CHEROKEE COUNTY, Part 5

COLUMBUS, PART 2.

BUSINESS INTERESTS.

Ritter & Doubleday, Bankers.-This bank was established in 1874, by B. F. Hobart and C. E. Middaugh, with L. L. Doubleday as Cashier. In May, 1875, Mr. Doubleday purchased the interest of Mr. Middaugh, and the firm continued as Hobart & Doubleday until August 4, 1880, when Mr. Hobart retired and John W. Ritter succeeded to his place in the firm. The firm is a private one and the business conducted is limited strictly to that of legitimate banking. This firm has the confidence of, and is of great benefit to the community.

Columbus City Mills. -These mills were moved from Carthage, Mo., in 1875, by A. J. Baney and a Mr. Henley. In 1879, Benjamin Henley bought a third interest; in 1881, Wilson Henderson bought Baney's interest, and in September of that year Benjamin Henley died, Mr. Henley, Sr., falling heir to his sons third interest. Mr. Henley sold a third to W. H. Benham, and the business was conducted under the name of Benham & Co., until March 1882, when Benham sold out to J. A. Walbert. In April following, Henley sold his interest to Samuel McGinity, and in September Henderson sold to George Theis. Soon after this change, Walbert and Theis bought out McGinity and became sole proprietors. The mill building is three and a half stories high. Four run of burhs are used and the machinery is propelled by a fifty-horse power engine. The mill property is worth about $10,000.

Bee Hive Manufactory. -This manufactory was established in the spring of 1880, by Scovell & Anderson. The firm is engaged in the manufacture of bee hives, comb foundations, smokers, and a general line of bee keeper supplies. Their works run about nine months of the year, the machinery being propelled by a twenty-horse power engine. The firm publishes the Kansas Bee Keeper, a monthly magazine established in February, 1881. Mr. Scovell has a large apiary at his house, containing from one hundred to two hundred colonies. In 1882, from one hundred and twelve colonies he produced eleven thousand pounds of honey.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES (ADAMS - DRESSER).

H. P. ADAMS, Councilman, was born in Ohio, in 1848, where he received a common school education, and began farming at the age of eighteen; he continued in this occupation until 1873 at which time he came to Columbus, Kan., and was engaged in stock raising and farming for seven years; he then moved to the city of Columbus, but still owns his farm and raises and sells stock; he was elected Councilman in l882, and has been Township Clerk of Crawford County, Kan.; he is a member of A. 0. U. W., and an apprenticed Mason. He was married to Miss Annie Kail, of Ohio, in 1872. They have two children-Jackson M. and Julia V.

THOMAS P. ANDERSON, attorney at law, was born in Prince Edward County, Ontario, April 8, 1844; he was on a farm and at school until the age of sixteen, at which time he went to Illinois, and taught school for a short time, and then joined the army as a private and was discharged as Captain in the spring of l865. Then engaged in cotton planting in Louisiana, for one year, returning to Illinois in the spring of l866, where he engaged in the mercantile business in Elkton and Oakdale, Washington County, two years; he sold out in l868, and came to Kansas in June, 1869, and after prospecting in the State for about six months decided to locate in Columbus, Cherokee County, where he bought property and still remains. He was appointed Deputy County Clerk in November, 1869, and was appointed Deputy Clerk of the District Court in March of the following year; he was elected Justice of the Peace in April, 1870, and appointed Clerk of the District Court in the following June. In July, he resigned the position of Deputy County Clerk. In April, 1871, he was admitted to the bar in the District Court, having previously studied law for several years and has continued in the practice of his profession to this time.

In l864, he was appointed sub-commissioner of Freedman's Bureau for the northern District of Louisiana, holding the position until 1865. He has been admitted to practice in the Supreme and Federal Courts of Kansas; he was stockholder and director of the Southside Town and Mining Company of Short Creek, Cherokee Co., Kan., from 1877 to 1880, and was President during the Year 1879; he was elected to the Kansas Legislature in 1878, and re-elected in 1882; he is now stockholder and director of the Cornwall Mining and Smelting Company, of Short Creek, and stockholder and President of the Columbus Coal Company; he was Mayor of the city of Columbus in 1873, by election, and Police Judge in 1871-72. He owns city property and has large interests in farm lands in the county; he was appointed Quartermaster General of the Kansas militia in July, 1879, and reappointed in 1881. He is a member of the A., F.& A. M., being a Past Master and Past High Priest; he is also a member of the K. of P. and Past Chancellor of that order; he was married to Miss Mamie Montgomery, of Montgomery County, Ind., November 27, 1873, and has had two children - Pearl Letha, deceased, and Elsie Evelyn.

