USA > Kansas > Wyandotte County > Kansas City > Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas. Historical and biographical. Comprising a condensed history of the state, a careful history of Wyandotte County, and a comprehensive history of the growth of the cities, towns and villages > Part 58
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Maj. E. S. W. Drought is a Canadian by birth, born in Montreal
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in 1844, and when a child was brought to the United States by his parents, and has been a resident of Kansas since he was thirteen or fourteen years of age, his education and rearing being received in this State. In 1861 he went to Colorado, but returned in the spring of that year and joined the Union army, becoming a member of William- son's Mounted Rifles, but in the spring of the following year was transferred to the Fifth Kansas Cavalry, and was mustered out of service at Fort Leavenworth in the month of August, 1864. In 1864 he organized a force of men, and took a herd of 1,000 cattle from Kan- sas to Fort Sumner, N. M., but his main object was to go with thirty of the men to Old Mexico to fight the Greasers. While waiting for a guide in New Mexico, they were disbanded by order of the Govern- ment, and in March, 1865, reached home. He was afterward connect- ed with a force which was to storm Petersburg, Va., but the war closed before they could do so. He was then on guard duty at Washington, D. C., for several months, after which he returned to his old home in Kansas, and opened a general store at Salina, Kas., which he continued to conduct until he, in September, 1867, received the ap- pointment of post trader at Fort Laramie, Wyo., the duties of which he discharged until November, 1869, at which time he re- turned to Leavenworth, Kas. In the spring of 1870 he moved to Wyandotte, and after following farming and stock-raising for some time, was elected to the position of county sheriff, which he held from 1871 to 1875. He next filled the position of county treasurer for four years, and the following six years were spent as a representative of Wyandotte County, in the State Legislature, and was an able and act- ive member of that body, bis views on all matters being shrewd and sensible. In 1885 he organized a company under the statutes of Kan- sas, and made the surveys and locations of the Kansas City, Wyan- dotte & North-Western Railroad, from here to Beatrice, Neb., and during the following year carried the bonds of the road to Wyandotte County, and commenced the construction of the road under the re- organization. At the same time he was engaged in the construction of some of the substantial buildings of Kansas City, among which may be mentioned the court-house, and has otherwise been a useful citizen of the place. He is a prominent politician and is a stanch Republican.
Goliah Dunbar is foreman of the coal and lumber department of Armour's Packing House, at Kansas City, and has been honorably connected with this establishment for more than two years. Although still a young man, his views on all subjects are sound, and being enter-
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prising, industrious and pushing, he is one of the establishment's val- ned employes. He was born in Clark County, Iowa, in 1861, but was afterward taken to Washington County by his parents, and there made his home, until he was about eighteen years of age, when he went to the Hoosier State, and for a number of years worked at various callings, near Crawfordsville, in Clinton County. His next move was to Washington County, Kas., where he intended to enter some land, but as the land office was closed at that time, he was com- pelled to abandon the idea for some time, and when he did have the opportunity all the best land was taken. After spending one year in that place, he returned to Washington County, Iowa, thence to Fair- field, Iowa, moving thither with his young wife, whom he had married in Washington County, and in the above-mentioned town he worked at railroading, until 1884, when he came to Kansas City, his first em- ployment being Dole's Packing House, becoming afterward an em- ploye of Mr. Fowler. The latter sent him to a ranch in Waubansee County, but at the end of one year he went to Clay Centre, Kas., and for six months worked in a blacksmith shop. He next found employ- ment in a brick-yard belonging to a man by the name of Speck, after- ward becoming foreman of a brick-yard. He again returned to Kan- sas City, and worked in the smoke-house of the Fowler Packing Com- pany, but a year later entered Mr. Armour's employ, being in the olio room at first, receiving his present appointment some time after. He unfortunately got his foot mashed, which necessitated the ampu- tation of the leg, and for this received $2,500 from an insurance company. His residence is at No. 717 Greeley Avenue, and, besides this property he owns some lots on Minnesota Avenue, between Thirteenth and Fourteenth Streets. He is a Democrat and a member of the A. O. U. W. His wife was formerly Miss Minerva E. George, whose birth occurred in Illinois, in 1866, and their marriage, which took place in 1882, has resulted in the birth of two children: John M. and Gracie E.
