USA > Kansas > Shawnee County > History of Shawnee County, Kansas, and representative citizens > Part 24
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JOSEPH VAN VLECK, one of the highly respected citizens and substantial farmers of Rossville township, Shawnee County, who resides on his well- improved farm of 80 acres in section 16, township 10, range 13, was born in 1821 in Madison County, New York, and is a son of Joseph and Hester (Francisco) Van Vleck.
Herman Van Vleck, the paternal grandfather of our subject, was born in Holland and came very early to America, settling in the Mohawk Valley, New York, and removing later to the tract in Madison County, known as the
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"Mile Strip." His land was adjacent to that owned by the noted Abolition leader, Gerrit Smith, and they together attended the Congregational Church. Politically they differed, but personally were good friends and neighbors and were men of such character that when they sat together in the little church in Peterboro, their religious feelings were so genuine that political sentiments were excluded. The family continued to reside in Madison County until the death of the father. The mother died in Ontario County, New York.
Joseph Van Vleck received his educational training in his native locality, later moved to Grundy County, Illinois, and in 1878 came to Kansas. He pur- chased 320 acres of land in Rossville township from the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company, the land being located in sections 9 and 16, township 10, range 13. He has retained 80 acres of this for his own use, the remainder having been given to his two sons.
Mr. Van Vleck was married in the village of Penfield, Monroe County, New York, to Mary A. Crain, who was a daughter of Mahlon Crain, a native of Vermont. Mrs. Van Vleck died in 1901, in her 79th year. They had eight children, the six survivors being : Mahlon, who has been a resident of Chicago for many years; T. J., of Topeka; Frank and Eugene, farmers of Rossville township; Clara, a resident of McCook, Nebraska; and C. E. who remains on the homestead with his father.
Mr. Van Vleck is identified with the Republican party and takes a great deal of interest in its successes. For many years he has been an Odd Fellow. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
CHARLES A. MAGAW.
CHARLES A. MAGAW, a well-known lawyer and formerly police judge of Topeka, was born in Ohio in 1872, and is a son of John B. and Margaret Magaw.
John B. Magaw was a farmer by occupation and lived in Ohio until 1879, when he came West to Kansas. He removed to Osage County, Kansas, in 1895, and lived there until his death on February 2, 1900. He is survived by Mrs. Magaw and three children, namely: Rachel, wife of Samuel Har- bour, of Osage, Kansas; William, an instructor in the Topeka High School; and Charles A., subject of this biography.
Charles A. Magaw was reared on a farm in Jefferson County, Kansas, and received a preliminary educational training in the public schools of his district. He pursued a literary course of study at Washburn College, but left that institution in his junior year to take up the study of the law in the
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State University at Lawrence. After graduation with the degree of LL. B. in 1897, he was admitted to the bar, and has been engaged in practice since in the city of Topeka. He has an office in the Crawford Building, and has an extensive practice. He served two terms as police judge at Topeka, and is held in highest regard by his fellow lawyers and the public in general.
Mr. Magaw is unmarried and resides at No. 716 Lincoln street. Since the death of his father, his mother has made her home with our subject. He is a member of the Bar Association of the State of Kansas and of Topeka Lodge, No. 204, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Politically, he is a Republican, and has always been one of the most active party workers in the city.
THOMAS DUGARDE HUMPHREYS.
THOMAS DUGARDE HUMPHREYS, who has been prominently engaged in the practice of the law in Topeka for many years, is one of this city's best known citizens and has been identified with numerous of its most successful business enterprises.
Mr. Humphreys was born in Nottingham, England, February 22, 1858, and is a son of Dr. Matthew and Maria Jane (DuGarde) Humphreys. His father was a successful physician and surgeon of Nottingham.
Thomas D. Humphreys attended the Dame Agnes Meller Grammar School and upon leaving that institution entered the merchant marine and naval reserve, making three complete trips around the globe. Upon leaving the service he was serving as third officer of the "Ophelia," carrying emi- grants to Queensland, Australia. He then became private secretary to Charles Bradlow, a Member of Parliament and a distinguished lawyer, who was known as the "English Ingersoll." He read law with that gentleman during a period of seven years, then took up the study of science and art at the Kensington Science and Art School, upon graduation being awarded Queen's prize in acoustics, light and heat, botany, freehand and mechanical drawing and chemistry. He next attended the London Science Schools, receiving honors in chemistry, botany, acoustics, light and heat. Upon" coming to the United States, he located at Topeka, Kansas, in 1888, and entered upon the practice of the law. He was admitted to practice in the Federal courts in 1898, and in the Supreme Court of the United States in 1901. He built up a large and lucrative practice which has demanded the greater part of his attention, but he has found time to devote to various enterprises of importance in this city. He is connected with the Jewel Coal Company, secretary of the Forceda Coal Company, and has been one of the
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JOHN E. FROST
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promoters of the Landrus Stove & Foundry Company, manufacturing the "Landrus" stove radiator.
