Cowley County Heritage Book

Pages

- 301 - 302 - 303 - 304 - 305 -


Cowley County Heritage Book Page 301


Sidney was a salesman for Skinner's Silks and Satins, and the family lived several places during the child-rearing years. Winfield was recommended to them as a desirable place to live, and they arrived circa 1915. All three children graduated from Winfield High School. Sidney and Virginia left Winfield in 1936 to return to Texas. Sidney fell ill and died in 1937 at Palestine and he is buried there. Virginia shared the remainder of her life among her three children until her death in 1976 at age ninetynine. She is buried in Palestine.

Elizabeth attended Southwestern College for two years and married John Sayre Light, St. (Jack) in 1921. (See Miles B. Light family history). Elizabeth was known for her bridge playing skills and her many hobbies such as knitting, ceramics and needlepoint. Her fudge was enjoyed by all, and daughter Ann Light Burns continues to use her recipe. Granddaughter Elizabeth Ann Burns McLaughlin is a lover of her grandmother's fudge and says, "I can now make one good batch out of every three trays." Elizabeth was a member of Grace Episcopal Church, sang in the choir for many years, and was active in St. Elizabeth's Guild and the Rummage Roost. She was a devoted mother to her four children: Brad, John, Bob and Ann.

After living fifty-seven years at 1906 Fuller Street, Elizabeth and Jack retired to Presbyterian Manor at Arkansas City until their deaths. They are buried in Highland Cemetery at Winfield.

Writtnen by Ann Light Bums, Submitted by Brad Light
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Dr. & Mrs. C. Orville Strohl

C. Orville Strobl, son of Clarence Elmer and Ida Hayward Strobl, was born September 18, 1908 on a farm in Meade County, Kansas. The family moved to Winfield in 1923 primarily for educational advantages. He graduated from high school in 1927 and Southwestern College in 193 1. He received the Th.M. degree from Cliff School of Theology in 1933 and did additional graduate work before taking his first appointment in the Iowa-Des Moines Conference in 1934.

He married Helen Burgner of Boulder, Colorado on June 14, 1933. They have three children, Sheryl Jeanne, Helen Joanne and Rodney Neal.

Their appointments in Iowa included Carlisle, Madrid, and New London, where he taught courses in religion and phflosophy at Iowa Wesleyan College. In 1944 he was appointed Executive Secretary of the Iowa Commission on Christian Education, in Des Moines.

Iowa Wesleyan College granted him an honorary degree in 1946. While at Des Moines he taught in the graduate school of religion at Drake University.

In 1954 Southwestern College invited him to become its President on January 1, 1954. He served in that position for 18 1/2 years, until June 30, 1972. The college presented the Strohls a double Moundbuilder Citation in the spring of 1972.

In 1973 he was appointed Associate Minister of the First United Methodist Church in Winfield. His retirement was in May of 1975.

He served a two year term on the State Commission on Governmental Ethics from July 1, 1975.

In 1974 he was appointed the Chairman of the Bi-Centennial Commission for Winfield. The Commission published a history of Winfield and the towns of the Walnut Valley. Other appropriate city wide celebrations took place during the year which climaxed with a great display on July 4, 1976 in Sonner Stadium for 5,000 people.

He served 10 years on the Executive Committee of the Four Winds Girl Scouts Board of Directors, four years as a member of the City Planning Commission, and for 15 years on the City Commission to the Board of Trustees of Newton Memorial Hospital, serving as chairman for three years, (1980).

He was a member of the Pension Action Committee of the Kansas West Annual Conference for the years of 1979-82, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Bi-State Mental Health Foundation for 20 years.

Since 1973 he has been the teacher of the largest adult class of the First United Methodist Church in Winfield.

Southwestern College established an endowment, the "Orville and Helen Strohl Scholarship Program," in 1972.

Strohl wrote "50 Years to Shape a Dream" in 1983. In 1985 he wrote "The Inspirational History of First United Methodist Church" (Winfield). He also wrote the summary statement in "Southwestern College ... The First 100 Years, the Centennial Alumni Directory" in 1985.

In May, 1986 the college presented an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters to Dr. Stroh] and an honorary Doctor of Humanities to Mrs. Strobl.

Helen Strobl died on February 2, 1989. The Strohls resided at 1709 Mound Street, Winfield.

Submitted by C. Orville Strohl
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Ira & Anna Stutzman Family

Ira Stutzman came to Winfield around the turn of the century from Missouri to work as a watchmaker in the Andrew Wilson Jewelry Store, located where the Ruppelius store is now. Of German ancestry, he was born in Indiana on January 14, 1871, to Mennonite parents, Samuel and Martha Stutzman, one of five children, having a sister, Minerva (Hostetler), and three brothers, Silas, Ora and Rudolph, a deaf mute. On October 6, 1908, after a courtship conducted with the help of a horse and buggy rented from the local livery stable, he married Anna New. Their first home was on 10th Street in Winfield, where their first child, Edith Frances, was born and died. They later moved to a "new" area on East 15th St. in Winfield, where they raised their two sons, Ralph, born January 13, 191 1; Carl, born March 26, 1913; and Harriet, born March 21, 1915. They were long time members of First Presbyterian Church, Winfield.

Anna Slutzman was born in Nebraska, October 6, 1880, to Charles and Bertha New, who had come to America from England as young people. As a child she Moved with her family by covered wagon to Golden City, Missouri, where she attended school and lived until coming to Winfield around 1900. She worked as a clerk in the Wilson Jewelry Store where she met Ira. Anna died September 2, 1973. Her sister, Edith New, lived in Winfield and died in 1988 at the age of 105. A sister, Nellie Freeman, also lived in Winfield and died at the age of 94. She had two brothers, Wesley, who died in Missouri at age 15, and Paul, who died in Winfield at age 76.

Ira operated a jewelry store and optometry practice at 914 Main Street in Winfield for many years, eventually selling his jewelry business and opening an exclusive optometry practice in the First National Bank Building, where he remained until his retirement in about 1948. He died November 18, 1956 without ever gaining a great deal in worldly goods, as he never turned anyone away who needed glasses, whether they could pay for them or not.

Their three children attended school and Southwestern College in Winfield. Ralph, a cellist and pipe organist, taught music and at the time of his death in 1952, was teaching music at Baker University in Baldwin, Kansas, and playing organ at the Methodist Church. Carl was a watchmaker and engraver, now retired and living in Georgia. He had two daughters, Carol Ann and Barbara, Barbara having died at the age of 20. Harriet married Clifford Muret in 1940 and lived on a farm south of Winfield. After his death in 1962, she worked as a legal secretary and in 1968 married M.E. Jenkins, minister at First Baptist Church in Oxford, where they lived until moving to Winfield in 1985. She has two children, Joe Muret and Lee Kelly, both graduates of Southwestern College and living south of Winfield. Joe has three daughters, Jennifer, Jessica and Sarah, all students in U.S.D. 465.

Submitted by Harriet S. Jenkins
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Mack Soomers

Mack and Karen Summers met and married while attending Okla. State University in Stillwater, OK. Mack was born in Shawnee, OK and was raised in Ardmore, OK. After graduation they lived in Ardmore and then moved to Winfield in 1958. Mack was manager of the King Insurance Agency until he became associated with the First Community Federal Savings & Loan in 1964. He is now President and CEO of the institution and a member of its Board of Directors.

He has been very involved in community affairs: was Co-Chairman in a drive to build Irving School; member of the City Water Resources Board and the Ark Basin Development Corporation which helped implement the building of Winfield's City Lake; active in the First Methodist Church, being Chairman of the Stewardship and Finance committee and on the Board of Trustees of the church. He also was active in the Winfield Jaycees, being given the Distinguished Service Award in 1969, and in the Winfield Chamber of Commerce. He was also active in the establishment of Winfield's Mental Health Clinic and the Pop Werner Football program. He and his wife, Karen, have two children: Craig, a corporate engineer in Kansas City, who is married to Laurie Meier Summers, and Sharon Summers Pappas, an attorney in Kansas City, who is married to Gregory Pappas.

Submitted by Karen Summers
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Rufus & Viola Sumner Family

Rufus Samuel Sumner (1894-1974) and Viola Delight (Chambers) Sumner (1887-1976) were residents of Cowley County for most of their lives. Rufus was born in Carrol County, Virginia to Phillip Wilburn and Alice (Lundy) Sumner who eventually settled in this area. Phillip operated a blacksmith shop in Burden for a number of years.

Viola Chambers was born at Thayer, Nebras ' ka to Robert and Edith (Parker) Chambers. The Chambers family later lived in the Cambridge and Burden area after several years in Arkansas.

Rufus and Viola were married March 17, 1915 in Winfield and observed their G I st anniversary in 1976. The couple had ten children; Orin Robert, the oldest, died in 197 1; Howard Wflbur, Arkansas City, Nita Alice (Sumner) Wilson, Burden; Rufus Junior, Topeka; Lois Edith (Sumner) Dennett, Winfield; Gene Clyde, Rogers, Arkansas, Aletha Perne (Sumner) Titus, (continued on page 302)

Submitted by
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Cowley County Heritage Book Page 302


(continued from page 301) Mulvane; twins Ray Owan, Moline, and Faye lone (Sumner) Smith, Thayer, and Iris Lucille (Sumner) Howard, Thayer.

For many years Rufus was employed as bridge foreman working out of the Winfield, as well as the Burden County Shops. Many of the concrete bridges he helped build are still in use.

The family lived on the south edge of Winfield for six years during the later 20s. The street leading to Wal-mart was on the edge of their property.

The Sumner family were among the victims of the Winfield 1928 flood. Several pieces of furniture were lost or damaged by high water that got in the house. The family spent the night in other homes that night, before going back to the flood damaged home, and the job of cleanup. The family lived later in the Tisdale community and north of Burden.

Feeding a growing family was not an easy matter but Rufus and Viola did it, growing garden produce and home canning and preserving. She knew how to make the most with what little there was.

Viola was a member of the Cowley County Red Cross, giving First Aid classes, and assisting in local disasters. She was among those helping at Udall following the 1955 tornado.

During his retirement years, Rufus worked as a carpenter, from shingling roofs to making small knickknacks. He built numerous cabinets closets, etc. Although he never completed his grade school, he understood figures in his work. He was also an avid fisherman, preferring local ponds to creeks.

I, Nita (Sumner) Wilson, am the third from the oldest in the family of ten. None of us were born in a hospital. I was born southwest of Burden, when my father was working for Frank Weigle. I married Percy McCoy Wilson, February 18, 1940. We celebrated our 50th anniversary in 1990. We live six miles south of Burden, on the Herman Wilson family home place. We have a daughter, Martha (Wilson), her husband Larry Kelley, four grandchildren, and one great-grandaughter. A son, Robert Wilson died in 1963 at age 19.

Submitted by Nita (Sumner) Wilson, daughter
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The Edward Sutton Family

Edward was a farmer traveling from NY to Kansas by covered wagon. Records showed he lived in several states while pushing westward, finally settling in Cowley County. They came from Marshall Co., Kansas in 1859 with nine of their thirteen children. The trip required three weeks to complete and after camping for two weeks, Edward bought a claim six miles north of Cambridge. The Grouse Creek postoffice was established at their farm and Edward was the first postmaster. Mail was carried by pony and stagecoach from Independence to Douglass and the carriers would spend two nights a week in the Sutton home. Edward was also the proprietor of a flouring mill near Lazette in 1871.

