Some of the Norton County Pioneers  D - L

The following short biographies of old settlers are of those whom we did not interview, some of whom have gone across the Great Divide. Those whom we were able to see are mentioned in another section of this issue. The data may not be correct, but is as nearly so as it is possible to get it.

These people have helped to make Norton county; they have paved the way for the great prosperity that we enjoy today.

To those whose names appear this way, we wish that we might have written your biography more fully, you have helped, for you came when it took strong men to brave the dangers of the almost wilderness.

Norton county still remembers you, whether you have stayed with us or not, and wished you peace, prosperity and happiness. Some we have not been able to mention for you left no trail and we could not find you.

Good luck to you, Old Timer, you will never be forgotten, and a grateful people in the best county in the best state in the Union remembers that you helped to make it so. (page 50)

Danevik, O. M., an old settler of the county, was born in 1856 and came to the county in 1873. He still resides at Edmond and follows the carpenter trade. (page 54)

Darling, Charles, came to Norton county with his father in 1879 and he served as under-sheriff for several terms. He was at one time representative of this county, and still lives in the county. . (page 54)

Darling, George, came to the county in 1879, and still lives here. . (page 54)

Darling, Orville M., came to Norton county in 1879 and settled six miles north of Norton. He died in the west about two years ago. . (page 54)

Darnell, Elijah, came here in 1874. He was constable of Lenora township for several years. He now lives at Brooksville, Kansa. . (page 54)

Davies, Wm. Carrol, was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and came to Norton county and took a homestead four miles northwest of Norton. He still resides on the farm, and has recently built one of the finest country residences in the county. . (page 54)

Deal, Chas., a veteran of the Civil War, was born in Pullman county, Indiana in 1828 and came to this county in 1873, where he died the same year. . (page 54)

Decker, Cornelius, was born in 1840 in McDonnough [sic] county, Illinois. He came to Norton county in 1874. He was a Civil War veteran, and served as trustee of Rock Branch township in 1892. He still lives at Norton. (page 54)

DeMott, John, came in here from Colorado in 1872 and took land where Devizes now stands. He was elected county commissioner in 1873, but left in 1874, without serving his term out. . (page 54)

Dickson, Isaac J., was born in Chester county, Penn. in 1850. He came to this county at an early date, but now lives in Wyoming. . (page 54)

Dopps, Eli E., born in Vermillion county, Ill. in 1845. He came to the county in 1873 and was in the harness business at Norton until 1885 when he sold out to Payne and Chamblin and then went into the furniture business with W. J. Bower in which he remained until 1886 until they were burned out. He then purchased the general mercantile business of C. H. Fry in which he continued until 1887 when he sold the stock to N. A. Johnson and went back into the harness business with T. N. Martin until the fire of 1888. He now lives in the state of Washington. (page 54)

Dopps, Jacob, born in 1856. Came to the county in 1873, and now lives in Milton, Oregon. . (page 54)

Dopps, John P., was born in Ohio in 1821 and came to Norton county in 1873. He died in this city some time ago.

Dubois, Lawrence, came to Norton county from Iowa in 1874. Now lives near Lenora. . (page 54)

Dunlap, James, came to Norton Co. in 1873 and in 1882 moved to Colorado, where he still resides. (page 54)

Dunlap, John, came here in 1873. (page 54)

Dunlap, William, came to Norton county in 1873. (page 54)

Eastman, J. B., came to the county from Ill in 1878 and left for Nebraska in 1881. (page 54)

Eddy, A. W., came here in 1879.(page 54)

Ellis, Robert W., came to the county in 1874. He was county treasurer at one time and was a veteran of the Civil War. He died in 1893.(page 54)

Emery, A. G., was born in Spencer New York in 1819 and came to Norton county in 1887. He was an ordained minister of the Baptist church. He died in Norton some years ago.(page 54)

Emery, B. F., was born in New York in 1840; was a Civil War veteran, and came to this county in 1879 and practiced law. He died some years ago. (page 54)

Emery, Chas. L., came in 1879. Was born in New York in 1851. He was justice of the peace for several years and in 1890 he moved to Denver where he still resides. (page 54)

Emery, R. D., came to Norton county in 1877 and taught school here for a number of years, he also served as county superintendent for some time. He is now secretary of an insurance company in DesMoines [sic], Iowa.

