William Margrave Bourbon County Kan.

Information from Cutler's History of the State of Kansas. 

William Margrave, Justice of the Peace, came to Kansas, and located at Fort Scott, November 7, 1854, engaging in the grocery trade the following spring, and continuing in the business for six years. He was appointed Justice of the Peace December 5, 1854, receiving his commission from Gov. Andrew H. Reeder, it being believed the first commission of that nature issued in the Territory. He has retained his office of Justice of the Peace since that date, and was also Clerk of the District Court, Probate Judge for seven years, and Police Judge for five years, holding all four of these offices together some of the time. He was born in Gasconade, now Osage County, Mo., February 17, 1818, and saw the first steamboat that ever went up the Missouri River. He lived in his native county until fifteen years of age, then in Jasper County, near Carthage, Mo., until he came to Kansas. He was married, in Osage County, in 1840, to Mahala Baker, a native of McMinn County, Tenn. They have two children--Jennie and Eva W. Mr. Margrave is a member of the A., F. & A. M.

The following informtion came from the History of Bourbon County.

William Margrave, was born in Missouri, February 17, 1818.  He came to Bourbon in the fall of 1854, and was appointed one of the first Justices of the peace in the Territory, and the very first one appointed in this district.  His commission bears the date of December 5, 1854.  He has continuously ever since that time, and he is Justice of the peace still.  The Judge, in his quiet way, always stood in the highest estmation in this community.  Margrave Street in Fort Scott was named after him.

Authors note.  All the records say he married Mahala Caroline Baker, March 27, 1840.  Howerver after some research I found his head stone has his wife as Sarah M. (?), born Februray 11, 1822 and died on January 24, 1879, was Mahala Caroline Baker his second wife?