Joseph (Joel) Henry, the fifth child of Edward and Elizabeth was born March 7, 1855 in Buchanan Co., Iowa. He married on February 12, 1882 in Winfield to Mary Ellen Martin. Joel died 5-3-1935 and Mary died 4-23-1902. Both are buried at Grenola, Kansas. Eight children were born to this union; Chester Earl, Belle, Mary, Bessie, Frank, Harry, Willie and Ethel.

Chester Earl, the first child of Joel and Mary, was born December 22, 1882 at Cambridge. He married February 27, 1907 to Lena Wonser at Sedan, Kansas. Chester died 3-5-1936 and Lena died 8-8-1962. Five children were born to this union; Hellen, Clarence Earl, Orville, Hiley and Joseph.

Clarence Earl was the second child of Chester and Lena. He was born November 24, 1909 at Amorita, Oklahoma. He married Isabel M. Ward on November 21, 1936 at Longton. They had six children, all who still live in Cowley County; Betty Scarth, Earl Sutton, Joan Hawley, Jack Sutton, Boyd Sutton and Darlene Krug. Clarence died 4-30-1960 and is buried at Grenola. Isabel now lives in Winfield.

Boyd Ray, the fifth child of Clarence and Isabel was born 10-24-1942 near Grenola. He has lived in Winfield since his discharge from the Air Force in 1964. On July 25, 1964 he married Judi Foster at Oxford. They have two children, Chad Ray and Jason Carl. Boyd is a captain at the Winfield Fire Department and has worked there for 17 years. Jason was born March 20, 1970 in Winfield and is a student at the University of Kansas.

I am the first child of Boyd and Judi. I was born November 5, 1966 in Winfield. I attended school here all twelve years, graduating from high school in 1985. On August 16, 1986 I married Susan Carder and we both graduated from Southwestern College in 1989.

Submitted by Chad Sutton
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Beryle & Louise Swanholt Family

Beryle and Louise Swanholt have lived their entire married life in Winfield. On June 25, 1989 they celebrated 60 years of marriage.

Princess Louise May, born 11-13-1910, was the only child of Maude Belle May, daughter of George and Louise Liermann, early settlers of Winfield, and Ross May, son of Samuel and Princess Eleanor Walker May. Maude and Ross, after their marriage in 1907, operated May's Bakery on East 10th Street. Ross died during the flu epidemic in 1919. Maude died 5-11-71.

Beryle Kenneth Swanholt, born 5-1-1908, was the only son of Ida A. and John W. Swanholt. John and Ida were married in Winfield in 1905. They lived 6 miles NE of Winfield until purchasing a farm 8 1/2 miles SE of town. Ida had two sons by a previous marriage who are deceased. Ida died 6-14-62 and John died 11-25-1964.

Ida's parents, Bertram and Loueha Gehrett, came to Cowley County, moved to Loveland, Colorado and operated a picture show. Then moved to Casper, Wyoming, where Bertram worked as a night watchman. He homesteaded land 4 1/2 miles north of Casper before returning to Cowley County. The land remains in the possession of the Swarlholts.

After their marriage 6-25-1928 Beryle operated a grocery Store and filling station. The business was located west of the entrance to Island Park. A few months later, when the town was flooded he was forced to spend five hours on the roof of the store until being rescued by boat. He recalls how cold the water was when he had to wade from the boat to get out of the water. In 1930 he opened Island Park Garage which was located on the site of the present swimming pool. The business was moved to 31 1 Main. In 1936 he became agent for Yellow Transit Truck Lines in addition to the garage.

In 1941 he closed the business and worked as assistant foreman in shipping at Boeing Aircraft until World War II ended. He re-opened Island Park Garage until selling it in 1948. After working for the Department of Commerce he purchased half-interest in the Pepsi Cola business in 1949. He continued as Pepsi Distributor for the Cowley County area until his retirement January 1989. The couple built a home on the original Liermann homestead on Elizabeth Street in 1972.

Louise worked as bookkeeper for Pepsi Cola for over 35 years. During World War 11 she knit sweaters for men in the service. This was done through the Red Cross. Since then she has continued knitting, making sweaters for grandchildren and great-grandchildren and has knit many beautiful afghans and other articles. For over 20 years Louise participated in Girl Scouting and during that time served as troop leader and camp chairman.

The Swanholts are parents of three daughters; Jean Ann Wickham of Oklahoma City; Patricia Louise Moore of Burden, and Mary Jo Kielhorn of Arkansas City. There are 14 grandchildren and 27 great-grandchildren.

Beryle and Louise enjoy traveling and drive to Las Vegas, Nevada several times a year. They also enjoy touring other places of interest.

Submitted by Pat Moore
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Sweet Family

Walter Sweet was born April 9, 1896 in Harmon, Illinois to John and Nellie Behrendt Sweet. When a young boy he moved to Cabool, Missouri with his family. He enlisted in the Army on Sept. 18, 1917. He served with Battery C, 342nd Field Artillery in the combat zone in France and, following the end of the war, served in the Army of Occupation in Germany. He was discharged on June 10, 1919 at Camp Funston. He married Sarah Peachee on Oct. 3, 1920 at Mountain Grove, Mo. They had three children: Frank, Edwina, and Esther.

Sarah Peachee was born August 16, 1902 in Washington, Indiana to Rufus and Susan Brandon Peac;hee. Her family moved to Mountain Grove, Mo. when she was nine years old.

Walter and Sarah moved to Arkansas City, Kansas from Cahoot, Mo. in the fail of 1923, Walter worked for Kansas Gas and Electric Co. as a truck driver retiring in 196 1. Walter died in Arkansas City, Kansas on April 3, 1969. Sarah died June 29, 1987. They are buried at Memorial Lawn Cemetery in Arkansas City, Kansas.

