USA > Missouri > Atchison County > Biographical history: Atchison County, Missouri > Part 21
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486
THE SHANDY HOMESTEAD.
H. R. STEPP.
TINTON R. STEPP, farmer, of Clark township, was born in East Tennessee on Oct. Ist, 1857, the son of Wellington H. and Elizabeth Ann (Hinton) Stepp. He was at home on the farm of his parents until in his twenty-third year, when he began farming on his own account. He came to Atchison county in 1888, locating one mile east of Watson. In 1903 he moved to the farm which he at present owns and lives upon, six miles southwest of Fairfax and comprising 131 acres. The residence on this farin is of the following dimen- sions: 16x32 feet and 12x16 feet, 112 stories; barn, 30x36 feet, with 12-foot posts; cow house, orchard and other improvements.
Mr. Stepp was united in marriage with Miss Mollie R. Stephens, daughter of Brain · Martin and Julia W. (Earnest) Stephens, on Dec. 22, 1881. She was born in the state of Virginia on Jan. 5th, 1845. Mr. and Mrs. Stepp have three children, namely: James M., born Nov. 8, 1882; Pryor H., born Oct. 24, 1884; Iva Dell, born July 15, 1892.
Mr. and Mrs. Stepp are members of the M. E. church at Watson. Mr. Stepp is a member of the Modern Woodmen lodge at Corning. Politically he is a Republican. He is at pres- ent holding the office of school director and has served in that capacity several years.
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H. R. STEPP'S FARM
F. A. SCHIERKOLK.
F REDERICK A. SCHIERKOLK, of Benton township, is a native of Hanover, Germany, and was born on Sept. 20, 1840. In his sixteenth year, in company with two other boys, he emigrated from his native land to America, his first stop being in Cook county, Illinois. His parents came over one year later. After a year in Illinois he made two trips to New Mexico as a freighter. He then went to Colorado, where, for about four years, he engaged in dairying and mining. Returning to Illinois he remained there until in 1866, when he located on the farm where he lives at present, in section 34, township 64, range 42, four and three-fourths miles southwest of Langdon, in Benton township. His farm comprises 137 acres. He has a nice home, as will be seen by the accompanying view. The residence is of 112 stories, in size 16x30 feet and 14x19 feet; the barn is 25x30 feet in size, with 14-foot posts; corn crib, 16x30 feet in size; granary, 12x20 feet; granary, Sx16. Near by is the old log house in which he lived until 1889. Mr. Schierkolk sells what grain he does not feed to stock of his own raising. He markets annually about 75 head of fat hogs.
In Cook county, Illinois, on July 1st, 1866, Mr. Schierkolk was married to Miss Lena Cramo, who was born in Prussia on June 25th, 1848. To Mr. and Mrs. Schierkolk five children have been born, two of whom are living, namely: Franklin, born Aug. 28, 1869, and Josephine, wife of Henry Roje, born Oct. 8, 1875. The dead are Emma, Charlie and an infant.
Mr. and Mrs. Schierkolk are members of St. Peter's German Lutheran church, Mr. Schierkolk being Secretary and Treasurer of that organization.
Mr. Schierkolk is one of the really popular men of the county, and he has served the people in various political capacities; was Justice of the Peace of Benton township in 1870-71; County Assessor in 1875-77; Public Administrator from 1892 to 1901; at pres- ent is a school director. He is a Democrat and takes quite an interest in politics.
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HOME OF F. A. SCHIERKOLK.
