USA > Kansas > Reno County > History of Reno County, Kansas; its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 67
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settlers of this county. Mr. Decker homesteaded a quarter of a section of land, later known as the Perry Rowland place, in section 34, township 22, range 6. now a part of the city of Hutchinson, and "proved up" the same, farming for a few years, after which he engaged in the retail meat business in the then village of Hutchinson, thus having been one of the first business men in that city. His meat market was first established on the west side of Main street, just north of First avenue, and later on the east side of Main street, where Nelson's hardware store is now located. In 1902 he moved to Turon, where he ever since has made his home, and in the early progress and development of which place he took a prominent part. On February 19, 1912, Mr. and Mrs. Decker celebrated their "golden wedding" anniversary, the occasion being made the time of many kindly felicitations on the part of their friends.
To Thomas J. and Helen (Longmire) Decker three children were born, namely : Harry E., born at Viroqua, Wisconsin, February 3, 1869, received his education in the schools at Hutchinson, being graduated from the high school there in 1887, and is now a traveling salesman, living at San Fran- cisco, California; Edna M., who was born and educated in Hutchinson and is now living with her parents at Turon, where she is engaged in the millinery business, and Bessie, born in Hutchinson on April 26, 1881, was graduated from the Hutchinson high school in 1899, moved with her parents to Turon, where she was married on November 29, 1906, to John W. Potter, a prominent merchant of that place, son of Martin H. Potter, known as "the father of Turon," a biographical sketch of whom is presented elsewhere in this volume.
FRANK E. FEARL.
Frank E. Fearl, a well-known and prosperous jeweler of Hutchinson and for years one of the most active and public-spirited business men of that city, a director of the Commercial Club and promoter of various move- ments which have contributed largely to the betterment of conditions hereabout, is a native son of Kansas and has lived in this state all his life. He was born in the town of Burlington, in Coffey county, this state, March 6. 1864, son of Silas and Dora ( Denneke) Fearl, the former a native of the state of New York and the latter of Massachusetts, for many years prominent and influential residents of Coffey county.
Silas Fearl was born in the great Empire state in 1832 and there he
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received an excellent education and was trained to the trade of a blacksmith. He had given considerable attention to the study of law and when he came to Kansas in 1857, he then being twenty-five years of age, and located at Hampden, in Coffey county, where he started a blacksmith shop, he also put out his "shingle" as an attorney and it was not long before he had gained quite a practice in the law. Not long after locating at Hampden he married Dora Denneke, who had settled in that community with her parents, members of a Massachusetts colony which located in the Hampden neigh- borhood, and in 1859 he and his wife moved to Burlington, the county seat of Coffey county, where he spent the remainder of his life. Silas Fearl was a Republican and for years took a prominent part in the political life of the state. He was a member of the first Kansas territorial Legislature and for sixteen years served as county attorney of Coffey county.
Frank E. Fearl was reared at Burlington and received his elementary education in the schools of his home town. Upon leaving the high school he entered the State University and after a two-years course there began to learn watch-making, under J. E. Mosier, at Burlington. He married in 1885 and in 1891 moved to Hutchinson, where for a year he was employed in the jewelry store of C. A. Geiger, after which he went to Atchison and thence, after awhile, to Kansas City, but in 1895 returned to Hutchinson, where he ever since has made his home. Upon 'definitely locating in Hutch- inson, Mr. Fearl engaged in business for himself, opening a jewelry estab- lishment at the corner of Sherman and Main streets, where he ever since has been successfully engaged in business, his two eldest sons now being associated with him in the business, under the firm name of Fearl & Sons. Mr. Fearl is one of the directors of the Hutchinson Commercial Club and chairman of the retailers bureau of that important organization. He organ- ized the old Hutchinson Park Association which became the Kansas State Fair Association in 1890, and was director of the Central Kansas Fair Association, which preceded the state association. He also is a member of the Central Kansas Health Association, the National Jewelers Association and is president of the Kansas State Jewelers Association.
In 1885 Frank E. Fearl was united in marriage to Mary M. Dickenson, who was born at Leroy, Coffey county, this state, and to this union four children have been born, as follow: Clarence, one of the partners in the firm of Fearl & Sons, who married Florence McDonald and has two children, Dorothy and Leon: Harry E., unmarried, also a partner in the business of Fearl & Son; Helen, a graduate of the Hutchinson high school, who is (43a) .