Frank was born in Cahoot, Mo. December 13, 1921. He attended schools in Arkansas City, graduating from A,C.H.S. in 1939 and C.C.C.C. in 1941. He served as an officer in China in the Army Signal Corp during World War II. He married Mildred Phyfe July 21, 1946 and they had three children: Larry, Sherry, and David. Frank worked for the Boeing Aircraft Co. in Wichita. He was transferred to Seattle, Washington then to the Kennedy Space Center near Titusville, Florida. David died at bone cancer Oct. 25, 1968. Larry married Nancy DeBerry. Sherry married Don Stevens and they have a son, Jacob. Frank has retired and lives in Titusville, Florida.

Edwina was born in Arkansas City, Ks. February 3, 1924. She graduated from A.C.H.S. in 1942. She worked for Southwestern Bell Telephone Co. until she married Robert Buckler April 12, 1946. They had three sons: Gary, Bruce, and Scott. They own a heating and air conditioning company in San Pedro, California. Gary married Renee Josselyn and they have two sons: David and Andrew.

Esther was born in Arkansas City, Ks. February 9, 1927. She graduated from A.C.H.S. in 1945. She married Leroy Wareham April 19, 1945 and they had two children: Janette and James Robert. Janette and James Robert graduated from A.C.H.S. James Robert graduated from C.C.C.C. in 1976 and K.S.U. in 1979. Janette married Conrad (Hearne) Marzuola and they had three children: Christopher, Jacqueline, and Sara. Janette married Cole Morrow and had a son Duffie. Robert married Tracie Fencil.

Leroy died March 24, 1981 after working twenty-nine years for the General Electric Co. Esther is still living near Arkansas City.

Submitted by Esther Wareham
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Richard S. Tannehill Family

Richard Southgate Tannehill, born April 3, 1818, married December 15, 1836 to Saly A. Singer, born December 8, 1817 and died March 20, 1849 in Indiana.

Six children were born by the first wife, Sally, two children died at an early age. Surviving children were: Nancy B., born November 19, 1839, died August 2, 1916; William D. (Bill), born December 9, 184 1, died November 19, 1928; Mary Victoria (Vickie), born July 7, 1846, died date unknown; (continued on page 303)

Submitted by Doris J. (Hunt) Priest
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Cowley County Heritage Book Page 303


(continued from page 302) Frances Minervia, born February 28, 1849, died November 7, 1922.

Three weeks after the sixth child was born, Sally A. (Singer) Tannehill died.

On September 6, 1849, Richard S. Tannehill married a second wife, Maria D. Hammond, born May 8, 1829, died October 5, 1894.

Six children were born by the second wife, Maria: Marie E. (MHa), born February 20, 1851, died December 25, 1881; James H., born January 7, 1853, death date unknown; Zechariah B., born and died as an infant, dates unknown; Julia U., born February 22, 1857, died May 12, 1925; labez B. (Buck), born November 24, 1860, died April 3, 1938; George P., born May 20, 1868, died February 9, 1943.

The Tannehill family left their home in German township, Bartholomew County, Indiana and started for Kansas. February 20, 1878, five Tannehill and Hcimmond families, numbering thirty persons, arrived in Cowley County settling in Beaver township, near Thomasville. The peach trees bloomed in February that year. Richard Tannehill settled in sections I 6 and 15, his sons, Jabez (Buck), Bill, Jim, and George lived on land next to their father's. Bill lived in a dugout, in the bank of a draw, on his land. Richard built a bridge across Beaver Creek to connect his timber and grass lands. By January 1879, Richard completed a pork packing house and engaged in salting down his fifty head of hogs. which averaged 300 pounds dressed. Maria's mother, Julia R. (Lard) Hammond also came to Kansas and lived with the Tannehill family. She died in 1883, at age eighty-one years.

As the years went by, several of the Tannehill children ventured into Sumner County and on into the Oklahoma Territory.

Marriages of children by the first wife: Nancy B. married July 2, 1854 to Jabez D. Hammond (brother of her step-mother, Maria D. (Hammond) Tannehill), Married second to John Gruwell; William D. (Bill) married January 1, 1866 to Elizabeth McQueen; Mary Victoria (Vickie) married February 14, 1867 to George W. Wade. Married second to John F. Culp; Frances Minervia married December 8, 1870 to Austin Emery Garrison.

Marriages of children by second wife: Marie E. (Mila) married October 4, 1871 to William D. Byers; James H. (Jim) married March 28, 1876 to Dora Pruett; Julia U. married April 7, 1880 to E.E. Hunt; Jabez B. (Buck) married August 26, 1885 to Mary E. Pearce; George P. married April 16, 1893 to Iona Parkison.

Maria D. (Hammond) Tannehill died October 5, 1894, at age sixty-five years, at her home having suffered for fifty-one years of a lymphatic gland disease and bedfast for many years. Caroline Bookwalter stayed with the Tannehills and took care of them during Maria's long illness. Julia (Tannehill) Hunt was the only Tannehill child living near her parents and her health was too poor to care for her mother. Maria was a member of the Christian Church.

Richard S. Tannehill died July 8, 1898, at age eighty years, at his home near the post office which was named in honor of the Tannehill family. Later the school and cemetery was also named "Tannehill". They are both buried in the Tannehill cemetery. The Tannehill family was well respected in the county by all who knew them.

