USA > Kansas > Wyandotte County > History of Wyandotte County, Kansas, and its people, Vol. II > Part 3
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Judge Prather was born in Fleming county. Kentucky, on the 4th of Angust. 1849, and is a son of Walter and Cynthia (Callahan) Prather, the former of whom was born in Bourbon connty. Kentneky, in 1815, and the latter of whom was born in Fleming county, that state, in 1817. The paternal grandparents of Judge Prather were of stanch Scotch lineage and were mummhered among the pioneers of Bourbon county. Kentnekv. in which state they continued to reside until their death. The maternal ancestry is traced back to stanch Irish origin and the Callahan family likewise was founded in Kentucky in an early day. Walter Prather devoted his entire active career to agricultural pursuits in his native state, where his death occurred in 1855. His Vol. II-2
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wife long survived him and was summoned to eternal rest in 1882. Of the five children all are living except one. Martha V. is the wife of Robert Dulin and they reside in Tuscola, Illinois; Edward C. is a resident of Gove county, Kansas: Walter P. maintains his home in Buchanan county, Missouri ; and Van B. is the immediate subject of this review. The father was a stanch advocate of the principles of the Democratic party and was a man of strong individuality and sterling character.
The benignant influences of the homestead farm compassed the childhood and youth of Judge Prather, and his early educational ad- vantages were those afforded in the common schools of his native county. IIe was further afforded excellent educational advantages, as he attended in turn the Key Wesleyan University, at Millersburg, Kentneky, and the Southwestern College at Lebanon. Warren county, Ohio. JJe put his scholastic attainments to practical use by adopting the pedagogie profession, in connection with which he first taught in the public schools of Bloomington, Illinois, and thereafter he was similarly engaged at other points in that state. He then removed to Missouri, and after teaching about three years in the schools of that state he en- gaged in farming and stock-growing in Nodaway county, Missouri. He later sold his farm and stock and removed to Cherokee county. Kansas. where he took up his abode in about the year 1884. IIe seeured a traet of land near the boundary line between Kansas and the Indian Terri- tory and in addition to farming he engaged in the buying and shipping of cattle on a somewhat extensive scale. He became one of the promi- ment and influential citizens of the county and was closely identified with shaping publie activities. There also he first appeared as a eandi- date for public office. IIe was made the Democratic nominee for the office of probate judge, and he recalls that at the time his old and valued friend. Robert J. Long, now one of the interested principals in the im- portant Long & Bell Lumber Company of Kansas City. Missouri, was chairman of the Democratic central committee of Cherokee county. In the election Judge Prather was defeated by a small majority. his opponent having been Judge Jesse Faulkner. This election occurred in 1892, and in the following year Judge Prather was made the nominee on the Populist and Democratie tickets for the office of state auditor. and was elected but was defeated for the second term. In fact the whole ticket was defeated, but they were all renominated. In 1896 he disposed of his property in Cherokee county and came to Kansas City. where he has since maintained his home and where he has been called upon to serve in various local offices of public trust. In 1906 he was elected probate judge, and he has since remained incumbent of the same. giving to its manifold details a most careful, efficient and acceptable administration. 3 He is well known throughout Wyandotte county and is one of its most valued and popular officials.
Ever showing a loyal interest in public affairs. Judge Prather has never wavered in his allegiance to the cause of the Democratic party, and he has been an effective exponent of its principles and policies. He is affiliated with Wyandotte Lodge. No. 440, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and is also identified with the Modern Woodmen of America and other representative civic organizations.
In September. 1878, Judge Prather was united in marriage to Miss
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Mollie May Bretz, who was born in the city of St. Louis, Missouri, and who is a daughter of Judge John Bretz. She is the youngest in a family of three children and her parents continued to maintain their home in Missouri until their death. Her father was one of the pioneer farmers of Buchanan county, that state, and he served for some time as state tobacco inspector. Later he was elected a magistrate and he continued to hold this judicial offiee until his death. Judge and Mrs. Prather became the parents of five children, of whom four are living, namely: Leslie, Kirk, Charles and Walter.
