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 42
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served as state oil inspector, appointed by Governor Lewellen. Colonel Taylor stood high in Masonic circles, was also a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and of the Woodmen of the World. In politics, Colonel Taylor was a Republican till 1890, when he became a Populist, later becoming a Democrat. His death occurred at Wichita on June 26, 1906.
On October 15, 1862, Mr. Taylor married Miss Anna M., daughter of J. C. and Lydia (Ogden) Walter, natives of Pennsyl- vania, who settled in Ohio in an early day. Mrs. Taylor now lives in the family home at No. 304 St. Lawrence avenue, Wichita. Of four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Taylor the eldest, Walter Sherman, born January 5, 1864, died in January, 1884; Houston Lee, born April 21, 1870, married Miss Lulu Wisch, of Denver, in September, 1903, and lives at Cripple Creek, Colo .; Raymond Lee, born February 8, 1872, in 1908 married Miss Bessie I., a daughter of R. P. Dodds, of Wichita. He was graduated from the high school, then studied law with Kos Harris, and was admitted to the bar in 1896, though he was never engaged in practice. Instead he engaged in the railroad business, being chief clerk in an office at Oklahoma City for a time, and from 1901 to 1906 serving as cashier in the employ of the Missouri & Pacific Railway Company. In 1906 he was elected clerk of the district court of Sedgwick county, Kansas, and is now-1910-serving his second term, to which he was elected in 1908. The youngest child, Helen, lives at home. She is a teacher by profession and taught six years in Lewis Academy, Wichita.
William Seward Taylor,* the son of David and Mary S. (Cal- lender) Taylor, was born in Sheboygan county, Wisconsin, May 14, 1858. His parents were natives of New York and Michigan, respectively. The father died at Madison, Wis., April 3, 1891. The death of his mother occurred in October, 1899.
William S. received a common school education in Wisconsin, and in April, 1879, came to Kansas, hearing of the advantages of Sedgwick county, Kansas, purchased a quarter section of land in Section 25, Minneha township, Sedgwick county, where he has since made his home. Since taking up his residence in this county he has added to his original purchase another three-quarters sec- tion, making in all a full section, which lies in Sections 24, 25 and 33.
In politics he affiliates with the Republican party, but of late years he leans toward the Independents. Fraternally he is a mem-
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ber of the Woodmen of the World. He was a census officer for the district in which he resides, having been appointed by the head of the census bureau in 1910.
Thomas H. Temple, head of the firm of T. H. Temple & Co., dealers in agricultural implements and vehicles, of Wichita, Kan., whose establishment is located at No. 210 West Douglas avenue, has the distinction of directing the largest business of its kind in the Southwest. Mr. Temple hails from Illinois, having been born in Pike county, that state, on January 27, 1857. He was a son of Robert C. and Adeline T. (Fisher) Temple, both natives of Ohio, who left the latter state in the fifties and moved to Illinois, where the elder Temple engaged in farming. Both the parents are now deceased. Thomas H. Temple was the youngest of a family of six, he having two brothers and three sisters. His early education was acquired in the public schools of Pike county, after graduating from which he attended Lombard University at Galesburg, Ill., graduating in the class of '78. He first engaged in farming in Illinois after leaving the university, and in 1883 decided to go to Kansas, locating first in Anderson county, where he again engaged in farming for one year. He then came to Wichita in a wagon, in which he spent his first night in the city, owing to the scarcity of lodging places at that time. From Wichita he continued his journey to Anthony, Kan., where he obtained employment as yard manager for the Rock Island Lumber and Manufacturing Company, soon after becoming man- ager of the yards of the same company at Danville, Kan., a posi- tion in which he remained for the next four years. Upon leaving Danville he went to Stafford, Kan., where he was manager for the D. J. Fair Lumber and Hardware Company until 1900, when he went to Oklahoma and became manager of the Trekell & Round Lumber Company, continuing with the latter until 1905, when he came back to Wichita and formed a partnership with John F. Stewart, under the firm name of the Stewart & Temple Lumber Company, which continued until the death of Mr. Stewart in September, 1906. This firm conducted a chain of lumber yards. Mr. Temple next engaged in the hardware business at Mt. Hope, Kan., in which he continued until January, 1908, when he again returned to Wichita and established himself in the agricultural implement and vehicle business, which has now become the largest in the Southwest, occupying a building with four floors of 50x140 feet each. On February 1, 1910, Mr. Temple formed a partner-
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ship with R. H. Tighe, a man of ability and business push, and the business was conducted under their joint names till August 8, 1910, when the firm was changed to T. H. Temple & Co., Mr. Tighe retiring. Mr. Temple is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Fraternal Aid and the Wichita Cham- ber of Commerce. He was married on September 5, 1880, to Miss Maria Stewart, of Cincinnati, Ohio. Of this union four children have been born, viz .: Robert C .; Sarah, wife of C. J. Hinkley, of Mt. Hope, Kan .; Anna, wife of W. B. Borders, of Wichita, and Mary F. Temple.
