USA > Kansas > Wyandotte County > History of Wyandotte County, Kansas, and its people, Vol. II > Part 34
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IHISTORY OF WYANDOTTE COUNTY
and Grand, with Mr. Warpoll as his partner. During the war Mr. MeDonald served on the Home Militia or Home Guards, and although he did not travel far from home, he was nevertheless a witness and a participant in many hard fought battles. He could relate stories of those adventurous times, stories of bloodshed, pillage and hairbreadth escapes.
In 1866, after the close of hostilities, Mr. MeDonald came to Shawnee township, where he bought three hundred acres of wild land. Indians lived on all sides of him, at times making incursions on the white men's territory. Ile made a small elearing on his timber covered land and here he built a log cabin, living on the "bottoms" of his farm. Later he built a frame house on the hill-his home for many years. He ent down trees, made a wood yard, and sold lumber and ties to the rail- road that was then being laid, thus clearing his land and making con- siderable money at the same time. In the course of years he cleared the entire three hundred acres and brought it under a fine state of
One hundred acres of this tract is still owned by the enltivation.
McDonald family. When a young man Mr. MeDonald married Miss Teresa Chanet of Kansas City, Missouri. Of the five children who were born to this union only two are living, Francis, who lives in Argentine and Ernest who lives on the old homestead. Of the other three we make the following note :- Mary did not survive infancy; John C. died in his fortieth year, was buried in St. Mary's cemetery and his widow, Elizabeth (Foyil) MeDonald, is still living; Patriek lived until his thirty-third birthday, when he was summoned to the life eternal; his body lies in Shawnee cemetery. When the father had reached the ripe old age of seventy-six, he breathed his last and passed on to another sphere. He had lived a simple, useful life, with no desire for public honors of any description, no wish to dabble in politics, and con- tented himself with voting the straight Democratie ticket. He was naturally interested in all matters of local improvement, and was at all times ready to lend his aid to any movement towards the uplift of the state which was his by adoption ..
Ernest, the youngest member of the MeDonald family, was born .July 12. 1880. in the old log house before referred to, was edueated in district school No. 16 and brought up as a farmer, an occupation he has always followed. He owns twenty acres of the original tract of land that his father bought in 1866; on this he has built a modern home on the Rock Valley road, his residence today. Ilis farm is highly enltivated and he grows vegetables of all descriptions, for which he finds a ready market in Kansas City. Although Mr. MeDonald is a farmer, as was his father. he has departed from the political ereed held by his worthy parent, and is a stanch Republican, formerly the holder of public office. He was elected road overseer, in which capacity he made such a good record for himself, that he was later elected township trustee. This election was, however, contested, and when the judge assumed the bench, he issued an injunction against Mr. McDonald. so that he served only one day, a distinct loss to the community.
In 1909, Ernest MeDonald married Miss Marie Brus, daughter of Julius and Mary Brus of Shawnee township. October 17. 1909, their little danghter, Marie, was born.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ABTØR, LEHOX TILDEN FOUNDATIONS
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ABTON. LEUCY TILDEN FE KORT ING
MICHAEL LINK
CATHERINA LINK
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HISTORY OF WYANDOTTE COUNTY
JOHN JAMES KELLER is one of the best known men around Walcott. Not only has he become prominent in a business way, but he has public spiritedly devoted himself to doing everything in his power for the good of his county, his state and his country.
He was born July 30, 1867, at Leavenworth, Kansas. His father, John Keller, was born in Switzerland in 1832 and came to this country when he was a young man. When the Civil war broke out he enlisted in the army and served during the entire war. After peace was declared he located in Leavenworth, where he married Margaret Fitz- patrick, a young Irish girl who had come to America when she was a child. In 1871 John Keller, senior, came to Wyandotte county, Kan- sas, where he engaged in the grocery business. He died in 1901 and his wife is now a resident of Walcott, Kansas.
John James Keller has spent practically all of his life in Wyan- dotte county, as he was taken there with his parents when he was only four years of age. He attended the district school and helped his father in the grocery business. After the death of his father he started a grocery and general store at Walcott, having charge of the post office at the same time. For the past ten years he has been town- ship clerk and for the past five years he has been postmaster. He
has built up a very fine business and has a large, fully equipped store.