Robert Duncan, grocer, Edwardsville, Kas. The field of enter- prise opened up in the grocery line is a large one, and many prominent citizens of Edwardsville are engaged therein. Among the representa- tive houses that of Mr. Robert Duncan is entitled to due recognition. This gentleman has been in business here for four years, carries a stock of goods valued at $1,500, and is doing an annual business of about $5,000. He owes his nativity to New Brunswick, his birth oc- curring on September 20, 1830, and is the son of John and Christina
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(Gerrad) Duncan, both natives of Scotland. The parents were mar- ried in New Brunswick, and their eight sons and one daughter were born and reared there. Robert Duncan, the fifth in order of birth of the above-mentioned children, left the parental roof when nine years of age and went with a Mr. Esson to near Kingston, Upper Canada. He remained with this family for about ten years, received a good com- mon-school education, and during this time clerked in a mercantile establishment. Then from 1849 until 1863 he was in the Cobury post- office, Ottawa and Kingston, also engaged in clerking. In 1863 his health failed from confinement, and he decided to come west, his ob- ject being to locate somewhere along the line of the Union Pacific Railroad. He went to work on the road with pick and shovel, work- ing on this and the Leavenworth branch from 1863 to 1868, and also engaged in various other occupations, such as farming, saw-milling, etc. At the last mentioned date he settled here, and for six years was foreman for Mr. Taylor, in his business. During 1877 he was town- ship trustee, and for several years was clerk of the township board, also clerk of the school board. In 1863 he was married to Miss Mary A. Jeffers. Previous to this, in 1858, he was married in Canada, to Miss Margaret Wilson, who bore him two children-a son and daugh- ter. The daughter, Fannie C., married and resides in Winnipeg, Canada. Mr. Duncan and his present wife are members of the Christian Church, and in politics he is a Democrat.
Lewis J. Early, real estate broker of Kansas City, Kas. The principal necessity to the real estate business, the safest and surest form of investment, is to have reliable agents who are thoroughly posted on their city and locality, and Mr. Early may be truly said to be one of these gentlemen, for he first came to Kansas in 1863. from his native State of Ohio. During a four years' residence in Kansas City, Mo., he foresaw the prosperous future of Wyandotte and located here in the spring of 1881, purchasing and platting Moody & Early's Addition, Early's First and Second Additions, Morris & Early's, and Glenwood Grove, all of which have been disposed of on the install- ment plan, which has given men, unprepared to pay cash, a good op- portunity to secure neat and comfortable homes on the payment of a small monthly sum. Mr. Early was the first gentleman in the city to inaugurate this system, and has received as low as $5 per month for some of his lots. On many he erected houses and has sold them, ready finished, at what would be a reasonable rent by the month. He is a practical business man in every sense of the word; a shrewd calcula-
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tor, possesses untiring energy, and he is one of the gentlemen who has helped to make Kansas City the prosperons and pushing city it now is. A short time since he purchased a tract of land called Elmwood, in which his son, G. W Early, treasurer of the Great Western Manu- facturing Company, at Leavenworth, is a partner. He now has control of Gaylord & Perkins' Addition and Forest Grove, in which he has large personal interests, and by leniency, upright dealing, and sterling integrity, he has won the respect and esteem of all who know him. His estimate of land values is unquestioned, and his judgment is sought and relied upon by capitalists, who consider him one of the most cautious as well as enterprising and successful dealers in real estate.
David Eaton is an esteemed business man of Kansas City, Kas., his native birthplace being the State of Mississippi, where he first saw the light of day on July 12, 1838, and was the eldest of twelve children, five now living, born to the marriage of William Eaton and Minerva Dunlap, the former born in Barren County, Ky., in 1815, and the latter a native of Tennessee, born in 1822. They were mar- ried about 1837, and throughout the greater portion of his life the father followed the calling of a farmer, and was giving his attention to this occupation at the time of his death, which occurred in December, 1863. His widow survives him, her home being in Kansas City, Mo. Their children who are living are David, Henry (who is a farmer by occupation and resides seven miles west of Kansas City, Kas.), Frank (who is a resident of Armourdale in this city), Sarah Frances (wife of Joshua Lawrence, of Kansas City, Mo., who is following the pursuit of stationery engineering, while his wife manages a large restaurant on the corner of Twelfth and Liberty Streets), and Thomas (who works on the railroad, and is a resident of Kansas City, Mo.). All are mar- ried with the exception of the latter. While David Eaton was a small child his parents removed from Mississippi to Tennessee, and subsequently, during his early life, to Kentucky, Missouri, Arkansas, Indiana, Texas and Illinois, the father's death occurring in Madison County of the latter State. David began the duties of life for him- self while in this county, being engaged in tilling the soil, but in 1879 came west to Pierce City, Mo., where he spent two years working at the butcher's trade and teaming. He next located in Springfield, Mo., where for two years he was employed as a car repairer in the shops of the San Francisco Railway. In March, 1884, he came to Kansas City, Mo., and a few weeks later to Kansas City, Kas., where his home has
