Portrait and biographical album of Washington, Clay and Riley counties, Kansas, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent citizens together with portraits and biographies of all the governors of the state, Part 112

Author:
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman Brothers
Number of Pages: 1258

USA > Kansas > Clay County > Portrait and biographical album of Washington, Clay and Riley counties, Kansas, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent citizens together with portraits and biographies of all the governors of the state > Part 112
USA > Kansas > Riley County > Portrait and biographical album of Washington, Clay and Riley counties, Kansas, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent citizens together with portraits and biographies of all the governors of the state > Part 112
USA > Kansas > Washington County > Portrait and biographical album of Washington, Clay and Riley counties, Kansas, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent citizens together with portraits and biographies of all the governors of the state > Part 112

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Manhattan; Charles Albert is in Oklahoma; Al- phonso B. died in 1871. aged four years; Emma Mande and Harrett Eusebia are unmarried and at home with their parents. Mr. Knipe, politically, is a sound Republican, active in his party and fre- quently serves as a delegate to the county conven- tions. In Jackson County he served as Justice of the Peace and Township Treasurer.

G EORGE A. HOWLAND, of Clay Centre Clay County, is now retired from active pursuits, except what is needful in the gen- eral oversight of his property and the business in which he has an interest. He is quite an extensive property owner in this. Washington, Graham, and Rooks counties.

Mr. Ilowland was born in Onondaga County, N. Y., March 27, 1848, and there lived till maturity, obtaining a good education in that county. After receiving his education he remained on the pater- nal homestead until 1868. In 1875 he went to the Pacific coast. For two years he was engaged in the milk business in San Francisco, after which he returned to New York. In the spring of 1878 he came to Kansas, first locating where Idana is now situated. He bought a farm there and was inter- ested with the railroad in locating the town. They held their own town site, and themselves sold lots.

At Idana Mr. Howland lived seven years, during that time giving the right of way to the railroad to have a side-traek and stock-yards maintained, and when the town had attained sufficient size, the company built a depot. Mr. Ilowland was engaged in handling both stock and grain, erecting an ele- vator, which he continued to own and operate till the summer of 1889, it being the first and only one there. In the summer of 1884 he sold his other property in Idana and bought in Clay Center. living a quiet and retired life. only engaged as be- fore stated in the oversight of his affairs.

Mr. Howland is one of the wealthy men of this city, owning 980 acres of farm land. store property in Morganville. property in Washington, and real estate in Clay Center. When twenty-one years ok

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Mr. Howland had $840, and from that capital he has, by energy and business ability, made the fine property he owns to-day.

At the home of the bride in Jordan, N. Y., the gentleman of whom we write was united in mar- riage with Miss Ida V. Nicolls, the ceremony taking place Feb. 7, 1878. The bride was born in that city on Dec. 15, 1858, and is a daughter of an old resident of that county. To Mr. Howland and his estimable wife two children have been born. They bear the names of Reba and Ruth, and will receive all the advantages that parental love and abundant means can supply.

James Howland, the father of our subject, was born in Maine, and while still a young man went to western New York, where he married Miss Eliza Rhodes. Ile was an early farmer, in that section, where he spent the rest of his life, dying there in February, 1850. His widow still survives, having now reached the age of eighty-two years. They had a family of nine children, five of whom still live.

Mr. Howland holds the uniformed rank in the I. (). O. F. He is a director in the People's National Bank, of Clay Center. A man of strict probity in business transactions, of excellent private char- acter, and of pleasant, cordial manners, Mr. How- land is a representative citizen of the county.

W ILLIAM P. FUNNELL. Among those who have been instrumental in building up the business interests of Clifton, Washing- ton County, Mr. Funnell is worthy of special mention. The firm of William Funnell & Sons has become widely and favorably known through- out Clifton Township and vicinity, and in their ca- pacity as general merchants they have attained to a high standing in their community. They have a well-regulated store with an entrance upon each street leading into the dry-goods department which is 60x24 feet in dimensions. They keep a finely selected stock of dry .goods; while adjoining is the grocery department, occupying an area of 56x28 feet. The whole is conducted systematically and in good order and the firm does a business amounting to about $50,000 annually.

William Funnell Sr., established the business above mentioned in 1871,in a manner corresponding to his means and surroundings. Clifton was then in its infancy and side by side with the growing town, the business of Mr. Funnell broadened and extended and by degrees he was obliged to enlarge his facilities accordingly. The firm removed to its present quarters in 1879, and in 1883 the building was enlarged by the addition of the west store room. Two years later the father retired from ae- tive business which has since been conducted by William P. and his brother Henry.

