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 16

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 16
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 16
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 16

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

The subject of this sketch was born near Cler- mont, Ind., April 26, 1846, and lived there on a farm until a lad of eleven years. In 1857 le removed to Missouri by team with his mother, crossing the Mississippi at Warsaw, and located in Atchison County, on a farm. The country was wild, and game of all kinds was plentiful. They sojourned there until our subject was a youth of eighteen years in the midst of a rebel element. Up-

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on the occasion of raising the first rebel flag in the County Seat of Atchison County, young Tansel, then a boy of fifteen years, was requested to secure for the purpose the staff from a United States flag on a house near by, so they could substitute the con- federate colors. This the young patriot refused to do, and was treated to a volley of very forcible language in consequence. Soon afterward he en- deavored to enlist in the Union army, but was re- jected on account of his age. In 1864 he went to Nebraska, and while living on the Missouri . River bottom, repaired to Brownsville and entered the Union ranks as a member of Company H, 1st Ne- braska Cavalry. He was mustered into service at Omaha, and soon afterward his company was sent to Ft. Laramie, and subsequently to Cottonwood Springs. Next he joined an expedition to North- western Nebraska, and after doing other efficient service, was mustered out and honorably discharged at Julesburg, in April, 1866. on account of physi- cal disability. Ile now receives a pension of $10 per month.

Upon retiring from the service, Mr. Tansel re- turned home, via Omaha, and for a year was in- capacitated for active labor. Later he engaged in farming and teaming. He had, in 1862, when a youth of sixteen years, engaged in freighting across the plains for other parties, and upon one occasion when near Ft. Kearney, having a disagreement with the wagon-inaster; they separated, and he returned home on foot.

On the 2d of September, 1874, Mr. Tansel was married in Washington County, this State, to Miss Amanda Clark, who was born in Lake County, Ind., and who followed the profession of a teacher for some time before her marriage. She became the mother of four children-Louis, Joy, Alvarado, Jr., and Berry. The latter is with his grandmother in Washington; the others remain at home with their father. Mrs. Amanda Tansel departed this life in 1882. Our subject contracted a second inar- riage in 1884, with Miss Sophia Kuns, a native of New York City, and they have three children- Isla, Carrie, and Benjamin H.

In politics Mr. Tansel is a Republican. He served as Justice of the Peace one term, and as Notary Public four years. He was also Clerk of the School

Board, and frequently officiates as a delegate to the county, Senatorial and State conventions. Socially, he belongs to the A. F. and A. M., lodge No. 226, at Haddam, in which he has officiated as Secretary two terms. Ile is likewise identified with the G. A. R. No. 419, at Haddam, and holds the office of Com- mander. In religious matters, he is identified with the Christian Church. In former years he was en- gaged as a teacher,and at one time was in the printing business at Waterville and Washington three years. Ile first set foot upon the soil of Kansas, in 1868, making the journey to the present site of Haddam overland by team, but the following year returned to Missouri, and came to Kansas the second time in 1873.

The father of our subject, was Timothy Tansel, who was born in Scott County, Ky., in 1810. Ilis paternal grandfather, Francis Tansel, was a native of the South of France, and engaged in the French wars of his time. Grandfather Tansel followed the sea from boyhood up, becoming a captain. He finally settled in Virginia, and from there went to Kentucky,and later participated in the War of 1812, being at the siege of Ft. Meigs. He spent his last days in Hendricks County, Ind., to which he had removed in 1828, and was among the pioneers of that region. Timothy Tansel chose farming for his vocation, and cleared a tract of land in Hendricks, where he spent his last years, dying in 1852. He was a Whig, politically, and an active member of the Christian Church. In early manhood he de- signed and carved a powder horn, in 1845, with the name and picture of James K. Polk.

