USA > Kansas > Marshall County > Portrait and biographical album of Marshall County, Kansas : containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county > Part 65
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The wife of our subject is Maggie, daughter of Archibald and Susan (McClean) MeMullen. who were natives of Ohio. She is the mother of five boys, all living and brightening the home fireside.
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They are named as follows: Wesley Merton. Will- iam Leonard, Alonzo, Alvin Sylvester and Edgar Newton.
The father of our subject, Jacob Long, was a Virginian by birth and the son of Jacob Long of Lakeport. The mother was Sarah A., daughter of the Rev. Jolin Buxton. of Ohio.
Mr. and Mrs. Long are worthy members of the Methodist Church, to which both their families had belonged before them. Mr. Ford is a stal- wart Republican. Though often solicited to do so, he would never allow his name to be used for any office. He is a man of more than ordinary in- telligence, honorable in his business relations, kindly in domestic life and courteous to all with whom he comes in contact.
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W ILLIAM COCKERILL is one of the most prominent and influential citizens of Oketo Township, where he owns a large farm that is scarcely surpassed in value, cultivation and in point of improvement by any other in its vi- cinity. Mr. Cockerill is a pioneer of Marshall County, and through his energy and enterprise has done much to advance its growth and promote its best interests, materially, educationally and morally.
Our subject is of English birth and breeding. ITis parents William and Ann Cockerill, were na- tives of Northamptonshire, England. They were life-long residents of the land of their birth, the father, who was born in 1799, rounding out a use- ful. honorable life of seventy years, and the mother surviving him some ten years, and then dying at the age of seventy-two years. The father was a well-to-do farmer, a man of some prominence in his parish, and for years held the office of Over- seer of the Poor.
William Cockerill, of whom we write, was the fifth in a family of ten children, and was born in England Oct. 28, 1832. He received a fair education in the local schools of his birthplace, and at the age of twenty-one began to manage his father's business, continuing thus employed until he was
thirty-four years old. Then, in the very prime and vigor of manhood, he sought new fields for his energies, shrewdly seeing that life held more for him on American soil than in his old home. and desiring to avail himself of the eheap lands of the Great West, he embarked for this country, with his family, in the spring of 1866, and landing in New York City, came directly to Kansas. Im- mediately taking up a homestead two miles north of his present place, he spent eight busy years in its improvement. At the expiration of that time he bought the farm on which he now resides. With hard pioneer labor he has wrought the great change that makes it in every way one of the most desir- able farms in this part of Marshall County. Its 530 acres, all lying in this county, are under fine cultivation, and yield abundant harvests in return for the care, time and money he has spent in their improvement. On another page appears a view of his pleasant home on section 32. where he and his good wife can pass life's declining years in the enjoyment of every comfort that they ean wish. He devotes his land to general farming, and raises and feeds about 200 head of stock every year.
In June. 1861, the marriage of Mr. Cockerill with Miss Elizabeth Kemp was solemnized. She is a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Slater) Kemp, natives of Northamptonshire. England, where her father was extensively engaged in agriculture and was one of the leading farmers of his part of the shire. Mrs. Cockerill was the third of five chil- dren, and she was born in England Jan. 1, 1842. She has been to her husband a true helpmate and companion, sacrificing for his sake the dear old English home with its many hallowed associations, and bravely facing with him the trials and de- privations of life in a strange land amid pioneer scenes, that she might assist him to secure a con- petence whereby they might better educate and care for their children. This ambition has been gratified, and their sons have been, or are being, well fitted by liberal educations to enter the arena of life and do battle for themselves, the high prin- ciples early inculcated in them by precept and example, guarding them from falling into the temptations that beset the young at every turn. Mr. and Mrs. Cockerill's wedded life has been
A
RESIDENCE OF HENRY MOHLENBRINK, SEC. 16. HERKIMER TOWNSHIP.
RESIDENCE OF WILLIAM COCKERILL, SEC.32. OKETO TOWNSHIP.
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blessed to them by the birth of six children, of whom the following five are living: Arthur F., Walter J., Edwin G., Robert L. and Charles K. Walter and Edwin have adopted the teacher's pro- fession, and are successfully pursuing it in the public schools.
