MIAMI COUNTY, Part 18

RICHLAND TOWNSHIP. (PETTIBONE - WRIGHT)

JOHN PETTIBONE, farmer, Section 26, Township 15, Range 21, P. O. Wellsville, Franklin Co. He was born in Genesee County, N. Y. and when only one year old accompanied his parents to Michigan, where he was brought up a farmer. In May, 1856, he emigrated to Kansas and located in Douglas County., He remained in that county three years and in 1859 moved to Miami County and settled in the Township of Richland on his present farm. Mr. Pettibone was a Free-state man in politics, and served during the late war in Kansas State Militia as a member of Captain Pettibone's Company. He was married in Logansport, Ind., in 1852, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Adam Bradicomb. Mrs. Pettibone was born in Germany. They have nine children-three sons and six daughters-Florence, wife of R. Delano, of Franklin Co., Kan., Julia, wife of David Cope, of Wellsville, Kan., Mary, wife of Lewis Thorn, of Wellsville, Charlotte, wife of John Hay, of Wellsville, Abigail, wife of Caleb Woodward, of Wellsville, George, Kate, Bruce and John.

F. M. REDENBAUGH, farmer, Section 29, Township 15, Range 22, P. O. Edgerton, Johnson County. Mr. Redenbaugh was born in Montgomery County, Indiana, September 5, 1838. He moved to Missouri in 1857 with his parents and to Kansas the same year. The family settled in the Township of Richland, Miami Co, of which Mr. Redenbaugh has continued to a be a resident to this date. During the late ware he served in the Kansas militia. He was married in August, 1864, to Miss Rebecca L., daughter of J. V. Jones. Mrs. Redenbaugh was born in Arkansas. They have five children, three sons and two daughters-Mary, William, Francis, Louisa, James and Olivet B. Mrs. Redenbaugh died April 10, 1881. Mr. Redenbaugh has a fine farm of prairie and bottom lands, aggregating 309 1/2 acres.

JACOB M. ROHRER, farmer, Section 24, Township 15, Range 22, P. O. Gardner, Johnson County. Was born in Holmes county, Ohio, February 23, 1839; was brought up in his native county; moved to Indiana and from there to Illinois, where he enlisted in the fall of 1861 in Company E, Ninety-fourth Illinois Infantry, was a non-commissioned officer and served nearly two years til discharged for physical disability. He emigrated to Kansas in the spring of 1868 and located on his present farm in 1870. He was married in McLean County, Ill., November 10, 1869, to Miss Mattie E., daughter of William Clark. Mrs. Rohrer was born in McLean County, Ill. They have four children-Ettie M., William P., Lana J., and Beulah. Mr. Rohrer has a well improved farm of 700 acres.

JACOB SMITH, farmer and liveryman, junior partner in the firm of Edmiston & Smith, of Paola. Mr. Smith's farm and residence are on Section 12, Township 16, Range 21, Richland Township, P. O. Paola and Wellsville. He was born in Delaware County, Ohio in 1837, was brought up on a farm and immigrated to Kansas in the fall of 1873 and purchased his present farm of 120 acres. Mr. Smith has first class buildings and his farm under a good state of cultivation., He recently traded a farm in the same Township, 160 acres, for an interest in the Edmiston & Sherman livery stable at Paola. He is also interested in breeding imported Norman horses, of which he has two very fine specimens. He was married in Ohio, in 1858, to Miss Mary L., daughter of Martin Bedder. Mrs. Smith was born in Switzerland. They have five children-John A., Mary S., M. N., Allie E. and Hattie V.

ROBERT STEEN, farmer, Section 25, Township 15, Range 21, P. O. Wellsville, Franklin County. Mr. Steen was born in Lower Canada, April 30, 1842. Immigrated to the United States with his parents when six years of age. The family located in Walworth County, Wis., and one year later moved to Winnebago County, Ill. From there they went to Iowa in 1854, and came to Kansas in 1858. Early in the late war, Mr. Steen offered himself as a recruit but was rejected for physical disability. He afterward served in the State Militia of Kansas. He was married in October 1865, to Miss Nancy E., daughter of Thomas Powers. Mrs. Steen was born in Kentucky,. They have six children-Nathaniel J., William W., S. Elizabeth, Marzette, Albert and Armine. Mr. Steen has a well improved farm of 160 acres.

