USA > Kansas > Reno County > History of Reno County, Kansas; its people, industries and institutions, Volume II > Part 76
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Edward E. Barton was married, in Hutchinson, September 25, 1895, to Effie Margaret Stimmell, daughter of Daniel W. and Adelaide (Triplett) Stimmell. She was born in Columbus, Ohio. Her father was also a native of that city, born April 8, 1832, and was a stock raiser. He came west in 1875, and settled in Hutchinson to make his home, but owned a sheep ranch, in Sabine county, Texas. He was engaged in the real estate, business in Hutchinson for many years, but was living in California for eight years before his death, which occurred December 22, 1909. He was a member of the Masonic order, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He was a member of the Presbyterian church ; politically, he was a Republican. He was a city official of Hutchin- son at various times.
In 1862 Daniel W. Stimmell answered the call of his country by enlist- ing as a private in Company G, Seventy-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, which was organized at Peoria, Illinois. He served three years with this company and regiment, and was mustered ont at the close of the war, May, 1865. In the battle of Mansfield, Louisiana, April 8. 1864. he was taken prisoner and was confined in Camp Ford, at Tyler, Texas, on Red River, until the close of the war. By virtue of his army service he was a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and was actively interested in its affairs. Mrs. Barton's mother was born in Richmond, Virginia, April 12, 1831. Her maternal grandfather ( Triplett ) was the owner of a large plan- tation in Virginia, and had many slaves. He had fourteen children, seven sons and seven daughters. He was an Episcopalian and a Democrat.
Mrs. Barton had no brothers nor sisters. She was educated at Nazareth
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Academy, Concordia, Kansas, and at Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana. Her church affiliation is with the Episcopalian denomination, which was the faith of her mother and her maternal grandfather. Helen Margaret, born in Hutchinson, Kansas, October 11, 1899, is the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Barton. The family residence for twenty years has been at 607 Sherman avenue ; a handsome home with all modern conveniences, located in a popular residence district of Hutchinson.
Mr. and Mrs. Barton had traveled extensively throughout the United States, living for some time in Pasadena and Long Beach, California, and in Daytonia, Florida. Their travel and sojourn at these places was largely for pleasure, but in later years was with the object of improving Mr. Bar- ton's health, which had been seriously impaired by his strenuous business activities.
RHYS R. PRICE.
Rhys R. Price, son of John R. and Margaret (Jones) Price, was born in Aberdare, Wales, October 6, 1858; his father was born in Breconshire, South Wales, September 16, 1826. After four years as an apprentice to the trade of stone-cutter, and three years in the building trade, his father came to America in 1861, landing first in New York. From there he went to California. by way of the Isthmus of Panama, to engage in gold mining. He remained there for about six years. In 1867 he settled in Oskaloosa, Iowa, where he remained until 1886, when he removed to Topeka, Kan- sas. In 1896 he removed to Miami township, Reno county, Kansas, where he owned a ranch containing two thousand and two hundred acres, on which he engaged in the business of stock raising. In addition to his other busi- ness he was largely interested in railroad contracting, having built three thousand miles of railroad west of the Mississippi river. He was married in Wales, in 1856, to Margaret Jones, of his own neighborhood; she died in Oskaloosa, Iowa, in 1873.
Rhys R. Price was educated at Oskaloosa (Iowa) College, and afterward was in business with J. Power Davies, who owned commissary stores (coal mining ) in Iowa. He was then with Sam Tate, of Memphis, Tennessee, engaged in the building of a railroad at Sherman, Texas. He then became one of the firm of the Price-McGavock Company, of which his father was the senior member, which built the Kinsley branch of the Santa Fe railroad
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and the Atlantic and Pacific railroad, an extension of the Santa Fe. In Mexico they built the railroad from the City of Mexico to Vera Cruz, also the Monterey and Gulf railroad. Mr. Price then came to Hutchinson and engaged in the salt business. He was president of the Kansas Salt Com- pany at the time of his death. He was Republican commissioner to the World's Fair in Chicago in 1893, from which he resigned on account of ill health, and in trying to regain his health he went abroad and sought the best medical attention of both America and Europe, but he died December 10, 1894. Mr. Price was a man of great energy and exceptional business ability. He was a staunch Republican and contributed liberally of his time and effort for the success of the candidates of that party. Fraternally, he was a member of the Masonic order, a Knight Templar and a Shriner. He had a membership in the Hutchinson Commercial Club; also in the Union League Club, and the Chicago Club, of Chicago. He was interested in the old water power mill, of Hutchinson; the Otero ditch canal, in Colorado, and the Marceline, Missouri, Coal Company. Mr. Price attended the Epis- copal church, and at the request of Bishop Thomas, served on the board of finance of the diocese.