L. W. Thompson, a native of Chilhowee, Mo., was born on July 9, 1866, to M. W. and Elizabeth (Faith) Thompson, of Chilhowee, Mo. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson settled on a tract of land in John- son county, Missouri, near the old postoffice of Chilhowee. Later, in 1893, when the Missouri, Kansas & Texas railroad went through that section of the country, it passed near the corner of the farm and homeplace of our subject. A new town was established there and about forty acres was sold off for townsite purposes, which is now covered by the town of Chilhowee. Our subject received his education in the public schools of Chilhowee, Mo., and from the Normal Business College of Clinton, Mo., after which he spent three years farming. In 1889, Mr. Thompson married Miss L. Anna, daughter of J. F. and Martha Downing, of Cornelia, Mo. They have five children, the oldest, Claudie, being dead. They have four children living, viz .: Clarence P., Lloyd A., Beulah M., and Louis Elmo, all of whom are living with their parents in this city. In 1892 Mr. Thompson engaged in the wholesale flour, feed and coal business in Clinton, Mo., selling his interests there in the spring of 1898, and moving to Wellington, Kans., where for two years he was in the threshing business. In 1890 he be- came traveling representative of the J. I. Case Threshing Ma- chine Company, covering the southern territory of Kansas, and at the same time owned half interest in the Wellington Wholesale Produce Company. This he sold on his removal to Wichita, in October, 1903, where he established a branch house for the J. I. Case Threshing Machine Company, of which he had charge until 1906. In 1903 Mr. Thompson became president of the Threshers' Association of Wichita, this association being organized for the purpose of promoting the interests of the threshers' trade and bringing different branch houses to the city of Wichita. He was president of this association for four years, and the association
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was successful in increasing the number of branch houses from three to thirteen, their traveling men from about ten to forty. During the year 1907 he was actively engaged with the Port Huron Threshing Company, located at No. 219 South Wichita street, of Wichita, Kans. In December, 1907, Mr. Thompson entered the employment of the Nichols & Shepard Company, opening up a branch house for them in this city, which he had charge of until July, 1909. In December, 1908, the Wichita Supply Company, of Wichita, was organized at Wichita, Kans., and Mr. Thompson became its president. He is still a stockholder in that company and its vice-president. In July, 1909, he resigned his position with the Nichols & Shepard Company and took up the sale of Halla- day automobiles on the Kansas and Oklahoma territory for the Streator Motor Car Company, of Streator, Ill. In March, 1910, the Halladay Motor Company, of Wichita, was organized, of which Mr. Thompson is vice-president and general manager. Mr. Thompson is a thirty-second degree Mason and a member of the Wichita Consistory.
J. H. Tjaden, of Ninnescah township, Kansas, may fairly be described as one of the bonanza farmers of that favored section of the Sunflower State. Mr. Tjaden was born in Woodford county, Illinois, on January 26, 1858. His parents were J. H. and Minnie (Hyden) Tjaden. J. H. Tjaden remained at his Illinois home until he was twenty-four years old, when he came to Sedgwick county, Kansas, and bought 320 acres in Section 22, Ninnescah township. The land was most of it in its primitive condition, and he at once commenced to break and improve it. He has added to his original purchase until he now owns 2,500 acres, most of which is in Ninnescah township. On March 5, 1883, Mr. Tjaden married Miss Johanna Janssan, who was born in Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Tjaden are the parents of seven children, viz .: Mrs. Minnie Sautter, of Sumner county, Kansas ; Mrs. Johanna Blumenshine, of Ninnescah township; Bertha, Jacob H., Lena, who died on July 13, 1903; Herman L. and Janet, the four latter being at home. Mr. Tjaden has much of his land rented, on which is conducted diversified farming. He feeds cattle for the market and also raises hogs. He feeds and markets about 250 head of cattle and from 600 to 700 hogs yearly. Mr. Tjaden has served as a school director for many years. Frater- nally, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a Democrat in politics, and a German Lutheran
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Sammis T. Townsdin, banker, of Derby, Sedgwick county, Kansas, was born in Cloud county, Kansas, on May 2, 1869. He is a son of John and Rebecca (Mitchell) Townsdin, the father being born in Wales on September 18, 1845, and the mother in Clay county, Illinois, on September 18, 1844. The parents were married in Illinois in 1867 and came to Kansas in 1867, settling in Cloud county, where they still live. S. T. Townsdin received his education in the public schools of Cloud county, where for five years he taught school, also teaching two years in Lincoln county. He came to Derby, Sedgwick county, in May, 1907, and organized the Farmers' and Merchants' State Bank of Derby, with a capital stock of $10,000. The first officers were : S. T. Townsdin, president; A. W. Palmer, vice-president; T. A. Wilson, cashier. The present officers are : E. E. Beard, president; R. R. Goodin, vice-president ; S. T. Townsdin, cashier. On April 28, 1891, Mr. Townsdin was married to Miss Dora Wilson, who was born in Douglas county, Illinois, on June 12, 1868. They have four children, viz .: Ivan C., born September 3, 1896; Ernest E., born October 14, 1897; Loran W., born March 4, 1900, and Anita L., born November 2, 1908. While living in Cloud county Mr. Townsdin was township trustee and clerk for eight years. Fra- ternally he is a thirty-second degree Mason and a member of Wichita Consistory No. 2. He is a Republican in politics and a member of the Church of Christ.
Mr. Townsdin's grandfather is W. S. Townsdin, born in Eng- land on March 7, 1825, and his grandmother, Margaret Townsdin, was born in Wales on January 14, 1823. They are still living at Concordia, Cloud county, having moved there in 1867, where both the grandfather and his son pre-empted land, and both own their original homesteads. There were eight children in W. S. Towns- din's family, all of whom grew to maturity and seven of whom are still living. In John Townsdin's family were ten children, five boys and five girls. One daughter was killed by falling timber and one died of pneumonia. Eight children are still living.
William O. Van Arsdale is one of the citizens of Wichita, Kan., who has made a remarkable, not to say phenomenal, record as a business manager and financier. He was born August 31, 1858, in Mason county, Illinois. His parents were J. H. and Eliza (Benham) Van Arsdale. His father was a native of New Jersey, who traced his ancestry to Holland. His mother traced her origin to France. The elder Van Arsdale was a farmer, and he moved
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from Mason county, Illinois, to Peoria county, in the same state, in 1865, living in the latter county until 1900, in which year he moved to Greenwood county, Kansas. Here he bought a large ranch, on which he resided until 1909, in which year he disposed of his land and came to Wichita, where he now lives. William O. Van Arsdale received only a limited education in the district county schools of Illinois up to his twentieth year, when he went to Mexico to manage a large ranch in which he held a one-fifth interest. While in Mexico he developed a rare ability as a busi- ness manager, and in five years cleaned up for himself a profit of $60,000. He had in his employ on the ranch twenty-five men, and raised a large number of cattle. When he returned from Mexico in 1883 he settled at Burton, Kan., and entered into a partnership which was known as Wilson & Van Arsdale, which continued for three years. Then Mr. Van Arsdale sold out his interest in the firm and became president of The Bank of Burton and held this position until 1897. In the latter year the firm of Van Arsdale & Osborn was organized and incorporated, and the business and home office were moved to Wichita, where the firm now conducts a large insurance and land business. When the firm began busi- ness in 1897, its capital was $3,000. On Jan. 1, 1910, the capital and surplus of the firm was $233,719.87, and in the thir- teen years of its existence it has paid in dividends the sum of $142,500, showing a total increase from the original capital of $3,000 in the thirteen years of $376,219.87. Mr. Van Arsdale is now president of the Arkansas Valley Interurban Railway Com- pany. He is a Republican in politics and has taken an active interest in the affairs of his party. He was married December 27, 1882, to Miss Lizzie M. Bontz, a daughter of Conrad Bontz, of Peoria, Ill. Two sons have been born to this union, J. Harry and Leone B.
