USA > Kansas > Sedgwick County > History of Wichita and Sedgwick County, Kansas, past and present, including an account of the cities, towns and villages of the county, Vol. II > Part 27
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the father is living with his son, Robert O. Colver. Prior to the Revolutionary War there were eight brothers of the Colver family who came to America. Of this number, Nathaniel Colver, the great-great-grandfather of Robert O. Colver, was one. Nathaniel Colver served in the war against the French and Indians, and also served the Colonies during the Revolutionary War. After the war he married and settled in Spencer, N. Y., where his son Charles was born. Charles Colver married Olive Callander, and moved to Union county, Ohio, where he died. The next in direct line of descent was Standish Colver, grandfather of Robert O., who was born in Union county, Ohio, and married Elizabeth Lockwood. Dr. Charles S. Colver, their son, graduated at the Starling Medical College, Columbus, O., in 1853, and prac- ticed medicine both in Ohio and Illinois for fifty years. He served two years as surgeon at Vicksburg, Miss., in the United States Army. After a long and useful life Dr. Charles S. Colver died, September 20, 1910. Robert O. Colver, his son, received his education in Monmouth College, at Monmouth, Ill. After leaving school he devoted his time to farming, which he has followed ever since, with the exception of two years, which he spent in mining and prospecting in Colorado. In 1878 he located a claim in Rush county, Kansas, which he sold in 1885. In the fall of 1882 Mr. Colver moved to Sedgwick county, Kansas, and in 1883 bought 160 acres of land in Section 10, Ninnescah town- ship. He has added to his original purchase until he now has 590 acres, all in Ninnescah township. He has improved the land and erected buildings until he now has as fine a farm as there is in Sedgwick county. On January 10, 1884, Mr. Colver married Miss Bessie Watt, who was born in Mifflin county, Penn- sylvania, July 25, 1854. Mrs. Colver is a daughter of Andrew and Sarah (Rudy) Watt, both natives of Huntingdon county, Penn- sylvania. The father of Mrs. Colver was born September 4, 1804, and her mother September 17, 1817. They were married in Huntingdon county, on October 30, 1844. After marriage their lives were spent in Mifflin county. The mother died September 28, 1860, and the father March 30, 1864. They were the parents of eight children, three of whom died in infancy. The others were: Andrew C., deceased; Mrs. William T. Likely, of Ninnes- cah township, Sedgwick county; Hugh R., of Ninnescah township; Mrs. R. O. Colver, of Ninnescah township, and John R., of Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Colver have had three children,
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viz .: Oken Watt, born December 1, 1886, died February 20, 1896; Charles V., born October 1, 1888, died April 9, 1905; Merle R., born June 18, 1891. On December 29, 1909, Merle married Miss Bertha M. Harding, who was born in Sedgwick county, Kansas, on April 22, 1887, a daughter of Charles A. and Mary L. .(Julien) Harding, both natives of Indiana. Mr. Harding was born August 30, 1848, and his wife was born September 16, 1854. Merle R. Colver attended the Southwestern Academy at Win- field, Kan., for three years, devoting one year of this time to the business course. His wife had taught school one year before their marriage. They have one daughter, Bessie May. Robert O. Colver does general farming and raises cattle, horses and hogs. Fraternally he is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He is a Republican in politics and a member of the Presbyterian Church.