GEORGE BURKARD,-Among the enterprising and prosperous young citizens of Wyandotte county must be numbered George Burkard, who is engaged in the dairy business. and who supplies, in some departments of the same. the largest trade in Kansas City. IIe is one whose success has come as the logical result of industry, thrift and good management, and it is of that wholesome character which redounds to the success of the whole community. Mr. Burkard is a native of the county, his eyes having first opened to the light of day in Quindara township on March 29. 1879. He is the son of Henry J. and Christina (Winker) Burkard, natives of Germany. The parents of these worthy people became im- pressed with superior American opportunity and advantage and decided to cross the Atlantic to claim a share of these benefits for themselves and their children. The father and mother were both ehildren when they came and their marriage occurred in Wyandotte county. Henry J. Burkard is a man much respected in his community and is occupied in farming and gardening and the raising of fruit. and he and his wife reside in Quindara township, where their fine homestead is situated. They became the parents of a very large family of children-thirteen- he whose name inaugurates this biographical review being the sixth in order of birth.
Almost the entire life of George Burkard has been passed in Wyan- dotte county and he received his education in the public schools. He resided beneath the parental roof until the age of twenty-three years, under his father's tutelage becoming exceptionally well versed in farm- ing in its many departments. Upon going forth into the world to carve out an independent career he came to Kansas City, Kansas, and secured a position as conductor with the Kansas City & Western Electric Rail- road, and he remained in this capacity for four years and four months, proving exceptionally faithful and efficient. At the end of that period he made a radical change by buying out a dairy business and he has since that time branched out to a considerable extent. He handles butter in large quantities and makes a specialty of the sale of butter- milk, supplying the largest trade in this line in all Kansas City, Missouri. Since 1909 he has been advantageously located at 608 Central avenue. He is independent in politics, giving his support to whatever man and whatever measure he believes to be worthy. irrespective of party lines. Mr. Burkard has not yet become a recruit to the Benedicts.
G. HERMAN STOCKHOFF .- As his name indicates, G. Herman Stock- hoff is of German origin and in him appear many of those national characteristics which give the German citizen such high prestige- such as honesty, thrift and progressiveness. He is also one of the
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prosperous agriculturists of the locality, and as is so often the case in this part of Wyandotte county. devotes a portion of his energies to the raising of fruit.
G. Herman Stockhoff was born in Hanover, Germany, February 5. 1848. his parents being George and Elizabeth (Sorenkamp) Stock- hoff. He received his education in the schools of his native land and had already become an active worker when at the age of twenty years he became imbued with the idea of casting his fortunes with Ameriea. ITe arrived in 1868 and located first in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he re- sided for about twelve years. IIe made his livelihood at first by acting as coachman for various wealthy families and in a short time became familiar with the language and the customs of the country of which he had become a citizen.
About the year 1880. Mr. Stockhoff made a fortunate move, by coming to Kansas and locating in Wyandotte county. He was favor- ably impressed with Quindaro township. where he purchased some forty- two acres of land. This investment represented a capital of two thou- sand dollars, and. in eloquent evidence of the rapid and amazing rise in the price of land. this same property-of course now much improved -is now worth four hundred dollars an acre, or nearly seventeen thou- sand dollars. At the time he took up his residence here, there was a little oll house upon the place, but Mr. Stockhoff removed this and built his present residence upon the site. This, which was built in 1891, has six rooms, and is spaeions and commodious, and the barns and outbuildings are of the best type. The many fine fruit trees have all been set ont by the subject, about four acres being devoted to fruit raising.
Mr. Stockhoff was married in Cincinnati, Ohio, on the second day of April, 1872, Miss Margaret Grimmer becoming his wife. She like- wise was a German in nationality and came to America alone when a young woman abont twenty-six years of age. They have no children. Mr. and Mrs. Stockhoff are consistent members of the German Imtheran church and they play an active part in the advancement of its good causes and are useful and popular citizens. Mr. Stockhoff's energies are devoted entirely to farming.
ADAM FROMHOLTZ, clerk of Shawnee township, is proud to consider himself a farmer, and it is such men as he that elevate the agricultural and fruit growing industries. Possessed of many natural abilities, he has made such good use of each one that today he is one of the most prominent men in Wyandotte county, where he has resided for more than three decades.
