USA > Kansas > Shawnee County > History of Shawnee County, Kansas, and representative citizens > Part 30
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His experiences on both of these occasions were thrilling in the extreme and their recital must afford interest to all those who admire courage and valor. At Bank's Ford, when his regiment charged Early's assaulting col- umns, the enemy was thrown into great confusion by the unexpected attack, broke and ran, hotly pursued by the Sixth Vermont, with fixed bayonets. Captain Kimball's belt-plate turned a minnie ball and thus saved his life, but in glancing off wounded him slightly in the arm. The regiment captured over 400 prisoners in this charge, and one Confederate captain surrendered his sword and the remnant of his company to Captain Kimball, after having been shot through the face. The prisoners threw down their muskets and were left in charge of several privates and ordered to the rear. Captain Kim- ball had only turned to go forward when a Confederate, who had surrendered, picked up a gun from the ground and was in the very act of shooting him when his movement was discovered by Sergeant Cleveland, of Captain Kim- ball's company, who was still quicker with his gun and shot the Rebel. After
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his wound at Funkstown, he continued to direct the movements of his com- pany until his boot was full of blood. The wound was a serious one and after this he was never able to perform field service, receiving his honorable discharge by order of the Secretary of War, October 22, 1863.
Within a week of his discharge, Captain Kimball was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant in the Veteran Reserve Corps, by President Lincoln, and from this time until the close of the war he performed post and garrison duties at various points, a portion of the time at Brattleboro and St. Albans, Vermont. For meritorious conduct he received several promotions, again reaching the rank of captain. After the close of the war he was assigned to duty in the Freedman's Bureau and was stationed in Virginia as superintendent of several counties, with headquarters at Lawrenceville. The four years of his service in this difficult and trying position make a history of themselves. The men who accepted these posts had to bear insult and injury almost beyond belief and with courage had also to be equipped with tact, judgment and a thorough knowledge of existing conditions. What was hard to bear was the fact that his family were also subject to insult and ostracism. His noble wife cheer- fully bore it all and not only gave him added courage by her loving sympathy, but at least on one occasion saved his life. Captain Kimball had supervision of the registrations and elections, a dangerous mission, only less so than the organizing and sustaining of the colored schools. Those old days of bitter feeling have mainly passed away in the general prosperity and mutual aims of the reunited country, but those who were entrusted with official duties and faithfully performed them as did Captain Kimball, can scarcely forget those strenuous years, nor should their fellow-citizens. The Freed- men's Bureau expired by limitation of law, January 1, 1869, and at that time Captain Kimball received an honorable discharge after an unbroken service of over seven years.
Captain Kimball was chosen a delegate from the Fourth Congressional District of Virginia to the Republican National Convention that met at Chicago, May 20, 1868, and assisted in nominating General Grant for the presidency. He was a candidate for State Senator and was urged by his friends to run for Congress, but this honor he declined on account of his youth and want of legislative experience. He accepted other honors, how- ever, and served under the appointment of General Stoneman, Provisional Governor of Virginia, as clerk of the County and Circuit courts of Bruns- wick County, an office he held for six months. As a business opening for him appeared in the West, he put aside political aspirations, resigned his offices in Virginia, and in September, 1869, removed to Cameron, Missouri.
For some years after removing to Missouri, Captain Kimball was suc- cessfully engaged in mercantile pursuits, but a man of his force of character
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and enlightenment and progressive spirit could not be hidden in the commercial life of the city, and from being elected a member of the City Council he became acting mayor and in 1884 was appointed postmaster. He officiated in this office until a change of administration caused a change in this office. The succeeding four years were spent pleasantly in Colorado, where Captain Kimball engaged in dealing in real estate, but in the fall of 1890 he again took up his residence at Cameron. Two years later, in July, 1892, he came to Topeka. Since then his whole time has been employed in the interests of the Aetna Building & Loan Association, of which he is the secretary.
The Aetna Building & Loan Association was organized in October, 1891, with Byron Roberts as president. The first officers were: Byron Roberts, president and treasurer; John Guthrie, vice-president; J. W. Hamil- ton, chairman; F. M. Kimball, secretary; David Overmyer, counselor; and A. B. Quinton, attorney. The present board of directors is composed of these capitalists : Byron Roberts, A. B. Quinton, H. M. Steele, J. F. Carter and F. M. Kimball. The association began business on January 1, 1892, and Captain Kimball entered upon his duties as secretary in July, 1892.