Submitted by Doris J. (Hunt) Priest
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Taton Tales

Grandpa Augustus F. Taton and wife, Grandma Frazee Taton, homesteaded farm just north of Winfield on Dutch Creek out by Rogers' Nursery, where Uncle Fred, Uncle Louis and Papa all worked in their early years. I don't know anything about Mama's family as she was Norwegian decent, born and raised in Wealthwood, Minnesota. I don't know how Papa and Mama met or where they were married. My father, Harry John Taton and mother, Orpha May Copley, had three girls: Pearl E. Taton McMichael, born January 26, 1908 in Argonia, Kansas; I, Clara B. Tcrton Gelvin, born June 28, 1910, Hackney, Kansas; baby sister, Bessie A. Taton Waldroupe, born Februciry 6, 1912, South Main Street, Winfield. I can remember walking out to Grandpa's and Grandma's house. Mama pushed a baby buggy with Bessie in it, and Pearl and I walked, one on each side. There's only about twenty months difference between Bessie and me. I remember some musical instruments around. I think Grandpa played banjo, Papa played harmonica, and I think Uncle Fred might have played a fiddle. The Tatons were dancing people and were always going to big barn dances. This barn stood on a farm southeast of Winfield about five or six miles at base of Cup and Saucer Hill. The family that lived there were Uncle Gus and Aunt Lizzie Taton. He was Papa's second cousin. They were French and spoke it. They raised four children, all older than us girls. They were Alice, Leona, Arthur and Elmer. They weren't our Aunt and Uncle but they wanted us to call them that. His name was August and chances are her name was Elizabeth. Sister, Pearl, married Frank McMichael in Winfield in 1926. In 1928 they went to Hugoton, Kansas, stayed a few years and moved to Wichita. They had no children. She worked for Wichita Eagle some years, and then worked fourteen years more at Southwest National Bank until she retired. I had two marriages. I married John Talbert, who had five boys, the two youngest being twins, Jerry Leon and Gary Lavern. We lived in Salem, Illinois, where their father worked in an oil field. Gary was killed in an oil field accident when he was only seven years old. After the boys were grown and gone, my husband found a younger woman he wanted to marry, so we divorced. Bessie married Ralph Waldroupe in 1924. They had nine children, five boys and four girls (one pair of twins). Bessie is Grandma to about thirty kids and Great-Grandma to about ten. I came back to Winfield after divorcing and four years later I met my second husband, Ray Gelvin. He had two children, a boy ten, and Betty Lou, eight. We had twelve good happy years of marriage. He died in 1960. All the kids are raised and I am alone, retired and living in high rise apartment building, Walnut Towers. These are nice apartments. I walk to town, the grocery store, doctor's office and the four blocks to where Bessie lives.

Written by Clara GeIvin, and Submitted by Mrs. Frankie Culson
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Robert N. Tatum Family

Robert N. Tatum, son of William L. and Alma S. Tatum, was born on the family farm on July 28, 1935. Robert was the second generation to be born in the house his grandfather built in the late 1800's. He attended grade school at the Grand Prairie school where it was located three miles north and one and one-half miles east of Burden, He graduated from the Burden High School in 1953. Upon graduation he farmed with his father. Robert joined the United States Marine Corps in January of 1957.

During his enlisted time in California, he was united in marriage to Susanne Louise Ritter. They returned to Kansas with their daughter, Terri Sue in 1960, and made their home on the family farm. On April 1, 1960, the Robert Tatum family was blessed with the surprise births of their sons Robert L. and Richard D. "Try telling someone you just became the father of twins on April Fools day, and listen to the remarks and looks you get of disbelief".

Terri graduated from the Burden H.S. in 1976, where she received many awards in sports and FFA. She attended and graduated from Cowley County Community College, where she participated in basketball and volleyball. She graduated from the University of Arkansas with a B.S. in Agronomy. She was married to Steven Murray and they have a daughter Catlyn Affie (b. 12-03-88). They make their home in Garden City, Kansas where Terri is employed as an Agronomist.

Robert L. graduated from Burden H.S, in 1978. He earned numerous awards for FFA competitions and was an FFA State Farmer his senior year. He went on to attend Cowley County Community College where he earned his Associate Degree in agriculture and graduated in the top 10% of his 1980 class. Robert L. married Kimberly K. Pappan in August of 1980. Kimberly graduated from Cowley County Community College, earning her degree, and is employed in Winfield. Their home is in Burden where Robert farms with his father and brother. They have two children: a son William Michael "Will" (b.920-83), and a daughter Jullian Susanne (b.9-8-88). WM entered kindergarten in the fall of 1989, marking the fifth generation of Tatums to attend school in Burden.

Richard D. graduated from Burden H.S. in 1978, he also earned numerous awards for his work in FFA and was a FFA State Farmer his senior year, as well as a District officer. In 1980 he graduated from Cowley County Community College earning an Associate of Agriculture Degree. He married Janell M. Raffin in September of 1983. They live in Burden where Richard has a taxidermy business and farms with his father and brother. They have twin sons Matthew Neill and Joshua Dee (12-17-85). Janell is currently attending Southwestern College earning a B.S. degree in nursing.

The Tatum family are active members of the United Methodist Church, Masonic Lodge, and Order of the Eastern Star. Richard is at present, Master of Clinton Lodge #233, as was his father, grandfather, and great grandfather before him. Robert N. has served on Farm Bureau, Silver Creek Township and the Burden Fire Board.

Mr. Tatum continues to farm with his sons Robert and Richard producing wheat, milo, soybeans, and raising cattle and hogs. The three have designed and built several types of machines and equipment.

Even though our family has been here over a hundred years, the farm has not yet obtained the century farm status, which is something we are looking forward to in 1996.

Submitted by Robert & Susanne Tatum
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William V. Tatum Family

William V. Tatum (Will) son of William E. and Amanda C. Tatum was born in Logan County, Kentucky on 10-1-1867. When he was three years old his family moved to Cowley County, Kansas, in covered wagons drawn by oxen, and located in Silver Creek Township. He left home when he was a teenager and worked for W.F. Carver. Carver was billed as the world champion rifle shot with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show, Carvers residence was three miles north of Burden. In July 1893 Will was married to Grace Eddie who died from typhoid fever in 1898. In February 1896 he purchased 160 acres of farm land three miles north and a quarter mile east of Burden, where he built his home and began a farm. The same site which is still owned and operated by the Tatum family.

On September 5, 1900, he was united in marriage to Myrtle L. Harned.

