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 54

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 54
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 54
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 54

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).

In noting the personal history of Mr. Graham, we find that he is a native of Yorkshire, England, and was born Dec. 15, 1833. He comes of pure English stock, but his parents dying when he was an infant he was reared by his grandparents in York- shire, and there received his early education. He developed into a strong and vigorous lad, perhaps rather impatient of control, and ambitious to be somebody in the world, At the age of fourteen years he went to sea as cabin boy on the "Mary Hud- son," a merchant vessel commanded by his uncle, George Graham. He left the ship in Boston, Mass., in 1850, going to New Orleans and procuring em- ployment in the Pensacola Navy Yard, and remained there until 1853.

In the year above mentioned Mr. Graham emi- grated to St. Louis, Mo., and becoming an employe of the Lindell Hotel, remained in that city until the following spring. Then, taking to the water again, he embarked on the Mississippi as a deck hand, and for two years he was watchman on the steamer "Minnesota." He acted in that capacity on differ- ent boats thereafter until the outbreak of the Civil War, and during the war was mate on the "Belfast," an Arkansas River boat. He quit steamboating in 1879, came to Kansas that year, and has since spent his time upon terra firma. He landed in America a poor boy, and has accumulated his property solely by his own industry and perseverance. His career furnishes a fine example to any young man starting out in life dependent upon his own resources.

Shortly before reaching the twenty-fourth year of his age Mr. Graham took unto himself a wife and helpmate, being married in November, 1857, to Miss Bridget Mccluskey, of Galena, III. Mrs. Graham

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was born in County Monahan, Ireland, in August, 1830, and upon coming to America alone, settled first in New York. Of this union there have been born five children, viz. : Charles, George, Henry, William W. and Isabel. The eldest son is unmar- ried. George took to wife Miss Maggie Malia, of Washington County, this State, and they are the parents of one child, a son, Willie; they live on a farm in this township. Henry married Miss Cath- erine MeCune, of Harrison County, Mo., and they have two children-James and Francis; they are living on a farm in Oklahoma. Isabel is the wife of Roger MeCune, a farmer, and they live in the vicinity of Ashland, Clark County, this State. Mr. Graham, politically, is a sound Republican, and re- ligiously, belongs with his wife to the Roman Catho- lic Church.

AMES S. CORBETT, one of Manhattan's most successful merchants is prosperously engaged in the hardware business in this city, W. H. Orr being associated with him at the present time. They have a well-fitted up store, and have a fine assortment of hardware, cutlery, stoves, paints and oils, and they are well patronized. Mr. Corbett was born in Mifflin County, Pa., on the banks of the beautiful Juniata, three miles from the town of MeVey, May 20, 1839, being the date of his birth. Ilis father, Robert Corbett, was born in the same State in 1808, a son of William Corbett, who was also a Pennsylvanian by birth. The Cor- bett family originated in Scotland or Ireland, Joseph Corbett, the great-grandfather of our sub- ject, coming from the North of Ireland in 1776, and locating on the banks of the Juniata, casting in his fortunes with the American colonists in their struggle for independence. He continued to live in the home in Pennsylvania that he had se- lected when he first came to this country. till death called him to a better. His son William was a life- long resident of the place of his birth, dying there in 1833. His wife, whose maiden name was Sarah Roberts, was of English descent.

The father of our subject was the sixth son of his parents, and he was reared by them in his native

State. Early in life he learned and carried on the trade of a sign painter. After marriage he devoted himself to farming, buying a farm in Mifflin County, and cultivating it till 1853. In that year he be- came a pioneer of Illinois, locating near Princeton. At that time Peru, in that State was the western terminus of the railway, and he performed his jour- ney to that point on the steam ears, and then went with teams to Bureau County. lle bought a farm in Berlin Township, and in the busy years that fol- lowed not only improved his place and built up a comfortable home, but secured a competency with the cheerful aid of his good wife. In 1880 he sold his property in Illinois, and came to Manhattan to spend his declining years. Ile is living here retired at the age of eighty-two, still retaining in a large degrec his old-time physical and mental vigor, en- joying good health and having an excellent mem- ory. He is sincerely respected and venerated by all who know him for his many sterling qualities. The maiden name of his wife was Ruth Mckinstry, and she was also a native of the Keystone State, born in Cumberland County to Alexander and Ruth (McDonald) Mckinstry, who were natives of Pennsylvania of Scotch ancestry.

