USA > Missouri > Cass County > History of Cass County, Missouri > Part 26
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J. W. Harrelson has two brothers now living, William H., who resides in California, and John B., Belton, Missouri. After their marriage, J. W.
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Harrelson and his wife settled on a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Cass County. In addition to his farming and stock raising, in which he was considered very successful, he dealt extensively in mules and became one of the large land owners of Cass County.
Mr. Harrelson's business career brought him into contact with a great many people and he had a broad acquaintance and possessed the absolute confidence of his fellow man with whom he came into contact and had business relations. However, he was a man who made but few very intimate friends, although he had a great deal of confidence in his fellow men. He loved his home and made it a point to leave all business worries outside of the home life. He was indulgent to his family and never seemed happier than when with them. A few years prior to his death he removed to Belton in order that his children might have the advantages of a better school. He died in 1904.
To J. W. Harrelson and wife were born the following children: Dr. Nathan O., Kansas City, Missouri; Mrs. Maleta Scott, Columbia, Missouri ; Frank S., Belton, and Sarah, Mrs. Anna Green, Helen, Lena and Martha B., all residing at Belton. Mrs. Harrelson and two of her daughters reside near Belton. She is giving much thought to church work and is accom- plishing a great deal of good in the way of charity. She has charge of the Orphan's Home funds. The Harrelson family is prominent in the com- munity and one of the representative pioneer families of Cass County.
G. W. Sweitzer, a successful farmer and stockman of Grand River township, is one of the large land owners of Cass County. Mr. Sweitzer was born in Huntsville, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, January 13, 1855. He is a son of Joseph and Elizabeth (Ritesbacher) Sweitzer, the former a native of Germany and the latter of Alsace-Lorraine. The father came to this country when a boy and spent his life in Luzerne County, Pennsyl- vania. He served in a Pennsylvania regiment during the Civil War but never applied for a pension. He died at Plymouth, Pennsylvania, Decem- ber 15, 1886, and his widow now resides at that place. They were the parents of five children as follows: Julia, married Louis K. Derbey, Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania; G. W., the subject of this sketch; Matilda, deceased; Elizabeth, married H. L. Whitman, Plymouth, Pennsylvania, and Theodore, Plymouth, Pennsylvania.
G. W. Sweitzer attended the public schools of Luzerne County and later entered the Wyoming Seminary at Kingston, Pennsylvania, where he was graduated in the class of 1877. The following year he came to
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Missouri and spent about a year in this state and in Kansas. He then returned to Plymouth, Pennsylvania, and was engaged in the furniture business until 1885. He then came to Cass County, locating near Har- risonville where he has since been successfully engaged in farming and stock raising. His home place adjoins the city of Harrisonville on the south and he now owns over eight hundred acres of fine productive land all of which is well improved and very valuable property. He makes a specialty of Angus cattle and has met with uniform success in raising that breed. He says they are sure winners, and he ought to know, for he has had twenty-five years of profitable experience with that breed of cattle.
Mr. Sweitzer was married in 1885 to Miss Fannie R. Knight, who was born at Waverly, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, and resided at Ply- mouth at the time of her marriage. She is a daughter of George B. and Lydia (McAlpine) Knight. The mother died January 7, 1867, and the father is now a traveling salesman in Pennsylvania, and despite the fact that he is past eighty-three years old he covers his territory regularly and is as active and energetic as most men of half his age. He is a Civil War veteran and served in a Pennsylvania cavalry regiment as first lieu- tenant during the Civil War. He now resides at West Pittston, Pennsyl- vania. Mrs. Sweitzer was one of a family of three children born to her parents. The other two are Burtis, who has been in Alaska since 1898 and Lulu M., Newton, Kansas.
To Mr. and Mrs. Sweitzer have been born four children as follows: Elizabeth, married Dr. Arthur L. Parks, Rome, Bradford County, Penn- sylvania; Theodore, farmer, Peculiar township, Cass County; Helen, graduate of the Harrisonville High School, class of 1911, and Joseph, a member of the class of 1918, Harrisonville High School.
Mr. Sweitzer is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America and is a democrat. Mrs. Sweitzer is prominent in club work and is a member of Friends in Council and president of the Har- risonville Library Association. The Sweitzer family are prominent in the community and have an extensive acquaintance and many friends.