Mr. Fromholtz, born on the 26th day of March, 1856, is of German birth and parentage, as his nativity occurred in Alsace-Loraine, of which province his father and mother, George and Christine Fromholtz. were life long residents. Adam Fromholtz was educated in the publie schools of Germany but at the age of seventeen, left his home and his native land and took passage for America, where he had neither relative nor friend. Ile was, however, possessed of indomitable courage, and when he landed in New York it was with the confident expectation that. he would win out. He made his way to Washington county, Kansas, where he gained employment as a farm laborer, as farming was the only
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kind of work of which he then had any knowledge. £ Ile later went to Topeka and during the six months of his residence there he helped to erect the big rolling mill in that city. lle next went to Lexington. Missouri, farmed there for a period of seven years and then came to Rosedale. In 1881 he bought a ten arre tract of wild land, which determined effort brought into a state of enltivation. His first step was to build a little house, in which he lived while engaged in his fruit growing operations. Ile was so eminently successful that the follow- ing year he purchased twenty additional acres, and since that time he has added to his holdings until today he is the owner of forty acres of land in Missouri in addition to his tract of seventy-three acres in Kansas. In 1887 he commenced the building of his home, so plan- ning it that he could add to it from time to time, as the necessity and opportunity arose. Ile has made such additions and now is the pos-
sessor of one of the finest homes in the county. but not only is his house beautiful in design and perfect in appointment, but he has put up out- buildings that harmonize with it. Ilis cow barns and dairy sheds are as attractive, as such, as is the more pretentious residence. Mr. From- holtz devotes most of his land to the cultivation of grapes and fruits of all kinds, to which his farm is particularly adapted. A man who achieves the success which Mr. Fromholtz enjoys has a right to con- gratulate himself, but when we realize that everything he has and is, is the result of his own diligent efforts, we feel that he has every reason to be proud of his achievements. His fellow citizens showed their appreciation of his sterling character and proved abilities by electing him to the office he is filling in the most satisfactory manner.
November 7, 1882, the year after Mr. Fromholtz's advent into the county, he married Miss Amelia Engles, daughter of William and Wilhelmina Engles. Six children were born to the union, Wilhelmina Louis. Rudolf, Sophia, Otilla, Louisa. Louis, the eldest son, is assist- ing his father with the work of the farm. The family is Catholic in religion, prominent in church as well as social life in Rosedale.
JOSEPHI FRANCIS DRAKE, who is most successfully conducting a fruit farm on his finely improved estate of fifty acres, conveniently located three miles distant from Bethel. Kansas, is a citizen of promi- nence and influence in Wyandotte county, where he has resided for the past forty years. He was born in the Old Dominion commonwealth. in Russell county, the date of his nativity being the 10th of December. 1850. Mr. Drake traces his ancestry back to the great English naval hero, Sir Franeis Drake, who was the first English commander to view the wide expanse of the Pacific ocean across the Isthmus of Panama, in 1572. Isaiah Drake, father of him to whom this sketch is dedicated, was born in the city of London, England, whence he accompanied his parents to the United States, at which time he was a child of but six years of age. Location was made by the Drake family in the com- monwealth of Virginia, where the young Isaiah was reared to maturity. As a young man he became interested in the study of medicine and for a number of years was engaged in the practice of his profession in Vir- ginia. Subsequently he removed with his family to Kentucky, where he practiced with a great deal of success during the period of the Civil war. In 1868 he came with his family to Kansas and settled at old
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Wyandotte, which is now Kansas City. He was summoned to the life eternal on the farm on which JJoseph F. Drake now resides, his demise having occurred in 1887. His cherished and devoted wife, whose maiden name was Susan Denton and who was born in Virginia, died in 1873. Mr. and Mrs. Drake became the parents of eight children- four boys and four girls, four of whom are living at the present time, in 1911.
