Portrait and biographical album of Jackson, Jefferson and Pottawatomie Counties, Kansas : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, Part 16

Author:
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago : Chapman Bros.
Number of Pages: 788


USA > Kansas > Jackson County > Portrait and biographical album of Jackson, Jefferson and Pottawatomie Counties, Kansas : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens > Part 16
USA > Kansas > Jefferson County > Portrait and biographical album of Jackson, Jefferson and Pottawatomie Counties, Kansas : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens > Part 16
USA > Kansas > Pottawatomie County > Portrait and biographical album of Jackson, Jefferson and Pottawatomie Counties, Kansas : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens > Part 16


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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A native of Barnesville, Belmont Co., Ohio, Mr. Brady was born Sept. 30, 1838, and resided in that town until he was twenty years of age. He was fitted for a teacher, and consequently his edu- cation was unusally thorough and complete. In 1858 he went to Logan County, Ohio, where he taught one year. There he became so deeply in- terested in one of his pupils, Sarah Lorey, that he persuaded her to become his wife. They were married in Lincoln, March 16, 1859, and thence removed to South Point, Mo. This community


was intensely Southern in its sympathies, and was, therefore, so unpleasant for Mr. Brady and his wife that they removed to Greene County, Ill., and made it their home for four years.


Being an ardent and enthusiastic supporter of the principles of the Union, Mr. Brady enlisted in the 61st Illinois Infantry, and was elected Second Lieutenant of Company A. On account of poor health, he was refused when the medical examina- tion was made. During the war, however, he did good service in assisting to keep the guerrillas down. While living in Jersey County, Ill., busi- ness called him away from home during the sum- mer of 1864, and his wife was greatly troubled by the rebels, who had overrun the county. Sev- eral times they took possession of the house, and on more than one occasion she drove them away from her home at the point of the revolver. In 1870 Mr. Brady sold his home in Jersey County, Ill., with the intention of going to Nebraska, but instead settled in Henderson County, Ill., where he had secured a school. There they sojourned until 1874, and then, having rented a farm about four- teen miles distant in Warren County, the same State, they removed to it, and he was engaged in farming for five years.


Upon removing to Kansas, in 1879, Mr. Brady lived in Brown County, about forty rods from where he now resides. HIe bought eighty acres, which he improved, and then purchased a piece of wild, uncultivated land on section 2. This he brought to a fine state of cultivation, and further embellished it with a small frame residence, 14x24 feet, putting up good fences, and planting an orchard of fifty apple trees. His present property was broken and improved when he purchased it, and he afterward set out 700 trees, all being choice varieties of apples, and now in fine bearing con - dition. He is of the opinion that the south sum- mer wind is the most injurious, and has therefore placed his wind break on the south instead of the north. Upon his farm he keeps stock enough to eat his corn.


A family of nine children was born to our sub- . ject and his wife, of whom six survive. They were named respectively: Katurah Virginia, now Mrs. George Miller, of Brown County; Frank D.,


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who married Alice MeNara, daughter of John Mc- Nara, of Atchison County, and lives on his father's farm; Arthur Lee, now in business at Horton : George A., also 'in business with his brother, at Horton; Walter G., who died in Illinois, at the age of seven months; Ella M. and Lorey M., twins, who are deceased; Fred H. and Florence E., who are attending school. In the interval between 1885 and 1888 Mr. Brady took his family to Mor- rill, where they resided. He bought property there, which he still owns, though the family has returned to the old home place. This removal was made for the benefit of their children, who made rapid advancement in their studies while in school at Morrill. The family are members of the Chris- tian Church, and regular attendants thereof. Mr. Brady votes the straight Republican ticket, and is an energetic worker in the ranks of that party.


With reference to the ancestry of Mr. Brady, he was the son of John and Nancy ( Moore) Brady, the latter being the daughter of William and Ellen Moore, of Loudoun County, Va. In that county the mother of our subject was born and reared; there also she married, removing later to Ohio. This long journey was made by her on horseback, while her husband walked. Upon arriving in Ohio, they had a cash capital of $2.50, but their poverty did not daunt them, for they had unlimited confi- dence in their strong hands and stout hearts to overcome every obstacle in their way. John Brady came from Londonderry, Ireland, when a young man. He was of Scotch-Irish stock, and took part in the War of 1812, and also in the Mexican War. Grandfather Moore likewise took part in the War of 1812, while the great-grandfather of the same name took part in the Revolutionary War.