Rufus Cone, president of the Kansas Steam Laundry Com- pany, the plant of which is located at No. 124 South Market street, Wichita, Kansas, is a native of Illinois, where he was born at Farmington on September 11, 1853. His parents were Lucius and Amanda (Woolsley) Cone, natives of Ohio and Ken- tucky, respectively, who came to Kansas in 1890, locating at Wichita. The elder Cone was a mechanic and died at the age of seventy-two; his widow is still living. Rufus Cone was edu- cated in the public school, the primitive log school house of his native town in Illinois. After leaving school he came to Wichita in 1878 with the sum of $1.40 in his pocket, and obtained employ- ment in the grocery store of Ezra Scheetz, receiving $1 per day for his services. This store was located on the spot where the store of Hermon & Hess is now located, and the building was afterward removed to the corner of Main and Third streets, where it now stands. John A. Ratliff, who came with Mr. Cone from Illinois and was employed by John A. Wallace Implement Company as a salesman in the spring of 1881, with Mr. Cone bought the business of Mr. Scheetz, which was conducted under the firm name of Ratliff & Cone, they making a payment of $500, which they had saved out of their earnings while clerking. In those days they delivered all goods to customers by hand, as they could not at the time afford a delivery wagon. The firm was continued until the fall of 1885, when they sold out to Fur- man Allen, of Danville, Illinois. Mr. Cone was elected city constable the same year, 1885, for a term of two years, and was
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re-elected for two successive terms. While serving his third term he was put in nomination for sheriff of Sedgwick county, and elected on the Democratic ticket, although the county had a majority of some 3,000 Republican voters. His term of service was 1890-91. At the expiration of his term he entered the real estate business and located his office in the rear of the Fourth" National Bank, and continued in this business until the fall of 1893, when he was appointed chief of police, and held this office during the years 1893 and 1894. In the spring of 1895 Mr. Cone bought the Palace Livery business, and conducted it until the fall of 1896, when he was again elected sheriff of Sedgwick county, serving the term of 1896 and 1897. In 1897 he bought a half interest in the Kansas Steam Laundry, which business he has since continued. At the time of purchase the business amounted to $185 per week, but has since grown to $1,600 per week, being one of the greatest industries of its kind in the state of Kansas. It was at first located in small quarters and continued there until 1901, when the company built the Cone-Cornell building, which it now occupies, the dimensions of the building being 120x124. The company has also built the Cone-Cornell hall since that time. In 1905 the business was incorporated with a capital stock of $75,000, of which $45,000 was paid up. The officers of the company are as follows: Rufus Cone, president; G. W. Cornell, vice-president and general manager; A. W. Stoner, sec- retary and treasurer. Mr. Cone has been a city commissioner since April, 1909, and is a member of the committee on finance and revenue. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, a member of the Shrine, a charter member of lodge No. 22, Ancient Order United Workmen, and a charter member of the local lodge of Elks. Mr. Cone was married on August 26, 1878, to Miss Ella Center, of Chantlerville, Illinois. Of this union three children have been born, viz .: Sylvia, wife of Frank Garrety, of Wichita; Edwin and Walter Otis Cone. In 1909 Mr. Cone, with his family, made a trip around the world.
P. J. Conklin, of Wichita, Kansas, is one of the men who have helped to build up Kansas by loaning its citizens money. Mr. Conklin was born at Dayton, Ohio, January 2, 1854. His parents were Joseph O. Conklin and Julia (Hunt) Conklin. The early education of the boy was obtained at Champaign, Illinois. After leaving school he obtained employment with the "Gazette" at Champaign. Mr. Conklin came to Wichita in 1893, and it was:
RODOLPH HATFIELD.
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one of the leanest of the lean years in Wichita and the West. He has been here ever since. In 1907 he organized the P. J. Conklin Loan Company, and while this is in no way connected with the old Jarvis-Conklin Mortgage Company, it is a sort of aftermath. The P. J. Conklin Company is capitalized at $50,000, with P. J. Conklin as president, R. L. Holmes vice-president and A. O. Conklin secretary and treasurer. It does an annual busi- ness of from $800,000 to $1,000,000, and now has outstanding on its books over $3,000,000 on long-time farm loans principally. The company does no chattel business, and it is a trust repository for large sums of local money and pays especial attention to this feature. The operations of the company cover scores of thickly settled and prosperous Kansas counties, and while local deposits are only a minor part of their resources, it desires in a large measure to make local idle funds remunerative by placing them conservatively on long-time loans with the very best of security. Fraternally, Mr. Conklin is a thirty-second degree Mason, and belongs to the Wichita consistory. Mr. Conklin was married in Mt. Pulaski, Illinois, in 1876 to Miss Laura Capps, of Mt. Pulaski. From this union seven children have been born-Alfred O., Ed- ward J., Bessie Amy (now Mrs. Jay Chapple), Julia Hunt (now Mrs. Carl Guizel), Minnie Gertrude, Dorothy G. and Stanley Jarvis Conklin.
