Phillip Claypool, a successful business man of Jackson county and veteran of the Civil War, is a native of Ohio. He was born in Muskingum county, April 10, 1847, of Virginia parents, John and Dolly (Cuhm) Claypool. The father was a farmer in Ohio, and Phillip spent his boyhood days on the home farm, and attended the district schools. He remained at home until February 15, 1864, when he enlisted in Company C, Seventy-sixth Regiment, Ohio infantry. This was a veteran regiment and had seen much service before young Claypool joined it, as well as afterward. He participated in many hard-fought battles during the latter year of the war, and was with Sherman on his march to Atlanta. He was discharged May 15, 1865, and returned to his Ohio home, where he remained about a year. He then went to Vermilion county, Illinois, and worked in a saw-mill, where he remained four years. In April, 1870, he came to Kansas and located in Jackson county. At that time land could be bought there for $10.00 per acre, but he was without capital and unable to buy even at that price, so he worked rented land for three years. In 1873 he bought his first land in Kansas. He followed farming and stock raising and fed a great many cattle for market most of which he raised. Mr. Claypool has prospered in his undertakings, and invested in land, from time to time, until he is now one of the large land owners of Jackson county. He owns 1,090 acres of some of the finest land in the State. In 1909 he removed to Holton where he built one of the fine residences of the town, which is now his home. He continues to operate about 350 acres of land with hired help, but looks after the supervision of it himself. He was interested in the organization of the National Bank of Holton and was one of its first directors, and later became vice-president, and when the bank was reorganized, and became the Linscott State Bank, Mr. Claypool continued to hold the office of vice-president, and is still serving in that capacity. He was also one of the organizers of the Western Elevator Company of Holton, and was a member of the first board of directors of that company. Mr. Claypool was married February 23, 1876, to Miss Sarah J., daughter of William and Mary (Bennett) Cruzan, the former a native of Vermilion county, Indiana, and the latter of Kentucky. Mrs. Claypool was born in Douglass county, Illinois, and in 1857, when her parents came to Kansas, she was but three years old. The family settled on government land in Jackson county, where the father was successfully engaged in farming and stock raising for a number of years. He died at his home in Soldier Valley, Kans., in 1898. Mr. and Mrs. Claypool are members of the Christian Church, and he is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons.