Portrait and biographical album of Jackson, Jefferson and Pottawatomie Counties, Kansas : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, Part 92

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 92
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 92
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 92

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The next objective point of Mr. Walsh and his comrades was Junction City, and from there they proceeded to the 100th meridian at Ft. Kearney, on the Platte. This occupied him until the fall of that year, then returning home Mr. Walsh, for proba- bly two years was engaged with his father in feed- ing Texas cattle, which enterprise nearly ruined them both, financially. In 1877 he proceeded to Ellsworth, and from there made his way to Texas with a company of cowboys, and was on the trail for a time. Later he assisted in driving cattle to Colorado, and for a time afterward was cook on a ranch in that region. At the expiration of a year he returned to Kaw Township, and began farming on the old place, which had now passed into the hands of an uncle. Since then he has given his attention strictly to agricultural pursuits, raising grain and stock and feeding a goodly number of cattle annually. He has some full-blooded Short- horn and high-grade Polled-Angus. He is likewise considerably interested in good grades of roadsters and draft horses.

In Kaw Township, on the 5th of May, 1878, oc- eurred the marriage of our subject with Miss Cath- erine Murphy. Mrs. Walsh was born in Indiana. Nov. 2, 1860, and came to Kansas with her father, A. R. Murphy, in 1868. The latter is now a promi- nent farmer in Kaw Township. This union has resulted in the birth of four children-Hugh De Witt, William Radcliffe, Catherine Elizabeth and Ina R. Mr. Walsh is a strong Democrat, politi- cally, quite prominent in party politics, and has

officiated as a delegate to the county and State conventions. He has served as Township Clerk one term, and School Clerk and Treasurer two terms. Mrs. Walsh, a very estimable lady, is a member in good standing of the Methodist Episco- pal Church.

Ex-Governor Hugh Sleight Walsh, the father of our subject, was one of the most prominent men in the carly settlement of Kansas. He was born at Newburg, N. Y., in 1810, and was the son of John H. Walsh, also a native of Newburg, and by occupation a paper manufacturer, owning and operating one of the first paper mills in the United States. He was an expert in the business, making United States bank note paper for the Government in Jackson's time. He spent his entire life in his native city. The paternal great grandfather. Ilugh Walsh, eame from Ireland, and settling at Newburg,.N. Y., be- came owner of a large tract of land and assisted greatly in the development of that section of coun- try. Grandfather Walsh was greatly interested in educational matters, being instrumental in the es- tablishment of the academy at Newburg, and offi- ciated as one of the Trustees.

At the above-named academy Hugh Walsh, the father of our subject, completed his education, and later engaged as a clerk for a merchant in New York City. Afterward he went South to Mont- gomery, Ala., there also engaging in the mercantile business, and from there repaired to Aberdeen, Miss., where, changing his occupation somewhat he operated a tanyard. In 1858 he came to Kansas and was appointed Secretary of State, in Territorial times, receiving his commission from President Buchanan. He located at Lecompton, and during the absence of the Governor filled the latter's place.

In the meantime, and when in the midst of the troublous times which followed, and while Mr. Walsh was acting as Secretary of State, the Legis- lature demanded of him his books, which he refused to deliver. He had prepared himself for this emergency, and as the august body advanced the intrepid Secretary held a loaded musket in his hand and had another lying at his side. Pointing to the room in the rear he remarked to his visitors, "Gentleman, there are the books, but yon cannot

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have them unless you first kill me." Upon this they retired, but subsequently had him arrested and tried for contempt. This was only a sample of the scenes through which Mr. Walsh and other loyal citizens passed at that time. He was noted for his bravery and never ran from his enemies. Later he assisted in the erection of an hotel at Lecompton, sinking thereby probably $2,000.

Ex-Governor Walsh finally retiring to Kaw Township entered 160 acres of land comprising the southwest quarter of section 2, and subse- quently purchased the southeast quarter of section 3, and the northwest quarter of section 11. There he established his home and engaged in farmning and in the cattle business. He met with reverses, losing during the war a fine herd of cattle, which were driven away by "red legs." In the meantime he appraised most of the Union Pacific Railroad lands as far out as Salina.

