This page is about the people of Onaga, Kansas. Onage is in Mill Creek, Township, of Pottawatomie County, Kansas. Although there were a lot of people living out side of Mill Creek Township who used Onaga as their post office address I will only list those who lived within Mill Creek Township. The years covered on this page are; 1877, 1883, 1905 & 1912.
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People Of Onaga, Kansas, 1883.
WILLIAM F. CHALLIS, attorney-at-law, Onaga, was born in Pontiac, Livingston Co., Ill., August 16, 1857. When ten years old, his parents removed with him to Kansas, settling at Wamego, Pottawatomie County. He was educated in the high school of that city. He studied law with R. S. Heick, of Louisville, and was admitted to the bar at the March, 1880, term of the District Court for Pottawatomie County. He moved to Onaga, and has been in practice there since. He is a notary public. He was married, July 10, 1879, at Louisville, Kans., to Miss Lizzie Riddell. They have two children - Leon, born April 11, 1880, and Ray, born June 10, 1882.
SILAS I. GRIFFIS, live-stock dealer, P. O. Onaga, was born in East Canada, June 20, 1849. At the age of eight years, his parents moved with him to Niagara County, N. Y. He was educated in an academy in Lockport, N. Y. In 1870, he came to Louisville, Kan., and has lived in Pottawatomie County since. He first engaged in farming. In 1880, the Sheriff of Pottawatomie County having resigned, he was appointed Sheriff by his excellency, Gov. St. John. He served until February, 1881, and has been in live-stock trade since. He was married, April 9, 1872, at Louisville, Kan., to Miss Emma A. Ingalabe. They have four children - Edith May, born November 24, 1873; Pete, March 27, 1876; Edna Maria, July 16, 1879, and Emma Mildred, September 16, 1881.
HENRY HOOVER, farmer, P. O. Onaga, was born in Henry County, Ind., April 19, 1839. In 1854 he came to Kansas and lived in Jefferson County until 1856, when he moved to Pottawatomie County, locating on the farm he now occupies. He is the oldest inhabitant of Mill Creek Township. In August, 1863, he enlisted in Company K, Eleventh Kansas Cavalry. He served with his regiment three years, was in the Price raid, and in a skirmish in which his regiment took part he was wounded, receiving a minie ball in the left arm. He has been a member of the District School Board. He was married, January 13, 1857, in Pottawatomie County, to Miss Melinda Eytchison. They have nine children: Laura C., now married; Nancy Ellen, William Merritt, Charles Henry, James Alfred, Edwin Elmer, Bessie May, Sarah Belle and Cicely Pearle.
WILLIAM HUTCHISON, farmer, P. O. Onaga, was born in Westmoreland County, England, April 12, 1824. At the age of eleven years, he came to America with his parents, settling in Canada. In 1848, he came to the United States, locating in Chillicothe, Ohio, engaging in the milling business. In March, 1862, he enlisted in Company M of the First Ohio Cavalry, serving nearly four years with the armies of the Cumberland and the Tennessee. Returned to Ohio after the war, and in 1868, came to Kansas, locating in Pottawatomie County, and was engaged in milling on Rock Creek, and in improving a farm. He mill was swept away in a flood, and since, he has been a farmer. He is a member of the A. F. and A. M. and the I. O. O. F. He was married, June 20, 1850, at Chillicothe, Ohio, to Miss Josephine Fritch. They have six children: Mary, Catherine, George, Thomas, Joseph and Flora.
JOHN P. KOENTZ, M. D., Onaga, was born in the Province of Gelderland, Holland, January 27, 1823. He was educated in a medical college at Amsterdam. Coming to America in 1849, he settled in Sheboygan County, Wis., where he was in practice. In 1855 he came to Kansas, locating in Leavenworth, where he lived four years, and then moved to Pottawatomie County, where he has been practicing his profession since, except when he was in the army. In 1862 he enlisted in Company K, of the Eleventh Kansas, and was promoted to Hospital Steward. He served in that capacity until the close of the war; was acting Post Surgeon most of the time. He returned to his farm at the close of the war, and in 1880 moved into the City of Onaga, where he still resides. He belongs to the G. A. R. He was married in October, 1865, at Little Santa Fe, Mo., to Miss Sarah M. White. They have three children: Walter William, Charles E., Christian H.