JAMES P. ARCHER, proprietor of Cottage Hotel, was born in Indiana in 1839; he was raised on a farm in Missouri; he entered the army in 1861, and was mustered out in 1865; he came to Kansas in 1868, and farmed until 1872; he was then in the mercantile business six years, and then on a farm until September, 1881, at which time he came to Columbus and opened the Cottage Hotel. He was township clerk in Lowell; he is a member of A. 0. U. W., and of the Grand Army of the Republic; he was married to Miss Louise Adams, of Illinois in 1872, by whom he had one child-James L.; losing his wife in 1873, he was married to Miss Susan Clinton, of Missouri, in 1874, and has three children - Nellie C., Alga M. and Lois.

W. H. BAKER, dealer in hay, grain and stock, was born in Pittsburgh, Penn., and was reared to the mining industry, with which he was actively connected till the war, when he enlisted In Company A, Fifty-eighth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, in 1861, and after one year's service he re-enlisted and veteranized in company I, Eighty-eighth Pennsylvania Veteran Infantry, and remained in active service till the end of the war, when he was honorably discharged. After the war he accepted the superintendency of coal mines in his native State, but after about one year he came here and located and engaged at farming, stock-raising and grain dealing, and has been very successfully connected with it since; in 1865, he married Miss Naomi K. Williams, a native of Pennsylvania. They have a family of four sons-Wilson, John, Harry and Samuel J. Tilden. Mr. Baker has always worked actively for the development of the public and industrial life of this locality. He was second in command of the party who fought with argument the reduction of the railway land grab here.

J. H. BAXTER, M. D., was born in Rush County, Ind., November 30, 1848; he received a collegiate education, graduating from Kentucky Medical College at Louisville, in 1875; he taught school from age of seventeen to twenty-four, and in the meantime was reading medicine. In August, 1875, he came to Cherokee County, Kan., and began the practice of medicine. He was elected Superintendent of Public Schools in 1878, and served until 1880, during which time had some practice; he had the practice at County Poor Asylum six years in succession. He is a member and elder of the Christian Church, and is a member of Odd Fellows and Freemasons; he owns dwelling properties in the city, and an improved farm with choice selections of fruits. He is building tenement houses on city property. He was married to Miss Eva G. Shepard, of Fort Scott, Kan., on November 31, 1876. They have one child-Leroy Worth, living, and two, Scott Shepard and Mark Hasting, dead.

COL. B. D. BEALL, is a native of Campbell County, Ky., and received his rudimentary education in the public schools of his native place and his literary education in Parker's Academy, Ohio. In 1843, and at the age of sixteen, he entered upon the duties of District Clerkship in his native county, as deputy, and by appointment till 1851, when he was elected to the incumbency of Clerk and remained in it for each consecutive term till 1874. He then filled the position as Deputy till the summer of 1880, when he retired from it and subsequently located here and eventually joined the present partnership, which he ably represents.

WILLIAM M. BENHAM, proprietor of City Livery and Feed Stables, is a native of Kosciusko County, Ind. In 1864, and at the age of nineteen, he located in Montana Territory, where he was actively engage in mining till 1868. In 1869, he located here and has principally connected with his present business, with a very reputable success. Since Mr. Benham began this business here with a small capital, and has by dint of steady and persistent industry secured for himself a first-class business in his time and a handsome confidence for himself and family. In 1874, he married Miss Hattie L. Potter, a native of McHenry County, Ill. They have one little boy-Mortie.

