USA > Kansas > Wyandotte County > History of Wyandotte County, Kansas, and its people, Vol. II > Part 17
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Though never animated by aught of desire for political office, Mr. Brokaw is found aligned as a stalwart supporter of the cause of the Republican party, and both he and his wife are most zealous members of the First Presbyterian church of Kansas City, in the various depart- ments of whose work they take an active part. Ile is an elder in the same and also superintendent of its Sunday School. Ile has been earnest and influential in connection with the Kansas State Christian Endeavor Society, of which he has served both as treasurer and president.
In the year 1888 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Brokaw to Miss Lonella Cusey, who died in June, 1891. In 1894 he wedded Miss Margaret Ursula Mayon, and they have two children, Dorothy Louise and Margaret Adaline, both of whom are attending the public schools.
JOHN SCANLAN, the well known retired farmer of Quindaro town- ship has had a noteworthy career. Perhaps the man who decides on a certain business or profession when he first starts ont in life and
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devotes himself to that and that alone, may make more money than the one who has turned his attention to different lines, but the former misses a good deal of valuable experience which the man who has tried and made a success of several lines of work has gathered.
John Scanlan was born in Clare county, Ireland in June, 1835. He was the son of Patrick and Nora Seanlan. Mrs. Scanlan's maiden name was Myers and she, like her husband was born in Ireland. They lived there until 1848 when they came with their family to America. They first settled in Palmyra, New York and there brought up their family.
John was only ten years old when he left his native country and came to America. He had been to school in Ireland, but only for a short time. As soon as they arrived in Palmyra, New York, he was sent to school. He remained in New York state until 1859, when he went to New Orleans and got a job as fireman on a steamship. He stayed there for two years, when the Civil war broke out. During his residence in New Orleans he had seen something of the conditions of the negroes and believed that they would not be helped by being set free. Then too, he had the Irishman's instinctive feeling that the colored people were not made of just the same clay as the white people. lle therefore, enlisted in the Confederate navy May 16, 1861, in which he served three years and nine months, practically throughout the war. For a time he was with the army, in the heavy artillery. He was a participant in the battle of Vicksburg, July, 1862. He was in the Ram and went through two northern fleets, going close enough to the north- ern flagship to have tonehed it. There was one hundred and eighty men in the crew under Captain Brown, Lieutenant Stevens being first officer. Mr. Scanlan seemed to lead a charmed existence, as he was never wounded. At one time six men were killed just four feet be- hind him, but he was not hurt and did not even know how close he had been to death until an hour later. He took part in several important naval battles. While on the Ram they were under fire of one hundred and twenty cannons a minute and the Ram was struck one hundred and eighty times, according to the dents. There are few men who had the narrow escapes that he did without a scratch. After the elose of the war in 1866, he came to Kansas City, Kansas, but did not stay long. He next went to Denver, Colorado, where he worked on the Union Pacific Railroad and from Denver he went to Cheyenne, Wyoming. After a short time he came back to Kansas City, that being the place of all others where he felt he should like to settle. He bought one hundred and thirty acres of land, covered with timber, except for fifteen acres, which was cleared and on which was a log cabin. He lived in the cabin and set to work to clear the land, selling his timber at a good price. Ile used the land for pasture and in 1889 he built the home where he now lives and the barns which are near. He raises cattle and has a large dairy farm.
About 1879, he married Bridget Shay, the daughter of Patrick Shay, of Irish birth like himself. Three children have been born to this union, of whom Emmet is the eldest. lle is a single man and lives on the farm, which he operates. He has forty-five head of cattle and gets one hundred gallons of milk each day, which he sells at wholesale. Mamie, the second child, is living at home with her father and brother.
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James, the youngest child died at the age of five months. Mrs. Scanlan died in 1901, at the age of sixty years.
Mr. Seanlan has led a very busy life since he began to farm, never finding time to take any very active part in public affairs. He is not
now actively managing the farm, but still takes the deepest interest in all the details. He lives quietly on the farm which was purchased with the money he earned during the war, comfortably well off, sur- rounded by his children and the friends he has made during the years he has lived in Kansas. He is always glad to welcome any of his friends to his home and they delight in hearing him tell of his thrilling experiences during the war.
