John Larkin

John Larkin was born October 27, 1827 in Ireland and came to America while a small boy. He and his wife were married in St. Louis, Missouri, about 1854. An early settler in Kansas, he lived on a farm near Lawrence when that town was raided by Quantrell's Raiders. The family lost all their property but managed to escape alive. He was a member of the Kansas State Militia during the war, but was never in the regular service. He and his family came to Barber County from Ellsworth. They settled in the Deerhead community. John's children were Sarah Jackson, Mary (Molly) McCormick, Anna Stewart and sons Pat, Jack, William, Henry, George and Charley.
Sarah and Molly lived together after their husbands died. They lived in a little house just south of where the home of George Fritz is presently located. William, Henry and Charley were never married. Jack and George married sisters, Stella and Mary Kennedy. Jack and Stella made their home in Wichita. George and Mary (Mayme) lived just north of Deerhead. Their sons, Charles, still lives there. In addition to their family, they raised two grandchildren when their parents died.
Pat married Mary Flohr August 14, 1880. They had four sons and one daughter, Mary who married Willis Dunn. They ran the store and post office at Aetna, Kansas. Even though they had to haul everything they sold from Hardtner, Kiowa and Alva, there were few things you could ask for that Mary couldn't come up with. After Mr. Dunn died, Mary continued to run the store until poor health forced her to close. She was a spry little person that no one ran over!
Pat's son John married Zoa Myers. They lived at Deerhead and later at Sun City where they were engaged in farming. Their daughter, Aldythe, married Orland Quinby and they live in Denver as do John and Zoa.
Ed married Winnie Cook. At one time Ed ran a butcher shop in Lake City. They had two daughters, Kitty who married LaVern Robbins, and Edra who married Jack Cheshire. Ed and Winne were living on the Bill Heatherman ranch of Deerhead when Ed was killed by lightening. Kittie has two children, LaVeta McCune and Bob Robbins and four grandchildren. Edra has two sons, Ed and Rayford Cheshire, and grandchildren.
Chester (Chet) married Irene Gibbs. They lived around Deerhead for a time, later moving to Wichita. Chet worked in the Orient machine shops. They had two children, Helen and Ethan. Irene is the only one of that family left. She still lives in Wichita.
Nick married Della Helton, daughter of Sam and Mary Helton. The Heltons came to Kansas in a wagon train from Kentucky. Nick and Della lived in the Deerhead community where Nick farmed. In 1964 they sold the farm to Kelly and Rod Swayden and moved to Sun City. Their son Ernest married Mary Ellen Shepler and lives in Sun City. Don, who married LaVonia Gregory, lives in Wichita. Don works for the Coleman Company. Evah Mary is dead, as is her son, Mike.
All of the Larkins attended schools in the Deerhead area. The men and boys of the community were great baseball fans, Sundays usually saw a game between Deerhead and Lake or Sun or some other community. Many a romance started at these games. The mode of transportation was either horseback or in a buggy. With gas prices what they are, we may all have to travel that way again.