WESLEY BEST & SONS, proprietors of the Excelsior Rolling Mills, established July; 1882. These mills form one of the grand manufacturing interests of Columbus. They are conducted upon the new roller process, are run by steam-power with a capacity of manufacturing 125 barrels of flour per day. The present dimensions are 30x58, with three stories and basement, but the enterprising managers, B. C. and W. E. Best (sons) propose enlarging considerably, not only upon the manufacturing capacities, but also enlarging extensively upon its present dimensions. They manufacture exclusively to the merchant trade, and are now turning out two excellent brands, the Patent and the Diamond. They are both practical mill men, having been reared to the business in Alton, Ill., where the father still conducts an extensive business.

TOM BRUNSON, proprietor Commercial Hotel. This hotel is the leading one in the city. It contains office, dining-rooms and sample-rooms on first floor; parlor, sitting-rooms and twenty-four elegantly furnished sleeping-rooms on second floor. It has a southern frontage, of which nine of the sleeping-rooms have the benefit. The genial and enterprising landlord, whose extensive experience in the business gives a prestige overall others here, makes it an important aim to attend to the needs of the traveling public with dispatch, and the tourist finds his hotel a pleasant home. Buses and baggage transfers always in attendance upon the trains in connection with the hotel, and the table is amply supplied with the best the market affords. Mr. Brunson is a native of New York State, and engaged at the mercantile business in Michigan at the age of fifteen, and followed it successfully for many years in that State, and afterward in Wisconsin. In 1870, he located in Kansas, and, after conducting merchandising for a few years, he engaged at the present industry, which he ably represents.

J . C. BYRD, real estate and stock dealer, was born in Missouri in 1842. He received a high school education and enlisted in the Confederate army in 1861, in which he served until June, 1865. He then returned home, and the following winter went to Canton, Ill., and attended school one season, then returned to Missouri, and was engaged in raising stock and farming five years, coming to Cherokee County, Kan., in 1871. He opened the farm and worked it, and raised stock for five years, until 1876, it being then the best improved farm in that section, having the largest variety of all kinds. In 1875, 3,000 bushels of corn were raised on fifty acres. Mr. Byrd came to Columbus in 1876, and engaged in trading and farming for two years, and was Deputy Sheriff 1878-79, and Justice of the Peace of the township, and Police Judge of the city of Columbus in 1880 and 1881. Since that time, he has been in the real estate and loan business, and has also been interested in the Dandy Silver Company of Colorado, city property and stock. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and has assisted in organizing Sunday schools. He has always been a good worker in the interest of his church and the schools, always being first and foremost to assist the poor and attend to the sick, and to look after those who cannot look after themselves. He was married to Miss Ella A. Green, Missouri, in 1866. They have two children-Robert Edward and Charles Green.

J. T. CALDWELL, real estate, loan and abstract business, was born in Missouri August 15, 1850; was raised on farm, and went to Texas in 1868; was in cattle business four years. He then bought a farm in Kansas, and was engaged in stock and farm business in Cherokee County until 1877, when he went to Keokuk, Iowa, and took a commercial course, graduated, and returned to Kansas and took charge of the Register's office January 8, 1878, and remained there two years. He then went to Colorado and New Mexico, and remained one year in the mines, and then returned to Columbus, and opened his present business in 1881. Mr Caldwell owns mines in Galena; owns one-fifth interest in forty acres mining lands adjoining Galena; one-fourth interest in eighty acres joining O'Neal diggings; one-fourth interest in eighty acres west of Galena. Is interested in mines in Newton County, Mo.; owns one-half interest in two mines in Colorado; owns two 160-acre farms, four lots and one residence in Columbus, and one-half interest in two other farms, besides various other properties in connection with the company. The company run a paper in connection with their business, devoted entirely to their own business in Cherokee County, it being the only paper of the kind in the county. Mr. Caldwell was married to Miss Jessie Wilson, of Illinois, in 1882.

JOSEPH R. CARTER, farmer, Section 24, P. 0. Columbus, was born in Illinois April 24, 1843. Received liberal school education, living on a farm until 1862, when he enlisted in the army, and served until July 28, 1865. He was then trading two years; then ran a farm in Illinois two years, and then came to Johnson County, Kan., and remained one year. He was then in the Indian Nation eighteen months on a farm, and then located on his present farm of 112 acres, which he bought and improved, and on which he raises stock and grain, with fine fruits and berries of all kinds; 250 apple trees, 125 peach trees, 100 cherry trees and all small fruits and berries. He is a member of Grand Army of Republic, being elected Junior Vice Commander in 1882, for one year. He was married to Miss Sarah A. Shirk, of Ohio, August 10, 1862. They have two children-Edwin E. and Renice.