Mr. Humphreys was united in marriage with Mrs. Elizabeth Lydia Gilmore, a widow. He has one son, by a former marriage,-Rene DuGarde, -who is attending Topeka High and Manual Training School. Fraternally, our subject is a member of the Bar Association of the State of Kansas and of the Masonic order, having taken all the degrees of the York rite and up to the 32nd degree of the Scottish rite. He is a man of broad and liberal mind and of striking personality, and has many stanch friends.
JOHN E. FROST.
JOHN E. FROST, ex-president of the Commercial Club of Topeka, and a citizen who has been prominently identified with public affairs in Kansas for very many years, was born April 22, 1849, at Rome, New York, and is a son of Hon. Thomas Gold and Elizabeth A. (Bancroft) Frost.
Mr. Frost comes of distinguished ancestry which extends in both pater- nal and maternal lines to old and honoroble English families and early New England settlers. The father of Mr. Frost was prominent in politics and in the law prior to 1857, when he removed to Illinois, and took up his residence at Galesburg. The closing years of his life were spent in Chicago, and in both cities he was a representative legal practitioner and the recipient of many honors.
John E. Frost had liberal educational opportunities, including collegiate advantages at Knox College at Galesburg, Illinois, and at Hamilton College at Clinton, New York. At the latter institution he carried off honors at his graduation in 1871. He then read law, not so much for the practice of the profession as to thoroughly inform himself upon points which might come up in his business transactions later in life. His business career began and has been mainly connected with land and immigration interests and prob- ably no man in Kansas more thoroughly masters questions relative to these lines than does Mr. Frost, after more than 30 years devotion to their study. In 1904 he was elected a trustee of Hamilton College, his alma mater. He is a member of the Chi Psi college fraternity.
From 1872 to 1879, Mr. Frost was district agent of the land depart- ment of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company, and after his removal to Topeka, in 1882, he filled still higher offices with the company un- til 1890 when he was appointed general land commissioner for the corpora-
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tion, in which office he continued until his resignation in 1898, when he pur- chased the still unsold lands of the company in Kansas.
Mr. Frost has held many honorable positions and offices with dignity and efficiency. As president of the Exhibitors' Association at the Interna- tional Cotton Exposition, in 1881, at Atlanta, Georgia; as vice-president in 1895 of the National Irrigation Congress at Denver and as its president in 1896, at Albuquerque, New Mexico; and as vice-president and treasurer of the Kansas Commission of the Trans-Mississippi and International Exposi- tion at Omaha, in 1898, he displayed not only all necessary executive ability, but also the courtesy, tact and diplomacy so essential in a public repre- sentative.
Since coming to Topeka he has been interested in many of the city's most successful enterprises and has shown a most commendable amount of public spirit. As president of the Commercial Club from 1901 to 1804 he encouraged and headed many movements looking to the material develop- ment of the city and, with the brain of a scholar, the vigor of a worker and the heart of a gentleman, enjoys the esteem of all who know him best.
At the time of the disastrous flood in the Kansas River in 1903, Mr. Frost served as chairman of the General Flood Relief Committee. It is acknowledged by all that similar work was never better done than was per- formed by this organization. Mr. Frost, as chairman, deserves much of the credit for the committee's excellent showing.
In 1871, Mr. Frost was united in marriage with Margaret E. Kitchell, who is a daughter of Hon. Alfred Kitchell, of Illinois, and they have six children. The family belong to the First Presbyterian Church of Topeka. Their beautiful home is situated at the corner of 10th and Western avenues and it is the scene of much hospitality and many social functions. A por- trait of Mr. Frost accompanies this sketch.
O. A. HOLCOMB.
O. A. HOLCOMB, general manager of the Topeka Foundry Company, of Topeka, and a leading business man of this city, was born in Sangamon County, Illinois, in 1855, and is a son of Myron and Dorcas C. (Winchell) Holcomb.
