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 62

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 62
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 62
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 62

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Mr. Colt has been twice married -- first while living in Pennsylvania on April 6, 1859, to Miss Mary Jane Snell,a native of that State. She was born in 1838 and died July 24, 1880, at the age of forty-two years, leaving four children. Mr. Colt's

RES. IN WASHINGTON.

OLD HOME

RESIDENCE OF WM. KING, SEC. 30. HIGHLAND TP, WASHINGTON CO.

FARM RESIDENCE OF J. L. ROBBINS, SEC.14. COLEMAN TP, WASHINGTON CO.

RES. OF JOHNSON THOMPSON, SEC.30. FARMINGTON TP, WASHINGTON CO.

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second marriage was solemnized in Kirwin, Kan., March 8, 1881, when he was united to Miss Mary Elizabeth Forche. This lady was born in Ohio, in July, 1857. and her union with our subjeet has been blest by the birth of three children, who are all living, together with those of the first marriage. Don S. was graduated from Baker University at Baldwin, Kan. and is a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He studied theology at the Garrett Biblical Institute at Evanston, Ill. Della is the wife of Emory Caywood, a grain-dealer of Clifton ; George W. is a elerk in a dry-goods store in Beloit, Kan .; Mary, Bertha, Florence and Sadie are under the parental roof.

Mr. Colt is now filling his first politieal position, having been appointed Postmaster of Randolph June 17, 1889. llis life has been spent in teaeh- ing and in the ministry, and though at present for physicial reasons he is unable to follow his chosen life work, that which he has done in the past en- titles him to rank with those who have been spent in the service of the Master. He is a gentleman of upright life and character and stands high in the estimation of the people among whom he has made his home.

R OBERT ALLINGHAM was a pioneer of Kansas in the early days of its settlement, first visiting it in 1855, and returning to the State in 1857. He has been a continuous resident of Riley County ever since, has witnessed its growth, and has promoted it as a sueeessful, en- terprising man of business. He is one of the lead- ing citizens of Manhattan, where he is engaged in the provision business, which he established here several years ago. He has been conspicuous in the publie life of the city, as well as of the county, has been at the head of the municipal government, and has held other responsible offices in which his counsels and wisdom have been of value in ad- vaneing local interests and all enterprises tending to improve the city.

Born July 19, 1834, Mr. Allingham is a native of the province of Ontario, Canada, and a son of William Allingham, who was born, reared and edu- cated in Ireland. He and his brother Robert were

the only children of their parents, and they eame to America in early lite. Robert took up his resi- dence in Manhattan about 1860, and still makes his home here. The father of our subject was about nineteen years old when he came to this country, and he located in Canada, where he learned the trades of a carpenter and millwright, and followed them in his Canadian home till 1849. In that year he came to the States, and found employment in Pittsburg at his trades, and was also engaged in boat-building in that eity. In 1853 he went from there to Cineinnati, and worked there till 1855, when on the 26th of April, he embarked on the steamer Hartford with the Kansas Land Company. our subjeet accompanying him, and came to the Territory of Kansas. The river was low and the steamer had to wait at Kansas City for a few days, and then a smaller boat came along, and father and son hoarded it, and after a while arrived at the present site of Manhattan, then called Boston. The elder Mr. Allingham made a claim to a traet of land one and one-half miles south of the court house, and built a log cabin, covering the roof with cottonwood bark. There were no saw-mills in Kansas at that time, and he and his son arranged a primitive one. by building a frame against the bank, and using a whip saw, with one man below at one end, and a man to operate it above, and in that way they sawed considerable lumber. In 1856 the father returned to Cincinnati, Ohio, for his family and came back by steamer to Kansas City. where he hired a man to convey himself and family to Manhattan. That was the time of the Free State and pro-slavery troubles, when there was much excitement and bloodshed, and it required men of strong nerve, cool head and energetic char- acter to settle in the disputed territory. Mr. Alling- ham possessed those traits and was not dismayed by the dangers and trials of life on the frontier. He built another and larger house on his claim, making the sides of bark and the roof of thateh. There were but few settlers here at that time, and consequently not mueh demand for carpenters, so he worked at whatever his hands found to do. splitting wood, making ax handles and other things. In 1857 times grew better for him, as there was quite an emigration to these parts in that year, and

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he was kept busy at earpentering. Ile has continued to work at his trade and to carry on agriculture ever since, and is still a respected resident of the county of which he was a pioneer. He now has a farm two and one-half miles south of the city on which he makes his home, surrounded by all the comforts that heart could wish. He has his land under excellent tillage and has erected a sub- stantial set of buildings, and has provided his farm with everything needful for its cultivation. The maiden name of his wife who shares with him the home she has aided him in building up. was Mar- garet Taylor, and she was born in the North of Ireland.

