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Barbara Jean Dixon Holt
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 211.
John's ancestors came from Wales and settled in Ohio. His great-grandfather came to Kansas from Ohio and settled near Longford. John's parents were married in Muscotah, lived for a time at Enterprise, and in 1922 moved to Florida John was the oldest of five children. Two brothers are deceased. A brother lives in South Carolina, a sister lives in Florida.
John taught agriculture in Florida and was a cadet flight instructor during World War II. He later moved to Wichita, Kansas and worked as a flight line inspector. In 1955 he returned to teaching.
Alice taught school in Burr Oak, Kansas after her graduation from Wichita University in 1940. She later operated a gift and photography business in Colorado and returned to teaching in Wichita in 1955.
John and Alice were married in 1955. Alice had two children by a previous marriage, Sharon and Tamara. Sharon was killed in a car accident in Colorado in 1968 while a sophomore at Colorado State University. She is buried at Winfield. Tamara married William Dorsett in Wichita in 1976 and they have three sons. They live in Manhattan, Kansas. Will is self employed in Dorsett Construction. Tamara is an elementary school nurse.
John had one daughter, Barbara by a previous marriage. She lived with her grandmother in Tennessee. Barbara married Robert Rowlef and they have four daughters. Robert had six children by a previous marriage. Robert is self-employed in his own construction company in Tennessee.
Alice has two brothers and two sisters still living in or near Cowley County: Clarence, Clara Colglazier, Olive John and Lawrence. Another brother lives in Colorado.
The grandchildren of John and Alice spend many hours playing in the same yard where Alice and her brothers and sisters played as children. The old farm pond near the barn site is well stocked with channel cat. The barn is gone but the native stone foundation still stands bringing back many memories of the happy times spent swinging over the bay on the rope and pulley hanging from the rafters.
It was only a short hike over the hill and across the meadow to Grandmother King's house and we made many trips there in our early years, some without permission. Grandmother King, Mary June James, always had sugar cookies with pink icing and we could sometimes get back home before we were missed.
Grandmother's house still stands and is occupied. It has been well preserved for over 100 years.
Submitted by Alice King Jones
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 211.
Having lived in the Prairie View Community all of my life and Roy came here in 1945 to live. Attending all of the school functions and other community functions throughout the area of Prairie View and Central Schools Systems.
Farming in the community and living on the homestead, Roy has worked in the oil fields, farmed, drove school bus for nineteen years in the Central School System. Pauline having lived on the homestead and worked with Polo 4-H Club nineteen years, Timber Creek Watershed District as Secretary, Cowley County Farm Bureau, nursing service, being a historian, writer, author, newspaper correspondent for the Winfield Weekly Record, Winfield Daily Courier, Cowley County Reporter and many other papers. Have done much in the way of research and traveled with my husband throughout Europe and many other countries. Author of the book "Blue Stem Country", and working on many other books at the present time. Having my own "Library" in my home and much in the way of histories of families, communities, towns, Civil War and much more in the way of history.
Children born were: Susan Mae Jones married Vernon C. Dennett and children are Douglass Alan and JoLynn Dennett living on a farm near Burden. Susan is a school teacher and Vernon is a rural mail carrier; Paulette Laura Jones married Michael Schadegg and have a child Shane Michael Schadegg and live on a homestead in the Prairie View Community. Paulette worked for the Winfield State Institution in Caring Hands.
Having traveled to Scotland and spent three weeks doing much research on the Kennedy and Jones's while there. Truly Scotland is a beautiful country and one can see the sheep dotting the grass land on the mountain sides. When the Kennedy's came here, this was Route 1, Polo, Kansas and then later Polo disbanded when the railroad track came through and bypassed Polo and later Atlanta was named in 1885. Prairie View Community was put on the map when the settlers came in 1870's to the wide open prairie and one could see a long ways, so the name of Prairie View came about.
