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 46
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 46
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 46
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In 1859, the father of Mr. Forrester went to California, and the last that was heard from him by his wife was in July, 1868, when he was at
Elko, Nev., on his way to the White Pine mines, in that State. It is supposed that he was murdered by Indians. The mother of our subject, Casandra (Pinick) Forrester, is a daughter of Thomas Pinick, now deceased, and a native of Ohio. The parental family consisted of eight children, of whom six have survived the storms of life to the present time. They are: Joann, now Mrs. Porter; George W., the subject of this sketch; Lucian L., Will- ianı, 1Ielen (St. Clair), aud Edward. One son, named Jerome B., was killed on the retreat from Lynchburg while fighting for the Union. A daughter, Sarah (Davis), died in Montana, leav- ing a husband and two children. Mother For- rester lives in Santa Maria, Santa Barbara Co., Cal., and the brothers of our subject are residents of the same place. His two sisters reside in Nevada at a place called in the forcible language of the mining regions, Death Station.
Mr. Forrester was reared on a farm, and edn- cated in a school that assembled for instruction in an old log cabin, where the seats were of slabs, and the desks of boards fastened into the wall with wooden pins. The instruction imparted was about equal to the average of that day. but would hardly be considered good if measured by the standard of the present time. Mr. Forrester is an engineer, and operated an engine in the oil regions of West Virginia for several years, his field of labor being in the White Oak oil district. In 1868 he re- moved to Kansas, arriving in Wamego on April 18. Ile made his home with his uncle, Cassel Forrester, at the head of Indian Creek, for about one year, then took up a claim on Coal Creek for himself. Shortly afterward his mother, accompa- nied by her other sons and two daughters, came out to where our subject had taken up land, and they all kept house together. He homesteaded eighty acres, and after seeing his mother and her family comfortably settled on the place he went to Adams Creek, where he attended school during the winter of 1870-71, boarding with a Mr. Clark.
Dec. 17, 1871, Mr. Forrester and Miss Nancy E. Anderson were united in marriage. Mrs. For- rester is a daughter of James Anderson (deceased), and accompanied her widowed mother to Adams Creek in 1869. They moved from Greencastle,
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Ind., and settled on a farm in Pottawatomie County. After the marriage of Mr. Forrester he operated the farm of his mother-in-law for one year, and then bought eighty acres of land adjoin- ing the place which he owns at present. A por- tion of his original purchase is yet in his possession, but the balance has been disposed of.
In October, 1875, Mr. Forrester took his wife and child and started for Northwestern Texas. The journey was made in a wagon, and the travelers met with the trials that were the usual accompani- ments of such a mode of travel in those days. They returned to the home of Mrs. Anderson in February, 1876, in the same manner as that in which they left, and at once began to farm on her place. After a residence of one year on the Ander- son farm, Mr. Forrester rented a place on Coal Creek, where he remained one year. In 1878 he bought twenty acres of land in Union Township, being part of the place which he now owns. He removed his family to that place, and resided there until the fall of 1883, when he went to California with his family, but returned in the spring of 1884. . In July of that year he engaged in the mercantile business in Westmoreland, but in the spring of the next year sold out his store and returned to his farm, where he has resided from that time to the present.
Mr. Forrester has traveled quite extensively, and is familiar with a large portion of our country. In 1887 he revisited California, and the next year made a pleasant trip to his former home in Vir- ginia to see his old friends, of whom he has many. Our subject is a prosperous man, and his success has been achieved by his own efforts, aided by his prudent and amiable wife. Besides operating his large farm he owns a number of fine, high-grade horses, and follows stock-raising with profitable success. He also deals in cattle and hogs, and finds the business a good one, financially considered. His horses are of Norman and Clydesdale breeds. He owns a stallion of high grade of each breed, and has been eminently successful in his chosen voca- tion.
Mr. and Mrs. Forrester are the parents of six children, named respectively: Edgar G., Sylvester W., Martha C., Cora E., Laura B., and George W.
They are a bright and intelligent family, and give promise of great future usefulness. Mr. Forrester enjoys the confidence of the community, and has been Township Trustee in Union Township, and also occupied the same position in Rock Creek Township while a resident of that district.
