LABETTE COUNTY, Part 22

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - RICHLAND TOWNSHIP (NEALE - WILLIAMS).

GEORGE W. OWEN, farmer and stock raiser, P. O. Chetopa, was born in Marion County, Ohio, December 28, 1844, and was reared to his present industry. In August, 1864, he enlisted in Company I, One Hundred Seventy-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and did active service till the end of the war; was honorably discharged. After the war he located in Platt County, Ill., and carried on farming there till 1876, when he came here, located upon his present place, where he has been identified with his present industry since. He married in 1867 Miss Jane Baker, who was born in Ohio and reared in Illinois. They have one son and daughter - Alvah James, and Olive Francis. His farm contains 160 acres of valuable land, adjoining the city limits of Chetopa, is well fenced, watered and stocked, has good buildings, and an orchard of a well assorted variety of fruit trees.

SOLOMON PEARSON, SR., farmer, P. O. Oswego, was born near Goldsboro, N. C., May 20, 1805. When he became of age he engaged in farming and milling, until 1855, when he moved to Middle Tennessee, Coffee County. He was married to Aggie Hannahs, of North Carolina, by whom he had four children - William, died in the army; Elizabeth, deceased; Ichabod, deceased; Sallie, married to John Wiley and living in Kansas. His first wife died November 18, 1834; was married February 26, 1836, to Mary Sauser, of North Carolina by whom he had two children - Phillip A., a minister of the Gospel at McMinnville, Tenn,; Benonay, deceased. His second wife died November 16, 1853. He was married again to Julia A. Talton, by whom he had eight children, - Elizabeth, married to J. A. Kirby, of Labette County, Kan,; Mary J. deceased; John Wesley, Barney, deceased; Ashley G., Jonothan B., Jessie Riece, and Solomon P. John Wesley and Ashley G. own a fine farm on the Neosho River. Mr. P. has brought up three grand-children, two nephews and one orphan girl. Mr. Pearson, Sr., was one of the only three that voted solidly for the Union in his county in 1861; yet the hand that delivers all God-fearing men, delivered him from an awful death, and from the hands of his enemies, and preserved him through the darkest hours of an awful danger. Twice he was in danger of being hung for his Union sentiments in Tennessee, and twice the bushwhackers were hunting him. On April 12, 1870, he emigrated to Kansas, and settled on a farm four miles south of Oswego, where he has been greatly prospered. He and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Solomon P. Pearson has three children - Belle S., deceased; Nina A., deceased; and Mary W., living.

F. M. REAMER, of the firm of Reamer & Williams, proprietors of the Farmers' Flouring Mills, was born in Shenandoah County, Va., March 11, 1843, that being his home until September 11, 1865; he then located at Columbia, Mo., where he was employed as a clerk until 1873; then engaged in the milling business at Dallas, Tex. In November, 1874, he came to Chetopa, continuing in the same business here. For two years he was employed as chief miller, since that time doing business for himself. He first began work in a mill when only fourteen years of age. Since March, 1880 Mr. C. C. Williams has been associated with him as a partner. In July 1882 they fitted up their mill with the new-process machinery, putting in the Allis rolls, Garden City and George T. Smith's purifiers. They find that the Texas and Indian Territory demand for their flour is sufficient to preclude any shipments whatever to Eastern markets. Mr. Reamer is a prominent member of the A. F. & A. M. He was for two years senior warden of the Chetopa Lodge, No. 73.and is at present (1883) master of the same lodge. He was married at Rocheport, Mo., March 5, 1868, to Bettie Hulett, a native of that place. They have three children - Estelle, Fannie and Dick.

JOSEPH RITTER, flour and feed mills. He is a native of Hungry, born June 2, 1850. Came to America September 16, 1867; remained in Baltimore, Md., until December of the same year; then in West Virginia about three months; at Fort Gibson fourteen months; removing to Chetopa, May 1, 1869, engaged in such employment as he could find to do until 1876, when he engaged in milling business, which he has since continued, his brother being associated with him in the business. Mr. R. is a member of the K. of H. He was married, at Chetopa, September 26, 1880, to Matilda Riter, a native of Perry, Ill. They have one child, Frederick.