Danevik, O.M., an old settler of the county, was born in 1856 and came to the county in 1873. He still resides at Edmond and follows the carpenter trade. (page 54)

Felton, Richard, came to this county in 1872. He was a Civil War veteran, and served as a conductor on the Rock Island and Union Pacific Railroads. He died several years ago. (page 54)

Ferris, David, came in with the Central Branch and has been section foreman at Edmond since that time. (page 54)

Fisher, Emanuel, was born in Bedford county, Penna. in 1845 and came to Norton county where he took a claim six miles east of Norton in 1873. He was a veteran of the Civil War and died in Norton some years ago. (page 54)

Fitzpatric, M. J., came to this county in 1873. He was elected county superintendent in 1874 but resigned to accept the office of county clerk. He left the county in 1880, and now lives in Wyoming. (page 54)

Foland, Elias, was born in Madison county, Indiana in 1845. He was a Civil War veteran and came to this county in 1878. He was elected county commissioner of the first district in 1888. He stile lives in Harrison township. (page 54)

Fuller, John, came to the county in 1872 and settled one mile from Calvert. He was noted as a crack shot. He died in Michigan in 1886. (page 54)

Gaff, James A., was born in Indiana, and came to this county in 1873 and took a homestead west of Norton. He now lives in Maple Creek, Canada. (page 54)

Galees [Gilleece], James, was born in Ireland in 1836. He came to this county in 1873 and settled in Almelo. (page 54)

Gettys, Joseph, was born in Richmond county, Ohio and came to this county in 1873. He kept hotel in the old log house at Norton for two years. Afterwards he moved to Graham Co. and started the town of Gettysburg, which was named after him. He died some years ago at Prairie View where he was running a hotel. (page 54)

Gibbon, Williams, came here in 1874. He delivered the first Fourth of July oration ever delivered in the county. He was elected coroner in 1872. He died in the late seventies. (page 54)

Gilder, A. W., was born in Fayette county, Iowa in 1859 and came here in 1875 and built a store and blackmith shop at Dellvale some years later. He was also postmaster at that place at one time and still lives there. (page 54)

Gishwiller, John A., was born in Ashland county, Ohio in 1841, was a Civil War veteran. He was elected clerk of the court in 1872, was township trustee for several terms. Mr. Gishwiller was the first man to introduce Alfalfa in Northwest Kansas. He is still living in New Mexico. (page 54)

Gowdy, L. H., was born in Henderson county, Illinois in 1852 and came here in 1880 and ran the Norton County Advance – now the Courier – until 1882. When last heard from he was in Colorado. (page 55)


Grant, Dwight G., was born in 1870. Lost his left arm in 1890. In 1893 he was elected county clerk. He now resides in Palacilas [Palacios], Texas. (page 54)

Graves, Albert, was born in Coshocton county, Ohio in 1843. He was a veteran of the Civil War and came to Norton county in 1874 and settled five miles east of Norton. He and his brother Wesley ran a hardware store at Norton for some time. He was elected to the legislature in 1880 and was the first president of the Norton County Agricultural Association. He died in 1907. (page 55)


Graves, John Wesley, born in Coshocton county, Ohio in 1836. He was a Civil War veteran, and came to this county in 1878. He served as postmaster of Norton from 1883 to 1885. He died at Norton in 1914. His widow still lives here. (page 55)

Graves, William W., was born in 1870. He taught school in Noble township for two terms and also ran a jewlry [sic] store at Norton for some time. He now lives in Oklahoma. (page 55)

Gray, William Schooley, was born in Monroe county, Ohio in 1828. He published the Lenora Monitor in 1890 and the same year was elected probate judge, in which office he served two terms. He died in Indiana some years ago. (page 55)

Green, Dr. S. L., came to the county in 1874 from Nebraska. He was elected representative in 1875. Last heard from in McCook, Nebraska. (page 55)

Griffin, Geo. H., came here in 1874. He conducted a general store at Norton for some time. In 1885 he and C. W. Sponsler started the Farmers Exchange Bank which was afterward sold to the First National Bank. He now lives at Topeka. (page 55)

Grier, J. J., was born in Wisconsin in 1856 and come to this county in 1885. He and his brother Peter, ran the Seymore house for some time and this was the start of what is now a chain of hotels and the news service on several railroads is controlled by him. He now lives at Colorado Springs. (page 55)

