FRANKLIN COUNTY, Part 12

WELLSVILLE.

This town is located on the Kansas City, Lawrence & Southern Kansas Railroad, near the northeast corner of the county, and is surrounded by gently rolling, fertile prairie, now converted into excellent farms. The town site was purchased in 1870, of J. Emerson, by P. P. Elder, of this county, and J. B. Shute, of Chicago, the latter of whom platted the town site. In August of that year J. C. Sinclair and C. C. Cox built the first dwelling house, and in the fall, H. N. Brockway opened the first store. About the same time Aaron Brown started the first blacksmith shop. Mr. Brown, as also J. N. Bell, completed a dwelling house in the spring of 1871. The second store was opened in 1872 by Parker & Ray. A hotel was built in 1875, designed when built for a residence, but afterward remodeled. A drug store was started in 1876 by Paul Laberrier. In 1877, an elevator was built, at a cost of $5,000, with a capacity of 1,200 bushels. In 1878, Nathaniel Steen started a wagon shop. In 1879, E. E. Wilkins purchased the town site, and by pursuing a liberal policy towards men who desired to locate for business or residence purposes, has done much towards building up a thriving village.

The first school was taught by Miss Ella Brown in 1871. The present schoolhouse was erected in 1881. It is a two-story frame building, 32X56 feet, twenty-four feet high, will seat 260 pupils, and cost $3,500.

The postoffice was established in 1872. W. S. Brockway being appointed first Postmaster. With the exception of about six months, he has held the position ever since.

The first birth in Wellsville was that of Catharine Kennedy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Kennedy, in 1870; the first marriage that of John C. Heffley to Miss Della Tinny, December 25, 1878; and the first death that of a daughter of Aaron Brown in May, 1871.

Wellsville contains at present four general stores, two drug stores, two hardware stores, two blacksmith shops, one furniture store, one lumber yard, one wagon shop, one newspaper, and about 300 inhabitants.

The Congregational Church was organized in 1873 by Rev. T. C. Kinney, and a church edifice erected the same year, at a cost of $1,400. The membership upon organization was eight; at present there are fifty members on the roll.

The Baptist Church was organized in 1875. The first minister was Rev. J. P. Stevens. Their church was erected in 1877, at a cost of about $2,000. The present membership of the church is sixty.

The Methodist Church was organized in 1881 by Rev. J. W. Stewart. In June of the same year they dedicated their church, which had just been completed, and cost about $2,500. The present membership of this church is sixty.

The United Presbyterians organized a society in 1882, but as yet have no church building erected.

Wellsville Lodge, I. O. O. F., No. 135, was organized in 1876, with seven members, and the following officers: John Widney, N. G.; F. P. Wellman, Sec.; and L. W. Hostetter, Treas. The present membership is forty-five.

Wellsville Lodge, I. O. G. T., was organized in the fall of 1881, with the following officers: J. A. Laing, W. C.; Miss M. E. Brockway, V. T.; H. N. Brockway, P. W. C.; Frank Colwell, Sec.; and C. F. Johnson, Treas. The lodge now numbers fifty members.

The Wellsville News was started by Dr. H. M. Bennett April 20, 1882. It is a five-column folio, and is devoted to local news, and the interests of Wellsville and vicinity. It attained a circulation of 300 copies within three months from its establishment.

LE LOUP.

Le Loup is a small station and postoffice on the Kansas City, Lawrence & Southern Kansas Railroad, eight miles from Ottawa. It was at first named Ferguson, after Robert Ferguson, who was one of the first settlers, and who owned the land upon which the town was located. It is situated on level prairie, and though a small place, is quite an important shipping point for grain, hay and stock.

Among those to locate early at Le Loup or Ferguson, were the following persons: J. A. Stonebraker, who in company with Mr. Ferguson built the first house in 1870; William Hog, George Morally and Dr. Combs. The Postoffice was established in 1870, Mr. Stonebraker being appointed first Postmaster. In the same year J. A. Stonebraker opened the first store.

The first school was taught by Cyrus Jenkins, in 1879, in a schoolhouse just previously built in the south part of town. The first sermon was preached in the depot building by Rev. Dr. Pile, in 1872.

Old settlers say that in the early history of the village its progress was retarded by the sale and use of whiskey. It is now in a thrifty condition, being inhabited and surrounded by a good, industrious class of people.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP.