The parents of Mr. Holcomb came to Kansas from Bloomington, Illi- nois, in 1869, and now reside in Topeka township, Shawnee County. Our subject is the eldest of their four children, the others being: Carrie G., wife of Prof. E. A. Popenoe, entomologist at the State Agricultural College;
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Elizabeth, wife of Benjamin Ost, of Los Angeles, California; and Mina E., wife of E. G. Miner, who was one of the organizers of the beneficiary society of Knights and Ladies of Security and was a member of the executive board at Topeka.
Mr. Holcomb was educated at Topeka and is one of the members of the first class to graduate at the High School. After completing his education, he taught school and was deeply interested in educational affairs for a num- ber of years. He taught the district school east of the cemetery, for one year, and the schools at Rochester and Indianola, and for five years was principal of the Lincoln School, Topeka, and for three years of the old Washburn School on Jackson street. During this time he took up institute work every year and was known in educational circles all over the county.
Since the establishing of the Topeka Foundry Company, in 1885, Mr. Holcomb has been connected with it. It began business as Newby & Com- pany, at the old Capital Iron Works, the organizers being: A. S. Newby, president ; George R. Millice, vice-president and O. A. Holcomb, manager. They met with success from the start. By 1887 they were obliged to provide larger quarters and built on First avenue, opposite the Rock Island Depot and did business until 1889 as the Topeka Stove Repair Foundry. Two years later they added to their machinery to the amount of $3,000, changing the name of the business to that of the Topeka Foundry Company, Mr. Newby having dropped out three years before. In 1894 the increase in busi- ness made enlargement of space and facilities necessary, and they moved to the corner of Second and Jackson streets, where they remained 10 years. At this time the property was sold, which made still another change neces- sary. They then built their present plant at Nos. 318-20-22 Jackson street, a great building 75 by 115 feet in dimensions, equipped it with all kinds of modern machinery and now carry on a vast amount of business. They manufacture machinery castings, a soil packer for agricultural purposes, a line of creamery supplies and do a general repair business in the line of machinery. It is the best equipped foundry in the city and its success reflects credit upon Mr. Holcomb, who has continued manager of the business through all these years.
Mr. Holcomb was married January 28, 1879, to Sarah E. Fowkes, who is a native of Springfield, Illinois, and they have six children, viz : Berenice, who is the capable bookkeeper for the Topeka Foundry Company; Helen, who is a teacher in the Euclid School; Myron (who bears his grandfather's honored name), who is a senior in the High School; and Inez, Ruth and Katherine. The comfortable home is a handsome residence at No. 1213 Fillmore street, which Mr. Holcomb built and in which he has resided for
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the past 25 years. Mr. Holcomb's success demonstrates the value of an educated man at the head of any kind of business, the trained faculties and broadened view being of inestimable value.
JAMES R. LYDIC.
JAMES R. LYDIC, one of the well-known citizens and successful farmers of Shawnee County, who owns the northwest quarter of section 4, township 12, range 17, in Tecumseh township, is also entitled to prominence and respect as one of the survivors of the great Civil War. Mr. Lydic was born October 14, 1841, in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, and is a son of James and Rebecca P. (Johnson) Lydic.
The Lydic family is an old and honorable one in Indiana County. Our subject's parents, whose whole lives were spent there, were prosperous farmers. They reared a family of 12 children.
Our subject attended the schools of his native locality and grew up on his father's farm, assisting in its management until the outbreak of the Civil War. On November 21, 1861, after the farm work of the year had been finished and the crops gathered, he offered his services in defense of his coun- try, enlisting for three years in Company K, 84th Reg., Pennsylvania Vol. Inf., under Capt. Joseph L. Kirby and Col. William G. Murray. From the very first this regiment was placed in active service. After a short season of drill- ing at Camp Curtin, Harrisburg, it was sent to Hagerstown, Maryland, in time to take part in the battle at Bath, then on to Cumberland and thence into Virginia. Then followed the battles of Winchester, Fredericksburg and the second battle of Bull Run or Manassas Junction. After considerable skir- mishing, the regiment took a prominent part in the battle of Chancellorsville. It was in the terrible struggle on the morning of June 3, 1863, at Chancel- lorsville, that both our subject and his brother were wounded. The brother's injuries resulted in the loss of his right fingers but our subject was so fear- fully wounded that his good left hand had to be amputated. For five months he suffered in the Satterlee Hospital, Philadelphia, and then returned home, honorably discharged and bearing with him the badge of his faithful service and proof of his loyal devotion to his country.