Mr. Cockerill is a man of marked intelligence and decision of character, and his high moral in- tegrity won him the absolute trust and full esteem of his fellow-men when he came here to cast his lot with the resolnte pioneers of Marshall County, with whom he has lived in friendship for more than twenty years. He has been exceedingly pros- pered since becoming a citizen of Kansas, as we have seen, and is numbered among its solid, mon- eyed men. In Oketo Township his influence is widely felt, his liberality and public spirit being important factors in pushing forward all schemes for its improvement, and he has had a hand in the guidance of public affairs. He has been School Director, and was a member of the School Board when the present fine school building was erected at a cost of $1,500. He has been Road Overseer for years, and the township is greatly indebted to bim for its improved highways. He and his fam- ily are members in high standing of the Presby- terian Church, and are identified with its every good work, being especially active in the Sunday- school, of which Arthur is Assistant Superintend- ent, and Walter is chorister. Mr. Cockerill holds decided views in regard to politics. and gives his hearty support to the Republican party.
ENRY MOHLENBRINK, Justice of the Peace. The development of the United States has been materially assisted by the emigration here of an energetic, industrious and thrifty class of foreigners, and of these the gentleman whose biographical review is herewith recorded is worthy of no secondary position. A na- tive of Germany, and born in Hanover, Jan. 13, 1842, he was early left without a mother's watchful guidance. Ilis parents were Henry and Ella (El- lers) Mohlenbrink, and after the death of the lat-
ter, the father married her sister, Dora Ellers. The parents and ancestors of our subject for many gen- erations were born in and near the village of Luta, in llanover, and like the majority of residents of their own country, were members of the Lutheran Church. When he of whom we write was seven years of age, he accompanied his father and the other members of the family to America, taking passage in the sail-ship, "Matha," from the port of Bremen, and arriving in New York after a voyage of seven weeks. Thence coming to Chicago, a fort of small importance, they pushed on to Elgin, Ill., in the vicinity of which the father rented land and began to farm.
In 1855 the family located in Cook County, III., and while a resident of that county, our subjeet en- listed in company K, 85th Illinois Infantry, as private, the date of his enlistment being Aug. 27, 1862. He fought faithfully in the interests of the Union until June, 1865, and among the engage- ments in which he took part were Perryville, Ky., Nashville, Tenn., the two days' fight at Chatta- nooga, Tenn., Mission Ridge, Atlanta, and also accompanied Sherman on his famous march to the sea. Ile was twice wounded, but the injuries were slight, and of all the battles in which his company fought he was absent from only one, and that was on account of sore eyes. At the close of the war lie took part in the grand re-union at Washington, D. C., and then returned to his home in Illinois and resumed farming.
A few years after peace had settled over the country, Mr. Mohlenbrink, hearing of the wonder- ful fertility of Kansas soil, and of the splendid prospects of her future, came to Kansas and bought 160 acres of land on section 16, in Marshall County. This was in 1869, and after purchasing he returned to Illinois for a few years, removing here permanently in 1880.
Mr. Mohlenbrink was especially fortunate in his selection of a life companion, his wife having heen Miss Louisa Minneke, with whom he was united in marriage Oct. 29, 1880. She was born Jan. 15, 1863, and was reared in this county. She and her husband have four children, namely: William, Ella. Henry and Fred. These children are the pride of their parents, and well beloved by their
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friends. The elder members of the family are re- ceiving good educations in the district schools. and attend the Lutheran Sunday-school and church, while our subject and his amiable wife are prominent members in the same church, having been reared from childhood in that faith.
Ifenry Mohlenbrink, Sr., died near Chicago, in December, 1860. His wife, the stepmother of our subject, is also deceased. Mr. Mohlenbrink has been Justice of the Peace about three years, and was elected Trustee of Herkimer Township in the spring of 1889. He has a nicely improved farm, all fenced in 40-acre lots, and has put up a good frame dwelling house, with a commodious barn for grain and stock, and all other buildings necessary for the proper conducting of a farm of the present day. He has excellent pasturage for stock on his farm. and some meadow land, although the greater part of the land is devoted to the raising of grain. Into his pleasant home he welcomes those with whom he has come in friendly contaet during the years of his sojourn here, and together with his wife is the recipient of the best wishes of all ac- quaintanees for future prosperity and long life. In politics he is a strong Democrat. We invite the attention of our many readers to a handsome litho- graphic view of the house and farm of Mr. Mobl- enbrink on another page of this work.
OSEPH R. STALEY. The farming commu- nity of Waterville Township finds a worthy representative in the subject of this bio- graphical outline, who is evidently a man in favor of extracting all the comfort which can be gotten out of life. His home surroundings are pleas- ant in the extreme, and present the picture of quiet rural life which is so delightful to contemplate. Mr. Staley is a thorough and skillful agriculturist, and his well-tilled fields are the source of a hand- some income.
