USA > Kansas > Wyandotte County > History of Wyandotte County, Kansas, and its people, Vol. II > Part 73
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in the line was also named Thomas. The fourth in the line was Jona- thon or John Hutchings, the great-grandfather and Revolutionary an- restor of the subject of this sketch. He served (rank not known) in Jacob Swartout's regiment in the Revolutionary war. After his Revo- lutionary service he settled in Luzerne county, Pennsylvania, and died there August 8, 1826. Ilis wife was Letitia Langdon. The next in the line, also John Hutchings, was born at Esopus, Ulster county. New York, October 1. 1778, and died March 24, 1853. Ifis wife's name was Abigail Dean, who was born at Stanford. Connectient, in 1780. and died June 27, 1837.
The grandfather, John Hutchings, served in the American navy un- der both Commodores Bainbridge and Decatur, in the war of 1812 and the war with Tripoli. He settled at Dryden. Tompkins county, New York, at an early date and resided there when he died. He was an aggressive and outspoken abolitionist long before the general anti-slavery agitation began and his house was the place of resort of such men as Gerritt Smith, with whom he co-operated in aiding runaway slaves to gain their freedom, his grist mill and farm buildings frequently furnish- ing them secure places of refuge and concealment from pursuers.
The next in line was the father of the subject of this sketch, Sam- nel Dean Hutchings. He was born September 11, 1808, at Dryden, New York, and died March 27, 1878. He studied for the law, but de- voted most of his time to teaching and educational pursuits. lle fol- lowed the profession of a teacher in the public schools of New York for more than thirty years, during which time he prepared a system of text books for the common schools, adopting the orthography and ortheopy of Webster instead of Walker, which was then generally em- ployed in school books, He was only prevented from becoming a pioneer in that reform by the unexpected appearance in print of the
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works of Charles W. Sanders, adopting the same method, after his manuscript had been completed and delivered to the printer. These books in manuscript form are still preserved in the family and are quite interesting relics of the early efforts in the reform of spelling and pronounciation.
On his mother's side, JJudge llutehings traces his genealogy to James Ashley, who eame to Boston from England between 1639 and 1650 and afterward removed to Freetown, Bristol county, Massachusetts, which beeame the seat of numerous descendants, many of whom the war records of Massachusetts show served their country in the Revolutionary war. The first family concerning whom definite information has been obtained is the great-grandfather, Percival Ashley, who was a lieutenant in Colonel Hathaway's regiment in the Revolutionary war. Ilis first wife was Anne Bishop, from whom descended the subject of this sketch. llis sons Colonel Simeon Ashley, at one time colonel of the militia and sheriff of Bristol county, and Dr. James Ashley, an eminent physician of New Bedford, at an early day settled in Tompkins county, New York. . The latter was the grandfather of the subject of this sketch. IIe was born at Freetown, February 3, 1777, and died at Caroline, New York, December 9, 1870. lle married Betsey Rounseville, who was born December 3, 1784. She was the daughter of Levi Rounseville, a captain in the Revolutionary service. The grandfather, Dr. Ashley, like the grandfather, John Hutchings, was an ardent anti-slavery advocate. Ile practiced medicine continuously for more than fifty years. The neighborhood in which he lived was principally settled by Virginians, who held slaves, New York then being a slave state. Against the preju- (lives of these people, his principal competitor in the profession, Dr. .Joseph Speed, being a large slave holder, he resolutely advocated the un- conditional abolition of slavery. Hle also supported with great determi- nation the Washingtonian Temperance movement, which had in view the total suppression of the sale of intoxicating liquors in tippling shops. The danghter of Dr. Ashley, Betsey Rounseville Ashley, the mother of the subject of this sketch, was born at Caroline, Tompkins county, New York, Angust 15, 1815. She was married to Samnel Dean Hutchings, November 29, 1835, and died August 26, 1901.
The following children were born of this marriage: John, born December 31, 1836, died April 2, 1892; James Ashley, born September 29, 1838; Samuel Dean, born August 15, 1840, died July 6, 1842; Mary Ann, born August 16, 1842, died June, 1907; Betsey Amanda, born August 8, 1844, died November 18. 1863; Charles Frederick, born May 25, 1846; Simeon Ashley, born July 20, 1848, died July 10, 1864; and Frank Day, born October 24, 1859.