BENJAMIN D. ROBERTS, owner of the Locust Grove farm, P. O. Oswego, was born in Warren County, Ohio, June 29, 1830, and was reared to the farming business. At the age of nineteen he engaged in the carpentering business, which he followed until 1868, when he came here and located upon his present place, which he has entirely improved. He married, in 1852, in Waynesville, Ohio, Miss Mary Ann Southern, a native of England. They They[sic] have three sons - John Quincy, Benjamin T. and Absalom E. During the war he did active service in Company I, Twenty-third Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, from 1861 until July, 1862, when he was honorably discharged on account of disabilities. He made application again to be enrolled in the service, but was refused, until January, 1864, when he was accepted and enlisted in the First Kentucky Independent Battery Light Artillery, and continued in active and honorable service until the end of the war, when he was again honorably discharged. He is a member of the Pea Ridge Post, No. 118, G. A. R.; is at present the Treasurer of his township, and has filled other municipal and school offices for several years. Locust Grove Farm contains 480 acres of valuable land, and is located midway between Oswego and Chetopa. It is well fenced and has an abundance of water, and is well stocked; has nice dwellings, barns and stables, and four acres in orchard of nicely assorted fruits; 235 acres are devoted to grain. There are forty acres of excellent timber and the balance is utilized for pasture and meadow. There is a handsome grove of locust trees in the residence grounds, from which it derives the appellation of Locust Grove Farm.

GEORGE SCARTH, farmer and stock raiser, P. O. Chetopa, was born in Morgan County, Ill., Aug. 22, 1838, and was reared to his present industry. In 1868 he came to Kansas and located at Fort Scott, and the following spring he located upon his present place, which he has improved from a raw prairie to its present condition. It contains 160 acres of choice land, is well watered and stocked, has nice buildings, and an orchard of well-assorted fruits. It has eighty-five acres devoted to grain tillage, twenty-five to timber, and the balance to pasture and orchard. He was married, in 1859, in Scott County, Ill., to Miss Catherine Cowgill. She was born and reared in that county. They have a family of five daughters - Maggie O., teacher, and Georgie I., teacher, both graduates of the State Normal School of Emporia; Fannie A., Cora A. and Katie B. He is an active member of the A. O. U. W. Society and the G. A. R., Pea Ridge Post, No. 118. He did active service during the late war in Company D. One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, from August 13, 1862, until May 26, 1865, when he was honorably discharged. He has worked actively in the development of the social and industrial life of his locality since coming here.

S. W. SHERIDAN, merchant and dealer in grain, was born in Pittsburgh, Penn., in 1840, and was reared in Williams County, Ohio. At the age of eighteen he came to Leavenworth, Kan., and engaged as wagonmaster in connection with the freighting business across the plains, with which industry he was identified for fourteen years, his trips leading into New Mexico, Colorado and Utah. At the breaking out of the war he returned to Ohio, and enlisted in Company K, Sixty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and did active service from October, 1861, till August, 1862, when he was honorably discharged for wounds received at the battle of Pittsburg Landing, and pensioned. He again came West, after this, and finally located at Lincoln, Neb., and was appointed to the Deputy-Wardenship of the State Penitentiary, by Gov. David Butler of that State, in which capacity he served reputably for several years. After this he located in York County, Nebraska, and carried on farming and stock raising actively for seven years. He then went to Colorado, and engaged in mining operations with which he is still identified. In 1882 he located here, and has been actively connected with his present business here since. he married, in 1872, in Lincoln, Neb., Miss Mary J. Mellinger, of his nativity. They have a family of three sons and one daughter - Lineal D., Wallace, Grace and Earl. Himself and wife are active members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He is an active member of the K. of H. Society, is a member of Pea Ridge Post, No. 118, G. A. R. During his location in Colorado, he worked actively in the public life of his city, served as Postmaster of Antonia, which incumbency he still holds; was Police Judge of the city for some time, and was active in organizing and districting the surrounding locality.