Mr. Price married Margaret Davies, daughter of J. Power and Mar- garet ( Hoare) Davies, in Oskaloosa, Iowa. She was born in Beaufort, Monmouthshire, England. Her father was born in Aberdare, Wales, and was of Irish descent.
The mother of Mrs. Price was the daughter of William and Anne (Evans) Hoare ; she died in San Diego, California, in 1912. William Hoare
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Rhys R. Price are: Margaret Gwladys, was born in Cornwall, England, and was manager of the iron works at born in Oskaloosa, Iowa; married Edward Stahl, Jr., of Paris, France, Beaufort, England.
junior member of Galay Fils & Stahl ( Incorporated), wholesale jewelers and manufacturers, of Geneva, Switzerland, with a branch in Paris, France. The Stahls originally were from Denmark, but for four generations have been from England. Their only son, Edward Rhys Stahl, was born in Ver- sailles, France. Herbert Davies. born in San Diego, California: died in Hutchinson, Kansas, July 14. 1906.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Price were educated in Dresden, Ger- many, and in Geneva, Switzerland. The son attended the Chateau de Lancy. a well known boys' school in Geneva, for one year; a preparatory school. at Eton, England, for three years, and St. Paul's, Concord. New Hamp-
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shire, one year. He was entered for the school of mines of Columbia Col- lege. a short time before his death. He always took a keen interest in elec- tricity and mechanics.
Mrs. Price was the fifth child in a family of ten children-five sons and five daughters. She is a charter member of the Women's Club, of Hutchinson ; she is a member of the Grace Episcopal church, and first vice- president of the Daughters of the King. She was one of the visitors of the school of the Sisters of Bethany, in Topeka, Kansas, until she went abroad. Mr. Price had two sisters, Cordelia and Jennie, both born in Oska- loosa, Iowa.
The family residence is at 429 First avenue, east, Hutchinson, Kansas, where they have resided for twenty-six years.
HARLOW B. BROWN.
Harlow B. Brown, the printer, one of the best-known young men of Hutchinson, this county, is a native son of Reno county, having been born on the fine Brown ranch in Loda township, April 10, 1889, son of Major Willis I .: and Sarah ( Blake) Brown, pioneers of that section, who are now living at Kingman, where they have made their home for years, though still retaining their large interests in this county.
Willis L. Brown was born on a farm in Steuben county, New York, January 28. 1854. son of Solomon and Ruth E. (Carpenter) Brown, the former a member of one of the old American families, of Scottish descent, and the latter a daughter of James Carpenter and wife, pioneers of western New York. Solomon Brown died when his son, Willis L., was only twenty months old. A few years later the mother married again. Her husband answered Lincoln's call and was one of the many that never came back. Thus handicapped, the youth of Willis L. Brown was one of struggle, but he was imbued from earliest childhood with a desire for an education and he bravely worked his way through school, being graduated from Woodhull .Academy, now known as the Western New York Academy, at the age of fourteen, and was duly licensed to teach school, a profession upon which he early had set his heart. The laws of the state of New York, however, did not permit any one under eighteen years of age to teach in the schools of that state and young Brown, nothing daunted by this setback to his youthful ambi- tion, presently pushed out West, where teachers were then in greater demand,
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and for three years was engaged in teaching in Linn and in Chariton county, Missouri, his service in that connection having begun when he was sixteen years old. With added age and acquired experience, Mr. Brown then returned to New York and was there engaged in teaching and continuing his studies until 1876. in which year, becoming dissatisfied with the East after having had experience in the West, he returned West, coming to Kansas. In that year he entered a claim in Pawnee county, but did not "prove up" the same, soon thereafter going to McPherson county, where he remained for a time, and while there married. He then entered a homestead claim in King- man county, proved up the same and in 1883 entered a half section of school land over the line in Loda township, Reno county, which he still owns and which is regarded as one of the best-kept stock farms in Reno county or cen- tral Kansas. For several years after locating in this county Mr. Brown taught school during the winters, riding six miles, back and forth, every day to school and taking his pay for such service in anything of value the resi- dents thereabout could give, which was not much. As he prospered in his cattle business Mr. Brown added to his land holdings, buying a quarter of a section nearby his Reno county place and a half section over the line in King- man county and has for years been regarded as one of the most progressive and substantial ranchers in central Kansas. He was one of the first men in this county to see the possibility of planting the plains with trees and the veritable forest of transplanted trees and the fine orchards on his several farms attest the wisdom of his decision back in 1886, when other farmers thereabout scoffed at his enterprise, declaring that the soil of this region was not adapted to three culture. Mr. Brown specialized in Shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs and prospered largely.
