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 76

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 76
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 76
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 76

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).

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years. He purchased additional land until he was at one time the owner of 700 acres. He has since sold a part of this and gave to his son-in-law, William Greenwood, eighty acres, where the latter now lives.

To Mr. and Mrs. Petch there were born six cliil- dren, five of whom are deceased. Mrs. Petch de- parted this life in 1864. Our subject is a member in good standing of the Christian Church, and a man generally respected among his neighbors. He commenced in life dependent upon his own resour- ces and made for himself a good record, socially and financially.

The parents of our subject were Isaac and Bet- sey (Morris) Petch, natives of West Virginia, where they were born, married and died. A por- trait of Mr. Petch is shown elsewhere in this volume.

IRAM S. ROBERTS, M.D., the present popular Mayor of Manhattan, is eminent not only as one of the leading physicians of Kansas, but as a public man. holding various prominent State, county and city offices, and as a leader in politics. He located in Manhattan when it was in its infancy, and has been established here in his profession a longer time than any other doc- tor now living in the city. He also enjoy's a large practice, his learning and his skill early gaining him the confidence of the people, and he is the beloved physician in many a household, where his kindly presence has brought healing, and where he is always a welcome guest.

The Doctor is a native of Galesburg, Knox Co., Ill., and born Oct. 6, 1840. W. E. Roberts, his father, was a native of Brooklyn, N. Y. His father, Edward Roberts, was born in Philadelphia, a son of Enos Roberts, who came from Wales, the early home of the family, to America in Colonial times, and settled in the Quaker City. The grandfather of our subject was reared and cducated in Phila- delphia,and there learned the trade of a ship carpen- ter. He assisted in raising the fleet that was sunk in Lake Champlain during the War of 1812. and our subject has in his possession one of two razors that his grandfather took from the flagship. Ile

resided in Brooklyn at one time, and went from that city to Vermont, and his last days were spent in the town of Vergennes, that State.

The father of our subject was reared to manhood among the hills of Vermont. He early learned the cabinet-maker's trade, and continued to reside in the Green Mountain State, working at his calling, till 1838. In that year he became a pioneer of Illinois, removing thither the entire distance from New England with teams. He located in Gales- burg Township on the edge of Henderson Grove, making a claim to a tract of Government land. He first lived in a log house. which was the birthplace of our subject, and then replaced it by a more sub- stantial dwelling. There were not many settle- ments in Knox County, and while he resided on his first claim the nearest markets were Peoria and Chicago. About 1843 he sold that place, and buy- ing village property in Hendersonville, made his home there. At different times he purchased land in the vicinity, which he farmed, and about ten years after moving to the village, he entered the mercantile business. though he did not abandon agriculture entirely, but combined farming and dealing in stock with his other business. He made several trips to Buffalo with eattle, driving them to Dunkirk, and shipping them from that point. Ile resided in Hendersonville till 1875, accumulat- ing a comfortable property, which he sold in the year mentioned and came to Manhattan, and passed his closing years with our subject, dying Dec. 25, 1886. The mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Lucy A. Waterman, was born in Platts- burg, N. Y., and she died in Knox County in April, 1872. There were six children born to her and her husband-Edward W., William G., John H., Hiram S., Charles B. and George B.

Our subject received his early education in a dis- trict school, and prepared for college at Henderson Academy, and in June, 1857, entered Knox Col- lege at Galesburg. Pursuing a four year's course, he was graduated in June, 1861, and in the winter of 1861-62 taught school. He had previously commenced the study of medicine, and continued his studies till the summer of 1862, when he laid aside his books to enlist, becoming a member of Company C, 69th Illinois Infantry. The term of

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his enlistment was for three months, but it was ex- tended to five, his regiment being stationed at Chi- cago. After his discharge the Doctor attended medical lectures at Rush Medical College. He re- enlisted in January, 1863, his name being enrolled among those of the volunteers of Company E, 83d Illinois Infantry. Ile was immediately appointed Hospital Steward of his regiment, and was in charge of the post hospital at Ft. Donelson, and later at Clarksville, Tenn., his medical knowledge making him more serviceable iu healing the wounded and sick, than his skill in the use of firearms would have made him in killing the enemy on the battlefield. He continued in the service until the close of the war, the experience that he gained and the skill that he acquired in surgical operations amid those dreadful scenes of carnage being of inestimable value to him in his after professional career. He was honorably discharged with his regiment at Nashville, in July, 1865, and after returning home visited Vermont and New York, till October, and then became a student in the celebrated Jefferson Medical College, at Philadelphia, from which so many of the noted physicians of this country have been graduated. He was graduated in March, 1866, and in May of that year began the practice of his profession in Manhattan, and with what success he has carried it on here ever since we have seen.