Gross, Oliver, settled just west of Almena in the early seventies. He now lives at Almena. (page 55)

Hakes, Franklin D., born in Jefferson county, NY in 1873. Came to Norton county in 1875. He was the first pastor of the Baptist church here and never received any salary, his only pay being in contributions. He died several years ago. (page 55)

Hall, James, was born in New York in 1844. He was a Civil War veteran and came to this county in 1870. He was the first postmaster of Almena and the first sheriff of Norton county. He was also one of the commissioners appointed by the Governor at the organization of the county. He died some years ago. (page 55)

Hamilton, John R., was born in 1841 in Clinton county, Indiana. Was a veteran of the Civil War, and came to this county in 1872. He was elected to the legislature in 1878, and elected county attorney in 1875 and was the first mayor of Norton. He homesteaded where the High School now is. He died at his home in Norton in 1912. (page 55)

Handlen, William E., was born in Davis county Indiana, in 1883. Came to Norton county in 1876 and took land southwest of the city of Norton where the old Fair grounds were later located. He died several years ago. (page 55)

Hansen, Morgan, came from Rooks county in 1872 and homesteaded west of Lenora. His wife was the only white woman living on the Solomon west of Kirwin at the time. (page 55)

Hansen, Peter, came to the county in 1872. Was commissioner for some time. He is now in the general mercantile business at Lenora. [I believe this is an error. Pete Hansen was in business in Logan, not Lenora, unless there were 2 Pete Hansens.– ag] (page 55)

Harmer, A. F., came to Norton Co. in 1873. He was twice elected clerk of the court. Last heard from in Clark county, Kansas. (page 55)

Harmonson, Alva Holland, was born in 1856 in Keokuk county, Iowa; came to this county in 1877 and homesteaded land three miles west of Norton. He was deputy sheriff under C. W. Posson, and was elected county clerk in 1881 and 1883. Engaged in the implement business in 1886 and abandoned it in 1890. Died in 1905. (page 55)

Harmonson, Wallace, was born in Johnson county, Indiana in 1820. He came to this county in 1878 and ran a general store here for a time, and also run a hotel where Bowers Tavern now stands. He was the first treasurer of the Masonic lodge, and died some years ago. (page 55)

Harris, John F., came here with the Burlington railway and built an elevator in this city. (page 55)

Havelin, Luther C., was a veteran of the Civil War. He settled in Aldine township in 1879. He was engineer of the city water works for four years. Died at Norton June 4, 1915. (page 55)

Hayes, David, was born in Green county, Kentucky, in 1815. He was a veteran of the Civil War. Came to Norton county from Iowa in 1879. He died at Norton several years ago. (page 55)

Hazlett, Elias, came to Norton county in 1882. He died at his home 8 miles south of Norton about a year ago. (page 55)

Heath, Clark, came from Hebron, Nebraska in 1881 and settled in Aldine township. He died several years ago. His widow later married L. C. Havelin and now resides in Norton. (page 56)

Heaton, Morgan, was born in Green Co. in 1849. Came to Norton in 1880. He opened the Norton County Bank the same year. He is now living at Corpus Christi, Texas. (page 56)

Hewitt, Archie, was an early settler of Norton county. He married Betsy C. Bisbee in 1879. He died several years ago. (page 56)

Hicks, Albert, was born in 1860 and came to Norton county in 1885. He died in 1915. (page 55)

Hicks, Wright, was born in Brown county, Ohio. He came to Norton county in 1885 and settled in Rockwell township. He was elected to the legislature in 1890. He died some time ago. (page 55)

Hiles, Jacob, was born in 1833 in Fairfield county, Ohio. He was a civil war veteran and came to the county in 1879 and homesteaded in Harrison township. He died a few years ago near Almena. (page 56)

Hiles, W. H., came to this county 1870. He was principal of the Norton schools in 1884-85. He taught the first school ever taught in Aldine township in 1878-80. He was postmaster at Norton being appointed in 1885. He published the Norton Democrat and New Era from 1886 to 1891. He died of heart failure in Kansas City several years ago. And while it may not be said that he lived a model life, he gave his life for another, for it was his long run to warn a widow that her house was on fire that resulted in his death. (page 56)

Hill, Elder Newton, came to Norton county in 1884. He left in 1894 and is now at Fort Colins [sic], Colorado. (page 56)