The subject of this biography was fifteen years old when he accompanied his parents to their new home in Pittsburg, and soon after he commeneed to work in a ship-yard, where he learned the trade of boat-building, and he worked at that occupation there till 1855, coming then to Kansas with his fa- ther, as before stated. He tired of the life on the frontier, and returned to Cincinnati, where he worked at boat-building till the spring of 1857, when he came back to Kansas and bought a elaim one and one-half miles from the Manhattan court house. He was still a single man and made his home with his parents. In 1857 the coming of a number of emigrants made the times lively, and he found considerable work at his trade, and when not thus employed was occupied at agricultural pur- suits. There was no market of any account for some time after he came here, and money was searce, and at one time lie traded one hundred bushels of eorn with Judge Pipher for a fifteen dollar overeoat. In 1877 he established himself in his present business as a provision dealer, and by wise and intelligent measures has built up a large and flourishing trade among the best customers in the city, his large and neatly appointed establish- ment being stoeked with everything usually carried by men in his line.

Mr. Allingham has been blessed with a wife who is in every sense of the word a true helpmate, his marriage with her having been solemnized in May, 1861. Her maiden name was Mary Carlton, and she is a native of Otsego County. N. Y., and a daughter of Alonzo and Senia Carlton. Mr. and

Mrs. Allingham have six children, namely: William A., who is married and settled in life; Jessie, who is the wife of Archie Briggs; Etta, who is the wife of A. R. Allen; and Fred, George and Floyd.

Mr. Allingham's high character, fortified by sound principles and good habits, together with his business qualifications, have won him the con- fidenee of his fellow-citizens in a marked degree, and no one, we may venture to say, is held in greater esteem in business and social circles through- out Riley County than he. It is not then to be wondered at that he has been frequently solicited to hold office, and in the vigorous, honest, and able discharge of the duties thus devolving upon him, he has justified the choice of his constituents and shown himself to be actuated by patriotie motives. He bas served several terms as a member of the City Council, has also been Mayor of the city, and has held the office of County Commissioner. He is a man of progressive, liberal views, de- cided in his opinions, though not obnoxiously so. In early manhood he was an ardent cham- pion of the Free State cause, and he was a Re- publiean for many years, but for the past four years he has been independent in his politics. Mrs. Allingham is a devoted member of the Presbyter- ian Church, and by her life is known to be a trne Christian.

HARLES BRADLEY is a highly respected citizen of Manhattan, Riley County,where he has resided many years. He is now living in retirement in one of its pleasantest and most com- fortable homes, free from care and the necessity of labor, and enjoying the ample competence he has secured by years of thrift and well-directed toil. He was born in the town of Caldwell. Warren Co., N. Y., May 31, 1818. His father, Jesse Brad- ley was born, it is thought, in Connecticut, in 1786, being the son of one Thadeus Bradley, who though of New England birth was of English parentage, his father having been one of the three brothers who came from England and settled in this country in Colonial times. The father of our subjeet was a pioneer of Warren County, he buying a tract of wild, heavily-timbered land in the town of C'ald-