The subject of this sketch was seventeen years old when his parents left the pleasant scenes of his youthful home and sought another on the green prairies of Illinois. He attended the district school in Pennsylvania and also in Illinois, assisting his father on the farm when not engaged in studying. By diligence and close attention to his books he acquired a sound education that amply qualified him to en- ter the rank of teachers, which he did at the age of twenty. His time was occupied in teaching in winter and in farming in summer till 1870, when he left Illinois to seek greener fields and pastures new under these sunny skies, and coming to Man- hattan prospecting he made a claim to some land in Clay County. He did not, however, settle on it, but soon accepted a clerkship with Mr. Purcell. and so abandoned his elaim. He remained in that gentleman's employ for several years. being en- gaged in the hardware department the last eight years of his stay, and he thus gained a thorough insight into the mercantile business June 21, 1883 he resigned his position to establish himself as a

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hardware merchant, opening a store in Manhattan. which is neatly fitted up with everything usually found in such a store. He has admitted Mr. W. H. Orr, of Michigan. into partnership, and they com- mand a profitable trade, and are doing a flourishing business, that is carried on systematically and after the best methods.

The marriage of Mr. Corbett with Miss Celia E. Mails, was solemnized Dec. 22, 1874, and it has been blessed to them by the birth of four children : Florence R., Joseph B., Mabel A., Ray F. Mrs. Corbett is, like her husband, a native of Pennsyl- vania. She is a daughter of John and Martha (Huey) Mails, of whom see account in the biography of Martha Mails, that appears on another page of this volume.

Mr. Corbett is an intelligent, thoughtful man, of high personal repute, and stands well in the bnsi- ness, moral and social eireles of the community. He is a man of publie spirit, earnestly interested in the welfare of his country, and fully believing that the policy of the Democratie party is the best for the management of public affairs, gives it his hearty support. He and his wife are people of true reli- gious character, and in them the Presbyterian Church finds its most active workers.

ONATHAN DAVIES. In this instance the strong-sounding name most certainly befits the man. Mr. Davies, who is in the prime of life, is strong and powerfully built, and possesses marked traits of character in keeping with his physical development. He is numbered among the substantial citizens of Manhattan Township, who commenced at the foot of the ladder in life, dependent upon their own resources, and by his own unflagging industry, he has raised himself to a good position, socially and financially.

Mr. Davies was born in the North of Wales, Jan. 18, 1840. He lived there the first thirty-one years of his life, and then in 1871 joined a Welsh colony coming to America, and who settled at, and around Bala, near the western line of Riley County, and about midway between the north and south bound-

ary lines. Mr. Davies had no capital excepting his strong hands, his industrious habits, and a helpful wife who had been his playmate in boyhood, and to whom he was married in the city of Liverpool, England, upon the eve of setting out for the New World. For some years thereafter, Mr. Davies was in the employ of the late Capt. Todd, and saving his earnings, was in due time enabled to purchase 160 acres of land adjoining the old town site of Bala, and he also has charge as a renter of sixty-two acres belonging to Mrs. Todd. Mrs. Davies is a very refined and intelligent lady, and they have one son, a bright youth of about fifteen years, who is a student in the Agricultural College.

In referring to the antecedents of Mr. Davies, we find that he was the son of David and Elizabeth (Jones) Davies, the father a farmer by occupation, and both sides of the house descended from Welsh ancestry. Eight children were born to the parents, the eldest of whom, a son, John, married Elizabeth Owen, and is a hotel-keeper in Liverpool, England; they have three children: Martha married Edward Lewis, a farmer, of Mold, Wales, and they have two children; Edward was married to Mary Ingman, and to them there were born seven children; he died in Wales in the fifty-first year of his age. David, a butcher of Liverpool, married Catherine Roberts, and they have eight children; Thomas, likewise a buteher of Liverpool, married Kate Me- Connell, and they have two children living; Eliza- beth died when eight years old; Margaret married William Williams, an iron moulder of Scranton, Pa., and they have five children.