Hillman, George D., was born in 1867. He came to the county in 1874 and was last heard from in Union Co. Oregon. (page 56)

Hillman, Richard Lackey, was born in Ohio in 1828. He came to the Co. in 1874 and took land two miles west of Devizes. (page 56)

Hillsinger, Clark E., was born in Otsego county, N.Y. He married Miss Lou Morris in 1878. She taught the second term of school in Almena beginning September 6, 1875, the first term in Norton commencing May 26, 1875 and a term in Leota in 1877 and a fall term at Almena the same year. Mr. Hillsinger now lives in Emmett township. (page 56)

Holcomb, Lewis J., was born in Wyoming county, N.Y. He came to this county in 1885. He died several years ago. (page 56)

Howard, Henry J., settled in the Colony. He was a blacksmith at Rockwell City. He died several years ago. (page 56)

Howell, Phineas S., was born in Wayne county, Indiana. He was a veteran of the Civil War and came to this county in 1880 and homesteaded in the northern part of Garfield township. He was township trustee for a number of terms and treasurer of school district 76 for 13 years. He died September 12, 1912 at Norton. (page 56)

Huffmaster, Frank, came to Norton county in 1879 and still lives on his farm near Calvert. (page 56)

Hugill, Edward P., came to Norton county in 1875. He taught school at Lenora and for some time published the Norton County Bee. He moved to S.D. and died there in 1883. (page 56)

Humphrey, John S., was born in Meigs county, Ohio in 1850. Came to this county in 1872, died some years ago. (page 56)

Hunt, Jim, came here in 1879. He was probate judge of Norton for some time. He died some time ago. (page 56)

Irwin, Robert Duncan, was born in Greenfield, Ohio in 1851. He came to this county in 1875. He homesteaded three miles northwest of Almena and in 1885 moved to Almena where he engaged in the hardware and implement business in which he continued until his death in 1906. He was the first mayor of Almena being elected in 1892. (page 56)

Jarvis, William D., was a veteran of the Civil War and the G.A.R. post at Norton was named for him. He was appointed postmaster of Norton in 1878 to succeed W.B. Rogers. (page 56)

Jones, Ed I., was born in Greenfield county, Penn. in 1837, came to this county in 1879. Was elected county treasurer in 1882 and served two terms. He was the first to receive the Masonic rites in Norton lodge No. 139. He now lives at Devizes. (page 56)

Jones, Dr. Norman L., came to Norton in 1885. He owned a drug store here for many years, and had a large practice as a physician. He died here several years ago. (page 56)

Jones, William, came here in 1872. He was the first clerk of school Dist. number 1. (page 56)

Kahn, Albert, and his two brothers came here in 1884 and started the first exclusive clothing store. (page 56)

Keener, Isaac, was born in Indiana county, Penn. in 1841. He came to this county in 1878 and settled in Leota township. He was a Civil War veteran and was sheriff of Norton county, also postmaster at Oronoque. He died in Norton some years ago. (page 56)

Kingsbury, George N., came here from New York in the early days and still resides in the county. (page 56)

Laird, John, came here in 1879 and still lives northeast of Norton. (page 56)

Langford, J. W., was Supt. at one time and he took the first government census in the southern part of the Co.  He was a physician and he still lives on the Solomon. (page 56)

Lansing, Charles came to this county in 1873 and built the stone hotel at Lenora in 1880 and operated it for some time. Last heard from in Mich. (page 56)

Lathrop, Chas., came in 1876 and he built the mill at Lenora in 1879. Now lives in California. (page 56)

Lawrence, J. W., came to this county in 1885 and taught school in Dist. 76 in 1886-86. Now lives in Rawlins county. (page 56)

Lennis, Walter, settled in Sand Creek township in 1877. He still lives near Edmond. (page 56)

©2005 Ardie Grimes.  Transcribed from Norton County News Historical Number 1870 - 1916, re-organized and re-formatted for ease of use. These pages are dedicated to free access to records, documents and photos of historical and genealogical value. Documents contained herein may be copied for personal, non-commercial use as long as this statement remains on all copied material.   These records, documents and photos may not be reproduced, published or re-published for any reason, in any format,  including electronic (web pages or CD's) and print, without prior written consent of the contributors or copyright holders.