John Hutchings was admitted to the bar and practiced his profes- sion for three years in Waverly, New York. In 1863 he came to Lawrence, Kansas, where he formed a partnership with the Honorable E. V. Banks, who was afterwards a reporter of the supreme court of the state. He was very prominent in his profession and at the time of his death, in 1892, was general attorney for the receiver of the Kansas City, Wyandotte and Northwestern Railway Company. Among the cases in which he appeared as counselor was the celebrated Medlicott murder trial and the Hillman insurance case. The latter was one of the most noted cases that have ever been in the courts of Kansas.
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It was pending for over a quarter of a century and was twice reversed by the supreme court of the United States, but was finally settled by the insurance companies substantially paying the claim against them. John Hutchings had two children, Josephine E., now Mrs. Cyrus Crane, of Kansas City, Missouri, wife of the general attorney of the Kansas City Southern Railway and Ilelen, now Mrs. De Mers, of Lawrence. Kansas.
Two of the brothers of the subject of this sketch, James Ashley and Simeon Ashley, served as privates in the Tenth and Fifth New York Cavalry, respectively, in the late war of the rebellion. The former parti- cipated in many of the most important engagements of the war and re- turned at its close unhurt. After being mustered out of the army he came to Kansas and settled in Neosho county. Here he engaged very successfully in the milling business for many years. In 1899 he re- moved to Kansas City, Kansas, where he has since resided, most of his time being taken up in looking after his extensive realty holdings. He has four children, Charles F., of Miami, Florida, Stella, wife of J. J. Adams of New York City, John, of Kansas City, Kansas, and Dorothy, wife of Emmet Bougher of Newark, Ohio.
The latter, Simeon Ashley, with many of his regiment, was taken prisoner in an engagement in Virginia soon after he entered the service. Nothing further was heard from him until after the war, when his grave was discovered as No. 3112 in the National cemetery at Andersonville, Georgia, where were buried the victims of the terrible Andersonville prison. He was only fifteen years old at the time of his enlistment.
Charles Frederiek Hutchings at the commencement of the rebellion was taking a preparatory course for Harvard University, but was com- pelled to abandon it on the enlistment of his brothers in the army, his services being required at home. He afterwards went to New Orleans and for some time was engaged in the educational department of the Freedman's Bureau, but in the spring of 1866 he took up the study of law in the office of Henry A. Shaw, of Charlotte, Michigan, and was ad- mitted to practice in that state. In 1867 he located in Neosho county, Kansas, and commenced the practice of his profession. In 1872 he was elected as a member of the house of representatives and was chairman of the judiciary committee during the investigation of the Pomeroy- York bribery case. He located in Kansas City. Kansas, in 1885 and soon acquired a very extensive and hierative practice. In 1908 he removed to Kansas City, Missouri, where he resides at the present time. Mr. Hutchings is interested in many important enterprises, among which may be named the Pioneer Trust Company, in which he is a director, and the Kansas City Western Railway Company, in which he is also a director and general counsel. Ile has three children : Charlotte Frede- rieka, Samuel Dean, and Paul Ashley. Charlotte Fredericka was mar- ried in 1910 to Benton (. Moss and Samuel D., in 1911, to Cornelia H. Ellet.
JOSEPH L. LANDRY .- To Joseph L. Landry has come the attainment of a distinguished position in connection with the practice of law in Kan- sas City, Kansas, and the zeal with which he has devoted his energies to his profession, the careful regard evinced for the interests of his clients and an assiduous and nnrelaxing attention to all the details of his cases have brought to him a large business and made him very successful in the
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conduct of the ardnous and difficult profession of the law. He served as city attorney under Mayor C. W. Green and has twice represented this district in the state legislature.