The subject of this sketch was born while his parents, who were English people (see biography of C. C. Funnell, elsewhere in this work ), were re- siding on the English Channel, in Waterford, Ire- land, Dec. 3, 1853, Six weeks later they went back to England where they lived until William P. was a lad of eight years. They then emigrated to the United States and located near Letts, Louisa Co., Iowa. They lived there only a few years, however, then returned to England where William P. com- pleted his education. His progressive ideas and his ambition decided him upon making a perma- nent home in the United States and he accordingly came back in 1869. again taking up his residence in Letts, Iowa. Thence a year later, in 1870, he came to Kansas and for two years was in the employ of his uncle, George Funnell, whose biography appears on another page.

At the expiration of this time, wishing to in- crease his store of knowledge Mr. Funnell entered the Manhattan Agricultural College and after a thorough course of study returned to Clifton and occupied himself as a clerk in his father's store un- til 1879, during which year he became a member of the present firm. He has since given his entire attention to the dry-goods trade, keeping himself well-informed as to its fluctuations and all the other details of the business which are necessary to successful results. He has done a large amount of hard work, buying his own goods in New York City, which he visits about twice a year.

Mr. Funnell was married to Miss Elmina Green, who was born in the State of Maine, July 20, 1858, and came to Kansas in her childhood days, with her parents. The latter were early settlers of Wash-

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ington County, Kan., but later removed farther west in the State and are now living upon a farm. Of this union there have been born three children, Walter M., Gertrude E. and Charles E. Mr. and Mrs. Funnell are members in good standing of the Methodist Episcopal Church, in which Mr. Funnell officiates as Steward and leader of the choir. Socially be is a member of the Masonic fraternity, belong- ing to Blue Lodge, No. 122 at Clifton. Ile is also a charter member of the A. O. U. W., in which he has been Recorder three years. He is a straight Republican, politically, and for ten years held the position of Postmaster in Clifton. He occupies a position in the front ranks among its public-spirited and liberal-minded men.

UDGE ROBERT J. HARPER, a resident of Manhattan, stands among the foremost men of mark who have been conspicuous in the public life of Riley County since its pioneer days. He is well known throughout the State, and among an extensive acquaintance no one is held in greater honor and trust, or has a warmer place in the hearts of the people than he. Ile was an officer in the Federal Army, during the late war, and served his country with distinguished ability in several responsible positions, a part of the time as aide on the staffs of Generals McKane, Sykes and Blunt. In 1866 he was elected Clerk of the District Court and Judge of Probate for Riley County. He held the clerkship for twenty- two years, and is at present deputy of that office, beside being Notary Public and Justice of the Peace. He has a sound knowledge of law, especially as it relates to the public land measures, and he has been of great assistance to the settlers in selecting their homesteads, and later, in proving their claims and securing their titles.

Judge Ilarper is a native of the town of Frank- fort, Ross Co., Ohio, a son of Joab Harper, a native of Pendleton County, Va., who was, in turn, a son of Adam Harper, a native of the same county, and of German ancestry. He was reared and married in Virginia, and moved to Ohio among its early set- tlers, the removal being made with packhorses, and

he took up a tract of timber land in the wilds of Ross County, and clearing a farm, resided thereon in peace and comfort till the day of his death. The father of our subject was about eight years old when his parents moved to Ohio, and as soon as he was large enough he aided his father in clearing his farm. There were no markets in that region when the family located there, and for some years Findlay was the nearest depot for supplies, till the canal was built through to Chillicothe, which then became a market. When he attained manhood the father of our subject became the proprietor of his father's farm, and his parents resided with him till their death. In 1850 he sold the old homestead, and he, in turn, became a pioneer, crossing the country with teams to Iowa, and settling in DesMoines County as one of its early pioneers, buy- ing a farm north of Burlington, and passing the remainder of his life there. The maiden name of the mother of our subject was Lydia Jones, and she was born in Staunton, Augusta Co .. Va. Her father, Robert Jones, was also of Virginia birth, and later in life he removed with his family to Ross County. Ohio. He was a pioneer farmer there, and carried on bis occupation in that region till his demise. The parents of our subject had six chil- dren-five sons and one daughter-William, John, Robert .J .. Adam, Anna and Joab.

