FRANKLIN COUNTY, Part 14

POMONA.

The original town site of Pomona consisted of 320 acres. It is beautifully situated, ten miles west of Ottawa, on elevated ground, and in one of the most picturesque locations in the State.

The first building on the town site was erected for a residence by A. Jones. The first business house was built by Rev. L. Ricksecker, and was used for a drug store and post office. The second business house was put up by A. H. Scranton. It afterward became the Pomona Hotel. William Hayes erected the next business house, and was followed by John Parkinson, who built a residence. Quite a number of other residences were built within a short time. Nelson Reynolds erected a stone blacksmith shop, and McCord & Wilson a wagon shop.

In 1870 a furniture manufactory was established by John Krause & Sons, and the steam flouring mill was built in the same year by H. O. Kelsey. The building is of stone, two stories high and is fitted up with the most approved machinery. It has three run of four foot buhrs, the total expense of mill and machinery being about $20,000.

Within a year from building of the first house in the town, a two story stone schoolhouse was erected, with room sufficient for two hundred pupils. The cost of this building was $5,000. The first sermon preached was by Rev. L. Ricksecker in May, 1870.

The Methodist Church was organized in April, 1871, by Rev. William Wilkins, with thirty-five members. Religious services were held in the stone schoolhouse until 1880, when a frame church building was erected at a cost of $600. The present membership of the church is seventeen. The ministers of this church have been following: Revs. William Wilkins, -Buffington, J. McNulty, J. D. Baldwin, William Whitney, J. W. Clock, J. D. Bratton, E. F.. Holland, and _____ Kelvin.

The Presbyterian Church was organized in 1873 with nine members. The first regular minister was Rev. L. Newcomer. He has been followed by Revs. D. H. Starkey, M. Bone and ____ Shull. The present church building was erected in 1879, at a cost of $1,000.

Pomona Lodge, No. 138, A. F. & A. M., was chartered October 16, 1873, with fourteen members. The officers were Benjamin F. Synder, W. M.; Hans Wood, S. W.; W. Wait, J. W.; Sanford Topping, Secretary. The present membership is thirty-six. The lodge room is the second story of a fine large brick store building, 24X64 feet, erected in 1881, by J. Parkinson, at a cost of $5,000.

At the present time Pomona contains two general stores, two hardware stores, two blacksmith shops, one wagon shop, one furniture factory, one drug store, one hotel, one agricultural implement dealer, two physicians and about three hundred inhabitants.

Pomona is essentially a colony on a unique plan. The central idea of its founder, was not to provide each colonist with cheap land, but rather to collect together a class of people who had attained the elevation of a certain moral plane, and that each should own much or little property, according to his ability to pay for it in cash or in time. No one can buy property in this colony without signing a contract not to sell intoxicating liquors to be drank as a beverage. Inexperienced colonists are given such advice as they may need in any line. Special attention is devoted to providing such educational advantages as the majority may need. An industrious, sober, intelligent, moral and prosperous colony is the result.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - APPANOOSE TOWNSHIP.

REV. JOSEPH M. BONE, farmer, Section 28, P. O. Pomona, was born in Wilson County, Tenn. He resided in Moultrie and Christian counties, Ill., for some forty-five years. In 1836 he entered the ministry of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Moultrie County, and continued to preach for some forty years, in connection with which he also conducted a farm. He came to Franklin County, Kan., in 1875, and located in Appanoose Township, and moved on to his present farm some two years later. He and his son Thomas A. Bone have 320 acres of land, and are extensively engaged in raising live stock.

JAMES W. DAVIS, farmer, Section 31, P. O. Appanoose, was born in England in 1817. Was employed for some years in a glove factory, and in 1834 emigrated to Syracuse, N. Y. For seven years he was engaged in the manufacture of salt, after which he went to Wisconsin, and followed agricultural pursuits in Walworth and Winnebago counties. In November, 1857, he came to Franklin County, pre-empted 160 acres, on which he has since resided. He now owns 144 acres, sixty of which are under cultivation. Has an orchard and raises considerable live stock. During the late war he served in the State Militia. Mr. Davis was married at Syracuse, N. Y., to Mary Ricaby. She died in Franklin County, September 17, 1872. Mr. Davis has six children--Samuel, James W., Alvin, Hannah, Mary and Anna. Mr. Davis was married again in Lawrence, Douglas County, in 1877 to Mrs. Mary Barnes.

