Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 250 - 251  

WILLIAM S. NOEL, one of the pioneers of Ohio Township, residing on section 33, came to Sedgwick County, and pre-empted the northeast quarter of that section, settling on the place before there were any improvements on it worth speaking of. By dint of great energy, perseverance and economy, he has brought it from its original state of pristine wildness to a condition of excellent culture, and it stands to-day a monument to his good management and business qualities. Besides this farm, he is also the owner of eighty acres of land in Sumner County, which he has acquired by the investment of his surplus capital.

      The subject of this personal memoir first drew the breath of life beneath the skies of his native Kentucky, in Garrard County, Jan. 16, 1832. He is a son of Robert C. and Nancy (Pruett) Noel, who were the parents of six children, as follows: William S., the subject of our sketch; Thomas, who is deceased; Lewis L., a resident of Ohio Township; Robert A., who is living in Kentucky; Mary A., the wife of Richard Hukle, of Sumner County, this State, and Nancy J., the widow of Marion Murphy, who is living in Ohio Township. The father of the family departed this life in 1864, but the mother makes her home with her youngest daughter, Mrs. Murphy. The ancestors of our subject drew their source from bonnie Scotland.

      In his boyhood Mr. Noel received his education in the district schools of his native State, and was early in life initiated into agricultural pursuits. After having attained mature years, for a time he was employed in teaching school with considerable success, but later gave up that profession to follow farming, which has been his business ever since. He continued a resident of the "dark and bloody ground," until 1869, when he removed to Davis County, Mo., with his family, and there made his residence until 1874, the date of his settlement in this county. He was united in marriage in Kentucky, March 25, 1853, with Paulina Anderson, who is also a native of the same State, and whose birth took place Dec. 27, 1830. The bride was a daughter of John D. and Matilda Anderson, both of whom were also natives of Kentucky, and were the parents of five children, of whom but the two following survive: Nancy, the widow of John Warmoth, who is living in Knox County, Mo., and Mrs. Noel, the wife of the subject of this sketch. The latter was reared in her native State until attaining the years of womanhood, and was there married. Several of her ancestors were among the heroic men who made up the Continental army during the Revolutionary War.

      To Mr. and Mrs. Noel have been born a family of eight children, of whom the four following are still living: John T., a resident of Sumner County, Kan.; Robert C., Alice P. and Lunceford A. The four who have gone before their parents to the home beyond the skies, were known on earth as Nancy A., Matilda B., William B. and Mary E. Our subject and his wife are both sincere and consistent members of the Church of Christ, in which organization Mr. Noel is now officiating for the twelfth year as Elder. In his political views, he affiliates with the Republican party, but has strong tendencies toward prohibition. His moral sense teaches him that the traffic in all intoxicating beverages is hurtful, not only to the dealer and drinker, but to the entire community. He has served for several years as the Clerk of Ohio Township, and is one of the leading representative citizens of that portion of the county.

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