand Army of the Republic and during his residence in Meadville was for three years commander of the Meadville post of that patriotic
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society. He is a member of Joe Hooker Post No. 4. at Hutchinson, in the affairs of which he for years has taken an earnest interest and which he has served in the capacity of adjutant. Captain Bennett is also a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and of the Woodmen of the World.
ROSS E. HALL.
Ross E. Hall, son of Ambrose S. and Mary L. A. ( Poston ) Hall, was born in Sedgwick county, Kansas, January 5. 1890. His father was born in Missouri, in October. 1854, and came to Kansas in 1871 or 1872, where he has since been engaged in farming and stock raising. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, a steward in the Methodist Episcopal church, and his political affiiliations are with the Democratic party. He resides in Castleton, Reno county, Kansas. Mary L. A. ( Poston ) Hall was born in Indiana, May 12, 1859, and is still living. The other members of the family are: Reese A., born in Sedgwick county, Kansas, May 20, 1895, was a student in the uni- versity of Kansas; Homer G., born in Spivey, Kingman county, Kansas, January 13, 1899, now a student at Lawrence, Kansas.
Ross E. Hall attended Lewis academy, at Wichita, Kansas ( kinder- garten ) for six months: Center Pole township, Kingman county, school for four and one-half months; Spivey, Kansas, town school one and one-half terms: Mount Hope, Kansas, city school one-half term: Castleton, Kansas, city school one and one-half term: Hutchinson, Kansas, city school four terms, where he graduated at the age of seventeen years. He then attended the University of Kansas and graduated in the civil engineering course at the age of twenty-one years, with the degree of Bachelor of Science. He then took a post-graduate course in economics and sociology for one year; then a post-graduate course in economics and banking at Harvard University for half a year. He graduated from the University of Kansas in the spring of 1914 with the degree of Master of Arts; afterward completed a course in the Lawrence Business College, receiving the degree of Master of Accounts, being one of only three who ever received that degree. Received diplomas from Hutchinson high school and from the University of Kansas in Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts degrees.
Since May, 1914. Mr Hall has been engaged in the lumber and building material business. He is president of The R. E. Hall Lumber Company,
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incorporated, located at Hutchinson, 730 First avenue, East, a concern well established and doing a profitable business. He is a member of the American Economics Association, the National Masonic Research Society, and the Rotary Club. of Hutchinson. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, a Meth- odist and a Democrat.
On May 12, 1815. Ross E. Hall was married to Chlora V. White, the daughter of Lehman J. and Alice White. Mrs. Hall was born in Liberal, Kansas, April 20, 1892. Her father is a thirty-second degree Mason, a former mayor of Bucklin, Kansas-elected without opposition, is a Repub- lican in politics, and a member of the Christian church. Mrs. Hall is also a member of that church.
JAMES R. LOVELACE.
James R. Lovelace, son of James C. and Frances (Cole) Lovelace, was born in Allen county, near Scotsville, Kentucky, July 20, 1845. His father was a native of North Carolina, born in that state in 1818, a son of Samuel Lovelace, who moved to Allen county, Kentucky, about 1832. In 1833 the elder Lovelace bought more than two hundred acres of land at three dollars per acre in Allen county, and enaged in farming. His wife was Sarah Cross; she died in the Allen county home in 1863 or 1864.
James C. Lovelace was a farmer. He bought two hundred and sixty acres of land in Allen county, Kentucky, about 1852, where he established a home and continued to live until his death, which occurred in 1907. He was also a cabinet-maker and followed that trade to some extent in connection with his farming business. His church relation was with the Baptist denomination, and his political affiliation was with the Democratic party. Frances ( Cole) Lovelace was born in North Carolina in 1820, and died in 1901.
James R. Lovelace had eight brothers and sisters. Elizabeth, born in Allen county, Kentucky, in 1838, died in the county of her birth in 1864. She married Martin V. Wilson, a farmer and a lay preacher in the Meth- odist church, who died at his home in Allen county, Kentucky, in 1907. Benjamin, born in Allen county, Kentucky, in 1840, died at his home in that county in 1862. William B., born in Allen county, Kentucky, in 1842, died in 1866. Samuel H., born in Allen county. Kentucky, in 1843, is a prom- inent Methodist minister and is pastor of a Methodist church in Louisville.
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He began his ministry in 1865. He is a thirty-second degree Mason and his political affiliations are with the Democratic party. Joseph, born in Allen county, Kentucky, in 1847, died at his home in that county in 1867 or 1868. He was a farmer, a Methodist and a Democrat. Sidney J., born in Allen county, Kentucky, in 1849, died at his home in that county in 1910. He was a teacher, and afterward county judge, and clerk of the county court for many years, having been elected to office by the Democratic party, with which he affiliated. He was prominent in the Masonic order, and also a leading member of the Methodist church. John W., born in Allen county, Kentucky, in 1857, is a farmer and merchant and is now living in Nash- ville, Tennessee. He affiliates with the Democratic party in politics and is a inember of the Methodist church. Mary A., born in Allen county, Ken- tucky, in 1859, married Phineas Oliver, a farmer and a Methodist. They are both living in Sumner county, Kansas.