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well, on what was known as the Caldwell Patent, and having to pay a royalty of twelve and a half cents an acre each year after it came into his pos- session. His first work was to erect a log house in that primeval forest, and in that humble abode our subject was born. He cleared quite a tract of his land, and erected substantial frame buildings. and improved quite a good farm. There was no railway in that sparsely settled region for many years and Glen Falls was the nearest market, the road to it leading over rongh ways through the woods. The mother of our subject, who was an adept in all household arts, used to card and spin flax and wool, and her children were clothed in cloth woven by her own hands. In 1833 Mr. Bradley sold his property in Caldwell, and moving to the town of Easton, in Washington County, was actively engaged in farming there many years. As his wife had but few conveniences for carrying on her housework, so he had to use what would be consider- ed to-day rude tools and primitive methods in con- ducting his farm labors. The old fashioned wooden mold board plow was employed to turn the soil, it being the best then in use, and grain was cut with a sickle and threshed with a flail. It was then cleaned by placing it on what was called a corn dust fan, which was simply a willow basket made in the shape of a dust pan, which was shaken by hand, and thus the chaff was separated from the grain. The father of our subject died in Greenwich in 1864 at a ripe old age. He was a man of sterling merit,np- right and conscientious in his dealings, and worthy of the esteem with which he was regarded by all who knew him. The maiden name of his good wife was Sarah Burdick, and she was a native of New York State, and a daughter of Nathan Bur- dick, a pioneer of Warren County. She died at Greenwich in 1869. She was the mother of the following six children: Sophia, Ephraim, Mary, Charles, Miranda, Francis.

Charles, of whom we write, was educated in the carly schools of Warren County, that were taught on the subscription plan. The school that he first attended was held in the log house where he was born, and it was provided with home-made furniture for the use of the pupils, and heated by a large, old-fashioned fireplace. Goose quill pens

were the only pens then known, and the principal requisite of a teacher was to be able to make a good pen. When not in school our subject was required to assist in the farm work, and he was thus engaged till he was eighteen years of age, when he left the parental home to ply the trade of a carpenter; be- ing a natural mechanic he did not have to serve an apprenticeship. He commenced work with a car- penter named Henry Chapman, in Greenwich, and remained with him seven years. At the expiration of that time he established himself in business as a contractor and builder, and his first contract was for the erection of the academy in Greenwich, which building is now used for a public school in that city. In 1859 Mr. Bradley entered into the flax business, leasing large tracts of land on which to raise that plant, and buying besides the greater part of the flax raised in that region, and after breaking it selling the tow. In 1861 he turned his attention to another business, leasing a mill in East Bennington, Vt., and engaging in the manu- facture of glazed wadding, continuing the same for two years, when he sold his mill and resumed his business as a builder. In 1868 he sold his prop- erty in the East, and coming as far West as Illi- nois, bought city property in Mendota, which he sold after a year's residence in that place, and then lived the two following years in Galesburg, Ill., after which he came to Manhattan and engaged with E. B. Purcell. He remained in the employ of that gentleman fourteen years, the greater part of the time in charge of the Rocky Ford flour mill. and all of the time in charge of the mechanical department of Mr. Purcell's extensive business. In 1887 our subject went to California and spent a year in Escondido, where he invested in real estate. After his return to Manhattan he retired from business, having acquired a sufficient amount of wealth to enable him to live at ease.

Mr. Bradley has been twice married. His first marriage which took place in 1846. was to Cla- rinda Fenton, a native of Greenwich, N. Y., and a daughter of Zalmen Fenton. This faithful wife and helpmate of his early manhood died after a brief but happy wedded life in 1849, Mr. Brad- ley's second marriage was in 1852 to Miss Rachel Ann Shurtleff, a native of Easton, Washington

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Co., N. Y., and a daughter of the Rev. Asaph Shurt- leff, a well known minister of the Methodist Epis- copal Church in that part of New York. Mr. and Mrs. Bradley have one daughter living, Ella, wife of F. H. Christy, a resident of Manhattan.

Mr. Bradley has always so conducted himself as to win the trust and esteem of all about him, and he is justly classed among our most worthy citi- zens. He has acquired his property by the exer- cise of those traits of character that mark him as a man of fine capacity, intelligence, self-reliance, and of industrious habits. He is a man of earnest re- ligious belief, and having joined the Baptist Church in his youth, he has always held firmly to that faith. Mr. Bradley's second wife departed this life in Manhattan Township in 1876.

S ILAS D. STRONG. One of the most inter- esting families in Swede Creek Township is that of Mr. Strong, who, with his estimable wife and a family of more than ordinarily bright children, occupies a snug homestead on sec- tion 2. Mr. Strong is one of the old settlers of Northern Kansas, where he is widely and favorably known; he was a soldier in the late Civil War, and in addition to being a thorough and skillful farmer. is likewise a carpenter, the knowledge of which trade has served him well in the erection of his buildings and other work about his farm. His landed possessions comprise 211 aeres, which he has brought to a good state of cultivation, and which, under a process of thorough tillage, have become the source of a fine income.