FREDERICK A. CHILDS, dealer in fruits and berries, was born in Massachusetts in 1829. At the age of twenty-one, he engage in tannery business in Wisconsin, which he followed two years, and surveying and engineering six years in the same State. Was then surveying in Minnesota four years, and subsequently in Chicago in commission business until 1854. After being in fruit business in South Illinois fifteen years, he came to Oswego, Kan., in 1874, and remained one year, coming from there to Columbus, Kan., where he was in furniture business five years, since when he has been in fruit business. He has thirty acres in strawberries, he being probably the largest shipper in the State, shipping from 100 to 200 bushels daily during the height of the season, and paying daily $75 to $125. Has 2,200 peach trees and 500 cherry trees. He was married to Miss Jennie E. Burner, of Lola Township, Kan. in 1882.

WILLIAM A. CLEVENGER, farmer, Section 17, P. 0. Columbus, was born in Missouri in 1835 and was raised on a farm. At age of eighteen he began for himself in Missouri, farming three years, and working in a mill for four more. He came to Kansas in 1860, and after remaining in Dickinson County eighteen months, went to Morris County, where he staid [sic] three years. He went to Cherokee County in 1866. He bought eighty acres of land in Morris County, and two farms in Cherokee County, one of which he sold. He is now farming the other. He has sixty acres and raises stock and grain. He was married to Miss Amanda Montooth, of Tennessee, in 1852. He has had ten children-William S., William, George, Nancy, John, Evie, Mary, Martha, Dicy and Margaret, all but the last two of whom are still living.

JOHN M. CLINE, farmer, Section 16, P. 0. Columbus, was born in Ohio, in 1824. He was raised on a farm and received a common school education, and began for himself as a farmer at the age of twenty-four, in the State of Illinois, and there he remained until the year of 1882. He then came to the State of Kansas, and located on his present farm of 160 acres, and now grows stock and grain and has a full assortment of fruits and berries. Twelve years he was School Director in Illinois. Nine years he was instrumental in organizing Sunday schools. He was married to Miss Clarissa V. Sinnard, of Ohio, in 1848. They have six children-Mary C., John W., Albert L, George, Alice and Agnes.

CHARLES H COAN, attorney at law, real estate, loan and insurance agent, was born in Connecticut in 1844. He enlisted in the army 1862, and served until 1865, when he was mustered out, and for twelve succeeding years was engaged in farming. He came to Cherokee County, Kan., in 1874, and carried on a farm two years and then commenced the study of law in the office of W. R. Cowley. He was admitted to the bar in 1880, and has since that time practiced in this county and city. He is member of the orders of I. O. O. F. and G. A . R.

WILLIAM R. COWLEY, was born at Holbeach, Lincolnshire, England, April 23, 1843. He came with his parents to the United States in 1851. Located at Hudson, Ohio, and lived there and at Akron until September, 1860, when he removed to Marion, Iowa. In the spring of 1862, while on a visit to Ohio, he enlisted in the Eighty-fourth Ohio Infantry, a three months' regiment. After his discharge from the regiment, he returned to Iowa and there again enlisted in the Fifteenth Iowa Infantry. He served in this regiment until August 6, 1865, when he was mustered out of the United States service with the rest of the regiment. In September, 1865, he entered the Christian College at Oskaloosa, Iowa, as a student, and remained there until October, 1868, when he was compelled to leave by reason of poor health. After leaving college, he commenced preaching for the Christian Church, and from that time until 1871, when he was admitted to the bar at Montezuma, Iowa. He was County Surveyor of Poweshiek County, Iowa during 1870 and 1871. In January, 1873, he removed with family to Columbus, Cherokee Co., Kan., where he now resides, during all of which time he has been engaged in the practice of law. He was elected County Attorney of Cherokee County, Kan., in 1878, and was re-elected in 1880. He is owner of both city and farm property. Is interested in Pierce City & Columbus Mining Company. He is a member of the Christian Church, also of the A. 0. U. W., I. O. O. F. and G. A. R. Mr. Cowley is the owner of one of the largest and best selected libraries in Kansas. It contains over 700 volumes of textbooks and reports. He has at his residence about 400 volumes carefully selected from standard authors including literary, scientific and religious works. He was married at Oskaloosa, Iowa, November 10, 1867, to Miss Florence J. Smith, who bad been a classmate of his at the college previous to the day of their marriage. They have three children living-William F., Minnie and Lawrence Leon.