Living on the 'homestead' of my grandfather Stephen Vallow Kennedy and grandmother Ollie Jay Roberts has given me an insight of the ancestors of living here long ago. Roy Francis Jones served in the European Theatre in World War II in the Army spending well over three years in the service of his country.
Submitted by Pauline Kennedy Jones
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 211.
She had a case of rheumatic fever as a youngster and nearly died. During this illness she said she had a near-death experience, in which she meets Jesus, who tells her that she could not go to heaven then because she had to stay on earth to help others. After she recovered from her illness she went on to do wild and crazy things like most young people do. But with this experience always in the back of her mind. She helped her elderly neighbors. She helped her Grandmother Allen, who was a midwife. She sold newspapers at the train depot on West Fourteenth, where her father, Claude Allen, worked for many years. As a child, Mattie was always working.
Later in life, as a young divorced mother with one son, Russell, she worked as a cook on a ranch until she returned home to help her mother, who had become ill with cancer. Just a few days before her mother's death in January of 1932, she met and married her knight in shining armor, Clarence Roy Jones.
Submitted by Mary Jane Crabtree, her neighbor.
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 211.
Additional information on Mattie: (Submitted by Terry Jones <tjonesshcc@gmail.com>)
Just a correction on Mattie Jones who was my grandmother. We had the same birth date which was April 15th. In the article it says she was born on April 16th. She had three sisters and three brothers:
Margaret Gertrude Allen b 8-05-1909
Forrest Henry Allen b 8-05-1913
Walter Roy Allen b 4-25-1915
Carole Allen b 2-26-1922
Kenneth Morris Allen b 7-14-1917
Murlene Noble Allen b 2-10-1924
Henry Claude Allen was the son of George Henry Allen who was born 9-29-1854 in
My father is Russell E. Jones b. 12-01-1928 who turned 81 this year and is doing great. My mother was Mary Margaret Flattery b 12-09-1930 d. 10-18-2000.
Submitted by Mary Jane Crabtree, her neighbor
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 212.
Sarah's mother, Elizabeth (Collins) Cole b-1820, father Leonard Cole b-1811. A declaration for widow's pension filed 1892, states Leonard Cole enrolled 1862, age thirty-eight, honorably discharged 1865. While in the service, in the line of duty contracted disabilities that caused his death at Huey, Ill. 1872. It was signed at Winfield, Kansas.
Fred's mother was Catherine (Peters) Shaffer. Father Andrew Shaffer b.1811. Andrew came to the United States on a sailing vessel about the age of seventeen from Bremen, Germany (at that time was Congress of Vienna-Prussia) landing at Baltimore, Md. He worked on railroad between Baltimore and Virginia, Catherine came also from Germany and they married 1837. They farmed in Bartholomew County, Indiana, homesteading to Marion County, Ill. in 1854. Fred attended log school house, 24xl8, with a weight pole roof, one mile north of Andrew's log cabin. Andrew died age forty-seven, while children still minors so guardian was appointed. Printed on his grave stone "Marked the perfect man and behold the up right, for the way of that man's peace".
Leonard Cole's father, Peter Cole b-1798, in Clinton County, Ill. Mother, Jane (Hughson) Cole b-1809, in New York. Peter Cole's father Edward Cole, mother Eleanor.
Etta and Frank June spent their lives in Udall area farming. Retiring and moving to Udall, Frank suffered a stroke that paralized his right side. Etta cared for him a year till his death. She lived two years longer suffering a heart attack, sitting on front porch talking with a neighbor. Etta (Shaffer) June b-1882 d-1952. Frank b-1879 d-1950. The parents of three children: Faye (June) Curtis b-1899 d-1949; Ida (June) Ferguson b-1901; Irene (June) Williams b-1915. Faye had one child, Donald b-d 193 1; Ida had three boys: Clancy b-1920; Thaddeus b-1922; Elvin b-1923 d-1973; Irene has two children: Darlene b-1937, Donald b-1942- Donald had two children Andreia b-d 1962 and Donald Jr. b 1978. Darlene has three children, Carl Cooper b-1956, Denny Wfllis b-1962, Etta (Willis) Peterson b-1971. Carl has twin sons Aaron and Allen b-1980. Etta has one child, Anthony b-1988. Only descendants of the Shaffer's living in the Udall area, Irene Williams family, Lola Rowe family, Ehdon Stout family. The only descendant killed Udall tornado, daughter Emma Faulk, age eighty, Irene Williams and Lola Rowe families survived.