Miss Harned was born 11-24-1879. She was in one of the first graduating classes from the Burden High School. Her parents, Elisha and Emma Harned, came from Kentucky in 1872, and settled south of Atlanta, Kansas where they farmed. He served on the 5 1 st District of Cowley County in the State House of Representatives.

From the union of Will and Myrtle were born two children, Beulah F. born 12-8-1901, and William Lee Tatum born 2-1 I1910. Will and Myrtle retired from farming in the 1930's and moved away from the home place into Burden. He proceeded her in death on September 15, 1943, she later followed December 12, 1963. (continued on page 304)

Submitted by Robert and Susan Tatum
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Cowley County Heritage Book Page 304


(continued from page 303) Beulah F. (d.8-8-81) married Bryan Clover (d.6-7-63). They settled on Grouse Creek north of Cambridge, Kansas and had one daughter named Ruth. Ruth's son, Jerry Ashenfelter, continues to operate their home place.

William Lee (Bill) was united in marriage to Alma S. New 12-6-29. They remained on the home place and farmed. They had three children: William Carl born 1-30-1931; Robert Neill born 7-28-1935; JoAnn born 12-24-1937.

Bill over saw the farm after his father retired. In the mid 30's shortly before John Deere came out with a mounted lister, he adapted a two row horse drawn lister to a mounted unit on an "A" John Deere. A "Block" man from John Deere Company came to examine the invention. Bill initiated conservation practices in the 40's such as terracing, ponds, and reseed native grass. He marked the first generation to use an internal combustion tractor instead of horse drawn machinery.

Throughout the history of the Tatum Farm it has produced various crops of wheat, milo, soybeans, oats, barley, prairie hay, corn, and raised cattle and hogs. It has seen five genera tions of the Tatum family, and expanded from 160 acres to 1040 owned land over the past ninety-six years.

William L. and Alma S. Tatum celebrated their 60th wed ding anniversary September 6, 1989, over 150 friends and family joined then on the Farm.

Submitted by Robert and Susan Tatum
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Bonnie Lea (Dixon) Taylor

My sister, Bonnie Lea "Dixon" Taylor, was born Jan. 28, 1921 in Lamoni, Iowa. She was the daughter and eleventh child of Charles Arthur Dixon and Charlotte May "Clark" Dixon. She came to Arkansas City in 1923 with her parents and nine other children.

She went to school and married Lloyd Taylor May 24, 1941. They have always lived here except for brief times, a short time in the service, and after Lloyd went to work for the Rail road as a fireman on June 30, 1941. A short time was spent in Purcell, Oklahoma. This is where they were living when their first child, Ronald Lloyd was born on Aug 7, 1942. Ronnie died April 14, 1943 here in Arkansas City at the age of eight months. He is buried at Memorial Lawn Cemetery. Their second child, Judith Ann, "Judy" was born here on March 20, 1944. Their third child, Donald Charles "Don", was born here on Oct. 17, 1948. Lloyd became an engineer for the Santa Fe Railroad company. He retired in 1980 and after a long battle died of lung cancer March 27, 1985.

Judy married John Pingry Jr. on May 29, 1965. They have three children: Bryan John, Mitchell Alan, and Cindi Denise. They live in Burden, Kansas. Bryan is married to Christy Woods.

Donald Charles Taylor was married to Pamela Lynn Williams for seven years before it ended in divorce. He then married Diane Wheeler on Dec 14, 1976, who has a son, Benjamin, and they had three more children, Melaine Lea, Casey Louise, and Jordon Charles.

Bonnie came from a family of fourteen children. She and her sister, Barbara Jean (Dixon) Holt (myself) are all that remain of the original family.

Submitted by Barbara Jean (Dixon) Holt
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Taylor-Mead

Taylor and Mead ancestors immigrated from Wales to the Virginia Colony in early 1700's. The slavery issue prompted the sons of Robert and Jo (Rhodes) Mead, land and slave owners, to move elsewhere. In New England area, they established paper mills: hence, paper products carry the "Mead" name. Two Mead brothers were old-time McGuffey school teachers in Ohio, while Rhodes and Priscilla (Newton) Mead settled at Salem, Indiana in 1830. Their son, David T. Mead married Mary Wallace of Salem.

In 1840 Andrew Lewis Taylor, carpenter, and wife Juliett (Martin) Taylor, son George Washington (6W.) Taylor, moved to Salem from Shelbyville, Kentucky.

In "The War Between the States," young Taylor served with the 66th Indiana Infantry, Company "B." He was with Gen. William T. Sherman's troops, when he made his "famous march from Atlanta to the sea" in 1864. War over, April 1865, Taylor returned to his Indiana home.

January 1, 1866 he married Eliza Ann Mead, daughter of David T. and Mary (Wallace) Mead. In 1877 George Washing ton (G.W.) and Eliza Ann (Mead) Taylor came by covered wagon to Dexter, Cowley County, Kansas, with their children W.D. "Bill," Lewis Andrew, Mary Edwilda and Robert H., who in 1879 succumbed to whooping cough at age four. Children born in Cowley were Juliett, Oral Mead "Ral," Amanda Ellen, and Jess Harrison Taylor.

The David T. Mead family moved to Cowley in the early 1880's. Their home, located on what is now known as the "Bolack Corner." Mr. Mead and two young grandsons, W.D. "Bill" and Lewis Andrew Taylor, helped build the unusual stone fence which surrounds the barnyard. This type fence was built throughout the south.

Our grandfather, "G.W." Taylor moved to Dexter two years after grandmother Eliza Ann died, as result of a severe head injury suffered in a fall at Turkey Creek.

Several years later, Taylor moved to Winfield, near his daughter, Mrs. J. Clifford (Mary Edwilda Taylor) Hoel, her husband, a cement contractor, and their son, Leonard Hoel. "GW." attended "The Old Soldier's Reunions" and Winfield Chautauqua at Island Park.