OHN WITTS, one of the most prominent and intelligent German farmers of Potta- watomie County, resides on section 27, Union Township. Ile was born in Rhein- beim, Germany, April 7, 1840. His father. Henry Witts, was a native of the same place, and some years ago passed over the river to the silent land beyond. Our subject came to the United States in 1849, in the care of an uncle, who settled in New York City. Soon afterward Jolin was sent to a farmer in Delaware County, N. Y., where he remained some time, and then went to another farmer, living near La Crosse, Wis. He lived for a short time on Black River, in Wisconsin, and then began life for himself, a poor boy of only twelve years of age. He first employed himself making shingles, which he rafted down the Black River to the Mississippi, then down that stream to Mc- Gregor, Iowa, where he sold them. Subsequent to that exploit he journeyed on down the ever-en- larging Mississippi to Nebraska City, where he remained a short while. He soon secured work as a driver of an ox-team. The route of travel lay across the plains to Salt Lake City, whither they were conveying Government supplies to Maj. Russell, Waddell & Co. Our subject followed that occupation until 1858, in which year he went to Pike's Peak and engaged in mining gold. In June, 1861, he abandoned that business and started Eastward. In August of that year, while in Leaven . worth, he enlisted in the 1st Kansas Battery, het- ter known as the "Tom Moonlight Battery." It belonged to the Light Artillery arm of the service, and our subject remained in the army till the close of the war, a period of four years. He participated in the battles of Drywood, Morristown, Osceola, Prairie Grove, Newtonia, Ft. Wayne. Cane Hill, Johnsonville, Tenn., Nashville, and a number of
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others. IIe was honorably discharged at Leaven- worth, in August, 1865, and shortly afterward set ont to secure a home for himself. He visited Pot- tawatomie County, and remained till some time in 1866, when he decided to locate in the county, and made choice of the farm on which he now resides, and which has been his home from that time to the present.
On the 28th of January, 1866, Mr. Witts was married to Miss Charlotte Wyckoff, daughter of Nicholas Wyckoff, who is now deceased. She is a lady in every way worthy to be the wife of a hero, and is highly esteemed by her neighbors. Mr. and Mrs. Witts have become the parents of ten children, namely: George, Barbara, Ilenry, Margaret, Ellit, John E., Mary, Thomas, Jessie and Glenn. Margaret married Edward Edwards, of Belvue Township, Pottawatomie County, and is the mother of two children-Ethel Lee and an in- fant girl.
Mr. Witts is a very popular man in his district, and has been elected to several offices of trust and responsibility. He is now filling the office of Jus -. tice of the Peace, and has been Constable, School Director and Doorkeeper of the House of Repre- sentatives, at Topeka. Ile is a member of the G. A. R., and takes an active part in the political affairs of his county. He is an earnest Republican, and believes in American principles and American institutions. His popularity is attested by the fact that of the 125 votes cast for Doorkeeper in the State Legislature, in 1888, 110 were cast for Mr. Witts. While in attendance at the reunion of the G. A. R., at Wamego, in 1884, our subject met with a sad accident, by which he lost his arm. By some means the cannon which was being ex- hibited as the first one which he used in the late war, was discharged prematurely, and the result was that he had his arm shot off. This untoward event was deeply deplored by his comrades, who strove in every way possible to mitigate his suffer- ings and assist him to successfully wage the battle of life in spite of his loss.
Mr. Witts owns and operates 320 acres of land, and, as is usual in this State, combines with the business of general farming that of stock-raising, in all of which he has been successful. His cattle are
Short-horns; swine, Poland-China; and horses, Norman. He has all his land fenced, and the fenc- ing, if placed in a line, would stretch away to the extent of eleven miles. He has, in addition, all the necessary outbuildings and a comfortable residence,
Mrs. Witts was born April 4, 1850, in Wapello County, Iowa, and came with her parents to Kansas in 1856. They settled on the farm which is now in the possession of our subject, at a time when In- dians and wild animals were numerous, and some- times troublesome. Mr. Wyckoff, the father of Mrs. Witts, pre-empted 160 acres of land, and afterward added 160 acres more, which he im- proved, and which has been still further im- proved, according to the newer methods in vogue at the present time, by the present owner, Mr. Witts. At the time of the first settlement of the farm of Mr. Witts, when it was in the possession of Mr. Wyckoff, it adjoined the Pottawatomie In- dian Reservation, and they were the nearest neigh- bors and most frequent visitors. Mrs. Witts was, therefore, early inured to the hardships and trials peculiar to the pioneer times, and has had many thrilling experiences of life in the "Wild West." Nevertheless, she is a modest, Christian woman and an affectionate wife and mother.