Nathan S. Van Dusen," one of the pioneers of Sedgwick county, Kansas, is a native of New York state, where he was born on December 30, 1839. His parents were Harry C. and Eunice (Brown) Van Dusen, the father being a native of France and the mother a native of New York. Nathan S. was educated in the public schools of New York and remained at home until twenty- one years old, when he went to Johnson county, near Iowa City, Iowa. After a short stay there he removed to Missouri, where he remained until December 1, 1870, when he came to Sedgwick county, Kansas, traveling from Missouri in a wagon and bringing
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his family with him. He staked a claim in Rockford township in December, 1870, the claim being the southeast quarter of section 1. His first house was a dugout, and there was not another house between his and Augusta, where the land office was then located. Mr. Van Dusen broke his land and lived two and a half years in the dugout, which for the first few months had no door, as lumber was scarce, so he used a blanket instead. Wolves were plentiful in Kansas in those days, and many nights they would come howling around the dugout. In order to admit light into the room he bought half a window sash. One night, when Mr. Van Dusen awakened, he found a rattlesnake in his bed, and being afraid to move, he called to Mrs. Van Dusen's brother to get up and put the window in so that he could light the light. The young man had some trouble in getting the window into place and the noise he made disturbed the snake, which crawled upon the floor, and the next morning Mr. Van Dusen found it behind the logs and killed it. The family had all the experiences of the frontier settlement; encountered all the hardships and priva- tions which were incidental to the life, but have lived to see the desolate plains grow into valuable farms and beautiful homes. On March 10, 1886, Mr. Van Dusen was married to Miss Rosetta E. Moon, who was born in Cattaraugus county, New York, on March 11, 1846. Her parents were Harrison and Eliza E. (Grandy) Moon. While Mr. and Mrs. Van Dusen have no children of their own. they have raised several, and have educated them and started them right in life. Mr. Van Dusen was always a farmer, but he has retired from active farm life and lives on a reserved block in Derby and devotes his time to his fruit trees and garden. His house is surrounded by grounds which show care and attention. He served as justice of the peace until he resigned the office. Mr. Van Dusen is a Republican in politics and a member of the United Brethren Church.
Albert J. Waddell, one of the foremost .contractors and builders of Wichita, Kan., hails from the state of presidents, Ohio, where he was born in Morrow county on May 22, 1857. His parents were John and Jane (Smith) Waddell, natives of Vir- ginia, who followed a blazed trail in an early day through to Marion county, Ohio, where they spent an active life. The Waddells were of Scotch-Irish descent, and the Smiths of German origin. Albert J. Waddell was educated in the public schools of Ohio, and after leaving school at the age of eighteen began to
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learn the carpenter's trade, which he followed successfully. He was first employed by the Mt. Garland Building Company, of Ohio. Over a quarter of a century ago he came to Wichita, and after working at his trade here for a year, in the second year he entered business for himself. He has seen the ups and downs of the city, its boom days and its dull days, and now ranks among the leaders in his line of business in the city. Mr. Waddell has erected some of the most substantial and beautiful buildings of the city, among which may be mentioned the Eagle building, the German Catholic church, the Elks building and many others of a similar kind. He has taken an interest in politics and was elected a councilman from the Third Ward in 1906. During his term of office as chairman of committees he was a strong factor for the betterment of conditions in the city of Wichita. Mr. Waddell is connected with many of the fraternal orders, being a member of the Masonic, Consistory, the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, from which he has a Veteran's badge, the Ancient Order of United Workmen, the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and the Fraternal Aid. He is president of the Wichita Poultry Association and a director of the Kansas State Poultry Associa- tion. He is also a leader in the production of buff rocks in the state of Kansas. Mr. Waddell was married in 1884 to Miss Emma Wilkerson, of Lebanon, Mo. From this union two children have been born, Charles C. and Alice C., the latter a teacher in the public schools of Wichita. He is now superintending the erection of the new high school building.