Mr. Davies lived in his native country until twenty-eight years old, then repaired to Liverpool, England, and followed butchering three years. Not being satisfied with his condition or his pros- peets, he, in 1871, set out for America, and there- after was employed seven years as a farm laborer. Next he went to Bala, and remained three years. After the death of Capt. Todd he operated the farm for his widow from 1880 to 1887. For the last two years he has lived on it as a renter. He owns 160 acres of land adjoining the old town site of Bala, on the northwest corner. The father of Mr. Davies died in January, 1886, in the ninety-first year of his age, having survived his estimable wife eleven

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years, her death taking place in May, 1877, at the age of sixty-eight.

The wife of our subject, to whom he was married Feb. 9, 1871, was in her girlhood, Miss Eliza- beth, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth (Ed- wards) Hughes. Mrs. Davies was born and reared in the same neighborhood as her husband, and of their congenial union there has been born one child only, a son, David T., June 19, 1874. Mrs. Davies was the third child of her parents, whose family consisted of four sons and four daughters; John is unmarried and living with his parents in Wales; David, who likewise continues a resident of his na- tive country, married Elizabeth Davies, and they have four children living; Thomas married Mar- garet Davies, and died at the age of thirty-four years, in Bala, Wales, leaving three children; Cath- erine is unmarried, and lives with her parents; Margaret Ann died in childhood; Edward married Miss Mary Wright, and is a general merchant in Ruthin, Wales. Mr. and Mrs. Davies, in religious belief, are Congregationalists, and Mr. Davies, po- litieally, supports the Republican party, in which he is quite prominent, having been sent as a delegate to five county conventions.

ANIEL SCHAFFNER. For over eighteen years Mr. Schaffner has been a resident of Bloom Township, Clay County, to which he came in April, 1871, and homesteaded 160 acres of land on section 13. A few years in- dustriously employed, resulted in the opening up of a good farm which is now largely devoted to stock- raising. Besides this property he has 140 acres on seetion 7 which is likewise improved. He is con- sequently well-to-do and is only another illustra- tion of the results of enterprise and industry.

Mr. Schaffner came to Kansas from Tennessee, where he had lived on a farm in Stewart County two years and to which he removed from Crawford County, Ohio, where he had been a resident for nearly twenty years, engaged in railroading and farming. He is a native of Switzerland and was born in the Canton of Argan, Oct. 11, 1833, being the descendant of a fine old Swiss family and the

son of Daniel Schaffner, Sr., a substantial Swiss farmer. The latter was married to Miss Barbara Weibel, a native of his own canton, and after the birth of five children-four sons and one daughter, the mother died in 1846.

The father of our subjeet in due time was mar- ried again and with his wife and children set out for America in September, 1848, on the sailing vessel " Baltimore " from Havre, France, and ar- rived in New York City after a pleasant voyage of thirty-five days. They located in Richland County, Ohio. where they remained six months, then re- moved to Crawford County, Ohio, of which they were residents a number of years. The father finally purchased a farm in Marion County, that State, but eventually returned to Crawford County, where the stepmother died in 1854, at the age of fifty-two years. The father and his two wives were members of the German Reformed Church. The first wife was forty-three years old at the time of her death. The elder Schaffner after becoming a widower the second time, followed his son Daniel in his different migrations and died at his home in Bloom Township. Kan .. in 1884, aged eighty-one years and six months. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church in Bloom Township, which he assisted in organizing and was a good man in the broadest sense of the term.

The subject of this sketch attained to manhood in Crawford County, Ohio. and was there married Jan. 1, 1860, to Miss Anna Miller. This lady was born in Wooster, that State, Sept. 11, 1830, and is the daughter of Jacob and Barbara ( lagussweler) Miller, who were natives of Switzerland, where they were reared and married. After the birth of one child they emigrated to the United States in 1829, settling in Wayne County, Ohio, and after- wards removed to Crawford County, Ohio, where the father died a few years later, in August 1843, in his prime. The mother survived her husband many years, remaining a widow, and died in Craw- ford County, May, 4, 1874, at the age of seventy- six. Both she and her husband were life long members of the German Reformed Church, faithful and earnest in their devotion to their religious du - ties and their duties to those around them.