J. J. Bratten, a Civil War veteran and early settler in Cass County, now living retired at Harrisonville, is a native of Indiana. He was born in Ripley County, May 2, 1845, and is a son of William and Martha (Rounds) Bratten, both natives of Maryland. They were very early set- tlers in Indiana, locating in that state when it was practically a wilderness.
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They settled in Ripley County, where the father followed farming during the latter part of his life. He was a wheelwright in early life and made a great many spinning wheels, looms, etcetera, used by the early settlers. He enlisted for service in the Mexican War, but the company to which he belonged was never sent to the front. J. J. Bratten and George W. Oaklandon, Indiana, are the only surviving members of a family of seven children born to their parents.
Mr. Bratten grew to manhood in Ripley County, Indiana, and when he was a little past eighteen years old, he enlisted in the Seventh Indiana Cavalry and served with his regiment in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Louisi- ana, and as was the usual case in the cavalry service during the Civil War, he participated in a great many skirmishes as well as many important engagements. His command fought the Confederate forces under Gen- eral Forest on a number of occasions and were also in the Missouri cam- paigns against General Price, which took them into Arkansas. After the surrender of General Lee, Mr. Bratten served in Texas with his regi- ment until February 18, 1866, when he was mustered out of service at Austin, Texas. From there they marched to Galveston and went by boat to Cairo, Illinois, and by rail to Indianapolis, where Mr. Bratten was dis- charged. While he had some narrow escapes, during his period of mili- tary service, he was never wounded nor taken prisoner.
December 27, 1868, Mr. Bratten was united in marriage with Miss Dolie Gookins, a native of Ripley County, Indiana, born near Delaware. She is a daughter of Orrin T. and Ann (Drane) Gookins. The father was a native of New York, and the mother was born in Ireland and came to this country with her parents when she was five years old. The Gookins family were early settlers in Indiana, where the mother died when Mrs. Bratten was five years old. Later the father married again, and in the eighties came to Missouri and after living at Warrensburg for a time, removed to Kansas City, where he and his wife died.
To Mr. and Mrs. Bratten have been born the following children: Erma, married J. A. Reeder, Salt Lake City ; Clifford, resides on the home farm in Raymore township; Clarence, Salt Lake City; and Lilly, Daisy, Nellie and Lloyd, the last four mentioned being deceased.
Mr. Bratten came to Missouri with his family and located in Ray- more township, where he followed general farming and stock raising and met with reasonable success, becoming one of the well-to-do men of Ray- more township. He owns two hundred and forty acres of well improved
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land there, which is one of the best farms in Cass County. In September, 1903, he came to Harrisonville and since that time has been retired.
When Mr. and Mrs. Bratten came to Missouri they drove through from Indiana and were four weeks and five days on the road. Mr. Bratten is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and frequently attends state and national reunions. He is a member of the Masonic lodge and has been a life long republican. He is one of Cass County's substantial citizens who has made good.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Bratten have been members of the Baptist church for many years and have been active in the work of the church. Mr. Bratten has been a deacon for several years and Mrs. Bratten taught Sun- day school at Coleman for ten years and she has had the satisfaction of living to see all her children members of the church. She was active in the Baptist Missionary Society and the Ladies Aid Society and was presi- dent of the Ladies Aid Society for several years while living at Coleman.
C. A. Brous, a prominent insurance man and real estate dealer of Harrisonville and also justice of the peace, is a native of Ohio. He was born in Brown County, January 11, 1851, and is a son of Louis W. and Catherine (Caley) Brous, both natives of Ohio. Louis W. Brous was a descendant of Virginia stock. His father, Frederick Brous, came from Virginia and settled in the vicinity of Hillsboro, Ohio, about 1790, and the house which he built on the old Brous homestead, near Hillsboro, Ohio, is still standing and in a good state of preservation, and the property is still owned by one of his descendants, Charles Heistein, a cousin of C. A. Brous. Catherine Caley was a daughter of George Caley, who came from Hagerstown, Maryland, and settled in Brown County, Ohio, at a very early date. He was a soldier in the War of 1812.