STERLING B. SLOANE, detective, was born and reared near Mansfield, Ohio, and was identified there for about twenty-two years with stock raising and farming. In 1857 he came to Kansas, and settled at White Cloud, Doniphan County, where he carried on carpentering for a few years, after which he engaged at his former industry, and continued in Doniphan County until 1872, when he came here and located in the same business for about five years, after which he engaged in merchandising, and after two years retired from it, and has been in public life ever since. He has served as Deputy Sheriff of the county, as Deputy U. S. Marshal of his district, and as marshal of this city, and has been very successful in his present office. He was married in 1859, in White Cloud, Kan., to Miss Mary A. Dorland, who was born and reared in Ohio. They have a family of two sons and three daughters - Alfred F., foreman of the Advance office; Rosa; Oscar, clerk in the mercantile business; Jennie and Lura. He is a member of the I. O. O. F. society.

SANDERPHER A. SMITH, proprietor of wagon, plow, blacksmith and repair shops, was born in Mercer County, Ky., November 1, 1843, lived there until June, 1861, when he enlisted in Company F. fourth Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, U. S. A. He was taken prisoner near Palmetto, Ga; for four months was in Andersonville prison, and for a like period at Florence, S. C. He was among the second thousand prisoners who were discharged from the Rebel prisons, supposed to be permanently disabled. Mr. S. continued in the army until June, 1865. Then after a short visit to his native place, he located in Illinois, a year later removing from there to Missouri, and in March, 1867, he came to Kansas, locating at Baxter Springs, where he carried on the wagon-making business for three years, then came to Chetopa. He is a member of I. O. O. F.; A. O. U. W.; K. of H.; K. of L. and G. A. R. He was married at Baxter Springs, April 10, 1870, to Harriet E. Russell, a native of Indiana, born near Terre Haute. They have six children living - George S., Arthur D., Carrie, William Sherman, Harry R., and Lulu. Lost one child, who died in infancy.

O. ST. JOHN, merchant, was born in Schoharie County, N. Y., August 1, 1840, but was reared in Broome County, N. Y., and resided there till 1868, lived in Indiana one year, then came to Kansas, in 1869. He first located at Topeka, remaining there two years, then at Independence, Montgomery County, until October, 1873, when he came to Chetopa. He is a member of I. O. O. F., and A. O. U. W. He was married at Newcastle, Ind., in 1869, to Anna C. Small, a native of Philadelphia, Pa. They have four children - Fanny M., Carrie, Helen V., and Winifred.

ANDREW JACKSON SWAGERTY, farmer and stock raiser, P. O. Oswego, was born in Benton County, Ark., October 20, 1841. In 1856 he came to Kansas, and located in Linn County, and was connected with farming there till 1868, when he came here; located upon his present place, where he has been identified with his present industry since. He married, in 1865, Miss Ellen Burns, who was born in Pennsylvania, and reared in Kansas. They have three sons and three daughters - Clark, Wesley, Mary E., Sarah E., Thomas O., Rosa Mertle, and Earl. Himself and wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He did active service in the militia of the State during the late Civil War. He has served as Clerk of the School Board of his district for several years, and has been an active worker in the industrial life of his locality.

JOHN TORRANCE, proprietor of the Chetopa foundry and machine shops, grain elevator, was born in Scotland, May 20, 1834; came to America in August, 1857; was employed one year in Parrot's foundry, at West Point, N. Y.; then for eight years at Bordentown, N. J.; removing from there to Peoria, Ill., where he resided most three years; afterward at Monmouth, Ill., one year; then built a foundry at Wardensburg, Mo., where he resided until August 31, 1870, when he came to Chetopa, bringing with him machinery for a foundry, which he erected, and had in operation within ninety days from the time that he arrived here. He manufactures agricultural implements, iron store fronts, brass castings, and does general foundry and machine shop jobbing work, also deals in all kinds of grain, and owns several farms in this vicinity, two of which he rents, and another he resides upon and works himself. He is a member of the United Presbyterian Church. He has also served as a member of the Board of Education of the City of Chetopa, and is now a member of the school Board in District Eighty-six. The farm, where he now resides, is situated on the south half of northwest quarter of Section 34, just outside of the city limits. He was first married at Liverpool, England, in May, 1855, to Martha Adams, of English descent, but born in Sweden and reared in Russia. She died at Chetopa, January 1871, leaving two children - Janet, who died in December, 1871, and Mary, now Mrs. Irwin, of Chetopa. Mr. T. was married at Chetopa, September, 1872, to his present wife, Elizabeth D. Taylor, a native of Henry County, Ky. They have two children - Nellie T. and Andrew G.