In 1893 Willis L. Brown retired from the farm and with his family moved to Kingman, where he ever since has made his home and where he has become one of the most conspicuous figures in the political life of the state. Though still retaining the active oversight of his extensive ranch interests, Mr. Brown has found time for activities of another character and his famous sobriquet. "Iron Jaw", was won not long after he moved to King- man, where, in a city campaign, he was chiefly responsible for the movement which resulted in the effectual ousting of the "tough bunch." Upon moving to Kingman, Mr. Brown, in association with H. H. Isley, started the King- man Journal and was editor of that vigorous newspaper until 1900, during which time he became one of the best-known men in Kansas. As an ardent Democrat he took an active and prominent part in the councils of that party
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and his paper ever was one of the most effective and vigorous exponents of the principles of the party in this state. He was clerk of the Kansas state Senate during the sessions of 1893-95 and in 1897 was appointed under the Leedy administration president of the state board of charities, in control of the state's charitable institutions, a position which he resigned in 1898, in order to take part in the Spanish-American War, being the first man enlisted and sworn in in the state. He recruited men for that service throughout all cen- tral Kansas and was commissioned major of the Twenty-first Regiment, Kansas Volunteer Infantry, with which he served until the close of the war, although the regiment did not get into the thick of things, being encamped at Chattanooga when peace was declared. In 1908 Major Brown was elected representative in the Legislature from his district and was twice re-elected, serving with much efficiency during the sessions of 1909-11-13, being speaker of the House during the latter session. Under the Hodges administration in 1913 he was appointed president of the board in charge of the state's penal and benevolent institutions and in 1913 was a candidate for the nomination for United States senator from Kansas in the Democratic primaries, but failed of the nomination. For years Major Brown has been the acknowledged leader of his party in Kingman county and has wielded a strong influence in the party throughout the state. Major Brown is also one of the leading Odd Fellows in the country. For two years he was grand master of the Kansas grand lodge of that order and for twelve years was representative of that order from Kansas in the sovereign grand lodge. He also has represented the Kansas Woodmen in several national meetings of the Modern Woodmen and in the affairs of both of these popular orders takes a warm interest. At the encampment of the Kansas department of the United Spanish War Vet- erans in July. 1915, Major Brown was honored by his comrades by election to the office of commander of that department and is giving his most active and intelligent attention to the affairs of that society.
In July. 1881, Willis L. Brown was united in marriage to Sarah J. Blake. who was born near Rockville. Indiana, August 17, 1860, daughter of Madison . and Martha Blake, natives of Indiana. who came to Kansas at an early date in the settlement of this section, locating for a time in McPherson county, where they remained until 1878, in which year the family came to Reno county, homesteading a tract in Roscoe township and becoming prominent residents of that section. Madison Blake, who was a veteran of the Civil War, died at the home of Major Brown, and his widow, who was born on June 4, 1841, died at Germantown. Nebraska, December 30, 1916. To Willis I .. and Sarah J. ( Blake ) Brown three children have been born, Maud,
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who married Bert Walter and lives at Kingman, this state; Wayne S., who lives on one of his father's farms in Kingman county, and Harlow B., the immediate subject of this biographical sketch. Major and Mrs. Brown are members of. the Presbyterian church and their children were reared in that faith.