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since been. The first two years here were spent at car work for the Missouri Pacific Railway, but on April 16, 1887, he began business at No. 6 South Fifth Street, and has been running a well-appointed grocery establishment at that place up to the present time. At first he had nothing but a small lunch counter, but as time passed on, with the proceeds of this he began adding a few groceries, and has now be- come one of the well appointed establishments of the kind in the city. He carries a full line of pure and fresh groceries, a good stock of to- bacco, cigars and flour, and a choice assortment of fresh and salted meats. His establishment is recognized as an excellent place to trade by the citizens of that portion of the city, and accordingly his patron - age has become very large. Mr. Eaton was married on December 29, 1862, to Miss Martha Bradshaw, who died in 1869, after having given birth to four children, all of whom died in infancy. On March 16, 1875, his union to Miss Josephine Lewis took place, but her death oc- curred in 1888, after she had borne six children: Rosetta and Jeanetta, who are aged respectively, ten and six years, are the only ones living. On January 27, 1890, Mr. Eaton's third marriage took place, his wife being Mrs. Blanche Henry, who resided at Independence, Mo., and whose maiden name was Todd. When Mr. Eaton began business for himself he had but $15 in money, and was $85 in debt, but in the short space of three and one-half years he built up a grocery, which is now one of the leading ones in the city, and made numerous friends. His grandparents were John and Sallie Eaton.
Maj. R. E. Ela, contractor, Kansas City, Kas. This prominent business man was originally from Lebanon, N. H., his birth occurring in 1841, and as he grew to manhood he received excellent educational advantages, graduating from the Chandler Scientific Department of Dartmouth College, Hanover, N. H., receiving the degree of B. S., in 1868. This course included civil engineering. After leaving college he went on the Northern Railroad, of New Hampshire, and on the Portland & Ogdensburg, until he came West in the spring of 1871. He located in Wyandotte County, and was elected county surveyor, serving two years in that capacity. In 1876 he went to Colorado, surveying and engineering, but later returned, and was contracting and building un- til 1882. He was then appointed city engineer, served in that position for one year, and has since been in the contract business on public works. He paved Quindaro Boulevard, and was with the company that paved La Fayette Avenue, Stewart Avenue, Fifth Street north, Third Street north, and Southwest Boulevard, also the Shawnee &
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Pritchard Road; he also paved Nebraska Avenue from Third to Fourth Street, Seventh Street from Parallel to Quindaro Boulevard, and is now on the Fourth Street paving. He is grading Eleventh Street from Minnesota Avenue to Quindaro Boulevard. Maj. Ela was mar- ried in Quindaro in 1871 to Miss Mary A. Gray, a native of Illinois, and the fruits of this union were two children: Myron G. and Rich- ard E. In politics the Major is a Republican, and socially he belongs to the A. O. U. W. The father of Mr. Ela is of English, and the mother of French descent, and on both sides they are long-lived peo- ple. The Major was in school seven years, and was back to the alumni on July 7, 1890.
J. M. Enochs, real estate and collecting agent, notary public and conveyancer, Armourdale, Kas. In that proud series of names which has made Armourdale what it is, that of Enochs holds a leading place. J. M. Enochs is a native of Ohio, born in Washington County, October 18, 1828, and his parents, Henry and Jane (Miller) Enochs, were na- tives of Ohio, and early settlers of Ohio. The great-grandfathers on both sides were in the Revolutionary War, and both grandfathers were in the War of 1812. Elisha Enochs was a Methodist minister, and had one son who became quite a noted minister. He was a resident of Monroe County, Ohio, for over sixty years, and died there when eighty-seven years of age. The father of our subject was the first white child born in Enoch Township, Monroe County, Ohio (which township was named in honor of the Enochs family), his birth occurring March 26, 1806. He was a farmer and a local minister, and his death oc- curred in 1886. The mother was born in December, 1808, and