DAVID W. STUDEBAKER, farmer, Section 20, Township 15, Range 22, P. O. Edgerton, Johnson County. Mr. Studebaker was born in Miami County, Ohio, in 1819. Moved in 1839 to Delaware County, Ind., and from there to Logansport, Cass Co., Ind. in 1847. In May, 1860, he came to Kansas and settled on his present farm of 260 acres in Richland. During the late war he served eighteen months in the Kansas Miltia in defense of the State. He was married in Indiana, March 20, 1845, to Miss Hannah M, daughter of Peter Baisinger. Mrs. Studebaker was born in Clark County, Ohio. They have eight children, five boys and three girls-Rebecca is the wife of Milton Redenbaugh, Thomas J., Nathan, Henry, Mary C., William G., Halsey H. and Martha.

PETER N. WINGERT, farmer, Section 5, Township 16, Range 22, P. O. Wade, has 240 acres of land. He was born in Preble County, Ohio, November 14, 1832, where he passed his childhood; when fourteen years of age he removed with his parents to Illinois, resided in Lee county, til 1860 and the immigrated to Kansas and purchased his present farm. During the late war he served in the Kansas Militia. He was married in Ogle County, Ill., September 1, 1859, to Miss Catharine E., daughter of Alexander Branden. Mrs. Wingert was born in Petersburg, Va. They have six children-Joseph H., William M., and Mary J. (twins), Olive B., George A., and Katie B. (twins). Mr. Wingert is the present Township Clerk. He has served one term previously and held other minor offices.

AMOS WOODCOCK, farmer, Section 3, Township 16, Range 22, P. O. Wade, was born in Perry County, Ohio, and was brought up in what is now Morrow County. He immigrated to Kansas in 1857, arriving in Johnson County, near Gardner, May 7 of that year. Moved to his present farm, which he purchased of Thomas Hicks, in 1869. He enlisted, October 1, 1861, in Company I, Fifth Kansas Cavalry, was promoted to Sergeant and served three years and two months. He was married in Ohio, May 30, 1865, to Miss Phebe R., daughter of Wm. McGowen. Mrs. Woodcock was born in Ohio. They have five children-Clay died aged eleven and a half years, Frank, Harry, Matilda and Reuben, the latter died aged four years. Mr. Woodcock has a tract of 250 acres.

VALLEY TOWNSHIP.

J. S. BATES, farmer, Section 34, Paola, was born in County Donegal, Ireland, in 1830 immigrated to America, in 1853 and began life in this country as a farm laborer at $7 dollars per month. He came West in 1855, traveled and worked at various employments in the western territories, spent several years in mining and freighting in Colorado, Montana and Utah. At the time of Pike's Peak gold excitement he organized a company and made his way to that place. For 250 miles of the way his party made their own road. In 1868, having acquired considerable means he came to Maim County, Kan., and purchased the large farm he now occupies. Mr. Bates has a fine stock farm of 900 acres, on which he has a herd of 200 cattle and about the same number of hogs. His corn crop averages about 6,000 bushels and his hay 300 tons. Mr. Bates has one of the model stock farms of Eastern Kansas and is widely known as an enterprising, thrifty farmer.

HUGH K. GODDING, farmer, Section 36, P. O. Paola, was born in Maine, July 1, 1843, came to Wisconsin, with his parents in 1856, spent two years in Dane County of that State, and then came to Kansas and located in Miami County. He enlisted in July, 1863, as a private of Company D, Fifteenth Kansas Cavalry and was assigned to the Western Army and detailed as bearer of dispatches, and several months in the Secret Service. He was seriously wounded by having his leg broken in two places by having his horse fall on him while on duty. After two years service he was discharged at Fort Riley, under special order disbanding dismounted cavalry. He was employed in the Government service about three years longer in Kansas, Colorado and New Mexico. On his return to Kansas he engaged in farming on the old homestead in the town of Valley, where he still resides. He has a tasty, well improved farm of eighty acres.