On August 15, 1922, age 84 years, he died and is buried in cemetery at Dexter, Kansas.

September 7, 1900, a young man, Nathaniel Stephen "Mood" Archer from East Union, Noble County, Ohio arrived at Dexter, Kansas, train depot. His brother, Ira Belle Archer, a teacher, came to Dexter, two years earlier, at the request of Mart Merry, former neighbor of the Archers in Ohio. Merry, teacher and surveyor, was making surveys in the new town ships. Nathaniel Mood Archer had farm employment north of Dexter, near the Willow Branch school, the neighborhood gathering place. There he met Amanda Ellen Taylor, daughter of George Washington (G.W.) and Eliza Ann (Mead) Taylor. The Taylor homestead, south of the school, built near Turkey Creek, along with the adjoining Merry farm, are now part of the Grouse Creek Watershed Lake, located three miles north of Dexter.

Submitted by Veryl Archer (Rowe) Moon
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United States Judge George Templar

U.S. Judge George Templar was born at Magnolia Ranch, Cowley County, Kansas, October 18, 1904, to John and Carlot ta (Linn) Templar. A Walnut river flood forced his parents to seek refuge in the ranch house of John's former employer, Colo nel Green until they could get settled again. He was a generous bachelor and ranch owner. John had worked sixteen years at the ranch. Colonel Green was a Civil War soldier, who lost a leg in the war at Bull Run and walked on a peg leg.

The father, John, had been an orphan immigrant from the Netherlands. The family name had been Tempelaar, clearly Holland Dutch, but a more anglicized version was adopted because of the frequent misspelling of the original name.

George's paternal grandfather had been a court interpreter for the provincial courts in the Holland province of Gelderland on the River Rhine

The parents of George were farmers and engaged in this occupation during the years of his childhood and youth. He attended the usual one room country school, where one teacher undertook the task of keeping order and teaching the basic subjects to as many as twenty students through nine grades. He completed the rural grade school courses and thereafter attended Arkansas City High School where he played football and graduated in 1923. (continued on page 305)

Submitted by Helen M. Templar
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Cowley County Heritage Book Page 305


(continued from page 304) He entered Washburn University that fall, playing football and having a scholarship for four years. He worked as a Tope ka Motorcycle Patrolman assigned to police the city parks. Athletes were not provided with any inducements at that time other than a job to pay expenses.

After completing the pre-law course required at Washburn, he entered Washburn School of Law in the spring of 1925, and graduated in 1927, with a LLB degree cum laude. He returned to Arkansas City in the summer of 1927 and discovered that the joke about the "starvation period" for young lawyers exist ed in reality, and was no laughing matter.

Good friends came to his rescue and arrangements were made for him to become a Deputy State Oil Inspector. This proved a life saver for two years and probably salvaged a dismal career in law from total abandonment.

He practiced law until he was appointed to the U.S. Court in 1962. He had been elected to the Kansas State Legislature, four terms in the House of Representatives and three terms in the Senate, representing the people of Cowley County, Kansas.

He was active in affairs related to the Methodist Church. He first attended the Methodist Episcopal Church in Arkansas City in 1908. He served the local church as a member of the Board of Trustees, and as Sunday School Superintendent. He became a member of the Southwestern College Board of Trustees in 1947, serving as President of the Board for eleven years, 1959-1970. He was one of the principal sponsors of Camp Horizon, a Methodist Youth Camp located near Arkansas City, established in 1948.

George received an Award of Merit from Southwestern College, and from Washburn School of Law. He was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Law degree from Washburn, and South western College admitted him to its Hall of Fame.

On November 1, 1974, Judge Templar had reached the age of seventy years, and elected to take Senior status. He continued to perform judicial tasks.

In 1985, Judge Templar closed his office in Topeka and moved, with Helen, his wife of more than sixty years, back to their home town of Arkansas City. Their son, Ted is an attorney in Arkansas City and their daughter, Joan Templar Smith, a PhD graduate of Eastman School of Music, Rochester, New York University, lives and teaches in Norman, Oklahoma.

The Templars have five grandchildren and two great grandchildren. Ted's three sons, Lance, Kenton, and Clay and Joan's two children, Julie and Blame, and her two grandchildren, Sarah and Aaron.

George's great grandfather, Christian Harader, a Dunkard Minister, built the Dunkard Mill on the Walnut river in 1874, northeast of Arkansas City. He was a member of the Dunkard sect, which believed in a full beard for men. A grandson, "doubted whether his grandfather ever used a razor." Christian Harader was one of a sizable colony of the Order living in that vicinity. There are many relatives in the area. The descendants hold a Family Reunion each year, on the first Sunday in October, in Arkansas City, Kansas.

Submitted by Helen M. Templar
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Leonard Devon and Leretha Teter

Leonard Devon Teter was born May 23, 1927, the third child of Frances and Donald Teter. He served in the United States Army. In 1946 he served one year in Leverno, Italy, fifteen miles from the Leaning Tower of Pisa. He graduated from Winfield High School. In Winfield, he worked for Scholfield Potato Chip Co.; John Lawrence, making cement blocks; and Guild Electric. He also worked in Wichita for Shelley Electric. In 1950 he went to Arkansas City to work for Teter Electric. In 1955 he began work at Phillips Petroleum Co. in Bartlesvile, Oklahoma as an electrician in the maintenance department. He retired from Phillips in 1985.

While working in Winfield, he liked to go into the Winfield Dairy ice cream parlor for milk shakes. There he met Leretha Beery, who happened to be his cousin Fay Holman's best friend. On March 9, 1947 Leonard and Leretha were married.