In the public schools of Kentucky Joseph F. Drake received his preliminary educational training, his parents having settled in the Bluegrass state when he was a child of about ten years of age. When he had reached his eighteenth year removal was made to Wyandotte county. Kansas, and here in the following year, 1869, was solemnized his marriage. Immediately after that important event he settled on his present farm near Bethel, the same being devoted to the raising of fruit and berries. Ile is the owner of a tract of fifty acres of some of the finest land in the entire county, on which he makes a specialty of the following fruits: Snyder, Lawton and Merserau berries, and Gano and JJonathan apples. the market for his products being at Kansas City, Kansas. In polities he accords an unswerving allegiance to the prin- riples and policies for which the Republican party stands sponsor and while he has never participated in political affairs he is ever ready to give of his aid and influence in support of all measures and enterprises advanced for the good of the general welfare. In a fraternal way he is affiliated with the Modern Brotherhood of America and his religious faith is in harmony with the tenets of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, in the various departments of whose work he is an active and zealous factor.
Mr. Drake has been twice married. In 1869 he wedded Miss Mary Ellis, a native of Johnson county, Kansas, and a daughter of John Ellis, of Missouri. Mrs. Drake was called to eternal rest in 1880, at which time she was survived by two children, William Isaiah and Ernest L., the latter of whom is now dereased. In 1886 Mr. Drake was united in marriage to Miss Jennie Atkinson, of Kansas City, Missouri, but a native of Ohio. This union has been prolifie of one child, Herbert Le Roy, whose birth occurred on the 3rd of November, 1889. While Herbert L. Drake is a young man of but twenty-one years of age, he now has charge of the oratory department in the Manual high school, at Kansas City, Missouri. For a time he taught Greek in the Univer- sity of Kansas and he has also been the efficient and popular ineum- bent of the position of principal of the Wilson high school at Kansas City, Kansas. He is a young man of fine mental caliber, his brilliant mind and oratorical powers making him an attractive figure as a public speaker. With so splendid a beginning a great future is predicted for him.
JAMES N. DEITZ .- Noteworthy among the enterprising citizens of Kansas City, Missouri, who through their own efforts acenmulated a competeney, was James N. Deitz, who is now deceased. He had of late years retired from active pursuits at his pleasant home, which is near the state line, at the corner of Twenty-seventh and Wyoming streets. He was born, October 8, 1833, in Clark county, Indiana, where his parents, who were of Pennsylvania Dutch deseent, were pioneer settlers,
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and died June 19, 1911, aged seventy-seven years, at Southside Hospital Kansas City, Missouri.
Leaving home at the age of twenty years, James N. Deitz began life on his own account, spending a year on the Gulf coast. Return- ing home, he lived a brief time in Indiana, and then went to Rock Island county, Illinois, to assume possession of forty acres of land near Port Byron, it being the tract for which his father had drawn a warrant for his serviees in the War of 1812. and which he presented to his son James. Mr. Deitz afterwards bought another tract of forty acres of prairie land, and sixteen acres of standing timber. This entire prop- erty he sold at an advantage, and moved to Leavenworth, Kansas, where he purchased an interest in the Clark & Reese addition of eighty acres, which was soon snb-divided, and sold off in lots in due time. After living in Leavenworth about ten years, Mr. Deitz carried on freighting between Leavenworth, Denver and Fort Union for three years, later spending a year at Fort Zaro. Returning to Kansas, he took up a claim of one hundred and sixty acres in Saline county, and erected the first good house in Salina. He soon sold one half interest in that property to a Mr. Nutter, of Council Bluffs, and later disposed of the remaining half.
Coming then to Kansas City, Mr. Deitz purchased three five aere lots in Armstrong float, and invested. likewise, in much adjoining land, the greater part of which he subsequently sub-divided and sold. He still retained, however, his home property of one acre, which is well located and quite valuable. Mr. Deitz possessed good mechanical ability and inventive genius, and in 1873 took out a patent on a wind- mill for power and grinding purposes. Ile built many of the wind- mills and shipped them to various places, even to countries as far distant as Australia. One of them is now in use on the Female Insti- tution in Topeka, Kansas.