Mr. Lydic resumed farming and continued to live in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, until 1890, when he removed to Ellis, Kansas, but he found the western part of the State too dry for profitable farming and only re- mained there until November of that year. He then brought his family to Topeka. In the following spring he removed to a farm and on May I,
HON. JOHN GUTHRIE
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1891, purchased his present valuable property. Here he has met with suc- cess, carrying on farming and stock-raising.
In 1873 Mr. Lydic was married to Kate Barr, who was born in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, February 17, 1850, and is a daughter of John G. and Katherine ( Allison) Barr, natives of Pennsylvania. They have reared seven children, namely: Vinnie, wife of W. E. Lynch, of Tecumseh town- ship; James N., John, Orrin, Murray, Clara and Jeannette. Mr. Lydic and family belong to the Christian Church at Meriden.
Politically, Mr. Lydic is a Republican but he has never cared for public office, although his services to his country would seem to entitle him to official consideration. He is a valued member of the Grand Army Post, No. 160, at Meriden.
HON. JOHN GUTHRIE.
HON. JOHN GUTHRIE, postmaster of Topeka, whose portrait is shown on the foregoing page, has been a distinguished resident of this city since 1865. He attained prominence as a lawyer and judge and forced his way to the foremost ranks of his profession. Judge Guthrie was born in Switzer- land County, Indiana, in 1829, and was one of 14 children born to William and Margaret (Japp) Guthrie, who were natives of Scotland.
The parents of John Guthrie removed from Scotland to New York State and thence to Indiana, where he was reared and educated. He grew to manhood on the farm and assisted in the work on the home place when not attending school. He subsequently engaged in teaching school during the winter months for several seasons. He read law under Hon. Lewis Chamberlin, of Logansport, Indiana, and was admitted to the bar of that State in 1857. He immediately embarked in practice and the following year was elected district attorney for Cass and Miami counties, continuing as such for one and a half years. He resigned this office on account of the meager salary and engaged extensively in private practice until September, 1861, when he raised Company D, 46th Reg. Indiana Vol. Inf., for service in the Union Army during the Civil War. He was made its first captain by Gov- ernor Morton, and served as such until June, 1862, when he was discharged because of ill health. He returned to Logansport and resumed practice, con- tinuing there with much success until 1865. He then moved West to To- peka, Kansas, where he has resided continuously since. He engaged in pri- vate practice, soon acquiring a prestige throughout this section of the State. He was elected to the State Legislature in 1867, 1868 and 1869, serving in the same able, patriotic and statesman-like manner that has characterized his
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entire career. In 1872 he was presidential elector on the Republican ticket, in 1872 and 1874 was a delegate to the State conventions, and twice served as chairman of the Republican State Central Committee, in which capacity he rendered his party invaluable service. He was Republican candidate for Governor of Kansas in 1876 and was defeated by George T. Anthony by the small majority of four votes. He was elected judge of the Third Judicial District of Kansas in 1884, and from that date until 1892 served in such manner as to gain the hearty commendation of the bar and of his fellow-citi- zens in general. During the years 1890, 1891 and 1892, he filled the chair of medical jurisprudence in the Kansas Medical College. In recognition of his services to the party in past years, Judge Guthrie was in 1898 appointed postmaster of Topeka by President Mckinley, and in 1902 was reappointed by President Roosevelt, the present being the seventh year of his service in that capacity. He is a member and has served as president of the Bar Asso- ciation of the State of Kansas.
On October 24, 1854, Judge Guthrie was married to Mary C. H. Upde- graff, and they reside at No. 921 Clay street. They move in the best social circles of the city, and have a host of friends of long years standing. Fra- ternally, our subject is a prominent Mason, having joined that order at Lo- gansport, Indiana, as early as 1862. He was first master of Orient Lodge, No. 51, A. F. & A. M. in 1867, and in 1875 was elected grand master of the Grand Lodge of Kansas. He is also past department commander of the Grand Army of the Republic in Kansas. Religiously, he and his wife are devout members of the Presbyterian Church.
HON. NOAH C. MCFARLAND.