Louis W. Brous came to Missouri with his family in 1871, and located on Eight Mile Creek in Cass County, about seven miles southeast of Har- risonville. When he came here the family consisted of nineteen children and grand-children. The father was a farmer and spent the balance of his life in Cass County after coming here. He died in 1876 and his wife. departed this life in 1898, at the age of seventy-three. They were the parents of fifteen children, two of whom died in Ohio, and the others are as follows: George F., lives in Barton County, Missouri; Ella, now the wife of Jacob Sanders, Hillsboro, Ohio; John W., died in Cass County in 1872; C. A., the subject of this sketch; Lutitia, deceased, was the wife of J. W. Rees, Winchester, Ohio ; B. F., Fresno, California ; James R., Womble,
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Arkansas; Charles E., Salmon City, Idaho; S. L., merchant, Harrisonville ; Emma, married W. W. Duncan and lives near Harrisonville, Missouri; Thomas H., El Dorado Springs, Missouri ; Elizabeth A., married C. Arner, Lane, Kansas; and Stella D., deceased.
C. A. Brous received his education in the public schools of Ohio and came to Cass County, Missouri, with his parents in 1871. He remained at home and cared for his mother on the home place until he was thirty. He then engaged in farming for himself until 1882, when he came to Har- risonville and was engaged in clerking about ten years. He served as deputy sheriff for twelve years and in the meantime was justice of the peace for six years. On March 1, 1910, when the new County Home was completed north of Harrisonville, he became superintendent of that insti- tution and served in that capacity until March 1, 1916, when he resigned and engaged in the fire insurance, real estate and collection business in Harrisonville and was elected justice of the peace in the spring of 1917.
Mr. Brous was married August 23, 1882, to Miss Ida M. Elder of Cass County, Missouri, and a native of Bedford County, Pennsylvania. To this union have been born three children: Bessie B., Iza M. and Hattie W. The youngest daughter is a student in the Harrisonville High School and the other two girls are graduates of that institution.
Mr. Brous is a democrat and a member of the Modern Woodmen of the World and one of Cass County's most representative citizens.
Capt. Amos S. Bradley, a Civil War veteran and prominent pioneer of Cass County, now deceased, was a native of Indiana and a descendant of old southern stock. Captain Bradley was born in Morgan County, Indi- ana, June 19, 1838, and was a son of William J. and Maggie (Prewitt) Bradley, both natives of Kentucky, the former of North Carolina parent- age. William J. Bradley and his wife spent most of their lives in Indiana and western Illinois.
Capt. Amos S. Bradley was reared in Indiana and in the early fifties went to Kansas and took up a farm of government land in one of the east- ern border counties of that state, which was then a territory. However, he came to Missouri prior to the war and settled in Cass County near Everett where he taught school, being one of the pioneer school teachers of that vicinity. He also followed farming in connection with teaching and owned about eighty acres of land in that locality.
Captain Bradley was a man of decided political convictions and when
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the Civil War broke out he organized a company in 1861 which became officially known as Company I, Eleventh Missouri Infantry, which was attached to General Parsons brigade and General Sterling Price's division. Captain Bradley was a fearless and capable officer and distinguished him- self on many occasions for his bravery. He commanded his company in many important engagements and numerous skirmishes. He was at the battles of Pea Ridge, Elkhorn, Lonejack and was severely wounded at the battle of Helena, Arkansas.
At the close of the Civil War, Captain Bradley returned to Cass County and located in Grand River township on what is now known as the Bradley Brothers farm, and devoted the balance of his life to the peaceful pursuits of farming and stock raising, meeting with uniform success in his undertakings and at the time of his death, November 21, 1884, was considered very well to do for that time. In the early days he followed land surveying to quite an extent and later served a term as county sur- veyor of Cass County. He was a lifelong democrat and took a keen inter- est in political affairs. He was a member of the Masonic lodge and the Ancient Order of United Workmen.
Captain Bradley was married in Texas, September 13, 1865, to Miss Mary P. Mckinney, a native of Cass County, born in Grand River town- ship just a short distance north of the present Bradley Brothers' home. She was a daughter of Nathan H. and Mary B. (Masterson) Mckinney, natives of Danville, Kentucky, who were early settlers in Missouri. They came to Johnson County in 1836 and in 1838 came to Cass County, settling in the immediate vicinity of where the Bradley brothers now live. When the Mckinney family settled here this section of the country was con- sidered well on the border of civilization. Indians were plentiful and many of them in an uncivilized state but the Mckinney family never had any trouble with Indians as Mr. Mckinney thoroughly understood the char- acter of the so called "Noble Red Man" and knew how to get along with him. Nathan H. Mckinney made two trips to California and one trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico. He went to the Pacific coast during the gold excitement in 1849 returning by way of the Isthmus of Panama and made another trip later and returned by the overland route, bringing with him a number of cattle and considerable freight. He died in 1858, aged forty- nine years and his wife died in 1900 at the age of eighty-six. They were the parents of eight children, the following of whom grew to maturity and are all now deceased: Americas, married Dr. G. H. Hansbrough ; a pioneer of this section who came from Kentucky; William H .; Jane M., married
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James M. Bills; Mary P., married Captain Bradley ; Chloe C. was never married and Nathan H. married Lina B. Wells, who now resides at Vaca- ville, California, and he is deceased.
