PRATT COUNTY, Part 3

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.

ROBERT ANDERSON, attorney at law. William and Elizabeth Anderson, the parents of Robert, were both natives of Pennsylvania, in which State, in Indiana County, Robert was born on October 10, 1844. His school education was such as he acquired at the common school. On October 10, 1861, he celebrated his seventeenth birthday by enlisting in Company C of the Nineteenth Infantry of the regular army, in which he served for three years, and was discharged October 10, 1864. While in the service, he was engaged in the battles of Stone River, Mission Ridge, Resaca, Dallas, Chickamauga, Kenesaw Mountain, Atlanta and Jonesboro. In the spring of 1865, he went to Iowa, and located in Davis County, where he located upon a farm and commenced farming. On October 21, 1867, at Bloomfield, Davis Co., Iowa, he was married to Miss Julia P. Edmondson, a native of Illinois, by which marriage children have been born to him as follows: Charles P., born in Davis County, Iowa. July 16, 1868; Cora E., same place, September 27, 1870; Nellie B., same place, February 19, 1873; Robert E., born at Iuka, Pratt Co., Kansas, January 2, 18?2, died September 25, 1882. For some years, in Iowa, Mr. Anderson was a very active member of the Grange, and was the purchasing agent for the Co-operative Association of Davis County, which he resigned to accept the general agency of the manufacturing establishment of P. Yrich & Co., of Pekin, Ill. In June, 1877, he moved to Kansas and located in Pratt County, pitching his tent upon a claim on the 15th of that month, the nearest house to him being fifteen miles distant. January 19. 1880, he was appointed Probate Judge to fill a vacancy, and at the general election of that year, was elected to the office, to which he was again elected as his own successor in the fall of 1882, and is now serving his third term. In the years 1878-79-80, he studied law, and was admitted to practice at the bar in June, 1881, and now follows his profession, in addition to attending to the duties of his office as Probate Judge.

C. S. CALHOUN, merchant, was born in Beaver County, Penn., July 22, 1853. When five years old, he moved with his parents to Van Buren County, Iowa, where he remained until October, 1860, when he went with his parents to Bates Co., Mo., returning to Van Buren county in June, 1862. There he lived until February, 1878, when he moved to Kansas and located in Iuka, In Pratt County, where he engaged in the mercantile business, being the second man to open store and sell goods in the town. Mr. C. was married at Iuka, March 26, 1879, to Miss Laura Long, of Fairfield, Jefferson Co., Iowa. One child was the issue of this marriage, Laura C., born at Fairfield, Iowa, February 13, 1880. Nine days after the birth of his child, Mr. Calhoun was left a widower, his wife dying on the 22nd of February, 1880. Mr. C. has studiously avoided taking any active part in politics, and confined himself strictly to business, but in the fall of 1882 the people elected him to represent the county in the Legislature, and in January, 1883, he took his seat as a member from Pratt County in the third biennial re-union of the Kansas Legislature.

HENRY P. COOPER, attorney and counselor, was born at Chepstow, Monmouthshire, England, April 27, 1830. His father was a barrister and counselor. He received his education at home, under the instruction of a family tutor. When eighteen years old, he commenced to read law with his father, and 1850 he came to the United States and located in the city of New York, where he entered a law office and resumed the study of law, and in 1859 was admitted to practice at the bar. In 1857, Mr. Cooper returned to England, and was there married, on the 5th day of April of that year, to Miss Ellen Scruton, a native of Goldsborough, England. By this marriage two children were born to him--Charlotte E., born at the city of York, England, April 10, 1858, and Ellen M., born at Goldsborough, England, February 22, 1860. He came back to the United States in the spring of 1859, and in the fall of that year returned to England, returning again to the United States in August, 1860. His wife dying in 1866, he again returned to England, where, on December 4, 1867, he was married to Miss Sarah A. Dobbs, in Gloucester. In March, 1868, he again returned to the United States, and in 1869, came to Kansas, and located in Washington County, where he tried farming about a year, after which he opened a law office in Waterville, where he resumed the practice of his profession. In 1878, he moved to Salina, Kan., where he remained until August, 1879, when he removed to Pratt County and located at Iuka. Mr. Cooper has held several important and lucrative positions. For three years he was clerk to the Commissioner of Taxes in New York City. He has served as attorney to the city of Waterville. He was one of the directors and attorney for the Marshall County, Kan., Savings Bank, and served as County Attorney of Pratt County, to which office he was elected in the fall of 1880.

LA FAYETTE CREPS, lumber merchant, was born at Fort Madison, Lee Co., Iowa, August 19, 1855, being the third child and second son of Reuben and Catherine Creps. He received his education at the common schools and academy of Fort Madison, entering the latter in 1868, and graduating in 1871. Leaving the academy, he entered a shoe store as clerk, where he remained eighteen months, when he went to Chicago and entered the business college of Bryant & Stratton. Leaving that, he went to Burlington, Iowa, and engaged in the shoe business, at which he remained five years, when he went to Red Cloud, Neb., and engaged in the general mercantile business under the firm name of Johnson & Creps. Remained in Red Cloud two years and four months, and then went to Colorado, where he remained six months, and then returned to Red Cloud and opened a broker's office, and was engaged in the brokerage business for eight months, when he moved to Kansas and located at Iuka, in Pratt County, where he opened a lumber yard and is now dealing in lumber.

