Plymouth Kansas.

Lyon County

Pike Township Map, 1878.

http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/223971/page/19

 

On the county map Plymouth can be found in Township 19-south and Range 10-east.  On the Township map Plymouth can be found in section 8.

 

Plymouth Post Office.

 

Plymouth Post Office open in 1858, with David McMillan as first postmaster. Post office was open up to 1930, beyond that I have no records.

 

People of Pike Township who used Plymouth as their P. O. address as of 1878.

 

Neil Campbell Farmer and Stock Raiser, From Argyleshire Scotland, came to county 1857.

Malcolm Campbell, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Argyleshire Scotland, came to county 1857.

L. G. Talbott, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Pike county Ohio, came to county 1875.

L. M. Harris, Nursery and Fruit Grower, from Hamilton County Indiana, came to county 1857.

C. T. Lewis, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Blount County East Tennessee, came to county 1861.

J. L. Coffman, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Maryland, came to county 1868.

A. A. Allen, Farmer and Stock Raiser, from Rockingham County Virginia, came to county 1868.

 

Plymouth Kansas, 1912.

Plymouth, a little town in Lyon county, is a station on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R. R. 8 miles west of Emporia, the county seat. It has telegraph and express offices and a money order postoffice with one rural route. The population, according to the census of 1910, was 100. This is one of the early settled places in the county, having been founded in 1857. The postoffice was established in 1858 with David McMillan postmaster. The next year C. Humphrey, the first settler, opened a store. The first school was a private one taught in 1862. by Mary Hammis. In 1864 the first religious services were held. A sawmill was built in that year and a little later a grist mill, which made Plymouth an important trading point. At present it is a shipping and receiving point for a large farming area.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PIKE TOWNSHIP, WHO"S P. O. ADDRESS WAS PLYMOUTH, 1883.

NEIL CAMPBELL, farmer, P. O. Plymouth, was born in Argyleshire, Scotland, June 12, 1832. His youth was spent in his native country, where he received a common school education, and afterwards worked as a grocer's clerk. He came to the United States in 1853, locating in DeKalb County, Ill., where he remained, engaged in farming, until he came to Kansas in the fall of 1857. Located in Lyon County, pre-empting 160 acres, situated on the Cottonwood River, about one-half mile west of Plymouth. He has since improved and operated this farm, but never resided upon it. In 1863, he built his present residence, in the village of Plymouth. From 1865 to 1872 he operated a steam grist and saw mill at Plymouth, the first mill operated west of Emporia. He has since purchased 400 acres in Pike Township, and now has about 300 acres under cultivation, the remainder being used for grazing and hay. His principal crop is corn. He is quite extensively engaged in raising and feeding cattle. Mr. Campbell is a member of the United Presbyterian Church of Plymouth. He has held the office of Township Trustee one year, and been Treasurer of the School Board twelve years.

THOMAS N. DIXON, farmer, Section 8, Township 19, Range 10, P. O. Plymouth, was born in Chatham County, N. C., November 23, 1851. In the fall of 1866 he came to Kansas with his parents. His father, Simon M. Dixon, now deceased, then located near Plymouth and began improving eighty-five acres of land he had purchased six years previous, situated in Pike Township. In the spring of 1867 he also purchased thirty acres of land east of and adjoining the town site of Plymouth, which he improved by the erection of a dwelling house, barn, and other farm buildings, planted an orchard of about 800 apple and 100 peach trees, besides smaller fruits. Upon this farm the subject of this sketch resided, with his parents, and since the death of his father, which occurred March 25, 1881, he has operated it. He also owns about 400 town lots in Plymouth. Since coming to Kansas he has continued in the pursuit of a liberal education, attending the State Normal School three years. His sister, Asenath E., attended the Normal at the same time, and graduated June 17, 1880, at the head of her class. She has since taught one year at the State Normal, one year in the county schools of Lyon County, and is now engaged in teaching in the graded school of the Third ward of Emporia. The family are members of the Society of Friends. Mr. Dixon has held the office of Trustee of Pike Township the past year (1882). He was the enumerator of the United States census of 1880 for this township. In 1882, he was delegate from Lyon County to the Republican State Convention at Topeka. Though yet a young man, by his ability, integrity and correct principles, he has won the respect, esteem and confidence of his fellow townsmen, and may confidently rely upon them to bestow upon him greater honors in the future, as a reward for the faithful discharge of duties he has been called to perform for them in the past.

JOSEPH G. ECRET, farmer, Section 16, Township 19, Range 10, P. O. Plymouth, was born February 28, 1842, at Carthage, Hamilton County, Ohio. Five years later his parents removed to Butler County, where they remained until they came to Kansas. His father, Samuel, located on the Cottonwood River, in Pike Township, Lyon County, about seven miles west of Emporia, in September, 1855. He died in February of the following year, when the subject of this sketch went to live with his brother-in-law, Mr. William H. Eikenberry, on the farm adjoining. Here he remained until March, 1862, when he entered the Quartermaster's Department of the Army, in which service he remained eight months. He then returned to Lyon County and was engaged in farming and various pursuits until the spring of 1867, when he bought a farm of eighty acres in Pike Township, one and one-half miles southeast of Plymouth, which he commenced at once to improve. He has since bought 120 acres adjoining the first purchase and eight and one-half acres of timberland. He has erected a fine dwelling house and various farm buildings, planted an orchard of about 225 apple trees, besides a large number of peach, pear, and cherry trees, and smaller fruits, and made other valuable improvements. He is quite extensively engaged in raising and feeding cattle and hogs; his principal crop is corn, but he also raises some wheat, rye and oats. He married Miss Martha Jane Phillips, of Pike Township, May 16, 1869, by whom he has one child, Estelle May, born August 12, 1876.