Submitted by Irene Williams
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 212.
Granddaughter, Irene June, rode a horse three miles to that location, while attending high school. Other descendants in Cowley County besides Irene June Williams, are: Erwin Harris and Ernest Harris families, descendants of Minnie; Earl June and Everett June families; Ethel Wells, descendant of Charlie; Irene's family, descendant of Frank. There was only one descendant of William June killed in Udall tornado, a child, Ricky Wyckoff, a descendant of Minnie.
Submitted by Darlene Nelson
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 212.
In 1911 my parents and five children moved to Sumner County, Kansas near Ashton. We lived on a rented place until my father could get a house and barn built on the 160 acres he had bought.
Two more girls were born while we lived eight years on this farm. My two brothers, two sisters, and I walked to the Independence School which was one and one-forth miles. Sometimes we would cut across the pasture where we saw buffalo wallows.
Our family moved to Cowley County in August 1919. My father sold the farm in Sumner County and bought 360 acres four and one-half miles northwest of Dexter. We lived on a rented place just west of the Otto Hoyt home and went one year to Eaton school. My older brother, Clyde (Jack), rode horseback to Dexter High School. On March 1, 1920, we moved to the farm my dad had bought but we finished the school term at
Submitted by Ethel Cochran Kaster
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 212.
I went to Prairie Ridge my 7th, 8th, and 9th grades. When I started to Dexter High School, my older brother and sister had graduated, so l and my other brother went by horse and buggy until he graduated in 1927. During my last year, I stayed in Dexter. There were seven of us Kingsbury children and we all graduated from Dexter High School - 1923 to 1933.
While I was in high school, I worked during the summers- housework, dairy farm and grocery store. I got $1 per day.
I was married December 14, 1929 to Fines (Dink) Cochran. He was the son of Alfred P. and Minnie C. Cochran. He lived one-forth mile west of our home place. He worked for City Service Gas Co when they put gas in Dexter and was transferred to Greensburg where we first lived.
Depression Days started in 1930. Fines was laid off work so we moved back to the Dexter area and lived on the Cochran farm. There had been an oil well drilled on the farm and it had gas in it, so Fines piped the gas to the house and we had gas lights in the kitchen and dining rooms. When this farm was sold, we moved to Dexter. In May 1935, I enrolled in the Beauty College in Wichita and graduated in November. I had my shop set up ready to operate. My permanents were $1.50, shampoo and wave .35, and hair cuts were .25.
Our son, Elmer Dean Cochran, was born April 14, 1940.-- Fines died June 16, 1954. I married Reuben F. Kaster May 10, 1958. Elmer Dean graduated from Dexter High School in 1958. He went two years to Junior College at Arkansas City and then graduated from Emporia State. He has a MS degree in Indus trial Arts from Hays State. He has taught school for twenty- seven years. In March 1979, he married Sharon Fouls and they are raising Sharon's granddaughter, Jessica Martin. They live in Hutchinson and Elmer teaches in Inman.
After Reuben's death, September 14, 1981, I sold my home in Dexter and moved to Walnut Towers in Winfield and have lived here since September 1, 1984.
Ethel Cochran Kaster
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 213.
Members of the family migrated west. William Kaster, a great-grandson of Benjamin, first settled in Kentucky, then, Indiana and to Iowa. William married in Kentucky. A son,
Ann Kaster Day, County Supt., Cowley County
Reuben Fletcher Kaster was born 1841 at Riply, Indiana, He enlisted in Co. K. Iowa Infantry, and served four years in the Civil War. He was held a prisoner two years. Reuben married Dorothea Stevens 3 August 1862. They had two children, W.
