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 60
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89
603
WYANDOTTE COUNTY.
nine years. The mother still living, and makes her home with our sub- ject, and although nearly eighty years of age, enjoys good health. Their family consisted of seven children, and James E. was the third in or- der of birth. Abel, the eldest of the family, was an old settler of Kan- sas City, Mo., and Wyandotte County. He was a Union soldier, and was captured, but only retained a short time. James E. was married January 12, 1870, to Miss Annie Taylor, only daughter of John and Sarah A. Taylor, old settlers of Kansas City, Mo., and natives of Eng- land. To Mr. and Mrs. Fisher were born five children, all living: Kate, Jessie, Allan, Charles and John. Mr. Fisher is a Republican in his political views, but prefers for office an honest man, to a corrupt scheming politician, of whatever party or profession.
Frank A. Forsberg. The popular grocery store belonging to this gentleman was established in the month of April, 1884, and is one of the many fine houses of this city which appeals strongly to public fa- vor. Mr. Forsberg was born in Nye Jonkoping Lan, Sweden, August 20, 1858, the name of his parents being Anders Johnson and Mary Stina Johnson, their marriage taking place about 1840, which resulted in time in the birth of seven children: Jonas August, Anders John, Lena Christina, Mary Louisa, Peter Alfred, Frank Anderson and Charles Edward. All the sons came to America and now reside in the United States. Jonas Angust and Anders John crossed the ocean in 1869, and the former now resides in Scandia, Kas., and the latter in Kansas City, Mo. Peter Alfred came to America in 1871, and also resides in Scandia, Kas. The two youngest sons, Frank Anderson and Charles Edward, came to America in May, 1880, and both now reside in this city. The two daughters still reside in Sweden, the parents both living there also. The father is a farmer by occupation, and is considered one of the leading citizens in the community in which he resides. The subject of this sketch was reared to manhood in his native land and between the ages of eight and sixteen he at- tended school, obtaining a good practical education. In early life, when not in school, he worked upon his father's farm, and at the age of twenty one years, he served one year in the Government military serv- ice. When he came to the United States, he lacked a few months of being twenty-two years old. He and his brother Charles left Gothen- burg on April 16, 1880, and sailed to Hull, England, thence by rail to Liverpool, where, on April 21, they embarked on the steamer " Repub- lic," which reached New York on May 1. They came at once to Kan- sas City, Kas., which place they reached on May 8, and here have re-
G
604
HISTORY OF KANSAS.
sided ever since. During the first three and a half years of his res- idence he was in the employ of the Armour Packing Company, and for the five succeeding months he acted as bartender for his brother John. Since the month of April, 1884, he has been in business for himself and his grocery establishment was first located at No. 171 North James Street. He has devoted his whole attention to his business since that time, and now has one of the finest and most complete establishments of the kind in the city. Since April 1, 1889, he has been established at No. 66 North James Street. He has always been very courteous to his customers, and as he has always been a gentleman of keen business abil- ity, and keeping but the best of goods, his trade has rapidly increased. His business for the year of 1889, amounted to over $19,000. In No- vember, 1889, he purchased a grocery store at No. 429, Osage Avenue, Armourdale, and has since conducted it also. He was married on Au- gust 16, 1886, to Miss Matilda Louisa Johnson, who was also born in Sweden, on May 22, 1864. Her father's name was John Peterson, and he with her mother, still resides in Sweden. She came to Amer- ica in 1883, and has borne her husband one child, Matilda Christena, born on November 15, 1888. Mr. Forsberg is a member of the Scan- dinavian Society, and in politics is a Republican. He is one of the honorable business men of the city, and is in every respect worthy the success he has attained.
James Fitzgerald is a well-known market-gardener of this county, and makes a specialty of raising potatoes, from thirty to thirty-five acres being annually devoted to this crop. He does general farming also, and owns about forty acres of land, upon which are a good residence and barn. He was born in the "Emerald Isle," in the month of April, 1828, and, after remaining there until he attained to man's estate, he determined to seek a home in the New World, and accord- ingly came to the United States, March 1, 1849, and spent two years in the State of Massachusetts. He then removed to Illinois, where he was engaged in farming, until 1859; then went to Kansas, where he has been ever since. He has always been public spirited and enter- prising, and has done his full share in the improvement of this section of the country, and has always been ranked among its honest and trustworthy citizens. The country was almost a wilderness when he first came here, and the land on which the present town of Kansas City is located belonged to an Indian. Mr. Fitzgerald lived in Kansas City, Kas., for seven years, and in 1866 made the purchase of his present property, it being then heavily covered with timber and with
G
605
WYANDOTTE COUNTY.