Mrs. Martha (Campbell) Tansel, the mother of our subject, was born in Seneca County, N. Y., and was the daughter of Elias Campbell, a native of New Jersey. The latter was a weaver by trade, and did service in the War of 1812. Afterward he settled in New York State, then removed. first to Ohio, and later to Indiana, where he engaged in farming, and died. ITis father came from Scotland and served seven years in the Revolutionary War. The mother, after the death of her husband, was married to William Smith, a native of Pickaway County, Ohio, and a tanner by trade. In 1876 they removed to Nebraska, and from there to Washington County, this State. William Smith

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was in the first mounted United States Riflemen in Scott's campaign during the Mexican War. Mrs. Smith is now sixty-five years old, but healthy and active, and a member in good standing of the Meth- odist Episcopal Church; she makes her home in Washington, Kan. Of her first marriage there were horn three children: Alvarado, Albertinc, a resi- dent of Blue Rapids, and May, Mrs. Campbell, also of Blue Rapids. In the second family there were four children; Albina, of Norton County, this State; and William, Lucy, and Elmer, of Washington County.

F6 ATIIER ALOYSIUS M. MEILI is num- bered among the highly respected citizens of Clay Center, where he is engaged in worthy works and good deeds, being the resident priest of St. Peter's and St. Paul's Church at that point. This church was established by Father Pichler of Hanover, who had under his personal supervis- ion the whole section which is now divided among five priests. The church organization was effected in 1875, the early members being D. Duigg, Schultz Bros., Phillip R. Rothman, Mr. C. Hol- gang, and a few others. Father Ruemle said the first mass here in the house of D. Duigg. This # same priest said the first mass also in the city of Marysville. The church in Clay Center, when first organized. contained only seven families, but now the membership has increased to twenty-eight. The first resident priest was Father Loevenech, who took the pastorate in 1880, the church edifice hav- ing been built five years prior to this time under the direct management of Father Pichler. Our subject came to Clay Center in June, 1886, and was the fourth resident priest of the church.

Father Meili was born in Canton Zurich, Switz- erland, March 8, 1840, and received a good educa- tion in the university of his native town of Zurich. Here he continued to reside until the fall of 1865, when, crossing the ocean into this country, he com- menced to study for the priesthood at Cincinnati, in St. Mary's University, and continued the pursuit of knowledge there until 1870. Then, having completed the preseribed course of learning, he

was ordained at Fort Wayne, Ind .. and was given charge of a church in Indiana, and afterward in Ohio. Ile was very successful in both pastorates, but was induced to emigrate to the West and lo- cate in Kansas, where he was first priest of the Catholic Church at Irish Creek, Marshall County, and afterward went to Marysville and took charge of the congregation at that place. Thence, in 1886, he came to Clay Center, where he is now in the fourth year of his labor, and has in the mean- time gained the respect and confidence not only of his parishioners, but also of those differing from him in religious opinions, who, nevertheless, ad- mire one whose life is filled with deeds of charity and kindness and whose character is above reproach. During the years of his work here he has been in- strumental in bringing many into active member- ship and has assisted in all possible ways in the upbuilding of the church. He is now in the prime of his life and has the best wishes of many friends for years of usefulness in his chosen work.

ENRY AVERY, one of the proprietors of the Republican Valley Stock Farm, which is located in Republican Township, Clay County, and senior member of the firm of Avery & Coleman, is looked upon as one of the most level-headed business men of this section. He presents a picture of the typical pioneer, pro- gressive. enterprising and public-spirited, and has always had that care for his personal honor which has enabled him to build up a record which his children may be proud to look upon in after years. He is of New England ancestry, his paternal grand- father having been George Avery, who was born in Truro, Cape Cod, Jan. 23. 1759. The wife of the latter was Mary Sanborn Hawk, who was born in Massachusetts, April 22, 1765. They were married in Plainfield, N. II., Jan. 11, 1787, and became the parents of twelve children, of whom the seventh, George Jr., was the father of the subject of this sketch.

George Avery, Jr., was born in Plainfield, N.H., March 24, 1798, and was there reared to man's

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estate. After marriage he settled in Morristown. Vt., but subsequently removed to Lowell, that State, where he spent the greater part of his life. In the spring of 1871, however, being still pos- sessed of much of the strong and sturdy spirit of his early manhood, he determined upon coming to the West and joining his son in Kansas, settled near Wakefield, Clay County, where he died, Sept. 29, 1889.

The maiden name of the mother of our subject was Delilah Cummings. She was born in Cornish, N. H., lived to accompany her husband to Kansas, and died at their home near Wakefield, in 1876. There had been born to her and her husband ten children, five sons and five daughters, Henry, our subject, being the youngest son.

