Charles Heinlen

CHARLES HEINLEN represents a family that did a noteworthy part in developing the lands and the business interests of Stanton County. He is proprietor of a fine ranch in Stanton Township, and has lived in this section of Kansas since the spring of 1886.

He was born at Columbus Grove in Putnam County, Ohio, October 14, 1870. He is of German ancestry. His grandfather is believed to have been born in Germany. His father, Reuben Heinlen, was born at Cardington, Morrow County, Ohio, November 6, 1846, and has been prominently associated with the business and industrial activities of Western Kansas for over thirty years. He grew up on an Ohio farm, had an education in the common chools,[sic] and at the age of eighteen, toward the close of the Civil war, volunteered in Company K, Eighteenth Ohio Infantry, and was assigned lastly to the hospital at Chattanooga as a cook. He was discharged at Columbus in October, 1865. At the close of the war he resumed farming in Morrow and later in Putnam County, Ohio, and from the latter county brought his family direct to Stanton County, Kansas, on March 16, 1886. His first location was twelve miles northeast of Johnson. He homesteaded and proved up a quarter section of land, and went through all the experiences of the pioneer, including farming, which was a total failure in this climate and consumed most of the capital which he had brought from Ohio. Gradually he worked into the stock business, and as a stockman his experiences were more fortunate. From his first locality he moved to Syracuse, and supervised his ranch northeast of the county seat. After the death of his son Murlin, he sold out, and for several years has lived at Kendall, Kansas, where he is connected with merchandising. He married his first wife in Delaware County, Ohio, Caroline Winsor, daughter of James and Sarah (Sharp) Winsor. The living children of this union are Charles and Mrs. James E. Carithers of Syracuse. The mother of these children died in 1890, and for his second wife he married Mrs. Decilbia Cieyer. The present Mrs. Heinlen was formerly Mrs. Belle Butcher. Mr. Heinlen is a republican and cast his first presidential vote for Lincoln in 1864.

Charles Heinlen acquired most of his early education in Ohio. For a term or two he attended a district school in the sparsely settled section of Western Kansas, but really began working and making his own way in boyhood. At the age of twenty he became a farm and ranch hand, and from his earnings accumulated a few cattle and a few horses. Borrowing some money he invested in other stock, and gradually broadened out as a rancher. After some years he homesteaded the northwest quarter of section 8, township 29, range 42, and while proving up he lived in a frame and stone house. His neighbors say that Mr. Heinlen has the best herd of White Face cattle in this region. He has favored that strain for a number of years and has introduced new blood and kept his Herefords well graded up. Now he runs about 245 head annually. His experiences on the market at Kansas City are interesting. He has sold two-year-old steers as low as $2.30 a hundred, or $16 a head. The best price for the same cattle at the same age is $65 a head. In 1917 he sold yearlings at $50 apiece. It is said that Mr. Heinlen in all his experience has never sold a calf. Another source of considerable profit has been horse raising. In some respects horses are more profitable than cattle, since they require no feed during the winter, are good rustlers and foragers, and come to maturity on the free grass. Mr. Heinlen has cultivated a good grade of Percherons, and regards horses as the easiest money he has made on his ranch. To his original homestead he has added two quarter sections, and out of other profits made in the stock business has accumulated a total of nine quarter sections and has financial interests in other tracts.

He is also a director of the Johnson State Bank. He is treasurer of school district No. 5, and has served thirteen consecutive years as township trustee. Politically he is a loyal republican, casting his first presidential vote for Benjamin Harrison in 1892. He has for many years been identified with the Knights of Pythias, when the lodge was at Johnson and since its removal to Syracuse. He is also affiliated with Coolidge Lodge of Masons and with Wichita Consistory of the Scottish Rite.

On December 8, 1894, Mr. Heinlen married in Stanton County Miss Amanda Wartman. She is a daughter of the late James A. Wartman and a sister of Charles J. Wartman, prominent and well known ranchers of Stanton County.

Pages 2230-2231.