In 1886 he married Fanny Bentley, a native of Wyandotte county, Kansas. They have three children, Albert, Eva, now the wife of Charles Agers, and Viola. Mr. Keller is a Democrat in politics and is a very influential man. His wide circle of friends have made it possible for him to come in contact with many people and he is a most enthusiastic politician. He is a Catholic in religion. He is a member of three fraternal orders, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. the Eagles and the Modern Woodmen of America. Both Mr. and Mrs. Keller have been in Wyandotte county for so many years that they might almost feel as if they owned the county, and the county might well feel that it owned them. As a matter of fact Mr. and Mrs. Keller are both leaders around Walcott and in Prairie township. They never lose an opportunity to speak a good word for their county or to do it a good turn. It is because of the presence of such men as John James Keller that the county has the reputation it has at present.
MICHAEL LINK .- One of the prosperous farmers and good citizens of Wyandotte county is Michael Link, a native of Prussia, who came to this country when a young man and who has ever since resided in Kansas, successfully engaging in the great basic industry in various localities. Mr. Link possesses the fine German characteristics and he is widely and favorably known in the splendid county in which his interests are centered. The birth of Mr. Link occurred on April 17, 1845, in Prussia, Germany, his parents being Peter and Barbara Link, who lived and died in their native land. In 1868, young Michael, who received his education in the excellent German schools, and who had attained to the age of twenty-three years, decided to join an unele, John Link by name, who had located at Kansas City, Kansas, and whose experiences in the new land had been sufficiently pleasant to justify him in recommending it to his relatives. Michael accordingly bade farewell to the old friends and the old associations and crossed the
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HISTORY OF WYANDOTTE COUNTY
Atlantic, upon his arrival in New York, at once turning his face west- ward to Kansas where so many fruitful years were to be spent. For three years he lived with his unele, making his livelihood in various ways and he then tried his hand at farm work, continuing thus em- ployed until 1877. As soon as he was able he bought a tract of land and after cultivating it for some years, he sold it and went to Hutchin- son, Reno county, Kansas, where he again bought land. After remain- ing there for three and one half years, he again sold out and returned to Wyandotte county, of whose charms he had ever retained vivid memory. About this time he made a journey to Germany and not only enjoyed a visit with his relatives, but on February 28, 1876, he married one of his young countrywomen, and brought her back with him to America. The young woman in question was Catherina Ilarter, of Prussia. She first came to Wyandotte county, and in a short time she and the subject went to Reno county, but remained there for only a brief period, and returned to Wyandotte county. Here Mr. Link, for thirteen years, condueted the county farm and meantime purchased fifty-two acres of land on the Kaw river. A few months later he sold that and bought eighty aeres near Edwardsville, Kansas, this being improved land. This newly acquired property he rented out to others, but retained possession of it until November, 1897, when he sold this in turn and bought one hundred acres of partly improved land, upon which he now lives. He has rebuilt the original residence and given it several additions, has constructed barns and made numerous other improvements, the whole estate being now thoroughly up-to-date, and one of the prettiest country homes in Wyandotte county. Ile also owns eighty aeres in another farm upon which his son-in-law lives. He is thus a substantial land holder and has no reason to regret the step which took him to "the land of the free and the home of the brave." He continued actively engaged in general farming until 1911, when he retired from the active management of his estate and now has leisure to enjoy the fruits of his previous industry and thrift. He and his admirable wife are the parents of two children. Elizabeth, now Mrs. Robert Cahill, whose husband manages one of the subject's farms; and Fred, who is an agriculturist residing not far from Mr. Link.
Mr. Link and his family are faithful communicants of the Catholic church and the head of the house belongs to the C. M. B. A. In polities he is in harmony with the policies and principles of the Repub- lican party.
ROBERT J. MCFARLAND .- The present able incumbent of the office of clerk of the Twenty-ninth Judicial district court of Kansas, Robert J. MeFarland, is a representative citizen and business man of Kansas City. Kansas, where he has resided for fully a score of years and where he is recognized as a man of unusual loyalty and public spirit. He has served in a number of important offices of public trust and re- sponsibility and in all of them has acquitted himself with honor and distinction.
