HARVEY COUNTY, Part 7

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES (PERKINS - YONKERS).

CHARLES S. PERKINS, farmer, Section 12, P. O. Newton, owns eighty acres, all under cultivation; has about twenty head of stock. Was born in England, January 9, 1824, and came to the United States in 1845, settling in Illinois in 1847, where he remained until coming to Kansas in 1876, and locating on his place. In 1861, he enlisted in Company G., Twenty-sixth Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served with his company and regiment in all the campaigns and battles, commencing at Island No. 10, participated in the battles of Corinth, Iuka, Vicksburg and Jackson, Miss., and in the Atlanta campaign from Mission Ridge, through where for ninety days they were under fire more of less, and from there to sea, under Sherman and north through the Carolinas, and ending with the battle of Bentonville, where he was wounded; was also wounded at Iuka, and was mustered out at Louisville, Ky., in 1865. Was married in 1850, and his wife died in 1863. Was married again in 1866 to Miss Belletha Miller. They have one child -- Ada. He is now Treasurer of School Board.

HON. SAMUEL RITTER PETERS was born in Walnut Township, Pickaway Co., Ohio, August 16, 1842. His father was Lewis S. Peters who was one of the early settlers of that State, and who is still living in that township and county. His mother was the daughter of Henry Ritter, also an early settler; she died in September, 1861. The early life, until reaching the age of seventeen, was spent on the farm, attending the district school, during the winter months. At the age of seventeen, he entered the preparatory class in the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, Ohio. Here he remained until October, 1861, having reached the sophomore year, when he enlisted in the Seventy-third Ohio Infantry, as a private in Company E. In March, 1863, he was promoted to Second Lieutenant; in March, 1864, he was promoted to First Lieutenant, and appointed Adjutant of the regiment, and in January, 1865, he was mustered out of the service. His regiment was a part of the army of the Potomac in the Second Brigade, Second Division, Eleventh Army Corps. In September, 1863, his Corps was transferred to the Army of the Cumberland, and was reorganized, forming with the Twelfth Army Corps, the Twentieth Army Corps of Sherman's Army. With the exception of about two months in 1862, when absent from the regiment on recruiting service, he was present with his regiment in every engagement in which his corps participated, and never lost a day's duty. In September, 1865, he entered the law department of the University of Michigan and graduated in March, 1867. He at once located in Memphis, Scotland Co., Mo and began the practice of law. in August, 1868, he purchased the Memphis Reveill, a radical Republican paper, and continued as its editor, until his removal to Kansas, in March, 1873. He resumed the practice of law in Marion Center, Marion Co., Kan. In 1872, he was a Delegate from Missouri, to the National republican Convention, at Philadelphia, being an ardent supporter of Gen. Grant for renomination, and also of Henry Wilson, for the position of Vice-president. From 1870 to 1872, he was a member of the Republican State Central Committee of Missouri, and a firm and unyielding opponent of the Brown and Schurz faction of the party. After his removal to Kansas, he continued to practice law until he became Judge of the Ninth Judicial District, to which position he was appointed March 8, 1875. In November, prior to this, he was elected to the State senate, and resigned his position in that body, to accept the appointment as Judge. In November, 1875, he was elected Judge of the District, and was again re-elected in 1879, both times without opposition. In September 19, 1876, he removed to Newton, it being a more central point in his district. In June, 1872, he was nominated as one of the Republican candidates for Congressman at large, and in November, was elected, receiving the largest vote cast for any one candidate in the state. The reapportionment of the State into seven Congressional districts in March, 1883, placed him in the Seventh Congressional District. Judge Peters was married at Circlesville, Ohio, April 18, 1867, to Amelia C. Doan, a native of that place, Fletcher Bright Peters, born April 18, 1868, is their only child. Judge Peters is grand commander of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar of Kansas; is a member of the I. O. O. F. and of the G. A. R., being a past post commander of Judson Kilpatrick Post, No. 36.

T. F. RANDOLPH is head miller at the Monarch Mills, owned by D. Hamill. Was born in Brooke county, Va., and when a boy, moved with his parents to Muskingum County, Ohio, where in 1845, he entered a large flouring mill at Duncan's Falls, on the Muskingum River, and learning the milling business, and has followed it ever since. In 1862, he went to Peoria, Ill., where he remained in the large mills at that place until he came to Kansas in 1875, first locating in Crawford county and renting and operating the Cherokee Mills and came from there one year ago to take charge of this mill. Was married in 1863, to Miss Eliza Randall, a native of England. Mr. R. is an ardent member of the Masonic fraternity, having taken all the Scottish Rite degrees, and thus holds a high place among his Masonic brethren.