WILLIAM FLICKINGER, farmer, Section 6, Township 19, Range 10, P. O. Plymouth, was born in Perry County, Pa., September 26, 1829. When he was about eight years old his parents removed to Richland County, Ohio, where he was raised upon a farm. He received a common school education, and shortly after attaining his majority learned the trade of millwright, in which he was engaged until he came to Kansas. In the fall of 1857 he located in Johnson County, on the Santa Fe trail, and in the same season pre-empted 160 acres in Pike Township, about one mile northwest of Plymouth. In 1862 he began to improve this farm and has since continued to operate it. He has erected a fine, large dwelling, barn and other farm buildings; has an orchard of 325 apple and 50 peach trees, besides smaller fruits. He has since purchased 320 acres of land in Chase County, all fenced, and twelve acres of timber land on the Cottonwood River, south of Plymouth. Mr. Flickinger has held the offices of Treasurer and Clerk of the Township many years, and has also held many local offices. During the Rebellion he was enrolled in the State Militia and was called into service at the time of the Price raid, and during several Indian raids and alarms. He married Miss Eliza A. Buchanan, of Toledo, Chase County, in 1864. By this marriage he had three children, of whom Effie M., is now living. His wife and two children died in August, 1868, all being buried within the space of three weeks. November 14, 1872, he married Miss Rebecca J. Tressler, of Americus, by whom he has two children, John T. and Lillie K., both living.

MILTON LINDLEY, farmer, Section 8, Township 19, Range 10, P. O. Plymouth, was born in Orange County, Ind., September 4, 1841. His youth was spent in his native county, where he received a common school education, and was engaged in farming until he came to Kansas in the spring of 1860. He remained that season in Miami County, and in the fall of 1860 located in Lyon County, and was engaged in farming with his brother-in-law, Mr. Elisha Parker, until 1862, when he bought a farm 160 acres, situated on the Cottonwood River, in Pike Township, adjoining the town site of Plymouth. He improved this farm and operated for about eight years, since which time he has rented it. In 1874 he came to his present location, at the northeast corner of the town site, where in 1878 he built a fine large residence. He has in the home farm 20 acres, upon which is a barn and other farm buildings, an orchard of 300 apple trees and 200 peach trees, and small fruits. He now farms about 60 acres of bottom land, his principal crop being corn. He also raises some cattle. Mr. Lindley is a member of the Society of Friends. He has held the office of Township Treasurer three years, and been a member of the School Board many years. He married Miss Sophronia P. Hackney, of Plymouth, September 6, 1865, by whom he has three children - Annie K., Adrian L., and John W., all living.

ALSEPHES MCGINNIS, farmer, Section 7, Township 19, Range 10, P. O. Plymouth, was born in Gibson County, Ind., September 20, 1820. He was raised upon a farm, and when about sixteen years of age began life for himself, and was for six years engaged as a farm laborer. He then began farming upon eighty acres, which he operated for about three years. He afterwards had a farm of 100 acres, to which he subsequently added by purchase 200 acres. This he operated until 1855, when he sold his farm and removed to Dubois County, where he was for three years engaged in mercantile business. He then sold his store and business and returned to Gibson County, where he remained engaged in farming until he came to Kansas, in the fall of 1870. He first located in Chase County, where he engaged in farming. In 1881 he removed to Lyon County and bought a farm of eighty-four acres in Pike Township, west of and adjoining the town site of Plymouth. He has since improved this farm by the erection of a large dwelling barn, sheds, corn cribs, and other farm buildings. Has an orchard of about 250 apple and 100 peach trees, besides smaller fruits. He raises some cattle and hogs. Corn is now his principal crop. He married Miss Mary F. Kirk, of Gibson County, Ind., November 10, 1842, by whom he had two children, both deceased. She died October 14, 1845. He married Mrs. Sarah J. Hyneman, also of Gibson County, September 6, 1848, by which marriage he has had four children, of whom Mary E., Lucy Jane, and John W. are now living. Mrs. McGinnis is a member of the Baptist Church.

LEMUEL G. TALBOTT, farmer, Section 18, Township 19, Range 10, P. O. Plymouth, was born in Pike County, Ohio, September 10, 1832. Received a common school education in his native county, where he continued to reside nearly forty years. He was brought up on a farm, and soon after attaining his majority, began farming for himself. In the spring of 1872 he removed to Sangamon County, Ill., and was engaged in farming there until he came to Kansas in the fall of 1875. Located in Pike Township, Lyon County, and bought an improved farm of 100 acres, situated south of and adjoining the town site of Plymouth. In 1876 he bought about thirty-five acres of land, situated on the western line of the town site, upon which he built a dwelling, which was burned in January, 1879. He at once re-built upon the same foundation the fine commodious dwelling in which he now lives. He has upon the home farm a barn, cribs and other farm buildings, and has a granary upon the lower farm. He has since added to the original purchase 105 acres adjoining, and now operates about 240 acres of farm land. Corn is the principal crop. He also raises some cattle and hogs. Mr. Talbott has been a member of the Township School Board three years since coming to Kansas, and during his residence in Ohio held various local offices. He married Miss Louisa J. Bennett, of Pike County, Ohio, December 23, 1857, by which marriage he has had three children, of whom Benjamin A and Anna L., are now living. Mr. and Mrs. Talbott are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.