Mr. Robert J. McFarland is a native of the fair Emerald Isle, his birth having occurred in county Tyrone, Ireland, on the 29th of April, 1851. Ile is a son of Samuel and Sarah (Robb) MeFarland, both of whom passed their entire lives on their native heath and both of whom
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HISTORY OF WYANDOTTE COUNTY
are now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel McFarland became the parents of six children, of whom the subject of this review was the fifth in order of birth. He received his preliminary educational training in the public schools of his native land and when he had attained to the age of seventeen years he decided to seek his fortunes in the New World. Accordingly he severed the ties which bound him to home and native land and immigrated to America in the year 1868. Hle first located in the Dominion of Canada, and for two years after his advent in that country he was enrolled as a student in Queen's College. Being possessed of an adventurous disposition and being anxious to see the country, he subsequently made the trip to Kansas City, Missouri, by boat. From here he went on the Buffalo range, hunting buffalo for their skins and living the real frontier life in all its interesting yet difficult and dangerous phases.
In 1873 Mr. MeFarland took up a homestead in Ness county, Kansas, where he engaged in farming and stock-raising for a number of years and was an extensive land holder. In 1880 he was honored by his fellow citizens with election to the office of county treasurer. He had no desire for the office of county treasurer but aeeepted it at the earnest solicitation of his numerous friends and discharged the duties connected therewith with such conscientious vigor that his own indi- vidual business enterprises were entirely neglected. During the session of 1881-2 he represented the one hundred and sixteenth distriet in the state legislature of Kansas and in 1891 he came to Kansas City, Kansas, as meat inspector for the United States government. In
polities he is a stanch supporter of the cause of the Republican party and he has served as election commissioner for a number of terms. In 1910 he became candidate for and was elected to the office of elerk of the Twenty-ninth judicial district, assuming charge of the affairs eon- nected therewith in January, 1911.
On the 8th of June. 1876, Mr. MeFarland was united in marriage to Miss Ida M. Bell, who was born and reared at Hagerstown, Mary- land. This marriage has been prolific of two children, concerning. whom the following brief data are here recorded: Claude M. is a veterinary surgeon by profession and is serving as United States in- spector of stock at St. Joseph, Missouri; and Harry M .. who is a dentist, is successfully engaged in the practice of his profession in this city. Mrs. McFarland is a woman of most gracions personality and she is a potent influence for good in the community where she resides.
Mr. McFarland is a prominent Mason and his affiliations with that organization are as follows: Kaw Lodge, No. 272, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. of which he is secretary; and Caswell Consistory, No. 5, of the Scottish Rite branch, in which he has attained to the thirty-second degree, and in which he is also serving as secretary.
JOHN H. CADDEN .- Conspienons among the active, clear-headed and capable men who have been associated with the railway service of the great West is John H. Cadden, who resigned his responsible position as an engineer on the Union Pacific Railroad in September, 1910, and is now living retired in Kansas City. Kansas. A son of Owen Cadden, he was born June 4. 1859. in Susquehanna county,
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HISTORY OF WYANDOTTE COUNTY
Pennsylvania, coming from thrifty Irish ancestry, his grandparents on both sides of the house having been born in America, but were de- srendants of Irish ancestry.
Owen Cadden was born and brought up in New York state. He subsequently moved to Pennsylvania, and was there variously employed, following the profession of a veterinary surgeon, also being a buteher, and later a building contractor. During the Civil war he served as a soldier in a Pennsylvania regiment. Returning to that state at the close of the war, he remained there a resident until his death, in 1905. ITe married, in New York state, Mary Farley, who died in Pennsylvania in 1904. Eight children were born of their union, as follows: Joseph P., of Beloit, Kansas; Lney, wife of Thomas MeGee, of Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania ; Eugene, who died at about thirty-five years of age; James, residing in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania; John II., the special subject of this brief personal sketch; Thomas, of Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania; Michr ], of Scranton. Pennsylvania; and Elizabeth, wife of M. MeAvoy, of Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania.
