1912 Biographical History of Barton County, Kansas
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ANDREW JACKSON HOISINGTON
THERE are a number of biographies in this book but none that will be read with more interest than the one concerning A. J. Hoisington who was one of the best known pioneers of the state or at least that section of it now known as Barton County. No one person did more to further the interest of Great Bend and Barton County than did the subject of this sketch and his memory is revered by all who knew him for his kindly deeds and unswerving manhood. Andrew Jackson Hoisington was born near Quincy, Illinois, July 2, 1848. When a boy he removed with his parents to Greene County, Iowa; and later to Madison County, where he grew to manhood on his father's farm. After teaching school several terms he went to Des Moines, Iowa, where he learned the printer's trade in the office of the Des Moines Register. After a few years he returned to Madison County and became part owner of the Winterset Madisonian. He came to the State of Kansas in 1874 and first located at Newton where he taught school a short time after which he came to Great Bend and followed the same occupation. After teaching school northeast of Great for a few weeks, he was asked to take charge of the Great Bend Register which had just been established. This he did and ultimately purchased the paper and continued as its publisher until 1883. It was during this year that he was appointed receiver of the U. S. land office at Garden City to which place he took his family. He sold the Register to E. L. Chapman. Shortly after entering the land office at Garden City he organized and became president of the Finney County Bank. During the next few years he organized a string of banks throughout Southwestern Kansas, these establishments being located at Santa Fe, Ulysses, Arkalon and Hugoton. In 1890 he sold his interests in Garden City and moved to Kansas City where he organized the Hoisington Loan & Trust Co., and the Hoisington Publishing Co., which he managed for several years. In 1895 he returned to Great Bend where he again got possession of the Register and had for partners in the business his sons, Earl and Roy. He died at Winterset, Iowa, in February, 1896. He was married to Miss Mary Smith of Madison County, Iowa, December 31, 1874, and they were the parents of three children: Morris Earl, Roy Albert and Arthur Frank, all of whom are living. Mrs. Hoisington died in Kansas City November 1, 1890.
Morris Earl Hoisington was born in Great Bend, January 20, 1876. In 1890 he became associated with his father and brother in the publication of the Great Bend Register. In 1895 and '06 he published the Clarion at Claflin where he also served as postmaster. He is a linotype operator at Grand Junction, Colorado, employed by the Sentinel of that city. He was married August 28, 1905, to Miss Bessie Henderson of Grand Junction and they are the parents of one son, Robert Morris Hoisington.
Roy A. Hoisington was born in Great Bend, November 21, 1880, and began his newspaper career with the Register in the latter '90s. He purchased the Standard at Leoti, Kansas, in 1901 and continued as owner and publisher until 1911. He was postmaster at Leoti six years. He married Miss Margaret Riley of Leoti and they are the parents of four children.
Frank A. Hoisington was born at Garden City, Kansas, November 27, 1886. He was associated with his brother, Roy, in the publication of the Leoti Standard for several years. He is now foreman of the Daily Sentinel of Grand Junction, Colorado. He was married in 1910 to Miss Peal Greenawalt at Leoti, Kansas, and they are the parents of one son, Carl.
DR. AARON HENRICK CONNETT
AARON HENRICK CONNETT was born at Milford, Clermont County, Ohio, December 31, 1848. When he was three years of age his parents moved to Madison, Indiana, where his father died the following year and Aaron was sent to live with relatives on a farm some distance from Madison. He remained there until he was sixteen years of age and attended the district schools a number of years and finished his public school education at the high school in Madison. After his graduation from the Madison schools he took up the trade of carriage making and worked in a factory for four years. In 1867 he, with his mother and brothers came overland to Bedford, Iowa, arriving there October 1, 1867. Here he followed the farming business until 1874 when he took up the study of medicine in the drug store and office of his brother, M. C. Connett, who had been actively engaged in the practice of medicine in that town for several years. In 1878 he graduated from the College of Physicians and Surgeons, now a department of the Drake University of Iowa, at that time located at Keokuk, Iowa. He also attended the Rush Medical College of Chicago. He practiced in his home town in Iowa until 1881 when he came to Barton County, Kansas, and located at Great Bend and since that time has been one of the best known physicians and surgeons in this part of the state. Dr. Connett was married to Miss Harriett Fordyce of Bedford, Ia., March 14, 1878, and there were three children born to this union: Bess Mary and Helen G.