Mrs. Schaffner was the second born in a fami

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of four sons and five daughters. Three of the daughters are yet living and all are married, hav- ing families of their own. Jacob Miller died when his daughter Anna was twelve years old and she remained with her mother until her marriage, receiving a good education in the common school. Of her union with our subject there have been born five children, the eldest of whom, a daughter, Mary E., is a teacher of five years standing; Bar- bara L., is a teacher of seven years standing; John II., also a teacher, is now a student in the Baker University at Baldwin, Kan .; Margaret A. follows the same profession in the vicinity of Clay Center; Barbara L., John H. and Margaret A. are all grad- uates of the High School at Clay Center; Daniel C, is attending school there and will be graduated in due time. The parents and children are all mem- bers of the \Presbyterian Church, in which Mr. Schaffner officiates as Elder, and which he and his and his wife assisted in organizing, and they have contributed liberally to its support. Politically, Mr. Schaffner supports the principles of the Demo- cratic party.

G EORGE F. BROWN was one of the early pioneers of Kansas, and has been variously connected with its industrial, agricultural and mercantile interests for many years. He has until recently been prosperously engaged in busi- ness as a bookseller and stationer in Manhattan. He was born in Providence, R. I., Jan. 12, 1829. His father, James Brown, was born in the same State in the town of Johnson, and was the son of Gideon Brown, also a native of Rhode Island and, it is thought of the same town. He was a farmer and always followed that occupation, dying event- ually in Johnson, where he owned a good farm. The father of our subject was bred to the life of a farmer, and never engaged in any other calling. He bought a farm in his native town, and although he was a hard-working, frugal man, the hard times of 1837 found him unable to complete his payment on his homestead and he had to forfeit it. He carried on farming in different places in the State till

1855, when he came to" Kansas with our subject, and his death occurred at Ft. Riley in the month of November, the same year. The maiden name of his wife. mother'of our subject, was Nancy II. Sweet, and she was born in Providence, R. I. Her father, Benager Sweet, was born in Scotland or was born in this country of Scotch parentage. She came to Kansas on a visit, and on her return to the East made her home with her daughter in Worcester, Mass., till her death. Of the eleven children born of her marriage only four grew to maturity, namely: Mary, who married David Sherman; Ellen M .; George F. and Sarah.

Our subject was the only son reared and is the only member of the family now living. He at- tained to manhood in his native State and was there given the excellent advantages for an education afforded by its public schools. At the age of twenty he commenced to learn the carpenter's trade, and pursued it in Rhode Island and Massa- chusetts till 1855. In that year he became a pio- neer of the Territory of Kansas, shrewdly foresee- ing that in a new country that was just being set- tled, men of his calling would be in special demand. He was accompanied by his father, and they traveled by rail to St. Louis, whence they embarked on a steamer for Kansas City, and going thence with a team to Topeka, they proceeded from there on a boat to Manhattan, landing here in the month of June. They found but two houses, and those bnilt of logs, on the present site of the city, with no indications of its present size and importance as the metropolis of a rich agricultural region, and, in fact, there were but very few settlers any where in the county. They eaeh took a claim in the interest of the Boston Town Site Company, to land now in- cluded in the corporate limits of the city. They did not build houses but lived in a tent that summer, and in the fall relinquished their claims and went to Ft. Riley, where the father died, as before related. Our subject, being an expert mechanic readily found work at carpentering in the employment of the government at that point, and he remained there till February, 1856, when he had completed the work for which he was hired. Returning to Manhattan, he was engaged as a carpenter here for a while. This being a frontier settlement the