ALEXANDER REED Probate Judge, born in Delaware, May 6, 1843, where he received an academic education, and when nineteen years of age, went to the Pennsylvania Military Academy, first as a student for two years, then instructor for five years, returning to Delaware in 1869, and from there came to Kansas in 1872, locating in Harvey County, then a part of Sedgwick County. Was appointed Justice of the Peace and Notary Public in Sedgwick City in 1873, held this office until May, 15, 1876, when he was appointed Probate Judge of Harvey County, which position he has held since, having been elected three times. Is a member of the I. O. O. F. Was married in the spring of 1877 to Miss Kate Fasselman. they have one child -- Inez.

JOHN REESE, druggist, was born in Ridgeway Township, Iowa Co. Wis., August 5, 1840, residing at Darlington and Mineral Point, Wis., prior to his removal to Kansas. he spent the summer of 1859 in Colorado and in April, 1860, again started for the Rocky Mountains, spending the remainder of the year in Colorado. He then visited Montana, Oregon, California, and the British possessions, returning to California and thence to Darlington, Wis., in December, 1865. He was engaged in the drug business in Darlington, from the spring of 1866 until he came to Kansas, having learned the business before he went to California. he located in Newton in the spring of 1874, April 30th, having purchased in July, 1873, the lot on which his store is now located. He completed August 17, 1874, one of the first stone front buildings in the city and commenced business in the new establishment, doing an extensive business, mostly retail. Mr. Reese was married in Sedgwick Township, Sedgwick Co., Kan., October 15, 1876, to Nellie Badger, a native of Battle Creek, Mich. They have two children -- John C. and Walter. Mr. R. is a member of the I. O. O. F., subordinate lodge and encampment, having passed all the chairs of that lodge.

SAMUEL SAYLOR, was born in Tarlton, Pickaway Co., Ohio June 24, 1829. During the war he recruited 157 men for the One Hundred and Seventeenth Ohio Infantry, and was commissioned Captain of the company, which afterward mustered into the first Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He enlisted in the First Ohio Heavy Artillery, in the spring of 1863, and was made First Lieutenant of his company; serving in all engagements of his company until he mustered out in October, 1865. About the first of January, 1865, he broke his back, by accident, after which he was detailed on military commission at Knoxville, Tenn., until the following October. When he left the army he returned to Jackson C. H., Ohio and remained there until he came to Kansas, in March, 1870. His first location was at La Cygne, Linn County, where he lived until he located on northeast quarter of Section 22, Richland Township, Sedgwick County (now Harvey), October----. He was elected Justice of the Peace of Richland Township in the spring of 1871. He removed to Newton in June, 1872, and engaged in the jewelry business, which he has since continued, being Mayor of the city in 1878 and 1879. Mr. Saylor was married at Jackson C. H., Ohio, March 1852, to Mary Grindstaff, a native of Hocking Count, Ohio, who died in the fall of 1854, leaving one child -- Theodore. He was married at Jackson C. H. June 24, 1858 to Caroline G. LeLay, his present wife, a native of that place. Mr. and Mrs. Saylor have three children living -- Ida E., Eva G., and David S. Mr. Saylor is a member of the A. F. & A. M. Blue Lodge, Chapter, Council and Commandery, having organized the various lodges, and filled the different chairs, being now commander of the Commandery. He was one of the first members of the Eastern Star Lodge, A. F. & A. M. and has passed all the chairs of the lodge.

M. A. SEAMAN, livery, located in Peabody Township, January, 1871, coming thence to Newton, December 24, 1877. He was engaged in livery business for two years prior to removal to Newton, and also had been in the flour and feed trade, and with the railroad business while in Peabody. Since coming to Newton, he has been engaged in the livery business. He was born near Alexander Bay, N. Y. June 16, 1838, and while young removed with his father's family to Canada, living there until March, 1866. he then removed to Boonesboro, Iowa and thence to Lincoln, Neb., in the spring of 1870, removing from Lincoln to Kansas. He was married in Peabody, Kan., March 16, 1873 to Robina Glassford, a native of Illinois. They have two children -- Jesse J., and Nellie. Mr. s. is a member of the I. O. O. F. subordinate lodge and encampment.