A native of the fine old Hoosier state of the Union, Joseph L. Landry was born at Lafayette, Indiana, on the 13th of June. 1870, and he is a son of Joseph and Katherine (Foster) Landry, both of whom are now residing in Kansas. The father was one of the pioneer newspaper men at Argentine, Kansas, having been the founder of the Argentine Republican, a paper that has exercised a wide influence in politieal affairs in this section of the state. Of the five children born to Mr. and Mrs. Landry. Joseph L., of this notice, was the third in order of birth. He received his elementary educational training in the public schools of Lafayette. Indiana, and Argentine, Kansas. Subsequently he became a student in the Kansas City Law School, in which excellent institution he was graduated as a member of the class of 1906; duly re- veiving his degree of Bachelor of Laws. He initiated the active prac- tice of his profession at Argentine but later established his professional headquarters at Kansas City, where he has gained distinctive prestige as a lawyer of unusual ability and brilliant attainments.
The first publie office held by Mr. Landry was that of treasurer of the Kansas City school board, an incumbency he retained for a period of six years. He was appointed city attorney under C. W. Green and he discharged the duties connected with that important office with all of honor and distinction. In 1900 he was elected a representative in the Kansas state legislature. He was again elected to that office in Novem- ber, 1908, and during the ensuing session was appointed to membership on a number of important committees of the house and was a faithful and earnest worker in the deliberations of both the floor and committee room. In the grand old Masonic order Mr. Landry is a member of Ben Hur Lodge, No. 322. Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, of which he is a past master, having served in that capacity on three different occasions, and he is a member of Wyandotte Chapter, No. 6, Royal Areh Masons. He is also affiliated with Wyandotte Lodge. No. 440, Benevo- lent and Protective Order of Elks.
Mr. Landry was married to Miss Lola Cashner. 3 They are ex- ceedingly popular in connection with social affairs in Kansas City, where their spacious and attractive home is a recognized center of refinement and most gracious hospitality. Mr. Landry has won the respect of his professional associates and the confidence of the publie by the able dis- charge of his official duties and by his handling of all legal cases that have been entrusted to his care. During his residence in Kansas City he has gained recognition as one of its most prominent and distinguished citizens and one to whom uniform esteem is given in token of his personal worth and ability.
AUGUST WIEGERS .- A man of brains and energy, talented and enl- tured, with a mind broadened by extensive travel and wide business experience. Angust Wiegers is now actively associated with the advanee- ment of the industrial and manufacturing interests of Wyandotte eoun- ty. being secretary of the Western Terra Cotta Company. of Kansas City, a concern which he helped organize. He is still in the prime of life, with many chapters vet to be added to his record of achievements
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in the business world. A son of Jared and Helen ( llermes) Wiegers, he was born August 28, 1876, in St. Louis, Missouri, where he was pri- marily educated, attending private and public schools, including the St. Louis High School, and completing his early studies in a commercial college.
For several years Mr. Wiegers was bookkeeper for the John F. Meyer & Sons Milling Company, in St. Louis, and on retiring from the position started for Mexico. Arriving in New Orleans, he changed his mind and sailed for Africa, where for a time he was in the employ of a private business concern. He later became assistant transport condue- tor for the British government, and proved himself so competent in that capacity that he was promoted to the position of head conductor, and for eighteen months was with Gorenges's Flying Columns, doing in that time mnuch speedy traveling, indiscriminately breaking records. Practically Mr. Weigers was all through the Boer war. having charge of one of the supply camps, and continued an employe of the British government for a year after the elose of the war. Going then to Johan- nesburg, he spent six months in that place, and then returned to the United States, arriving at St. Louis, Missouri. in time to visit the ex- position held in that city in 1904.
Mr. Wiegers subsequently purchased a flour mill in Illinois, but not doing as well financially in operating it as he had anticipated. he sold out his milling interests in that state and returned to Africa. After spending six months in the southern part of that country, he came north- ward up the eastern coast to Egypt, stopping at every port along the way, and subsequently made a complete tour of the world. spending a number of months in sightseeing. Upon returning once more to his native land. Mr. Wiegers located in Kansas City. Kansas, and helped organize the Western Terra Cotta Company. of which he has since been secretary.
Mr. Wiegers married. in June. 1906. Lonisa Schmitz. and into their pleasant household two children have made their advent, namely : Mildred Mary and Richard Augustus.