Sleamon Kaster, 3 Aug. 1867; L.C.C. Kaster, 22 March 1868. Dorothea died and Reuben married Mary Ann Goldsbury.
She had two children, son Robert and daughter Victoria. Reuben and family came to Cowley County about 1873 in a covered wagon, stopping first at Conway Springs, then to Dexter. Mary Ann died 2 Feb. 1900. Reuben made his home with my parents after she died. He died 27 April 1900. Victoria married Otto Hoyt of Dexter, one child was born, William Hoyt. He was employed by the city of Winfield.
Leamon Clark Chaucy married Amelia Buch, 4 July 1865. They were married by Probate Judge Sitton in Winfield. Amelia's parents were German immigrants. Her father operated flour mills in Olathe, Cherryvale, Dexter, he was employed by Baden Mills, Winfield.
They had eight children; Ann, Sleamon (infant, dec.) John, Reuben, Hattie, Emily and Press.
Sleamon and Reuben served in World War I, Co. H., Winfield. Sleamon caught the flu. Reuben was sent overseas, England, France. Press served in War II with Texas Air, Tex as. John managed the Standard Oil Station at Dexter. All four are deceased.
Ann and Emily were teachers. Ann was elected County Superintendent of the Public Schools. After retiring she worked for Dawson Monument. Ann married Roy A. Day. Both are deceased.
Hattie married Fay E. Thompson of Dexter, their children are Phyllis Chapman and Rita Wild. Hattie and Fay are deceased.
I married David Earl Moore of Dexter. He was a postal worker. We had one daughter, Mary Margaret. She married Lauren Ward, they have two children, Patrick and Lindsay Ann. Their home is in San Francisco. Earl died 9 Feb. 1970.
Sleamon married Marguerite Moody. They lived in St. Petersburg, Florida. John married Ruth Swartz, Beloit. There were two daughters, Barbara Sue Burks and Joan Stuhl. Ruth lives in El Dorado. Reuben married Ethel Kingsbury Cochran, of Dexter. Ethel lives in Winfield.
Press married Mabel Constant of Winfield. They had a daughter, Suzanne, and two grandchildren, Stephen and Eric. They live in Virginia. Mabel lives in Texas.
My father was a rancher-farmer. He loved nature. Nearly 20 years he served as Township Assessor. He never had a car, always a horse. He would ride into the Osage and trade with the Indians. Both horse and rider were well-known.
By Emily Kaster Moore, the last sibling
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 213.
Irene and siblings attended Sedan schools, First Christian Church, until leaving home after high school graduation. Irene was in glee club and drum corps, sang in church choir, taught Sunday school in Sedan. Went to Winfield, in 1938 to Nursing School at St. Mary's Hospital, graduating in 1941. Married Hilbert L. (Pat) Kunkel, lived at 1434 E. 5th. Worked as Registered Nurse thirty-six years. Worked with the Udall tornado survivors. We adopted two children: Teresa Lynn, who married Floyd Earl Clarkson, have two children, Misti Dawn, and Bradley Kirk, have lived most of the time at Murfin Clarkson Polled Hereford Ranch north of Winfield, Kansas; Steve Allen Kunkel, who married Judith Hamm and have one daughter, Jennifer Renae and lives in Winfield, where Steve works for the Fire Dept. Teresa is attending El Dorado College and Supervisor of the Day Care Center at First Christian Church.
Hilbert's parents were Rolla Eldon Kunkel and Verna Starkey of Rock, Kansas, both deceased. Siblings: Frances Eldon, married Elsie King, three children Jerry, Eddie, and Eldon; Dorothy Kunkel; Wilber Mike Glenn, deceased, married Virginia England, one son; Helen, married Earl Valentine, two sons and two daughters; Eleanor, married Garland Johnson, two sons, two daughters; Marjorie, married Glenroy Jim Leayman, two sons, two daughters; Meryl Knapp married Cecil Peke, one son, one daughter; Marion Lee, married Norma Lanier, three sons, three daughters; one brother died in childhood.