GEORGE HELSEL, farmer, P. O. Iuka, was born at Dayton, Ohio, February 3, 1847. His education was received at the common schools, and when seventeen years old, on May 4, 1864, he enlisted in Company C, of the One Hundred and Thirty-first Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served until the close of the war. Leaving the army, he returned to his home, and learned the trade of carriage-making. In 1869, he moved with his parents to Allen County, Ind., and located on a farm. Was married in Allen County, October 2, 1872, to Miss Melissa Powers, a native of Indiana, by which marriage five children have been born to him, as follows: Ada J., born in Allen County, Ind., September 8, 1873; Anna L., same place, December, 1875; Benjamin F., same place, December, 1877; Charles, same place, December, 1879; and Edward W., born in Pratt County, Kan., July 9, 1881. In 1878, Mr. Helsel was elected Constable in Allen County, but he resigned the office in the fall of that year, and removed to Kansas, locating in Pratt County, where he filed a claim and settled upon it and commenced farming, which he is now pursuing successfully, and by industry and frugality has succeeded in accumulating a considerable number of stock.

THOMAS MARTIN, farmer and Deputy County Clerk, P.O. Iuka, was born in Indiana County, Penn., August 31, 1832. His father was a farmer, and Thomas remained at home attending school and working on the farm until he was twenty years old, when he entered Jacksonville Academy, Indiana County, which he attended for three years, leaving which he taught school during the winter seasons, and worked on the farm during summer. On May 10, 1861, in Armstrong, County, Penn., he married Miss Anna Maria Bryan, a native of Indiana County, Penn. Mr. Martin had two brothers, both of whom entered the army early in the war, his elder brother dying in Andersonville. Thomas enlisted March 10, 1865, in Company B, Sixty-seventh Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and was mustered out with his regiment July 1, 1865. Leaving the army, he returned to his native place, where he lived until March, 1878, when he moved to Kansas, and located in Pratt County, where he settled upon a claim. In 1882, he was appointed Deputy County Clerk, in which capacity he is now serving.

OSCAR L. PEAK, physician and druggist, was born in Dallas County, Mo., November 20, 1849; when three years of age, he moved with his father to Davis County, Iowa, his mother having died a short time previously. His early education was received at the public school, and at seventeen years of age, he entered the Troy Academy in Davis County, which he attended about a year, when he removed to Camden County, Mo., and became engaged as a clerk in a store, at which he remained nearly a year, when he went to Illinois, and entered Shurtleff College in Madison County, which he attended for three years, when he went to Bloomfield, Davis Co., Iowa, and commenced the study of medicine, which he pursued for three years, when he went to Cincinnati and attended another course of lectures, taking also a private course in the Cincinnati Hospital, graduating in February, 1878. Having graduated, he came to Kansas, and located at Iuka, in Pratt county, where he resumed the practice of his profession. He was married April 13, 1880, at Iuka, to Miss E. Viola Moore, a native of Davis county, Iowa, by which marriage two children have been born to him--Burt T., born February 22, 1881, died February 28, 1882, and Bird C., born May 24, 1882. In February, 1879, he was appointed United States Examining Surgeon for Pensions, and in November, 1882, he was elected County Superintendent of Public Instruction, both of which positions he now occupies.

GEORGE W. STEWART, merchant miller and stock farmer, was born in Putnam County, Ind., January 27, 1847, and the son of Ichabod and Rebekah S. Stewart. His father was a farmer and dealer in stock. When five years old, George W. moved with his parents to Centerville, Appanoose Co., Iowa. His scholastic education was received at the common school. He attended school and worked on the farm until he was nineteen years old, when he became engaged in buying and selling stock. On November 28, 1869, he was married at Centreville, Iowa, to Miss Sarah E. Shaw, a native of Indiana. The issue of this marriage has been Ora B., born at Centreville, Iowa, November 16, 1870; Lela E., born at same place, March 30,1873: Ada C., at same place, October 14, 1875; and Maud E., born at Iuka, Kan., September 17, 1879. In March, 1878, he moved to Kansas and located in Pratt County, where he engaged in the business of farming and stock-raising. While at Centreville, he served one term in the Common Council and in November, 1879, was elected to office of Register of Deeds of Pratt County, Kan. Mr Stewart is interested in a flouring mill at Iuka, and is also a member of the mercantile firm known as Stephenson & Stewart.

LEWIS C. THOMPSON, contractor, was born at Meredosia, Morgan Co., Ill, August 20, 1851. He attended the common school of his native place until of age to work, after which, for some years, he would attend school in winter and work on the farm during summer. In 1876, he moved to Spencer County, Ind., where he remained about a year, when he moved to Kansas, and located in Pratt County. Was married in Iuka, Pratt County, May 19, 1881, to Miss Ellen Mary Cooper, a native of England. Upon the organization of Pratt County in July, 1879, Mr. Thompson was appointed by the Governor, County Clerk, to which he was afterward elected twice in succession, and received a commission as Notary Public in 1882.

CHARLES T. WARREN, County Attorney, was born in Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Penn., April 22, 1859. He is the son of Rev. George Warren and Louisa Warren, both natives of Pennsylvania. Charles T. received his early education at the public school, and at the age of seventeen years he entered the printing office of the Mountain Echo, in Chickahinny, to learn the printing trade. He remained in the office a little over a year, when he entered the Dickinson Seminary, located at Williamsport, Lycoming Co., Penn., where he remained two years, taking a special course in scientific and classical studies, graduating in 1881. Having graduated, he entered the office of Hazelton Daily Sentinel as local editor and proof-reader, where he remained two months, when he entered the law office of C. W. Kline, at Hazelton, and commenced the study of law. In October, 1881, he moved to Kansas, and located at Iuka, in Pratt County, where he took charge of the Pratt County Times, in connection with which he continued to read law, and in June, 1882, was admitted to practice at the bar. In September, 1882, he purchased the Times, which he still continues to edit and publish, and in November, 1882, he was elected to the office of County Attorney, in which capacity he is now serving.