In 1872 the elder Walsh was elected County Commissioner, serving three years. In the mean- time he succeeded in defeating the issue of bonds to the amount of $600,000 for the Atchison, To- peka & Santa Fe Railroad, in which laudable object he was sustained and assisted by the leading men in the southern part of the county. He was offered a large bribe to allow the issue of the bonds, but refused. Nature had endowed him with strong common sense and that force of character which led him to follow his judgment as to the right, whatever the consequence might be. He was a stanch Democrat, officiating as a delegate to the National Conventions, but such was his apparent honesty of purpose, that all fair-minded Repub- licans held him in respect. As a clerk and an accountant, he was a decided success. In 1878, while acting as accountant for an insolvent firm, he was taken ill and died at the age of sixty-seven years. His remains were laid to rest in the ceme- tery at Grantville, but a few years later were, at the instance of his son, our subject, removed to the cemetery at Topeka.

Mrs. Ellen (Beekman) Walsh, the mother of our subject, was born in Rhode Island, where her father carried on farming until his removal to Michigan. Afterward he engaged in the lumber business in connection with farming in the vicinity of the

town of Reno. He met his death while attempt- ing to lead a refractory colt, which threw him from his feet, dragging him along the ground and treading upon him. Mrs. Walsh died at Aberdeen, Miss., in 1853; she was a member of the Congre- gational Church. There were born to the parents three sons only, the eldest of whom, John H., is a resident of Holyoke, Mass. ; J. DeWitt, our subject, is the second child; Ferdinand is a wanderer and has not been heard from for several years.

R OBERT K. McCARTNEY. A compendimin of Jefferson County would be incomplete without mention within its pages of the life of the above named gentleman, whose home is in Valley Falls. and who is a Real Estate, Loan and Insurance Agent and a Notary Public. He is a pioneer of Valley Falls, and has been active in advancing the moral and political interests of the county, and especially in educational matters, and has rendered valuable assistance to the advance of the best civilization throughout the State.

Mr. McCartney traces his descent from the sturdy Scotch, and is a lineal descendant of a McCartney who was Governor of Londonderry at the time King James laid siege to that place and was re- pulsed and defeated hy the aid of William, Prince of Orange. Both the paternal and maternal lines found refuge in Ireland at a troubled period in the history of their native land; and in that beauti- ful island both his parents, James and Margaret (Hines) McCartney, were born. They came to America in 1837, and as their voyage was performed before steam-ships were in use, they were passen- gers on a sailer and were forty days on the ocean. The father located at Newburg, N. Y., a pleasant town on the Hudson River, sixty miles above New York City, and our subject attended school within a few rods of Gen. Washington's old headquarters during the Revolution. The family of which our subject is a member comprised eight sons and one daughter of whom six now survive: William lives in Washington, Iowa; Andrew and Dorothea in Indianola, Iowa, and Alexander and Henry in Nebraska City, Neb.

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The gentleman whose name initiates this sketch first opened his eyes to the light near Belfast, Ire- land, March 21, 1833, and was a child of four years when the family emigrated to America. After a few years spent in Newburg, N. Y., they in 1842 located on a farm in Guernsey County, Ohio, where our subject remained until manhood, con- tinuing his education in Madison College at Antrim, Ohio. After completing his course of study he adopted the profession of a teacher, and during the following seven years was engaged in pedagogical labors in the Buckeye State.

In the spring of 1863, Mr. McCartney came to Valley Falls and filled the position of Principal of the city schools for a year. In 1864 he was clected County Superintendent of Schools, and re-elected in 1866, thus serving four years in suc- cession. In the fall of 1863, he aided in the organization of the Kansas State Teacher's Associa- tion, and was an active member for several years, serving as President one term, and as Chairman of its Executive Committee two or three years.

When Quantrell made his raid and murdered so many people in Lawrence in Angust, 1863, Mr. McCartney was active in securing a donation for the sufferers, and as Chairman of the Aid Com- mittee of Valley Falls carried her donation of over $400 to the afflicted city, being accompanied on his mission by the Rev. A. M. Hooker a Congre- gational minister of the place. In 1864 Mr. Mc- Cartney enlisted in Company E., 4th Kansas Militia, and followed Gen. Price until after the battle of Westport, when his regiment was re- turned.