On September 27, 1863, Captain Kimball was married to Susannah Hoyt, who is a daughter of Joseph and Mary Vinal (Perry) Hoyt, the latter of whom was a daughter of Anthony and Submit (Wheatley) Perry. Sub- mit Wheatley was a daughter of Nathaniel and Vinal (Bliss) Wheatley. Nathaniel Wheatley was born at Norwich, Connecticut, May 21, 1752, and died at Brookfield, Vermont, July 26, 1824. He was a son of John and Sub- mit (Peck) (Cooke) Wheatley. In the Revolutionary War Nathaniel Wheatley was a member of a New Hampshire regiment under the command of Col Jonathan Chase, and he was at Ticonderoga and Saratoga, in 1776- 77. The family records on Captain Kimball's side date as far back as 1595 and on Mrs. Kimball's side to 1634, and four great-grandfathers in the Revolution establish very completely the claims of Mrs. Kimball and daugh- ter to membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution. Captain and Mrs. Kimball had four children, viz: Carl Willis, born August 26, 1867, a graduate of the Cameron High School and St. James Military Academy at Macon, Missouri, who entered into business in 1890 at Pittsburg, Pennsyl- vania, and in 1893 connected himself with the Austin Kimball Company, of New York; Mary Gertrude, born at Cameron, Missouri, May 9, 1870, de- ceased December 11, 1870; Claude Frederick, born at Cameron, Missouri, May 27, 1873; and Maude Louise Inez, born at Cameron, Missouri, Decem- ber 22, 1877. The family belong to the Congregational Church.
In addition to being a Son of the American Revolution, Captain Kimball is a Knight Templar Mason and enjoys membership in the higher branches of the order, and is a member of Lincoln Post, No. I, G. A. R., at Topeka.
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He was commander for three consecutive terms of Joe Hooker Post, G. A. R., at Cameron, Missouri. He has become thoroughly identified with Topeka and her interests and in him the city recognizes a liberal-minded, progressive citizen, who is justly entitled to the universal esteem in which he is held.
WILLIAM P. SNYDER.
WILLIAM P. SNYDER, deceased, for many years a prominent agricul- turist of Shawnee County, had a farm in section 2, township 13, range 13, in Dover township. He was a man of high character and stability, and his death which occurred on July 27, 1898, in the 70th year of his age, was mourned as a loss to the community.
Mr. Snyder was born at Washington, Fayette County, Ohio, October 8, 1828, and was a son of John and Malinda (Campbell) Snyder, being one of three children, all now deceased. The father was born in Virginia, March 31, 1802, and died May 27, 1840, and the mother, who was a native of Kentucky, died in the 84th year of her age. They were pioneer settlers in Fayette County, Ohio, where they lived throughout the latter part of their lives.
William P. Snyder lived on the old homestead in Ohio until 1869, in which year he came West to Kansas, bringing his wife and four children. He preempted the farm in section 2, township 13, range 13, in Dover town- ship, where his widow now lives, consisting of 149 52-100 acres, mostly under cultivation. He made all of the improvements on this place, build- ing a good substantial residence and numerous necessary outbuildings. He was a man of public spirit, and took a deep interest in all that concerned the prosperity and welfare of his home community.
In 1855 Mr. Snyder was united in marriage with Matilda Denious, a daughter of Isaac and Harriet (Coffman) Denious. Isaac Denious was born in Virginia, where his father was a large slave-owner; because of his aversion to slavery, he was forced to leave home and was disinherited. He moved North to Dublin, Franklin County, Ohio, where he lived the remainder of his life and where he was united in marriage with Harriet Coffman. She was a daughter of Henry Coffman, who was a soldier in the War of 1812. Her mother, Margaret (Sells) Coffman, was born in Pennsylvania and was related to the noted showmen, the Sells brothers. Mrs. Snyder was but five years of age when her mother died, and two years later her father was also called to the unknown beyond, leaving three children, as follows: Ma- tilda ; Elizabeth, wife of A. P. Herman, of Kansas City; and Henry Clark
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Denious, who served in the First Regiment, Ohio Vol. Cav., during the Civil War and is now a resident of Fayette County, Ohio. After the death of her parents, Mrs. Snyder lived with her maternal grandparents until her marriage in 1855. As a result of her union with Mr. Snyder, four children were born in Ohio and one in Kansas, namely: Cary, deceased, who married Henrietta E. Beach and had two children,-Ray, deceased, and William P., who is attending Washburn College; Earl, living in Colorado, who married Lily Smith and has a daughter, Olive, the wife of Henry Billings, of Colorado; Harriet married Joseph Flicking, who was born in Ohio and now lives in Kansas City, Missouri; Ray, who conducts a farm and grist mill, married Sarah Riley of Ohio and has three children,-Christa, Tillie and Margaret; and Jennie, born in Kansas, who married Floyd Ross.