JEFFREY J. LA MORSNA, live-stock dealer, P. O. Onaga, was born in Upper Canada, September 21, 1846. In the fall of 1848, moved to Kalamazoo County, Mich., with his parents, where they lived until the spring of 1853, when they removed to Grundy County, Ill. He enlisted, March 4, 1864, in Company A of the One Hundred and twenty-seventh Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and at the battle of Kenesaw Mountain, Ga., lost his left leg. Returned to Grundy County, Ill., where he remained until 1865, when he moved to Champaign County, where he lived three years. In 1868, he came to Kansas, settling on a farm in Clear Creek Township. In 1878, he moved to Onaga, and went into the livery business. In the spring of 1881, he returned to his farm, and again in December, 1882, returned to Onaga, and engaged in present business. He was married, March 4, 1872, to Miss Maria Clough, at Onaga, Kan. They have three children: John W., Eben H. And Girard C.
AMOS E. LANDON, banker, Onaga, Kan., was born in Pottsdam, N. Y., June 2, 1830. He was a farmer's boy, but on attaining his majority, he began railroading, which he continued until 1854, when he came to Kansas, settling on a farm in Jackson County. In 1859, he was elected Sheriff of the county, and re-elected two years after. In 1863, he was elected County Clerk, and served one term. In 1870, he came to Onaga, and has been in mercantile business here since. In 1881, he established his present banking-house, one of the substantial institutions of the town. He was married, July, 1854, at Ogdensburg, N. Y., to Miss Harriet H. Burt. They have four children, now all grown to maturity.
FRED MIDLAM, druggist, Onaga, was born in Oneida County, N. Y., June 28, 1837. At the age of seventeen, he went to Cleveland, Ohio, and learned the carriage-making trade, and worked there three years. During the mania for speculation in the oil regions of Pennsylvania he spent six years there, amassed a fortune and lost it again. He then moved to Erie, and lived there two years. In 1868, he settled at Kansas City, Mo., and for four years was in business as an undertaker, then ten years in railroading. In 1878, was assistant foreman of the bridging of the Kansas Central Railroad, and came to Pottawatomie County. He located at Onage, and in 1880, established the drug store which he still conducts. He is a Mason, and a member of the K of P. Was married, August 11, 1859, at Mentor, Ohio, to Miss Ellen Hoyt. They have one child, Nellie.
FRANKLIN MILLER, merchant, Onaga, was born in Fond du Lac County, Wis., August 3, 1852. When a boy, his parents removed to Milwaukee. He learned the carpenter's trade in that city. In the fall of 1869, he came to Kansas, settling on a farm three miles west of Onaga, in Pottawatomie County. He worked on the farm until 1878, when he sent to the town of Hollenburg, in Washington County, and engaged in the lumber trade with Charles Zable. The next year, returned to Onaga, and engaged in the bulding business. In August 1882, opened present business with his brother, Washington. They have a store 30x100 feet, basement same size, and have both rooms filled with an immense stock of hardware, stoves, tinware, agricultural implements, wagons, etc., and do a large business.
THOMAS O'MEARA, merchant, Onaga, was born in Canada, June 6, 1831. When one year old, his parents removed with him to the United States, settling in Miami County, Ind. He was raised a farmer. In 1866, he came to Kansas and located in Atchison, where, with his brother, he began business in the grocery line. This continued two years, when he removed his business to Efflingham, and then to American City, Nemaha County, where he opened a stock of general merchandise. In 1878, moved to Onaga, Pottawatomie County, and has been in trade here since. He is a Mason, and is Worthy Master of Onaga Lodge, No. 188; also belongs to the K. of P. He was married, April 16, 1863, at Peru, Ind., to Miss Lizzie O'Brien. They have five children - Carrie, Nellie, Charles A., Anna and Leon.
JOSEPH PECHEUR, merchant, Onaga, was born in Lorraine, France, February 1, 1831. He was educated at a Normal school at Nancy, and was engaged in teaching in the public schools until he came to America, in 1864, He taught two years in Stark County, Ohio, and then moved to St. Clair County, Ill., where he lived for a short time. In 1868, he came to Kansas, settling on a homestead in Pottawatomie County, four miles from Onaga. In 1879, he moved to Onaga, built a business house, and opened a trade in general merchandise, and is still in the business. He is clerk of the school district, and an active man in all educational movements. He was married, August 2, 1880, at Seneca, Kan., to Mrs. Stephen Azier; each has children by former marriages.
F. A. REED, attorney and counselor-at-law, Onaga, was born in Kendall County, Ill, March 17, 1850. He was educated at Fowler's Institute, Newark, graduating in 1870. In 1871, he came to Kansas, locating at Louisville and starting the Kansas Reporter, which he published seven years, selling to a stock company that removed it to Wamego. He studied law, meanwhile, with R. S. Hick, and was admitted to the bar in 1873. Practiced at Louisville until November 1, 1881, when he moved to Onaga, where we now find him in practice, which is rapidly increasing. He was married, September 30, 1875, to Miss Rosa Hick of Louisville. They have two children - Pearl and an infant.