The subject of our sketch was educated in his native county, and being a studions lad, ambitions to gain an education, and attending school when- ever an opportunity offered, he became quite a pro- ficient scholar. Like all farmers' boys, he was re- quired to assist in the farm work. At twenty-one he commenced teaching, and going to Iowa in 1847, he was thus engaged in Des Moines County for awhile. Later, he established himself in the mer- cantile business in Kossuth, residing there till 1859. In that year, in the month of February, he started for the wilds of Kansas Territory, to cast his lot with its pioneers and aid in upbuilding the com- monwealth. He traveled by water and rail to Hannibal, Mo., thence by rail to Weston, Mo., then the western terminus of the railway, and there hired transportation with an ox-team for himself and wife to Topeka, Kan. On his arrival there he was too poor to take a claim of government land,

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and he gladly accepted a job to sell nursery trees for the Topeka nursery, and starting with an ox- wagon load of trees, came to Manhattan, selling his trees on the way. In May he removed to Man- hattan, and renting a house of seven rooms, took boarders, assisting his wife in the management of her household affairs. In the fall of that year he was elected County Clerk and Registrar of Deeds for Riley County, and was holding these offices at the time of the admission of the Territory as a State, continuing to discharge their duties till August, 1862, in which month he enlisted in Com- pany G, Ilth Kansas Cavalry, and on the organi- zation of his regiment he was appointed Regimen- tal Quartermaster-Sergeant, and at the end of one year was commissioned First-Lieutenant and Com- missary of Subsistence. Ile did good service until the close of the war, a part of the time as Aide-de-camp to Gens. McKane, Sykes and Blunt. In the spring of 1865, in the capacity of quarter- master and commissary of subsistance, he accompan- ied Gen. Plumb across the plains in his noted expedition in pursuit of the Indians. Lient. Har- per was mustered out of service in August, 1865, and returning to Manhattan, was elected Clerk of the District Court and Judge of Probate for Riley County the following year, holding the office of clerk till January, 1888, filling his position in a most satisfactory manner to all and with great credit to himself. He was appointed Notary Public and Justice of the Peace in February. 1889, and no man is better qualified to fill these positions than he.

In 1852, Judge Harper was united in marriage with Miss Catherine F., a daughter of Edmund and Louisa (Stone) Pierce, who were natives of Ver- mont, and spent their last years with Mr. and Mrs. Harper, in Manhattan. Mrs. Harper has two brothers and one sister living: Claudius B., a resident of Leavenworth ; Lyman B., a resident of Winfield, lowa; Mrs. Ellen Coleman, a resident of Shenandoah, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Harper have two adopted children, Josephine and Nellie. The former is an accomplished teacher, and for some time taught in Bethany College till she resigned her position in 1889; Nellie is the wife of James E. Cooper, and they have two children-Allan Elizabeth and Catherine May.

Judge Harper is a man of strong, well-trained intellect, and of a stable character. His probity, his dignity, and high sense of honor, together with his humility and unaffected kindness, command uni- versal esteem and regard, and give him great influence both as an office-holder and as a citizen. He and his wife are among our best people, and are noted for their benevolenee and wide charity, their hearts beating responsive to all calls for aid from the needy, or from the afflicted for sympathy. They practice Christianity in deeds and in truth, and are active church members, having united with the Presbyterian Church many years ago, and he has served as Elder and Deacon, and was formerly a worker in the Sunday-school. Politi- cally, the Judge is a Republican, and was for many years in advance of the organization of the party. He cast his first Presidential vote for James G. Birney.

EROME KING, Township Treasurer, and Justice of the Peace of Wild Cat Township, Riley County, has been for st veral years the Road Overseer in his district and likewise a member of the School Board of district No. 6. It will thus he seen that he is a prominent man in his eommunity, and he represents property to the amount of 390 aeres of choice land, all in one tract, and in a productive condition. His neat and tasteful residence was put up in 1880, and adjacent to it are the usual outbuildings required by the substantial and progressive farmer. In addition to general agriculture Mr. King is considerably in- terested in stock-raising. keeping usually from fifty to seventy-five head of cattle, 100 head of swine and eight or ten horses. The homestead proper occupies the southeast quarter of section 6.

A native of Butler County, Ohio, Mr. King was born Dec. 25, 1849, and is the youngest of four children, the offspring of Michael A. and Angeline (Cutter) King, natives of Massachusetts. The parents were reared and married in the Bay State, and immediately after their wedding, set out for Ohio, where the father spent the remainder of his life, dying in 1885, at the homestead which he had

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built up in Butler County; the mother is still liv - ing there and is quite well advanced in years. The other children besides our subjeet are living in Ohio and Indiana. Jerome, like his brothers and sisters attained to a healthy and vigorous manhood. receiving careful home training and a practical edu- cation in the common schools. He began life for himself when a mere boy, and in addition to work. ing his father's place, learned carpentering and cab- inet-making.