GEORGE GERNER, the well known grocer of Rosedale is a native of this state, who has attained his present standing in the county entirely by his own efforts. In speaking of him, one of his acquaintances asked another the cause of Mr. Gerner's success, to which the reply was made that he had become successful through "minding his own business." That is the truth, he having, since he first started in his mereantile career, attended strictly to his own affairs with the result that they have been well looked after.
Hle was born in Johnson county. Kansas. April 11. 1870, the son of Edward Gerner, a native of Germany, born in 1824. When a young man he left his home and came to America, at once settling in Kansas. He later married Mary Smith, a native of Germany who had also immi- grated to America with her parents. They had eight children, of whom six are living, Carrie, Mary. Ida, George, Clara and Minnie. Those deceased are Millie, who died at the age of thirty-five years; and Ed- ward who passed on to his reward at seventeen. Mr. Gerner died in 1898 at the age of seventy-four, but his widow is still living, making her home with a daughter in Johnson county. She is now seventy-two years old.
When George was nine years old his parents moved to Rosedale, where he was educated in the public school. . After he left school he became a clerk in a candy factory and later was clerk in a bakery. but in 1901 he engaged in the grocery and meat business, his store being in the same block where he is now located, at 900 Southwest boulevard. Since that time he has built up a most prosperous trade. In 1899 he was elected city clerk which position he held for five consecutive years. The fact that a man is elected to an office does not necessarily show that he is fitted for it, but when he is re-elected and continues to hold it for so long a time, that is proof positive that "he is the right man in the right place." Ile is a director in the Rosedale State Bank, having held this office for four years, during which time the bank has prospered as never before.
On May 17, 1893. Mr. Gerner married Miss Margaret Howells, the daughter of David and Mary Howells. Three children have been born to this union, as follows: Edna M., who is a student at Loretta Academy; Leonard G., who is now attending the public schools; and Myrtle M., the youngest.
Mr. Gerner is a member of the Masonic lodge in Rosedale; he is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and of the Frater- nal Aid Association. and is a man who has made many friends. He
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has obtained a fair competence for himself and his family, so that he is able to give his children the education that is to be their capital in life, and the entire family are respected and esteemed by all who know them.
EDWARD DRENNON. The agricultural activities of Wyandotte connty, Kansas, have an intelligent and progressive representative in this native son of the county- Edward Drennon, who was born here February 27, 1870.
Mr. Drennon's parents. George and Margaret ( Alexander) Dren- non, the former a native of Kentucky, born in 1839, the latter of Bates county, Missouri, born in 1844, are among the respected citizens of Wyandotte county, where they have made their home since 1868. Of their two children. Edward is the younger, the elder, William M., being engaged in a coal and feed business in Kansas City, Kansas.
His father has always been a farmer, and thus Edward early be- came familiar with all the details of farm life and work. His early education was received in the district schools, and was carried forward later' in the university at Holton, Kansas. The farm still had an attraction for him, and after he finished his course in the university he settled down to farming on his own account. Now he owns a hundred acres of fine land, on which his principal erop is corn, and where he feeds cattle for the markets.
In 1904, Mr. Drennon married Miss Eva Owens, a native of Wyan- dotte county, and they are the parents of one child, Margaret.
Politically. Mr. Drennon supports the Democratie tieket in national elections, but at the local polls he pieks his man regardless of party lines. Hle takes an active interest in promoting the welfare of the community, and at this writing is a member of the Prairie township school board. He has membership in the Fraternal Aid, and in the Christian church.
ROBERT CURRAN, -- As a general thing. a man who has spent the early years of his life on the water does not make much of a success on land, but this is not true of Robert Curran, the prominent dairyman in Quindaro township. If his record on sea was good, his record since he gave up the life of a sailor has been still better. He has won a reputation for himself as a dairyman of a first class character.