J. L. VAN NOTE, live stock dealer, was born in Wayne County, Ind., June 18, 1842, and was reared and educated principally in Laporte County. In May, 1862, he enlisted his services in defense of the Union, in company E. Fourth Indiana Volunteer Cavalry, and did active service in that company until the battle of Chickamauga, when he was taken prisoner, and remained in Rebel prisons fourteen months, when he was paroled at Savannah, Ga., and remained upon sick furlough until he was discharged, in 1865. After the war he returned to Laporte county, and engaged in the grocery business until August, 1868, when he was engaged extensively in farming and stock rearing and dealing in stock, in Henricks County, Ind., which he carried on actively until 1876, when he came to Kansas, and located here, and has been actively identified with his present industry since. He was married August 11, 1868, in Laporte County, Ind., to Miss Maud A. Closser, a lady of fine literary attainments, who was born and reared there. They have a family of two sons - Harry L. and Carlos W., and have buried a daughter, Mabel Lillian, in Chetopa cemetery. he is a member of Pea Ridge Post No. 118, G. A. R. He and his wife untied with the Christian Church at their marriage, and were regular communicants until coming to Kansas, since which time their opportunities for membership has made it impracticable. Mr. Van Note has besides his regular business operated considerably in real estate transactions here. He does an annual business of about $50,000 per annum, principally in cattle and hogs.

WILLIAM WADE, farmer and stock raiser, P. O. Chetopa, was born in Jackson County, Ohio, October 17, 1845, and was educated to the teaching profession at the now National Normal, of Lebanon, formerly the Southwestern, in which he spent three full terms. he was identified with teaching in Ohio, for five years, after which he came to Kansas in 1873, and located in this county and engaged in teaching, with which he has been reputably connected since. He also invested in farming and stockraising, and has also carried it on actively since. He married in 1874, Miss Nancy Noble a lady of fine literary attainments. She was born and reared in Scioto County, Ohio, and came to Kansas with her people, in 1873. Mr. and Mrs. Wade have two sons and one daughter - Herbert Noble, William Laughlin and Effie May. He and his wife are members of the United Presbyterian Church. During the war he enlisted his services in the Home Guards of Ohio, which afterward became the One Hundred and Seventy-second Ohio National Guards. His farm contains 160 acres of improved land; has nice buildings and three acres of orchard.

D. W. WATSON, farmer and stock raiser, P. O. Chetopa, was born in Pike County, Ill., August 1, 1845, was reared in Montgomery County. At the age of twenty-one he came to Kansas and settled upon his present place, November 8, 1866, and has improved it from a raw prairie to its present condition. It contains 160 acres of valuable land, 100 of which is in grain tillage, and the balance to pasture and meadow. It is well fenced, watered and stocked; has nice buildings and an orchard of four acres of a nicely assorted variety of fruits, and a handsome lot of forest trees. He married in 1866, Miss Elizabeth Henry, of Montgomery County, Ill. They have one son and one daughter, Alta Gertrude and Ivan C. Himself and wife are active members of the Methodist Episcopal church. He did service in Company C. One Hundred and Forty-third Illinois Volunteer Infantry during the last year of the war; was honorably discharged September, 1865. He is an active member of Pea Ridge Post, No. 118, G. A. R., and is also a member of the A. O. U. W.'s society. He has filled the office of Trustee of his Township, and has filled other municipal and school offices.