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Mrs. Connett died in April, 1886. In April, 1887 Mr. Connett was married to Miss Lizzie J. Fordyce whom he also survived, she having died in November, 1896. In 1907 Dr. Connett married Elizabeth J. Rothell of Kansas City and they now occupy a neat residence at 1111 Morton street. Dr. Connett has always taken a great interest in the affairs of the community in which he lives and for four years was a member of the school board and served as city and county physician during the times when the community was suffering from a small pox epidemic. Dr. Connett handled the disease in a most acceptable manner and confined it to a limited area by prompt and efficient action. Dr. Connett stands high in the Masonic fraternity of Kansas. He became a member of the Masons in Iowa before coming to Kansas. He is a member of the local lodge Number 15, A. F. & A. M., and at different times has been Master of the local lodge, and served in the same capacity in his home town in Iowa. He is also a member of Mt. Nebo Chapter No. 36 R. A. M.; Zabund Council No. 4 R. & S. M.; Wichita Consistory No. 5, 32nd degree, Wichita, Kansas; Isis Temple, A. A. O. N. M. of Salina, Kansas; St. Omer Commandery No. 14, K. T.; is Past Grand High Priest, Grand Chapter R. A. M. of Kansas; Past Grand Master Grand Council R. & S. M. of Kansas, and at present is Grand Treasurer of the Grand Chapter and Grand Council having held the latter office since 1903.
[IMAGE]Dr. A. H. Connett
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CHRIS GILSON'S TRIAL
By D. N. Heizer
IN February, 1873, T. J. Peters, general manager of the Santa Fe road, wired me to go to the end of the road at the west line of the State of Kansas and survey the town of Sargent. I had an order to Mike Green, the famous track layer, for such assistance as I needed, who, having finished his labors in building the road to that point, was in camp there for the winter with a gang of track layers. There roamed in that country from Dodge City west, a gang of outlaws and horse thieves as daring and as desperate a set of robbers as could be found anywhere. Many of them were young men who had grown wild out of the buffalo hunting trade and wanted to be bad men; others had drifted away from civilized centers because they were had and had to leave; others were naturally bad and when they found themselves in a free open country, free from the restraint or law, acted out their natural tendencies. At any rate they were a bad lot.
After leaving Dodge City in a caboose on the rear end of a construction train with Mose Weyman as conductor, at some little station west of Dodge, Cimarron, I think, two of these characters boarded the caboose, who, in the parlance of those days, were called "wolves." Each one of them had a pair of navy 44s strapped on his hips. Mose came around for their fare, which they flatly refused to pay. He went away about his business. After a while, biding his time and opportunity, having said nothing to irritate or arouse them, in passing along near where they sat and observing that they were off their guard, quick as a flash, he grabbed one of the pistols out of the holster and with it cocked in their faces, demanded their fare and got it, and took the rest of the pistols away from them. He was a little fellow, not over five feet, six inches high, but quick as a flash and perfectly fearless.
I reached the town of Sargent in the evening and found that there had already been built in a line a row of houses, tents and improvised places of business some forty or fifty in number, 400 feet north of the track. I found also that the "wolves" in the absence of any organization or establishment of law or official authority were running the town. I found my old friend, Bob Wright, an old pioneer on the Santa Fe trail, and a store in full operation. I took my blankets and transit and went to his store to stay all night. We made our beds down on the floor and surrounded them with sacks of shelled corn to afford us protection from stray bullets while we slept, as the so-called "wolves" were in the habit of shooting up the town at night as an evening pastime.
