Barber County Kansas

Kiowa News, July 1, 1957.

Pearl Clark Bunton

Former Police Chief P. C. Bunton Dies Friday In Hospital

Pearl Clark Bunton, 78 year old Kiowa resident, died Friday in the Kiowa hospital following a short illness. He and his family had made their home in Kiowa since 1921.

Services were at 8 a.m. Monday, in the Hill Funeral home chapel. Burial was in the Riverview cemetery under the direction of the Hill Funeral home.

Bunton, a former Kiowa chief of police for 22 years, was the first white child to be born in old Kiowa. After he finished his schooling, he was engaged in the cattle business with his father on their ranch in Woods County, Okla.

On Jan. 21, 1909, he was united in marriage to Anna Virginia Sprague in Alva. The family moved back to Kiowa in 1921. In 1925 he was appointed as Chief of Police and served at that post until his retirement in 1947.

Survivors are his wife and one daughter, Mrs. Susan Noble of Kansas City; one grandson, Dennis Noble of Shawnee, Kans., and two sisters, Mrs. Belle Schweitzer of Hannibal, Mo., and Mrs. Bessie Hardes of Kansas City, Mo.

Obituary

Pearl Clark Bunton, son of Clark and Julia Bunton, was born in Old Kiowa, Nov. 9, 1878, and passed away in the Kiowa hospital, July 5, 1957, at the age of 78 years, seven months and 20 days.

He attended school in Kiowa and after his schooling, engaged in the cattle business with his father on their ranch in Woods County, Okla.

Mr. Bunton was united in marriage to Anna Virginia Sprague on Jan. 21, 1909 in Alva. To this union, one child, Susan Julia, was born. In 1921 he moved to Kiowa with his wife and daughter and in 1925 he was appointed chief of police and served his community well in this capacity until his retirement in 1947.

He leaves to mourn his passing besides his widow and daughter, one grandson, Dennis Noble of Shawnee, Kans., and two sisters, Mrs. Belle Schweitzer and Mrs. Bessie Hardes of Kansas City, Mo.

Mr. Bunton had the distinction of being the first white child born in Old Kiowa, and to this distinction must be added his reverence for honesty and loyalty. Another one of our pioneers has fallen but the dignity and poise that was his throughout his life was also his during his last illness and death.


Sheriff Bud McCracken - City Marshall Bunton was with Sheriff McCracken when he was shot and killed while apprehending James Clark at Kiowa, Kansas.

Photo: Roundup in Barber County, 1894., courtesy of Mary Lou (Elsea) Hinz. (Pearl Bunton in included in this photograph.)

Orville Tonk Mills: "Tonk was sheriff of Barber county in the 1890's. He followed the one trail herd from Texas to Barber County. He worked on the Salt Fork and Eagle Chief Pool from 1878 until the spring of 1885. He and Clark Bunton from Kiowa roped all the calves that they branded. One year they branded 15,000 head." -- The Chosen Land: Barber County, Kansas, page 330.


Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!




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