Dr. Roberts was married in January, 1868, to Miss Mary L. Fuller, a native of Jamestown, N. Y., and she presides charmingly over the unusuallypleas- ant and attractive home that they have established here, whose doors are always hospitably open to their large circle of friends and acquaintances, and even the stranger often shares its comforts. The Doctor and his wife have two sons-Herbert F. and Norman L. Herbert is a student in the State I'ni- versity.

Possessing a fine medical education and more than ordinary skill as a physician and surgeon. and with a high reputation for coping with difficult cases. Dr. Roberts has easily won his way to the head of his profession. His talents are by no means limited to his calling; he is recognized as a keen business man of exceptional financial and executive ability, and those traits have brought him prominently before the public in various offi-

cial capacities. Ile is President of the County Board of Pension Examiners, having served on the board since 1867. Hle has been a member of the State Board of Health four years. In politics, he has always been a stanch Republican, and is a standard bearer of the party, being Chairman of the 21st Judicial District Central Committee, and Secretary of the Fifth Congressional District Cen- tral Committee, has served as a member of the County Central Committee, and has represented the county in numerous conventions. He is identified with Manhattan Lodge No. 190, A. O. U. W., as one of its most prominent members, and he belongs to Manhattan Lodge No. 1465, K. of H. In Feb- ruary, 1889, he was a delegate to the Grand Lodge of the A. O. U. W., held at MePherson, and acted in the same capacity at the Grand Lodge of the K. of H. at Topeka in September, 1889. As Sur- geon-General of the Kansas National Guards, Dr. Roberts is a member of Gov. Humphrey's staff. Notwithstanding the demands of his profession and of his official duties in the offices mentioned, our subject has always found'time to aid in the advance- ment of his adopted city, and even to take part in the administration of its public affairs. He has furthered the cause of education within its bounds, as one of the most active members of its School Board for several years. His fellow-citizens have manifested their confidence in his wisdom and in- tegrity by calling him to the highest office within their gift, the Mayoralty of the city, and under his able guidance Manhattan seems to have entered upon a new era of prosperity, and the highest in- terests of the municipality are advanced by his liberal and enlightened policy.

ONATHIAN F. RAIRDEN, Superintendent of Public Instruction of Clay County, was elected to this office in the latter part of 1888, and assumed its duties, Jan. 14, 1889. Ile has arisen to his present responsible position only through a course of close attention to the mat . ters connected therewith, followed up through many years with a genuine and warm interest in the cause of education. He was born in Franklin County,

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Ind., Feb. 4, 1831, but five years later was taken by his parents to Ripley County, Ind., where lie so- journed until a young man of twenty-three. He was reared on his father's farm, and after leaving the district school, was a student at Woodward College (Cincinnati, Ohio), and was graduated from that institution with the degree of A. B. in 1848, when a youth of seventeen years.

Soon after receiving his diploma, Mr. Rairden engaged in teaching at Versailles, the county seat of Ripley County, Ind. On the 2d of March, 1849, he was married to Miss Sarah J. Grimes, and in 1854, they removed to Fayette County, Iowa. He there took up a tract of Government land, from which he opened up a farm which constituted his home, while he still followed the profession of a teacher. In the meantime the village of Oelwein sprang up near his farm, increasing the value of the latter upon which he effected improvements as rapidly as possible. About that time Mr. Rairden entered the ministry of the Baptist Church, and was given charge of the church at Tripoli, in Bremer County.

Later he was stationed in Fairbank, Buchanan County, and at the close of the war was appointed by the Baptist Home Missionary Society, to take charge of the fragments of broken churches over a quarter of the State of Missouri, and in pursuance of these duties, traveled for five years, having a general oversight of the work. He organized and re-organized twenty-three churches, preached 376 sermons on an average for five years, and baptized 600 converts. Ile thus broke himself down with hard work, and while preaching to an association at Bethlehem, Clark County, to an audience of 3,000 persons, and endeavoring to speak so all could hear, he burst a blood vessel in the right lung, and was therefore compelled to abandon the work.