On investigation the next morning, I found I would have to organize a camping outfit and go back down the road to Holidaysburg and carry out a line from the limit of the government survey as there was a sixteen-mile strip east of the state line which had not yet been surveyed, and I must do this in order to find my location.
In the morning I also found my old friends Mose and Jim Gainsford, who had come into that point from somewhere on a hunt. Mose was glad to see me and said he wanted my help. It seemed that an old Scotchman by the name of Alexander Gourley had come into this point from a buffalo hunt with a team of horses and wagon and had sold his pelts, got his money and the wolves were trying to get both away from him, and Mose and Jim, both strapping young fellows, good shots, fond of adventure and daring, found nothing more suited to their liking than to take up the old man's cause and help to get him out of the clutches of these self same "wolves."
They told me their plan was to get the old man to hitch up his team and drive out on the street ready to go when they knew the wolves would gather around the wagon to stop him. They asked me to get my gun ready to be on the ground as a careless looker on when they were ready to start, and in case of any trouble to govern myself accordingly. I carelessly wandered around to the starting place to where the old Scotchman had driven his team from the rear. The wolves gathered around as they had expected, and Jim Gainsford climbed up on the front seat beside the old man and pulled one of his revolvers out and just laid it across his knee. Mose got up on the rear end of the wagon with his needle gun across his lap cocked and ready for business. When all was ready, without any apparent concern Mose called out to the old man to drive on, he was all ready. Two of the wolves had gotten around in front of the horses, but when they saw the determined mien of these two men they did not interpose any opposition to their going. They knew if they did that somebody would be hurt, and it might be they. There was nothing more said, but I could see as they drove away the look of disappointment and chagrin on the faces of these men who threw a glance at each other and seemed to come to a definite understanding that there was a job they had better not undertake as it was very likely to be more than a day's work. Nothing further occurred during the day of an exciting nature, except the robbing of a hunter who came in with hides and got some money and had taken a little too freely of whiskey when they fleeced him completely in broad day light. That night, as far as excitement was concerned, was a repetition of the night before. The "wolves," though, seemed to be on
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a general carouse and spent most of the time drinking in Chris Gilson's saloon, marching up and down the street yelling and shooting and making night hideous as only wolves can. They were bad men from the head waters of Bitter Creek, and it was their night to howl and they did howl.
Chris Gilson was an intelligent, bright Irishman who had, from Newton west, run a saloon tent to supply the demands of Mike Green's 300 track layers and associate trade. The railroad men said Chris was a good fellow, honorable in his dealings with them, and sold them whiskey for their money, but would never permit any crooked business in his saloon. About a month before this time he had gotten into a controversy down at the old town with one of this same band of "wolves" who was attempting to rob a man in his place and to shoot him dead; consequently the gang had it in for Chris, and on this particular night they had gone to his place and, about "ninth drink time" It began to look very threatening, when Chris slipped out and went over to the railroad carpenter's train and stayed all night in fear of his life. The "wolves" took possession and compelled old Dad, his barkeeper, to mix drinks for them all night, as wanted, while they made merry and had a good time.
I hired an old Irishman with his mule team, who had been teamster for Chris Gilson, to haul my camp equipage and baggage the next day down to Hollidaysburg. The next morning he hitched up his team and drove it up opposite Gilson's tent so that the tail end of the wagon reached out over the sidewalk or path in front of the buildings. I was helping the old Irishman load the wagon from the rear end when Long Jack and one armed Sam Wright came along. Just as they were turning out to go around the end of the wagon, and where I stood, Chris Gilson popped out of the front of the tent with a double barrel shot gun in his hand, and, directing his attention to them, said, "You — — —; I'll fix you," and fired one load of buckshot into Sam Wright's heart, and he fell dead within six feet of me. Long Jack started to run towards the railroad train and he gave him the other barrel through his arm. He got to the train, which was starting, and got away with a shattered arm. In but a few moments more Tom McClelland came up half dazed with drink, saying he guessed Chris would not hurt him, but Chris did hurt him, for he had no sooner come within range of the tent than out he came again, and at the first shot shattered his arm; when he started towards the railroad, with Chris after him. He finally stopped, exclaiming, "Oh, for God's sake, don't," and received the other barrel through his chest, which killed him instantly.