Captain Amos S. Bradley and wife were the parents of the following children: Mary, married Hezekiah Thomas, Pleasant Hill, and is now deceased ; Amos S., of the firm of Bradley Bros .; Nathan M., of the firm of Bradley Bros. ; William J., Winnamucca, Nevada; and Guilford H., Los Angeles, California. The firm of Bradley Bros., composed of Amos S. and Nathan M. Bradley, ranks among the leading farmers and stock raisers of Cass County. They carry on general farming on an extensive scale and have a splendid farm of five hundred acres, located four miles west of Harrisonville in Grand River township. They are very successful breed- ers of registered Shorthorn cattle. They are both democrats and Nathan M. is a member of the Knights of Pythias and the Central Protective Association. They are both unmarried. They are progressive young men and prominent in Cass County.
Runnenburger Brothers and Company, furniture dealers, undertakers and dealers in musical instruments, is one of the oldest mercantile estab- lishments in Harrisonville and has been conducted under the Runnen- burger name for over half a century. This business was founded in 1866 by Francis Xavier Runnenburger, father of the present owners and pro- prietors, Frank E. and Turner A. Runnenburger.
Francis Xavier Runnenburger was a native of Germany, born in Neiweid, Germany, October 26, 1825. He came to America about 1855, and worked at his trade, which was cabinet making, in Davenport, Iowa, for a time. He then came to Kansas City, where he was engaged in con- tracting for a few years, and in 1859 came to Cass County, settling in Harrisonville. When the Civil War broke out and later when Order No. 11 was issued, he operated a grist mill in Harrisonville. In 1866 he engaged in the furniture and undertaking business in Harrisonville, his store being located on the south side of the square. Later he moved to North Indepen- dence street, where the present spacious business block was built, which is occupied by the Runnenburger business. They occupy a frontage of one hundred and forty-five feet and carry a complete line of furniture and musical instruments, including the new Edison phonograph.
Francis Xavier Runnenburger was married May 4, 1865, to Miss Mary Kelley, a daughter of William Kelley, and to this union the follow-
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ing children were born: George, died in childhood; Turner A., Frank E., and one died in infancy; and Gertrude, who married Luther Twyman, a former treasurer of Cass County, now residing in Carthage, Missouri.
Mr. Runnenburger was a democrat and during the Civil War his sympathies were with the South. He was a member of the Masonic lodge, and also held membership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows: He was a successful business man and the demands of his business were always given his undivided attention, during the course of his career. He died February 17, 1890, and his widow now resides in Harrisonville.
Frank E. Runnenburger, son of Francis X. Runnenburger, was born in Harrisonville, July 11, 1870. He was reared in Harrisonville, and has practically spent his life in the furniture and undertaking business. Since his father's death in 1890, he and his brother Turner A. have conducted the business, and they are both of the modern progressive type of business men.
Frank E. Runnenburger was married October 1, 1894, to Miss Lilly Curry. She died March 6, 1895, and on June 24, 1901, Mr. Ruddenburger was united in marriage with Miss Sabra Hall, daughter of Captain D. K. Hall, a sketch of whom appears in this volume. Mrs. Runnenburger died March 14, 1913, leaving four children as follows: Ernest, Miriam, Emily and Eleanor, twins.
Mr. Runnenburger is a democrat and served as coroner of Cass County for twenty years. He is a Knights Templar Mason and a member of the Mystic Shrine. He also belongs to the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows, the Modern Woodmen of America, and holds membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, south.
Isora Sanford Palmer .- On November 21, 1835, Isora Sanford was born in Clark County, Kentucky. On February 5, 1852, she was married to Dr. Henry D. Palmer. This young couple came west, settling first at Westport, Jackson County, Missouri. About 1854 they removed to Cass County, lived part of the time in Harrisonville, most of the time on the doctor's farm, situate about three miles south of town, in Section 17-44-31. At the breaking out of the War of the Rebellion, Dr. Palmer and family moved, first to Kansas City, then to Clay County.