Hilbert worked for Armour Creamery, Wakefield Oil Co., and Winfield State Hospital in Maintenance Dept., painting until disabled. Died October 12, 1975.
Irene retired from Nursing and married Robert (Bob) Dean Kearns Jan. 22, 1983. They live in the same house, although it has been remodeled. Bob was born in Tisdale, Kansas, attended schools in Winfield, was on the wrestling team, played tennis, attended JUCO. Has been a carpenter, roofer, in the Navy in Hawaii, manager of Merchandise Mart for twelve years. Then together he and Irene bought the store in 1986, she is bookkeeper.
Bob's parents were Raymond and Osie Brooks, now deceased. Three brothers: Donald Ray, married Mary Ann Shelby, children, Donna and Sylvia Ann; Harvey Thomas, married Dorothy, children, Tom and Beverly; Richard Allen, married Leta, children, Alan and Kimberly. All of Winfield.
Bob likes Racketball, Tennis, Softball, Bowling. Belongs to C of C, Sunrisers Kiwanis Club, First Christian Church, Elks Club. Irene likes bowling, gardening, keeping house, cooking, belongs to Grace United Methodist Church, Circle, St. Mary's Nurses Alumni, Rock Friendly Club, Lady Elk. Bob's children: Kollene De'an married Craig Hall, one step-son, Eric Hall, one daughter, Grace Raean; Kody Glenn Kearns married Debroah Parker, two children, Kaitlyn and Abigail of Wichita. Kollene is a clerk and does the ordering at Merchandise Mart. We are helping with the recycling program at home and the store.
Irene's parents moved eight times while in Sedan. The last one was to Pleasant Valley Nursing Home. Edgar died April 3, 1984, age ninety. Mary died March 8, 1990.
Submitted by Irene Kearns
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 213.
His parents immigrated from County Cork, Ireland at the time of the potato famine.
As a young man, Mr. Keefe lived in Ottumwa, Iowa, later on moving to Chicago where he met his future wife, Barbara Ann Clark.
The young married couple moved to Arkansas City in 1903 where he was associated with the Henneberry Packing Company.
In 1921, after the death of Mr. Henneberry, Mr. Keefe became president of the plant. This organization became known as Keefe Le Stourgeon after a partnership was formed with Arthur Le Stourgeon's ice company.
An active leader in business and civic circles, Mr. Keefe was a director of the American Institute of Meat Packers and was the first president of the Rotary Club in Arkansas City, as well as president of the Chamber of Commerce.
Regarded as an exemplary family man, after her death, Mr. Keefe brought his children to their mother's graveside for flowers and a prayer each Friday, her day.
The children of this union were Richard T. Jr., Edward Clark and Kathleen.
Submitted by K.K. Johnson
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 214.
Mable Keiser taught school here in the third ward. Bess Keiser started work for Newman's Dry Goods when she was 12 (in 1898) and worked up to being the buyer for ladies ready to wear until she established her own shop in 1930, which she ran until she retired and died in 1966. Georgia Keiser married Charles Loud and they moved to California. Mary Keiser married a Dr. Palmer and moved to Michigan. Walter Keiser moved to Topeka.
Anna Keiser married George Francis McCool in 1900 and he died in 1913. They had three children: Georgia Cecil, Helen Mary and Frances Claire. Georgia McCool died shortly after graduation from high school. Helen McCool married Clayton Finch, who worked for the Arkansas City Daily Traveler until 1928 when they moved to Ohio and bought a local newspaper. After George McCool's death Anna founded McCool's Floral and ran it until her death in 1937.