Upon a partial recovery, Mr. Rairden came to this State with the intention of taking up a home- stead and making for himself a place to die. He reached Clay County with his family on the 1st of Ootober, 1870, filed his claim upon land which lay three miles southeast of Clifton, and which was at that time in the midst of a wild country. Contrary to his expectations, he began to improve and gives to the Kansas climate the honor of restoring his

health, enabling him to perform nineteen years of solid labor. He re-entered the ministry. preaching at Clay Center one-third of the time for three years, and being the first pastor of the church there. He administered baptism to the first individual receiv- ing this ordinance-Mrs. A. Huntress-who was the first woman to settle in Clay County.

Mr. Rairden organized the first society at Clyde, and was instrumental in the erection of the church edifice. He preached there occasionally for years. He organized the church and assisted in the erec- tion of the church edifice at Clifton, and was its pastor for eight years. He also organized the Bap- tist Church at Fancy Creek near Green, and was also the pastor of this for a number of years. He organized the church at Washington, doing efficient service in the erection of their building. He has administered baptism to more than 500 persons in Kansas. During this time the farm furnished his support, and mostly educated his children.

Until June, 1886, Mr. Rairden was an active minister, and then withdrew on account of cancer of the lip. This was removed by the surgeon's knife at Washington, Iowa, March, 1887, when a complete cure was effected, although Mr. Rairden was disabled from speaking much in public. He however, has organized churches since, and main- tains his interest in the work. To him and his ex- cellent wife there have been born eight children, only four of whom are living: Mary Jane is the wife of S. J. Rudd, of Sherman Township; Nelson B. was graduated from the Louisville Theological Seminary, and is now the general missionary of Iowa, with headquarters at Washington, Iowa; John R. was graduated from the same seminary, and is pas- tor of the Walnut Street Baptist Church, at Bur- lington ; Judson B. completed his studies in Ottawa University, and is studying law.

Mr. Rairden has reason to be proud of his boys, as they are young men of more than ordinary promise. He retains ownership of his 200-acre farm, but makes his home in the city. He was elected to his present position as Superintendent of Public In- struction on account of his marked ability, and his usefulness in promoting both the moral, religious, and educational interests of Clay County.

Mrs. Sarah J. (Grimes) Rairden was born in Rip-

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ley County, Ind., Dec. 14, 1830, and lived there until the time of her marriage. The father of our subject was Jonathan Rairden. a native of Harri- son County, Ky., where he was reared to man's es- tate, and married Miss Emily Osborn. Upon the birth of his first child he declared that he would never rear his offspring under the evil influences of slavery, and accordingly left the State. In addi- tion to his anti-slavery sentiments which he upheld with all the energy of his character. he also fought the whisky element, and imbued his children with his own sentiments in regard to both. . Jonathan F. was the youngest of ten children, all of whom with one exception, lived to mature years. The mother passed away when Jonathan F. was a boy of ten and he afterward made his home with his brother, a practicing attorney of Cincinnati, Ohio, and in that city received his early education.

F6 RANCIS MARION PEPPER, physician and surgeon. This gentleman is the oldest physician in the thriving town of Randolpli, Riley County, and enjoys an extensive practice. being frequently called into Pottawatomie and Mar- shall counties, as well as to the out-lying districts of this county. Ile enjoys the respect and confi- dence of the citizens as a man of excellent charac- ter as well as undoubted professional ability. As will be seen in the sketch of his life Dr. Pepper had but limited advantages in his youth, and is a self- made man as far as his education, professional skill and financial standing are concerned.

The Pepper family is of English extraction, the ancestors of our subject being early settlers in the Old Dominion. In that State, John Pepper, the grandfather of our subject, was born and was for some years engaged in farming. He then removed to Kentucky, carrying on the same occupation there on alarge scale. The next in the line of descent was John, the father of our subject, who was born in Virginia, and when a boy accompanied his father to the Blue Grass State. When of age he entered a farm of 160 acres, following the occupation to which he had been reared. Like his father he was a slave owner, but never bartered or traded in

human lives. He owned but sixteen or twenty. In 1844 he moved to Platte County, Mo., and purchased 160 acres of what was known as the "Platte Purchase." There he farmed until gathered to his fathers. He was a stanch Democrat, and a member of the Christian Church. His wife, Elizabeth Duval, was born in Mason County, Ky., and died in Platte County, Mo., in 1847, aged fifty-nine years. Her father, Motley Duval was a native of Virginia, and an early settler in Ken- tucky, where he was engaged in farming until his death. Mr. and Mrs. John Pepper Jr., had twelve children, nine of whom lived to years of maturity. Only two of these, the subject of this sketch and his sister Martha, now Mrs. Dixon of Buchanan County. Mo .. now survive. Harvey, John, Samuel and Motley, who preceded our subject in order of birth, and Ann, Lucy and Jane who followed him, are deceased, and three who died in infancy.