B. W. STEEL.
BI ENJAMIN WALLACE STEEL was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, July 23rd, 1847, the son of Benjamin and Susannah Steel-their only child. His parents died when he was quite young and he lived with his grandfather until in his thirteenth year, when he began working out by the month. In his sixteenth year he went to Stark county, Illinois, where he remained twelve years. He then located in Atchison county, Missouri, and bought 164 acres of land, remaining here in the years 1873 and 1874. He then rented his land and returned to Illinois, where he remained five years, then returning to Atchison county, where he lias since lived. He sold his 143-acre farm and bought a part of the land upon which he lives at present. He now owns 480 acres of land, in sections 17, 19 and 20, township 66, range 38, five miles south of Blanchard. The residence is of 11% stories, in size 16x28 feet and 16x28 feet; barn, 54x66 feet in size, with 16-foot posts; barn, 45×58 feet, with 14-foot posts; double corn crib, cow house, granary and scale house; ten- ant house, orchard, vineyard and small fruit. In 1904 he erected buildings for his son, C. W., one-fourth of a mile from his own residence-a six-room house of 112 stories; barn, 24x34 feet in size, with 14-foot posts; also other necessary buildings. In 1883 a set of buildings on Mr. Steel's farm were almost totally destroyed by a cyclone.
On Feb. 20, 1879, Mr. Steel was united in marriage with Margaret Fauntz, daughter of Michael and Elizabeth (Clayton) Fauntz, and the oldest child in a family of eleven. Mr. and Mrs. Steel have three children, namely: Jennie, wife of Samuel Francis, born Dec. 11, 1871; Charlie W., born Jan. 29, 1882; Maude, born July 23, 1888.
Mrs. Steel is a member of the Baptist church. In politics Mr. Steel favors the Repub- lican party. He is a director of his school district and has served in that capacity several years. He is truly a self-made man and one of Atchison county's successful farmers.
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MR. AND MRS. B. W. STEEL AND THE RESIDENCES ON THEIR FARM
CONRAD STICKEROD.
C ONRAD STICKEROD, son of Jacob and Katherine Stickerod, was born in Germany on May 10th, 1851. In his sixth year he emigrated to America with his parents locating at Linden, in Atchison county, Missouri. There his boyhood was passed. In 1870 they bought prairie land, six miles northeast of Rock Port, and broke it up with oxen. On that land the subject hereof has since lived. He now owns 988 acres of fine land, locat- ed in sections 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, township 65, range 41; in section 36, township 66, range 41, and in section 31, township 66, range 40. His residence is a structure of 1% stories, in size 28x34 feet. There are also large barns, four tenant houses, all necessary outbuildings, sheds, cribs, scales, a vineyard and four orchards comprising 2,000 trees. Mr Stickerod is one of the extensive and successful stock-feeders of the county, marketing annually about 200 head of fat cattle and as many fat hogs.
Mr. Stickerod gave a fine farm of 160 acres to his son, Jacob, located in section 35, township 66, range 41. On this farm is a five-room residence; a barn 40x50 feet in size, with 16-foot posts; also other necessary improvements.
On Aug. 18, 1872, he was married to Anna Elizabeth Byrnes, who was born in Clark township, Atchison county, Missouri, on April 25, 1856. To Mr. and Mrs. Stickerod have been born eleven children, ten of whom are living, namely: Katherine, Minnie, Lucretia, Martha, Jacob, Lydia, Lena, Leola, Frederick and David. The deceased is Charles. These children have attended educational institutions as follows: Martha and Lucretia at St. Benedict's convent, Atchison, Kans .; Martha and Jacob at the Shenandoah (Ia.) college; Lydia at Tarkio College.
Mr. Stickerod is a member of the A. O. U. W. lodge at Rock Port. Politically he is a, Republican. He has served his district in the capacity of director several terms.
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PREMISES OF C. STICKEROD.
J. F. SCARLETT.
T 'HE elegant premises shown in the accompanying view comprise the home of James F. Scarlett, in Clark township, who has a model and well-improved farm of 275 acres in sections 4, 8 and 9, township 63, range 40, one-half mile northwest of Milton. The ele- gant residence on the farm was erected in 1903. There is also a modern barn as well as all needed sheds, cribs, etc., and a set of buildings for the use of tenants; also an orchard and vineyard large enough to supply a family. Mr. Scarlett markets two or three car- loads of fat cattle and about 100 to 150 head of fat hogs annually, and is a successful feeder.