Leretha Belva Beery was born on November 18, 1928, the youngest child of Glen and Lavinia Beery of Winfield, Kansas. During her high school days she worked at the Winfield Dairy. In the mornings she drove a Model A to pick up 10 gallon cans of milk from the farmers around Winfield. During the afternoons she worked in the ice cream parlor. She also worked for Waldron Grocery Store on College Hill Street. In 1946 she graduated from Winfield High School. That year she also started work as an operator for Southwestern Bell Telephone. She transferred to Wichita in 1948, then to Arkansas City to work in the business office. In 1954 she went back to Wichita in the marketing department. In 1955 she transferred to Bartlesville, Oklahoma as a clerk in the plant department, then in 1957 she went to management as secretary to the district maintenance administrator. She retired from Southwestern Bell Telephone on May 1, 1984.

Leonard and Leretha have many hobbies and interests that they enjoy. Leonard enjoys working in his garage on cars, pro pane regulators, or any "fix-it" item he can get his hands on. He is restoring a Model A Ford.

Leretha enjoys her hobbies of quilting, handiwork of all kinds, and crafts. They have traveled the United States from coast to coast. They attend car races whenever they can, especially NASCAR races, and enjoy spending time at Table Rock Lake in Missouri.

Submitted by Joan Rundle McBride
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Tharp Family

Three Tharp brothers came to America from England in the early 1800's and began a shoe manufacturing business in New Jersey. One of the brothers, John, was killed either by wolves or a brown bear in the Schooley Mountains of New Jersey, when his only son, John Henry (b. 3-12-1830 d. 11-16- 1910) was a small boy. As a young man of 25 he moved to Canton, IL and married Deborah Whitman Saunders (b. 10-6-1835 d. 7-29-1907). (Deborah's uncle was Marcus Whitman, the Presbyterian Missionary Doctor to the Indians of Organ.) To this union ten children were horn, 4 children dying before coming to Kansas. In 1879 the family moved to Winfield and in April 16, 1880 purchased land eight miles northwest of Winfield in Vernon Township. A corner of this land was deeded to the Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church from January 6, 1887 until January, 1949. This property remains in the family today.

Children include: Emma Grace Herron (b. 5-6-1862 d. 4-18-1883), William Dedrick (b. 1-20-1869 d. 3-2-1951) and John August (b. 4-9-1879 d. 5-29-1961) remained in the Winfield community. Charles Henry (b. 3-17-1866 d. 11-15-1942) and family moved to the Ottawa area in 1895, Jess Christopher (b. 10-5-1871 d. 11-23-1950) and family to Yale, Oklahoma area, and Clara Alice Rempe (b. 1-9-1873 d. 10-12-1948) and family to the Coral Gables, Florida.

William Dedrick Tharp was married to Wilda Amlong in December of 1900. They farmed north of Winfield and raised three children; Kenneth, Lyle, and Doris. Kenneth and Lyle, as young men, farmed and ran a dairy. Later Kenneth continued to farm and Lyle became an X-ray Technician at William Newton Memorial Hospital, where he met the hospital dietitian, Blanche Lacey, and they were married April 3, 1936. Doris was a registered nurse in the Wichita area.

Kenneth married Margaret Murray in May of 1931. Two sons were born to this union, Henry and William (Bill). Both boys graduated from Winfield High School.

Henry, an Emporia State University graduate, served in the United States Air Force. He returned to school, continuing his studies at the University of Illinois, receiving a MA degree in Theatre. He taught four years at the University of Louisville, then was employed as Designer and Technical Director of the Children's Theatre in Louisville. From 1977 to the present, Henry is Supervisor of Stage Services at the University of Missouri in Columbia.

Bill attended college and served with the Army for 1 1/2 years in Germany. Upon returning from the service he went into a farming partnership with his father. In August of 1962 he and Lou Elene Edwards were married and purchased land four miles north of Winfield. Four daughters were born: Kamalia Kay, Kendra Jean, Kayla Jo and Kimberly Ann (b. 2-14-73, d. 2-14-73). The girls are graduates of Winfield High School. Kamalia graduated from Southwestern College in May 1989 and married Mark Fleenor, May 18, 1990. Kendra attended Cowley County Community College and is employed at a child day care center. Kayla is employed at Winfield Pharmacy and will attend Southwestern Oklahoma State University as a pharmacist major. The family is active in the First Presbyterian Church. Lou is employed as Secretary of the Fine Arts Division at Southwestern College, Winfield.

Submitted by Lou Tharp
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The Joseph L. Thomas Family

Joseph F. and Elizabeth Thomas originally came from Illinois, moved to Missouri and from there to Kansas where they settled in the Tisdale community in the late 1800's. They later moved to Maple City. Joseph was a Baptist Minister. He also ran the livery stable and carried mail from Dexter to Maple City. There were four children, Mollie, Marion, John C. c Grace. Joseph, Elizabeth and Grace are buried in the Maple City Cemetery.

John C. was my grandfather. He married Margaret Ellen Zoll and they raised six children; Bertha, Fern, Joseph, Elsa, Leon and Ben.

He made the run at the opening of the Cherokee Strip in 1893 but was not lucky enough to get a claim. As the story was told to me: When he came to the place he had hoped to stake, the Sooners were already there, so he decided to try for a town- site in Guthrie. He staked his plot and a man told him he needed to move his stake a few feet as he was in the street. He thought the man was trying to trick him and refused to move the stake. It turned out the man was correct, his stake was in the street, so he didn't get any land. Margaret Ellen died 4/4/194 1 and John C. died 8/26/1956. They are buried in the Maple City Cemetery. Joseph L. Thomas was my father. He was born 7/4/1896 in Red Rock, Oklahoma where they lived in a dugout. (continued on page 306)

Submitted by Betty Thomas Ross
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EMAIL Cowley County Coordinator
Karen Rodenbaugh ....Arkansas City, KS

Email corrections and submissions to Steve.


State Coordinators
Tom & Carolyn Ward, Columbus, KS
ks@rootsquest.com
tcward@columbus-ks.com