A native of Richland County, Ohio, Mr. Strong was born Oct. 12, 1826, acquiring a practical edu- cation in the district school. His parents were Orange and Jemimah (Hall) Strong, of Scotch and English ancestry respectively, the father a native of Burlington, Vt., and the mother of Morristown, N. J. The father being of a religious turn of inind, entered into the ministry at the age of eight- een years and continued until his death, Aug. 24, 1838, in his thirty-eighth year, having been born April 7, 1801. The mother died in November, 1882. at the age of seventy-nine years, having been

born April 6, 1803. They were married Dec. 18, 1823, and were the parents of three sons and two daughters, namely: Caleb, Silas D., Rachel C., Sarah J. and John C. Sarah J. and John C. died young; Caleb married and left a family at his (leath; Rachel married Ira Parker, and lives in Clay County, Neb.

When seventeen years old Mr. Strong began learning the carpenter's trade, at which he became so proficient that he soon developed into a master builder, and thereafter for a number of years was engaged as a builder and contractor in different parts of the State. He was first married in Knox County, to Desmonia Lambertson, and became the father of two children. The eldest, Roaldo 1)., took kindly to his books. and is now a teacher in Marshall County, Kan. He was for a time an at- tendant at the Naval Academy, at Annapolis, Md., which position he finally resigned. The other son, Leighton E., died when three years old.

In 1852 Mr. Strong removed to Cedar County, Iowa, where he sojourned six years, engaged in car- pentering. We next find him in Memphis, Tenn., where he remained until the outbreak of the Civil War, then fled to the North to escape being forced into the Rebel service. Settling once more in Mor- row County, Ohio, he was the second time married, lan. 1, 1863, to Miss Hannah K., daughter of Johu Russell. a native of Belmont County, that State. The paternal grandfather of Mrs Strong was Samuel Russell, a native of Loudoun County, Va., who, when a young man, emigrated to Belmont County, Ohio, and entering land became a well-to-do farmer, and resided there until his death. He was a Quaker in religion, and the grandson of an Englishman who crossed the Atlantic during the Colonial days.

John Russell when quite young was presented by his father with a farm in Morrow County, Ohio, which had been entered by the latter from the Government, and was eighty acres in extent, lo- cated near Cardington. Ile operated upon this until his death, in February, 1867, at the age of forty-nine years. He was a Republican politically, and a Universalist in his religious views. Ile mar- ried Miss Sarah Parkins, who was born in Belmont County, Ohio, in 1822, and who removed with her parents to Morrow County when a child of thir-

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teen years. Grandfather Isaac Parkins was a na- tive of Frederick County, Va., whence he emigrated at an early day to the Buckeye State. He located first in Belmont County, then removed to Morrow County, where, in connection with farming, he op- erated a large tannery, and became well-to-do. He was the son of Jonathan Parkins, a gentleman of Welsh descent, born in Virginia, and a Quaker in his religious belief. The latter spent his last days in Belmont County, Ohio.

The mother of Mrs. Strong, after the death of her husband, remained on the old homestead in Ohio until the fall of 1883, then set ont for Kansas, arriving at the home of her daughter October 19, and here she has since lived. The parental house- hold included six children. of whom Hannah K. (Mrs. Strong) was the eldest born; Isaac P. re- mains on the old homestead in Ohio; Mary N. died Nov. 25, 1887; Louisa J. died Nov. 12, 1877 ; Lin- neaus J. is a resident of Morrow County, Ohio; George W. died when five years old.

Mrs. Hannah K. Strong was born near Carding- ton, Morrow Co., Ohio, June 25, 1845, and was reared there, on her father's farm, having the ad- vantages of a common-school education. She re- mained under the home roof until her marriage, becoming familiar with all useful household duties, and under the training of an excellent mother was well-fitted for the mistress of a good man's home. She has been a faithful and efficient helpmate of her husband in all his worthy undertakings. and with him enjoys the acquaintance and friendship of the best people of their township. Their con- genial union has resulted in the birth of nine chil- dren, viz .: William L., Charles A., Edward ()., Mary E., Maggie L., Ilarleigh H. and Nana Jessie. Jessie F. and Ilenry R. are deceased. The second eldest son learned carpentering with his father, and follows his trade at Manhattan; Mary E. learned dressmaking at Blue Rapids, and, with the other children, makes her home with her parents.