Warner F. Copner,* retired farmer, of Salem township, Sedg- wick county, Kansas, was born in Warren county, Ohio, on Feb- ruary 27, 1850. His parents were John and Nancy J. (Andrews) Copner. The father of Warner F. was born in Warren county, Ohio, on February 3, 1824. The mother was born in Indiana on May 16, 1824. They were married at Waynesville, Ohio, in 1858. John Copner moved from Ohio to Illinois and remained there until 1871, when he moved to Sedgwick county, Kansas, and pre- empted 160 acres of land in Section 19, Salem township. There were six children in his family, three of whom died in infancy. The three living are Warner F., of Salem township; Henry C., of Oklahoma, and Cassius L., of Salem township. The mother of this family died April 17, 1907, and the father is living in Salem township. Warner F. Copner remained at home until he was twenty-one. In the spring of 1871 he moved to Sedgwick county, and May 9 of the same year preempted 160 acres of land in Sec- tion 21, Salem township. In 1874 Warner traded his quarter- section for the one his father had preempted, and remained on his
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claim and worked at various things. The second winter he worked in a sawmill and for a time operated the ferry at Derby. In 1874 he went to work for Albert Minnick, in the latter's store at Derby, and remained with Mr. Minnick for three years and seven months. On February 18, 1880, Mr. Copner was married to Miss Hulda Parker, who was born in Butler county, Ohio, on March 26, 1858. Her parents were William and Eliza (Myers) Parker. The father was born in Erie county, New York, on April 4, 1833, and her mother was born in Butler county, Ohio, on Jan- uary 15, 1835. Their marriage took place February 14, 1856. Mr. Parker came to Sedgwick county, Kansas, in 1877. Mr. Cop- ner has devoted his life to farm work. He is now practically retired and living on his home place.
J. C. Crawford,* farmer, of Valley Center, Sedgwick county, Kansas, is a native of Illinois, where he was born in Lee county on March 25, 1853. He is a son of Samuel Crawford, a native of Ireland. Samuel Crawford, when he came to the United States, settled for a short time at Philadelphia, Pa. Afterwards, in 1848, he moved to Lee county, Illinois, and after a residence there of sev- eral years, in 1871 he moved to Kansas, locating in Sedgwick coun- ty, where he bought a timber claim in Section 6, Eagle township. He lived on this claim until his death in July, 1906. Mr. Craw- ford was eighty-six years old at the time of his death, having been born on August 6, 1820. He was the father of nine children, four of whom are now living, viz .: Lewis C., James C., Asa Dennison and John Wesley. The early education of J. C. Crawford was acquired in the public schools of Illinois and Kansas, which he attended up to his twenty-third year. After that time he bought land in Section 7 of Valley Center township-about 1875-and has lived on the farm up to the present time. Mr. Crawford has held several minor township offices. He was township clerk, constable, justice of the peace, and trustee and member of the school board for several years. In politics Mr. Crawford is a Democrat, and an influential and respected citizen. He was married on March 25, 1880, in Sedgwick county, to Miss Sarah E. Fry, of the same county. Of this union eight children have been born, as follows: Anna, Ray, Mary, Bolindo, Lucy, Burgess, Nellie and Mabel.
George W. Corn, farmer, of Valley Center, Sedgwick county, Kansas, was born September 8, 1856, in Mercer county, Kentucky. His parents were Timothy and Rachel (Yates) Corn, both natives of Kentucky. The parents of George W. after the war moved
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to Clark county, Indiana, where they remained six years, and then came to Kansas the year after the "grasshopper" scourge. The parents came to Kansas with a family of nine children, of which George W. was the second born. The father afterwards moved to Butler county, Kansas, and remained there until his death, on February 22, 1891. He was a farmer, an upright citi- zen, and a faithful member of the Methodist Episcopal church. George W. Corn was deprived of an early education and training, but notwithstanding this deprivation, he is a well-to-do and practical farmer. By industry and economy he bought a farm in Section 28, Valley Center township, on which he now resides. Mr. Corn was married on July 10, 1880, to Miss Mary Murphy, a daughter of John Murphy, of Illinois. Five children have been born of this union, viz .: Bertha, Nellie, Clarence, Minnie and Alva. Fraternally, Mr. Corn is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Sedgwick Lodge, No. 177, the Modern Woodmen of America, and the Rebeccas. Politically, he is a Democrat.
John H. Covault, of Wichita, Kan., is a native of Indiana, where he was born, in Blackford county, on March 4, 1870. His parents were Nathaniel and Barbara Covault. The elder Covault was a native of Pennsylvania, of Welsh descent, and his wife a native of Ohio, of German ancestry. In 1878 the family moved to Sedgwick county, Kansas, and there the parents lived until their death, leaving behind them an honorable record for industry and honesty. They were the parents of three chil- dren. John N. Covault was eight years old when he accompa- nied his parents to Kansas, where he grew to a strong and healthy manhood. His education was obtained in the public schools of the county. In 1893 he was married to Mrs. Ella (Davis) Wright, daughter of Oliver P. and Martha Davis, who are now living near Dacoma, Okla. Mrs. Covault was born in Illinois, April 29, 1867. After marriage Mr. Covault continued to engage in agricultural pursuits near the city of Colwich, until 1900, when he came to Wichita, and in 1904 entered the employ- ment of the International Harvester Company of America. His work with this company has taken him to nearly all parts of the civilized world. In his travels he has visited England, France, Spain, Portugal, Africa, Brazil, Uruguay, and the Argen- tine Republic. Mr. Covault has gathered a fine collection of souvenirs from the different places of interest that he has visited.