Mr. Scarlett was born in Atchison county on Jan. 12th, 1868, the son of James and Sarah Scarlett and is the youngest of four children. On Feb. 21st, 1897, he was married to Miss Stella Wise, a native of Holt county, Missouri. . She was born at Craig, Mo., on Aug. 15th, 1877, and is the oldest of five children. Mr. and Mrs. Scarlett have two child- ren-Ethel, born Dec. 15, 1899, and Don, born Nov. 11, 1901.
Mr. Scarlett is quite an active worker in fraternal organizations, being a member of the Masonic lodge at Fairfax, in which he has held the office of Senior Warden; also a member of the Knights of Pythias and Blue lodges at Fairfax and the Chapter at Rock Port. In politics he is a Republican.
Mr. Scarlett's education was finished at Tarkio College. Mrs. Scarlett attended the Craig high school.
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J. F. SCARLETT'S FARM.
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L. J. SICKLER.
L UTHER J. SICKLER, son of Miles and Elizabeth Sickler, was born in Atchison county, Missouri, on Aug. 27th, 1862. His whole life had been passed in Atchison county, until he located in Kansas, in 1904, and, with the exception of four years, on the farm where he lived at the time of taking the accompanying view, the farm comprising 220 acres and being located 312 miles northeast of Rock Port, in section 16, township 65, range 41. There is a five-room residence on the farm; a barn, 30x52 feet in size, with 12- foot posts; blacksmith shop; cattle shed, 16x54 feet in size; cribs, orchard and vineyard and other necessary improvements. He marketed what grain he did not feed to the stock he raised. He marketed about 100 head of fat hogs annually and had the distinction of raising the largest hog ever seen in the county, which weighed 1,025 pounds. He made a specialty of breeding Chester White hogs, and his herd became celebrated in this section of the country. He also made a specialty of raising thoroughbred Black Langshan chickens for sixteen years and found prompt sale for all eggs and chickens. Also found, after handling twelve different breeds of pure-bred chickens for four years, that the Black Lang- shans outranked them all for eggs and market.
On Dec. 22, 1884, he was married to Miss Laura A. Dragoo, daughter of George N. and Sarah Dragoo, and the first of nine children. She was born in Brown county, Ohio, Nov. 1st, 1866. From this union six children have been born. five of whom are living, namely: Jessie A., born Feb. 2, 1886; Roy, born Sept. 26, 1887; Guy N., born Ang. 8, 1892; Iva L., born Aug. 2, 1896; James L., born Sept. 18, 1899. Ray W., born June 10, 1889, died March 16, 1890. Jessie was married on Feb. 17th, 1904, to Otis P. Kish, son of G. P. and Ana Kish.
Mr. Sickler is a member of the A. O. U. W. and K. of P. lodges at Rock Port, and has held the offices of Inside Guard and Outside Guard of the first named lodge. Politically, he is a Republican. He has served in the capacity of school director.
Mrs. Sickler attended Rock Port High School and taught two terms of school previous to her marriage. Their daughter Jessie and son Roy also attended Rock Port High School.
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FORMER HOME OF L. J. SICKLER.
W. A. STEVENS.
W TILLIAM ALVY STEVENS was born in Vinton county, Ohio, on Oct. 14th, 1861, the son of Robert and Elizabeth Stevens, natives of Ohio. With his parents he emigrated to Illinois in his fourth year. In 1870 they came to Atchison county, which has since been his home. Here his father bought 142 acres of land, paying $8 per acre. At the time of his death he owned 422 acres. The subject of this sketch was raised on his father's farm and in his twenty-fourth year began farming for himself. He owns and lives upon a fine farm of 216 acres, in sections 31 and 32, township 66, range 38, seven and one-half miles southeast of Westboro. The residence on this farm is a modern struc- ture, in size 38x46 feet, with two stories and basement, and is furnished with heating, water and lighting systems. On three sides of the house is a handsome colonial porch. The barn, in size, is 32x36 feet, with 16-foot posts. There is also an arch cellar, cribs, sheds, etc., and an orchard covering six acres. Mr. Stevens markets about two car-loads of fat cattle and fifty head of fat hogs annually.