no road leading to it. In 1867 Mr. Fitzgerald was married to Miss Ellen O'Connell, of Ireland, their union taking place in Tazewell County, Ill., and to them a family of ten children were born: Mary (wife of John Gittons), Honora, Thomas, James, John, Patrick, Mor- ris, Michael, Edward and Joseph. Mr. Fitzgerald is independent in politics, and in local politics votes for the man irrespective of party. He has been a member of the school board for seven years; has held the office of supervisor, and he and his family are members of the Roman Catholic Church.
Dr. T. Fitzhugh, physician, Armourdale, Kas. The professional minds of physicians may be divided into two separate classes, aptly designated the perceptive and the memorative. To one class belongs those whose medicinal knowledge and perception depends upon mem- ory; to the other, those who depend chiefly upon their own conscious resources and mingle them with their own judgment. To those ac- quainted with Dr. Fitzhugh it is unnecessary for us to state to which class he belongs. He was born in Middlesex County, Va., in March, 1836, and is the son of Phillip and Mary (Aylett) Fitzhugh, natives of King William County, Va. The Fitzhugh family is de- scended from Lord Fitzhugh, of North Ireland. Three younger brothers emigrated to America, in 1642, and two settled below Alexan- der, Va., and one near Hagerstown, Md. The family took very little part in the Revolutionary troubles. The paternal grandfather raised a company in Caroline County, Va., and made his son, Phillip, cap- tain of the company, in 1812. The latter served through the war. The Grandfather died in Virginia where he had followed farming. The father of our subject was also a farmer, and also died in Virginia, as did the mother. They were the parents of ten children, eight of whom grew to maturity: Patrick H., John H., Phillip A., La Fayette H., Edgar R., Mary E. and Lucy. Four are now living. Dr. T. Fitzhugh, the youngest child now living, attained his growth in Vir- ginia, received his education in Richmond, and at an early age began the study of medicine, graduating from that well-known and far- famed institution, the Virginia Medical College, at Richmond, in 1859. He then began practicing in Matthews County, Va., and there remained until the breaking out of the war in 1861. He immediately enlisted in Matthew's cavalry as a private, was soon after elected lieutenant, and served on Gen. D. H. Hill's staff, afterward Riply staff. Subsequenty he was promoted to the rank of captain of Com- pany F, Fifth Regiment, and was mustered out of service with the
606
HISTORY OF KANSAS.
title of major. He was wounded at Culpeper by a gun-shot in the right leg, and his brother, Patrick H., was killed in front of Petersburg. At the close of service the Doctor returned to Accomack County, Va., re- maining there engaged in the practice of his profession until 1883, when he came west and located in Indianapolis, Ind. From there he went to Texas, and in 1887 he located in Kansas City, Mo. In 1888 he removed to Armourdale, Kas., and there he has since remained engaged in an active practice. He is a first-class physician and sur- geon, and has an extensive practice. He was a member of the Texas Medical Society, and is a member of the Masonic fraternity. To his marriage have been born three children: Edgar H., John G. and Lula K. The Aylett family, of which the mother of our subject was a de- scendant and granddaughter of Patrick Henry of Revolutionary fame, is among the old an representative families of Virginia, and none were more highly esteemed. Indeed the family may claim, by inter-mar- riage, connection with all those of prominence in Virginia. The Aylett family claim to be descendants of a companion of William the Conqueror, sons of whom obtained lands in Cornwall. The etymology of the name of Aylett is a sea-cow or Cornish chough, from their hav- ing three Ayletts on their shield, and thus they obtained their name. Robert Aylett, master in chancery, was educated at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where in 1614 he commanded LL. D. He published some works in London from 1822 until 1854. Capt. Aylett, according to the accounts kept in the family, was lord of Magdalene Lanor, and suffered severely for King Charles. He spent £700 per annum in that service. He acted as one of the commanders at Colchester, at the siege, and was sentenced to be shot, but escaped in female disguise. However, he was recaptured but purchased his own life from the Parliament for £460, and was pardoned. Charles II. commissioned him to surprise Chepston Castle, and to be governor of the same. Here he was betrayed and made prisoner until the restoration made him free. In 1656 Capt. John Aylett, from Essex County, England, came to Vir- ginia, and was appointed to survey his county in Virginia, in 1660. The King afterward awarded him a large tract of land in the North- ern Neck, and it was also ascertained that his descendants inter-mar- ried with the Lees, Washingtons and Custer families. In 1684 Charles II. granted him a patent of 20,000 acres of land in what is now King William County, Va., and his son William went to reside on it in 1686, that it was inherited by his son. William, represented King William County, in the House of Burgesses, in 1723 and 1726, and his
-
607
WYANDOTTE COUNTY.