As a lad of ten years John II. Cadden began life as a wage-earner, and for eleven years worked as a farm laborer. On attaining his majority he came to Kansas City, Kansas, in search of remunerative employment. In 1882 he entered the employ of the Union Pacific Railroad Company as an assistant in the round house, and in 1885 became an engineer, for a year having charge of a switch engine. Mr. Cadden was subsequently engineer on a freight train for twenty years, afterward holding a similar position on a passenger train until his retirement from the railway service in the fall of 1910, as above stated. In 1884 Mr. Cadden made a record run on the Atchison. Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, covering the sixty-seven miles between Topeka and Kansas City, Missouri, in one hour and twenty minutes, with thirty-
seven cars of stock. During the Columbian Exposition at Chicago, in 1893, Mr. Cadden was one of the men seleeted to run and handle the seventeen-car World's Fair train on its trip around the world. and he took the train, which was controlled by air brakes, one hundred and forty miles, handling it most skillfully. When the Philadelphia mil- lionaires made the trip to the California Convention, on their return Mr. Cadden hauled them from Junction City, Kansas, to Kansas City, mak- ing eleven stops, in two hours and twenty-five minutes. He has the rredit of being one of the best experts in the United States as an engineer.
Mr. Cadden married, January 20, 1891, Mary Hedderman, who was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, a daughter of John and Jane Hedderman, and they are the parents of two daughters, Delaphine and Mary Pearl. Politically Mr. Cadden is an independent Demoerat. Religiously he is a member of Saint Mary's Catholic church, and one of its active workers. Fraternally he belongs to Lodge No. 440, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Kansas City. Kansas; and to Division No. 81, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.
EDWARD LUST is one of the most up-to-date truck farmers in the whole of Wyandotte county and does credit to the agrienltural profes- sion. It is only the progressive foreigners who immigrate from their native countries and come to America. those who are content to eon-
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HISTORY OF WYANDOTTE COUNTY
tinue in the rut formed by custom and prejudice, remaining at home. Mr. Lnst belongs to the former class and the remarkable sneeess which he has enjoyed in the state of Kansas, as indieation of his determination, enterprise and ability.
Mr. Lust was born in the little kingdom of Belgium, September 18, 1851, in the reign of King Leopold I. After obtaining a fair ednea- tion in the schools of his native district, Edward Lust learned to farm, an occupation in which one-fourth of the entire population of Belgium is engaged. Hle devoted his attention principally to truek gardening and farming, but he, with his progressive ideas, felt hampered and re- stricted by the conservative methods of the farmers, for the Belgians are notably slow to adopt improvements and new methods of agriculture. He remained, however, in Belgium until he was forty-three years old, when, in 1894, he disposed of his farm at home and took ship for Canada, of whose agricultural possibilities he had formed a high opinion. At the expiration of four years of Canadian farm life which had not quite come up to his expectations, he came to Kansas, direct to Rosedale. Four years later, in 1902, he bought twenty-five aeres of enltivated land on which he proceeded to ereet a greenhouse, the finest in this section of the country, one hundred and sixty feet long and twenty-five feet wide. Close beside this building is a smaller structure, one hundred feet long and twenty-two feet wide. The two buildings stand on the side of a hill, are built of solid masonry, equipped with a heating system that he himself introduced, which prevents all possibility of freezing. Ile has put up a windmill and a mason-work viaduet or dam, which supplies a large pond of water for general use and also makes a perfect drive from one side of the ravine to the other. He has installed a gasoline engine pumping station, by means of which water is conveyed to all parts of his farm. He raises all kinds of garden truck, foreing some produce in his greenhouses. The smaller building he devotes exclusively to raising mushrooms, and to such per- fection are they grown, that he can always find a ready market for them, as well as the rest of his produce. Each day one large wagon is loaded with truck and sold to dealers in his vicinity. At present he is living retired from active duties, watching his sons as they attend to the work about the place and leaving to them all the responsibilities.
In 1877. before Mr. Lust left Belgium, he married Silva, daughter of Peter and Natalie (Verstraete) Dismuth, life-long residents of Ger- many, where their daughter Silva was born May 4, 1850. Of the nine children who were born to Mr. and Mrs. Lust, six are living in Kansas, as follows: Alede, married to Joe Frangersberg, a truck gardener in Wyandotte county; Emma, wife of Emil Nnnieg, a fruit farmer in Shawnee township; Mary, living in Lenexa, Kansas, with her husband, George Gest ; Cerial, Albert and Joseph superintending the work of the farm at home.