NDREW McKOWEN is the owner and occupant of 280 acres of fertile farm land in Pottawatomic County, and is engaged in general farming and stock-raising, in- tending to make a specialty of the culture of various kinds of fruit. His residence is on the southwest quarter of section 25, Center Township, and is a well-built and commodious structure, surrounded by adequate and substantial farm buildings. The whole estate bears an appearance of prosperity and good management, which is quite in keeping with the financial standing and ability of the owner.
The subject of this biography is of Irish an- cestry and parentage, though both his parents lived in the United States from their childhood. His father, Thomas McKowen, was born in Ireland in 1787, and accompanied his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew McKowen, to the United States, when
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about ten years of age. The family located in Pennsylvania, where the grandfather died when about eighty years of age. Ile was a weaver by occupation and was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Thomas McKowen subsequently went to Hancock County, Ind .. where he lived until sev- enty-two years old, when he was gathered to his fathers. He was a United States soldier during the War of 1812. His occupation was that of a cooper, and his political adherence was given to the Democracy. His wife, whose maiden name was Margaret McClelland, crossed the Atlantic with her parents when four years old. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church. She was fifty-eight years old when called from earth. Twelve chil- dren were given to them, their names being Jane, Elizabeth, Sarah, Mary, Andrew, William, Thomas, Joseph H., Cowden P., Margaret R., Martha J., and Sarah F. All but four are deceased.
The birth of Andrew MeKowen took place in Alleghany County, Pa., May 5, 1822, and be was reared and educated in that State, his home being on a farm. In 1811, he went to Hancock County, Ind., where he remained until 1857, when he came to this county, where for about five years he was an overseer, and participated in the pioneer life and work, and in the scenes which preceded the admission of Kansas to the Union. In 1862, he offered his services as a teamster in the Union Army, and discharged the hazardous duties until sickness compelled his release. Receiving an hon- orable discharge, he went back to the Hoosier State, where he remained until 1866. Hfe then re- turned to this State, and resided in St. George until 1877, when he purchased 160 acres of land, which forms a part of his present estate, and took up his residence in Center Township. where he is looked upon as one of its best citizens. Through his good judgment and wise conduct of his affairs, together with his industrious habits. he has been prospered "in basket and store." Hle never con- tracts a debt, and in all his dealings is honorable and just. In politics, he is a Republican, and has held several minor offices.
Mr. McKowen has been twice married. His first marriage took place in 1848, the bride being Miss Louisa Priddy, who was born in Hancock County,
Ind., in 1830, and was torn from her family by the hand of Death, April 13. 1858. The union bad resulted in the birth of four children: Mary E., Margaret J., Andrew S. and Amos L. Two of these are now deceased: Amos L. died at the age of two years, five months and twenty-one days; and Andrew S. at the age of seven months and ten days.
The second marriage of Mr. McKowen was cele- brated on the 4th of July. 1859, and the lady who became his wife was Miss Sophronia Torrey. She was born in Indiana in 1837, and was a daughter of Erastus and Annie Torrey, who were natives of New York and Indiana respectively. They were early settlers in this State, to which they removed in 1856. Mr. Torrey was a farmer, and during the Black Hawk War was a Major in the army. His death took place when he was about seventy-three years old. The second union of Mr. McKowen was blessed by the birth of nine children, all still living. Their names are respectively: Annie L., George W., William II., Maria L .. Julia F., Thomas D., Hulda J., James E. and Martha E. Th mother of this interesting group was taken from the sor- rowing family circle Feb. 6, 1880.
IMOTHY D. MILLS. It has been said of this leading merchant of Wamego that, "there is more energy wrapped up in his physique than falls to the average man." Ilis hon- esty and integrity have become proverbial. He conduets a store of general merchandise in which he has built up a large and lucrative trade, and holds the office of secretary of the Merchant's Mercantile Association, and occupies the same position in connection with the Wabaunsee and Pottawatomie Fair Associations. The friend of edu- cation and progress, he is always to be found encour- aging the enterprises best calculated for the general good of the people.