JAMES Y. DEAN, farmer, Section 36, P. O. Appanoose, was born in Appanoose Township, Franklin County, Kan., August 16, 1857, and reared on a farm. He is the son of Daniel Dean, one of the early settlers of this County. The subject of our sketch moved on to his present farm March 1, 1882. He has seventy-two acres, all improved, and sixty-two acres of which are in cultivation. Mr. Dean was married at Ottawa, Kan., December 28, 1880, to Ellen Nelson, daughter of W. W. Nelson.

G. W. EATON, deceased, was born in Delaware County, Ohio, in 1828, and was reared in DeKalb County, Ill. In 1856 he removed to Buchanan County, Iowa, where he followed agricultural pursuits. In October, 1867, he came to Franklin County, Kan., and located on Section 26, Appanoose Township. He was appointed Postmaster of Appanoose in May, 1875. Mr. Eaton was married in DeKalb County, Ill., April 20, 1856, to Sophronia Gandy. This union was blessed with eight children. He died in this township May 3, 1879; his widow still resides on the farm. She has 160 acres, all well improved, and is Postmistress of Appanoose postoffice.

MICHAEL H. HORNBECK, farmer, Section 4, P. O. Pomona, was born in Pickaway County, Ohio, March 15, 1833, and reared on a farm. He taught school in Union County in connection with agricultural pursuits for about seven years. Mr. Hornbeck came to Franklin County, Kas., sic in 1865; farmed in Harrison Township. He was elected Justice of the Peace at the organization of the township, in which capacity he served two terms; and in the fall of 1871 moved to his present farm. He has 195 acres, 100 of which are under cultivation; has a fine orchard of about eight acres, and is extensively engaged in raising live stock. He was Trustee of Appanoose Township in 1877 and '78, and Treasurer in 1879 and '80. Mr. Hornbeck was married in Union County, Ohio, October 4, 1854, to Isabelle Elliott. They have seven living children and two deceased.

JAMES W. JAMES, farmer, Section 33, P. O. Centropolis, was born in Wales, December 15, 1819, and learned the trade of plasterer. In 1839 he enlisted in the Royal Marines, and served thirteen years. Mr. James participated in the Anglo-Chinese War, and has seen considerable service in various portions of the globe. He came to America in 1853, and worked at his trade in various Eastern and Southern States. In March, 1858, he came to Kansas, and located in Leavenworth; in the fall of that year he came to Franklin County, locating shortly after on his present farm. He owns 144 acres, 65 of which are in cultivation. He has a nice orchard of about 200 trees of various kinds of fruits. During the late war he served as Captain of Company A, Tenth Kansas State Militia.

WILLIAM KEETHLY, farmer, Section 9, P. O. Pomona, was born in Knox County, Tenn., in 1827. When young his parents emigrated to Cass County, Ill., and he was reared there on a farm. In 1847 he enlisted in the United States Sixteenth Regiment of Infantry; served one year in the Mexican war, after which he followed farm work in Cass County. In 1855 he came to Kansas, but only remained a few months. In the fall of 1858 he returned to this State and farmed for eleven months in Franklin County, after which he again returned to his home in Cass County. In 1863 he removed to Quenemo, Osage County, Kas. sic, where he was employed in the mercantile business for a year, and for a time at Fort Gibson. In the latter part of 1855 he came to Franklin County, located in Centropolis, and was employed at farm work, also as a carpenter, etc. In 1870 he moved on his present farm which consists of sixty-five acres, all improved, fifty of which are in cultivation; and he has a nice orchard.

