CHEROKEE COUNTY, Part 8

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES (SAUNDERS - WOODRUFF).

CHARLES A. SAUNDERS, dealer in general merchandise, was born in the town of Bridgewater, Oneida County, N. Y., September 26, 1847. He received a liberal education, attended several terms at Chamberlain Institute, Randolf, N. Y., and graduated from Eastman Commercial College in the spring of 1865. At four years of age, he moved with his parents to Chautauqua County, N. Y., where he lived until 1866. In the spring of 1866, he went to Illinois, where he engaged in business for about six years, principally soliciting and collecting for an insurance company, after which time he came to Kansas and was employed by the Missouri River, Fort Scott & Galveston Railway Company as agent at Columbus and other points on the road for about six years. In 1876, he was elected Mayor of the city of Columbus. During his administration, the city indebtedness was reduced from $1,800 to about $800 without making a levy on the taxable property for city purposes for a single cent. It being the first and only administration that had made no levy for city purposes in the history of the city either before or after his administration. In 1877, he was elected County Clerk of Cherokee County, and re-elected in 1879, holding the office four years. In 1879, was the only candidate elected on the Democratic ticket in the county. At the expiration of the second term of office as County Clerk, he engaged in the real estate and loan business. Has been engaged in his present business about one year. The first settlers of Cherokee County believe the Government would extend to them the usual terms of purchase for homestead for their lands; but, instead, the government sold what was known as the Cherokee Neutral Lands, which embraced the lands of Cherokee and other counties, to James F. Joy and the Missouri River, Fort Scott & Galveston Railway Company for $1 per acre. The railroad company placed such a high price on their lands that the settlers refused to purchase and organized a land league to oppose the railroad company. The leaguers would not purchase the land themselves, and, in self-defense, refused to let others purchase at prices and on terms of the railroad company. The government sent troops into the county to guard the railroad. The land question overshadowed all others, and, for a few years, was about all the politics in Cherokee County. This state of affairs was keeping out emigration and retarding the growth of the county. Several committees had been sent to Boston and other places to confer with the railroad officials and try and compromise the trouble, but all had failed to accomplish any good. In January, 1880, Mr. Saunders, with the assistance of two or three citizens of the county succeeded in effecting a compromise with the railroad company, by which the railroad company agreed to make a large reduction on price of their lands if the settlers would purchase at least 5,000 acres for cash by July 1, 1880. The proposition was accepted by the people, and Mr. Saunders started at once for New York and the East to negotiate a loan for the people to purchase their homes with. The arrangements were so well managed that by July 1, 1880, Mr. Saunders had sold and paid the company for 118,000 acres, he being appointed to manage the business by both the people and railroad company. After many years of trouble and failure to compromise, Mr. Saunders succeeded in arranging a satisfactory settlement of the "vexed land question" so quietly that none outside of the league knew of it until the matter was all settled, and to him, more than any other person, is due the credit for obtaining for the farmers of Cherokee County their homes and settling a trouble since which has put the county on the highway to prosperity. He is interested in lead and zinc mines in Cherokee County, and owns two good farms in the same county. Also owns an orange grove in Florida of 500 trees. For the past three years he has spent his winters in Florida, and returned to Kansas in the spring. He has traveled over the greater portion of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. He was married to Miss Jessie L. Casselman, of Columbus, Kan., in June, 1874. They have lost their only child- Jay R., who died in August, 1882, aged nearly five years. Mr. Saunders takes an active part in all matters pertaining to the interests of Cherokee County, and is considered one of the leading men of the county.

HANNIBAL SCOVELL, manufacturer and dealer in apiarian supplies, was born in Galena, Delaware County, Ohio, and reared in Steuben County, Ind., where he was identified with carpentering and farming industry until 1861, when he enlisted in Company A, Forty-fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and after an active service of sixteen months, was discharged on account of wounds received at Pittsburg Landing, and pensioned. In 1867, he located here and was principally identified with the mercantile business until 1874, when he engaged in raising bees exclusively, and has successfully carried it on since. In 1879, he formed the present partnership of H. Scovell and T. P. Anderson under the firm name of Scovell & Anderson, for the persecution of the business on a more extensive scale, and has very successfully conducted it since. In November, 1876, he married Miss Leah Elder, a native of Indiana. They have a family of three sons- Harlan B., Leslie E., and Wilsie E. Mr. Scovell has always worked actively for the development of the social and industrial life of Columbus. He was one of the original owners of the town site and was active in the organization the town.

