Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 1053 - 1055

MARCUS AURELIUS RALPH, a farmer and stock-raiser residing on section 3, Illinois Township, is one of the influential and representative men of the county. He was born Feb. 13, 1832, in Windsor County, Vt., and is a son of Jonathan and Marcia (Kingsley) Ralph, both of whom were natives of Vermont. His father was born Sept. 1, 1801, in Windsor County, and was a farmer by occupation. His demise took place in Vermont, Aug. 13,1875. His wife, the mother of the subject of this sketch, was a descendant of an old English family, some of whom were quite prominent figures in the history of their time. She was born Aug. 17, 1806, and died in Windsor County, Vt., Jan. 22, 1884. She was the mother of fourteen children, as follows: Jotham F., Marcus Aurelius, Wallace A., Lavina M., Mary R.; Frederick O. (deceased); William Henry Harrison, George W.; Clarissa A. and Lucia Marilla (deceased); Jerome K.; Veronia M., Winfield Scott and Clarence S., all deceased.

             The subject of this sketch spent his boyhood and youth beneath the parental rooftree, surrounded by all the sweet influences of home. He enjoyed unusual facilities for acquiring an excellent education, both in the common schools and in the academy located in his native town. The knowledge which he acquired in his early years, supplemented by a large course of reading since, has been of inestimable value to him throughout his life. When he had almost attained his majority he turned his back on his home, and started for Michigan, but shortly after moved to Winterset, Madison Co., Iowa, where, in company with his brother Wallace A., he entered into the nursery business. This brother was born Nov. 30, 1833. These brothers had been bound together by unusually strong fraternal ties, as is evidenced by the fact that whatever they have done throughout life, or whatever they have owned since attaining manhood's years, have been in common. It is therefore fitting that the portraits of these two gentlemen should be placed side by side in a work of this character. Eminently honorable, they enjoy the highest respect of the community in which they live. They continued to raise and dispose of their fruit trees and shrubbery, until the financial panic of 1857 swept over the country, and forced the suspension of many banks, and the failure of most of the merchants of the land.

             Compelled by necessity, the brothers closed out their business, and in the spring of 1858 moved westward, and settled in Sarpy County, Neb., some thirteen miles from Omaha, where they took up some Government land by pre-emption. Marcus commenced the improvement of the same, while his brother worked among the farmers of the vicinity to earn money with which to help pay for the farm, and to purchase provisions for their support. The former spent four years upon this place, and his brother nine. After starting a nursery upon this land, Marcus, in 1862, left it under charge of his brother, and crossed the plains to the golden shores of California, by way of Salt Lake City. He started from Omaha on the 19th of May, and arrived at his destination in September of the same year, spending some four months upon the journey. After his arrival there he was employed in teaching school for six years, at which time, his brother Wallace having disposed of their property in Nebraska, came to California, and they engaged in farming and lumbering.

             Mr. Ralph's extraordinary talent, and the extreme excellence of his education, caused his services to be in great demand, and he was paid a sum varying from $80 to $100 per month for his labor. He was appointed a member of one of the School Boards of that sunset land in the county he lived in, which position he filled for eight years with great credit to himself, and honor to those whose judgment had placed him there. In 1873, having received the appointment of Mineral Surveyor from the Surveyor General of California, he turned his face eastward, and coming here, settled in this State. With him, of course, came his brother Wallace. Our subject pre-empted 160 acres of land, and his brother 320, all in one body, where they now reside. Of this extensive farm, 160 acres are under a high state of cultivation, yielding excellent results, as a reward for the labors of the husbandman; the balance is in meadow and pasture land. On the place the brothers have erected a very comfortable house, in which they keep bachelors' hall, enjoying everything, as usual, in common. They are engaged in general farming and stock-raising, and are meeting with a deserved pecuniary success.

             In politics Mr. Ralph has always affiliated with the Republican party, but the principles of the new Labor Reform movement meet his views much nearer than the doctrines of either of the older political organizations, and it is his intention to give his influence and support to the ticket to be placed in the field by that party. Possessing an education far above most of the people, endowed with great natural abilities, and strongly grounded in the principles of honesty and integrity, Mr. Ralph is looked upon by the community in which he lives as one of their most influential and prominent citizens. As a mathematician he has no peer in the county, if indeed he has in the State. He is well read in all classical literature, the Greek writers, Homer, Cicero and Caesar being his daily companions, while he has at his tongue's end the Latin works of Horace, Livy and Tacitus. He is scholar in every sense of the word, and what is much rarer, a perfect gentleman.

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