The respectable business men of the town at once came to the front and asserted themselves, a thing they had been afraid to do before. They at once assembled in Bob Wright's store and then began Chris Gilson's trial by a jury of his peers. Bob Wright was elected chairman of the meeting and somebody else secretary, and motion was made and carried to the effect that Chris Gilson be tendered a vote of thanks for the services he had just rendered the town, and the motion carried unanimously. A motion was also made that the rest of the gang of "wolves" be given five minutes in which to quit the town, never to return. The motion carried unanimously. No other notification was necessary. During the next five minutes you could look in almost any direction and see a man going.
Then the hat was passed and thirty-five dollars was contributed and passed into the hands of the committee who were instructed to purchase a new shot gun, the best that could be purchased for the money, and present it to Chris Gilson as a testimonial of the services rendered by him. The meeting adjourned and from that time forth there was not a more orderly town in that country than Sargent. The bad blood was all spilled or gone and men of even doubtful conduct found their manners at once.
I became very well acquainted with Chris Gilson after that and found him to be a royal good fellow of manly qualities and good, decent intentions. He had been headquarters teamster during the war, under Phil Sheridan. He was a good musician and entertained me a whole evening singing songs and playing the guitar. He was as tender hearted and as gentle as a woman, but he was driven to desperation by this lawless gang, who were in the wrong. He knew they were in the wrong and he had the nerve to take up his gun and shoot them right. The business men recognized that it was the only thing to do, and they justified him in full for doing it. Long Jack escaped on the train and went back down to Florence, Kansas, where he had grown up among decent people. I saw him years afterward attending John Robinson's circus at Florence. He told me that his experience "broke him of sucking eggs," and I dare say he became a respectable, good citizen.
Mose and Jim Gainsford took the old Scotchman with them down to Great Bend to the old Fort Zarah settlement, where the old man took up his soldier's homestead and became a permanent settler. He was a sturdy old son of Scotia's soil, nearly eighty years old, and had served four years and seven months in the army of the Union during the Civil war. He went on numerous hunting expeditions from that point, and a young German, who had just come to America and taken out his first papers, taking advantage of his absence from his homestead, jumped his claim and contested his right to hold it. I defended the old man in his suit at the land office and Mose was his principal witness. The case was fought through the land department to the secretary of the interior, and I secured a decision in the old man's favor, without hope of reward, and the only compensation. In fact, I did
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not expect any compensation, but years afterwards when the old man's failing strength and years compelled him to secure quarters in the Soldier's Home at Leavenworth, just before departing came into my office and with tears in his eyes and in the most feeling words acknowledged the friendly acts I had done for him and his inability to compensate me in money, and, with a "God bless you, my brave lad," presented me with a pint bottle of whiskey. While I did not drink whiskey I nevertheless appreciated the spirit that bestowed the gift just as much as if it had been a bottle of gold dust.
Mose was a staunch character. He had been during the war a soldier in the Union army in Missouri. After the war he had been with the United States marshal's forces as a deputy marshal in helping to restore civil order. He belonged to a good family of people, who, through the war, had come into contact with the most thrilling scenes in it. About '67 he had driven cut from Missouri to Western Colorado and had had gone through many wild experiences, a miner in California Gulch, a prospector and hunter in Taylor Park, South Park and all over New Mexico, and finally drifted to old Fort Zarah, where I first became acquainted with him in 1871. He was six feet high, straight as an Indian, good features, steady steel blue eyes, strong as a giant, a splendid shot, and, while I have seen him in many tight places, I never saw him exhibit the least excitement or feeling of fear. Under excitement his features looked a little sterner and his countenance perhaps a little paler. He was a man of splendid impulses of heart, and while he had come through all phases of excitement incident to frontier life and become familiar with the hardest, yet when civilization overtook him he naturally settled down and assimilated with it and became one of the most prosperous citizens in his section of the country.