COULTER, BEALL & SHEARMAN, attorneys at law. This firm was established in 1880, and do a business in the practice of law making as a specialty litigation in real estate titles. In their loan agency they do an extensive business averaging about $250 per annum. In their real estate transactions, they do about $90,000 worth per annum. They also do a considerable in the way of investment of funds for eastern parties in township securities, etc., and they carry on an insurance business of considerable proportions. Jay F. Shearman of the firm, was born in Monroe County, N. Y., but was reared in Sparta, Monroe Co., Wis., whither his people had removed when he was quite young. He there received a thorough rudimentary education in the public schools of the place. At the age of seventeen, he entered upon a literary course of instruction in Shurtliff College, Illinois, 1871, and after four years' study in that institution, he took up the study of his profession and was admitted to the bar of this State in 1876. He then established himself in the practice of his profession here, and also engaged in real estate and loan business, with which he has been very successfully connected since.

MATHEW W. COULTER, Postmaster, was born In Illinois December 22, 1848. He attended school until the age of sixteen, at which time he joined Company E, Thirtieth Illinois Infantry and remained in the service until he was discharged, August, 1865. He then returned home to Illinois and went to school till August, 1868, when he came to Baxter Springs and remained until 1877, during that time editing and publishing a newspaper four years and serving as Postmaster the remainder. In March, 1877, he came to Columbus, Kan., where he held the position of District Clerk for two years. He was re-elected in 1878, his time expiring January 1881.

He then took up the practice of law, which he had studied several years previous, and was admitted to the bar in 1881. He was Postmaster at Baxter Springs about seven years, was Clerk of district four years, and was appointed Postmaster at Columbus February, 1882. He was married to Miss Lizzie Beall, of Kentucky, in 1875. Mrs. Coulter died September 10, 1882. Mr. Coulter is a member of the A. F. & A. M. and A. O. U. W.

L. G. DANA, farmer, Section 25, P. 0. Columbus, was born in Ohio, in 1858. He was raised in a city, received a business education and went to Tennessee in 1876 and remained there nine months. He then located to Iowa and engaged in dairy and farm business, remaining four years; was then in Colorado one year, mining and prospecting. He came to Kansas in 1881, and bought his present home of eighty acres. He was married to Miss Laura A. Wellman, of Iowa, in March, 1882. Mr. Dana is District Clerk.

H. B. DANIELS, agent of the Kansas City, Ft. Scott & Gulf R. R., is a native of Connecticut, but removed to Fort Atkinson, Iowa, at the age of twelve years with his people, where he was reared and educated. At the age of fifteen years he engaged in railroading, in connection with the Iowa Division of the C. M. & St. P. Ry, as agent, with which he was connected for a few years. He then engaged with the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Ry, and after an engagement of nearly two years, he retired from the railway industry and located in Colorado, but subsequently accepted an agency for the above railroad in 1873, and has been very reputably connected with it since. In 1876 he married Miss Maud Colton, daughter of Col. G. A. Colton, of Paola, Kan. They have one little girl, Norma. Mr Daniels has always taken an active interest in the social development of this place since coming here. He is an active member of K. of P. Society and Endowment Fund, and is present Keeper of Records and Seals. He is also a member of the A., F. & A. M. society here.

D. M. DAUGHERTY, manufacturer of wagons, carriages and buggies, and general repair shop. Mr. Daugherty was born in Athens County, Ohio, 1840, and removed with his people to Polk County, Mo., in 1844, where he learned his present business and was identified with it in Newton County, Mo., till 1880, when he located here and carried on general repair business till the present year, when he established the business he so ably represents. In 1865, he married Miss Mary Culver, a native of Missouri. They have one son and three daughters--William Edgar, Mary F., Hattie and Maud.