A native of Allegheny County, Pa., our subject was born, Dec. 1, 1831, and is the son of Jacob Staley, a native of Dauphin County, that State, and born Nov. 2, 1798. The latter subsequently lived
in Allegheny County until 1854, then setting out for the Far West crossed the Mississippi and estab- lished himself on a farm in Tama County, Iowa. where he spent the remainder of his life, dying in 1867. He became well-to-do, and ranked among the farmers of that region as the sturdy oak among the forest trees. In the Presbyterian Church he was an active member and an Elder for many years, and he left to his children the record of an honest and upright life as the best inheritance which he could vouchsafe them.
Mrs. Margaret (Miller) Staley, the mother of our subject, was born in Mercer County, Pa., June 18, 1800, and is still living at the old homestead in Tama County, Iowa. Of her union with Jacob Staley there were born twelve children, and Joseph R., our subject, was the sixth. He was reared in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties, Pa., until a lad of twelve years, then going to Crawford County, Ohio, lived there with his parents until 1854. That year he accompanied the family to Tama County, Iowa, and sojourned in that and Black Hawk counties until 1860. We next find him in the silver mines of Colorado, and he also followed freighting to and from the mountains and the Missouri River. He operated in that region until 1866, then coming to this county followed milling until 1869. That year he purchased a part of his present homestead, on section 5, Water- ville Township. He and his wife are the owners of 400 acres of fine land, upon which they have effected first-class improvements. His residence, tasteful in design and of modern architecture, is one of the most comfortable and attractive within the township limits. In addition to general agriculture, Mr. Staley is considerably interested in live-stock, feeding and shipping in considerable numbers annually. Usually absorbed in his farming pursuits, he meddles very little with politics, but keeps himself posted on the current events of the day, and uniformly gives his support to the Re- publican party.
One of the most interesting events in the life of our subject was his marriage with Miss Laura Sleppy, which took place July 29, 1868, at the bride's home in Wapello, Louisa Co., Iowa. Mrs. Staley was born Nov. 1, 1842, in Wilksbarre, Pa.,
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and is the daughter of George and Amelia ( Kre- mer) Sleppy, who were natives of Pennsylvania. The father is deceased, and the mother makes her home with our subject. To Mr. and Mrs. Staley . there have been born four children, viz., Walter I., Daisy and Edith, and one unnamed - all deceased except Walter I. He resides in Mt. Vernon. Iowa, and is a teacher in the Mount Vernon College. They have an adopted daughter named Eda, twelve years old.
OSEPH ELLENBECKER. In coming to Northern Kansas, Mr. Ellenbecker selected his location in one of the pleasantest spots of Marshall County, and no traveler passes by his homestead without casting a glance of ad- miration at the finely cultivated farm with its fertile fields and comfortable buildings, its fat cattle, its fruit and shade trees, and the varions other appli- ances which the thoughtful and enterprising farmer gradually gathers around him. This farm em- braces 300 acres of choice land, which at the time of its purchase by our subject, was scarcely removed from the primitive state of nature. It has taken years of ceaseless labor and no small amount of money to bring it to its present condition. Mr. Ellenbecker avails himself of modern machinery in the tilling of the soil, and keeps himself posted in regard to the improvements constantly taking place in agriculture as well as other industries.
The childhood home of our subject was on the other side of the Atlantic, in what was then the Grand Duchy of Luxemberg, Germany, where his birth took place June 26, 1836. Ile commenced his early education in the Fatherland, but when a lad of ten years his parents decided upon emigrat- ing to America. They crossed the Atlantic on a sailing-vessel, landing safely in New York City, and thence made their way to Lancaster. Pa. After a brief sojourn there they set their faces toward the farther West, and going into Ozaukee County, Wis., the father took up a tract of land and con- structed a homestead, upon which the parents spent their remaining years. To John and Maggie (Wel-
ter) Ellenbecker there were born twelve children, five now living. John Ellenbecker, the father of our subject, was a member of the body guard of the first Napoleon for fourteen years, during the period of his war in Constantinople.
The subject of this sketch attained to man's es- tate in Ozaukee County, Wis., and remained a member of the parental household until 1861. Prior to this, however, he was married, Jan. 22, 1860, and the following year removed to Michigan, where he worked in the copper mines of Lake Su- perior six years. In July, 1868, he resolved upon a change of location and occupation, and coming to this county purchased 200 acres of land on sec- tion 30, in Marysville Township. He at once set- tled upon it with his little family, and here he has since lived. He has been uniformly prosperous in his farming operations and gradually added to his possessions until his farm attained to its present dimensions. 1Ie makes a specialty of stock-raising, which has proved a very profitable industry, and is now engaged quite largely in butter making.