FRANK J. HAUBER .- Specially worthy of consideration in this publi- cation as one of those aggressive and reliable business men who have con- tributed materially to the industrial and commercial prestige of Kansas City. Kansas, Mr. Hauber is here owner of the large and prosperous manufacturing enterprise conducted under the title of the Hauber Cooperage Company, and it is a matter of distinet local significance that his establishment is the most extensive of its kind in the west. The output of the plant comprises slack barrels of all sizes and kinds. and all are of the highest grade, as the establishment has the most effective modern equipment in the matter of machinery and accessories and great discrimination is shown in the selection and working up of stock. Mr. Hanber has been identified with this line of enterprise from the time of his youth, and he has gained marked success, though he has encountered rxreptional misfortune in connection with operations in Kansas City, where fire and flood have worked havoc with his plant and business on four different orrasions. His courage and ambition have not sncenmbed under the force of such disasters. however, and he has been unflagging in his application and administrative energy, with the result that he has
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made of success not an accident but a logical result. Ile is a man whose sterling characteristics are fully recognized and he is known as one of the progressive and essentially representative business men and loyal citizens of Wyandotte county.
Frank Jacob Hanber was born in the village of Marysville, Ilast- ings county, province of Ontario, Canada, on the 22nd, of January, 1856. and is the eldest of three sons of Joseph Anthony Hauber and Agatha (Rapp) Hanber. the father being a native of the kingdom of Wurtem- burg, Germany, where he was born on the 24th of March, 1820, and the mother a native of Shweningen. Oberamt Rothweil, Germany, where she was born September 24, 1827. Both of the parents were afforded the advantages of the schools of their native land. whence they came to America when young, and their marriage was solemnized in the province of Ontario, Canada, April 3rd. 1855. As a youth JJoseph 1. Hanber severed the ties that bound him to home and fatherland and immigrated to America. He located in the city of Rochester, New York, where he served a thorough apprenticeship to the cooper's trade, with which he continued to be identified during practically his entire business career and in connection with which he gained definite independence and prosperity. He was a stanch supporter of the cause of the Democratic party and was a zealous communicant of the Catholic church, his wife having been a devout member of the Lutheran church, in whose faith she was reared. Her death occurred in Lawrence. Kansas, October 7. 1888. She was survived by her husband and three sons, Frank, residing in Lawrence, Kansas, and Joseph and John, residing in Kansas City, Missouri.
Frank Jacob Hauber, whose name initiates this article, is indebted to the Catholic parochial schools of Canada and eastern states for his early educational discipline, which was limited in scope, and, as a man of broad information and liberal views it may be stated that the major portion of his education has been that gained under the direction of the wisest of all head masters. experience. In early boyhood he began a practical apprenticeship to the cooper's trade, under the effective direction of his honored father, and in due course of time he became an expert artisan in this line, which has represented his sphere of activity throughout the entire course of his long. industrions and successful business career. He lived with his parents at varions places in Canada and the eastern part of the United States, and finally, on the 10th of May. 1878. when he was twenty-two years of age. the family home was established at Lawrence, Kansas. There the Ridenour-Baker Packing Company had ceased operations in the spring of that year. and Mr. Hanber became associated with his father and his brother Joseph in leasing the plant of this corporation, together with its stock of cooperage supplies. Thus was instituted in that city the cooperage husiness of the firm of J. Hauber & Son. and after the father, some years later. transferred his interest in the enterprise to his sons, the title of the firm was changed to Hanber Brothers. Bringing to hear marked energy. thorough technical knowledge and carefnl business methods, the Hauber brothers soon found their enterprise steadily expanding in scope and im- portance, and in March, 1886, it was deemed expedient to still further in- "rease the ramifications of the business by establishing a branch in Kan- sas City, Missouri. Accordingly Joseph Hanber removed with his family
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to that city, where he assumed active supervision of the branch establish- ment. A lease was effected of a plant at the corner of Twenty-first and Walnut streets, and later more eligible quarters were leased at the corner of Fourth and James streets, where operations were continued until 1897. when it was found expedient to transfer the base of operations to Kan- sas City, Kansas, where a site for the plant was purchased and where the facilities for transportation were equally good. This tract of land was bought at the corner of North Second street and Riverview avenue, where a plant was erected and properly equipped. At this time the brothers admitted to partnership in the enterprise a man who proved to be dishonest and who was finally forced out of the business, in which he had brought about no inconsiderable financial loss. Under these somewhat depressing conditions the Hauber brothers, with characteristic energy, gave their attention to the retrieving of losses and the upbuilding of the enterprise upon a legitimate and proper basis. By close appli-
cation and indefatigable industry, with conservative policies, the firm was able to weather the various financial panies and to withstand in- vidental losses, and today the business is one of solid industrial and com- mereial foundation, notwithstanding heavy losses through fire and flood. In the meanwhile the firm's business interests at Lawrence had remained in charge of Frank .I. Hauber, the senior member of the firm, and he suffered an irreparable personal and business loss when his brother Joseph, manager of the Kansas City plant, was called to the life eternal on the 22nd of March, 1899. The death of his brother threw much added responsibility upon Frank J. Hauber, who was now the only sur- vivor of his father's family, and for four years, while retaining his residence in Lawrenee, he made daily trips to Kansas City to supervise the affairs of the business at this place. He came to the city early each morning and returned to Lawrence at noon, and it may readily be under- stood that he "had his hands full" in thus assuming executive control of both plants and their large and constantly growing business. Mr.