Jim had gone through much the same experience, was more sensational in temperament but with undaunted courage. He settled down to the marshalship of a Texas cattle shipping town and was a terror to the lawless element of the cowboy fraternity. In keeping them regulated and submitting them to lawful authority he had to kill a number of them, but he did it in the full performance of his duty. There were but few better shots with a Navey 44 than Jim. He never pulled his gun until the last extremity, but when he did, he rarely missed.
DUNCAN BOTTLING WORKS
T. E. Winstead, Proprietor
THERE are very few people in this day and age who do not enjoy a bottle of soda pop as it has gained a place among the summer beverages that nothing else can fill, and the pleasure derived from drinking a bottle of pop is greatly enhanced if you get the product of the Duncan Bottling Works of Great Bend. This is one of the manufacturing interest of Great Bend that has been built up on merit. It was established in Hoisington where it was operated for some time before it was moved to Great Bend in 1909. It was operated by Mr. Duncan until March, 1911, when he sold a half interest to Mr. Winstead who bought the remainder of the business in November of the same year. Mr. Winstead was born in the City of Great Bend in 1881 and is a son of Mr. and Mrs. W. W. Winstead, the former having been marshal of the town and sheriff of the county and whose biography will be found in another part of this book. Mr. Winstead was married June 5, 1907, to Miss Carrie Collins of Great Bend and they have one child, a boy, Kenneth, who was born on the 4th of July, 1908. Mr. Winstead has given his personal attention to the management of his business and ships the products to all parts of this and surrounding counties within a radius of 150 miles. The plant has a capacity of 400 cases of soda water per day and it is found on sale at all drink emporiums that appreciate the best in the beverage line. Mr. Winstead makes his own flavoring extracts which is a guarantee of their purity and strength. All mixing and bottling is done under Mr. Winstead's personal supervision and during the busy season the place gives employment to five people which number is increased as the demand grows greater. This is one of Great Bend's manufacturing enterprises which has gained its high standing among the people of this part of the state by turning out only the best of goods at all times. Mr. Winstead was one of the first two mail carriers in the City of Great Bend.
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Judge Dan A. Banta
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JUDGE DAN A. BANTA
DAN A. BANTA was born near Union City, Ohio, in the year 1851, and it was in that state that he received his early education. He went to the state of Indiana in 1866, where he remained until 1884 when he came to the state of Kansas. Before leaving Indiana he studied law with the firm of Steele & St. John and in 1879 was admitted to the bar in the town of Marion, Indiana. After his arrival in Kansas Judge Banta took up the practice of law and has made a record in the different courts of the state of which he may well feel proud. Early in 1910 the Republican party wanted a candidate for district judge who had earned a place in the district by his untiring efforts in fighting for right and justice and when Dan A. Banta's name was suggested the party workers knew that he was just the man they needed for this important place on the ticket. That their judgment was correct was proven at the election in the fall of 1910 when Dan Banta was elected judge of the Twentieth judicial district of Kansas by a most flattering majority. Since Judge Banta has been called upon the bench he has been called upon to decide some important cases and the record he has made has been most gratifying to his friends in all political parties. Judge Banta is married and has three boys: Dan Worth, George and Arthur. Dan Worth is a musician of rare ability, George is an expert mechanic while Arthur is engaged in the practice of law in Great Bend. Judge Banta is of that type of man that makes friends and retains them by his universal genial manner, and high sense of right and justice.