JAMES JOHNSON, farmer, Section 30, Township 17, Range 23, P. O. Paola, was born in New York, in 1823, moved to Ohio, in 1842, where he was engaged in farming til 1857, when he emigrated to Kansas, arriving in the town of Osawatomie, in April, of that year. He purchased a farm in the vicinity of Osawatomie which he improved and occupied till 1864. He then returned to Ohio and remained til 1879 when he returned to Miami County and purchased his present farm of eighty acres, in the town of Valley, and also thirty acres of timber in Osawatomie.

JAMES KNOCHE, farmer, Section 26, P. O. Paola, was born in Germany in 1846, immigrated to America in 1857. Settled in Missouri (Jackson County) where he resided till 1861 when he came to Kansas and located in Paola Township. In the spring of 1879 he purchased the fine farm of eighty acres, where he now lives in the town of Valley.

PETER LOWE, farmer, Section 18, Township 18, Range 24, P. O. Paola, was born in the city of Darmstadt, Grand Duchy of Hesse, Germany, October 11, 1831. He immigrated to America in 1848, spent one year in Baltimore, Md., then went to Madison County, Ill., where he resided until November, 1865, when he emigrated to Kansas. He bought out a homestead claim on the Miami Indian lands. he has added to his possessions by purchase until he now has 440 acres of land, well improved. Mr. Lowe has served eight years as Justice of the Peace, and has held other minor offices. He was married in Illinois, February 23, 1854, to Miss Naomi J., daughter of Alex. West. Mrs. Lowe was born in Madison County, Ill. They have eight children-five sons and three daughters-Lizzie, wife of James Toilman, of Miami County; William A., married Maggie Dyer, lives in Valley Township; Jacob, Perry, Ada O., Lorenzo, Lenice and Theodore.

THOMAS H. OLDHAM, farmer, stock grower, and dealer, Section 16, Township 18, Range 23, P. O. Paola, was born in Cambridge, Ohio, in 1835; was brought up on a farm and was engaged in that business in Ohio til 1868 when he emigrated to Kansas and came direct to Paola, Miami County, arriving May 15th and engaged in the grocery business with W. G. Rainey under the firm name of Oldham and Rainey. In January, 1869, he purchased his present farm in the town of Valley and the following spring went out of the grocery business and moved to his present farm. Mr. Oldham has 487 acres of prairie and timber upland and bottoms, well improved with large and commodious buildings. He has devoted considerable attention to buying, feeding and shipping stock, in addition to the large amount grown on his place; at present he is changing from cattle to sheep. He has a herd of fifty head of cattle, 510 sheep and about 200 hogs and a goodly number of mules and horses. Taken as a whole, Mr. Oldham's farm will rank among the best in Eastern Kansas.

WILLIAM PROCTOR, farmer, Section 7, Township 16, Range 17, P. O. Paola, was born in Shelby County, Ky., in 1820; moved to Indiana in his youth, and to Iowa in 1840. Located in Des Moines County and engaged in farming. He enlisted as a private of Company C, Thirtieth Iowa Infantry in 1862; was under Grant and Sherman and participated in Sherman's famous march to the sea. His term of service expired with the close of the war. In 1868 he moved to Kansas and located in the town of Valley where he still resides. Mr. Proctor was married in Iowa in 1842, to Miss Julia, daughter of Zaccheus Tiberghein. Mrs. Proctor was born in Ohio County, Va. They had two children born to them-Columbus C. and George T. The former is the present Register of deeds of Miami County, the latter died in childhood aged eight years.

CHARLES STANCHFIELD, farmer, Section 33, P. O. Paola, has a farm of 160 acres where he lives and six acres of timber some miles distant. Mr. Stanchfield was born in Lewiston, Me. in 1838. He served a regular apprenticeship to the plummers and tinners' trade, at which he worked until 1863. He then went to California and spent two years in that State, returned East and located in Illinois in 1866. In 1868, he removed to Kansas and made his home in the town of Paola. He has since spent four years in California.