The gentleman of whom we write was reared to the age of ten years in Mason County, Ky., where his birth had taken place April 21, 1834. He there enjoyed such school advantages as were opened to a lad of his years. In 1844 he accompanied his parents to Missouri, the journey being made down the Ohio River and up the Missouri to the western part of the State, where they located in the timber. Mr. Pepper assisted in clearing the farm and the distance from schools circumscribed his educational privileges.

When sixteen years old, Mr. Pepper went to Platte City, where for a period of four years be was engaged as clerk in a dry-goods store. During this time he read medicine under Dr. Black, his employer, who was one of the leading physicians of the city. In 1854 Mr. Pepper started a general store at Rushville, that county, under the firm name of Dickson & Pepper. The business was conducted until 1860, when on account of the large credit, the firm closed ont and dissolved partner- ship, Mr. Pepper continuing in the town engaged at different pursuits, principally trading in stock until 1863. Ile then went back to the State and county in which his childhood was passed and there dealt in stock until 1870, when he returned to Rushville, Mo .. and engaged in the practice of his profession, likewise dealing somewhat in live stock.

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After a sojourn of a few months Dr. Pepper rc- moved to America City, Pottawatomie Co., Kan., and after practicing his profession there for a twelve- month came to this place and established himself, beginning his professional labors the second day after his arrival.

When Dr. Pepper opened his office in this place there were only about a score of houses here, and he has witnessed the growth of the town to its present prosperous condition and aspect. In 1880 Dr. Pepper, in partnership with Dr. I. Mayfield, un- der the firm name of Mayfield & Pepper, engaged in the drug business, which they conducted for four years. The partnership was then dissolved, and since that time Dr. Pepper has given his whole at- tention to his profession. He holds a State diploma bearing date Aug. 27, 1879. Ile owns his residence and lots in this city, and has several fine equines in his stables, having the keen eye of a connoisseur for horse flesh.

In Platte County, Mo., May 10, 1854, the rites of wedlock were celebrated between Dr. Pepper and Miss Elizabeth Yocum, who was born in Montgom- ery County, Ky. To Dr. Pepper and his estimable wife seven children have been born, three sons and four daughters. Jolin B., Celeste and Leonora are deceased. Those living are: May L., the first born, who is married to Mr. S. M. Crook, and their home is in Smith County, this State; Jimmattie married John Kay and lives in this city ; both of these ladies were highly educated, and Jimmattie tanght sev- eral terms before her marriage. Thomas G., the eldest son, is a prominent farmer in Ness County ; F. M. Jr., was graduated from the Randolph High School with the honors of his class. His com- mencement esssay, "From a School Boy to a Man," was pronounced a fine effort, the subject being handled to perfection. The young gentleman pos- sesses scholarship .of no mean order, and will un- doubtedly make his mark in the years to come. IIe is now teaching in the intermediate department of the Randolph Schools.

Dr. Pepper belongs to the I. O. O. F. and A. F. & A. M. lodges in Randolph. He is a Dem- ocrat, and in 1880 was the only citizen of Randolph who voted a straight Democratic ticket. He has served at various times as delegate to county con-

ventions of his party. Ile belongs to the State Eclectic Medical Association. Mrs. Pepper is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and was Steward for three years, while the Doctor is a member of the Christian Church at Rushville, Mo. For four years he has been a member of the City Council. His influence and popularity are manifest to any who visit the thriving town of which he is a resident.

W ILLIAM M. SNOW, a distinguished resi- dent of Manhattan, is honored as one of the pioneers of Kansas. Ile was an early settler of Riley County, and soon after coming here · was elected to .one of its important offices, and has held various responsible publie positions at different times since, always discharging their duties with a singleness of purpose and a conscien- tious regard to the trusts imposed upon him that won him the approbation and confidence of all. In 1881 he entered the abstract business, and has pre- pared a complete list of abstract books, which is the only set of abstracts in the county.