wife was called Lady Aylett and kept a sumptuous establishment. Col. William Aylett, assistant commissary-general of Virginia, in the Revolutionary War, furnished supplies to the army, such as blankets, clothing, etc., from his own private means to the amount of about $80,000, giving his individual bonds in payment, the settlement of which after his death exhausted his estate. The general Government assumed the indebtedness, which has never been reimbursed.
Mrs. Augusta (Steinbeck) Frank, the widow of George S. Frank, and a lady of culture and refinement, is now a resident of State Ave- nue, Wyandotte County, Kas. She was born in Hanover, Ger- many, on August 6, 1836, and was the younger of two children, the sister, Minnie, now deceased. Her father was a very wealthy gentle- man and was retired. He is now deceased. The mother, who was also a native of Hanover, Germany, is also deceased, and Mrs. Frank is the only survivor of her family. She obtained her education in the common schools of her native land, and has ever been interested in all educational matters. She was united in marriage to Mr. George S. Frank in October, 1850, and to them were born two children, a son and daughter: George A. (who married Miss Catherine Schack, and is a mechanic by trade), and Sophia R. (who resides in Wyandotte, and is the wife of J. N. Frye, a barber by trade). Mrs. Frank has ever contributed liberally of her means to all worthy movements, and is a friend to the needy and helpless. She lost her dear companion on August 13, 1885, after they had lived together thirty-five happy years, and he lies buried in Oak Green Cemetery, where a beautiful and tasty monument, erected by his wife, marks his last resting place. His presence will ever be sadly missed by his lonely wife and children, for he was a good man in every sense of the word. Mrs. Frank has been a resident of Wyandotte since 1867, and has witnessed the marvelous growth that has taken place in the city since that time. She is the owner of a frame residence, a brick place of business on Minnesota Avenue, and also quite a number of vacant lots. As far as she knows at the present she expects to make this place her future home and here, surrounded by her numerous friends and acquaintances, will pass the remainder of her days. Mr. Frank was born in Bavaria, Germany, and came to America when a mere boy, followed the trade of a barber and accumulated considerable wealth. He was a Demo- crat in politics, and his aim was to support men of principle and honor. He was held in high respect by all acquainted with him. He was a lover of secret organizations, a member of the I. O. O. F.,
608
HISTORY OF KANSAS.
also other lodges, and was very prominent in such organizations. He was well educated in the German language, and was an energetic and thorough man of business, his relations being of an honorable and upright character.
Burtis L. French is one of the honorable and upright young busi- ness men of Kansas City, Kas., and is at present foreman of the hide cellar for Swift & Co. He was born at Stockbridge, Windsor County, Vt., November 21, 1864, a son of Warren L. and Mary E. (Abbott) French, both natives of that town and State, the former's birth oc- curring in 1835, and the latter's in 1836, their marriage taking place in 1857, and resulting in the birth of two sons, of whom Burtis L. is the younger. The elder, George F., is foreman of the hide cellar for Swift & Co., at Omaha, Neb., and is now thirty years of age, his birth having occurred on April 1, 1860. Both parents are living, their home still being in Stockbridge, Vt., the father being a successful and honorable tiller of the soil. Burtis L. French was reared and edu- cated in the town of his birth, being an attendant of the schools of that place from the time he was seven until he was seventeen years old, and being quick to grasp new ideas, and possessing a retentive memory, he made rapid progress in his studies, and upon leaving school possessed a good practical education. In 1883 he came west to Chicago, and at once entered the employ of Swift & Co., and has continued with this firm up to the present time, being one of their trusted employes. He acted as hide inspector six months, hide weigher three years, and in the fall of 1886 was transferred to Oma- ha, and was made foreman of the hide cellar at that place for Swift & Co., a position he retained until February, 1887, when he was sent to Kansas City, and here has since remained. He is a young man of ex- ceptionally good habits, and is an earnest and consistent member of the Universalist Church. He has always taken a deep interest in the political affairs of the country, and is a stanch member of the Republican party. His duties are being discharged to the entire satisfaction of his employers, and their confidence in his ability has not been misplaced.