Mrs. Snyder still resides on the old homestead in Dover township, Shawnee County, and is surrounded by many friends, whom she has known during her long residence here. She is possessed of womanly attributes and is loved by all who know her.
ANSEL E. DICKINSON.
ANSEL E. DICKINSON, one of the leading citizens of Soldier township, Shawnee County, who resides in section 3, township 10, range 16, on his fine farm of 340 acres, was born May 21, 1845, in Portage County, Ohio, and is a son of Stoddard and Lucy (Hine) Dickinson.
The father of Mr. Dickinson was born in 1799 in Massachusetts, located in Ohio after his marriage and died there in 1873, aged 74 years. The mother was born in 1807 in Connecticut and died in 1895, aged 88 years. They reared eight children, of whom four are now living, namely: Truman B., who conducts an insurance business at Ravena, Ohio; George W., a farmer at Shalersville, Ohio; Adelaide, who is the wife of Luman Colton, a retired farmer of Ionia, Michigan; and Ansel E., of this sketch.
Our subject was educated in the common schools of his native locality, at Hiram Academy and spent two years at Hiram College. Then after teach- ing school in Ohio for two years he came to Kansas in 1868, when 23 years old. Here he bought land and continued to teach school. Mr. Dickinson taught 16 years in Kansas, 12 years of these being spent in three different schools, four years each, which is considered quite a record for country schools of that time. In 1880 he added a second quarter-section to the one he had previously purchased and since then has devoted his attention to cultivating it and to stock-raising. His land was all wild and uncleared when he pur-
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HON. WINFIELD AUSTIN SCOTT BIRD
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chased it but he has developed it into a very fine farm, devoting 200 acres to farming and the remainder to pasture and fruit. His annual yield of apples averages 1,200 barrels. Mr. Dickinson has a very attractive home, its location being on a gentle eminence, reached from the highway by an avenue shaded by beautiful trees. He utilizes modern machinery and has his own system of water-works, operated by air pressure, and thus is able to enjoy the luxuries of a city home.
Mr. Dickinson was married March 3, 1873, to Eleanor C. Arnold, who was a daughter of Shailor S. and Elizabeth (Cooley) Arnold, of Jefferson County. Mrs. Dickinson died March 23, 1900, aged 51 years. They had three children, viz: Eda A., who married Clayton Casler, a clerk in the employ of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company, and has two children,-Beulah and Louisa; Walter, who married Grace Shaffer, daughter of John I. Shaffer and resides with his father; and Josephine A., who also lives at home.
Mr. Dickinson is a Republican. He has served many years in school offices and has been a member of the examining board. His interest has always been lively in agricultural affairs and he is a member of Muddy Creek Grange, of which he is lecturer and ex-master. He was for two years assistant in the right-of-way department of the Santa Fe road.
HON. WINFIELD AUSTIN SCOTT BIRD.
HON. WINFIELD AUSTIN SCOTT BIRD, member of the Kansas House of Representatives from the 38th District, and one of the leading attorneys of Topeka, whose portrait is shown on the opposite page, is recognized as one of the prominent and useful men of the "Sunflower" State. Mr. Bird was born August 31, 1855, in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, and is the seventh mem- ber of a family of 13 children born to his parents, Archibald and Elizabeth Ann (Heilman) Bird.
Mr. Bird was reared on a farm in Somerset County and attended the public schools until the age of 16 years when he entered a Normal School. After completing a course of six months, he began to teach school, first in Pennsylvania and later at Fall City, Nebraska. His study of the law was prosecuted under many discouraging conditions but he finally was prepared for his examinations and was admitted to the bar, at Fall City, September 8, 1880. On the 28th of the same month he came to Topeka, where he has been located ever since, practicing his profession alone, with the exception of one year, during which time he was in partnership with L. S. Ferry. He was
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ambitious and soon entered into politics, making himself felt in this field as he had already done in his profession. In 1887 he was appointed city at- torney of Topeka, served two years as such and then served six subsequent years by election on the Republican ticket. In the fall of 1904 he was elected a member of the House of Representatives, leading the ticket by more than 1,800 votes.