B. F. DILWORTH, general blacksmithing, was born in Stark County, Ohio, but learned his trade in Sheboygan Falls, Wis., carried it on there till 1859, when he located in Marshall County, Ind., and carried on his business till the war, when he enlisted in Company I, Twenty-ninth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, and remained in active service for three years, when he was honorably discharged. He then returned to Indiana and in 1868 came here and located, and his been actively connected with his business here since. In 1865, he married Miss A. D. Jones, a native of Indiana. They have a family of two sons and one daughter- Clarence, Leslie A[?], and Carrie A.

ABIEL SAMUEL DENNISON, Sheriff of Cherokee County, Kan., was born November 24, 1828, in the town of Floyd, Oneida County, N. Y. Received a common-school education, and at the age of seventeen became a teacher in his native State; taught four years, read medicine two years, attending lectures one term at the Albany Medical College; then going to New Orleans in 1851, where he taught mathematics in the Franklin High School one year, and then engaged in the drug business two years. In 1854, his health failing, be concluded to adopt an outdoor business, and engaged in contracting on the construction of railroads and followed that occupation for eight years, working on railroads in Missouri, Illinois, Alabama and Mississippi. The war of the rebellion found him engaged on the Mobile & Ohio Railroad, in the State of Mississippi and being a strong Union man, he was compelled to leave that State, and then came as a refugee to Washington County, Ill., settled on the raw prairie and opened and improved a farm. In November, 1865, he came to Kansas, stopped at Lawrence, and worked at carpentering in Lawrence and Topeka. In January, 1867, he came to Baxter Springs, and soon thereafter engaged in the drug business, and also entered a farm on Government land and improved it. January, 1874, was appointed Under Sheriff of Cherokee County for two years, and re-appointed January, 1876, for two years more. In April, 1878, was admitted to the bar and practiced law two years. Was elected Sheriff of Cherokee County, November 6, 1879, taking the office the second Monday in January, 1880. Was re-elected November 8, 1881, and commenced his second term on the second Monday in January, 1882, and holds the office at this time. He was successful in business up to the commencement of the rebellion, and had accumulated a handsome competence, but the changes that the war brought caused him to lose nearly all his property, and when he came to Kansas in 1865, his purpose was to "Go West, grow up with the country" and make a new start. He has been only moderately successful in business in Kansas. He has some lead interests in Galena, Kan., a stock farm, also a grain and fruit farm, and a residence on a ten-acre lot in the city of Columbus, the county seat, where he now resides. He is a member of the Congregational Church. He was married to Miss Philena J Chubb, in Washington County, Ill., November 9, 1864, and has three children living-Nina, Samuel Eddy and Rhoda; and four-Clarence, Ralph, Earnest and Eva, deceased.

EUGENE P. DRESSER, general merchant, was born in Litchfield, Hillsdale County, Mich., June 16, 1851; received a liberal education and began clerking at the age of eighteen in Hillsdale, continuing in that employment six years. He then commenced in business for himself, in which he remained for eighteen months, at the end of which time he sold out and went to North Adams, Mich., where he carried on the same business eight months. He then came to Galena, Cherokee County, Kan., where he remained five years engaged in the general merchandise business, moving from that place to Columbus, Kan., March 4, 1882, where he now resides and carries on a general merchandise business. Mr. Dresser owns good real estate property in Galena, Kan., and was a member of the city Council of that city in 1879. He started in life without means and began clerking for $8 per month, but by his fine business qualification and social and genial nature stands to-day as one of the foremost business of the country. While in Galena, in five years he increased his small capital of $2,000 to the sum of $18,000, and is equally as successful in Columbus. His business now amount now to about $35,000 a year carrying a stock of $23,000, and discounts all bills for cash. Mr. Dresser was married to Miss Wella M. Howard Allen, of Michigan, in 1872. Mrs. Dresser died in 1875. He was married to Miss Bell S. Firsman, of Lafayette, Ind., in 1880, and has one child--Lillie Eugene.