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now a student of domestic science in the State Normal at Manhattan, and Philip, who is in high school. Mr. and Mrs. Fearl are members of the First Christian church, of which Mr. Fearl is a deacon. They have a very pleasant home at 219 East Fifth avenue, where they are very comfortably situated. Mr. Fearl is a thirty-second degree Mason, a member of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite at Wichita, and is past grand master in the Grand Lodge of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, of which he also was grand treasurer for five years, and in the affairs of both these organizations takes a warm interest.
GEORGE WASHINGTON CANTWELL.
George Washington Cantwell, a prominent farmer of Medford town- ship, was born in Stark county, Ohio. May 2, 1874. His parents were George Washington Cantwell and Martha (Reed) Cantwell. His grand- father, Thomas Cantwell, of Scotland, came to America and married in Pennsylvania. He was a potter by trade, and finally settled in Stark county, Ohio, where he lived on a farm the rest of his life.
George Washington Cantwell, Sr., born in Stark county, Ohio, assisted his father at the pottery trade, but later followed farming. During the California gold fever he spent two and one-half years in the Feather River district. with fair success. He returned to Ohio, but later moved to Owen county, Indiana, where he purchased land, on which he lived for eighteen years. In 1865 he sold out his holdings in Owen county, Indiana, and with his family moved to Jasper county, Indiana, along the Kankakee river. In 1885 the family removed to Reno county, Kansas, where he lived for the most part, retired. from active life. He was a member of the Christian church, and was always more or less active in local politics. He was a Democrat in his later years, but before the war had been a Republican. He died at his home in Sterling, in 1903. and his wife died two years later, in Canada. Their children are as follow: George W., the subject of this review: Isabelle, of Canada: Mary, died in Indiana: Minerva, living in Indiana : John, died in Marion, Indiana, and Ole, of Sterling, Kansas ; Oscar, living in New Mexico; Theodore, died in California: and Commodore, of Washington.
George W. Cantwell was educated in the log cabin schools of Indiana. On January 20. 1872. he married Joanna Trent, who was born in Owen
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county, Indiana, April 11, 1853. Her father was Wilson Trent. Her mother was Lydia, daughter of John Williams, a farmer and a prominent Methodist of Putnam county, Indiana. Her paternal grandfather was Will- iam Trent, a farmer, who moved from Owen county to lowa. He was a Baptist. His son. Wilson, was a Missionary Baptist minister of Owen county. William Trent died in 1883, and his wife in 1903.
After his marriage Mr. Cantwell settled in Jasper county, Indiana, on land which his father gave him. In 1883 he sold his farm in Indiana, and removed to Kansas, where his wife's sister already resided. In 1885 he purchased a quarter section of land in Medford township, where he now resides. He has acquired additional land and now he has a finely improved farm of three hundred and twenty acres. Besides general farming, he has bred fine horses for three years, keeping a Percheron horse and a jack. His handsome home was built in 1907, and the barn in 1909. He has served a number of times on the grand jury at Hutchinson, and is always interested in everything that has for its object the betterment of his community. His wife is a Baptist. Their children are Gertie, Stratton, Della, George, Pearl, Blanche, Ralph, Trent and Luther and Bessie. Ralph and Trent are at home.
JESSE W. JOHNSON.
Jesse W. Johnson, a well-known and progressive young farmer of South Hayes township, this county, proprietor of a fine farm of one hun- dred and sixty acres in the Sylvia neighborhood, is a native of Illinois, born in Iroquois county, that state. October 6, 1875, son of. W. G. and Rachel ( Munson) Johnson, both natives of Ohio, who are now living retired in the town of Plevna, this county.