died in 1888. They reared thirteen children, the eldest being our subject: Nancy (born May 28, 1830), Barbara (born December 18, 1831), Elisha (born July 17, 1833), Henry (born March 27, 1838), Mary J. (deceased, born October 21, 1839), Alfred O. (born June 3, 1841), Columbus (born February 22, 1843), Lydia A. (born November 8, 1844), Frances (de- ceased, born March 8, 1847), Martha (born February 17, 1850), Leon- ard O. (born January 24, 1852), and Caroline (born April 25, 1854). Five sons were soldiers in the late war, four of whom were commis- sioned officers. Henry was mustered out as a brevet brigadier-gen- eral, Alfred was a captain, and two others lieutenants. J. M. Enochs was educated in the common schools of his native county, and assisted on his father's farm until twenty-one years of age. He then began following the blacksmith's trade, which he had learned in his youth, and worked at this from 1848 until the war broke out, in 1861. He left
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Ohio in 1852, went to Illinois, and was there married to Miss Caroline Cook, a native of Connecticut, one year later. In 1854 he went to Sarpy County, Neb., settled among the Indians, and was the first jus- tice of the peace of that county. He still has the commission, dated April 24, 1855, signed by Gov. Mark W. Izard. In 1857 he was com- missioned sheriff of the same county, serving but a short time when he was elected to the office on the Republican ticket. He remained here until 1858, when he crossed to Iowa, taking the old Mormon trail through the State, and locating in Buchanan County, where he ran a blacksmith shop until the breaking out of hostilities. In 1861 he en- listed in Company L, First Iowa Cavalry, and was with Gen. Steele all through the campaign of the Western Army. He was slightly wounded by a gun-shot at Prairie Grove. At Little Rock, Ark., he was commissioned a lieutenant, and served as such till the close of the war. He witnessed many hardships and went through enough to have killed most men. Returning to Iowa after the war, he remained there until 1866, when he came to Atchison, Kas., and there ran a butcher shop for some time. After this he was in Lawrence for about four years, and then was on a farm in Leavenworth County for a number of years. In 1884 he came to Kansas City, Kas., and subsequently engaged in his present business. He has been a member of the city council and is a man respected and esteemed by all who know him. He is master of the Masonic lodge and past grand of the I. O. O. F., and has represented both fraternities in the Grand Lodge several times. To his marriage were born five children, four living: Mary J., Mattie C., Maggie A. and Carrie. Henry is deceased.
L. J. Enright is a well known contractor and builder of Argentine, Kas., and is recognized throughout this section of the country as a liberal, generous and high-minded gentleman. He was born in Atchi- son, Steuben County, N. Y., on January 16, 1860, being the fourth of eleven children born to Murty and Johanna (Hunt) Enright, they be- ing also born in that State, the father a successful tiller of the soil. In 1868 Mr. Enright sold his old farm in New York, and came west, settling in Kansas City, Mo., with the hopes of benefiting his health, and as his health improved, he became actively engaged in contract- ing, and soon had more work to do than he could successfully manage. In 1878, owing to the general failure of his health, he gave up this business, which was placed in the hands of his son, the subject of this sketch. The latter, in 1880, built the celebrated Bluff Street sewer, at a cost of $714,000, and also built Grand Avenue sewer, which cost
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some $38,800. The first job of street paving in Kansas City, Kas., was done by him on Kansas Avenue, which cost about $70,000, also Ninth, Fifteenth and Ann Streets, and sewers on Sixteenth Street, Shawnee Avenue, Third and Fourth Streets, making a total amount of $100,000. He also did the grading on the Southern Bridge road, and the grading on Osage Avenue. The work here and in Argentine kept from twenty five to eighty men steadily employed the year round, and Mr. Enright has been exceptionally successful in these enterprises, and is now a heavy stockholder in the Thayer & Enright Street Railway, which runs through Argentine, Armourdale and Old Wyandotte, cross- ing the Union Pacific viaduct. In 1884 he was elected a member of the town council of Argentine, and the following year was chosen mayor on the Republican ticket, and re-elected on the same in 1886. The same year he made the race for sheriff against Tom Bowling, who is considered one of the most popular men in the county, and although the latter was successful in securing the office, it was only by a small majority. For the last three years he has been a member of the school board, and is interested in the City Waterworks, and the Electric Light Company. He has made an excellent start in the accumulation of worldly goods, and is now the owner of twenty acres of good land within the city limits. He has been a life-long Republican, and is a member of Argentine Lodge of the A. O. U. W.