JAMES J. LAWRENCE, farmer, Section 4, P. O. Pomona, was born in Nelson County, Ky., in 1822. When very young his parents moved to Perry County, Ind., where he was reared on a farm. In 1847 he went to Henderson County, Ill., where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits. In November, 1875, he came to Franklin County, Kas. sic, and located on his present farm, which consists of 320 acres of land; he also owns 320 acres in Greenwood Township, and is an extensive raiser of live stock. On his place is a fine residence and a good orchard of some three acres.

RUFUS C. McEATHRON, farmer, Section 26, P. O. Appanoose, was born in Canada, May 24, 1837, and emigrated to Stephenson County, Ill., with his parents, in 1848, where he was employed in general farm work. On May 24, 1862, he enlisted in Company G, Fifteenth Illinois Infantry. He was immediately elected First Lieutenant. On May 17, 1863, was promoted to Captain, and to Major July 7, 1863. He was mustered out of the service in August, 1864, and on March 13, 1865, received the honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He came to Kansas in the fall of 1864, and located in Franklin County, on his present farm. He has 240 acres, of which he cultivates 100, and raises considerable live stock. He was Justice of the Peace here for several years, and was elected Treasurer of the township in the spring of 1882. Mr. McEathron was married in Douglas County, Kan., February 3, 1867, to Fannie Toucher. They have two children, Susan M. and Rufus.

ANDREW J. McMAKIN, farmer, Section 4, P. O. Ottawa, was born in South Carolina in 1827, and in 1839 removed to Cherokee County, Ga., where he followed agricultural pursuits. In 1861 he enlisted in the Thirty-eighth Regiment of Georgia Confederate Troops, and served as commander of Company B of that regiment during the war, after which he returned to his farm in Cherokee County. Mr. McMakin came to Kansas in October, 1870; resided one winter in Leavenworth, and then came to Franklin County and located on his present farm. He has 165 acres, ninety-five of which are in cultivation, and he raises considerable live stock.

DAVID L. MONTGOMERY, farmer, Section 36, P. O. Appanoose, was born in Allen County, Ohio, February 3, 1830. He was reared on a farm, followed agricultural pursuits, and was for some time employed on boats running on the canal. He came to Franklin County, Kan. in March, 1860; remained, however, only a few months, when he moved into Osage County, and farmed there for three years, after which he followed agricultural pursuits in Franklin and Douglas counties, and on November 16, 1869, he finally made a permanent settlement on his present farm. Mr. Montgomery has seventy-five acres of land, five of which are laid off in fruit trees of various kinds, and the balance he uses for grain farming. He was married in Auglaize County, Ohio, in 1855, to Mary A. Hook. They have a family of seven children.

JOHN PARKINSON, dealer in live stock, was born in St. Augustine, Fulton Co., Ill., July 28, 1842. His parents emigrated to Leavenworth, Kan., in 1856 and a year later to Franklin County, locating in Centropolis. The subject of this sketch assisted his father on the farm up to 1860, when he went to Colorado and remained seven months. Returning to Franklin County, he, one year later, engaged in farming on his own account. In 1867, he branched out into raising and dealing in live stock. He owns in this County 1,300 acres of land. In 1871, in connection with other pursuits, he embarked in mercantile business at Pomona, selling out in 1878, to Jonathan Parkinson. In February, 1882, he purchased an interest in the business, which is conducted under the style of J. Parkinson & Co.; Jefferson Mundy is also a partner in the firm, and he and Mr. Jno. Parkinson have, since May, 1881, been interested together in live stock business. They are large dealers, purchasing heavily in the Western States and Territories.

