Soldiers & Business Men Of Olivet Ks.




Olivet Kansas.
Date not Stated.

Normally I would give all kinds of information on this town but this page will be different.  This time it's about the men of Olivet, and who came to live there after the war.  Olivet is like most Kansas towns of this time.  Dusty roads and after a rain it turn into nothing but mud.  There was little or no trees and the towns for the most part were built on a hill.  If you were to look at old pictures of Kansas towns they all seem to be going up or down a hill. Those who say Kansas is a flat State have never drove through it, Oh! they passed through it on the Interstate, but they haven't really drove through it.  But no matter what you say about Kansas towns these men pick Olivet, to live in.

LORENZO D. LAFFERTY, farmer, Section 8, P. O. Olivet, was born in Orange County, N. C., December 29, 1829; son of James and Sarah (Cockelrare) Lafferty. When a child his parents took him to Indiana, and there he was brought up on a farm; was educated in the common school. Enlisted February, 1862, in Company K, Fifth-third Regiment Indiana Infantry, was a Serigeant and participated in the engagement at Corinth, Jackson, Pittsburg Landing, Vicksburg and Atlanta, where he was wounded, and was discharged in February 1865.

He was married in Orange County, Ind., December 4, 1851, to Miss Ona O., daughter of William Felkin and Prudence McDanell. They have six children, viz., Sarah C., born April 22, 1853; Martha E., born May 6, 1854; James C., born December 27, 1855; Lydia A., born December 29, 1859, Mary J., born January 25, 1865, and Charles A., born May 21, 1870. Mr. Lafferty came to Kansas in 1870, and settled in Olivet Township; owns 230 acres, which he has under cultivation from the raw prairie, and good house, barn, etc. Mr. Lafferty is a member of Arvonia Lodge, No. 54, I. O. O. F.

ALBERT M. McCAULEY, farmer, Section 8, P. O. Olivet, was born in Orange County, Ind., May 5, 1839; son of James and Sarah Lafferty McCauley, who were children of Joseph McCauley and Vance Lafferty. Mr. McCauley was brought up on a farm, and received a common school and education. Enlisted August, 1862, in Company F, Eighty-First Regiment Indiana Infantry, served in the band, and was discharged for disability in December, 1862. Came to Kansas in 1871, and settled in Olivet Township; owns 125 acres, which he improved.

He was united in marriage in Orange County, Ind., May 10, 1860, to Miss Lucretia A., daughter of James Greggs, Esq. They have two children - Laura E., born August 5, 1861, and James B., born December 16, 1862. Mr. McCauley is a member of Olivet Lodge, No. 22, A., F. & A. M. and postmaster at Olivet. Laura E. is now the wife of William Soddeistum.

In 1869, Olivet was incorporated as a city of the third class. William Haslam opened a general merchandise and drug store, and later H. J. Davis opened a hotel, Bartels & Munger started a saw-mill. Wagon and blacksmith shops, etc., were started.

In 1870, Dr. William C. Sweezey opened a store. T. B. Haslam opened a broker's and exchange office, and some other business enterprises were stated.

At the time of the first settlement, the nearest post-office was at Burlingame, twenty miles distant, and William Haslam would have the mail for the neighbors brought over to his store whenever an opportunity occurred. In 1870, he was appointed postmaster, and Olivet made a postoffice on a new mail route.

Dr. William C. Sweezey or Sweesey, Enlisted September 15, 1864, at Bennington Indiana, Age 32, Rank Private-Surgeon, Company B., 140th., Indiana Infantry, Discharged November 12, 1864, to accept a commission as primary surgeon, Field & Staff.