In addition to being a carpenter and builder, Mr. Strong has operated as an architect, possessing no mean genius in this line, and has put up some of the finest buildings in the State of Ohio. In January, 1865, he enlisted as a Union soldier in Company F, 186th Ohio Infantry, being mustered

into service at Camp Chase. His health being very poor, he was detailed to assist in the hospital at Nashville and other places. Ile consequently did not see any fighting, and the war soon closing, he was mustered out at Nashville in September following. He then returned home, and for some time suffered greatly from ill health, He, how- ever, followed his trade as elosely as possible until the fall of 1869, when he came to Kansas and homesteaded a part of the land which he now owns and occupies.

In the spring of 1870 Mrs. Strong came out with the family, and as soon as they were settled he began farming in true pioneer style. There was then only one house between his place and Irving. He put up a small frame dwelling, and plowed his ground with an ox team. In the meantime he worked considerably at his trade, and during his absence Mrs. Strong carried on the farm. They were prospered, and in due time purchased land adjoining until their farm assumed its present pro- portions. Twenty-four acres have been planted with apple and other fruit trees, and in addition to horticulture and general farming, Mr. Strong keeps a goodly assortment of live stock. Politically, his sympathies are with the Union Labor party, in which he is quite prominent, and is frequently sent as a delegate to the various conventions. In Ohio he was connected with the I. O. O. F., and he be- longs to the G. A. R. Post at Irving. He has been Justice of the Peace three terms, and served as a member of the School Board and Clerk of elec- tions. 1

R EV. JAMES HERVEY LEE, Superinten- dent of Schools in Riley County, is one of the foremost educators in Kansas. He is a native of Ohio, born in Savannah, Ash- land Co., July 11, 1830. His father, William Lee, was born in Brooke County, Va. in 1802. His fa- ther, George Lee, a native of County Donegal, Ire- land. left the home of his birth with one or two brothers and coming to America, located in Brooke County, where he bought a tract of land. on which he resided a few years. He then left Virginia, and for some time was a resident of Washington County.

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Pa. His next move was in 1827 to Wayne County, Ohio, of which he thus became a pioneer, the re- moval being made with teams. Ile bought land in Baughman Township, and farmed there till his death in 1837.

The father of our subject learned the trade of a wheelwright, and soon after serving his apprentice- ship he too became a pioneer of Ohio, locating in what is now Ashland County, where he opened a shop for the purpose of carrying on his trade. He resided there about ten years, and then bought his father's farm in Wayne County, and lived there six years. Medina County next became his home, and for about ten years he was busily engaged in the management of the farm that he bought in York Township on his removal there. After that he carried on farming in Michigan, purchasing a farm in Ingham County, near Lansing, and residing there till 1868, when he came to Manhattan and bought a home in the city, and lived here in pleas- ant retirement till his death in 1881. The mother of our subject, whose maiden 'name was Mary Sinkey, was a native of Western Pennsylvania. She was a daughter of Abraham Sinkey, who was a na- tive of Eastern Pennsylvania. He removed from there to Knox County, Ohio, was one of its pioneers, and there died. His wife was Ann Foster, and she was born in Cannonsburg, Pa. Her father was a prominent officer in the Revolution. served on Gen. Washington's staff, and was present at the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown. The mother of onr subject spent her last years in Manhattan, dying in 1885 at a venerable age. The following are the names of the ten children born to the parents of our subject, all of whom are living, except Edward Y., who died at the age of twenty- one; Rev. John N .. Caroline E., Louisa S., Joseph M., Mary E., William H., Charles H .. Francis C.

The subject of this biography received his early edneation in the public schools of Ohio, and at the age of eighteen commeneed teaching. The first term he received in payment for his services $14 a month and boarded around. The second term his salary was raised to $17 a month, and the third term he was given $20 a month. He was desirous of obtaining a better education, and deciding to enter Kenyon College, his next step was to pro-

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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 62

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

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