Harlow B. Brown was four years old when his parents moved from the farm in this county to Kingman and he was reared at the latter place, receiving his education in the public schools there, which course he pursued through the second year of high school. At the age of thirteen he began learning the printer's trade in the office of his father's paper, the Kingman Journal, and in 1908 bought a half interest in the paper, which he sold four years later and then moved to Pratt, this state, where he opened a job-print- ing office. A year and a half later he moved his plant to Hutchinson and consolidated the same with the job-printing department of the Hutchinson Gasette. He is now in the printing business over the "Bon-Ton" bakery.
In August, 1911, Harlow B. Brown was united in marriage at Coffey- ville, this state, to Amanda C. Poff, who was born in Missouri, daughter of Robert H. and Simona Poff, the former of whom died in New Mexico, his widow now residing in Columbus, that state. To this union one child has been born, a son, Robert Willis, born on November 17, 1914.
RICHARD A. STEWART, M. D.
Dr. Richard A. Stewart, one of the prominent surgeons in the South- west, who, with his brother, the late Dr. James E. Stewart, founded the long-famous Stewart hospital at Hutchinson, recently taken over by the Methodists and now known as the Methodist hospital, is a Virginian, a na- tive of Bedford county, that state, where he was born on January 20. 1868, son of Robert B. and Evangeline ( Arrington) Stewart.
Richard A. Stewart was but thirteen years of age when his parents came to this state and his elementary education therefore, which had been well begun in the schools of Virginia, was continued in the schools of Rice county. His brother, James E. Stewart, early had entered the practice of medicine at Alden and upon completing his common school studies, Richard A. entered his brother's office and for a year gave close attention to medi- cal studies, at the end of which time he matriculated at the Hospital Medi- cal College, Louisville, Kentucky, from which excellent old institution he
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was graduated in June, 1890, after which he returned to Alden and was there associated with his brother in the practice of medicine until March, 1801, at which time the brothers located in Hutchinson, this county, where they speedily became prominently identified with the professional and social life of the city, maintaining offices together and from the very first meet- ing with large success in their practice. In 1900 the Doctors Stewart found- ed and built Stewart hospital, which immediately came into favor through- out this section and which in 1906 was taken over by the Stewart Hospital Association, incorporated, which conducted the same until in July, 1915, the hospital was taken over by the Methodists and is now known as the Metho- clist Hospital. the church maintaining a charity ward in the same.
Dr. James E. Stewart died in October, 1907, and his passing was wide- ly mourned, for he was a man who had given unsparingly of himself to the cause of humanity. Dr. Richard A. Stewart's practice is confined wholly to the practice of surgery and he long has been recognized as one of the most skilled surgeons in Kansas. In 1912 Doctor Stewart admitted to partnership in his general practice, Dr. Robert G. Jones and this mutu- ally agreeable arrangement still continues.
On June 12. 1895, Dr. Richard A. Stewart was united in marriage to Mary C. McCurdy, who was born in Hutchinson, this county, daughter of James P. and Margaret McCurdy, and to this union two children have been born, Margaret, born on May 5, 1896, and John R., August 6, 1898. The Stewarts have a very pleasant home at 801 North Main street and take their proper part in all social and cultural movements designed to advance the best interests of the community. They are members of the Methodist church.
J. M. COLLINGWOOD.
J. M. Collingwood, one of the most progressive and energetic young ranchers of Reno county, proprietor of a fine ranch of four thousand acres in the Pretty Prairie neighborhood in Roscoe township, besides being the owner of extensive land' interests in Hodgeman county, is a native son of Reno county, having been born in the neighborhood in which he is still liv- ing. November 18. 1887, son of Joseph G. and Jeane (Mckenzie) Colling- wood. the former of whom is now deceased and the latter of whom is now living at Phoenix, Arizona.