W. G. Johnson was born on August 7, 1841, son of William and Lucinda (Meeks) Johnson, the former a native of Pennsylvania and the latter of Ohio. William Johnson was the son of John and Jane (Jackson) Jonson, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania and the latter in Irealnd, she having come to this country with her parents when she was eight years old. William Johnson moved from Pennsylvania to Washing- ton county, Ohio, and became a farmer in the neighborhood of Grandview, that county, where he reared his family. There his son, W. G. Johnson, grew to manhood and after his service in the Union army during the Civil
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War, married Rachel Munson, who was born in that same county, August 7. 1848, daughter of Henry and Caroline (Pinny) Munson, both natives of New York state, the latter of whom was a daughter of Benjamin Pinny, of New York, a prominent Mason. Shortly after their marriage W. G. Johnson and wife went to Illinois, settling in McLean county, later going to Iroquois county, where they lived until coming to Kansas in 1884. W. G. Johnson bought a farm in Huntsville township, this county, and lived there until his retirement from the farm in 1900, since which time he and his wife have made their home in Plevna, where they are very pleasantly sit- uated. Besides his fine farm of three hundred and twenty acres in Hunts- ville township, he owns three or four acres of lots in Plevna and is recog- nized as a very substantial citizen. He and his wife are members of the Congregational church and take an active interest in local good works. Mr. Johnson's service in the Civil War covered a period of two years and six months and he was attached to the Seventieth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry. To him and his wife two children were born, the subject of this sketch having a sister, Edna.
Jesse W. Johnson was about seven years old when his parents came to this county from Illinois in 1884 and his schooling was completed in the district school in the neighborhood of his home in Huntsville township. He remained at home until his marriage in the fall of 1896, after which he located on his present farm of one hundred and sixty acres in South Hayes township, where he ever since has lived and where he and his family are very comfortably situated. Mr. Johnson is an up-to-date and progressive farmer and his farming operations are carried on along the most approved lines, a part of his equipment being a threshing-machine.
It was on October 6, 1896, that Jesse W. Johnson was united in mar- riage to Anna May Frazey, who was born in Chautauqua county, this state. April 23. 1875, daughter of John F. and Harriet (Dikeman) Frazey, the former of whom, a native of Pennsylvania, son of Samuel T. Frazey. whose whole life was spent in Bedford county, that state, settled in Iowa. where he married, later moving to Illinois and thence, in 1870, to Kansas. locating in Chautauqua county, where he lived until 1881, in which year he and his family came to Reno county, settling near Nickerson. To Mr. and Mr. Johnson one child has been born, a son, Cecil R., born on October 15, 1897. They are members of the United Brethren church at Fairview and take an active part in the work of both the church and the Sunday school, also a warm interest in all neighborhood good works.
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B. MCKEOWN.
B. McKeown, the son of Thomas and Marie ( McNulty ) Mckeown, was born in Louisa county, Iowa, July 12, 1868. Thomas Mckeown was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1828, and came to America in 1847 and settled in New York, where he worked for three years as a baker. He afterward engaged in farming and stock raising and came to Kansas in 1887, settling in Sheridan county, where he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land. This he relinquished in 1892 and went to Oklahoma, where he home- steaded one hundred and sixty acres, near the town of Billings. This farm he left to his family when he died in 1900. Marie (McNulty) Mckeown was a native of Kalamazoo, Michigan, and died in Louisa county, Iowa, in March, 1877.
To Thomas and Marie Mckeown were born the following children : Thomas, a farmer at O'Neal, Nebraska; Mary, the wife of S. W. Cheney, of Guthrie, Oklahoma; Ella, the wife of J. E. Bangard, of Perry, Iowa; Henry, a stockman, banker and engaged in the cotton and oil business at Agro, Oklahoma; Edward. who died in Sylvia, Kansas, in 1899; Cassie, who died in Oklahoma City in February, 1914; P. H .; a farmer, stockman and postmaster at Billings, Oklahoma; Frank, a farmer and stockman, of Billings, Oklahoma; Joseph, a farmer and stockman of Tulsa, Oklahoma; Agnes, who lives in San Francisco, California, and B. Mckeown, the sub- ject of this sketch.
B. Mckeown was married in Haynes township, Reno county, on Novem- ber 5, 1892, to Anna M. Krey, the daughter of Fred and Martha (Gross- close) Krey. Her father settled in Hayes township many years ago, where he homesteaded a farm and where he now resides. He has added many acres to the original farm on which he has placed many modern improvements. The mother is still living and enjoying the beautiful home, after many years of the pioneer life.