Henry Avery was born in Lowell, Vt., April 29, 1838, and lived there until reaching manhood. Thence he went to Ohio, and from there to Illi- nois. In the spring of the year 1851 he pushed on farther westward, coming to Kansas and settling in Clay County, obtaining land in the Republican Valley, on section 19, Republican Township. By purchase he eventually became the owner of 500 aeres lying in and adjacent to his first possessions. He sold his farm in 1886 to his present partner, C. R. Coleman, and purchased a tract of 600 acres farther down the river, where he now lives.

Mr. Avery became particularly interested in fine borses in 1870, starting the Republican Valley Stock Farm in the month of March of that year. He operated it alone until the spring of 1886, then sold a half interest to Mr. Coleman, who was for- merly from DuPage County, Ill. They issue cat- alogues each year, and are conducting their business in that systematic manner which has never failed of satisfactory results. Mr. Avery began importing and breeding Percheron and French coach horses in 1875. His stud is one of the most extensive and best known west of the Mississippi River. He was been uniformly successful, taking premiums at the county and State fairs and special horse shows.

During the progress of the late Civil War. Mr. Avery, in the spring of 1863, entered the Union Army as a member of Company L, 11th Kansas Cavalry, and served as a private on the plains,

mostly against the Indians, until October, 1865. when, the war being closed, he received his honor- able discharge. During this period he saw enough of army life to satisfy him, and especially the mode of frontier warfare. He meddles very little with politics, but keeps himself posted upon matters of general interest and gives his support to the Republican party.

The marriage of Henry ; Avery and Miss Orpha Farman was celebrated at the bride's home in Troy, Vt., Feb. 26, 1866. Mrs. Avery was born Feb. 1, 1840, in Troy, Vt., and is the daughter of llerod and Elvira (Hitchcock) Farman and the sister of Mrs. R. A. Moyer, a sketch of whom will be found in the biography of Albert Avery, else- where in this volume, together with facts relating to the family history. There have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Avery four bright children, viz .. Fred H., Herbert F., Herman W. and Ellen D.

OHN A. MORRISON, loan agent, Clay Cen- ter, occupies an office centrally located, on the corner of Lincoln avenue and Fifth street. He has been a resident of Clay County, since the spring of 1883, spending all that time in this city engaged in his present business, making first mortgage loans only for Eastern par- ties and doing a fine business.

William B. Morrison, the father of our subject. was born in Lancaster County, Pa., in 1829, going thenee to Chester County, where he married Miss Rebecca J. Scott. His ocenpation was that of a general merchant, and he was Sheriff of Chester County, and Postmaster of the Pennsylvania Sen- ate. He was a man of considerable prominence politieally. He reared a family of eight children. five sons and three daughters. The parents came West in 1887 and are now living in this city.

The subject of this sketch was born in Chester County, Pa., Jan. 5, 1850, and grew to maturity at Coatsville, where he finished his education, after which he became a machinist, following the trade four years, during his apprenticeship. At the time of the Cook failure, when everything in that line

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was dull, he became interested in lumber and coal dealing, at which he continued for about three years. He then served as Deputy Sheriff under his father for a time, and subsequently engaged as book-keeper for a firm in Westchester, Chester Co .. Pa. He continued acting in that capacity for five years, and is still in the employ of Smedley & Darlington, being their general agent for this sec- tion. The second member of the firm is now Con- gressman for his district. A continued service of twelve years for the same men, shows that the trust reposed in Mr. Morrison has been faithfully met.

Mr. Morrison is a member of the Knights of Pythias, being Chancellor Commander of Custer Lodge No. 19, at Clay Center; and is Fellow- Craftsman in the Masonie Lodge. He is much in- terested in local politics, but is not an aspirant for politieal honors, though he served as City Assessor in 1888. Mr. Morrison is highly spoken of by all who know him, as a man of strict integrity in his business transactions, and honorable in all his deal- ings. Since writing the above the father has passed away, his death occurring Oct. 14, 1889, in Clay Center, and his remains were laid to rest in Clay Center Cemetery.

religion a member of the Reformed Presbyterian Church.

The mother of our subject was in her maiden- hood, Miss Mary Beattie, and was a daughter of Francis Beattie, a gentleman of Irish birth but of Scotch ancestry. Mr. Beattie came with his family (his daughter Mary having been born in the Empire State) from New York to Western Pennsylvania over the mountains. He located near Pittsburg when that place was but a small hamlet, and en- gaged in farming. Mrs. Anderson survived her husband many years, dying in 1875, when past eighty-five years of age. She was a devoted mem- ber of the United Presbyterian Church.