PROF. J. W. WELTNER, principal of the Chetopa School, is a native of Good Hope Township, Hocking Co., Ohio, born April 24, 1847. He was educated in the public schools, also at Dennison University, and at the National Normal School of Lebanon, Ohio, attending the former institution three years, and at the Normal School one year. He began teaching in 1865, and has given almost his entire attention to his chosen profession since that time. Having taught eleven years in the district schools of his native State, and in the graded schools of Logan, Hocking Co., Ohio, for a period of three years prior to his removal to Chetopa in August, 1881. He has also had much experience in Normal School and Institute work. The number of pupils in attendance has largely increased since the Professor took charge of the schools. At least 100 more students are enrolled than when he came, and the salary advanced from $60 to $90 per month. Better conducted schools are seldom found, Prof. Weltner being among the most successful and popular instructors in the State. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., A. O. U. W. and K. of P. and G. A. R. Just prior to the close of the War of the Rebellion he enlisted in Company C, One Hundred and Ninety-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, date of enlistment being April 7, 1865. Term for which he entered the service was one year; but the regiment not being organized, he was mustered out May 9, 1865. He was married at Logan, Ohio, August 5, 1874, to Rhoda B. Smith, a native of Hocking County, Ohio. They have three children - Bertha C., Lewis Lloyd, Charles B.

VINSON WEST, farmer and stockman, P. O. Chetopa, was born in Clinton County, Ohio, December 28, 1825, and was reared there to his present industry which he followed in that county till 1878, when he came here and located, and has carried it on actively here since. He married, in 1847, Miss Mary Shinn, of Adams County, Ohio. They have one son and four daughters - Eva Jane, now Mrs. David Rallison, farmer of Ohio; Sanford Thomas, Sophia, Lydia; Rebecca, now Mrs. Hubert Clement, farmer in Ohio. His wife is a member of the Christian Church. His farm residence contains eighty acres of choice land; is well improved and has nice dwellings and barns and stables, and an orchard of well assorted fruits. They have also 320 acres in Hackberry Township, with improvements, dwelling and stables, etc. It is under a good general state of cultivation.

R. B. WHITE, of the firm of White & Bates, wholesale and retail grocers, is a native of South Williams Town, Mass., born July 29, 1845. In 1865 he came to Illinois, and spent part of the year; then returned to Massachusetts, remaining there until 1869. In July, 1870 he came to Chetopa, Kan. From the spring of 1871 to April, 1883, eight years with George H. Bates. Since the spring of 1883 he has been associated with Mr. Bates in wholesale and retail grocery business. They have succeeded to the business of the late George H. Bates. They do a business which will probably amount to $55,000 per annum. The sales of George H. Bates, in 1882, aggregated $54,000. Mr. White is a member of the A., F. & A. M.

C. O. WILLIAMS, of the firm of Reamer & Williams, proprietors of the Farmers' flouring mills, was born near Urbana, Champaign Co. Ohio, August 5, 1842. He enlisted August 17, 1862, in Company E, Ninety-fifth Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He participated in the battle of Richmond, Ky., fought on the 29th day of August, 1862; was taken prisoner the same day. He was next at the surrender of Vicksburg. Served about fifteen months. In the spring of 1864 he located at Ottumwa, Iowa, and was engaged in the milling business there until 1871, when he engaged in the same business at Pleasanton, Kan., remaining there until July of the same year, when he came to Chetopa. The first year here he was manager of the Anchor mills; then owned a half interest in the same mill for one year; then for three years was a member of the firm of Sturgis & Williams, proprietors of the Farmer's mills. He was in the grocery business about six months. For a period of four years he was engaged in buying and shipping grain. Since March, 1880, he and F. M. Reamer have been associated together as proprietors of the Farmer's mills. There mill has a capacity of seventy barrels per day - twenty-four hours. They give employment to from five to six hands. Mr. Williams was married in Ottumwa, August 2, 1870, to Clara E. Belmont, a native of Greensburg, Ind. They have one child, Clara B. Mr. W. is a member of the A. F. & A. M., and I. O. O. F. He has served as Alderman of this city.