Our subject is a worthy descendant of an old and honored New England family, and was himself born in that part of the country, Providence, R. I., being the place of his birth, and Dec. 30, 1820, the date thereof. Deacon William Snow, his father, was a native of the same State, born in Little Compton, on the 18th of November. 1794. a son of John Snow, who was born June 26, 1769, and was a son of James Snow, who was born Dee. 30. 1730. The father of the latter, Deacon Joseph Snow, was born in Providence, in 1690, and his father, Joseph Snow, was born in Bridgewater, Mass,, in 1668, a son of one, William Snow, who was born in England, in 1634, and was the first of the family to come to America. He located in Duxbury, Mass., for awhile, and then settled in Bridgewater, and his death occurred in 1708. His wife was Rebecca Barker, and she was a daughter of Robert Barker. Their son Joseph married a lady named Hopestill, and died in 1753. Their son. Deacon Joseph Snow, married Elizabeth Field, a daughter of Captain and Elizabeth (Ames) Field. Their son, the Rev. James Snow, the great-grand-

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father of our subject, married Hannah Searle, a daughter of Solomon Searle. His life ended in Providence, Oct. 8, 1812. John Snow, grandfather of our subject, was for many years a messenger of the United States Bank, and he spent his entire life in Providence. He married Hannah Cory, a daugh- ter of Capt. William Cory, of Newport, R. 1. The father of our subject was reared in his native city, and at the age of twenty-one he entered the em- ploy of the Dyeing, Bleaching and Calendering Company in Providence, and subsequently arose to the position of agent and treasurer of the com- pany, which offices he held over fifty years, having the entire confidence of all concerned, as his life of strict integrity and blamelessness merited. He was a lifelong resident of Providence, dying there at a venerable age. April 26, 1872. His wife, whose maiden name was Narcissa Lippitt, was born in Providence, Feb. 9, 1797; Nov. 18, 1816, was the date of her wedding day; and Feb. 9, 1853, she de- parted this life. John and Ann Maria ( Bowler) Lippitt were her parents, and she was a grand- daughter of Christopher and Catherine (Holden) Lippitt, her grandmother being a lineal descendant of Roger Williams in the fifth generation. Of the seven children born to the parents of our subject, the following four were reared to matnrity: Wal- ter, William, Maria and John Lippitt.

Ile of whom we write grew to man's estate in the city of his birth. and gained an excellent edu- cation in its public schools, which he attended quite steadily till he was fourteen. At that age he went into the bleachery office to assist his father, and continued there till 1854. In that year he en- gaged in the manufacture of stoves in Providence. In the month of March, 1857, he started for the Territory of Kansas, coming by rail to Jefferson City, Mo., then the western terminus of the rail- way, and there, with others, procuring a prairie schooner and five yoke of oxen, and crossing the Missouri River, journeyed over the prairies to the frontier town of Manhattan, which was then but a small place, containing only about 100 people. Andrew J. Mead was at that time one of the pro- prietors of the town, and our subject clerked for him a few months. He was then called to other duties as a public official, being elected in the fall

after his arrival County Clerk, and soon after ap- pointed Register of the Western Land District. which position he held two years, besides being Registrar of Deeds at the same time. When he first came here nearly all the land in Kansas was in the hands of the Government, and the most of it has since been sold at $1.25 per aere, or taken as homesteads, although there is still public land re- maining. Deer, antelopes and wild turkeys were plentiful, and only a few miles to the westward buffaloes roamed, where are now fine farms and thriv- ing villages and populous cities. It has been Mr. Snow's fortune to witness much of the change wrought by the hand of man since he first set foot on these wild prairies in that spring month thirty- two years ago, and it has been his privilege to aid his fellow-pioneers in the upbuilding of this por- tion of this now prosperous and powerful common- wealth. In 1861 he located on his farm in Ashland Township, and for two years was actively engaged in its improvement. At the expiration of that time he returned to his old home in the East to settle his brother Walter's estate, and he continued to reside in Providence till 1869, when he again came to Manhattan. He was soon after elected Justice of the Peace, and served fourteen years, and in 1884 he was elected Probate .Judge, which office be held two years. He was considered a fear- less, just and upright judge, who showed wise dis- crimination and a good knowledge of law in his decisions. As before mentioned, he entered the abstract business in 1881, and has since been en- gaged at that.

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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 76

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

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