The Baxters were of Welch descent and had settled in Illinois when the two boys, Fred and Bill, decided to homestead in Kansas. They settled in Protection, Kansas, where they farmed. Fred married Gertrude Ann Booth. They had five children: Booth, Boyd, Calvin, Eleanor and Maxine. Fred died in 1935 in Protection.
Frances McCool attended school in Arkansas City and decided to become a nurse. She took four years of training at St. Francis Hospital in Wichita and graduated in 1928. She entered practice and continued working while she met and married Boyd Baxter in 1932. She moved to Protection, Kansas, and worked for Dr. Burkett at the hospital in Ashland, Kansas. Boyd was farming during the drought years and sold out in 1935. Because of the failing health of Mrs. McCool, the Baxter's moved back to Arkansas City to help run McCool's Floral. They had one son, David Layne Baxter, who was born in 1939.
David Baxter married Sherry Webb (daughter of Myron and Mildred Webb) in 1958 and they have two daughters: Lori Lynn, born in 1965; and Juli Layne, born in 1970.
Submitted by Francis McCool Baxter
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 213.
Beverly received a BS degree from Kansas State College in Biology. She worked in two clinical laboratories in medical technology. After their children were grown she became a histotechnician in the pathology department of the local hospital. Three children were born and raised in Winfield: Anne is an elementary art teacher; Joel is in natural resource management; and Eric is an environmental chemist.
Clinton was born in Guthrie, Oklahoma to Clinton V. Keller and Alice Thomas Keller. His father was a Santa Fe Railroad employee and they lived in several towns along the line of the southern division of Santa Fe before settling in Arkansas City where Clinton was in the second grade. He has one brother, Elwood Keller. Both of his parents were born in Oklahoma. The parents of his father were Nathaniel Edwin and Rosa Fast Keller of Oklahoma Territory. Clinton's mother was born in Guthrie to Martin and Dora Duncan Thomas. Dora Duncan was born in Scotland and came to the United States as a baby in 1871. Her parents settled in Dickinson County, Kansas.
Beverly was born in Arkansas City to Irl Ashley and Jeanne Muret Godfrey, the second child, with siblings Joan, James and William. Her father was a farmer and their home was on land homesteaded in 1873 by her great-great-grandparents Erastus M. and Jannette Godfrey.
Parents of Beverly's father were Verne Ashley and Edith Conely Godfrey. Parents of Beverly's mother, Jeanne Muret Godfrey, were William Hall Muret and Mary Meddock Muret who came to Kansas in the 1880's from Indiana and Ohio.
Submitted by Clinton & Beverly Keller
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 214.
Joyce, Gladys, and Doyle have always lived in Cowley County. Other present members of the family living in Cowley County are: Louise, grandchildren: Richard Graves and Joan W. Warren, great grandchildren: Christopher Jay Warren, and Dru Elizabeth Warren. Other members of the family live in Kansas, California, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Washington, Colorado, Ohio, Illinois, and Pakistan.
The military service dates back to the ancestor, Charles Kemper, who served in the Revolutionary War. Present family members have participated in World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War, serving in The United States Navy, Army, Marine Corp, and Air Force in Asia, Europe, and the South Pacific. Two great-grandsons and a great-great-grand-daughter are now active military. 87 years have been contributed by this family into military service.
The Kempers were in the agriculture business, northeast of Arkansas City, all their married lives. This business was prevalent in the family, dating back to 1714, when Johann Kemper established himself in America. Everett had left the family corn and wheat farm in Kansas, Illinois and went to Galveston, Texas, having always wanted to see the ocean. There he kept hearing of the good farms in Kansas and the family background was to go West.
Everett moved into Cowley County in his early twenties. He established on Silver Creek, 10 miles northeast of Arkansas City. January 1908, he brought his bride, Mary Paulina Browing Kemper, commonly known as Lina, of Scotia, Missouri to Cowley County.
Kemper was considered a real pioneer, by his Illinois family, being the only one who had migrated out of the home state In those days cattle had to be shipped to Kansas City, Kansas for market. One time the dreaded disease of Antrax got into herd of cattle and he pulled them through with diligent care. He, as well as the cattle, had to be vaccinated.