JAMES BARNETT, farmer and stock-raiser, P. O. Wellsville. Was born in Preble County, Ohio, February 2, 1837, and when quite young moved with his parents to Montgomery County, Ind., where he was reared on a farm. At eighteen years of age he attended Wabash College, where he took a three years course of studies, and graduated at Indiana State University, in law, in 1861. Mr. Barnett enlisted April 2, 1861, in Company G, Eleventh Indiana Infantry, and served four months, after which he gave his attention to agricultural pursuits. In the early part of 1863, he enlisted in the Indiana State Militia, and took an active part during the Morgan Raid. After the war he again farmed in Montgomery County, Ind. In the fall of 1868, he came to Kansas, and located on his present farm in Franklin County. Mr. B. has a farm of 280 acres, 200 of which are under cultivation; also raises considerable live stock. He was Trustee of Franklin Township for three years, and in the fall of 1882, received the Republican nomination for Representative in his district. He is adjutant of G. A. R. Post, Lookout Mountain, No. 96, at Wellsville.

HOWARD M. BENNETT was born in June, 1847, at Philadelphia. His early education consisted of a two years course in the Philadelphia high school, and a two years apprenticeship to the wholesale notion business. In 1868, he removed to DuPage County, Ill., and for two years followed school teaching; then in Benton Harbor, Mich., engaged in fruit business. In 1870, he came to Franklin County, Kan., farmed for four years, and taught school during the winters. In 1874, he began the study of medicine at Davenport, Iowa, with Prof. Hazen, of Iowa University, and afterwards continued his studies with Drs. W. H. and J. F. Baker, and also attended Ann Arbor University, where he graduated in 1878. Returning to Kansas, he practiced medicine at Ottawa for eight months, and near Le Loup this county, for about two years. In June, 1881, he moved to Wellsville, and engaged in drug business, commencing with a stock of $200. In April 1, 1882, he admitted as partners, Ballard & Co., of Davenport, Iowa, and the firm now carries an assorted stock of about $3,000. Mr. Bennett established the Wellsville News, April 20, 1882, and this paper is now widely known throughout the county.

H. N. BROCKWAY, of H. N. Brockway & Co., dealers in general merchandise. Was born in Hamburg, Conn., in 1834. He came to Kansas in February, 1857, and in 1858, located on the "Black Jack," Douglas County, and engaged in general merchandise. In 1863, he was burned out by guerrillas, but with his usual energy, immediately built a new store and resumed; was also Postmaster at that place for some years. In the fall of 1871, he removed his stock to Wellsville, and has since carried on business at this place. In 1873, he formed a partnership with W. S. Brockway and M. S. Parker; the former sold out his interest about a year later, and the remaining partners carry on business under the style of H. N. Brockway & Co. They carry a stock of $5,000 to $6,000. Mr. B. is also engaged in farming pursuits, has some 600 acres.

W. S. BROCKWAY, merchant, was born in Hamburg, Conn., in 1842. Was for some two years employed as a clerk in New York City. In August, 1861, he enlisted in Company A, Tenth Connecticut Infantry, serving until the fall of 1862, when he was discharged on account of wounds received at Roanoke Island, N. C., February 8, 1862. He came to Kansas in 1864, but remained only a short time. In 1866, he engaged in the mercantile business at Hamburg, Conn., continuing there until the fall of 1871, when he returned to Kansas, settling at Wellsville. Was for two years engaged in the mercantile business with his brother, H. N. Brockway, after which he established his present business, beginning in a small way at first. Now carries a stock of $4,000 to $5,000. Mr. Brockway is Postmaster at this place, having been appointed in 1872, and has been a Notary Public since 1876.

EZRA A. CARPENTER, farmer and stock-raiser, P. O. Wellsville, was born in Fairfield County, Ohio, in 1836, removing nineteen years later to Jones County, Iowa, where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits. He came to Franklin County in June, 1864, and located on his present farm, in Franklin Township. He owns 160 acres, all improved, cultivates eighty acres, and raises considerable live stock. He has a fine residence, and an orchard and grove of about ten acres. Mr. Carpenter was married in Jones County, Iowa, in 1862, to Susan Battorf, a native of Ohio. They have a family of seven children.

SAMUEL W. CASE, farmer and stock-raiser, P. O. Le Loup, was born in Putnam County, Ind., June 29, 1848, and was reared on a farm. He came to Franklin County in 1871, and located in Franklin Township, and has since followed farming and stock-raising. He moved on to his present farm on Section 7, Town 16, Range 21, in April, 1879. Mr. Case has 218 acres of land, 130 of which are under cultivation. He breeds considerable Short-horn cattle and Poland-China hogs. He was elected Justice of the Peace in 1875, and re-elected in 1877 and 1879. In 1876 he received the nomination for State Representative on the Greenback ticket but was not elected. Mr. Case was married in Montgomery County, Ind., October 23, 1867, to Amanda Graybill. They have a family of six children--Flora E., Emma L., Sarah B., Alva C., Francis M., and Martha E.