A native of Lewis County, N. Y., the subject of this sketch was born Aug. 13. 1837, and is the son of Hiram and Betsey A.(Rogers) Mills who were likewise natives of that county. The mother has arrived at the age of seventy-one years. Hiram
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Mills is seventy-seven years old and is a very intel- ligent, active old gentleman, preserving much of the vigor of his younger years. He is widely and favorably known to a large portion of his com- munity where he is held in general respect. He resided in New York State from the time of his birth until 1882. For many years during the win- ter season he was engaged as a eanvasser for the leading periodicals, a business in which he was highly successful. Aside from this he was engaged in farming. The parental household consisted of five children, four of whom are living, Timothy D., being the eldest.
Mr. Mills received an academie education in his native State and began his mercantile life as elerk in a store at the age of fourteen years. He thus occupied himself for five years and in 1856, leav- ing the Empire State, emigrated to Elgin, Ill., where he sojourned about three years, occupying his time in clerking in a general store. Later he spent one year in Chicago in the dry goods store of Potter Palmer, then coming to Topeka, Kan., he took up a tract of Government land (160 acres) where he put out four miles of hedge, fencing it into twenty and forty-acre lots. This hedge was planted mostly by his own hands. He also set out a large apple orchard and numbers of peach trees, the latter especially yielding bounteously and of fruit whose qualities commanded a fancy price in the market at Topeka. In due time Mr. Mills had one of the finest farms in Shawnee County. He had embarked in this enterprise on account of impaired health, the result of too close application to indoor business. Fifteen years of farm life built up his constitution to a wonderful degree, and preferring mercantile pur- suits he then, in 1875, moved to Wamego and opened up a general store. He handles groceries, grain and produce of all kinds and makes a spee- ialty of shipping sweet potatoes and apples, send- ing off in one year of the former as many as 3,000 barrels. This business is constantly growing and yields handsome returns.
One of the most interesting and important events in the life of Mr. Mills, was his marriage which occured over thirty-two years ago, in 1857, the bride being Miss Lavina S. Smith and the wedding tak- ing place in Elgin, Ill. Mrs. Mills was born in
Elgin, Ill., upon the same day, month and year, as her husband, and is the daughter of Jerome B. Smith who was formerly a hardware merchant of Elgin, but is now deceased. The parental family consisted of seven children. Mrs. Mills grew up under the home roof to an attractive womanhood and was more than usually intelligent. She was given a first-class education and was graduated from a female seminary in New York State after having attended the seminary at Rockford, Ill. She subsequently was a teacher in the public school of Elgin. At an early age she evineed fine musical talents and became proficient as a vocalist and musician, having a strong alto voice which is mueh in demand in church choirs and upon social occasions. This talent has been transmitted in a marked degree to their only daughter, Geraldine, a child of eleven years, who is a fine performer on the organ and piano.
Four children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Mills, as follows : Jay B., Oct. 1, 1860; George W., Dee. 29., 1863: Frank, May 25, 1875, and Gerald- ine, May 9, 1878. The parents have exercised great care in the education of these children who form a most interesting group and of whom they may be pardonably proud. Mr. and Mrs. Mills are members in good standing of the Baptist Church, in which Mr. Mills has officiated as Deacon, Sunday-school teacher and Superintendent for many years. He takes a warm interest in polities and votes the straight Republican tieket. In for- mer years he was a member of the School Board of his township.
NDERSON BROTHERS, editors and pro- prietors of the Westmoreland Indicator, are leading newspaper men of Kansas, where they have made their home since 1870. These three brothers, whose interests are so closely identified, and who are contributing their talents and energies to mold the political history of Pot- tawatomie County, are the sons of Peyton Wesley and Sarah A. (Sturgis) Anderson, natives respect- ively of Kentucky and Ohio. They were married in Southern Indiana, and there the wife and mother
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passed to her final rest Jan. 20, 1863. The father was by occupation a farmer, and was a soldier in the Civil War. In 1861 he enlisted in Company A, 6th Indiana Infantry, serving three years and three months, and participating in many of the principal engagements, being at Shiloh, Corinth, Lookout Mountain, Stone River and numerous minor bat- tles. Ile was fortunate enough to pass through the campaign without being either wounded or impris- oned, though in consequence of exposure his health was seriously impaired.