The maiden name of Mrs. Ellenbecker was Mary Ann Schumacher; she is a daughter of Mathias and Catherine (Herbert) Schumacher. Matbias Schu- maeher and six of his brothers were soldiers under Napoleon. Mrs. Ellenbecker, like her husband, is a native of Luxemburg, and was born July 22, 1841. They are now the parents of nine children, the eldest of whom, a daughter, Maggie, is the wife of Frank Meier; Anna married John Bernardt; John, Katie, Mary, Frank, Lewis and Joseph, Jr., remain at home with their parents; Mathias died at the age of five years. Our subject has taken quite an active part in politics, his sympathies being with the Union Labor party.
During the late war, while Mr. and Mrs. Ellen- becker were very poor and living in Wisconsin, Mr. Ellenbecker was drafted into the army. At that time his wife was at home with an infant only a few days old. Her love for her husband was so great that she sold her old home in order to obtain the money necessary to buy a substitute, Mr. Ellen- becker in the meantime being drilled at Camp Washburn, Wis. By that means the husband was returned to his family. They went to the mines and started anew, working together for years in
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order to obtain another foothold, financially. By the most persevering industry and economy they have finally achieved a success in life which is ac- corded to but few, and which they richly deserve.
The family of our subject are all members of the German Catholic Church. Mr. Ellenbecker is a man looked up to in his community, and one who, by his honesty and integrity has gained for himself an enviable reputation. We invite the attention of our many readers to a handsome engraving of the homestead of Mr. Ellenbeeker on another page in this work.
AMES E. BALL, photographer, Bine Rapids. has been a resident of that eity since March 10. 1871, on which day he arrived here from LeRoy, Genesee Co., N. Y. He was born at West Bloomfield, Ontario County, July 3, 1823. The Ball family are of English origin, of the old Puritan stock, and were among the earliest settlers of the United States. Early in the seven- teenth century, John Ball and his wife, Joanna, em- igrated from Wiltshire, England, to join the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and settled at Water- town, Mass., where he died in 1655. In that place his son, John Ball, 2d, was born, and was there mar- ried to Eliza Pierce, and in 1675 was killed by In- dians at Lancaster, Mass. The next in the direct line of descent was John Ball, 3d, who also was born in Watertown, in 1644, and died there in 1722. Ilis wife was Sarah Bullard, who was born in 1645, but of whose decease there is no record.
Their son James was next in the line, and he likewise was born in Watertown in 1670, and died in 1730. He married Elizabeth Fisk, who was born in 1668, and by her had a son, named John, the progenitor of the branch of the Ball family to which our subject belongs. He was born in 1697 in Water- town, afterward removing to Worecster, Mass., where he died in 1756. Ile was married to Lydia Perry who was born in 1711, and died in 1752. The next of the direct line was Joseph Ball, born in Worcester, June 21, 1750, who died in West Bloomfield, N. Y., in 1817, he having removed to that place some years previous. Ile was the grand-
father of the subject of this sketch. He was twice married. 11is first wife. Esther, died leaving two children, and Joseph remained a widower for nine years. He was then married to Lucretia Stearns, who was born July 18, 1752, and died in 1831. She was the mother of eleven children, her fourth child. Isaac, being the father of James E.
Isaac Ball was born in Worcester, Mass., June 4, 1785, and was a lad of eleven years when the removal to the State of New York was made. He was brought up to the life of a farmer, and early learned what hard work meant. The country where his parents settled was densely wooded, and was the haunt of bears, panthers and other wild animals. Their home had literally to be hewed out of the wilderness, their cabin being built of the trees which had been ent down to make room for it. Here Isaae Ball grew to manhood, and became the husband of Mary Edgerly, who was born in Perry, N. Y., then in Genesee County, now Liv- ingston County, and died at West Bloomfield, Feb. 26, 1826, at the age of thirty-nine, leaving a fam- ily of five children. Isaac Ball subsequently mar- ried Lucinda A. Adams, by whom he had one child, Samuel A., who died at LeRoy, in 1888. Isaac Ball settled on a part of his father's farm and there he lived until abont ten years preceding his death, when he removed to Adams' Basin, Monroe Co., N. Y., where he died. He was a volunteer in the War of 1812, but never saw active service. He was a man of quiet, domestic tastes and habits, and a consistent member of the Congregational Church, in which for many years he was a Deacon. He was an upright, straightforward man, winning the re- spect and good-will of his neighbors by his correet life and character.