EDWARD CHAMBERS, farmer and stock-raiser, P. O. Wellsville, was born in Fayette County, Pa., May 7, 1841, and was reared on a farm. He came to Kansas in 1859, and farmed for a year near Stanton. He then went to Clark County, Iowa, and engaged in farming pursuits. July 17, 1861, he enlisted in Company F, Sixth Iowa Infantry, and was discharged in December, 1863, and re-enlisted as a veteran January 1, 1864, in the same company, serving until July 24, 1865. He participated in twenty-six engagements, and was wounded three times. After the war he returned to Fayette County, Pa., and farmed for three years. In the spring of 1870 he came to Franklin County, and located on his present farm, in Franklin Township. He owns 240 acres of land, all improved, and is quite extensively engaged in raising live stock. Mr. Chambers was married in Fayette County, Pa., February 15, 1866, to Phebe E. Adams. They have a family of two children--Elizabeth and Frances.

W. H. COLLINS, farmer and stock-raiser, P. O. Wellsville, is a native of Fayette County, Pa. He was reared on a farm, and for some years was engaged in farming on own account. After which he was for five years engaged in mercantile business at East Liberty, Pa. On September 10, 1861, he enlisted in Company K, Seventh Pennsylvania Cavalry. Was promoted to First Lieutenant in 1863, and a few months later top Captain, serving until November, 1865. In February, 1878, Mr. Collins came to Franklin County, locating on his present farm in Franklin Township. He owns 200 acres, all improved, and is quite extensively engaged in raising stock. He received the nomination for County Clerk on the Republican ticket in 1881, but was defeated by a small majority. Mr. Collins is commander of G. A. R. Post Lookout Mountain, No. 96, located at Wellsville.

ROBERT M. FERGUSON, farmer and stock-raiser, P. O. Le Loup; was born at Plainfield, Will Co., Ill., in June 1853, and was reared on a farm. In the spring of 1876 he came to Franklin County, and located on his present farm in Franklin Township. Mr. Ferguson has 450 acres, 200 of which are under cultivation. He is also quite an extensive raiser of cattle, etc., and at times buys and sells cattle, hogs, and grain to some extent. He was married in Franklin County, in the fall of 1878, to Miss Mary Lister, who was born here, a daughter of Edmund Lister, a large dealer and raiser of stock. He is one of those that took Horace Greeley's advice, Came West and is growing up with the country.

JOHN HARTUNG, manufacturer and dealer in harness, saddlery, etc., was born in Prussia, July 6, 1841; emigrated to America in 1854 and learned the trade of harness maker in St. Louis, Missouri, and followed it there as an occupation. In April, 1861, he enlisted in Company C, Third Missouri Infantry, and served four months, after which he was employed at his trade by the United States Government at Rolla, Mo., for two years. In 1865 he came to Kansas and worked at his trade in Leavenworth, and in the following spring went to St. Joe, Mo., and a few months later to St. Louis, following his trade there up to 1869, then in the same capacity at Paola, Kansas, for six months and carried on the business there for two months; removing to Olathe, Kansas, he carried on his business at that place for nine years, and in 1878 moved to Wellsville. He has a nice stock of about $1,500, and has built up a good trade in this line. He was elected a member of the School Board in August, 1881.

E. E. HILLS, merchant; was born in Cattaraugus County, N. Y., June 16, 1833, and until the age of nineteen, he assisted his father in a custom wool carding establishment. He then farmed for two years in that locality, two years in Boone County, Ill., and one year in Walworth County, Wis. In May, 1857, he came to Kansas and for a year conducted a house painting shop. In September, 1858, he went to Emporia, and there followed mercantile business as a clerk. He pre-empted in 1858 a claim in Chase County, and moved on to the same a year later and farmed, and also carried the United States mails between Cotton-Wood Falls, Emporia and Council Grove, returning to Walworth County in 1859, and farming for two years. On August 15, 1862, he enlisted in Company K, Twenty-eighth Wisconsin Infantry, serving until the war closed. In 1866 he went to Westport, Mo., and carried on mercantile business for ten months, then in Ottawa, Kansas, for two years in the same business and for five years engaged in house painting and seven years clerked in the mercantile business. In October, 1880, he came to Wellsville and engaged in this business. He has a fine store and carries a stock of $3,400. He was elected Treasurer of the town in April, 1882.

L. W. HOSTETTER, farmer and stock-raiser, P. O. Wellsville; was born in Montgomery County, Ind., in 1833. He assisted his father in conducting his farm until his death in 1867, after which he farmed on his own account, and was quite extensively engaged in raising stock. In September 1870, he came to Franklin County, and located on his present farm in Franklin Township. Mr. Hostetter is one of the largest farmers and stock-raisers in this county; he owns 1,200 acres of land, 700 acres of which are in cultivation. On his place he has a mile of stone fence, about seven miles of osage hedge, and a magnificent residence, besides houses for his tenants. He has also a fine orchard, consisting of about eight acres in various kinds of fruit trees. Mr. Hostetter is what is termed a beef and pork maker, making a specialty of fattening cattle and hogs for the Eastern markets, and also raises quite a number of fine draught horses.