In 1912, the family moved south on Silver Creek. In 1919 they moved five miles northeast of Arkansas City, two miles south of Dunkard Mill, and lived there until Everett died in 1959. Lina died in 1977.
Kemper took an active part in community affairs and served many years as a Cowley County Assessor, a member of the Cresswell Township Board, and the Rose Valley School Board. Lino was a homemaker. They were buried in Parker Cemetery. Everett, had served on the Parker Cemetery BBoard before it came under the jurisdiction of the Township Board. He had been instrumental in having the stone wall erected enclosing the cemetery.
Submitted by Louise Kemper Rahn
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 214.
On June 24, 1972 she was married to Earl V. Kennedy who was born and raised in the Prairie View community. Earl was the father of Pauline Kennedy Jones, Otis Kennedy and Paul Kennedy all of which still live in the Prairie View community. Earl and Alta made their home on the farm in that area until moving to 1788 E. 6th in Winfield in 1977. (continued on page 215)
Submitted by Berwin King
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 214.
At the time that this was written, she had 6 children, 16 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren.
Submitted by Berwin King
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 215.
To this family were born Pauline Mae Kennedy, Otis Kennedy and Paul Kennedy. Going to the Prairie View School District #128, to Prairie View Church and attended many functions at the Prairie View Community Building. This building was done by the community so they would have a place to play basketball. Later, on the farm west of the house, a baseball diamond was built and on Sunday afternoon the community all around came in to play baseball on the diamond.
The Kennedy's lived on the farm that Laura's parents gave her as a present and is still in the family today.
The family made a living on the farm by raising cattle, hogs and crops. They attended all the functions of the Prairie View Community and was great helpers of the community.
Earl took part in Soil Conservation work and was a surveyor, surveying the land, he purchased a survey instrument from Sears and Roebuck and Company catalog. Being one of the early surveyors in the area, he worked the land by laying out waterways, field terraces and help keep the ground from washing the dirt. He was a carpenter by trade, and took active part in all sports in the community. He was coach and manager of the Prairie View Basketball team and coach and manager of the Prairie View Baseball team.
Laura took part in all church affairs, community affairs, was President of the Ladies Aid Society of Prairie View most of her lifetime and helped serve church farm sales and with the Prairie View Church bazzars.
Earl and Laura had three children: Pauline, Otis, and Paul. Pauline married Roy Jones, Otis married Delia King and Paul married Rose Marie Knowles.
Laura was the daughter of Otha and Anna Volkmann Lanier of this community, coming from Germany.
The, families came around the time of early 1870's and settled in this community of Prairie View and lived the rest of their lives in this area. Earl's parents are buried in Atlanta Cemetery and Laura's parents are buried in Wilmot Cemetery. Earl and Laura are both buried in the Wilmot Cemetery in Richland Township.
Submitted by Pauline Kennedy Jones
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 215.
Weaving was a big part of the income in Scotland, they have been. known to weave the threads into Kennedy blankets, kilted plaids, and much more. Today the weaving of the paisley shaw is one of the important cloth they wore, along with much more in the way of wearing apparel.
The Scottish kilted plaid took some nine yards of cloth to make a kilt. The Kennedys lived in Georgetown, USA and many began to move westward into Ohio and other parts. Later they moved to Illinois and later on to Missouri and others came to Kansas. This Kennedy family moved to Kansas and homesteaded in Richland Township, Cowley County, Kansas. Later became known as the Prairie View Community. The Kennedys donated one acre of ground to build the Prairie View Church on, plans began in 1910 and church was built and began services in 1911. It was dedicated on June 27, 1923 on a hot windy day.
The Kennedys came to Kansas by the way of crossing the Erie River and then took a ferry boat, they had two covered wagons and one spring wagon on their journey to Kansas with a family of ten children.