The father of Mrs. Brady was Silas Lorey, a na- tive of New Jersey, and the only child in the family. Ile married Maria Gates, danghter of Samuel and Elizabeth Gates, the former of whom was a soldier in the War of 1812, and later left his home in Pennsylvania and located in the frontier districts of Ohio. The father of Mrs. Brady was left an orphan when only a babe. He had one sis- ter, who was reared by a family in New York. He was an only son, and she an only daughter. He was born in New Jersey and reared and educated


in New York City, where he learned the trade of a shoemaker. His health failing, he purchased a farm in Athens County, Ohio, where his death ocenrred, at the early age of forty years.


E LI LICKLYTER. The main points in the career of this representative citizen of Cedar Township, are as follows: lle was born in Jefferson County, Ind., Sept. 3, 1837, and when six years old was deprived of a father's care by death. His mother was left with five children in limited circumstances, and Eli, being the only son, was compelled to assist her in gaining a livelihood, thus obtaining a very limited education. When ten years old his mother was married the second time, and Eli then left home and occupied himself at whatever he could find to do among the farmers in his neighborhood, where he found friends, and at the age of fifteen years was paid more than ordin- arily good wages.


When a youth of seventeen years, young Lick- lyter, in 1854, went to Illinois, and thence in Feb- ruary, 1857, came to Kansas. He sojourned a short time in Leavenworth, then came to Jackson County, and when nineteen years old took up a claim in partnership with another man, from the Delaware Lands, which had been put into the hands of the Government by the Delaware Indians. He had no money and proceedled with the improvement of his property as best he could, sojourning there until enlisting as a soldier in the Union army during the second year of the war. In the meantime he was married, in 1859, to Miss Susan, a daughter of George W. Davis, then of Indiana, but who is now farming in Jackson County, Kan. Of this union there was born one child, a daughter, Mary, who is now a resident of Birmingham, and is married to John R. Douglas; they have three children. Mrs. Susan Licklyter departed this life in 1864, during the absence of her husband in the army.


Mr. Licklyter, in 1862, enlisted in Company B, 11th Kansas Infantry, in which he served until the close of the war, mostly in Missouri and Arkansas. In February, 1865, his regiment was sent to the West, as far as Montana, to quell the Indian out-


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break, and during the tedious march which followed lost some of its best men. Our subject, however, was neither wounded nor captured and returned with his remaining comrades to Ft. Leavenworth, where in September, 1865, he was mustered out. He then returned to his farm, where he remained until 1867. Then coming to Northern Kansas, he purchased the land which he now owns, securing first 100 acres and later adding to it, until he is now the owner of 427 acres lying along Cedar Creek, a fine body of land with plenty of timber. He has been very successful as a farmer in the Sunflower State, having never suffered a total failure of crops, and always having plenty for all purposes. In 1866 he was married, a second time, to Miss Rose A., daughter of R. W. Lister. The parents of Mrs. Licklyter were natives of Tennessee and came to Kansas in 1857, taking up their abode in Douglas Township, where the father is living on a farm: the mother also is still living. Of this union there has been born six children, viz: John, Rose, Cora, Eli- jah, Cleveland and a babe unnamed. Politically, Mr. Licklyter is a sound Democrat. He farms on a large scale and makes a specialty of graded stock. Ile is a member of the G. A. R. His father was John Licklyter, a native of Pennsylvania, and a farmer by occupation. The maiden name of the mother was Mary Griffey, daughter of Benjamin Griffey, of Kentucky, and the third in a family of five children. Grandfather Griffey was a farmer by occupation, and spent his last days in Gibson County, Ind.


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DAM SCOTT is one of the wealthiest and most prominent men of Pottawatomie Township. He is a man of more than ordinary intelligence and well informed upon all the current topics of interest. IIis pleas- ant home is located on section 3, and is a monn- ment to his sagacity in business affairs and is a delightful retreat from the cares and struggles of an active life in the world's hive of industry.


Mr. Scott was born in Roxburghshire, Scotland, ten miles from the English border, on May 16, 1828. His father, Robert, now deceased, was also


a native of the same place and was reared on the same farm as that upon which our subject grew to manhood. Father and son were always farmers and made it their business to be good ones, keeping a keen lookout for every thing that promised im- provement in methods of work or increase in the measure of success to be attained. The common schools of his native place furnished the subject of this notice with a fair acquaintance with the practi- cal part of an education, and his own reading and observation have contributed their share towards making him the intelligent, weil-read man that he is to-day.