SCOTT H. THOMAS, farmer, P. O. Paola, Section 30 Township 17, Range 23 east, has eighty acres on Section 30, and five acres of timber a few miles distant. Mr. Thomas was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, November 26, 1836; moved to Iowa with his parents in 1846, where he was brought up on a farm. He enlisted in the United States service in the late war as a private of Company E, Twenty-fourth Iowa Infantry, and served three years and three months. He participated in the battles of Pleasant Hill, Sabine Cross Roads and Winchester, Va. and other engagements. he received a gunshot wound at the battle of Sabine Cross Roads. In June, 1867, he emigrated to Kansas and located on his present farm.

JAMES WILLIAMS, deceased, was a pioneer of Kansas of 1854. He was born in Vermont and emigrated to Kansas in 1854. He located at Osawatomie. He was a Free-state man and participated in the troubles of those early days; was engaged in the battle of Osawatomie of August, 1856, and took an an active part in many skirmishes with the enemy. He enlisted in the late war as a member of the Third Kansas Infantry, which was afterwards consolidated with the Fourth into the Tenth. He died of small pox, while in the service, on duty as guard over rebel prisoners, at Alton, Ill., March, 1864. He had seven children, of whom only two are living-Mrs. Florence Pittman, and Mrs. Clara Johnson, wife of James Johnson, of Valley. His widow is living and resides with her daughter, Mrs. John son.

JUDGE D. B. WILSON, farmer and stock grower, Section 35, Township 17, Range 22, P. O. Paola. The subject of this sketch is one of the pioneers of Kansas of 1856, having located near the historic ground of Osawatomie, in May of that memorable year. He was born in Belmont County, Ohio, December 11, 1816; received a common school education and moved to Morgan County, Ill, in May, 1836, being a pioneer of that region also. He spent twenty years in that locality and then emigrated to Kansas,. He arrived in Lykins County (now Miami) in the first of May, 1856, and pitched his tent on government land near the site of Osawatomie, which was made historic the following August, by the engagement of the forces of General John Reed (pro-slavery) and the Free-state land under John Brown. Judge Wilson identified himself with the Free-state party and participated in the trying scenes of those days. In March, 1861, prior to the bombardment of Fort Sumpter and the call for troops by the government, in anticipation of the situation, organized a military company under the state laws and was commissioned its Captain. The company was regularly sworn into the service of the State. On the call for troops the members principally re-enlisted in the United States Volunteer Service. Judge Wilson has served in various civil offices, both in Illinois and Kansas, having served as Postmaster at Arenzville, Ill during the administration of Presidents Taylor and Fillmore. He has served eighteen years as Justice of the Peace, six years as Judge of Probate of Miami County, beginning January, 1863. He was appointed by Judge S. O. Thatcher, of Lawrence, as Clerk of the District Court to fill a vacancy. He was married in Morgan County, Ill, September 9, 1838, to Miss Susannah Fletcher. They had a family of three sons and six daughters, of whom two sons and four daughters are still living, all residents of Miami County, Kan. excepting one, the oldest son, in Doniphan County, the second son, Edward H. was born in June, 1856, the second white child born in Lykins (now Miami County) The Judge has a fine farm of 160 acres in the western part of the town of Valley, where he is passing the evening of his days.

JAMES L. WRIGHT, farmer, Section 34, P. O. Paola, was born in Delaware, in 1814. In early childhood removed with his parents to Maryland and when ten years of age to Wayne County, Ind. He continued to reside in Indiana until 1859 when he emigrated to Kansas, arriving in this State October 7 of that year, he had previously visited the State and passed a portion of 1855 and 1857 here, but did not make his home here til 1859. He located in Stanton, Miami County, where he was engaged in farming some ten years. he then moved to Paola Township, Section 34, now a part of the town of Valley, where he has a fine farm of 204 acres. Mr. Wright is one of the pioneers of Kansas and has had the pleasure of witnessing the rapid settlement and development of the State and has shared the hardships and trials incident to the times. During the Price raid he did military duty in defense of his State.