J. F. Ensminger is an Ohioan, reared and educated there, his knowledge of books being acquired in the common schools and the State Normal School. After reaching a proper age, he began mer- chandising at Fostoria, Ohio, and after successfully following this call- ing for two years, he opened a wholesale establishment at Toledo, Ohio, but just before opening his establishment here, he spent some time in the State of Minnesota for the benefit of his health. After a while he was taken with the western fever, and in 1884 came to Kan- sas City, Kas., after having traveled for a Chicago house for nearly three years. He had money invested in real estate at this point, and after locating here, he opened a clothing store, his establishment be- ing the largest one of the kind in the city. He does a purely cash business, is the heaviest advertising merchant in the place, and he has, by his many sterling business qualities, built up a trade that extends throughout this and the surrounding country. Throughout his en- tire business career, so well did he manage his affairs, that he never allowed a draft to mature on him or go to protest. He has always donated liberally of his means to charitable enterprises, but
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never put his name on a subscription paper. He also was the pro- prietor of the establishment known as the Minnesota Hat Company at this point, but afterward sold out. He has been very successful in his operations in Wyandotte County, but as his health was very poor for some time, he disposed of all his business in Kansas City, and with his wife made a trip to Europe, visiting England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, France, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, and all the principal cities of each. He returned to the United States, however, perfectly satisfied to remain a subject of Uncle Sam, and now has one of the pleasantest homes in Kansas City. His wife was formerly Miss Hattie S. Hoffman, by whom he has two interesting children: Frank and Burt.
Reynold Erickson. Among the establishments which opened in Kansas City, Kas., in 1882, the one owned by Mr. Erickson is well founded and is a popular place of business. This gentleman was born in Sweden June 22, 1848, his parents being Erick and Catherine (Pe- terson) Erickson, their marriage taking place about 1830. Their chil- dren are as follows: Peter, Catherine, Mary, Anderson, Larson, Jo- hanna, Regena, John and Reynold, who lived to maturity, and three that died in infancy. Peter and Catherine have since died, and only seven are now living. Of this family Reynold is the only one who came to America, but two daughters of his brother Larson, a daughter of Peter and a son of Anderson, have since come to this country, the first two being residents of Michigan, the second of St. Paul, Minn., and the last of Kansas City, Kas. The subject of this sketch was only four months old when his father died, and was but five years of age when his mother passed from life. The father was a farmer by occu- pation, and was one of the wealthy men of his community, being the owner of about 350 acres of well-improved land, which was also well stocked. He was a worthy citizen, and highly respected in the place in which he resided. Reynold spent his boyhood on the old home farmn, living with a married sister after the death of his mother, and the knowledge of books which he now has was obtained between the ages of seven and seventeen years, from the time he was sixteen years of age being an attendant at a high school. In the spring of 1866 he started for America, and first went to Gothenburg, where he em- barked for Hull, England, going from there by rail to Liverpool, where he embarked on a steamer for the United States. The vessel touched at Queenstown, Ireland, and after a stormy voyage of twenty- eight days reached the city of New York. After remaining in that
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place one week he came as far west as Chicago, in which place he stayed two weeks, then went via Green Bay to the mining regions near Lake Superior, and worked one year in the iron mines. He then re- turned to Chicago, but three weeks later went to Missouri, spending two weeks at Macon City and two weeks at St. Louis, at the end of which time he went to Springfield, in the vicinity of which place he remained three months, helping to build a railroad. He next returned to St. Louis, but after four months spent in a blacksmith's shop he was taken ill, and it was some seven months before he was again able to work. From St. Louis he crossed the river to Belleville, Ill., and near that place stopped at a farm-house for about two weeks, being still too weak to do much of anything. From this place he went to a hospital in Belleville, and three weeks later, having partially recovered, he went to Misgoota, Ill., a few miles from Belleville, near which place he ob- tained employment with a farmer, remaining with him for about nine months, and working when he was able. For one month after leaving this place he was employed at what was called the Half-Way House, between St. Louis and Belleville, and for his work here received $16, with which he went to St. Louis, and bought a ticket for Kansas City, coming by way of the river, he arrived at his destination in August, 1869, but a few days later was again overtaken by sickness, and was obliged to spend several weeks in the city hospital. As soon as he became well enough to leave the hospital he went to Indian Creek, Kas., and there remained in the family of an Indian for three months. Later he returned to Kansas City, from which place he went to Fort Scott, Kas., and for one summer he assisted in building the Fort Scott & Gulf Railway, returning at the end of that time to Kansas City and hiring out to W. H. Ryus, for whom he chopped wood for some two months in Wyandotte County, Kas. We next find him in Paoli, Kas., in the vicinity of which place he labored at farm work three years. He then once more came to Kansas City, and with the money that he had saved he bought a vacant lot at No. 320 James Street, this being about the year 1872. For a year following this he worked in a pack- ing-house for Thomas J. Bigger, from whom he had bought the lot mentioned above, after which he went to Jasper County, Mo., and spent several months prospecting for coal. Returning to Kansas City he re-entered the employ of Mr. Bigger, remaining with him about three months longer, after which he worked for the Armourdale Pack- ing Company a few weeks, and was afterward employed for two months making railroad ties in Clay County, Mo. Two months were then
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