JOHN F. PATTON, farmer, Section 5, P. O. Pomona, was born in Coshocton County, Ohio, March 7, 1840, and a few months later his parents moved to Edgar County, Ill., where he followed, after arriving at maturity, agricultural and mechanical pursuits. He enlisted in May, 1863, in Company I, One Hundred and Thirty-third Indiana Infantry, and was mustered out in December, 1864. Mr. Patton came to Kansas in March, 1866, resided for about three months in Douglas County, then removed to Topeka, where he was employed as a stone mason on the State Capitol for three months, after which he followed agricultural pursuits in Osage County for about two years, when he made a trip to Edgar County, Ill., where he remained eight months; returning to Kansas in 1869, he farmed for a year in Douglas County. In July, 1870, he came to Franklin County, and located on his present farm. He has 327 acres, all improved, cultivates 120 acres and is quite extensively engaged in raising live stock. He has a good orchard of about three acres. Mr. Patton was elected Justice of the Peace in 1875, and has been re-elected at each election since. He was married in Douglas County, Kan., in March, 1870, to Mary J. Tefft. They have a family of three children--Dora A., Edith E., and Edward C.

SYLVESTER PAUL, SR., Section 29, P. O. Pomona, was born in Monroe County, N. Y., in October, 1829, and reared on a farm. In October, 1853, he removed to Walworth County, Wis., where he conducted a farm of about 400 acres. During his residence there, he was Justice of the Peace for some time, and also Assessor. In February, 1865, he enlisted in Company K, Forty-ninth Wisconsin Infantry, serving four months. Mr. Paul came to Kansas in November, 1873, and located at his present residence, which is on the outskirts of Pomona, Franklin County. He has 332 acres, all well improved; 130 of which are in cultivation. On his place he has erected a fine stone residence, which cost $3,000, and a good barn. He has a good orchard, several stone quarries, and has put up a wind mill, which furnishes an abundant supply of water. Mr. Paul is largely engaged in raising live stock. From February, 1878, to July, 1882, he was also engaged in mercantile business at Pomona. This he sold to his son, Sylvester Paul, Jr., who is still engaged in the same.

ELIAS RICHARDSON, farmer, Section 4, P. O. Pomona, was born in Kentucky in 1846, and when very young his parents removed to Canada, where he was reared on a farm. In the fall of 1871 he came to Franklin County, Kas., and located on his present farm. He owns 108 acres of land, sixty of which are in cultivation. He has a nice orchard and raises considerable stock. Mr. R. was married in Canada in 1868 to Frances Jones. They have a family of seven children.

JACKSON STEELE, farmer, Section 24, P. O. Appanoose, was born in Monongahela County, W. Va., February 13, 1837. He was reared on a farm, and for six years worked in iron works in that locality. On June 1, 1861, he enlisted in the Third Virginia Infantry, serving until some time in 1864. He then re-enlisted in the Virginia Cavalry, and was mustered out in 1866. In the spring of 1867 he came to Kansas and located in Douglas County, where he resided for four years. In the latter part of 1870 he came to Franklin County and located on his present farm, which consists of eighty acres, sixty-five of which are in cultivation and five acres in orchard. He was postmaster at Appanoose from 1871 to 1873, and from July, 1878 to July, 1882, carried the United States mails from Burlingame to Appanoose. Mr. Steele was married in Henry County, Ill., in 1867, to Sarah H. Holland. They have a family of eight children.

CLARK TEFFT, farmer, Section 5, Township 16, Range 18, P. O. Pomona, was born in Washington County, R. I., September 28, 1827, and was reared on a farm until eighteen years of age, when he learned the trade of blacksmith, at which he was employed for about seven years. He also worked in the cotton mills in that locality. Came to Kansas November 19, 1854, settling in Douglas County, where he pre-empted 160 acres of land and improved and farmed the same for about fifteen years. This farm he still owns. During his residence there he was Justice of the Peace for four years. In the spring of 1870, he came to Franklin County and located on his present farm. He has 240 acres, 100 of which are under cultivation. He has a nice orchard and is a raiser of graded Short-horn cattle and Poland-China hogs. He was an active supporter of the Free State cause in the troubles of 1856. Mr. Tefft was married in Washington County, R. I., December 13, 1846, to Claricy A. Larkin. They have two children -- Mary J., now Mrs. J. F. Patton, and Milton D., who farms near his father's place.