Mr. Bird's record in the House of Representatives is a remarkable one and shows very conclusively his deep interest in public affairs and his fidelity to the people who have placed important trusts in his hands as a legislator. He introduced 43 bills, three more than any other member, and 26 of these, either in the original bills or the committee substitutes, or submitted Senate bills, passed the Senate and are now laws. The most important may be enumerated :
Bill authorizing the city of Topeka to lay water mains across the State Hospital grounds, by which the city may remove its water mains from all danger from floods of the river.
Bill appropriating $28,500 for the Boys' Industrial School north of the city.
Bill appropriating $10,000 for rebuilding the north and south approaches and steps to the State Capitol, and $10,000 for paving the walks and drives in Capitol Square.
Bill providing for boards of control of public utilities in cities of the first and second classes.
Mr. Bird was a member of the conference committee on the part of the House that secured the appropriation for the Old Soldiers' Home at Dodge City. As chairman of the committee on cities of the first class, he wrote the substitute bill which provides that when a voter registers, he shall not be required to register again so long as he does not move, and continues to vote at each subsequent election. As will be seen Mr. Bird's energies are directed along practical lines and the bills he has advocated and intro- duced are all of a public-spirited nature, showing careful and thoughtful con- sideration of the district's welfare.
On March 21, 1883, Mr. Bird was united in marriage with a daughter of Sydney Dodge, of Hiawatha, Kansas. Mrs. Bird is a member of the Congregational Church, of which he is an attendant. ' They are prominent in the social life of the city, being the dispensers and recipients of much hospitality.
Since 1883 Mr. Bird has been a member of the Bar Association of the State of Kansas and is also a member of the Shawnee County Bar Associa- tion. His offices are located at No. 601 Kansas avenue, Topeka.
Mr. Bird's fraternal connections are numerous and important. He is
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a 32nd degree Mason, member of the various branches of the Scottish Rite; is past exalted ruler of the order of Elks; past grand chancelor of the Supreme Lodge of the Knights of Pythias ; a member of the Shawnee Tribe, No. 14, Improved Order of Red Men, of which he is the present great senior sagamore of the United States, attending every session of the above order in his State since 1890 and every one in the United States since 1895; and for the past 25 years he has been a member of Shawnee Lodge, No. I, I. O. O. F. Socially he is connected with the Lake View Shooting and Fishing Associa- tion.
Although Mr. Bird has met with gratifying success and has attained an enviable position, he owes little to outside influence. What he is he has made himself, climbing from humble positions-farm boy, lumber worker and railroad section hand-to the elevation secured through his own abilities. To have thus succeeded, in the face of the fierce competition of modern days, is something to induce a measure of justifiable pride.
HENRY S. ALLEN.
HENRY S. ALLEN, one of the leading builders and contractors of Topeka, which city has been his home since 1869, was born at Zanesville, Ohio, March 23, 1837, and is a son of George and Marian (Parkman) Allen.
The father of Mr. Allen was born and reared at Bristol, England, where he contracted his first marriage. After coming to America, he married Ma- rian Parkman, who was also born at Bristol and came to America in child- hood.
Our subject was reared at Zanesville and was educated in Putnam, across the Muskingum River from Zanesville, now the Ninth Ward of that city. When 16 years old he was apprenticed to the carpenter's trade, for which he had a natural faculty, and was following the same when the Civil War descended upon the land. He was one of the first to offer his services and was assigned to Company E, Third Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., in which he gallantly served until disabled by a serious wound in the foot at the battle of Prairieville. An honorable discharge followed and he returned home, but, in 1863, when Morgan was raiding Ohio, Mr. Allen again turned out in his country's defense. He reenlisted, entering Company B, 159th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., recruiting the company and being placed in command. He partici- pated in the battles of Rich Mountain, West Virginia, and Frederick, Mary- land, and then the 159th was stationed at Baltimore. Mr. Allen was one of
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the members of a scouting expedition under command of the late Gen. Lew Wallace, for whom he always entertained great regard. After his return from the field, he was elected lieutenant-colonel of his regiment, Colonel Munson having retired.