P. F. SHACKLE, druggist, of the firm of Shockle & Willis, was born in Ohio October 9, 1835. He received a scientific education in Ohio and Illinois, and commenced business in 1863, having taught school prior to this time. He opened a drug and grocery business in Berlin, Ill, which he continued two years. He then taught school six months, and was afterward in the drug business in Woodhull, Ill., four years, when he sold out and went into the same business in Iowa, remaining five years. He came Columbus, Kan., in 1873, and commenced his present business. He owns farm lands in the county, city property, and has a branch drug store in Weir City, Kan. He was Postmaster and Justice of the Peace in Berlin, Ill., and is now a member of A. F. & A. M. and A. O. U. W. He was married to Miss Lizzie B. Weir, of Woodhull, Ill., July 5, 1861. They have five children living- Mollie, Harry M., Thomas W., Lizzie E., Alice and Madge. They have lost two children--Hattie Zoe and Ira D.

JAMES A. SHERIDAN, Mason, was born in Kentucky, December 31, 1823. He was raised on a farm, received a business education and learned the mason's trade, in which he was engaged in Kentucky until 1859. He then went to Illinois and worked at his trade ten years; thence to Missouri, where he worked at his trade a short time, coming to Kansas in 1869, where he took a claim and farmed two years. He then went to Fort Scott and remained a short time and where he still owns a residence, and then resided in Crawford County until 1879, at which time he came to Columbus, where he has worked at his trade since that time. He is a member of the Congregational Church. He was married to Miss Elizabeth Cofferm, of Ohio, in 1851, who died in 1871. Their six children were Sarah, Cornelia, Lottie, Sophronia and Olla, and Eva, deceased. He was married to Mrs. Mary F. Swinney, of Missouri, in 1876. They have had three children- Eddie, Carl and Clyde, twins.

A. H. SKIDMORE, attorney, was born in Virginia, February 14, 1856. He received a liberal education, attending the Michigan University at Ann Arbor. He was admitted to the bar September 15, 1876, came to Columbus in 1876 and commenced practice. He has been twice Justice of the Peace and is a notary public; is a member of K. of P. He was married to Miss Hattie A. Allen, of Cherokee County, Kan., who died in December, 1879, leaving one child, Daisy A. He was married to Miss Alice M. O. Allen, of Cherokee County, Kan., January, 1882.

THOMAS A. STOCKSLAGER, Deputy Probate Judge and Justice of the Peace, was born in Indiana in 1847. He remained a student until the age of nineteen, at which time he began teaching school. After teaching one year, he came, in 1868, to Cherokee County, Kan., where he taught school two years and was County Superintendent two years. In 1873, he again began teaching and taught five years. In 1878, he became connected with the St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad Survey, remaining with that company two years, and then went to Weir City and taught school two years. He was appointed Deputy Probate Judge January, 1882, and is a member of the School Board of examiners of Cherokee County. He is a member of the Orders of A., F. & A. M. and A. O. U. W.

W. E. SWANSON, farmer and stock-raiser, Section 3, P. O. Columbus, was born in Wilkes County, N. C., in 1825, but was reared in Wayne County, Ky. In 1850, he located in Wayne County, Iowa, where he was identified with farming and blacksmithing till 1864; he then spent two years in travel through the States of California and Oregon and Idaho and Washington Territories, locating here in 1866, where he has been actively connected with his present industry since. He was married, in 1846, in Kentucky, to Miss Susan J. Edgmand, a native of Kentucky. They have a family of three sons and three daughters- Elizabeth, now Mrs. G. W. Hoyt, of Columbus; J. T., teacher in Calusa County, Cal.; G. M., of same county; Fildella, now Mrs. William Bolen, of Bute County, Cal.; Catherine and G. W., at home. Mr. Swanson is serving his second term as County Commissioner and has been very active in the general development of this locality. His farm consists of 160 acres, under a complete state of cultivation, well fenced with hedge and wire fences, and having nice buildings and a beautiful orchard containing 300 apple, 60 peach trees and all other kinds of fruit raised here.

DAVID SVANCE, farmer, Section 16, P. O. Columbus, was born in Illinois April 13, 1831. He was raised on a farm and continued that business for himself, commencing at the age of twenty-one and continued it Illinois until 1855. He was then in Iowa on a farm until 1869, then in Missouri in the same occupation until 1881, at which time he came to Kansas and bought his present home, consisting of a farm of 160 acres, which he is now improving, and growing stock, grain and fruit. He also has two farms of eighty and sixty improved acres in Missouri, containing fine grain land. He was married to Miss Louisa Farno, of Illinois in 1852. They have five children- Lizzie J., Mary J., Sarah, Amanda and Harvey.