DR. EBEN TOPPING, drugs, paints and oils, was born in Montgomery County, N. Y., in 1823. Was for a short time engaged in mercantile business in the County. He studied medicine at New York State Medical College at Albany, and at Cincinnati, Ohio Medical College, where he graduated in 1849. He then practiced in Lewis County, N. Y., for a year. In 1850, he went to Sauk County, Wis., where he practiced, and was also engaged in drug business. In 1864 he removed to Union County, Ill., where he was engaged in fruit growing on an extensive scale. He came to Kansas in the fall of 1867, located in Ottawa, and carried on a nursery business up to 1877, when he removed to Pomona, where in connection with his practice he carries on a drug business.

DENNIS WARD, farmer, Section 32, P. O. Appanoose, was born in Ireland in 1835. Fourteen years later, emigrated to America; his parents located in Jersey County, Ill., and he was employed at farm work. In the fall of 1854, he came to Kansas, locating at Doniphan County, and was for three years employed in freighting. In 1857 he came to Franklin County and was employed in teaming Indian supplies, etc., and for a time in teaming for the United States Army during the early portion of the war. In February, 1863, he enlisted in Company K, Sixteenth Kansas Cavalry, serving until the close of the war, after which he gave his attention to agricultural pursuits. In 1868 he moved on to his present farm. Mr. Ward has 250 acres, 200 of which are in cultivation. He has just lately built a fine stone residence on his place, and he is an extensive raiser of cattle, etc. He was married in Osage County, Kan., in 1870, to Louisa Dooty; she died about 1875 leaving one son, William Thomas. Mr. W. was married again in Douglas County, Kan., in 1878, to Mary Fall. They have two children--Mary and John.

JOHN H. WHETSTONE, farmer, Section 32, P. O. Pomona, was born in Hardin County, Ky., April 4, 1829, and four years later his parents emigrated to Coles County, Ill., where he was reared on a farm. In 1849 he went to Shelby County, where he purchased 1,000 acres of land, and improved the same. Here he carried on an extensive grain farm, and also raised stock. In 1859, in connection with his agricultural pursuits, he engaged in mercantile business at Windsor, where he continued until he sold out and came to Kansas in May, 1864. In the fall of that year he located at Ottawa, and built the first sawmill in that region of the country, and conducted the same for about two years, after which he embarked in real-estate business. Mr. W. purchased about 15,000 acres of land in one body in Franklin County. On this he placed twenty and one-half miles of wire fencing and 130 miles of Osage hedge. This land he has gradually disposed of until he has now 1,500 acres which he uses for farming purposes; 400 acres are in cultivation, and he has an orchard of about 3,000 trees, principally apple and peach. Mr. W. moved on to his present farm in 1874. Owing to the large amount of land he had on hand Mr. W., in 1875-76, made several trips East in the interest of emigration and was very successful, bringing to Franklin County a large number of people from Illinois and other Eastern States. His farm adjoins the town of Pomona, which he laid out in 1870. He is still the principal owner of the town site. The subject of our sketch is one of the enterprising men of this County. He was one of the most energetic business men of Ottawa during its early settlement, and did considerable towards making it what it is.

WILLIAM WISCOMBE, farmer, Section 23, P. O. Appanoose, was born in England in 1804, and after reaching maturity, conducted a hotel for about sixteen years. In 1859, he emigrated to Franklin County, Kan., and farmed for several years; then in Shawnee County. In 1870 he returned to Franklin County, and located on his present farm, which consists of eighty acres, all highly improved. He cultivates some forty acres, and has on his farm about four hundred rods of stone fence.

DAVID YECK, farmer, Section 2, P. O. Pomona, was born in Adams County, Penn., in 1844. When quite young his parents emigrated to Logan County, Ohio, where he was reared on a farm. He came to Kansas in July, 1866, and located in Osage County, where he rented land and engaged in farming. In the fall of 1869, he came to Franklin County and located on his present farm, which consists of 407 acres. Mr. Yeck cultivates only fifty acres of his land. He makes a specialty of raising cattle, and uses his land principally for pasture. He breeds high grades of Durham Short-horn cattle and Poland-China hogs. On his place he has put out a nice orchard of about two-hundred trees of various fruits.