The parental family of our subject consisted of three sons and three daughters, he being the second son and child. But three of the family group are now living, all sons: Francis B. is an attorney-at- law in Wyandotte, Kan .; James B. lives at Sparta. III.

J. H. Anderson, of whom we write, was but a lad of twelve years when he lost his father. Some time later he accompanied his mother back to Pittsburg, where he was educated and learned the trade of carpenter. Subsequently with his mother and her other children, he returned again to their old home in Randolph County, Ill., where he followed his trade until 1873, when he came to Kansas, locating in Clay County. He took up as a home- stead a quarter of section 23, in Bloom Township, and for some time continued working at his trade in connection with the business of farming. In 1880 Mr. Anderson obtained another 160 acres of land, and now has the whole well-improved and stocked, and furnished with a most excellent class of buildings. The estate is well watered and adapted to the raising of both grain and live- stock, and Mr. Anderson has been quite successful in the occupation which he undertook after years of life at a trade. His powers of observation and discrimination have stood him in good stead, and he is classed among the progressive agriculturists of the county.

OIIN H. ANDERSON was born in Pitts- burg, Pa., the date of his birth having been Sept. 16, 1818. His father, James Ander- son, was born in New York State, of Scotch parents, who brought him to Pittsburg at an early day. There he learned the trade of making spin- ning wheels, and there remained until 1826, when with a wife and three children, he went to Randolph County, Ill. The journey was made by water down the Ohio and up the Mississippi rivers, to a country that was new and unbroken. Mr. Ander- son began life in that State as a farmer, improving an estate there to some extent, prior to his death. In Randolph County, Ill., Mr. Anderson was united in marriage, Nov. 25, 1856, with Mrs. Sarah A. Wilson, nee McMillan. She was born which occurred two years after the removal, the canse being consumption. He was somewhat past middle life. In politics, he was a Whig, and in ; and reared in that county, her birth having taken

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place Aug. 16, 1826. She departed this life in Bloom Township March 9, 1874, deeply regretted by all who knew her. She had been an active member of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, and useful in her day and generation. She had borne her husband five children.

Her parents were early settlers in the county where she was born, dying there years after. They were natives of South Carolina, of Irish par- entage and Seoteb and Irish ancestry. They be- longed to the Presbyterian Church, and were much opposed to slavery, hence their removal to the free State of Illinois.

Mr. Anderson both during and before the late war, was an Abolitionist, and was one of the chief engineers of the "underground railway" in Ran- dolph County, Ill .. before the emancipation of the slaves made it a "thing of the past." He assisted many a poor man on the road to free- dom, even at the risk of his own liberty and the destruction of his property. During the Rebellion Mr. Anderson took part with the 100 day's men from his county and did guard duty, they being in no active engagement. He belongs to the Repub- liean party and is an advocate of prohibition, though believing it should come through the party to which he belongs. He is the Central Committe member from his township. The offices of Township Clerk and Treasurer have been filled by him to the satisfaction of his constituents. Mr. Anderson be- longs to the United Presbyterian Church, and is an Elder in the congregation in his township, which he organized. IIe is a man of warm hearted nature and enthusiasm in any work which he undertakes, and deservedly receives the respect of his neighbors and fellow-citizens.

OHN J. MUTII, President of the Western Exchange Bank of Haddam, is one of the most public-spirited men in the county and possesses those qualities of character which have made him a general favorite in both social and business circles. He is a true gentleman in all his instincts and owing to his excellent business habits,

has been very successful financially. No man is more warmly interested in the building up of his town, he being always ready to lend a helping hand to the enterprises calculated for its advancement. He owns and occupies a fine residence which was planned and arranged by himself and which forms one of the attractive features of the town. Ile is musically inelined and is a member of the Haddam band. He has for his life partner a lady of many excellent qualities-one who is thoroughly devoted to her family and who has assisted her husband materially in attaining to his present social position. The Western Exchange Bank is considered one of the most solid institutions of its kind in the county.