On Oct. 2nd, 1884, he was married to Miss Emma Bevard, daughter of George and Sophia Bevard-her father a native of Ohio and her mother a native of Maryland. She was born in Fulton county, Illinois, on May 1, 1864. Mr. and Mrs. Stevens have two children-Robert Leslie, born July 31, 1885, and Charles Edward, born Sept. 7, 1887.
Mr. and Mrs. Stevens are members of North Star Christian church, and Mr. Stevens is a deacon in that organization. Politically, he is a Democrat. He is at present a school director and has held that office for more than sixteen years. He is a stockholder in the Inter-State Savings Bank at Blanchard, Ia.
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MR. AND MRS. W. A. STEVENS AND THEIR HOME
J. G. SCARLETT.
JOHN G. SCARLETT, farmer, of Clark township, was born in Atchison county, Missouri, on Nov. 4th, 1864, the son of James and Sarah Scarlett, and second in a family of four children. Mr. Scarlett's whole life has been passed in Atchison county. He owns and lives upon a fine farm of 440 acres, located in sections 3, 8, 9 and 10, township 63, range 40, five miles south of Fairfax and adjoining the village of Milton. As will be seen by the accompanying view, his farm is well improved. The residence is of the following dimen- sions: 16x34 ft. and 18x32 ft., two stories. The barn for horses and colts is, in size, 26x40 feet, with 12-foot posts; cattle and hay barn, 46x74 feet in size, with 14-foot posts; buggy shed and granary, 14x28 feet in size; also other necessary outbuildings and an orchard. Mr. Scarlett feeds stock quite extensively and successfully, marketing about two car-loa Is of fat cattle and two car-loads of fat hogs annually.
On Feb. 4th, 1890, he was married to Miss Mary A. Everet, daughter of James T. and Annie Everet. She was born in Atchison county, Missouri, on Oct. 30th, 1871.
To Mr. and Mrs. Scarlett five children have been born, four of whom are living, namely: Harrison Oaks, born May 22, 1892; Edgar Leland, born April 1, 1895; Evelyn Fern, born Jan. 9, 1898; Gladys Myra, born Jan. 4, 1901. One child died in infancy.
Mr. and Mrs. Scarlett are members of the M. E. church at Milton, Mrs. Scarlett holding the office of Steward in that organization. She was educated at the home school and taught one term of school. Mr. Scarlett finished his education at Lewis College, Glasgow, Mo. In politics he is a Republican.
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HOME OF J. G. SCARLETT.
NANCY KING SCAMMAN.
N TANCY KING SCAMMAN was born in Kentucky on Nov. 6th, 1828, the daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth King. She is the fifth in a family of eight children. In her second year her parents moved to Indiana, and in 1848 they located in Atchison county, Missouri. Soon after coming here her parents died. On May 19, 1850, she was married to Samuel Scamman. He was a native of the state of Maine. He learned the carpenter trade when quite young and went from his native state to St. Louis, Mo., where he worked at his trade seven years. In 1848 he came to Atchison county, and continued to work at his trade in connection with farming. He died on Dec. 29th, 1867. He was a member of the M. E. church at Union City; was also a member of the Masonic order, having been initiated therein in his native state. Mrs. Scamman is a member of the M. E. church at Union City.
To Mr. and Mrs. Scamman were born twelve children, six of whom are living, namely: Isaac, born June 12, 1855; Sarah A., wife of John Salfrank, born Oct. 31, 1857; Rachael, born Jan. 18, 1861; Eunice, wife of T. G. Anderson, born Sept. 13, 1862. Those deceased are Mary Jane, Enoch, Mary Elizabeth, Charlie, Jennie and an infant.
Mrs. Scamman has a good farm of seventy-six acres, three miles southwest of Rock Port, in section 31, township 65, range 41. There is a neat house of seven rooms on this 'farm, the dimensions of the building being 16x32 feet and 14x16 feet, one and one-half stories. There are also all necessary outbuildings and an orchard and vineyard.
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ISAAC SCAMMAN - THE SCAMMAN HOME.