For forty years and more Mrs. Palmer's home was in Clay County. We clip from a notice of her death, which is so strikingly beautiful of not only her life work, but of so many pioneer wives, we beg to appro- priate it here: "She was a woman of delightful disposition, strong
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traits of character, and most genial and cheerful nature. Deeply devoted to her home, passionately interested in the welfare of her family, no wife or mother ever left a more precious and loving memory. Her deep sense of grateful appreciation for every little act of kindness shown, or word of sympathy spoken, was a veritable benediction to all who knew her. While her heart had known its sorrows, and life, in the passing of the years, had brought disappointments, her sunny smile and cheerful greeting was truly a delight to her many friends." How true this is of so many pioneer wives. They were willing that all the glory and ap- plause should be given to their husbands, but they insisted upon sharing every hardship and privation with their husbands. We reflect; how many of these pioneer mothers, when their life's work is ended and they realized they had reached the "bar", proud of the helpmates they had been, their "ship of life touched the other shore-a haven of rest."
John Edwin Ryland, a modern progressive farmer and stockman of Grand River township, is a native son of Missouri and is a descendant of prominent pioneer families of Missouri on both his maternal and paternal sides. Mr. Ryland was born at Fayette, Missouri, in 1887, and is a son of I. P. and Elizabeth (Knickerbocker) Ryland, both natives of Missouri.
I. P. Ryland is now a prominent attorney in Kansas City, Missouri. He is a son of John E. Ryland, who at one time was a clerk of the Circuit Court of Cass County. John E. was a son of Judge John F. Ryland who, at an carly day, was Circuit Judge of Cass County. He was a Virginian and came to Missouri from his native state in 1819 and located at Lexing- ton. The Rylands were carly settlers in Virginia and a great many mem- bers of that family now live in that state.
Elizabeth Knickerbocker, mother of John Edwin Ryland, the subject of this sketch, is a daughter of Doctor and Elizabeth (Majors) Knicker- bocker. Dr. Knickerbocker was a surgeon in the Union army and was killed during the Civil War. His wife, Elizabeth Majors, was a daughter of Samuel C. Majors, a very early pioneer of Missouri. He laid out the town of Fayette, Missouri.
John Edwin Ryland is one of a family of four children born to his parents as follows: John Edwin, the subject of this sketch; Louise, mar- ried Harold S. Nicoll, Kansas City, Missouri; Jeannette, resides with her parents in Kansas City, Missouri; and Robert, a member of the law class of 1917 in the University of Virginia.
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John Edwin Ryland was reared in Kansas City, Missouri, and attended the public schools and later attended the Wentworth Military Academy at Lexington, Missouri, and then took the agricultural course in the Uni- versity of Missouri at Columbia. In 1910, he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land, one-half mile east of Harrisonville and since that time has been successfully engaged in general farming and stock raising. He makes a specialty of Holstein cattle and Duroc Jersey hogs. He raises corn and grass more particularly than any other crop.
Mr. Ryland was united in marriage November 16, 1911, with Miss Sophia Hall, a native of Green Bay, Wisconsin. She is a daughter of Charles and Elizabeth (Lindsey) Hall, the former a native of London, England, and the latter of Wisconsin. The father, however, was reared in Wisconsin, his parents settling in that state when he was about two years old. Mr. and Mrs. Ryland have one child, John Edwin III.
Mr. Ryland is a democrat and belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church and Mrs. Ryland is a member of the Episcopal church. They are well known and prominent in the community.
Robert W. Adams, president of the Allen Banking Company, of Harrisonville, has been brought up in the banking business and is prob- ably one of the best posted men in the intricate problems of finance in this section of the state. Mr. Adams is a native of Cass County. He was born at Pleasant Hill, December 10, 1870, and is a son of Duston and Florence (Wilson) Adams, both natives of Cuba, Allegheny County, New York. The father came to Missouri shortly after the Civil War and engaged in the mercantile business at Pleasant Hill, and shortly after- wards became interested in banking and was connected with the Bank of Pleasant Hill, which was later bought out by the Citizens' Bank ,of Pleasant Hill. From Pleasant Hill he went to Macon, Missouri, and was engaged in the banking business there for four years, and in 1889, removed to Kansas City, Missouri, and is now a retired capitalist of that city.
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