On Jan. 16, 1852, Mr. Scott and Miss Elizabeth Anderson were united in the bonds of matrimony. Mrs. Scott is a daughter of Thomas Anderson who was a native of Scotland. To Mr. and Mrs. Scott have been born twelve children of whom one is deceased. Those living are: Thomas A., Robert, Alex M., Adam, David, Sybella, William, Ebene- zer, Elizabeth 1., Charles and John M. One daughter, Agnes, died when a young lady of twenty-six years of age, deeply regretted by a large circle of friends and acquaintances to whom she was endeared by her many good qualities and amiable disposition. Thomas married Miss Mary McClymont and resides in Chicago. By a previous marriage he became the father of one child, Walter M .; Robert married Miss Ella Sanders and has one child, Clarence; is Cashier of the First National Bank of Wamego, Kan., and resides in a cozy resi- dence in that place; Adam took Miss Minnie Jef- frey for his life partner and makes his home in Lenora, Kan. One child, Agnes, makes sunshine in their hearts and perpetuates the memory of the Agnes who basks in the light of the beautiful home above.


Adam Scott brought his family to the United States iu 1870, and located on his present place which he has improved and added to the original purchase until the present fine and extensive estate is the result of his well directed industry and ex- cellent management. His wife and family have nobly seconded all his efforts and to them is due their meed of praise. The farm of Mr. Scott com- prises some 1,400 acres of land, part of which is de- voted to the purposes of stock-raising, to which


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business he owes a large portion of his wealth. He and his family are held in high regard by the com- munity in which they live and Mr. Scott is now serving his third term as Justice of the Peace, in which office he gives universal satisfaction, but he is not desirous of official honors and can not be persuaded to enter the political arena. He performs his duty as a citizen by casting his ballot for the men of his choice, whom he has always fonnd thus far in the ranks of the Republican Party. Our sub- ject and his family are consistent members of the Congregational Church, to which they are also liberal contributors.


IMON B. COCKRELL. The mercantile interests of Garrison and vicinity are worthily represented by the subject of this notice, who is one of the most prominent men in his community, liberal and public-spirited, and closely identified with its social and material welfare. He is young in years, having been born Nov. 7, 1863, and a native of Pottawatomie County, his birth taking place in Shannon Township, at the family homestead. His father, Mordecai Cockrell, was a native of Washington County, Ind., and was born Oct. 6, 1821.


The father of our subject, when a lad of ten years, crossed over the frontier with his parents into Illinois, and sojourned there until reaching manhood. He then cmigrated across the Missis- sippi to Cass County, Mo., where he sojourned un- til 1857. That year he came to Kansas, and located in Shannon Township, Pottawatomie County, where he now lives. He opened up a farm from a tract of wild land, and by a course of industry and pru- denee constructed a comfortable homestead, and established himself in the confidence and esteem of his neighbors. The paternal grandfather, Alexan- der Cockrell, was born in Powell's Valley, Va., where he pursued his life-long occupation of farm- ing. When sixty-eight years of age he came to Kansas, on a visit to his son, and died in Pottawato- mie County. Hle traced his ancestry to Wales.


The mother of our subject was in her girlhood Miss Keziah Bishop. She was born in Clay County,


Ill., Oct. 6, 1820, and lived there until reaching womanhood. Of her union with Mordecai Cock- rell there was born a family of eleven children : Martha, the eldest. died at the age of forty-one years; Susannah when thirty-eight years old; Mary at the age of thirty-six; and Margaret when one year old. The others were named, respectively : Cintelia, Moses. Esther, Frances S., Sarah E. Emma J. and Simon. Simon was the youngest born, and spent the years of his boyhood and youth at the old homestead, remaining there until a young man of twenty-four years. Then starting out for himself, he embarked in the hardware business at Garrison, in which he is still successfully engaged. He has been quite prominent in local affairs, and is at present serving as a member of the School Board and as Township Treasurer. In politics he is a decided Demoerat.


Mr. Cockrell was married, at the bride's home in Jackson County, Kan., May 16, 1888, to Miss Aggie Dick. This lady was born in Platte County, Mo., July 21, 1863, and is the daughter of the Rev. Charles Dick, a native of Kentucky, who came with his family to Kansas in 1864, and is now living in Jackson County. There has been born to Mr. and Mrs. Cockrell one child, who died in infancy. They occupy a neat home in the south part of the village, and a good position, socially, among its leading people.