When twenty-one years old Mr. King, leaving the Buckeye State. set out for the farther West, and coming to Kansas located in the then infant town of Manhattan. He secured a half interest in the furniture business with which he was connected two and one half years, then selling out purchased a farm on Wild Cat Creek, where he has since lived. On Feb. 7, 1871, he secured unto himself a wife and helpmate-Miss Olive Gibbs-to whom he was married at the bride's home in Franklin County. Ind. The young people commenced the journey of life together in a manner suitable to their means and surroundings, and were prospered. There have been born to them five children, four of whom are living, viz .: Charles, a promising youth of eighteen years; Mettie, fourteen years old; Elmer, ten: and Georgia, the baby, nine months old. One daughter, Nellie. died in 1887, at the age of three years and five months.

Mrs King was born June 27, 1852, in Ohio, and was the second child of C. N. Gibbs, M. D., a practicing physician of Henry County, Ind. Dr. Gibbs was born in New Jersey, and in early man- lood was married to Miss Arminta Jones. The child- hood and youth of Mrs. King were spent in a com- paratively uneventful manner under the home roof and she received excellent parental training. The Gibbs family is favorably known in Indiana as rep- resenting a portion of its best elements. Mr. King is conservative in politics, unsally voting the Dem- oeratic ticket, but in local elections is independent. supporting the man whom he considers best quali- fied to serve the interests of the people.

Mrs. King's father, Dr. Gibbs, was a soldier in the Mexican War, and was a Captain, commanding a company in the 69th Ohio Infantry, during the war of the Rebellion.

OIN LEE. Among the agriculturists of Riley County, there are none who display greater energy, or better understand how to make the tillage of the soil profitable, than he whose name initiates this sketch. He owns 200 acres of land which he has put under excellent eul- tivation and improvement, an excellent orchard of 250 trees, being a profitable and attractive feature of the estate. In addition to the land he owns, he is now operating the S. D. Houston farm in Manhattan Township, which he has rented, and upon which he now makes his home. He raises and feeds stock for market, and also sells a great deal of hay, hav- ing during the present year (1889) put up over 400 tons.

Mr. Lee was born in Ireland in 1836, and is a son of James and Catherine (Comisky ) Lee. Ilis father was a peasant farmer who died when his son John was thirteen years old, the widow dying soon after. The parental family consisted of three sons, our sub ject being the youngest. Ilis eldest brother, James, is now living in New York City with his wife and family. Bernard went to Iowa in 1859, and still lives in that State.

After the death of his parents, in 1848, young John Lee came to America, landing in New York and going at once to the home of an uncle, who bound him out to a cabinet-maker. After serving an apprenticeship of five years, our subject followed his trade until 1862, from 1857 to the latter date having worked for the Government at Ft. Lee. Following his work at Ft. Lee, he was employed in the construction corps of Gen. Sherman's army, during the Atlanta campaign, being occupied m repairing and rebuilding railroad bridges, etc., be- tween Nashville and Chattanooga. and Chattanooga and Atlanta. He remained in the construction corps until the close of the war, doing such work as was required of him and was called for by the needs of the Union forees.

At the elose of the war Mr. Lee returned to Binghamton, N. Y., where he and his wife had previously for a short time made their home with Mrs. Lee's parents There he engaged in buying lots, building houses and selling. continuing so en- gaged until 1869, when he came to Kansas. He settled on Wild Cat Creek, in Wild Cat Township.

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buying forty acres of land. which he has since in- creased to the acreage before mentioned.

On Sept. 4, 1854, the rites of ]wedlock were cel- ebrated between Mr. Lee and Miss Hannah. daugh- ter of John and, Margaret (Conway ) Pendergast. Mrs. Lee was born in the Empire State, her par ents being of Irish birth. She has borne her hus- band eleven children. named respectively: James, deceased; Catherine, Margaret, Ellen, John, Mary A., James. Rosanna. Charles,'William and Thomas. The first born and Rosanna died in infancy. Cath- erine is the wife of John Simmons, of Wild Cat Township. Ellen married Alfred Worl, a well-to- do farmer in Zeandale Township; they have four children. The other living children are still sin . gle, and are at home.

Mr."and Mrs. Lee are worthy members of the Catholic Church. Mr. Lee has served several years as School Director, exhibiting the same] shrewdness and good judgment in office, which have raised him to so prosperous a position financially. In pol- ities he is a Democrat.