F. B. STRICKLER.
F IRMEN B. STRICKLER, of Clark township, was born in Adams county, Illinois, on April 8th, 1872, the son of Warren W. and Mary V. (Stewart) Strickler, and second in a family of six children. In 1874 his parents located in Atchison county, Missouri. where his father purchased 320 acres of land for ten dollars per acre. When the subject of this sketch was in his sixteenth year his father died and the management of the large farm his father owned devolved upon him, and he early learned, by actual experience, how to properly carry on farming and stock-raising. Perhaps this accounts for such a young man successfully operating along these lines on such a large scale. He now owns a model farm of 320 acres in section 12, township 63, range 40; also an interest in 200 acres of land in section 14, and 182 acres in section 6, township 62, range 39, in Holt county, Missouri. At the time of this writing he had been in partnership with James E. Strickler, of Skid- "more, Mo., for ten years, and they handle a great many horses and mules at the F. B. Strickler farms and from 2,000 to 4,000 cattle annually at their Missouri farms and in the Indian Territory.
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Mr. Strickler's farm is expensively improved in the most modern manner, the residence being a handsome two-story structure, in size 34x46 feet, comprising eight large roonis besides halls, vestibule, bath-room, etc. The house is supplied with a complete system of water-works.
The barn is 20x32 feet in size, with 16-foot posts and with a shed 20x64 feet in size; mule barn, 24x80 feet in size; hay and feed barn, 32x96 feet in size; a good tenant house, granaries and many other improvements for convenience of farm life. There is also a spring near the house which furnishes twelve gallons of water per minute.
On Feb. 20th, 1895, Mr. Strickler and Miss Eva Wright were united in marriage. She is a daughter of John L. and Martha (Owens) Wright and was born in Holt county, Mis- souri, March 8th, 1874, and i ; second in a family of five children. They have one child- Warren W., born March 22nd, 1897.
Mr. Strickler is a member of the Masonic lodge at Fairfax, Mo., and the Royal Arch Chapter at Garden City, Kans.
In politics he votes for the candidate he thinks best for the place, regardless of party.
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F. B. STRICKLER'S FARM HOME.
SUSAN E. TEMPLETON.
W E now write of one of the county's pioneers-in fact, a pioneer of the Platte Purchase, who, locating in this section of the country with her parents, when a young girl, lived here eight months without seeing a white woman other than the members of her own family. We refer to Mrs. Susan E. Templeton, the respected widow of our deceased and revered fellow-citizen, Hon. James M. Templeton.
She was born in Howard county, Missouri, Feb. 25th, 1828, the daughter of Hezekiah and Susan White. In 1842 the family emigrated to what was then known only as the Platte Purchase-about one and one-half miles from the present site of the town of Sidney, Ia. Mrs. Templeton's father taught the first school in this section of the country. She tells us there were no seats in the log school house and the scholars studied ont lond. Later her family located on the farm where James Handley now lives, about three miles southwest of the present site of Rock Port. The subject of this sketch has since lived continuously in Atchison county-for more than forty years on the Templeton homestead, adjoining the town of Rock Port on the northwest. In 1904, however, she bought resi- dence property within the city limits and moved to same.
Susan E. White and James M. Templeton were united in marriage in Atchison county, Missouri, on May 14th, 1845. Mr. Templeton was the oldest of two children born to William and Mary Temple- ton and was born in Franklin county, Indiana, on March 11th, 1822. Mrs. E A. Scamman, of Union City, widow of E. D. Scamman, is his sister. Mrs. Templeton informs us that the pioneer days ( when she and her young husband lived in a log cabin, improvising a table upon which to eat when there were guests, by taking down the door of the cabin and placing it on blocks) were the happiest days of her life. Mr. Templeton got his start, financially, by breaking prairie for Acquilla Beck and others with a yoke of oxen. He was a deservedly popular young man, however, and in the course of a few years was called to serve the public in the capacity of an official. For twenty-two years he held the office of County Clerk of Atchison county; he represented the county one term in the state Legislature and at the time of his death was Judge of the Probate Court. In polities he was a Democrat. He died on Oct. 12th, 1879, leaving his wife and nine children.