After peace had been established Peyton W. Anderson pursued the even tenor of his way in : Indiana, where he continued, as before the war, to till the soil. Not feeling entirely satisfied with the prospect before him in the Hoosier State, in 1870 he came to Kansas and settled in Louisville, Potta- watomnie County. This is still his home, though now (1889) at the age of sixty-nine years, he has retired from the more active duties of life. In polities he is a stanch Republican, ever interested in the success of his party, but prefers the quiet of domestic life to the excitement of a political campaign, and conse- quently has never sought office. Religiously, he is identified with the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is also a member of the Masonic Lodge, A. F. & A. M., and the O P. Morton Post, G. A. R. of Wamego. By his first marriage, which occurred about 1839, he then being united with Miss Tor- bett, two children were born-John W. and Eliza. John W. was a member of Company A, 6th Indi- ana Infantry, in which he served three years, and for one year was a member of the 145th Illinois Infantry. He was wounded in the lungs at the battle of Chickamauga. At present he resides in Indiana. His sister Eliza remains at home withi her father. By his second marriage Peyton W. Anderson became the father of six children. Ga- brilla is at home; James P. is deceased ; Mary is the wife of Dr. J. A. Comstock, a leading physician of Central Indiana. The three remaining children born to Peyton W. Anderson and his wife were, William S., Elmer D. and Charles E., of whom this biographical review is written. They were born in Indiana and were reared on their father's farm in Jefferson County, spending their youth after the usual manner of country lads, farming in summer
and attending the common schools during the winter months. In 1870 they left their home in Indiana and accompanied their parents to Kansas.
William S., senior member of the firm of Ander- son Bros., was born Sept. 27, 1852, and entered an office in Louisville, Kan., in 1871, and there learned the printer's trade. In 1874 he went to St. Mary's where he worked three years and then returned to his father's home in Louisville. In 1882 hic estab- lished a paper called the Period, which was the first newspaper published at Westmoreland, and which, after being conducted by him for two years, was sold and an interest purchased in the Recorder. One year later he sold this interest, though he was still associated with the paper in the capacity of foreman until 1889, when he became associated with his brothers.
In his domestic circle William S. Anderson is most happily situated, being surrounded by a group of interesting and intelligent children, and receiv - ing the devoted attention of an affectionate wife, with whom he was united in marriage Dec. 24, 1878. She was before her marriage Miss Mary A. Schelosky, daughter of Joseph and Margaret Sche- losky, and was born in Pennsylvania. To her and her husband there have born six children, namely: Bertie, Lillie, Mabel, Charles, Willie and Mamie.
Elmer D., of the firm, was born in the Hoosier State, Sept. 17, 1857. After locating in Kansas he was engaged on a farm for several years, until about 1877, when he learned the printer's trade in an office in St. Mary's. Ile afterward worked in an office in Louisville, and later was a student in the Agricultural College at Manhattan, Kan., for the period of two years. Upon leaving school he purchased a one-half interest in the Louisville semi-weekly Republican, of which he was editor about four years. He subsequently became sole proprietor of this paper, which was afterward changed to the Louisville Indicator. Ile conducted it about three years, and then formed a partnership with his brothers as publishers of this paper, the office of which was removed to Westmoreland. October 1, 1889.
The marriage ceremony of Elmer D. Anderson and May Z. Hayes was celebrated Dec. 24, 1884. in Louisville. Mrs. Anderson is the daughter of
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Thomas and Estella Hayes and passed her child- hood in Ohio. Mr. Anderson is a Republican, and was appointed Postmaster of Louisville in 1889, but resigned to enter into partnership with his brothers.
Charles E. Anderson is a native of the Hoosier State, where his birth occurred May 9, 1860, and where he lived until ten years of age. After ten years' residence in the Sunflower State, in 1880, he went to Texas and engaged in railroad work throughout the Southern States. In his extensive travels he gained a thorough knowledge of the po- litical history of the South. Upon his return to Louisville, Kan., he learned the printer's trade in the office of the Indicator, and in 1889 entered into partnership with his brothers. Religiously, he is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and politically, is devoted ardently to the Repub lican party.
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