Benjamin Friedberg, of the Electric Light Plant of Kansas City, Kas., is a native of Russia, and of Hebrew blood. He came to Amer- ica at the age of seventeen years, being then unable to speak the English language, and for about six months resided in the city of New York. He then sold goods in that State for about a year and a half, and although he had but 35 cents on reaching this county, he
609
WYANDOTTE COUNTY.
did fairly well, and had by that time saved enough to enable him to come to Kansas City, Kas., in 1870. He joined a brother here, and the same year they leased a lot, put up a store building, and until 1874 conducted a dry goods store. They then went to Missouri, thence to Chicago, and during the great fire in that city in 1871, they lost all they had accumulated. Later they went to Independence, Kas., thence to Fort Worth, Tex., and while merchandising in this place they made considerable money. Their next location was in Silver Cliff, Colo., but the place proved to be a failure, and they once more lost all their possessions. They then came to Wyandotte Kas., with the intention of making this place their permanent abode, and up to 1884 they were successful dry goods merchants. Their chief business, however, was real estate, and in this Benjamin has been ex- ceptionally successful, and is still engaged in speculating. He built the Electric Light Plant, and in September, 1889, opened operations, the plant being the strongest for its age in the United States. The total expense of the same was about $132,000, and he has 150 miles of wire. He runs both the incandescent and arc lights, and operates in nearly all parts of the city. He is one of the foremost men in all public enterprises in the city, and having the interests of the same at heart he is very liberal with his means and time. He was married in New York to Miss Annie Rosenthall, a Prussian belonging to the Hebrew race. They have five children: Harry, May, Estella, Frank and Edith.
Charles E. Gabelman, general superintendent of the Keystone Iron Works, Kansas City, Kas. Mr. Gabelman is another of the many prominent citizens of Kansas City, Kas., who is of foreign birth, hav- ing been born in Germany, near the old and renowned city of Leipsic, Saxony, on May 14, 1847, and he was third in a family of five children- four sons and one daughter-who are named as follows: Max (died at the age of twelve years), Alexander P. (married and resides in Schuy- ler County, Mo., where he is engaged in farming and stock-raising), Helen (resides in Eustace, Fla., is engaged in merchandising, and is the owner of an orange grove), and Benjamin F. (who died at the age of two years). The father was a native of Germany, and is now de- ceased. He was an officer in the German army and was a merchant during the latter part of his life. His father served in the Rebellion. Charles E. Gabelman had very meager advantages for an early educa- tion, but he improved his spare moments and prepared himself to enter college, of which Prof. George W. Graves was president, and there
610
HISTORY OF KANSAS.
remained almost three years. He is a great friend of education and good schools. He commenced life for himself at the early age of fourteen years as a farmer boy, and when sixteen years of age entered the service of the United States, enlisting at first in Farmington, Iowa, in the Home Guards, but in 1863 he entered the regular service as a volunteer in Company A, Forty fifth Iowa Infantry Volunteers, under Capt. Edwards and Col. Berryman, and was assigned to the Army of the Mississippi Valley. His regiment and company were engaged in the following battles: Greensboro (Tenn.), Memphis, Pleasant Hill and Moscow. In this action Mr. Gabelmau received a bayonet wound in the right leg. He was in the expedition against Forest by Gen. A. J. Smith, and was honorably discharged in 1865. A remarkable thing about this family was that Mr. Gabelman and his father were side by side in the struggle, his brother Alexander, was in the service, and his sister Helen was acting as nurse in the hospital. It was unusual to see so many of one family in the army, and expresses much as to their patriotism. After returning home from the army Mr. Gabel- man engaged in agricultural pursuits, and afterward entered the machine shops at Quincy, Ill., and there served his apprenticeship as a mechanic. In November, 1870, Mr. Gabelman was married to Miss Jennie Murdock, a native of Indiana, born in 1847, and she received a good education in the common schools and colleges of Illinois. They are the parents of three children, all daughters: Flora (resides with her parents and is a graduate of the high schools of Kansas City, Kas.), Nellie (is fourteen years of age and is attending high school, where she will graduate in 1891; she is a very fine musician also), and Edna (who is twelve years of age, and is still in the school-room). Mr. Gabelman is a Republican in politics, and has always exercised his franchise for men of honor and principle. He cast his first presi- dential vote for Abraham Lincoln, the martyr President. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity. He and Mrs. Gabelman, to- gether with their daughters, are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and ardent supporters of the same. Mrs. Gabelman is presi- dent of the W. C. T. U. in Kansas City, Kas. They have always given liberally to all worthy enterprises, and are esteemed and respected by all. They expect to make this city their future home, and here surrounded by their many friends, by whom they are respected for their sterling worth and integrity, they will pass their declining years. Mr. Gabelman is a stockholder in the Keystone Iron Works, known throughout the Southwest as the largest institution in the commercial
611
WYANDOTTE COUNTY.
