Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Faces of Osage County 1879.

Here are the faces of Osage County, these men saw to it that the county ran smoothly.  There will be two pictures to see a larger picture take the links provided. Photo 1. http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/224042/page/12
Photo 2. http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/224042/page/25
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N. Frankhouser was Sheriff of Osage County in 1879, he was from Seneca County Ohio, came to Osage county in 1869.  This author was unable to find any more information on him.

Thomas Donnell was Clerk of the District Court in 1879, he was from Allegheny County Pennsylvania, came to Osage county in 1870.  Once again this author was un able to find any more information on him.

S. D. Wright was County Attorney in 1879, he was from Van Buren County Iowa, came to Osage County in 1872. Here again this author was unable to find any more information on him.

H. A. Billings, Probate Judge of Osage County.

HENRY A. BILLINGS, lumber dealer, of the firm of H. A. Billings & Co., also Vice-President of the Burlingame Savings Bank, carries a stock of lumber valued at $6,000; came to Kansas in March, 1865. For a few years followed farming near the town, and for seven years was Probate Judge of the county and during that time was a member of the firm of Billings, Marshall & Sheldon, real estate dealers. In 1879-80 was in the lumber business with W. Y. Drew, and afterward in the mercantile business with Mr. Drew, continuing until June, 1882. He was one of the stockholders of the new opera house, but sold his interest. He was born in Monroe County, N. Y., July 24, 1828. When nine years of age, moved with his parents to Williams County, Ohio; resided there eight years, and removed to La Grange County, Ind., and engaged in farming until coming to Kansas. He was married in the summer of 1849, at La Grange, Ind., to Miss Sarah E. Smart, a native of Newbold, near Hull, England. They have two children living - Seymour L. and Orely C.; have lost two children - one infant daughter and Frank, a young man who died in November, 1875, of malarial fever. Mr. Billings was Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners from June, 1870, until January, 1872. He is a stockholder of the Burlingame Union Agricultural Society. Was Appraiser of Real Estate one term in Indiana, and Justice of the Peace one term. Was prominent member of the Union League and an active Union man and Republican. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

S. B. Enderton was Register of Deeds, he was from Median County Ohio, came to Osage County in 1868. This author was unable to find any information on him.

J.S. Edie was Counth Treasurer, he was from York County Pennsylvania, came to Osage County in 1870.  This author was unable to find any information on him.

E. Spaulding was County Clerk in 1879, he was from Bradford County Pennsylvania, came to Osage County in 1869.  This author was unable to find any information on him.
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Authors note.  When I first started this page I thought it would be easy to find information on these man.  But I was wrong, you would think that being in public office and in the public eye that there would be some kind of information on them but this is not the case.  I will post what information I have and the pictures are interesting and some one may need what information I have.
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W. H. Morgan, Pub. of the ( Osage City Free Press ), he was from Cuyahoga County Ohio, came to Osage county in 1871.

The Osage City Free Press was established in August, 1871, by W. H. Morgan and A. B. Cooper. It was then called the Osage City Shaft, but in March, 1875, John P. Campbell purchased it and changed the name to the Free Press. After publishing the paper about a year he sold it to W. H. Morgan, who continued it until March 1, 1881, when it was purchased by the present editor and proprietor, J. V. Admire. This paper is an eight-column folio, and Republican in politics. It is printed on a Campbell steam-powered press. Under its present editorial management it is considered one of the leading newspapers in the State.

William Thompson, was a Attorney at Law, he was from Scotland, came to Osage County in 1870.

WILLIAM THOMSON, attorney-at-law and notary public, office in bank building, Burlingame, came to this State in the month of April, 1870. He was appointed to fill the vacancy in the office of Probate Judge by Gov. Harvey during the same year. In 1872 he was elected by a large majority county Attorney, and served in that capacity for two years, laid the foundation, by his vigorous prosecutions, for his after acquired large and successful legal practice. Mr. Thomson is of Scottish origin, having been born in historic Linlithgow, Scotland, February 24, 1845. When five years of age his parents moved to Chicago, Ill., where his father, Thomas Thomson, soon bought out the oldest established cracker factory in that city, and controlled it until his death on February 22, 1863. Mr. Thomson graduated from the Chicago University in the class of 1867, receiving at that time his degree of Bachelor of Arts, and in the fall of that year became the Principal of the schools at Toulon, the county-seat of Stark County, Ill., where he continued for one year. The next year he taught at Astoria, in Fulton County, Ill. During this time he was also privately engaged in legal studies, and in the summer of 1869 entered the office of Moore & Caulfield, distinguished lawyers of Chicago, and also attended the law school there, and was admitted to the bar of Illinois in October of that year. He was married March 26, 1874, near Burlington, in Coffey County, Kansas, to Miss Sarah E. Hudwall, of Astoria, Fulton County, Ill., and has one daughter, Maud Somerville. He enlisted in May, 1864, in Company D, One Hundred and Thirty-fourth Illinois Infantry. The operations of the command to which he belonged were directed against Price in Kentucky and Missouri. He was mustered out in November, 1864. Mr. Thomson, besides being successful as a lawyer, has attained prominence in State politics, having been Secretary of the Republican-State Central Committee in 1879 and 1880; Chairman of Third Congressional District Convention in 1878, and as a candidate for Attorney General before the Republican State Convention in 1880, received a highly complimentary vote. He was a delegate to the National Republican Convention of 1880, voting therein for the nomination of the lamented Gen. Garfield. He is a member of Corinthian Lodge No. 79, A., F. & A. M., and Burlingame Lodge, No. 14, I. O. O. F.
H. D. Shepard, was a Merchant, was from Middlesex County Ct. came to Osage County in 1868.