He was born in county Down, Ireland, August 18, 1852, where he received what little schooling he ever had. His father was a sailor and he used to take Robert with him on his trips, and thus he was really brought up on the ocean. When he was eighteen years old he came to America, locating in Chicago, and not knowing any other business than that of a sailor, he got a position on the lakes and sailed on the lakes for some years. He has had many interesting experiences during his nautical life, having onee been where Sampson fired the first shot at the Spaniards. He came to Kansas in 1882. where he worked for Fowler's packing house in the winter and sailed in the summer time. He handled the first killing that Fowler ever made in America. He has been engaged in the dairy business several times and in 1911 he bought a farm of twenty-four acres at Bethel, Kansas, but his dairy of fifty-one cows he keeps at Wellborn six miles from Kansas City,
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Kansas, post office. He has a shed which is absolutely sanitary in all respects ; all the feeding is done under covered troughs and he has an up-to-date bottling machine with which he bottles one hundred gallons of milk each day. He sells forty gallons a day to St. Margaret's Hospital in Kansas City, which in itself is a sufficient guaranty of the cleanliness of the dairy.
While Mr. Curran was living in Chicago he married Isabel J. Cochran, a daughter of John Cochran. Four children have been born to this union, Agnes, Rachel. James and Robert. Agnes is now Mrs. Henry Pflanz, of Wichita. Rachael is married to Russell Savage and lives on Riverview avenue, at the corner of Tenthi street.
Mr. Curran is contemplating the erection of a handsome home. having been successful in his business. He has invested some in real estate, having bought and sold various properties, in which transactions he made good bargains each time. Since his arrival in America Mr. Curran has been very successful and has become greatly respected in the county in which he lives. He is possessed of the impulsive tem- perament of the Irish, with the warm, generous nature that usually areompanies sneh a temperament. It is his pride to have everything connected with his dairy thoroughly modern and clean and to sell only milk which is unusually rich and pure. He has many friends who ad- mire him for his sterling character and like him because of his fund of humor and the many interesting stories he can tell them in regard to his varied experiences.
JOSEPH TAGGART .- Among those who have served as county attor- ney of Wyandotte county none has made a more admirable record for faithful and efficient service than has the present inenmbent of this responsible office, and, as may readily be inferred, he is numbered among the representative and brilliant members of the bar of this section of the state. Ile engaged in the practice of his profession IL Kansas City. this county, in 1900, and here has won assured vantage ground as a specially strong and resourceful trial lawyer and con- servative counselor, so that he was altogether eligible for the profes- sional office to which he was called and in which he is now serving. As a lawyer he has a remarkable equipment, a manner of singular grace and charm, a voice of ringing quality and great carrying power, and an extraordinary power of marshalling and presenting significant faets so as to bring conviction to the average mind. He is one of the pro- gressive and loyal citizens of the county which thus claims his services and where he has secure hold upon popular confidence and esteem.
Joseph Taggart was born in Allamakee county, Iowa, on the 15th of June, 1867, and is the scion of one of the honored pioneer families of the fine old Hawkeye state. Ile is a son of John and Bridget (Me- Davitt) Taggart, and he was an infant at the time of his mother's death. John Taggart was one of the venturesome spirits who joined the historic argonauts of 1849 and made his way across the plains to the New Eldorado in California, where he remained for several years and where he was measurably successful in his quest for gold. Upon his return from the Pacific coast he located in Iowa and purchased a farm, con- tinuing to be actively engaged in agricultural pursuits in Iowa until the year 1885. At that date he came to Kansas and settled in Saline
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county, where he continued to be identified with the same great basic industry for a long term of years, at the expiration of which he estab- lished his home in the city of Spokane. Washington, where his death occurred in 1908.
Joseph Taggart passed his boyhood and youth on the old homestead farm which was the place of his nativity and he waxed strong in mind and body under the sturdy discipline involved. He availed himself in the meanwhile of the advantages of the public schools of his native state, and that he made good use of his opportunities is evident when it is stated that he proved himself eligible for pedagogic honors while still a mere youth. He devoted about ten years to teaching in the schools of Iowa and Kansas and in the meanwhile attended different universities at such intervals as his means justified, although he did not complete the full course in any of them. He was eighteen years of age at the time of accompanying his father to Kansas, and in pursuing his higher studies, both collegiate and professional, he depended almost entirely on his own resources. In a private way he was indefatigable and ambitions in his studies and he thus gained the full equivalent of a university education through his own well direeted efforts and now sustains the reputation of being one of the best read men of the state. He keeps in touch with the events of current history and his opinions. not only in the departments of polities and statescraft, but in the arts and sciences are widely sought and highly esteemed.