JAMES H. SEATON, M. D., was born in Stevens Port, Breckinridge Co., Ky., March 24, 1839. His parents James d and Harriet Seaton, were natives of Virginia and settled with their parents in Breckinridge County, Ky. in the year 1803. The grandfather of the subject of this sketch having been a soldier in the revolutionary War. the doctor is the seventh of nine children and fourth son. he remained at home until fifteen years of age and received his early education in the Union Valley school, near Hardensburg, Ky., and in the year 1858, attended Brandenburg College, where he remained one year, on account of ill health, he went to Texas in 1860, and accepted the position of contractor for the transportation of cotton to New Mexico, remaining in Texas until the fall of 1863. He then returned to his former home, and during the winter of 1863 and 1864, attended the Kentucky School of Medicine in Louisville. In 1864, he returned to Stevens Port, Ky., and commenced the practice of medicine and also drug business. In the fall of the same year he returned to the Kentucky School of Medicine, at Louisville, graduating from that institution with the degree of M. D. In the spring of 1865, returning to Stevens Port, he continued the practice of medicine and the drug and dry goods business until the winter of 1870, when he came to Kansas and first settled at La Cygne, remaining there about three years. In 1873, he removed to Sedgwick City, at that time in Sedgwick County, now Harvey County; practicing his profession and opened the first drug store in that place. In 1877, he came to Newton, where he has ever since practiced his profession. The doctor was the secretary of the first medical society of Linn County, Kan. he is also a member of the State Medical society of Kansas; proprietor of the Newton Medical and Surgical Institute, one of the proprietors of the Newton Opera House and director and secretary of the Farmers and Merchants Bank. He married Miss Octavia V. Triplett, of Owensburg, Ky., February 1, 1869, who died in July, 1873. On July 4, 1877, he married Miss Annie Tarqhar, of Coshocton, Ohio.

M. F. SHARPE, grocer, located in Marion, Marion Co., Kansas, in March, 1879, and was engaged in farming in that place two years. In August, 1881, he came to Newton, since which time he has been engaged in grocery business, still owning his farm in Marion. Mr. Sharpe was born in New Dundee, Waterloo Co., Ontario, December 8, 1851. In 1874, he attended school at Napersville, Ill., and resided in that place until he came to Kansas. He was married in Zurich, Ontario, March 21, 1882, to Lydia Schluchter, a native of Ontario. Mr. S. is a member of the Evangelical Association,

J. D. SHERRICK, M. D., was born in Canton, Ohio, March 19, 1852. He was educated at Mount Union College, Ohio, and in the medical department of the Michigan University, at Ann Arbor, Mich., graduating from the latter in June, 1877. He commenced practice in the Northern Insane Asylum at Cleveland as assistant physician, and remained in that position until he located at Newton, in December, 1879, where he is now engaged in practice. Dr. Sherrick was married in Cleveland, Ohio, November 30, 1880 to Julia Vouwie, a native of Medina, Medina Co., Ohio, and has one child -- Florence. He is secretary of the Board of Pension Examiners, and is a member of the Kansas State and South Kansas Medical societies, also of the A. O. U. W., and Select Knights of the same order.

A. SHUSTER, liveryman, was born in Pennsylvania, in 1835, and spent a number of years as a boatman on the Mississippi river, then went to the oil regions of Pennsylvania, where he was in the oil business, and came from Titusville, Pa., to Kansas in 1871, locating at Newton, and started the first livery stable here. He brought with him eight horses and a number of buggies, and has done a good trade; increasing his business until he now has from $15,000 to $20,000 in the business, with an average monthly business of from $500 to $600. He also makes a specialty of breeding fine roadsters, which bring him from 4400 to $700 each. he was married in 1857, to Miss Ellen Chinglesmith.

R. M. SPIVEY was born in Madison County, Ala., April 27, 1845; was appointed cadet to the military school at La Grange, Ala. July 1860, and remained there til April, 1862, when the school was closed on account of the advance of the Union army. He then enlisted in the Confederate army, serving til April, 1865. After the close of the war he finished his education at the Southern University, located at Greensboro, Ala. January, 1869, he came to Kansas, locating first at Valley Falls, remaining there until 1870, when he was appointed one of the commissioners for surveying and appraising the A. T. & S. F. R. R. lands; in 1871 he located at Newton and remained there til September, 1874, when he took a position in the General Land Office, Topeka, remaining there til January, 1881, when he returned to Newton to accept the position of cashier of the Harvey County Savings Bank, which position he still holds. Mr. Spivey has been closely identified with the development of Newton and Harvey County. He was married in 1872 to Miss Lina Owens, of Shawnee County, Kan. They have three children. Mr. S. is a member of the I. O. O. F. and K. of P.