CAREY McLAIN, dealer in and raiser of live stock, P. O. Wellsville, was born at Ripley, Brown Co., Ohio, February 28, 1832, where he was engaged in farming and stock raising. In 1853 he moved to Kendall County, Ill., and carried on an extensive stock farm for some years. In the spring of 1868 he came to Kansas, located at Baldwin City, Douglas County, and was for two years engaged in dealing in live stock. In the spring of 1870 he came to Franklin County and settled on his present farm. Mr. McLain has a farm in this county of 640 acres, in a high state of cultivation, and has 160 acres in Douglas County, and 172 acres in Miami County. He makes a specialty of fattening stock for the Eastern markets. He has made a success of the culture of tame grass. The growing of this grass with any success has long been doubted by the farmers of this county. Mr. McLain has several hundred acres of land on which he is growing tame grass, having a bountiful crop yearly. He has made a success of producing the same, sowing the seed on raw prairie land, without any cultivation whatever. Mr. McLain was married in Kendall County, Ill., in 1856, to Julia Anne Satterly. They have a family of three children.

JAMES C. SIMMONS, dealer in live stock, was born in Warren County, Ind., December 23, 1850, and came to Kansas with his parents in 1857. They located at Lawrence. His father was engaged in the live stock business at that place and the subject of this sketch assisted him on the stock farm until he reached the age of seventeen years, when he went to Texas and was employed for four years on a stock ranche sic in the State. In 1871 he moved to Miami County, Kas., sic and took charge of his father's farm, consisting of 640 acres. His father died in 1873 and James C. continued to manage the estate for the heirs for several years longer, and was also engaged in dealing in stock. In the spring of 1876 he went to Deadwood City, or the Black Hills, and was engaged in the cheap John business, which consisted of trading in second hand miner's outfits. Returning in November of that year he located in Wellsville and has since followed the business.

JAMES C. SINCLAIR, of Sinclair & Smith, dealer in hardware implements, etc., was born in Fayette County, Pa., in February, 1841, and was employed in stock raising. In April, 1861, he went to Henry County, Ill., where he followed the same business. On August 19, 1861, he enlisted in Company B, Thirty-seventh Illinois Infantry, until November, 1863, when he was discharged on account of disability. In May, 1868, he came to Franklin County, and was for two years employed in working on farms. He then rented land and followed farming and stock raising for about five years, after which he devoted his time to stock raising exclusively up to July, 1881. In February, 1882, he engaged in this business in company with C. A. Woodward, who sold out some months later to J. W. Smith, his present partner. They carry a stock of $5,000, and do the largest business in their line at this place.

SAMUEL SINGER, agent for S. A. Brown & Co., dealers in lumber, Wellsville, was born at Cadiz, Ohio, in 1844. At seventeen years of age he removed to Greenfield, where he was employed in a planing-mill. In June, 1868, he removed to Cedar County, Iowa, where he learned the trade of carpenter and builder, remaining there two years, then at Brownsville, Neb., for two years, after which he followed his trade at Salt Lake City for eighteen months, then in various towns in Montana for ten months. Returning to Iowa he carried on business as a contractor and builder. In July, 1878, he came to Kansas, locating at Wellsville; has since been engaged in contracting and building, and has erected many of the leading buildings in this place. He was appointed agent for S. A. Brown & Co.'s lumber business at this place in June, 1882.

WILLIAM STICKEL, farmer and stock-raiser, P. O. Wellsville, was born in Fayette County, Penn., in 1833, and reared on a farm. In 1858 he moved to Cedar County, Iowa, where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits. He came to Kansas in April, 1865, and located on his present farm in Franklin County. He owns 160 acres of land, all improved, and cultivates 145 acres of it. He has an orchard of seven acres, and a good stone quarry on his place. He is also engaged in raising choice cattle and hogs. Mr. Stickel was elected a Commissioner of Franklin County in 1869 and served two years. Was also Township Trustee for several years. He was married in Cedar County, Iowa, in 1859, to Emma Wheatley. They have four children--Lucy M., Mary M., Matilda J. and William W.

E. E. WILKINS, real estate, was born in West Virginia, April 1, 1818, and reared on a farm, and was also for a year employed in mercantile business at Evansville. In 1840 he emigrated to Winchester, Adams Co., Ohio. Was for twelve years engaged in mercantile business, after which he embarked in the business of dealing and trading in Western lands. Was also for several years engaged in pork packing at Ripley, Ohio, and for a year in same business at Maysville, Ky., and farmed for two years. In November, 1871, he came to Wellsville, Kan., purchased a farm and followed farming and dealing in live stock and lands. In 1879 he purchased the town site of Wellsville from P. P. Elder and others, and now gives his attention to the improvement of what remains unsold.