AMES COONEY. The Irish citizens and farmers in Jackson County, have a fine rep- resentative in the gentleman above named, who is one of the most thorough agricultul- ists in the county, and whose record as a citizen is irreproachable. His residence is located on section 34, Franklin Township, where he owns 160 acres of productive land, and is also the fortunate possessor of 130 acres additional. The residence, barn, etc., on his place are more than ordinarily well built, and the whole estate bears an appearance of thrift and prosperity that to the eyes of the stranger would mark it as the home of a man of progressive ideas, good judgment and enterprise.


The birth of Mr. Cooney took place in the Em-


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erald Isle Aug. 22, 1842, and about nine years later he was brought by his parents to America. They first settled in New York, and later in Tazewell County, Ill., where the father subsequently died. Their son James, the subject of this sketch, lived with his parents as long as they remained upon earth, and continued to make his home in Tazewell County until 1884, in the spring of which year he made his settlement on his present estate.


The rites of wedlock were celebrated in Tazewell County, Ill., between Mr. Cooney and Miss Mar- garet Flynn, who was also a native of the Emerald Isle. This estimable lady has borne her husband nine children: Mary, Stasia, William, Edward, Maggie and Thomas; three deceased-Ellen, Cath- arine and James. Mary is the wife of Thomas Whalen, and the mother of three children-Sarah, David and James.


Mr. Cooney has been a member of the School Board, and is much interested in the cause of edu- cation. and an increase in the efficiency of the schools, which already rank so high among those of the Nation. In politics he is a Democrat; he belongs to the Catholic Church. The keen percep- tion and the quick wit of the Irishman are not often better displayed than they have been in the life of this gentleman, who keeps abreast of the times in everything which pertains to farm life and work, and who has an intelligent understanding of the . events transpiring about him. His fellow-citizens of Irish birth or ancestry may well be pleased with his record as a man and citizen, and point to it with pride.


OHN RABENSTORF. This gentleman has made his home in this section of Kansas for almost thirty years, residing first in Nemaha and later in Jackson County, and his up- right character, his honorable record as a soldier in the cause of the Union, and his efforts to advance himself in life while laboring under a disability to do hard work, alike entitle him to respect. He now owns 560 acres of land in Netawaka Town- ship, Jackson County, and for the past fifteen years has made stock raising his principal business.


Prussia is the native land of our subject, and


there he lived from the day of his birth, Nov. 14, 1835, until he had passed the age of twenty-one, when, believing that America afforded better opportunities for his advancement than did his native land, he took passage across the Atlantic. His parents, .John and Doratha (Trip) Rabenstorf, lived on a farm, and his earlier life was spent there. For a time before leaving his native land he was occupied in the hotel business in the town of Grovesvault, Germany. When in 1857 he be- came a resident of the United States, he located in Watertown. and afterward in Beaver Dam, Wis. In April, 1860, he changed his place of abode to Nemaha County, Kan., about six miles from where he now lives.


The warlike spirit which is so early instilled into the breasts of German citizens, was roused by the attack upon the Union and the call to arms which rang through the northern States, and in October, 1861, the young Prussian offered his services to the North. He became a member of Company H. 2d Kansas Cavalry, and served in Kansas, Mis- souri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Indian Territory, Mississippi and Texas. The spring following his enlistment, in company with 175 men and officers, he was detailed from the regiment in which he was enrolled, to form the 2d Kansas Artillery, which organization was kept up until fall, when it was so decimated that the men who survived were returned to their foriner regiments. The Cavalry troop in which our sub- ject saw most of his army experience, took part in some of the large engagements of the war, and in the intervals was almost continuously scouting and skirmishing with the bushwhackers in Missouri, Arkansas and Kansas.


In the spring of 1864, Mr. Rabenstorf was ser- iously injured while the troops were on the Wash- ington River, engaged in one of their raids. IIis horse became frightened by a heavy clap of thun- der, and jumped a stake and rider fence with him. The horn of the saddle caused a rupture large enough to insert the hand in the wound, through which the bowels protruded. Mr. Rabenstorf lay in the hospital for more than six months, and was finally discharged in December, 1864. The doctor offered to procure him a pension, but he refused to


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take it at that time, hoping and believing that he could made a living for himself. When he after- ward became unfit for work on account of the in- jury, he accepted a pension of $8 per month, which he has ever since been drawing.


