Pages 358-359, transcribed by Carolyn Ward from History of Allen and Woodson Counties, Kansas: embellished with portraits of well known people of these counties, with biographies of our representative citizens, cuts of public buildings and a map of each county / Edited and Compiled by L. Wallace Duncan and Chas. F. Scott. Iola Registers, Printers and Binders, Iola, Kan.: 1901; 894 p., [36] leaves of plates: ill., ports.; includes index.



 

358 cont'd HISTORY OF ALLEN AND  

JOHN G. KENYON.

JOHN G. KENYON, who is the owner of one of the good farms of Allen County, and is now engaged in the livery business in Elsmore, was born in Rhode Island, October 7, 1840. In that State he remained until eighteen years of age where he removed to Wisconsin, residing for four years. Returning to the State of Rhode Island he remained for two years. He was married in Filmore County, Minnesota, of which State he had already become a resident, on the 4th of May 1861, to Miss Elizabeth H. Larkin, also a native of Rhode Island. In December, 1861, in response to the call of the President, he enlisted in the Union army for three years.

  WOODSON COUNTIES, KANSAS. 359

On reaching St. Louis, however, he was taken ill and later, was discharged on account of disability after one year's service.

Returning then to Minnesota Mr. Kenyon engaged in farming until 1866 when he removed to Brookfield, Missouri where he resided until 1870. That year witnessed his arrival in Kansas. He took up his abode on a farm of three hundred and twenty acres, located in the southeastern part of Elsmore township and for nineteen years continued its cultivation, making his home thereon until 1889, when he came to Elsmore and established his livery stable which he has since conducted with great success. He has been a prominent factor in the public affairs of the town, serving as postmaster under President Harrison. For about fifteen years he has served as justice of the peace and his decisions have ever been fair and impartial winning him golden opinions from all classes of people.

In 1897 Mr. Kenyon was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife who died on the 23rd of July of that year, at the age of fifty-six. She had many warm friends and her death was therefore widely mourned. They never had any children, but reared an adopted daughter, Daisy, who is now at home with her father, a young lady of seventeen years. Mr. Kenyon exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the Republican party, and has ever manifested the same loyal spirit of citizenship that he displayed when in 1861 he offered his services to the government in defense of the stars and stripes.


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