Alexander Buchanan and Rachel Hollett soon found a place to build and took a homestead in the community, later known as the Prairie View community. Many of the families began to move elsewhere in Richland Township as the children began to marry and their families.
The Kennedy family has grown to a large size and moved in many parts of the United States of America. Each year a Kennedy reunion is held for those to come and they began meeting on May 31, 1953. This year was the 37th year of Kennedy gathering. The gathering began one day when Lawrence Kennedy, Earl Kennedy who has deceased, and Virgil Kennedy wanted to start a Kennedy reunion and so it began that year.
Submitted by Pauline Kennedy Jones
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 215.
His great-grandfather Caspar Kenreich was an immigrant from Germany and settled near Salem, Ohio.
In 1937 Helen and Walther returned to rural Salem, Ohio. They bought the family farm and he also worked as a monument salesman. Walther died in 1953 and was buried in Salem, Ohio in Grandview Cemetery. Helen returned to Winfield in 1955 to be near their daughter Virginia, Mrs. Dean Drennan. Helen died in 1974 and is buried in Grandview Cemetery, Salem, Ohio.
The Kenreich's had two children, Virginia Drennan and Walther Frederick Kenreich Jr., better known as Bud. We both attended Winfield schools and Virginia graduated from South western. Bud moved to California in 1937. He married Virginia Jones of Los Angeles. He served three years in the signal corps in the Pacific Theater of War. He died in 1986 and is buried in the San Fernando Valley Cemetery in California. One son Michael lives in Saratoga, California.
Dean and Virginia have three boys, William, Jerry, and Robert. They were all born and reared in Winfield and attended Winfield Schools and Southwestern College. William and Jerry received their degrees from Southwestern. Robert graduated from Arkansas City Junior College. All are still Winfield residents. Dean spent seventeen months on Guadalcanal during World War II in the Seabees. He was the first father to be sent from Winfield. He was a Packard Dealer also Cleaner Combine and Ferguson Tractor Dealer before he became a John Deere Dealer in 1956. William and Jerry have been active full time with their father in the John Deere business and Robert part time.
William married Nancy Priddle from Wichita. Jerry married Peggy Converse, also from Wichita, and Robert married Bwana Pack, a Winfield girl. Michael Kenreich married Barbara Seacrist in Saratoga. Dean and I have five grandchildren born in Cowley County: Shelley Bailey, wife of Kerry Bailey, Shari Wampler, wife of Jeffrey Wampler, and Stephanie Drennan, children of William. The children of Jerry are Mark, married to Mary Ann Hogan, and Steven Drennan. We also have three great-grandchildren, Casey and Jaden Bailey and Courtney Wampler.
Virginia Kenreich Drennan
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 215.
The claim was eight miles west and one mile south of Winfield on the Arkansas River in Vernon Township. During the first winter over four hundred Indians camped on their farm. In 1878 his mother died and he bought out the heirs.
On March 24, 1887 he was married at Wellington to Hattie Susan Chittum, daughter of James and Harried (Alsbury) Chittum of the Kellogg community. They lived on the same farm until he moved to Winfield in 1942.
Jesse was a member of the Methodist church, uniting at an early age in Indiana. A life long Democrat, he served as committeeman in Vernon Township for many years. At various times he served on the township and school boards and was one of the early stockholders of the Kellogg Farmers Union.
The children of Jesse and Hattie were: Edna, died in infancy; Everett, married Ollie Brown and had three children; Essie, married Charles Keeler and had two children; Carl, married Elva Sandstrum and had one child, married second, Bessie Meline; Maude, married Anthony Rausch and had two children; Flora, married Clifford Winters and had four children; Robert died one year of age; Mary, single; Aletha, married William Mogle and had two children.
Jesse Amzi died in Winfield on July 25, 1948 and Hattie died May 30, 1918 in Topeka. Both are buried in the family plot in Mt. Zion Cemetery.
Ralph D. Biddle
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 215.
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