Albert G. Walden, the well-known chief of the fire depart- ment of Wichita, Kan., has held that responsible position since 1886, or one year less than a quarter of a century. Mr. Walden is a son of the Buckeye State, having been born in Hamilton county, Ohio, on December 29, 1849. His parents were Baltzer and Julia A. (Streeter) Walden. Baltzer Walden moved from New York state to Hamilton county, Ohio, when a young man, became a shipbuilder and dealt extensively in lumber. His ship- yard was located at Fulton, on the banks of the Ohio river, where he lived until 1855, when he located at Dayton, Ky., opposite his place of business. He was killed at Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1855, by the falling of a cornice from the Ohio Trust building, five other persons losing their lives through the same occurrence. Baltzer Walden was forty-two years old when he was killed. His widow, Julia A. Walden, died at the age of seventy-six. The future
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fire chief received his early education at the public schools of Dayton, and in 1862, when a boy of only thirteen years, joined his brother, Adolphus P., who was then a soldier in the Union army, stationed at Millikens Bend, Miss. During General Grant's expedition and the first advance on Vicksburg Albert G. was captured by the Confederates near Raymond, Miss., and again near Vermilion, La., being made a prisoner twice before reaching the age of fourteen. He remained with his brother's regiment, the Eighth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, until 1864. He enlisted in its ranks with Company K, and was later transferred to Com- pany B, One Hundred and Fifty-sixth Regiment, Indiana Volun- teer Infantry, and remained in the service until the close of the war in 1865, serving as a musician. Mr. Walden was in the battles of Champion Hill, Black River, the siege of Vicksburg, and many other encounters between the opposing forces. He accompanied General Bank's expedition and was captured by the Confederates, but after the lapse of three days was recaptured by the Union soldiers. After the close of the war Mr. Walden went to Anderson, Ind., whither his family had removed in 1862, and remained there until 1868, when he entered the regular army. He served five years as a soldier, being stationed at Atlanta, Ga., and other points. Retiring from military life, Mr. Walden went to St. Louis, Mo., and there engaged in the live stock business with a brother until 1880, when he moved to St. Joseph, Mo., and assisted in building the city water works. He subsequently acted as traveling salesman for a wholesale house of that city for four years, and during that time, in 1882, came to Wichita, where, after leaving the road, he opened a sample room for notions and hoisery, representing a Philadelphia firm. In November, 1886, he was appointed chief of the Wichita fire department, and has during his administration given the depart- ment a vigorous, systematic and business-like management, build- ing it up into the most effective fire-fighting organization in the state. Mr. Walden organized the paid fire department and became its first chief. He has studied the methods of the fire departments of other cities with profit, and has given Wichita the benefit of a thoroughly up-to-date system. He organized and was the first superintendent of the American District Telegraph Company in Wichita, and established a fine fire alarm system for the city. His administrations have resulted in a large saving to the city. Chief Walden is a member of Warwick Lodge, No. 44, Knights
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of Pythias; of Wichita Division, No. 2, Uniformed Rank, Knights of Pythias, of which he has been commander for several years; of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and of the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. He was married on December 6, 1882, to Miss Malvina A. Dreschaux, a daughter of Edward and Albertine Dreschaux. Mrs. Walden is a talented singer and a leading instructor in music. Her musical education was mainly acquired abroad. Her musical qualifications have attracted wide attention both in foreign lands and America. She is of French-German descent, and was born at sea aboard the vessel "Prince of Wales," and as the ship crossed the equator the Union Jack was hoisted and she was christened, thus making her a subject of the British Empire. The child was four months old when the vessel reached London, and she was then taken to Norway, where she lived until seven years old. Her musical training was begun in Norway, and when her parents removed to Vicksburg, Miss., it was continued under Prof. Fischer, a grad- uate of Leipzig. She next went to St. Louis, where she received instructions under Prof. Ernst, when she soon after began teach- ing the piano and sang in the choir of Grace church. Later she studied music in Wichita, and in 1889 accompanied her mother to Europe, where she entered the Royal Conservatory at Munich, and next to Milan, where she continued her studies under the famous Maestro Lamperti. Her other instructors were Mme. Lemair and Maestro Pontecchi. After her return to Wichita she many times appeared in concert, and as far west as the Pacific coast to large audiences. Mrs. Walden has also contributed a number of articles to musical magazines.
Edward Wall is a prosperous farmer of Illinois township, Sedgwick county, Kansas. He was born in Ireland about 1840 and came to this country with his parents, who settled in Iowa. He enlisted in an Iowa regiment at Iowa City and served three years and three months in the War of the Rebellion. He removed from Johnston county, Iowa, to Sedgwick county, Kansas, in 1873, but soon afterward went back to Iowa; then, in 1874, returned and took up the southeast quarter of Section 32 in Illinois township and there established his home. He has car- ried on general farming and stock raising with eminent success, and besides improving his farm has increased his landed pos- sessions until he now owns three quarter sections, except seven acres, which he sold to the railroad company. In political mat-
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