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Joseph G. Collingwood was born at Fredonia, Indiana, November 9. 1852, son of Daniel and Mary ( Newman ) Collingwood, the former a native of England and the latter of Cincinnati, Ohio. Daniel Collingwood was a manufacturer of shoes, owner of an extensive plant in Indiana, who died in 1866. Some years later, in 1872, his widow and her children came to Kansas, driving through in a "prairie schooner," and settled in Reno county. Mrs. Mary Collingwood homesteaded a tract of land in the Pretty Prairie section, her sons also homesteading in that section, and thus the great Coll- ingwood interests in Reno county had their origin. Mrs. Mary Colling- wood died at her fine home in Pretty Prairie, on February 12, 1916. Her home was next door to that of her daughter, Mrs. S. G. Demaret, president of the State Bank of Pretty Prairie. In a biographical sketch relating to Mrs. Mary Collingwood, presented elsewhere in this volume, there is set out in considerable detail something more of the history of this interesting family in Reno county and to that the reader is respectfully referred in this connection.
In the sketch above referred to prominent mention is made of the extensive operations of the firm of Collingwood Brothers, for years one of the most active factors in the development of this region. Joseph G. Coll- ingwood's active connection with that firm made him a wealthy man and he became the owner of twenty thousand acres of land, besides having other extensive interests. He married Jeane Mckenzie, daughter of John Mckenzie and wife, Reno county pioneers, who came here from Illinois. and to this union one child was born, a son, the subject of this biographical sketch. Joseph .G. Collingwood died on February 3, 1912, and his widow married John A. Coleman, of Phoenix, Arizona, and is now living in that city.
J. M. Collingwood was reared in this county and received his education in the common schools, which he supplemented by a course at the Salina Business College. For a while after his mother's removal to Phoenix he lived with her in that city, but in June, 1915, returned to Reno county to look after the interests of the four-thousand-acre ranch he had inherited from his father, situated four miles west and one mile north of Pretty Prairie. Upon returning here he began the erection of a new ranch house and barn in accordance with approved plans and which are unequalled in the county in the point of fitness and equipment. The house is of modern construction, electrically lighted and steam heated and carries a billiard room in the spacious basement. The great barn, built in the form of a Maltese (49a)
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cross, one hundred and twenty-two by forty feet in each wing, is specially designed for the care of horses. Mr. Collingwood lately having gone quite extensively into the business of breeding fine horses.
Mr. Collingwood is a thirty-second-degree Mason and a Knight Temp- lar, having attained to the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite in 1913. He also is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and in the affairs of these organizations takes a warm interest.
SPENCER BROTHERS.
Orlando and Ornaldo Spencer could well say, like the two Dromios, "We came into this world like brother and brother,
And now let's go hand in hand and not one before the other,"
for they are twins, and, having entered life at the same hour, they grew up inseparable, their interests have ever remained the same, and they bid fair to walk hand in hand to the end.
These farmer boys were born in Cass county, Michigan, June 20, 1848. Their parents were Daniel and Naomi (Van Patten) Spencer. Daniel Spencer was a native of the Empire state, having been born at Petersboro, Madison county, New York. He moved to Cass county, Michigan, in the early thirties and followed the occupation of farming. His death took place in 1908 at the old home in New York. Naomi Van Patten was also born at Petersboro, and is now deceased.
The other children of Daniel Spencer and wife were, Evaline, the wife of William Jolly, a farmer of Madison county, New York, both now being deceased : John J., who has a position in a kodak factory in Rochester, New York; Joel 1., deceased, who was a farmer at Pueblo, Colorado: Mary, the wife of a Mr. Coleman, a farmer of Chenango, New York.
It was in January, 1874, that Orlando Spencer left Michigan and went to Kansas. He settled in Grove (now Miami) township. Reno county. where he homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres of land, half of which was located in the southeast quarter of section 17, and the other half in the northeast quarter of the same section. Later he purchased one hundred and sixty acres in section 13. In the following April his brother, Ornaldo, fol- lowed him to Kansas and homesteaded one hundred and sixty acres in the same township. in the southwest quarter of section 13. Joel I. Spencer
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also went to Kansas and took up one hundred and sixty acres in Reno county. This land is now owned half and half by Orlando and Ornaldo, their joint holdings amounting to four hundred and eighty acres.
The farmer twins have never married. They were at one time mem- bers of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. They are affiliated with the Republican party. The only public office they ever accepted was that of road master.
Living in the world but not of the world, they devote themselves to each other, to the cultivation of their broad acres and to the enlightenment of their minds, both being well read and widely informed on the topics of the day as well as on events of the past. They are among the most highly respected of the Reno county citizens.
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