At the expiration of Mr. McCartney's term as Superintendent of Schools, he engaged in mer- chandising and was so occupied for several years. For five years he was Cashier of the Valley Falls Bank of Deposit and for a number of years past has been engaged in his present occupation, doing a good business in each line. His marriage took place May 22, 1860, his bride being Miss Amanda J. Milligan, a native of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, and the daughter of Thomas Milligan, deceased. She is a cultured and refined lady who fully sym- pathizes in her husband's aspirations and mental recreations. Four children have come to bless the

happy union. James died at the age of one year and Edith at the age of two. The survivors, Jessie D. and Ethel B., are teaching in the Valley Falls city schools, where the former is serving her fifth year.

Mr. McCartney is a personal friend of several eminent educators and other men of note, among them being Dr. McVicker, President of Wash- burn College, Topeka; ex-State Superintendent of Schools, the late Hon. H. D. MeCarty, LL. D., of whom he was a personal friend for over thirty years; and the renowned Gen. Lane. He aided in securing the nomination of Hon. P. McVicker, D. D., for State Superintendent of Instruction and has been the main instrument in the enactment of many of our best school laws, often going to Topeka during the session of the Legislature and personally interviewing its members regarding educational affairs. He is a strong Republican and an active worker, although not an office-seeker. He voted for Salmon P. Chase for Governor of Ohio and for John C. Fremont for President of the United States and has given his suffrage to every Republican candidate for the presidency since that time. He is a member of the I. O. G. T. He and his wife and their daughter Jessie are members of the United Presbyterian Church.

W R. DAVIS, deceased, was born in Putnam County, Ind., July 12, 1833. His parents moved to Buchanan County. Mo., when he was small, and from there to Platte County about the year 1847. In 1856, while yet a single man, he came to Eastern Kansas and secured by purchase from the Government the farm on which his family now reside. It is in Jefferson County two and one-half miles from the present town of Winchester and comprises the southcast quarter of section 15, Jefferson Township. Here by indus- try and economy he has made for his family a beau- tiful and comfortable home, adding 250 acres to his original purchase, to which the family has since added 160 acres, making up a total of 570 acres of rich and well cultivated lands. The dwelling is a

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very commodious structure, a large barn and other adequate outbuildings furnish shelter for the crops and stock, and thrifty orchards add to the remun- erativeness and attraction of the estate.

In 1864, on one of his trips to Platte County, Mo., where his parents still lived, Mr. Davis in- duced Miss Phoebe, the pretty and accomplished daughter of Elijah and Maria Crutcherfield, to accompany him to the home he had made on the prairies of Kansas. For eighteen months of their newly wedded life they lived in "the little log- cabin on the claim," which was made bright and cheerful by two loving hearts, each vying with the other to do the most for each other and ever buoyed up with the hope that promised so much in the future.

Two years after their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Davis managed to build two rooms, of what is now a part of their main house, and which was a great improvement over their former way of living. It has always been a pleasure to look back to the time when they moved into their "new house"and to the first few years spent there. The world was bright to them, for they were young, loving and hopeful; no cloud obscured their sun of happiness, and no shadow indicated the black pall that hovered ncar them. The loving husband, the kind father and considerate friend died of brain fever in September, 1875, after an illness of only a few weeks, and lies buried in the Wise cemetery near Winchester.

While in active life Mr. Davis was one of the principal stock-dealers of the county. Ile was a man of steady, sober habits, taking but little inter- est in politics, but active in any enterprise which promised good for the public, and a consistent member of the Baptist Church at Winchester. He left a family consisting of a wife and six children. One child, Willie, who was named for him, was born shortly after his death; Margaret, the cldest daughter, died Dec. 18, 1883, at the age of eigh- teen years, and her remains rest by his side; Charles is now attending school in Kansas City, Mo .; Elizabeth is at home and attending the dis- triet school; Fannie is a young woman at home.

John M., the oldest son, is a young man of twenty-three years, a gentleman by instinct, and a thorough business man by education, being a gradu-

ate of Bryant & Stratton's Business College at St. Louis, and having also taken a course in the State University at Lawrence, Kan. He has, for several years, had full charge of his mother's extensive farm attending personally to 460 acres and rent- ing the balance. He makes a specialty of stock- raising, and at the present time has a fine herd of thoroughbred Short-horn cattle on the place and a fine lot of Poland-China hogs. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias Lodge at Winchester, and has received many honors therein.