[IMAGE]Residence of Judge D. A. Banta
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CHARLES L. GUNN
CHARLES L. GUNN was born at La Salle, Illinois, August 24, 1859. He came to Barton County with his parents in 1877 and for some time worked for farmers in the neighborhood of his father's homestead. Later he acquired 160 acres of land and began farming !cr himself. He is one of five boys of whom Levi Gunn is the father, his brothers are Frank, William, Lou and Howard, all of whom are mentioned in another part of this book. Charles L. was married in 1882 to Miss Fannie Lee of this county and they are the parents of six children as follows: Walter, Leonard, Grace, Ray, May and Edward. Walter is vice-president of the Barton County Milling Co., Leonard is secretary and treasurer, while their father is president and manager. The remainder of the children are at home and are being educated along modern lines. The Barton County Milling Co., of which Mr. Gunn is the president, was organized in 1902, and since that time its product has added greatly to Great Bend's fame as a milling city. The mill owned by this company was formerly the property of Moses Brothers but seven years ago Mr. Gunn purchased a two-thirds interest and later acquired possession of the one-third. Since Mr. Gunn has had control of the mill he has added to its efficiency by the addition of the latest approved machinery and by using only the best methods in flour making which has made for it a most enviable reputation. Mr. Gunn gives personal supervision to the management of the mill and in addition to the milling business owns a thousand acres of land near Heizer and other farms in different parts of the county. Most of this land is farmed under his direction. The Gunn family is one of the best known of the early comers and they are familiar with the early history of this section of Kansas.
[IMAGE]Barton County Flour Mill
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DR. SIMEON JESSIE SHAW
MANY there are who will read this biography with sorrow as it is a brief account of the life of one who during the '80s in Great Bend gained for himself a warm place in the hearts of the people who made up the population of the town and Barton County. Dr. Simeon Jessie Shaw was born in Ohio and came to Barton County in 1884. He was a graduate of the Starling Medical College of Columbus, Ohio, and immediately upon his arrival here took up the practice of his profession. It was but a short time until he was known and respected in all parts of Barton and surrounding counties, not only as a careful, painstaking physician but as a citizen whose counsul was eagerly sought and whose friendship was highly prized. He was married to Miss Orlinda G. Lewis of Ohio and they were the parents of one child, Vida, who is now the wife of Dr. E. E. Morrison of this city. Dr. Shaw died in December, 1901, and never in the history of Great Bend had there been a funeral previous to his where such genuine sorrow was shown by so many people. The funeral was one of the largest that ever was held in this part of the state and was attended not only by local people but by friends of the dead physician from all over Kansas. Dr. Shaw with all of his practice found time to take an interest in public undertakings and served the county as coroner several times. He ran for the office of representative but like all the candidates on his ticket was defeated. In the eighties Dr. Shaw opened a drug store but later sold it and bought land and at the time of his death owned about 720 acres of land in Barton County. He was a member of the Masons, A. O. U. W., Modern Woodmen and in the Masonic fraternity was a member of the Shriners and belonged to Isis Temple of Salina. He will always be remembered by the old timers of Barton County and all who knew him as a good, conscientious doctor, and a citizen of which any community could be proud. The professional life of Dr. Shaw in this community is well pictured in the story of Dr. Wm. McClure, by Ian McLaren. He was indeed a doctor of the old school, through rain and sleet, over rough roads and at all hours of the night he drove on his errands of mercy. No thought of financial returns gave him strength for his labors and his cheery smile brought hope and comfort wherever he went. It is not too great a need of praise to give to his memory that he gave his life to the people of Barton County as fully as a soldier on the field of battle or the pioneer on the western plains.FRED NUTTLEMAN—(Nuttleman Manufacturing Co.)