The native place of Mr. Muth was Jonestown, Lebanon Co., Pa., where be first opened his eyes to the light Feb. 27, 1859. He received very good schooling, entering at the age of sixteen years, an academy where he was a student two years. In the meantime he had worked considerably on the farm and determined to seek his fortunes in the West. He set out for Kansas in April, 1879, and coming to Washington County engaged as a clerk for Thomas Haak, lumber dealer, with whom he re- mained seven months. At the expiration of this time, coming to Haddam, he opened a lumber yard in partnership with Mr. Haak, and they have since operated under the firm name of Haak & Muth. They purchased the ground. put up the building and operated together until 1873, when Mr. Haak withdrew and Mr. Muth conducted the business until 1884. That year he sold out to the Chicago Lumber Company, of which he became manager. It is the only lumber company in the town and of course enjoys good patronage. Mr. Muth owns the building and three lots. In 1884 he commenced dealing in pumps and windmills in which he has likewise built up an extensive trade. He owns his residence and a number of lots.

Mr. Muth was married in Washington County. Sept. 30, 1882, to Miss Anna Terman, a native of this State and whose father was killed in the late war. This union has resulted in the birth of four child- ren-Lottie, William, Flora and Oliver. Mr. Muth, politically, is a sound Demoerat and holds the posi- tion of Township Clerk. He has been a School Director in his distriet and a member of the Town

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Council. He is a director in the Western Exchange Bank and socially belongs to the I. O. O. F .. the A. F. & A. M. at Haddam, and the K. P. of Belle- ville.

The father of our subject was Jefferson Muth, a native of Pennsylvania, and the son of John Muth, also born in that State and who occupied himself as a farmer and merchant; he acquired a large amount of property and was worth over $100,000 at the time of his death. The family is of German descent. Jefferson Muth,likewise engages in farming in Lebanon County, Pa,; where he still lives and owns 180 acres of well-improved land. He is a man of influence in his community, a Democrat in politics and in religion a member of the German Reformed Church; he is now seventy-three years old.

Mrs. Sarah (Haak) Muth, the mother of our sub- ject, was likewise born in Lebanon County, Pa., and is the daughter of a substantial farmer. She has now arrived at the age of sixty years. Her nine children were named respectively, Katie, de- ceased; John, our subject; Ida, deceased; Anna, William, Harry and Frank at home with their pa- rents; Edmund and Sally, deceased.

NDREW STOLZER. In plain words, Mr. Stolzer is considered "one of the best men in Washington County." Honest, indus- trious, frugal and temperate, public spirited and liberal, he is of that class which forms the basis of all good society, and is numbered among those who have at heart the best interests of the com- munity. He has given his uniform encouragement to the establishment of schools and churches, and has always taken an active part in political affairs, being a prominent member of the Republican party ; he is also one of the pillars of the Methodist Epis- copal Church. His life-long occupation has been that of a farmer, and his homestead is pleasantly located on section 23, Farmington Township. not far from its center. A beautiful new residence stands prominently out on the landscape, and with its surroundings, indicates the abode of peace and

plenty. On another page of this ALBUM appears a fine view of this home, which, with its environ- ments, forms as attractive a picture of rural life as is often to be seen.

In noting the general air of prosperity and thrift connected with the homestead of Mr. Stolzer, the the reader will not be surprised to learn that he is a native of Germany. He is now in the prime of life, having been born Jan. 16, 1848. Nicholas Stolzer, his father, was a native of the same prov- ince as himself, and was there married to Miss Sophia Shoo, who was born and reared not far from the home of her husband. She was laid to rest upon her native soil, her death having occur- red prior to the emigration of the family to Amer ica. After her death, the father. in 1857, crossed the Atlantic, landing in New Orleans, and thence proceeded to the vicinity of Oskaloosa, Iowa. He engaged in farming in Mahaska County, and there spent his last days, passing to his final rest June 17, 1873.

Andrew Stolzer was about nine years of age when he accompanied his father to the New World, and he remained under the parental roof until he was a young man of twenty years. In September, 1869, he came to Washington County, Kan .. and pur- chased a part of his present farm. He labored in- dustriously, making it a point always to live within his income, and thus gained some headway eaclı year. In due time he doubled his possessions, and is now the owner of 320 acres, having a farm sec- ond to none in the township. He planted forest and fruit trees, and has about him all the comforts and conveniences of modern life.

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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 16

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

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