To B. Mckeown and wife have been born the following children : Arthur, who was born on August 6, 1893. in Stanford county, and is at present farming in Grove township; Grace, born on September 24, 1897, in Hayes township; Myrtle, born in Hayes township on March 15, 1903.
B. Mckeown was educated in the district schools of Dallas county, Iowa, and the high school of Sheridan county. Kansas. After completing his education he devoted two years to railroad construction, with his brother, in Nebraska, Kansas and Iowa. He then bought an interest in the ice
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business at Guthrie, Oklahoma, where he remained for two years after which he came to Reno county where he rented from three hundred to four hun- dred acres of land and devoted his time to farming. In 1894 he bought one hundred and sixty acres in Hayes township, which he later sold and bought two hundred and ten acres which he now owns, in addition to four hundred and eighty acres in other sections of the state.
Mr. Mckeown was treasurer of Sylvia township for two years, and is the present county chairman of the Democratic committee. He is also a director of the Farmers National Bank at Hutchinson and was one of the organizers of the same. At present he is the treasurer of the Home Hail Insurance Company, a member of the Sylvia Commercial Club and a Mason. Mr. Mckeown is one of the progressive and active residents of his home town and takes much interest in all the activities of the place.
JOHN W. POTTER.
John W. Potter, well-known merchant of Turon, this county, and one of the most active and progressive citizens of that thriving little city, is a native son of Reno county, having been born on a homestead farm in Grove township, occupying the present site of the city of Turon, June 28, 1877, son of Martin H. and Louisa J. (Hickman) Potter, prominent pio- Hver residents of that section. In a biographical sketch relating to Martin H. Potter, who is commonly known as "the father of Turon," there is set out a considerable detail something of the history of the Potter family in this county and the reader is respectfully referred to the same for further interesting information in this connection.
John W. Potter received his elementary education in the local schools in the neighborhood of his home, supplementing the same by a two-years course in the State Normal School at Emporia, after which he taught . school for two years, one term in the Turon schools and one term in the Miami township schools. He then engaged in the hardware and lumber business at Turon and has ever since been very successfully engaged in that business, long having been regarded as one of the leading merchants of that city. Mr. Potter's activities are not confined wholly to his mercantile establishment and he is interested in several other enterprises in and about Turon. He is president of the Potter Mercantile Company, vice-president of the Bother Motor Company, director and secretary of the Farmers Co-
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operative Company, manager of the Potter Drug Company, a partner in the Potter and Implement Company of Preston, Kansas, and a director of the State Bank of Turon. Mr. Potter is a Republican and from the days of his youth has given a good citizen's attention to local political affairs. For two terms of two years each he served as a member of the city council of Turon and in other ways has given his best efforts toward the promotion of that city's best interests.
On November 29, 1906, John W. Potter was united in marriage to Elizabeth Decker, who was born at Hutchinson, this county, April 26, 1881, daughter of Thomas J. and Helen (Longmire) Decker, pioneers of Hutch- inson, who have been residents of Turon since 1902, additional details regarding which family are set out in a biographical sketch relating to Mr. Decker, presented elsewhere in this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Potter take an earnest interest in the general social and cultural activities of their home city, and are prominent in all movements designed to advance the general interest. Mr. Potter is a thirty-second degree Mason, a member of the consistory at Wichita and is also a member of the temple of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine at that place. He also is an Odd Fellow and a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and in the affairs of these several organizations takes a warm interest.
MOWRY S. THACHER, M. D.
Dr. Mowry S. Thacher. of Turon, this county, one of the best-known physicians of Reno county, president of the Commercial Club of Turon and one of the most active and influential citizens of that thriving little city, is a native of the great Empire state, having been born in the town of Alfred, New York, on August 20, 1870, son of Safford M. and Louise (Longworthy) Thacher, both natives of New York state, the former born in the city of Hornell on December 20, 1834, and the latter, in Little Gen- esee, August 22, 1834.