JOHN E. TUTTON, District Clerk, was born in Illinois May 22, 1851, He received a common school education and came to Kansas at the age of eighteen. He first was employed as a clerk in a dry goods store at Baxter Springs one year, and was then in a drug store at Eureka, Kan., then to Baxter Springs; then went to St. Louis and remained one year at school in a mercantile college, and on his return to Baxter was engaged in hotel business three years. He next went to Missouri as division agent for the Southwestern Stage Company. Then came back to Baxter as cashier and book keeper for Sorber Mining and Smelting Company one year, then went to Galesburg, Ill., and was in hotel business a short time. From Galesburg he went to Loup City, Neb., and engaged in general merchandising one year; then was at Baxter Springs five months as agent for the Wells & Fargo Express. He was then in Texas in a hotel, then in Webb City, Mo., in 1877, in general merchandising. In 1878, he remained in Baxter a short time and then went to Columbus, Kan., as Deputy County Treasurer two years. In the fall of 1880, he was elected to the office of District Clerk. He was married to Miss Lora Crothers, of Sparta, Ill., November 17, 1880.

GEORGE THEIS, JR., Of the firm of Harlon, Theis & Foster, was born in St. Louis in 1862. He received a classical education and began clerking in a drug store at the age of eighteen, remaining one year. He was then with Murray & Foster one year, and afterward with Ritter & Doubleday in their bank seven months, entering into his present partnership July 6, 1882.

S. B. THROOP, of the firm of Throop & Middaugh, wagon and carriage works, Columbus. Mr. Throop is a native of Washtenaw County, Mich., and took up his apprenticeship in 1860, at the age of twenty-one. In 1866, he established a business at Milan, Mich., and successfully carried it on til 1871, when he came to Kansas. In 1876, he established the present business and has very successfully carried it on since. In 1867, he married Miss Irena Fuller, of his native State. They have one son and daughter-Nellie A. and James C. In 1862, he enlisted in Company B, Twentieth Michigan Volunteer Infantry, and remained in active service till the close of the war, when he was honorably discharged. He is an active member of John A. Dix Post, No. 54, G. A. R, and of the I. O. O. F. and A. 0. U. W. societies.

JAMES A THOMPSON, farmer and stock-dealer, eight miles southwest of Columbus. He was born in Indiana in 1838 and was engaged on a farm until the age of twenty-six. He then began the mercantile business, which he continued for one year. He came to Kansas in 1864 and settled in Shawnee County, where he remained seven years, and then resided in Missouri six years, engaged in farming and stock business. He then lived in Galena, Kan., where he was teaming three years for Col. Stone; then in Centre Creek, Kan, farming and stock-raising until 1879. He owns a quarter section of land, which he has fully stocked. He is now School Director of his district. He is a member of the order of Freemasons.

J. W. TOMPKINS, manufacturer of harness, saddles, etc., is a native of Saratoga Springs, N. Y. In 1859, at the age of sixteen, he began his profession and was identified with it in his native State till 1869, when he located in Huntley Grove, Ill., and carried it on there till 1871, when he located here and has very successfully carried on his business here since. In 1874, he married Miss Nettie Cushman, a native of McHenry County, Ill. Mr. Tompkins has worked actively in the development of the social and industrial life of this city since locating.

THOMAS M. TOWNSEND, farmer, P. O. Columbus, was born in the State of New York, March 20, 1820. He received an academic education and began farming, at the age of fourteen in New York, where he remained until 1876, at which time he came to Kansas and settled on his present farm, which contains 320 acres, now run as a grain, stock and fruit farm. In 1882, he sold 500 bushels of apples at $1 per bushel. He has peaches and plums and all kinds of small fruits in abundance. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was married to Miss Sarah M. Rappleye, of New York State, in 1848. They have five children- Abram Rappleye, Sarah Alice, Thomas Irving, Harry Clay and Willis Chester Tarus. Abram Rappleye was born in 1849, graduating at Cornell University, of Ithaca, N. Y., in 1872; he attended the Medical School at Philadelphia in 1873. Was married to Ida Baker, of Ithaca, in 1874. He is now running a drug store at Marshalltown, Iowa. Sarah Alice was born in 1850, and married, in 1879, to M. M. Edmiston, a lawyer, of Columbus, Kan. The remaining children are at home attending school under Prof. Cutler's of Fort Scott Kansas.

JOHN T. VEATCH, County Clerk, was born in Rockport, Ind., April 16, 1840. At the age of nineteen, he married and began farming, which he followed up to 1867, when he came to Kansas and located in Cherokee County, near Baxter Springs, where he remained until the fall of 1881, when he was elected County Clerk and came to Columbus. He was Township Trustee of Spring Valley Township two years. He was married to Miss Madora Bennett, of Rockport, Ind., in 1859. Mr. Veatch is a member of the I. O. O. F. and A. O. U. W.