M. SHIRLEY, although yet a young man, is one of the oldest settlers of Kansas, to which he was brought by his parents in 1853. when but a few months old. He is now ranked among the largest land owners of Kaw Township, Jefferson County, his landed estate therein amounting to 536 acres, comprised of 200 acres on section 8, 160 on section 9, 160 on section 6 and 16 on section 16: and he also owns 160 acres in Rock Creek Township, bringing his entire landed estate up to 696 acres. The Shirley family is one of the oldest in Kansas and has numerous representatives in Douglas and Jefferson Counties. The ancestral history will be found in the sketch of J. L. Shirley, a brother of our subject, which oc- cupies another page in this volume.

'The gentleman whose name initiates this biogra- phy was born in Lynn County, Mo., Oct. 22, 1852, and his first recollections are of the wild and sparsely settled country which in the '50's made up Douglas County, Kan., and his boyhood mem- ories include many scenes of the border ruffian days. In 1860 he came to this county, and there being no schools here at that date he had to at- tend those in Douglas County for a year or so. In the spring of 1863 he went to Missouri and lived with his grandfather Prather for two years, after which he returned to his home and until his ma- jority assisted his father in improving the home- stead.

Upon reaching man's estate, Mr. Shirley became the possessor of forty acres adjoining the home farm, bnt remained under the parental roof, en-

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gaging in the cattle business and farming in part- nership with his father. During his experience in the cattle business he used to herd from 300 to 400 head on the range and thoroughly understands the life of a "cow boy." In 1877, he bought eighty acres south of Grantville, and in 1883 sold sixty-five acres of it, and in March bought a part of his present place. Starting with 320 acres of raw land, which he improved and on which he en- gaged in farming and stock-raising, he has been very successful in accumulating land and in im- proving the same thoroughly. His entire acreage is enclosed and supplied with all necessary build- ings, and really forms four different improved places. On the home farm he has all the modern conveniences, with orchards etc .. and the place is well watered by Elm Creek and the use of wind- mill and tank. Mr. Shirley is extensively engaged in feeding cattle and hogs, turning off three to five cars of each per year, and he also buys and ships stock directly to market. He raises full-blooded Poland-China hogs and a high grade of Short-horn cattle and about thirty head of horses. In 1887 he established a meat market at Grantville, which is still under his supervision.

The lady who presides within the pleasant dwell- ing of Mr. Shirley, bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Givens, and the rites of wedlock were celebrated between them in Grantville, Jan. 5, 1882. Mrs. Shirley is the daughter of James and Sarah (Housman) Givens, natives of Virginia, whose family comprises eleven children, all of whom are still living except Joseph, the third born. James, Ipsico and Walter live in Kaw Township, this county ; these precede Mrs. Shirley in order of birth. Martha, J. S., H. C., Charles, Marvin and Frank, reside with their mother in Grantville, where their father departed this life, Sept. 11, 1888. Mr. Givens was born in Roanoke, Va., and was the son of Jonathan Givens, a distiller, and a native likewise of the Old Dominion.

Montgomery County, Va., was the home of Mrs. Shirley's parents for many years and there her fa- ther was engaged in tilling the soil until 1861, when he enlisted in the Confederate army and served until the close of the war. He received two slight wounds during his army life. In 1873, he

located near Grantville, Kan., where his death sub- sequently occurred. He was in good circumstances, and was a well respected member of the commu- nity and a worthy member of the Methodist Episco- pal Church South, as is his widow. Peter Hous- man, the maternal grandfather of Mrs. Shirley is a native of Pennsylvania but for many years a resi- dent of Montgomery County, Va., where he was engaged in farming. Although over age for army service at the outbreak of the Civil War he joined the Confederate army and served until the close of the Rebellion. He is now living in Rural Retreat, Va.

Mr. Shirley is a member of the Farmers' Alli- ance at Grantville. He has been Township Trustee for two years, and displays as much enterprise and as good judgment in serving his fellow-citizens as in the conduct of his private affairs. He is a stanch Republican and has been delegate to county con- ventions. Intelligent, energetic, discriminating and possessing courteous, agreeable manners and an upright character, Mr. Shirley is held in high esteem by his fellow-citizens. Mrs. Shirley, who was educated in the Grantville schools, is a lady of fine character and has many friends. She has borne her husband two children-Leah and Blanche.