To Mr. and Mrs. Templeton twelve children were born, however. Those living are Mary, wife of W. G. Bartholomew, born Dec. 20, 1847; Martha, widow of Austin F. Tiffany, born March 31, 1849; William N., born Dee. 23, 1851; Oliver P., born Dec. 25, 1855; James Wright, born Nov. 24, 1857; Fannie, wife of D. A. Quiek, born March 14, 1859; Stella, wife of George Buckmiller, born March 21, 1864; Lottie, wife of Bernard Altman, born Sept. 1, 1867. Nancy, wife of E. C. Smith, born March 11. 1853, died Oct. 11, 1896; McClelland, born Oct. 21, 1861, died Feb. 6, 1863; Richard, born Jan. 16, 1870, died Sept. 1. 1872. Another child died in infancy.
Several of these children were educated at the Rock Port Seminary, while Oliver P. is a graduate from the Cincinnati Medical College, and is a practicing physician.
Mrs. Templeton has been a member of the Christian church for more than sixty years. Mr. Tem- pleton was also a member of that church.
The Templeton homestead comprises 172 acres, in section 28, township 65, range 41. The residence is of two stories, in size 15x30 feet and 12x18. feet, with a one-story kitchen, in size 10x18 feet; also a barn, necessary outbuildings, eribs, sheds, etc. On this farm are two orchards-one set out forty- three years ago and the other thirty-eight years ago, and both are bearing This is certainly a most remarkable instance as regards the longevity of apple trees. Mr. J. W. Templeton owns and lives upon the old homestead, the accompanying view of which will be quite interesting to the older resi- dents of Atchison county.
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THE TEMPLETON HOMESTEAD. HOME OF J. W. TEMPLETON - RESIDENCE OF MRS. S. E. TEMPLETON.
TARKIO COLLEGE.
ANTECEDENTS.
It may be in the blood. Tradition has it that the first settler was a Yale graduate. Many of the town's incorporators were college men and from a familiar Athens. A ereditable high school build- ing and system were early provided. At the precocious age of three Tarkio had college aspirations- providentially implanted, according to the inspiration of an earlier historian. Tender, almost pain- ful, memories cluster about those days, but, with the passing of twenty odd years and the original building, it might be whispered that the rustling little burg had county-seat ambitions first. Hence the ancient chronicler incidentally remarks-with what a fine reserve !- that "about this time a large brick building, which could be easily fitted up for college use, became available."
ORGANIZATION.
1883 was the year of beginnings. Rev. Robert H. Barnes and others were the prime movers. The President of Amity College, Rev. S. C. Marshall, D. D., was secured to head the school. Messrs. D. Rankin. W. A. Rankin, Ed. F. Rankin, W. F. Rankin, John A. Rankin, W. O. Miller, R. M. Stevenson, John P. Stevenson. S. H. Prather and J. F. Hana also signed the original instrument. Preliminary organization of "The Tarkio Valley College and Normal Institute" was completed June fourth. THE FIRST YEAR AND FACULTY.
The opening was August the thirteenth. Dr. Marshall presided. The other professors were Rev. R. H. Barnes, J. Francis Ross, Miss Alice Marshall and Miss Hattie V. Jamison. Miss Emma J. Hanna and G. H. Paden had the rank of instructors in music and penmanship respectively. Rev. David Dodds, M. D., gave special lectures on anthropology. The year's enrollment was sixty-four.
At the date of this writing four of the first faculty reside in Atchison county. The body of a fifth rests in the home cemetery.
THE DAYS OF CHANGE.
Private management continued the single year. Then the United Presbyterian church became foster-father to the school. At various times the Presbytery of College Springs, and the respective Synods of Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska have been-as the last two are yet-interested parties in the college control. While denominational the institution has never been sectarian. Three local trustees are elected by the Board of Directors irrespective of church affiliations. With growth the School of the Long Name became, by second charter, simply Tarkio College. In June of 187 President Mar- shall resigned on account of continued ill-health. He died at his home in Tarkio, Aug. 31st, 1888. His was the founder's work and he laid widely and well.
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