Isaac and Mary Ball had the following named children: Lucretia, who died unmarried in 1830; Isaac C., deceased; Esther E., who is the wife of Harvey Hogan, living at Elmwood, Neb .; Martha L., who was the wife of Leland Taft, of LeRoy, N. Y., and died there; and our subjeet, who was the youngest of the family.
The early life of James E. Ball was passed in West Bloomfield, N. Y., where he attended the dis- triet school,and afterward the Bloomfield Academy. He lived with his parents until he was of age, when
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he removed to LeRoy, Genesee County, where he engaged in the trade of painting and paper-hang- ing. He had early developed a taste for music, and improved his limited opportunities, and while in LeRoy he also taught vocal music. At that day. instruments were few and hard to get in the rural districts, and Mr. Ball, speaking of the first melo- deon ever bought into the country, says it was at that time thought to be little short of marvelons, people coming from a considerable distance to see it. This instrument was bought by his wife's father, and after her marriage became hers.
Mr. Ball carried on the business of painting in all its branches at LeRoy for about ten years, when having become interested in photography,he learned that art, and opened a gallery. As this did not oc- cupy all of his time, he continued to give lessons in vocal music, and sold sewing machines and or- gans. This was his business until his removal to Kansas at the time already stated. On coming to Blue Rapids he opened a furniture store on the northwest corner of the Square, and there carried on that business for several years, when he took up a homestead on section 32, of Blue Rapids City Township. There was a house already on the place, which he rebuilt, and occupied about six years. At the expiration of that time, he came back to Blue Rapids City, where he opened a pho- tograph gallery. In this he partially occupies his time, also doing something at his old trade, besides overseeing his farm.
October 31, 1848, Mr. Ball was united in mar- riage with Miss Emily C. Hall, daughter of Gen. E. A. IIall. She was born at West Bloomfield, N. Y., Sept. 29, 1827, and died Feb. 26, 1887. She was a lady of a lovely Christian character, and took an active interest in the social, moral and re- ligions welfare of the community of which she was a member. She was particularly interested in Sunday-school work, and for fifteen years in Blue Rapids and for many years in her Eastern home, she had taken charge of the infant class of the Con- gregational Sunday-school. This work was to her a labor of love, for which she was peculiarly fitted, and which she continued to within a few months of her death. She was faithful and patient, cheerful and hopeful, and her life and example exerted an
influence for good among all who knew her, and her death was felt by scores of friends as a per- sonal loss. She was President of the Blue Rapids Library Association, in which she took much in- terest. Being possessed of considerable literary ability, she had for years after coming West, cor- responded regularly with the LeRoy Courier, pub- lished at her old home.
The family of Mrs. Ball is, like that of her hus- band, descended from settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. John llall was born in Kent, Eng- land, in 1584, and emigrated to Boston in 1633. He joined a colony and went to Hartford, Conn., removing in 1650 to Middletown, and dying there May 26, 1673. His son, Samuel, who was born in England in 1626, also died in Middletown, in 1690. His son. Thomas was born in the latter place in 1671, and died in Guilford, in 1753. The next in dircet line was Hiland, born in Guilford, in 1703, and dying in the same place in 1781. The fifth in this line was Stephen Hall, who was born in the same place in 1739, and died April 25, 1783. He was a captain in the Continental army, serving un- til the close of the struggle for Independence. His son, Amos, also took part in the Revolution, being enrolled as a fifer in his father's company, and after- ward reaching the rank of sergeant. In 1786, in right of his father, then deceased, lie was made a member of the Order of the Cincinnati, his certifi- cate, which is carefully preserved, bearing the signa- tures of Gen. Washington, as President, and Gen. Knox, as Secretary. He bought 3,000 acres of land at Bloomfield, N. Y., in 1790. and there he lived the rest of his life, becoming an eminent and in- fluential citizen. He attained to the rank of Ma- jor-General in the State Militia, and as such served on the frontier in 1812. The eldest son of Gen. Amos Hall. named Enoch Augustine, was the father of Mrs. Ball. He also attained high mili- tary rank, and was likewise a General in the militia. His daughter, Mrs. Ball, was thus of the eighth gen- eration of her family in this country.
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