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In 1909 he resigned from the service of the Harvester company. Mr. Covault has taken an active part in making Wichita a greater Wichita. He lives at No. 326 South Osage street, where he owns a fine residence. At present he has a garage located on the west side.
Louis K. Cowley, agent of the Cadillac automobile, with sales- rooms at No. 114-116 North Topeka avenue, Wichita, Kan., is a native of the Wolverine State, having been born at Lansing, Mich., on April 26, 1878. He is a son of J. H. and Edith (Meade) Cowley, who removed to Lansing from Detroit, and who are both still living in Lansing, the elder Cowley being a pioneer merchant of the latter city. Louis K. Cowley was educated in the public schools of Lansing and at the Michigan Agricultural College, graduating from the latter institution in the class of 1898. He first entered the employ of Peet Bros., of Kansas City, as a traveling salesman throughout the Southwest. He took up the real estate business next, and made a specialty of ranches in Butler and Cowley counties, Kansas, from 1901 to 1908. In 1907 he began in the automobile business at Winfield as a side line, and in 1908 found that the business had grown to such proportions that he dropped the real estate business entirely and moved to Wichita, where he opened a salesroom, and has since conducted business on a larger scale, making a specialty of the Cadillac machine, and pushing sales in thirteen counties adja- cent to and in the locality of Wichita. Mr. Cowley is a member of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. He was married in 1902 to Miss Grace Dunnebacke, of Lansing, Mich., and of this union one child, has been born, Christine Louise Cowley.
Joseph A. Crider, farmer, of Kechi township, Sedgwick county, Kansas, was born August 31, 1839, in Preble county, Ohio. He is the son of Samuel C. and Catherine (Aringes) Crider. The father died in Ohio in 1855 and the mother in 1882. They were the parents of eight children, of whom Joseph W. was the youngest. The Crider ancestry is traced to Germany. Joseph A. Crider acquired his education in the public schools of Ohio, which he attended until twenty years old, and lived under the paternal roof until he was twenty-three. He was married on March 29, 1863, in Preble county, to Miss Anna Frantz. Ten children have been born of this union, of whom nine are now living. They are: Cassius E., born January 2, 1864; Thaddeus R., single, born January 28, 1866; Charles A., single, born February 9, 1868;
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Walter T., single, born June 22, 1870; Clarence H., single, born November 30, 1872; Samuel E., single, born April 21, 1875; Mrs. Alpha Knebler, born October 17, 1877; Jesse F., single, born Sep- tember 28, 1882; Joseph J., single, born July 29, 1884. Ralph, de- ceased, was born June 10, 1888. Mr. Crider, on March 29, 1877, left Ohio and came to Kansas, locating first in Kechi township, where he lived six years. In 1883 he bought eighty acres of land in Section 36, Grant township, which he afterwards sold. He then bought 100 acres of land in Section 2, Kechi township, where he now resides. He is a Republican in politics and active in the interests of his party when it puts good men in nomination for office.