Mr. Deitz was twice married, and has four sons and one daughter living. three by his first marriage, namely: Edward, of Washington. D. C., a department clerk ; Albert ; Arthur : and his daughter Frances. And by his second union one son, James, night superintendent in the Kansas City, Missouri, post office.
DELBERT M. SHIVELY, M. D .- In Kansas City, Kansas, Dr. Shively is engaged in the successful practice of a profession that has here also been honored and dignified by the services of his honored father, who likewise is still engaged in active professional work. as one of the representative physicians and surgeons of Wyandotte county.
Dr. Delbert M. Shively was born in Schuyler county, Missouri, on the 17th of April, 1871. and is a son of Dr. Samuel S. and Josephine (Coriell) Shively, who still maintain their home in the Armourdale dis- triet of Kansas City. Dr. Samuel S. Shively was born in the state of Ohio, on the 28th of February, 1839, and in the same old common- wealth was also born and reared his wife, their marriage having there been solemnized in the year 1862. Of their three children two are living, Lloyd and Dr. Delbert M., of this sketch. Dr. Samuel S. Shively began the study of medicine in 1861 and in 1864 he attended a course of lectures in the Hahnemann Homeopathic Medical College, in the city of Chicago. He was thereafter engaged in the practice of
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his profession until 1881, when he further fortified himself for its work by completing a course of study in the Eclectic Medical Institute of Cincinnati, Ohio, in which institution he was graduated in 1882, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. For seven years he was engaged in active general practice near Kirksville, Adair county, Missouri, and he then came to Kansas and located at Bonner Springs, where he con- tinued to practice until the spring of 1886, when he came to Wyandotte county and established himself in practice at Armourdale, which is now an integral part of Kansas City. Here he has since followed the exacting work of his profession and he has long controlled a large and representative practice, the while he holds the unqualified confidence and esteem of the community in which he has so long maintained his home. He is a valued member of the Wyandotte County Medical Society, the Kansas State Eclectic Medical Society. and the National Eclectic Medical Association. His political allegiance is given to the Republican party; he is affiliated with Armourdale Lodge, No. 271, Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons; and both he and his wife hold membership in the Cumberland Presbyterian church.
Dr. Delbert M. Shively gained his early educational training in the public schools of Bonner Springs, Kansas, and supplemented this by a course in Spaulding College. In 1884 he became a reporter on the Kansas City (Kansas) Star and eventually he was made a member of its editorial staff. He proved an able newspaper man and gained more than local reputation in this field of endeavor. Ile continued to be connected with the Star until 1902, but in the meanwhile he had shown his ambition by beginning the work of preparing himself for the profession in which his father had given such long and effective ser- vice. He entered the Kansas City University of Medicine, in Kansas City, Missouri, in which he completed the prescribed course and was graduated as a member of the class of 1901, duly receiving his well earned degree of Doctor of Medicine. Ile retired from newspaper work in the following year and in his ehosen profession he has admirably proved the wisdom of such choice, as he is now numbered among the successful and popular representatives of the medical fraternity in Wyandotte county. He is identified with the county and state medical societies and he served four years as county coroner-from 1903 to 1907. He has an excellent practice and is a close and appreciative student of the best standard and periodical literature of his profession. He is well known in his home city, both as a newspaper man and as a physician, and his genial nature has won and retained to him a specially
wide circle of friends. His interests are not circumscribed and he takes a due concern in public affairs of a local order, the while he is found arrayed as a stanch advocate of the principles and policies of the Republican party. Ile is affiliated with Wyandotte Lodge, No. 440.
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and with Wyandotte Aerie, No. 87, Fraternal Order of Eagles. He has all of the proclivities of an enthusiast in connection with America's "National game." and he was president of the Western Base Ball Association from 1902 to 1910. Within his regime he was a potent factor in the promotion of the great game throughout the section covered by the association of which he was the chief executive.
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On the 22nd of October, 1895, Dr. Shively was united in marriage to Miss Jessie M. Nixon, who was born and reared at Wanego, Pottawa- tomie county, Kansas. Dr. and Mrs. Shivley are popular factors in connection with the social activities of their home city, where their circle of friends is coincident with that of their acquaintances.
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