James R. Lovelace was educated in the schools of Allen and Warren counties, Kentucky, and spent his early years working on his father's farm. On December 10, 1861, at Columbia, Kentucky, he enlisted in Company F. Ninth Regiment, Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, Col. B. F. Grider and Lieut .- Col. C. D. Bailey commanding. This regiment was a part of Gen- eral Crittenden's corps of Gen. D. C. Buell's army operating in Kentucky and Tennessee in 1862; afterward the army was commanded by Rose- crans. Mr. Lovelace participated with his regiment in all the campaigns and battles in which it engaged, including Shiloh, Stone's River, Chicka- mauga and the several battles of the Atlanta campaign under Sherman. He was severely wounded in the battle of Chickamauga. He was mus- tered out as a corporal on January 8, 1865, at Huntsville, Alabama. After his return from the army he was deputy sheriff of Allen county for several years, and afterward engaged in farming. In 1874 he moved to Indiana, where he farmed until 1881, when he removed to Severance, Kansas. There he engaged in the farming implement business for two years, and in the pro- duce business for three years. In October, 1886, he came to Hutchinson and for twelve years was engaged in the fruit business, on North Main street. the present site of the Kress building. Since 1898 he has been salesman for the Hutchinson Produce Company.
Mr. Lovelace has been a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows for more than thirty years. He is a member of the Hutchinson Com- mercial Club, a charter member of the Young Men's Christian Association, a prominent member of the Baptist church and a stanch Republican in politics.
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On November 12. 1879, James R. Lovelace was married to Lanie Shaw, of Laporte. Indiana, daughter of Daniel and Julia ( Reynolds) Shaw, born in Kingsbury, Indiana. April 10, 1848, and a descendant of tlfe "Mayflower" pilgrims. She taught in the Laporte, Indiana, schools for about ten years before her marriage. She has been a member of the Woman's Relief Corps, an auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic, for more than thirty years; she is a member of the Woman's Club, of Hutchinson, and is a member of the Church of God, Adventist.
The father of Mrs. Lovelace was born in Washington county, New York. August 14. 1814. One of his early recollections was seeing Fulton's first steamboat on the Hudson river. Mr. Shaw was a carpenter and builder by trade, and he also engaged in teaching school. About 1832 he removed to Kingsbury. Indiana, where he served for awhile as postmaster. After- ward he bought one hundred and sixty acres of government land, at one dol- lar and twenty-five cents per acre. in Laporte county, and engaged in farm- ing. He was a member of the Church of God, Adventist, and affiliated with the Democratic party. Mrs. Lovelace's mother was born in Erie county, New York. August 2, 1823, and was the daughter of Abram and Mary ( Willington ) Reynolds. Abram Reynolds was a veteran of the War of 1812.
The brothers and sisters of Mrs. Lovelace are: Thomas J. Shaw, born in Kingsbury, Indiana. July 20, 18.41. He was a prominent Chicago physi- cian, and his son. Don Lee Shaw, was a noted surgeon. Both died in 1910. Martha J. Shaw was born in Kingsbury, Indiana, January 28, 1843. married Hiram Wineholt, a farmer; both living in Laporte county, Indiana. Flora M. Shaw, born in Kingsbury, Indiana, October 27. 1856, married D. P. Grover, assessor of Laporte county. Frank B. Shaw, born in Kingsbury, Indiana. November. 1858, is a steel worker; with South Chicago steel mills for thirty-three years. Jennie L. Shaw, born in Kingsbury, Indiana, Novem- ber 10, 1860, married Robert White, farmer and railroad man. Allen G. Shaw, born in Kingsbury, Indiana, in 1863. He is a pharmacist, and is now salesizan for the Colgate Company, of Chicago. Dan Shaw. born in Kings- bury, June 20, 1866, painter and decorator in Kingsbury, Indiana.
Mr. and Mrs. Lovelace have one son. James Sydney, who was born in Kingsbury, Indiana, June 12, 1881. He was educated in the city schools of Hutchinson, and graduated from the high school. He afterward entered the First National Bank, of Hutchinson, as a clerk, and is now one of the two tellers of the bank. He is a member of the Hutchinson Commercial
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Club, Hutchinson Country Club. Young Men's Christian Association (a charter member), financial secretary of the Baptist church, and a member of the Church of God. He is a progressive Republican in politics. As a tennis player he has the honor of being the champion in Hutchinson.
WILLIAM ALLEN BROWN
William Allen Brown, a worthy citizen and retired agriculturist of Hutchinson, Reno county, Kansas, was born on November 15. 1848, in Shippenburg, Pennsylvania, and is the son of Allen and Mary (Cumerer) Brown. Allen Brown was born in Lititz, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. and the birth of his wife occurred in the Cumberland valley, of the same state. Mary (Cumerer) Brown was the daughter of George Cumerer, a carpenter and native of Pennsylvania. She died in 1890, at the age of seventy-four years and her husband died three years later at the age of eighty-four. Allen Brown was the son of Frederick Brown, who was of Holland descent but whose birth occurred in Pennsylvania where he later engaged in the brewery business. His son, Allen Brown, spent his entire life in his native state as a farmer near Cumberland. He was an active member of the Lutheran church and was considered one of its strongest com- municants in the county. Politically, he was a Democrat and active in the cause of temperance. He was the father of three children whose names follow: Israel, now living in Shippenburg. Pennsylvania : George W., who resides in Hutchinson, Kansas, and William Allen, also of Hutchinson. Kansas.
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