After receiving his discharge at Ft. Leavenworth, Mr. Robenstorf returned to his former neighbor- hood in Nemaha County, and a few months later bought a part of the land on which he now lives, and in 1867 began the improvements thereon. A log cabin 16x26 feet, with loose fence boards for flooring, was his first dwelling here, and it was occupied by two families, as our subject was unfit to do heavy work, and had to have assistance. Half of all the crops raised were given to his helper. The house cost $50, and was built by its owner's own hands, and the original 160 acres upon which it stood were purchased for $475. The homestead and the 400 acres which have been added to it are now well cultivated and cared for, and bear substantial improvements. Three houses are now upon the estate, the large residence which the owner now occupies having been erected in 1876. It consists of a main part and L, each 16x28 feet and two stories high, and all with hard finish plastering and paint. The barn which is now in use was also erected in 1876. All the fencing upon the estate is done with hedges, and about 300 apple trees, grapes and other fruits, and a number of shade and ornamental trees, further beautify the place. All the grain raised upon it, is consumed for family needs and for feeding.


At the home of the bride in Nemaha County, Sept. 19, 1869, the marriage rites of Mr. Rabens- torf and Miss Christina Zabel were celebrated. The bride is a daughter of Frederick and Louisa (Zabel) Zabel, who emigrated from the Fatherland when the daughter was but five years of age, and settled near Watertown, Wis. They afterward moved to Farmington County, where Mrs. Rabens- torf was reared and educated, and whence they came to Nemaha County when she was seventeen years of age. IIer father now lives at Wetmore, a few miles distant from her own home. The newly wedded couple began their married life in the "log cabin on the claim," which the young bride kept orderly and neat. The happy couple have been


blessed by the birth of a large family of children, of whom four died in infancy. John F., the eldest child living, is now a lad of twelve years. Fol- lowing him are George W., Eddie E., Carl C., Clara Elizabeth, and Louisa, the baby.


The suffrage of our subject is given to the Demo- cratic party. He and his wife belong to the Lib- eral Evangelical Lutheran Church.


- OHN PETER RIEDERER, proprietor of Elk Mills, which are extensively patronized by the citizens of Franklin Township, is one of the most popular men of his community. He was born in the canton of Grubenton, Switzer- land, June 29, 1834, and came with his parents to America when a lad ten years of age. They settled in Wisconsin, where John P. lived until a young man of twenty-three years. Then, in June, 1857, leaving the Badger State, he came to Kansas, and pre-empted 160 acres of wild land on section 1, Franklin Township, where he has since lived. In 1880 he built a stone roller-mill, which has a capa- city of fifty barrels daily, and which he operates successfully in connection with his farm. The lat- ter is embellished with good buildings, and other substantial improvements, and is 240 acres in ex- tent. Under the careful management of the pro- prietor, it has become the source of a handsome income.


At the age of twenty-two years, Mr. Riederer was married in Washington County, Wis .. October, 1856, to Miss Johanna Hildebrandt. This lady was born in the Kingdom of Prussia, Oct. 26, 1838, and by her union with our subject, has become the mother of eleven children: William F. is a resident of Seattle, Wash .; Louisa is now the wife of William Zable, of Franklin Township; Elizabeth is the wife of IIenry Boothe, of Stafford County, this State; Caro- line married Peter Youngdorf, a farmer of Frank- lin Township; Emma, Mrs. J. B. Besore, lives in Ness County ; Edward, Albert, Henry, and An- drew, are at home with their parents; Rosetta and Wilhelmina died at the ages of three years and eighteen months, respectively. Mrs. Johanna Ried- erer departed this life at the homestead in Frank-


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lin Township, Aug. 2. 1878. She was a lady of many estimable qualities, and a member in good standing of the Evangelical Church. Mr. Riederer is a stanch Republican, politically, and at the time of Price's raid, was enrolled in the State militia.


The father of our subject was Andrew Riederer, a native of Switzerland, who married a Miss Dori- tha, a maiden of his own country. They emigrated to America in 1845, settling in Washington County, Wis., where they lived until 1857, then coming to Kansas Territory, settled in Leavenworth County. Two years later, they changed their residence to Stranger Creek, in that county, and a year after- ward removed to Jackson, where they spent their last days. Their family consisted of five sons and four daughters, of whom John Peter was the eld- est born. A sketch of his brother, Jacob, one of the prominent men of Liberty Township, will be found elsewhere in this volume.




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