While engaged in teaching in the public schools of Kansas, Mr. Taggart devoted his evenings and vacations to the reading of law under effective preceptorship, and he was admitted to the bar. at Salina, this state, in 1893. He served his professional novitiate in Salina county and in 1900 he removed to Kansas City, where he has since been active and successful in the general work of his chosen ealling. It may well be understood that a man who had the ambition to gain his academic and professional education largely through his own efforts could not be lacking in the elements of success and this has been significantly shown in the professional career of Mr. Taggart. He has been a hard worker and has had full appreciation of the dignity and responsibility of his chosen vocation. to which he has brought most excellent intelleet- mal and technical powers and the strength of a self-reliant and honest manhood. Ile was first elected county attorney of Wyandotte county in 1906. and he has since continually retained this offiee through re- elections in 1908 and 1910. Few. if any, who have previously retained the position of county attorney have made so excellent a record and few members of the bar of Wyandotte county have won in the same period more noteworthy victories before court or jury. Mr. Taggart has been earnest and fearless in his work as publie proseentor, has success- fully handled several murder cases and other important causes in the criminal calendar, besides which he has shown tantamount facility in the prosecutions of civil cases, the while the popular estimate placed upon his serviees is best shown in his long retention of his present offiee.
On the 30th of December. 1908. was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Taggart to Miss Elise Dorothy Mills, who was born at Atchison, Kansas. and who is a daughter of Frederick D. Mills, a former member of the Wyandotte county bar. Mrs. Taggart is a nieve of Hon. John
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A. Martin, former governor of Kansas, and this enltured and charming lady is affiliated with the patriotie society, the Daughters of the Ameri- ran Revolution. Mr. and Mrs. Taggart have an infant daughter, Mary Ellen.
AARON PIERCE HLINMAN .- Kansas boasts of its agricultural re- sources and with reason. It also boasts of the high class of men who are engaged in agriculture and with equal reason. Among these agri- culturists there is none who has a higher standing than Aaron Pierce Hlinman, a man who has engaged in many different ocenpations and made good in them all, but has chosen the farm as the place where he can spend the rest of his life, elose to nature.
He was born at Reading. Pennsylvania, April 17. 1850. His father's name was Philo C. Hinman, a native of Connecticut, where he was brought up and educated, learning the trade of wagon making and blacksmithing. Ile married Susanna Todd, also a native of Connecti- ent. Soon after they were married they went to Reading. Pennsyl- vania, but did not stay there very long. In 1856 they went back to Connecticut, locating at Westville. In 1860 they moved to Illinois. where they brought up their children.
When Aaron was six years old he went with his parents to West- ville, Connecticut, where he started in school. When he was ten years old the family moved to Illinois, where Aaron again went to school. attending the public school and then the farmers' seminary. After he had completed the seminary work he studied telegraphy, gaining a position with the Rock Island Railway in 1875. He next moved to Iowa, where he remained until 1884, at which time he came to Kansas City, having proenred the position of check clerk for the Railroad. His wife, ambitious to assist in making money, opened a restaurant, which gradually evolved into the grocery business, located at 215 James street. Mr. Hinman gave up his position and devoted his attentions to building np the business. At the close of three successful years his store burned ont and instead of finding another business location he decided to give up the mercantile business. Ile moved to Quindaro township where he has lived ever sinee, except for five years when he lived in Wyandotte. In 1903 he bought forty acres of land from Allen Swan-
SON. There were no improvements on this land, but Mr. Ilinman set to work, using his farming knowledge gained at the seminary, to improve the land so that it should produce to its fullest capacity. Ile set out
about seven hundred fruit trees, making a specialty of raising fruit. He has built a comfortable home on the farm. For five years he was mail carrier on rural free delivery ronte No. 1, his son being his assis- tant. Mr. Hinman's health gave way and his son took the route off his hands entirely.