HON. NOAH C. MCFARLAND, deceased, was one of the distinguished men of Kansas, whose name will go down to history with her other states- men, jurists and broad-minded, steadfast, useful citizens. Judge McFarland was born April 23, 1822, in the State of Pennsylvania, being a member of one of the substantial old families of Washington County.
Completing a collegiate course at Washington College, at the age of 23 years, Noah C. McFarland turned his attention to the study of the law, and in 1846, at Bucyrus, Ohio, he entered the law office of Judge Scott, who after- ward became a member of the Supreme Court of Ohio. When Judge Scott removed to Hamilton, Ohio, Mr. McFarland became his law partner and resided there until he removed to Kansas in 1870. Prior to this, Mr. McFar- land's ability and capacity had been recognized by his fellow-citizens in Ohio.
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In 1865 he was elected to represent Butler and Warren counties in the Ohio State Senate, where he served as chairman of the judiciary committee. He was also a member of the Ohio delegation at the Chicago National Republi- con Convention, in 1868, which nominated General Grant for the Presidency.
Within three years of settling in Kansas, Judge McFarland was elected to the State Senate from Shawnee County, and also in this body served as chairman of the judiciary committee. His eminent qualifications brought about his appointment as a member of the Ute Indian Commission, and he also served as regent of the Kansas State University. In 1881 he was ap- pointed United States Land Office Commissioner at Washington, by Presi- dent Garfield, an office to which he was reappointed by President Arthur.
Politically, Judge McFarland was a stalwart Republican, beginning campaign speech-making as early as his 18th year, first in the interests of the Whig party and later ardently supporting the principles of the Republican party.
Judge McFarland died April 26, 1897, at the Copeland Hotel, Topeka, after an illness of but three weeks duration. He is vividly recalled by his business and political associates and by scores of personal friends, his Abra- ham Lincoln style of appearance and stature making him a conspicuous figure in any assembly, while his personal attributes in a like manner recalled Lin- coln's rugged honesty. In all his years of public life and his familiar asso- ciation with his fellow-men he markedly showed the possession of the clear, keen judgment of a thinker, and the sincere and unselfish devotion of a patriot.
The death of Judge McFarland followed that of his cherished wife within a year. She was one of the most highly esteemed ladies in Topeka, beloved for her personal character and admired for her philanthropies. She was one of the founders of Topeka's Free Public Library and of Ingleside Home. James M. McFarland, the only son, survives.
JAMES M. MCFARLAND.
JAMES M. MCFARLAND was born at Hamilton, Ohio, in 1851, and was educated in the Hamilton public schools and at South Salem Academy prior to entering Miami University, where he was graduated. From his alma mater he received the degree of M. A. on July 21, 1887.
In addition to his distinguished father, Mr. McFarland has had other noted ancestors. The stock is Scotch Presbyterian. His great-greatuncle, Major McFarland, was the officer, who, under General Scott, led the attack
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at Lundy's Lane in the War of 1812. His great-uncle, Hon. Samuel Mc- Farland, was nominated for the vice-presidency, on the Abolition ticket, as running mate with Gerrit Smith. Up to the time of his death, he continued a radical Abolitionist, and he left a part of his estate to the Freedmen's Bureau, as an evidence of the earnestness of his convictions. Lieutenant- Colonel McFarland, that gallant officer of the 19th Iowa Regiment, who fell at the battle of Prairie Grove, during the Civil War, was another uncle.
James M. McFarland's life has been entirely devoted to literary pursuits and he is well known as an essayist and author. He is also a noted bibliophilist and owns the largest and by far the most valuable private library in the State. This magnificent collection of books, entirely English, includes some 6,000 volumes, and he has devoted four rooms in his beautiful home at No. 1192 Fillmore street to their housing. In the arrangement of his books, Mr. McFarland has shown artistic taste as well as that almost personal af- fection which marks the true lover of such treasures. The works are care- fully classified. One room, with several small windows just under the roof, with no outside doors, in its exclusiveness invites to the study of history and biography, a wealth of works on these subjects lining the shelves. Here, with other rare editions, one finds Clarendon's "Rebellion," Burnett's "His- tory of the Reformation," a set of Hume, published in 1800, and Rankin's "History of France," published in 1801. Another beautiful set is an eight- volume publication of Murphy's "Tacitus," bearing the date of 1811. From these the book lover turns to the rare set of 13 volumes in embossed calf, published in London, in 1837, containing the dispatches of Field Marshal Wellington.
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