HON. H. D. SHEPARD, merchant. Also deals in agricultural implements, grain and hay, and is also interested in mining. Does the largest business of any dealer in the county. In the Burlingame store carries a stock of $20,000, and the sales will reach the enormous sum of $150,000. Also has a store in Eskridge, which carries a stock of $10,000. The hay trade will average $50,000 annually, and in 1881 shipped 495 cars of bailed hay from Burlingame and vicinity. Mr. Shepard is also interested in grain and cattle to some extent. He came to Kansas in 1858 and located at Wilmington. Continued in business there in a limited way until 1868, when he came to Burlingame. Was born in Middlesex County, Conn. May 1, 1838. Was married in 1865, at Burlingame, to Miss Daphne S. Dutton, a native of Vermont, and daughter of Father Dutton, a pioneer of Osage County, and has three children - Nellie, Alice and Emma. In 1865 Mr. Shepard was elected to a seat in the popular branch of the Legislature from Wabaunsee County, and re-elected the following year. Was a member of the Board of County Commissioners and Chairman a portion of the time. Was elected Mayor of Burlingame three terms. Served in the Osage County battalion during the threatened Price invasion of the State. Mr. Shepard is a man of enterprise and means, and has not only built up a large and growing business, but has displayed as much public spirit, and contributed as much toward the building up of his adopted city and county, as any man within its borders. His residence is one of the finest in the county. Is a member of A., F. & A. M. Order, and has stock in the Burlingame Union Agricultural Society.

James Rogers, Attorney & Counsellor at Law, came from Grafton County N. H., came to Osage County in 1856.

On February 1, 1858, the Burlingame Town Company was incorporated by an act of the Legislature. The Company was composed of Philip C. Schuyler, Samuel R. Caniff, George Bratton, John Drew, N. P. B. Schuyler, and James Rogers.

Corinthian Lodge, No. 79, A., F. & A. M., was instituted under dispensation, February 17, 1868. A charter was granted the next October. Of the first officers Max Buck was W. M.; and James Rogers, Secretary. The other charter members were C. M. Smith, O. H. Sheldon, R. H. Baird, John Wilbur, C. C. Crumb, and A. P Rambo. The Masonic Hall was built in 1870, at a cost of $2,000. The lodge now has about fifty members and is in a very prosperous condition.



The Burlingame Union Agricultural Society succeeded the old Osage County Agricultural and Horticultural Society, and has a paid up capital stock of $3,000. It was incorporated in 1877, with James Rogers, President; Max Buek, Secretary; and J. H. Burk, Treasurer. The first fair was held that year, and since, one has been held annually. The society is in a flourishing condition. H. Ward is now President; H. Dubois, Secretary, and H. C. Finch, Treasurer. The society owns ground containing thirty-three acres, and valued at $1,200. These grounds are enclosed by a board fence, and are planted to trees. Two wells have been dug, besides which a creek flows across the grounds.

S. B. Bradford, was a Attorney & Counsellor at Law, was from Vinton County Ohio, came to Osage county in 1871.

In the fall of 1870, bonds were voted to the Lawrence & Carbondale Railroad. Dr. C. C. Moore was the first president of the road, and was instrumental in securing bonds from the county, and from Ridgeway Township. The road was completed and put in operation in 1872. For about three years it did a good business, but the coal business decreasing, the road was abandoned, and preparations made to tear up the track. This was prevented by the citizens, who, under the lead of S. B. Bradford, secured an injunction. Some time afterward the road was again put in operation, and regular trains have since been run, though the line of road is hardly long enough to furnish a paying business.

The Carbondale Bank was incorporated in May, 1881, with an authorized capital of $50,000, and the following officers: J. S. Danford, President; O. C. Smith, Cashier; J. S. Danford, S. B. Bradford, F. O'Donnell, S. Minchel, A. M. Sutherland, James Dickinshuts, James W. E______ (sic), J. Y. Urie and R. B. Mckee (sic), Directors. In November, 1881, James Dickinshuts succeeded J. S. Danford as President, J. D. Salmons having assumed charge of the bank in June, 1881, and being its acting President until it was re-organized. He is now Cashier, and also a Stockholder and Director.

Col. Hayes Post, No. 94, G. A. R., was organized August, 1882, with S. B. Bradford as Post Commander, and J. G. Ellis, Adjutant. The membership has been increased from twenty-nine to sixty.

Friendship Lodge, No. 2,340, K. of H., was instituted November 27, 1880, by T. B. Kingsley, Dep. G. D., of the State. The organization numbered thirty-five members. The first officers were: S. B. Bradford, P. D.; R. J. Coane, D.; J. W. Edgar, V. D.; J. A. Robinson, A. D.; Alonzo Stone, Y.; F. M. McClure, Rep.; F. D. Stevens, F. Rep.; S. J. Irvin, G.; E. M. Campbell, S. The lodge now numbers thirty-one members, and is in a prosperous condition.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

There may be some amazing and terrifying underlying truths behind the constant illusiveness of many Sheriff Agencies. See "Super Troopers", stupid, but possible agendas of huge personal gains. Something powerful is there...