HIauber had purchased the interests of his brother after the latter's death, and has since had full control of the business. In 1903 he sold
the plant at Lawrence and removed with his family to Kansas City, where he has since maintained his home. Ilis removal was made in the spring of that year, marked in the history of this section of the state by reason of the disastrous floods which entailed great financial losses in Kansas City and the surrounding country. The car in which his house-
hold goods were transported was caught in the floods and practically the entire contents of the car were ruined.' Thus it will be seen that his introduction to Kansas City when he here established his home was not of pleasing order, and in addition to the loss entailed in the destruction of his household effects, great damage was worked at his plant at Second street and Riverview avenue. His office and warehouses were swept away by the floods, and the destructions of the warehouses was also attended by the loss of thirty carloads of staves, heading and hoops. 3 He was of course nnindemnified for his losses in connection with the destruction of his plant by the floods, but he bravely faced the ordeal, as did the other representative business men of Kansas City. and by hard work on his own part and that of his elder sons, operations were resumed in short order. The plant was rebuilt and placed in eom- mission in November, 1903, but fate had still other adversity in store
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for the enterprise and its owner. In November. 1905, the entire plant and its contents were destroyed by fire. with insurance indemnity cover- ing only one third of the loss. Again did Mr. Hanber girdle himself for the renewed battle, and at this time he resumed operations in a build- ing which he purchased at 1200 South Mill street. This location con- tinued to be utilized from August, 1906, until June. 1908. when a loss of several thousand dollars was again entailed by flood, to be followed by the complete destruction of the plant by fire on the 23rd of the follow- ing August.
Though fortune seemed implacable in its animosity, Mr. Hauber, encouraged by his family and many friends, proved equal to this emer- gency, as had he to those that had preceded-making losses twice by fire and twice by flood within a period of five years. He rebuilt on the Mill street site a modern slack barrel plant. and this property he sold in the spring of 1910 to the Kansas City Terminal Railway Company. Ile then purchased an advantageons site at the corner of Seventeenth street and Osage avenue, and here was completed January, 1911, the erection and equipment of the largest and most modern cooperage plant in the west with the most approved machinery for the manufacturing of harrels and kindred products. In the carrying forward of this important indus- trial enterprise, Mr. Hauber has the effective co-operation of his elder sons, who have charge of various departments and who are all young men of sterling character and marked business aenmen. Further assistance
is rendered by Mr. Hauber's eldest daughter, who is the bookkeeper and stenographer for the coneern. Several years ago the firm maintained branch establishments at Topeka and Emporia, Kansas, and Siloam Springs. Arkansas, but it has been found expedient to concentrate and centralize the business in Kansas City and the various branches have been discontinued. As a citizen and business man, Mr. Hauber com- mands unequivocal confidence and esteem in his home city and his repu- tation for fair and honorable dealings constitute the most valuable asset of the business which he has built up under many discouraging condi- tions. He is loyal, progressive and public spirited, is a stanch sup- porter of the cause of the Democratic party. but he has never sought or desired publie office of any order.
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