Elwood E. Crossley, a retired farmer of Cheney, Kan., was born on June 2, 1859, in Danville, Pa., of English-French ances- try. His father came from England to the United States when about eight years old and located in Danville, where he lived and died. Elwood E. remained under the parental roof until he was twenty-one. His first occupation was that of attendant in a hos- pital. After this he was a clerk for a short time in the mercan- tile business, and in the spring of 1880 he came to Kansas to take up his permanent residence. He located at Cheney, which at that time was but a small village containing only a few houses and before the railroad was built, and worked at painting for a living. A short time after his arrival he purchased a farm of 160 acres and on it made his bachelor quarters for about four years. He then returned to Pennsylvania on a visit and while there was married to Miss Hester Parsel, an accomplished lady born at Waterford, Canada. The marriage took place at the village of Buck Horn, on January 12, 1888. No children have been born of this union. Mr. Crossley returned to Cheney with his wife in 1889 and acquired more land, making in all 320 acres that he owns. After a residence of over eleven years on the farm he engaged in other pursuits. For one year he was in the livery business, which he sold out, and then made another visit to his old home in Pennsylvania, and to Canada, where his wife's relatives resided, coming back to Kansas in 1899. Mr. Crossley then engaged in the hardware and implement business, purchasing a half interest from D. M. Main. The firm after- wards became Northcutt & Crossley, and then Main & Crossley, until its dissolution. Mr. Crossley ever since he has resided in Cheney has been known as a public spirited citizen who has had
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HISTORY OF SEDGWICK COUNTY
much to do with the building up of the town. He has held nearly all of the township and some other offices in a satisfac- tory manner. He was treasurer of Grand River township for one year before he resided in the village of Cheney. He was also treasurer of Morton township for four years, and built the town hall, and was councilman of Cheney for five years at different times. Fraternally Mr. Crossley is a Mason, being a member of Morton Lodge, No. 258, A. F. and A. M., and of Wichita Consistory, No. 2. He is a member of the Scottish Rite bodies and has filled nearly all the chairs in his lodge. Mr. Crossley has been successful in all his business undertakings. He helped organize, in 1900, a creamery in Cheney which proved to be a profitable enterprise. He has taken a great interest in the raising of stock and dealt in Norman bred horses and Shorthorn Hereford cattle. He has been known to realize from his stock in a single year as much as $2,800. He is a large land owner at the present time, but likes to recall the vicissitudes that beset him for awhile in the attempts to raise stock. He says: "It just appeared at one time that my calves, cattle and chickens would take sick and die, and I was almost discouraged." But he stuck to his work during times of panic until his luck changed and everything he has touched in the way of raising stock since has paid him handsomely and made him prosperous. Mr. Crossley is a man who has proved his efficiency in everything he has undertaken. In politics he is a Democrat of the Grover Cleveland type.
Frank T. Culp, proprietor of the market at No. 239 North Main street, Wichita, Kan., was born in Westphalia, Kan., on July 17, 1884. His parents were John S. and Margaret (Watts) Culp, natives of Pennsylvania and Illinois, respectively, who moved to Kansas in 1878. The father was a carpenter by trade, and he and his wife are both living. Frank T. Culp was the fourth child of a family of six. They are: Blanche, wife of Melvin C. Jones, of Wichita; Garnette, wife of G. B. Carrothers, of Wichita; William W., in business at the market with his brother ; Frank T .; Linnie, wife of C. C. Haberson, of Wichita, and Lucile Culp, of Wichita. Frank T. Culp was educated at the public schools of Wichita and variously employed until he entered the employ of "Uncle" Joe Stewart in the meat business at No. 241 North Main street. Becoming familiar with all the details of the business, he purchased the plant, in 1905, at 123
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South. Main street, and continued at the same stand until July, 1909, when he combined with the one now operated by him and which he purchased in February, 1909. The first cold storage room in connection with any market, and also the only one in Wichita prior to June, 1910, was with the Culp market, now con- ducted by Frank T. Culp, which enjoys a liberal trade worthy of this, one of the leading markets of the city of Wichita. Mr. Culp is a member of the Wichita Commercial Club. He was married in December, 1904, to Miss Josephine Hoover, daughter of J. Q. Hoover, of Wichita. Mr. and Mrs. Culp have one child, John, born April 20, 1908.
Hon. Charles L. Davidson, the first mayor to serve under Wichita's commission form of government, was born in Cuba, Allegheny county, New York, November 22, 1859. He is a son of S. L. and Susan R. (Hampton) Davidson. The first twelve years of his life were spent in his native state. The father, desiring to locate in the West, went on a tour of inspection and decided on Wichita as the place to make his future home, the family arriving on October 22, 1872. Charles L. attended the Wichita and Lawrence, Kan., schools, and after completing his education, entered into business with his father in the S. L. Davidson Mort- gage Company. This was the only company in that line of business in Wichita which remained intact and weathered the storm after the boom. This company is still in existence, the pioneer in its line.
Mr. Davidson has served in many official capacities in city and state. For five years he was president of the park board and three years president of the Chamber of Commerce. It was while serving in this capacity in 1904 that he called a meeting in Wichita and the "Square Deal" movement was inaugurated, which has spread until the entire nation feels its influence.
Mr. Davidson was councilman during the time that both Ross and McClain filled the office of mayor. In 1906 he was elected to the state legislature. One of the bills which he introduced and which became a law was the new tax law, which called for a revaluation of all property throughout the state, in this way readjusting and equalizing the tax levy under the new valuation. He was the author of this bill, and it is known as the "Davidson law."
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