arena, and a prominent business man. He and wife started on the voyage of life without a dollar, and what they have is the accumula- tion of years, and the result of much hard labor and industry. This is an excellent example for those commencing life with nothing but willing hands.
J. H. Gadd, president of the School Board of Kansas City, Kas. In every country and among all civilized nations, education is conceded to be the lever that lifts men and women from obscurity to fame and fortune, and as the world grows older progress makes rapid strides alike in literary and mercantile circles. Mr. Gadd was born in Union- town, Penn., August, 1833, being the son of John and Jane (Victor) Gadd. The parents were both natives of that State, and the father was engaged at the time of his death, in 1857, on the State works in Pennsylvania. The subject of this sketch continued to reside in his native State until the year 1858, receiving in the meantime only a mod- erate education, and engaging in clerical work. He moved to Alton, Ill., accepting a situation in a store at that point, and at a later date taught school in the surrounding county for two terms. In 1871 he moved from Illinois to Kansas City, and was soon employed in the Union Pacific shops at Armstrong, as clerk, and has continued to fill that position up to the present writing. He is time-keeper in that es- tablishment. Mr. Gadd was elected president of the School Board in 1887, and again in 1889, and has at all times and in all ways filled this responsible position with great satisfaction to the community at large. He was married in the spring of 1858 to Miss Anna E. Gay- ton, also a native of Pennsylvania, and to this nnion was born one son, John N. Gadd, who at one time made his home in this city. In 1886 Mr. Gadd was called upon to mourn the death of his faithful and lov- ing wife, and has never married again. He is a member of the Dem- ocratic party, and takes an unmistakable interest in public matters. He belongs to the Congregational Church, and he is a member of Summanduwat Lodge No. 3, I O. O. F.
Nelson Garcelon is the present commissioner of Wyandotte County, Kas., and has held other positions of honor and trust in the county, he is nnassuming in his demeanor, and is one of the few men whom to meet once is to wish for a more extended acquaintance. He was born in the Pine Tree State, November 4, 1831, his parents, Moses and Clarissa Garcelon, leaving him an orphan in childhood, after which he made his home with his uncle, William Garcelon, of Lewiston, Me., with whom he remained until his twelfth year, at
612
HISTORY OF KANSAS.
which time the son of that uncle, and his cousin, Alonzo Garcelon, with whom he had been reared as a brother, was elected governor of Maine, on the Greenback ticket. Nelson obtained a good common- school education, and that, with one term spent in an academy, con- stituted his schooling. At the age of nineteen, he went to Minnesota, and for some time resided about 160 miles below St. Paul, and while there cast his first presidential vote for John C. Fremont. After remaining in that State, engaged in the lumber business, until 1858, he, in company with about sixty people, went across the plains, and was in Denver, Colo., when that place consisted of about three houses. He prospected in Colorado until the California gulch was opened, when he went on to that State, and was engaged in mining that sum- mer. He then went south to New Mexico, thence to Colorado, and later came east as far as Topeka, Kas., where he began building houses, taking a contract later to build houses for the Indians, in Osage County, Kas. For his services the Government was to pay him in gold and silver, but a bill was lobbied through Congress making them take scrip, which was worth about 25 cents on the dollar. Through a man who was furnishing the Government with cattle, Mr. Garcelon became interested in that enterprise, and followed this calling for six years, after which he purchased some land of the Government, in the Dela- ware Reserve, now Leavenworth County, and there made his home, until about 1885, when he came to Wyandotte County and was engaged in contract business solely, until November 5, 1889, when he was elected to his present position, and now, in addition to discharging the duties of his office, he still continues to do contracting, although not on as extensive a scale as formerly. He is the owner of sixteen lots in the town, and is quite well fixed financially. While a resident of Osage County, Kas., he went back to Maine, and was married there to Miss Amanda A. Purington, a native of that State, by whom he has one child, Nelson Edwin, who is a conductor on some Pullman sleeping cars. Mr. Garcelon has always been a Republican in his political views.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.