JULIUS L. VIERECK, hardware merchant, was born in Prussia, in 1842, and came to the United States in 1865. Landing at New York, he went to Tipton, Mo., one year clerking, and then to Osage Mission, Kan., in 1866, where he remained two years, and came to Columbus in 1868. He started here a hardware business, to which he has since added queensware, woodenware, etc. He was elected School Treasurer in 1870, for two years. Is member of I. O. O. F. and A., F. & A. M. Mr. Viereck has done much to improve the town of Columbus, having built a fine business block, a residence for himself, and three tenement houses. He was married to Miss Helen Leowen, of Fort Scott, Kan., in 1870. They have five children-Edwin, Carl, Jessie, Frank and Laura.

DAVID VINCENT, proprietor of restaurant, was born in Pennsylvania, in 1836. He began farming at the age of nineteen, and continued that occupation until 1860, when he went into the grocery business in Iowa, where he remained three years. Coming to Kansas in 1873, he started a general store, which he run for two years, and was then clerking, buying grain and keeping hotel until 1880, when he began his present business. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and of the I. O. O. F. He was married to Miss R. Moorehead of Pennsylvania, in 1861, and has four children-Ida L., Elizabeth J., Catherine M. and Clark S.

GOVEY WADE, farmer, Section 2, P. 0. Columbus, was born in Indiana, in 1817. He removed to Virginia with his parents at the age of seven years, which State remained his home for many years. At the age of seventeen, he learned the blacksmiths trade in Virginia, which he worked at eleven years, when he left Virginia and was absent four years. He was then in Virginia two years, in Iowa twenty-three years, and came to Cherokee County, Kan., in 1875, when he bought and located on his present farm, which he improved, and upon which he is now raising stock and grain, and is one of the substantial farmers of the county. He was County Commissioner and Justice of the Peace in Iowa, and is a member of the United Brethren. He was married to Miss Susan Bland, of Pennsylvania, in 1835, and they have eight children living-Dilla, Eliza, Rachel M., Alexander, Thomas, George W., Palmyra and Andy J. Elsey J. deceased.

WILLIAM WALKE, farmer, Section 23 P. 0. Columbus, was born in Union County, Ohio, January 4, 1836. He began farming in Ohio at the age of twenty-one, and continued until 1862, at which time be entered the army, leaving the service in July, 1865. He then ran a farm in Ohio, until 1880, at that time going to Kansas, buying 160 acres of land in Cherokee County, and improving part of it. He is now raising stock, grain and fruit. He was Township Supervisor in Ohio. He was married to Miss Ruhama Hammond, of Ohio, in 1859, and has three children-Anthony, William Henry and Lottie.

REV. JOHN M. WATSON, Pastor of the Orthodox Friends Church, was born in Ohio, December 30, 1829. He was reared on a farm, and received a partial high school education, and followed farming to the age of thirty-five years in Ohio, at which time he began missionary work in Mississippi. He next engaged in the manufacture of farm implements, which he continued eight years, since which time he has again engaged in missionary and church work in Ohio, Indian Territory, and Kansas. He has always taken an active part in the church and Sunday school work, and since coming here has established schools among the Cherokee and Shawnee Indians, and has assisted in establishing four churches among the Orthodox Friends.

WILLIAM D. WELLS, farmer, Section 22, P. O. Columbus, was born in Indiana, December 18, 1833. He received a common school education, and began farming in Illinois at the age of twenty-two. In 1862, he went into the army, and was discharged in 1863, in consequence of being shot in the head, which rendered him unable to work for two years. He then farmed in Missouri one year, and came to Kansas in 1870, where he remained a short time, and then went to the Black Hills, and was one year in the mines. He then returned to Kansas and engaged in drug business in Crawford County six months, coming from there to Cherokee County, where he bought eighty acres of land, which he partially improved, and upon which he is now raising grain and stock. He is a member of the Christian Church, and was married to Miss Phelena Grew, of Ohio, in 1866. Their children are, Icyphena, Phinly, James, Elmer, Florence, Cora and Willie.

ISAAC P. WEST, druggist, was born in Ohio, June 22, 1845. He was raised in Ohio, and at the age of eighteen joined the Fourth Virginia Cavalry, in which he served for six months, and then enlisted in the One Hundred and Forty-eighth Illinois Infantry for one year. He served seven months, and was then mustered out and attended school one year in Cambridge, Ill., at the end of which time he was employed as a clerk in a store at Galva, Ill., for a short time, and then went into the restaurant business at Woodhall, Ill., remaining six months. He was then employed as a clerk in a drug store at Woodhall, Ill., one year, at the end of which time he bought an interest in the firm and remained about nine years. He then came to Columbus, Kan., and began the drug business in 1876. Mr. West is a member of the K. of P. He was married to Miss Jennie E. Hunter, of Ohio, in 1871. They have two children- Claud R. and Lisle E.