In 1858 Mr. Allen had made a visit to Kansas but took up his residence in Missouri and remained there until the fall of 1860, when he left Kansas City and returned to Ohio to become one of the soldiers in his native State. In 1869 he returned to Kansas and in July, 1869, he built a home on the corner of Sixth avenue and Fillmore street, Topeka. Later he removed to his present beautiful home at No. 336 Woodlawn avenue, Potwin. He has been identified with the building development of this beautiful suburb ever since, much of its improvement coming directly under his care and superin- tendence. He accompanied the engineer in laying out the parks, placing the stakes for trees and beautifying the addition of Potwin. He built the first house on Woodlawn avenue, opposite his own residence, for Mr. Potwin. Four years later another modern residence was built, which was then the beginning of something like a "boom." Now 450 voters have delightful homes in this most aristocratic suburb of Topeka, and many of these Mr. Allen has constructed, among these being the palatial residences of W. M. Forbes, Mrs. Burlingame and Mr. Kent. His work is to be found in all sec- tions of Topeka, particularly in residence districts. He has been delegated by the First Baptist Church as superintendent of the construction of their new edifice opposite the State House.
Mr. Allen married Katie Nesbaum. They have no children. Both have long been very devoted workers in the religious circles of the city. Mr. Allen has been a member of the First Baptist Church for the past 35 years and is one of its board of trustees. Fraternally, he is a Mason. He is a mem- ber of Lincoln Post, No. I, G. A. R., of Topeka.
MAJ. WILLIAM SIMS.
MAJ. WILLIAM SIMS, president of the First National Bank, of Topeka, financier, capitalist, statesman, soldier and agriculturist, has had a life of more than usual interest and occupies a position of prominence and honor in the capital city. He was born in Muskingum County, Ohio, May 22, 1831, and is a son of Mahlon and Maria Sims.
Major Sims comes of French-Irish ancestry. His parents were farmers of comfortable estate in Ohio and he grew up on a farm, becoming so thor-
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oughly interested in agriculture that he has been a farmer to greater or less degree all his life. In his native county he attended the common schools and at the opening of the Civil War was one of the prosperous young farmers of his locality. In March, 1862, he enlisted as a private in Company G, 32nd Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., and was promoted to a sergeancy. He was then detailed by the Governor as a recruiting officer, and, while so engaged, his regiment was captured at Harper's Ferry. He reported to Governor Todd that he had 40 men. With these as a nucleus he raised a full company, which became Company A, Ninth Reg., Ohio Vol. Cav. Upon the organization of the Ist battalion of the regiment, he became captain of his company. A year later he was promoted to the rank of major and served as such until he resigned on account of disability. His military record reflected credit upon his loyalty and faithfulness as soldier, both as private and as officer. He is a valued member of Lincoln Post, No. 1, Grand Army of the Republic, of Topeka.
In the spring of 1868, Major Sims removed with his family to De Witt County, Illinois, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits for four years, and then, in the spring of 1872, he came to Shawnee County, Kansas. He settled on a farm in Mission township, Indian reservation land, where there had been scarcely any improvement and where very few settlers had yet located. Topeka, seven miles away, seemed much farther on account of the unimproved condition of the country, no system of good roads at that time having been established. Major Sims converted this into a beautiful rural home and a valuable farm, combining fruit-growing with stock-raising, always making a feature of the latter industry.
About 1884 Major Sims became a resident of Topeka, turning his farm- ing interests over to his son, John B. Sims. He has always been active in political and public life and in 1877 he was elected to the State Senate from this district and, by appointment, filled out the unexpired term of State Treasurer James Hamilton, who resigned. In January, 1882, he was elected secretary of the State Board of Agriculture and served in that office for the succeeding six years. He served many years as master of the Kansas State Grange, Patrons of Husbandry, and has shown his interest in and sympathy with agricultural affairs all over the State. As president of one of the largest and most substantial financial institutions of Kansas, he has also become favorably known for his careful, conservative management.
Major Sims was married in Muskingum County, Ohio, to Hannah A. Richey, who is a daughter of Samuel and Hannah (Jackson) Richey, old residents of Hopewell township, Muskingum County. They had two chil- dren, one of whom is deceased. John B. Sims, our subject's son, resides on the homestead and carries on the large operations in progress there. He
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