REV. FELIX PROSPER SWEMBERGH, pastor of the Roman Catholic Church at Newton, was born June 2, 1845, in the town of Cassel, France. His early life was spent among the primitive Flemish people, who inhabit this region, so rich in beautiful scenery and active life. There he received his primary education. He subsequently entered the Imperial Lycee of Lille, whence he turned his steps to the petit Seminaire of Cambray. At the close of his classical and philosophical education he pursued a medical course of study at Paris, whence at the end of two years, he resumed his theological studies at the seminary of the Foreign Missions, attending the lectures of the celebrated Dr. Freppel, at the Sorbonne. The Garibaldian war against Papacy took him to Italy, where he arrived on the day of the battle of Castelfidaro; too late, however, to take an active part in the defense of the Holy See. He then entered the Colonial Seminary of the Holy Ghost, Paris, from which he graduated August, 1865. His next move was to the Vicariate apostolic, of Kansas, where he was received by Rt. Rev. Dr. Miege, S. J., and was assigned to the new Catholic Seminary of the Assumption at Topeka. too young for ordination, he divided his time between teaching and reviewing his theology, until sacred orders were conferred upon him As deacon he rendered valuable services to the pastor of the church, and the early settlers of Topeka will not soon forget his sermons. He was ordained Priest on the 29th of June, 1868, and remained at Topeka, as assistant to rev. J. H. Defouri, and vice president of the Seminary. July, 1869, he was removed to Solomon City and assigned the duty of attending to the scattered settlements of the frontier, north and south of the K. P. R. R., west of Abilene. Coming in contact with the worst elements of humanity in those days, when the Indians, Wild Bill and kindred characters held high carnival among the early settlers, he so worked his Master's cause as to earn the good will and respect of all. He often journeyed alone across the then bleak prairies that stretch from the Smoky Hill to the Arkansas rivers as far as Forts Sarah, Larned and Dodge, penetrating even into the Indian Territory, in the wake of Custer's dragoons, nothing daunted by the skeletons on the Indians war path. In the year of 1870 we find him at Prairie Coty, where he builds a residence. In 1871, he erected the Catholic Church at Ottawa, every vestige of which a destructive tornado swept away. In 1872 he is again entrusted with the care of the frontier settlements, with headquarters at Wichita. All southwestern Kansas becomes the field of his labors. Having built a residence at Wichita, renovated the church, and laid the foundations of another church at Newton, he is sent, March 1873, to Lawrence, whence almost immediately, he is removed to Emporia, with charge of all the missions west of Florence. The next year he takes up residence at Great bend, attending not only the settlements along the line of the A. T. & S. F. R. R., west of Florence, but also holding divine services in the Indian Territory and the Pan Handle of Texas, where he is the first minister of any denomination to preach the gospel. A sketch of his career in the southwest would prove greatly interesting. In 1875 he moves his headquarters to Newton, where in a short time, he succeeds in building up a large congregation. As the school was his first care at Prairie City and Wichita, so at Newton. He lost no time in building a schoolhouse, which, since its erection in 1880, has had an average of seventy pupils. The Church of the Immaculate Conception of the B. V. M., at Newton, of which he is now the pastor was organized in 1873, when the church edifice was built. it was afterward enlarged to its present proportions, 30x80 feet, in the shape of cross surmounted by a steeple. The congregation numbers 100 families and a new church is in contemplation. While attending to the duties of the parish, the Reverend Father did not neglect his outside missions, building churches of St. Patrick, at Florence; St. Rose, of Lima.

J. H. VANDEVER, farmer, P. O. Newton, owns forty acres here, all enclosed and under cultivation, with a good orchard of 110 apples and 50 peach trees, and fine frame dwelling, 20x24, two stories with kitchen, 16x18, one story barn, 18x42, with buggy shed, 12x32. He also owns a fine farm of 400 acres on Section 4, Highland Township, all enclosed with hedge, with cross fences of post and wire, 200 acres under cultivation, with bearing orchard of 100 apple and 100 peach trees and 20 acres of cultivated timber, and the rest in pasture with dwelling, 16x20, with ell, 12x16, with cellar under the whole building, barn 34x40, with tool house, 12x16, three wells and windmill. He raised in 1882, 50 acres of Russian wheat which averaged 30 bushels per acre, and 50 acres Gold Drop which averaged 28 bushels per acre. He was born in Carroll County, Ind., January 19, 1838. Was married July 21, 1858 to Miss Amanda A, Carter. Immigrated to Iowa in 1859, settled in Decatur County, lived there two years, then returned to Indiana and enlisted in 1862 in Company E, Eighty-seventh Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and served with his command in the western department, participated in a number of skirmishes and general engagements among others Perryville, Ky., Chattanooga and Chickamauga, after which he was promoted from Color bearer of the regiment to First Lieutenant of Company E. and was in the battle of Mission Ridge and all the engagements of the Atlanta campaign with Sherman on his march to the sea and north through the Carolinas and to Washington D. C. In the grand review, and was mustered out in June, 1865. Returned to Indiana and lived there until coming to Kansas in 1872, first locating on his farm in Highland Township and improving it and bought and locating on present place of residence in 1879. Is engaged in stock-raising as well as farming, having at present fifty-five head of cattle. They have nine children -- Mollie C., Effie, Myrtle, Edna, Johnnie, Willie, Freddie, Pearl and Carl. Effie and Johnnie died in July, 1872, were buried at Fletcher's Lake, Fulton Co., Ind., ages respectively ten and three. Mollie C. is now the wife of Mr. A. C. Frederick, resident of Riverside, Cal. Mr. Vandever is a member of the G. A. R.