E LI EVANS. This gentleman is a pioneer citizen of Kansas and for the past decade has been a prominent business man in Val. ley Falls, Jefferson County. He is one of those fortunate men whose every enterprise seems to prosper and he finds abundant opportunity to ex- ercise his generosity and benevolence. The thrill- ing adventures and interesting episodes in the career of Mr. Evans, particularly during the days of the border troubles and the Rebellion, would fill a volume in themselves, and it is impossible in a work of this nature to give more than a few instan- ces of his bravery, daring, and efficient service in the cause of freedom.

The subject of this sketch was born in Richmond County, Ohio, July 19, 1840, and is a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (C'aple) Evans. His father was born in Westminster County, Md., and was of

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Welsh and German ancestry. The mother of our subject was also a native of Maryland and she is now living in Oskaloosa, being sixty-seven years old. The parents moved to Wapello County, Iowa, in 1848, settling on a farm in what was then a wild country, where they lived about eight years, when they located at Leavenworth, Kan. In the latter place the father died in 1885, aged seventy-six years. The paternal family consisted of six chil- dren, five of whom are now living: William is a resident of San Luis Obispo, Cal .; Mrs. Maria Coy lives in Valley Falls; Lemuel in Oskaloosa; and Mrs. Dora Dibart in the same place.

Our subject is the second in order of birth in the parental family and was a boy of about sixteen years when he accompanied his parents to this State. Although so young he was a devoted patriot and fired with the Free State principles, and at once identified himself with the party which supported them, tendering his services to the cause of free- dom when John Brown was so strongly agitating the Abolition question. His conduct is unpar. alleled in the history of the "bloody ground." He became First Lieutenant of a company under James Lane and participated in the first struggle between the anti-and-pro-slavery elements, and was cap- tured by border ruffians, tried by court martial, and released under penalty of death should he ever again champion the cause of the Free State people. Learning of the conspiracy to annihilate the Free State men of Leavenworth, he at once communica- ted the fact to Phillips and others, and through this warning some of them were enabled to make their escape, although Phillips was brutally mur- dered. Young Evans well knew what the result would be to himself as soon as his instrumentality in giving the warning was known to his antago- nists, but being again captured, he succeded in mak- ing his escape from Leavenworth to Lawrence under cover of night.

Lieut. Evans acted as dispatch carrier for Gen. Lane, his route being from Leavenworth to Oska- loosa and Lawrence, and later from Flat Rock to Fts. Gibson and Leavenworth, and he took many chances in this dangerous mission. He had a guard of seven men, and on one occasion, while fording the Cottonwood River in the Indian Nation, six of

them were shot dead by ambushed guerrillas. . The Lieutenant's horse was severely wounded and after escaping some distance from the scene he released the animal and made his way on foot to Ft. Scott. At the first Free State election in Leavenworth, Lieut. Evans was in command of a company under Capt. Fisk, in Moore's regiment, to see that order was preserved at the poles and to regulate the voting.

In 1857, Lieut. Evans, serving under Capt. Dixon, visited Kickapoo, where the border ruffians had a seventy-five pound gun which formerly be- longed to the Government. Taking the custodians unawares at daylight, the gun was captured by Lieut. Evans' command and is now in the State House at Topeka. He also captured a stand of twenty- five rifles from a pro-slavery physician of Delaware City, and performed other deeds of heroism for his country. Immediately after the memorable raid and massacre at Lawrence, which was consummated by Quantrell, Lieut. Evans went to that city and assisted in arranging matters there and in the care of the wounded.

During the warmest period in that region it was discovered that a Mr. Hogan on Salt Creek bottom, used his house as a retreat for the bushwhackers and Lieut. Evans resolved that the place must suc- cumb to the authority of the National Government. Accordingly about ten o'clock one night, with a party of nine men he attacked the place. Ile had not properly estimated the force of the enemy and found that there were over twenty-five well armed men fortified in the house. When he discovered the situation of affairs he told one of his men, in a commanding tone, to run and tell Gen. Lane to hurry on one of the cannons and he would blow the house to atoms. The result of this command, which was heard inside the house, was a complete surrender of the men and their arms, the cream of the joke to the Lieutenant being that Gen. Lane and the artillery were in Lawrence, several miles distant.

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Portrait and biographical album of Jackson, Jefferson and Pottawatomie Counties, Kansas : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, Part 92

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

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