HENRY STORCH, banker, Onaga, was born in Poppenhausen, Bavaria, November 7, 1845. In 1867, came to America, landing in New York City April 8. Settled in Atchison, Kan., the coming fall, and engaged in clerking for three years. In August, 1873, he went to Muscotah, Kan., and began business as a merchant on his own account with a general stock. This he continued until February, 1872, when he built himself a store building 24x85 feet, in Onaga, Kan., where he moved his stock of goods and continued business until June 1881, when he took as partner E. B. Landon. In 1882, he built a fine stone building 25x50 feet, two-story and a basement, the first story occupied by the Onaga Exchange Bank, Henry Storch & Co., and the upper story being used for various offices. He is a Mason and member of K. of P. Was married, November 19, 1878, at Atchison, Kan., to Miss Alice E. Hagaman.
HUGH SUTHERLAND, farmer, P. O. Onaga, was born near Inverness, Scotland, February 14, 1819. When a boy, he came to Canada with his father, and lived there four years. He afterwards came to the United States, settling at Cleveland, and was the book-keeper for a mercantile firm in that city until 1849, when he located in St. Louis and engaged in same business. In 1850, he went overland to California, and for a short time was engaged in mining. Then he entered the service of a mercantile house at Nevada City, in Nevada County, where he continued until 1853, when he again made the overland journey to Missouri. He settled in Weston, and for a time followed his old business. His health declining, in 1857 he gave up mercantile life and moved on a farm in Jackson County, Kan., where he lived until 1865, when he moved to Pottawatomie County, locating on a farm, where he now lives. In 1872, he was-elected a County Commissioner, and re-elected in 1874, serving four years. While a citizen of Jackson County, he served several years as a Justice of the Peace. He is a member of the Masonic order. Was married at St. Louis, Mo., January, 1851, to Miss Hannah Mary Strickland. They have eight children - John, Mary Ellen (Mrs. S. A. Regar), Jenneatte (Mrs. D. H. Crum), George D., Lorena, Ida May, Nettie and Maud.
SAMUEL H. TAYLOR, farmer, P. O. Onaga, was born in Delaware County, Ind., October 6, 1833. He was raised a farmer. In the fall of 1859, he came to Kansas, settling in Mill Creek Township, where he now lives. In the spring of 1875, he moved to Oregon, where he lived three years. Returned in the fall of 1877, and is engaged in farming and stock raising. In 1864, he was in the Twentieth Regiment of Militia during the Price raid. He has been Constable and Deputy Sheriff for several years. He was married, in Delaware County, Ind., to Miss Nancy Godlove. They have five children - Harvey, Perry, Mary Ann, Martha and Carrie.
Onaga Post office History.
Onaga, post office open December 3, 1877 and was still open in 1961. First post master was Amos E. Langdon.
People of Onaga, Kansas, 1905.
The date beside the name is the year they came to the county.
William Berges, Farmer, 1871.
F. W. Brunkow, Farmer, 1883.
R. H. Brunkow, Farmer, 1874.
J. J. Brunner, Farmer, 1870.
August Buchhole, Farmer, 1865.
Steve Conden, Flour and Feed Mill, Onaga City.
F. F. Crevecouf, Farmer, 1870.
O. W. Grover, Farmer, 1861.
Herman Hartwick Jr., Farmer, 1874.
H. Hetzler, Farmer, 1886.
William Honig, Farmer, 1872.
Paul Jeanneret, Farmer, 1877.
Charles W. Kolterman, Farmer, 1869.
Ed. Kolterman, Farmer, 1867.
C. F. Kuehl, Farmer, 1868.
Adolph Lindeman, Farmer, 1866.
G. W. Regar, Farmer, 1865.
E. F. Richardson, Physician & Surgeon, Onaga City.
Phil Schwarz, Stock Raiser, Onaga City, 1870.
Lynn Swartzt Co., ( W. H. McGowen, Manger ), GEneral Merchandies, Onaga City.
August Tessendorf, Farmer, 1890.
A. F. Wegner, Farmer, 1868.
George Young, Farmer, 1891.
Charles Zabel, Farmer, 1882.
Onaga Kansas 1912.
Onaga, one of the incorporated cities of Pottawatomie county, is located in the northeastern part of the county at the junction of two lines of the Union Pacific R. R. and on the Vermillion river, 20 miles from Westmoreland, the county seat. It has 2 banks, a weekly news paper (the Herald), and is a shipping point for grain, live stock, fruits and produce. The population in 1910 was 800. There are express and telegraph offices and an international money order post office with five rural routes. The town was first platted in 1877 by Paul F. Havens, the president of the railroad. An addition was made to it in 1878. There v/ere only two families on the town site at that time . Amos E. Langdon and J. B. Hubbell.