S TEPHEN A. SARGENT, one of the most extensive farmers and stock-men of Riley County, is also one of its mnost prosperous and wealthy citizens. His career has been a remarkable illustration of the self-made man, as, upon coming to this county, he was entirely with- out means, making his way on foot from the Mis- souri River hither. This was in 1866. He secured a tract of land on section 17, Madison Township, and prosecuted agriculture amid many difficulties and drawbacks, with that perseverance which forms the chief element of his character. He was pros- pered in his labors, and in addition to the cultiva- tion of his land, effected good improvements, plant- ing fruit and shade trees, and erecting the buildings. one after another as most needed. In the summer of 1889 he put up his present residence which is perhaps the finest farm honse within the limits of Riley County, and which is represented by a splen- did view elsewhere in this work. Personally Mr. Sargent is a man of plain speech, but possessed of a good fund of information, one with whom an hour

may always be spent pleasantly and profitably. He is progressive in his ideas, and has contributed his full quota to the advancement of his adopted county.

The subject of this sketch was born in Lamoille County, Vt., April 14, 1844, and is the son of Sam- nel and Mary A. (Lunt) Sargent, the former of whom was a native of Candia, N. II. Samuel Sar- gent was reared to farming pursuits, which he fol- lowed all his life, and attained to the ripe old age of eighty-two years, dying in Lamoille County, Vt., in 1868. He accumulated a comfortable prop- erty. although not becoming wealthy. He served in the War of 1812, and participated in the battle of Plattsburg. He traced his ancestry to England. The first representatives of the family crossed the Atlantic at an early date, and settled in New Eng- land, whence their descendants became scattered to different parts of the Union.

Mrs. Mary A. Sargent, the mother of our sub- ject, was born in Newburyport, Mass., and still sur- vives, being eighty-three years old, and making her home in Lowell, Mass. The Lunt family was like- wise of English extraction. To Samuel and Mary Sargent there was born the following children : Margaret; George and Samuel, who died young; George (2d) and Samuel (2d), Susan, Volney. Mary A., Martin, Stephen A., and Ellen. George (2), Mary A., Stephen A., and Ellen, are the only surviving members of the family. Stephen was the tenth child, and was reared at the old homestead in his native county, acquiring a common-school edu- cation. In 1865 he set out for the West, and com- ing to Northern Kansas, purchased eighty acres of land on section 17, Madison Township, Riley County. He has maintained possession of this un- til the present time, but has added to his property until he is now the owner of 1,200 broad acres, oc- eupying a portion of seetions 10. 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, and 18. Ile makes a specialty of raising live-stock, shipping large numbers each year, a portion of tliem high-grade, Short-horn cattle.

In Riley County, Mr. Sargent was married Ang. 11, 1868, to Miss Mary E. Reed. This lady was born in Indianola, Iowa, in 1849, and is the daugh- ter of Andrew D. and Jane (Johnson) Reed, who were natives of Ohio. The Reed family came to

RESIDENCE OF JAMES DIXON , SEC. 11. ( T.9. R. 5.) RILEY Co.

RESIDENCE OF S. A. SARGENT , SEC. 17. MADISON TP, RILEY CO.

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Kansas while it was still a Territory, as early as 1856, and the parents spent their last years in Riley County. Their family consisted of five children, of whom Mrs. Sargent was next to the youngest. Four of these are living and located mostly in Kan- sas. To our subject and his estimable wife there have been born nine children, viz: Edith M., Mar- tin C., Milton E., John W., George S., Willie S., Charles. Francis A., Orel R., all of whom are liv- ing at home with their parents.

Politieally, Mr. Sargent is a Republican, and al- though no offiee-seeker, has held some of the offices of his township. He is a man whom his fellow-eiti- zens would gladly promote. but he prefers giving his chief attention to his farming interests. He is a member in good standing of Garfield Lodge No. 235, A. F. & A. M., at Leonardville. In his farming operations he has followed that business-like and systematie course which seldom fails of success. and his home in all its appointments indicates the exereise of refined tastes and ample means. Mr. Sargent holds no secondary position among the representative men of Riley County, whose names and record it is designed to perpetuate in this work.

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Portrait and biographical album of Washington, Clay and Riley counties, Kansas, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent citizens together with portraits and biographies of all the governors of the state, Part 112

Author: Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago, Chapman Brothers Number of Pages: 1258

Author:
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman Brothers
Number of Pages: 1258