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country roundabout was very wild, with deer and antelope in plenty, and a few miles west buffaloes were to be seen in large herds. There were no railways in Kansas for some years, and Leaven- worth, Atchinson and Kansas City were the nearest markets and depots for supplies. In 1856 Mr. Brown revisited his old home in the East, remain- ing there one year, and then resuming his trade in Manhattan, being actively engaged at it there till 1859. In the meantime, he had made a claim to a tract of government land two miles north of the present agricultural college, and in that year he built a house on the place and moved into it, he having entered into matrimonial relations with one of his neighbor's fair daughters. He continued to work at his trade, and in his leisure time was em- ployed in improving his land. In 1866 he sold his homestead, and returning to Manhattan, entered the furniture business, carrying it on till 1870. when he sold that and bought an interest in a mer- cantile business, which he conducted with a partner the first year, and then continued alone till he sold out in 1874. His next move was to buy land joining the city on the south, living thereon for awhile in a house that he erected at the time of purchase. In 1876 he bought an interest in the furniture business with John Elliot, and was in partnership with him two years, and then disposing of his share of the concern, he went into the lum- ber business. but after carrying it on a year with good success, he sold it and again took up the fur- niture business, in which we conducted till 1882. Early in that year he once more disposed of his business, and in March went to New Mexico, where he became interested in a new enterprise, that of keeping a hotel and grocery in Socoro. A year later he found a purchaser for his property and returned to Manhattan with the money, and in 1886 embarked in the shoe business. In July, 1889, he sold that to advantage and purchased the business he has recently disposed of.

Mr. Brown and Mrs. Sally ( Pipher) Platt, dangh- ter of Judge John Pipher, were united in marriage in the month of March, 1859. They have three children living: Mark L .; Ada, wife of W. G. Franklin, of Kansas City ; Archie. Mrs. Brown had one child by her first marriage, John W. Platt,

a resident of Manhattan. Mrs. Brown is a lady of fine character, and in her are found those traits that mark the true home-maker, and that of her and her husband is replete with comfort. She is a Christian in the truest sense of the word, and a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. She was severely injured in the tornado of June, 1859, and has never fully recovered from the effects of it.

Mr. Brown is a man of enterprise and good finan- cial ability, and managing his affairs, as he does, with sound judgment and wise discretion, he has made his various ventures paying ones, and is in comfortable circumstances. He is a thoroughly good citizen, and is obliging and kindly in his rela- tions with others. He joined the I. O. O. F. at an early day, and has been identified with the order ever since. In his politics, he is a Republican and has been sinee the formation of the party, always supporting party candidates and measures.

B RICE DALRYMPLE. This gentleman is one of the largest farmers and stock men in Little Blue Township. He is the fortu- nate owner of 480 acres of valuable land in Washington County, of which he has been a resident sinee 1859. His home farm consists of 160 acres on section 23, and is well improved and furnished with adequate and substantial buildings, including a tasty frame residence.

James Dalrymple, the father of our subject, was born in New Jersey. and moved to Morrow County, Ohio, when a boy. There he lived until 1849, when he changed his residence to Kosciusko County, Ind. Ten years later he removed to this county where he spent the remainder of his life. Ile was engaged in farming all his life, and at the time of his death was in good circumstances. He was an active member of the United Brethren Church. Ile took no special interest in politics but voted with the Republican party. He traced his ancestry to the sturdy Scotch. He was married in Morrow County. Ohio, to Miss Eliza Hazen, a native of that county. She still survives at about the age of seventy years. She bore her husband eight chil-

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dren, namely: Nancy, Andrew, Elizabeth, Brice, Ward, Clara, William and Naomi. All are still living except the oldest son, Andrew.

The subject of this sketch was born in Morrow County, Ohio, Oct. 24, 1843, and was therefore a lad of but six years when his parents removed to Indiana. There he passed his boyhood, coming to Kansas with his parents at the age of sixteen. He has followed an agricultural life from his early years and has been the architect of his own fortunes. In 1868 he homesteaded 160 acres where he has since resided. He subsequently bought 120 acres on section 22, and still later purchased 200 acres on section 26.

May 13, 1864, Mr. Dalrymple was united in marriage with Miss Octavia Trefethen of this county. This worthy lady was born in New Hampshire in 1847. and is a daughter of Sebastian Trefethen, a native also of the Granite State. Her union with our subject resulted in the birth of eight children : Alonzo J., Levi, Mary, Laura, James, Anna B., Henry and Olive.

Mr. Dalrymple casts his vote with the Republi- can party whose principles he endorses. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. order, belonging to Trinity Lodge No. 276 at Barnes. A prosperous business man, a good citizen, and a man of excel- lent private character, Mr. Dalrymple is a leading man of his township, especially among men of his own class, who best know his sterling worth.

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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 54

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

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