GRANVILLE P. WATSON, grain dealer, located at Valley Falls, Jefferson Co., Kan., in May, 1865, after remaining there until March, 1866, he moved to Topeka and was engaged in the grocery business in that city until September, 1869. he was then appointed Indian trader, and after remaining a short time at Fort sill, returned to Wichita and stayed at that place until the spring of 1870. He was then at Topeka until the fall of 1872, then at Texas a short time and then located again at Wichita where he remained until he came to Newton in 1875. He has been engaged in grain dealing since locating in this place. he is a native of Northwood, Rockingham Co. N. H., where he was born June 21, 1844 and which was his home until 1864. From 1864 until the close of the war he was in service in the Quartermaster Department. He was married at Wichita, Kan., in July 1874 to Mollie E. Munger, a native of Topeka, Kan., and has two children, Mabel and George P. Mr. Watson is a member of the A. F. & A. M. Blue Lodge, Chapter, Council and Commandery, and also of Eastern Star Chapter. Mrs. Watson is a daughter of Darius S. Munger, who located the town site of Wichita.

DAVID S. WELSH, livery, was born in Montrose, Susquehanna Co., Pa. From an early age his home was in Elmira, Chemung Co., N. Y. until he took a trip to the West, spending some time in Wyoming Territory and at Colorado Springs. He was married in Elmira, N. Y. February 25, 1874 to Ella McCray, a native of Elmira, and has three children, John Wallace, Bert Watson and Frank Sharp. Mr. W. is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

J. C. WELSH was born in Flanders, Morris Co., N. J. December 18, 1835. he removed with his parents to New Milford, Susquehanna Co., Pa., when he was nine years of age, and that place remained his home for eighteen years. he then moved to Elmira, Chemung Co., N. Y. and for four years prior to removal to Kansas was in the oil regions of Pennsylvania. Mr. W. was married in Montrose, Bridgewater Township, Susquehanna Co., Pa., July 22, 1852, to Mary E. Lewis, a native of New York, who died January 18, 1881, leaving two children, David S. and Charles J. Mr. Welsh came to Newton, Kan., in April, 1882 and engaged in business in the place following June, having previously visited Colorado and Cheyenne, W. T., prospecting. He is dealing in stock to some extent and has erected slaughtering houses near the creamery in connection with his business. He is a member of A. F. & A. M. and of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

NICHOLAS WOLF, merchant tailor, located in Newton, July 15, 1878, and has been continuously engaged in his present business since that time. He was born in Bavaria, May 1850. In 1870 he came to America, located in New York City and remained there four years. From New York he went to Savannah, Ga., remaining there several months, after which time he came north and located in Kansas City. He soon left the city to seek a home in Kansas, and on arriving at Newton, immediately went into business on very small scale and now stands at the head of his trade. Mr. Wolf learned his business in Nuremburg, Germany.

G. YONKERS came to Emporia in January 1878, being connected with the A. T. & S. F. R. R. at that point until January 1879. He then located in Newton, as cashier and assistant ticket agent of the same company and remained in that position until September of the same year, when he was assigned to duty as agent of same railroad at Wellington. He remained three months at Wellington and three or four months at Wichita and then went to Burlington and kept the books for the material yard until October, 1880, being material agent two months of the time. He returned to Newton in 1882, and December 15 of the year, took a position as book-keeper with the Lehman Hardware and Implement Co., being the secretary of the company. Mr. Y was born at Almelo Province, of Overystel, Holland May 28, 1848. He came to America in September, 1867, and first located at Grand Rapids, Mich., removing after a year to Muskegon, same State, where he remained two years as clerk in a grocery store. He then went to Cleveland, Ill. and stayed about three years, and then to Cedar Rapids, where he was engaged in construction department of railroads. He was married at Clinton, Iowa, December 3, 1874 to Lila Cooley, a native of Milton, Vt., and has one child, Grace Fredrika. Mr. Y. is a member of A. O. U. W. and Select Knights of same order.