Safford M. Thacher was for years one of the best-known and most influential citizens of Kansas. He was reared in his home city'of Hornell. New York, receiving a liberal education, and early became connected with the Hornell Times, becoming a very proficient newspaper man. In 1858 his brother, Dwight Thacher, came West and founded the Kansas City Journal at Kansas City, Missouri, and the Republican, now known as the
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Journal. Later, Mr. Thacher engaged in the real-estate business at Topeka and was thus very successfully engaged until he retired from business about ten years before his death, which occurred at Waterville, this state, in November, 1911. His wife had preceded him to the grave about thirteen years, her death having occurred at Topeka on August 10, 1898. They were the parents of four children, those besides the subject of this sketch being Frank, now deceased: Dr. George I. Thacher, a physician at Waterville, and Millie B., deceased.
Mowry S. Thacher received his elementary education in the grade schools at Hornell, New York, and upon moving to Lawrence with his par- ents entered the high school there, after which he entered the Kansas Med- ical College at Topeka, from which institution he was graduated, after a four-year course, in 1902, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Thus equipped for the practice of his profession, Doctor Thacher opened an office at Blue Rapids, this state, where he was engaged in practice for four years, at the end of which time he came to Reno county, locating in September, 1906, at Turon, where he has ever since been very successfully engaged in practice, with offices in the Potter block. Doctor Thacher keeps fully abreast of the advancement being made in his profession and in 1913 took a course in the New York Post-Graduate Medical School, receiving a certificate from that institution on August 18 of that year. He is a member of the Reno County Medical Society, the Kansas State Medical Society and the Amer- ican Medical Association, in the affairs of which organizations he takes a warm interest. Doctor Thacher is a Republican and ever since locating in this county has taken a good citizen's interest in local political affairs. He served for two terms, a period of six years, as a member of the Turon school board and is now a member of the board in control of the county high school at Nickerson Upon the organization of the Commercial Club at Turon he was elected first president and has held that office since, giving his best and most intelligent attention to all measures designed to advance the common interest of the city. He also is a director of the Potter Mer- cantile Company of Turon; secretary of the Botner Motor Company and owns an interest in the Potter Drug Company.
On August 7, 1902, at Turon, Dr. Mowry S. Thacher was united in marriage to Dora L. Potter, who was born on the old Potter homestead in this county, now the city of Turon, on February 24, 1879, daughter of Martin H. and Lovisa J. ( Hickman) Potter, prominent pioneers of Reno county, a history of which family is set out in a sketch relating to Martin
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H. Potter, presented elsewhere in this volume, and to this union two chil- dren have been born, Dwight, who died at birth, and Jane Louise, born at Blue Rapids, this state, December 30, 1904. Doctor and Mrs. Thacher have a fine home in Turon, on the site of the original Potter homestead, and take an active and earnest interest in the social and cultural affairs of the city, being held in high esteem throughout that entire part of the county. Doctor Thacher is a thirty-second degree Mason and a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, in the affairs of both of which organizations he takes a warm interest.
JOHN A. COLLINGWOOD.
John A. Collingwood, of Pretty Prairie, this county, one of the best- known ranchmen, wheat growers, grain dealers and bankers in central Kan- sas and for years head of the extensive interests represented by the firm of J. A. Collingwood & Brothers, is a Hoosier by birth, having been born at Fredonia, on the Ohio river, in Indiana, December 23, 1854. He is the son of Daniel and Mary (Newman) Collingwood, the former of whom at the date above mentioned was the proprietor of a shoe factory and tannery at Fredonia. Daniel Collingwood died in 1866 and in 1872 his widow came to Kansas with her children and located in the Pretty Prairie section of this county and there laid the foundation for the present enormous Collingwood interests throughout this section. Mrs. Mary Collingwood died at her home on February 12, 1916. During her lifetime she enjoyed many evidences of the high esteem in which she was held throughout the entire community. A biographical sketch relating to this earnest pioneer mother, presented elsewhere in this volume, sets out further details of the history of the Colling- wood family and to those pages the reader is respectfully referred for addi- tional information in this connection.
John A. Collingwood was about eighteen years old when he made the trip by "prairie schooner" from the banks of the Ohio river in Indiana with his mother and his brothers and sisters to Kansas and upon arriving in this county entered at once upon his part in the development of the large inter- ests which his mother quickly created. Upon reaching his majority he entered a homestead claim, as did all the brothers, all joining in common cause with their mother, who also had homesteaded a place on Pretty Prairie, and prosperity from the very start smiled upon their efforts. Early in the
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