JOHN WHITCRAFT, restaurant, was born in Ohio, October 28, 1828. He lived on a farm in Ohio to the age of twenty-six, at which time he went to Illinois and remained there six years on a farm, and was then on a farm in Iowa seven years. In April, 1866, he came to Cherokee County, Kan., located a farm and started grocery business i n l867, on Cheney Creek, before the county was organized. He remained there four or five years, and in 1871-72 came to Columbus and engaged in dry goods and grocery business, which he followed six or seven years, and then started his present restaurant. In the meantime, he was furnishing the contractors on the San Francisco Railroad with supplies, and lost about $3,000 by them. He is now City Treasurer of Columbus, having been Councilman three times. He was married to Miss J. A. Hoyt of Cadiz, Ohio, in 1851. They have four children-Clara C., James A., Charles A. and John C.

O. N. WILLIAMS, nurseryman, was born in Iowa, April 2l, 1845. When eighteen years of age, he joined the army, serving for two years. He began work in the nursery at the age of twenty-one, in Iowa, where he remained for one year, and then removed to Missouri, where he was engaged in the same business for one year, then to Cherokee County Kan., in 1867. He bought and improved eighty acres, on which he ran a general nursery until 1882, when he sold out, subsequently engaging in the fruit farming business in Arkansas. He owns unimproved land in Missouri, and has served as Township Clerk two terms. He is a member and a Deacon of the Christian Church. He was married to Miss Mattie A. Long, of Indiana, in 1874. They have one child- Claude C.

A. D. WILSON, strawberry farmer, P. O. Columbus, was born in Ohio, September 26, 1820. At the age of twenty-one he began the study of medicine, and after reading three years, he attended lectures at Cincinnati, Ohio. After a short visit to Wisconsin, he returned to Ohio in 1844, and in 1848 went to Illinois, where he commenced the active practice of his profession, and followed it twenty-one years. He came to Kansas in 1869, and is now located in Columbus, where he has been engaged in improving his farm, and turning it into a strawberry farm. He has now about twelve acres of vines.

T. J. WILSON, Superintendent of the Columbus Coal Company's shaft, is a native of Trumbull County, Ohio. In 1853, he located with his people in Muscatine County, Iowa, where he was connected with the stock industry till the war, when he enlisted in Company M, Second Iowa Cavalry in 1861, and remained in active service for over three years, when he was honorably discharged. In 1867, he located here and engaged at farming and stock raising for a few years, after which he engaged at stock dealing exclusively, and has very successfully carried it on to the present, retiring from it now to pay more attention to his coal interests. In 1866, he married Miss Eleanor F. Simpson, a native of Canada. They have a family of two sons and one daughter-Winnie C., Claude L. and Floyd E. Mr. Wilson and family are very respected members of the Methodist Church. He has been an active public official in his county, having served it as Deputy Sheriff for three terms, and his township as Trustee for three terms. He is an active member of the A. O. U . W. society here.

W. H. WILSON, of the firm of Wilson Bros., grain dealers is a native of Fulton County, Ill., and removed here, at the age of ten years, with his people in 1857, who settled in Johnson County, where he was reared to the farming business. In 1877, he engaged in the grain trade, and has been very successfully connected with it since. In 1880, he came from Johnson County here and established the present business, which will amount to a deal of 250,000 bushels per annum. In l872, he married Miss Emma Nesselrode, a native of Adams County, They have a family of one son and four daughters-Minnie, Flora, Rutherford S., Mabel and Ida. Mr. and Mrs. Wilson and family are active members of the Methodist Church.

CLARENCE L. WOODRUFF, Register of Deeds and real estate broker, was born In Iowa May 15, 1850. At the age of twenty, he was appointed Deputy Clerk of the United States Court at Topeka, Kan., holding the office for three years. He was then in Neosho Falls in the stock business for two years, then in Cherokee County a short time, in Leavenworth, Kan., a short time, and resided in Columbus. He was elected Register of Deeds in 1879, located in Cherokee County in 1877, having since that time and re-elected in 1881 for two years. Mr. Woodruff associated himself with the Southeastern Kansas Real Estate and Loan Company in February, 1882, of which he is Treasurer. He is a large owner of city and county real estate.