Mr. Lust was reared in the Catholic faith and the family attends the church at Argentine, greatly respected in church as well as social life.
EUGENE LALLIER was for nearly fifty years a leading and influential citizen of Kansas, having maintained his home in Wyandotte county from 1871 until his demise, in 1906. He was a gardner and agri-
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HISTORY OF WYANDOTTE COUNTY
enlturist by occupation, his splendid estate of over three hundred aeres being located some four miles distant from Piper, Kansas. His co- operation in public interests and his zealous support of all objeets that he believed would contribute to the material, social or moral improve- ment of the community kept him in the foremost ranks of those to whom the county owes its development and present position as one of the leading sections of the progressive state of Kansas. His life was characterized by upright, honorable principles and it also exemplified the truth of the Emersonian philosophy that "the way to win a friend is to be one." His genial, kindly manner won him the high regard and good will of all with whom he came in contact and thus his death was uniformly mourned throughout his home community and the neighbor- ing district.
A native of the city of Montiour, France, Eugene Lallier was born on the 2d of April. 1832, a son of Lonis and Marie Lallier, both of whom were likewise born in France. Mr. Lallier, of this notice, was reared to the age of twenty years in Paris, to whose excellent schools he was indebted for his educational training. As a youth he became interested in gardening, to which line of enterprise he continued to devote the major portion of his time and attention during the greater part of his active career. In 1852 he decided to seek his fortune in the New World and accordingly, with a number of his relatives. immi- grated to the United States. After disembarking in New York City he proceeded to Wisconsin, where he immediately became interested in gardening. In 1858 he and his family removed to Kansas, locating in Leavenworth county, where the family home was maintained until 1871. In that year removal was made to Wyandotte county. this state. where he was engaged in farming operations until his death.
Eugene Lallier was united in marriage, March 25. 1852. to Miss Elizabeth Bonley, who was born May 21, 1831, and reared in France and who is now living with her children on the old Lallier estate. This union was prolific of seven children, whose names are here recorded in respective order of birth : Eugene. Louis, Lonise, Mary, Frank, Ernest and Emil. Frank, Ernest and Louise remain on the homestead with their mother, managing and working the same. The Lallier estate. known as "the Bluff Stock Farm," is comprised of three hundred and thirty-six acres of most arable land and it is devoted to diversified agriculture and the growing of high-grade cattle. None of the sons above named are married and they are affiliated with the time-honored Masonic order and with the Modern Woodmen of America. They are also valued and appreciative members of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Frank Lallier was road overseer in Prairie township, this county. for one term. In politics they are stanch advocates of the cause of the Republican party and they are ever ready to do all in their power to advance the best interests of their home community.
Engene Lallier was a man of thrift and industry and one who won success through his own persisteney and well directed endeavors. He accorded a stanch allegiance to the principles and policies of the Re- publican party in his political convictions, and while he never mani- fested aught of ambition for the honors or emoluments of publie office of any description he gave freely of his aid and influence to all projects advanced for the good of the general welfare. Ile was affiliated with
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a number of fraternal and social organizations of representative char- arter and his religious faith was in harmony with the teachings of the Catholic church. Ile was called to the Great Beyond in the 15th of April. 1906, and at the time of his death was uniformly mourned by a wide circle of affectionate relatives and friends. As a result of his exalted character and exemplary life he was accorded the high regard and unalloyed confidence of his fellow citizens in every station.
SAMUEL S. GLASSCOCK, M. D .- As founder and proprietor of the Grand View Sanitarium, in Kansas City, Kansas, Dr. Glasscock has provided one of the noble institutions of the state, and its facilities and management are of the best modern standard. Under his able direc- tion this sanitarium has attained to high reputation and of its privil- eges many from Kansas and neighboring states have availed themselves,
GRANDVIEW ANITARIUM
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with the result that they have regained that greatest of boons, good health. The Doctor is recognized as a man of the highest professional attainments and as a gentleman whose character dignifies and honors the exacting vocation which he has adopted as his life work and in which his success has been of unequivocal order.
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