On April 2, 1877, he married Alice A. Mutchler, daughter of Charles and Dorothy N. (Heinig) Mutchler of Davies county. Iowa. Mrs. Hlinman was born in Iowa, October 14, 1855, living in her native plare until after her marriage. She was a very enterprising woman, desirons of being in a position where they could have something to live on when they grew old. She was by nature a domestic woman, but she was also a money maker, as is evidenced by the success she achieved in the restaurant she conducted. Mr. and Mrs. Hinman had four chil-
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
AUTOR, LEHOY TIL GEN FOUNDATION
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albert. L. Becher
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dren, all of whom are living now. The two sons. Charles and John M., are living at home with their parents, the former working on the farm and the latter carrier in the rural free delivery. Jessie May married John Angold and now lives in Kansas City, Kansas. Bessie Alice, the youngest, is a stenographer in the Board of Trade Building in Kansas City, Missouri.
In 1909 Mr. Hinman was appointed deputy assessor under Mr. Giltner, doing such good work that in 1911 he was again a candidate for office and was elected clerk of the township, a position which he is now holding. He is a member of the Royal Mystic Legion and of the Christian church. He is a most earnest worker in that little body of disciples, but he does not confine his religion to his church work, but it is with him in his daily life, in his relations with his family, in his work about the farm and in his political duties.
ALBERT L. BECKER .- One of the best known and highly esteemed citizens of Kansas City. Kansas, and one of the most active, efficient and popular officers of Wyandotte county, Albert L. Becker is now serving his second term as sheriff of the county, a position for which he has shown himself pre-eminently fitted. A son of Nicholas Becker, he was born May 28, 1875, in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, coming from German and Swiss ancestry. His paternal grandfather, Nicholas Becker, Sr., a life-long resident of the Fatherland, was a man of promi- nence in his native city, which he served as mayor.
Born in Germany, Nicholas Beeker, father of Albert L., was edu- cated in his native land. and as a young man emigrated to the United States, and for awhile followed the carpenter's trade in the east. In 1885 he located in Kansas City, Missouri, where he was engaged in mercantile pursuits until his death, in 1906. Industrious and thrifty, he was a good citizen and a faithful member of the Republican party. His wife Margaret, who was born in Switzerland, came to this country with her parents, locating in Pennsylvania, where she was married. Eight children were born to them, Albert L. being the second child in order of birth.
Obtaining his early education in the schools of Kansas City, Missouri, Albert L. Becker began as a child to earn money. his first work having been that of selling newspapers on the street. When but twelve years of age he became bundle boy in the dry goods establish- ments of G. Y. Smith, in that capacity receiving two dollars a week. He afterwards found a position in a trunk factory, where he was given four dollars each week for his work. He subsequently learned the trade of a steam fitter, and later entered the employ of the Armour Packing Company. where he learned the art of manufacturing cans, and continned with the company fourteen years. In 1902 Mr. Beeker hecame local fireman on the Frisco Railroad, with which he was con- nected for a year. Securing a position then with the Missouri Pacific Canning Company, he remained with the firm until 1905, and in that year he was elected for two terms in the city court which position he held four years. In 1908 he was elected sheriff of Wyandotte county, Kansas, having the distinction of being the only county officers then elected on the Republican ticket. He performed the duties devolving upon him in that responsible position so ably and satisfactorily that Vol. II-9
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in November, 1910, he was re-elected sheriff of the county, the seventy- eight thousand, five hundred and thirty-two votes cast in his favor being the largest number received by any one candidate on the ticket and giv- ing him a majority of one thousand, four hundred and thirty-one votes.
Ifaving never swerved from the political faith in which he was reared, Mr. Becker is an intelligent and stanch supporter of the prin- viples of the Republican party. Ile belongs to the Union Club, and is a member of Pride of the West Lodge, No. 484, Independent Order of Odd Fellows: of the Encampment; of the Ancient Order of United Workmen; of the Improved Order of Red Men; of the Modern Wood- men of America; of the Yeomen of America; and of the Wyandotte Lodge, No. 440, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
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