AMONG the manufacturing industries of Great Bend the Nuttleman Manufacturing Company occupies a prominent place as its products are shipped all over the country and add to Great Bend's reputation as a place where they do things. The Nuttleman Manufacturing Company's establishment is owned and operated by Fred Nuttleman who gives his personal attention to the management of the plant. Mr. Nuttleman was born in La Crose, Wisconsin, February 7, 1875, and remained there until he was twenty-two years of age when he came to Great Bend and entered the employment of the firm of Miller & Hemker, hardware dealers. At the end of three years Mr. Nuttleman purchased Mr. Miller's interest in the business and the firm name was changed to Heniker & Nuttleman. Four years ago Mr. Nuttleman sold his interest to Mr. Heinker and established the Nuttleman Manufacturing Co. The factory is contained in a building two stories high and 50 by 70 feet in dimensions and is located on Williams street between Forest and Lakin in Great Bend. Here are made wheat bins, tanks and culverts and it has become known all over this part of the state that anything bearing the name of the Nuttleman Manufacturing Co., represents all that is best in the line of goods made of sheet metal. This concern employs seven people and adds in no small way to the pay roll of the city. Everything in the sheet metal line is manufactured and no job is too small or too large for this concern to successfully undertake. Mr. Nuttleman is the active manager of the plant and all work is done under his supervision. The material used in the work at this plant are the best that can be obtained and the prices charged are consistent with the very best material and workmanship. The business of this establishment has grown each year and is growing bigger all the time as the merit of its products becomes generally known. Mr. Nuttleman was married February 6, 1903, to Miss Rosa Brandt and they occupy a nice residence at 2923 Forest. Mr. Nuttleman has always been identified with the business interests of Great Bend since his arrival here and he has done much to add to Great Bend's reputation as a manufacturing city.
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GEORGE H. HULME
IN business circles in Barton County there is no man who is better known than George H. Hulme who was one of the pioneer merchants of Great Bend. George H. Hulme was born February 4, 1844, at Manchester, England and came to America with his mother in 1849, two years after his father had arrived in this country. The family first located at Fall River, Massachusetts, where they remained two years. They went from there to Magnolia, Illinois, and remained there until 1875, when George came to Barton County, Kansas. He brought with him a $7,000 stock of general merchandise which he placed on sale in a building located on lot 1, block 103, which is the ground now occupied by the First National Bank Building. Later the stock was moved to the opera house block at the corner of Williams and Forest Avenue. This was in 1888 after the completion of the opera house building which was erected by Mr. Hulme and C. F. Wither. Later the merchandise stock was moved from there to a building on Forest Avenue next to the postoffice where it remained under Mr. Hulme's management until July, 1911, when he sold out the stock to George O. Hunt. The Great Bend Flour Mill which Mr. Hulme still owns was built by W. W. P. Clement in 1876 and at that time had a capacity of 25 barrels per day. In 1886 Mr. Hulme and William Kelley purchased an interest in the mill. This partnership continued until 1898 when Hulme and Kelley bought out Mr. Clement and in 1905 Mr. Hulme bought out Mr. Kelley and became the sole owner of the mill. It now has a capacity of 400 barrels per day. The leading brands of flour made by the Great Bend Mills are "Perfection," for the export trade and "Sunbeam" both of which are noted for their quality. Mr. Hulme was married to Miss Anna M. Bosley at Magnolia, Illinois, November 11, 1875, and they are the parents of seven children, five of whom are living. The children are: Georgia, who is now Mrs. G. W. Green; James H., who aids his father; Raymond, who is engaged in the farming business in Barton County; Charles looks after his father's farming interests; and Vivian, the baby of the family, lives at home. In addition to the above Mr. and Mrs. Hulme are the parents of two children, Clara, who died when six years of age and Vivin who died when he was four years of age. Since making his home in this county Mr. Hulme has always been known as a substantial business man and in addition to his business interests in Great Bend he has accumulated considerable farm land. He owns nineteen quarter sections in Barton County, three quarters in Cowley County and six quarters in Stevens County, nearly all of which is being farmed by renters. There are few if any of the old timers of Barton County who have not bought goods of Mr. Hulme as his store was one of the first general stcres in the City of Great. Mr. Hulme has held public offices on different occasions and has always found time to take an interest in the public affairs of the community in which he lives.
DON A. WELTMER
DONALD A. WELTMER, Don Weltmer as everybody knows him, was born in Eureka township, Barton County, February 24, 1879. He is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Christian A. Weltmer, who came to this section of the state in 1878. The family moved to Great Bend in 1886. In 1900 Don and his brother Pete established the firm of Weltmer Brothers and for five years they conducted the grocery business now owned by Turner & Son. In 1905 Don bought out the soda water bottling business owned by H. E. Dean. It occupies a building on Kansas Avenue that housed the first electric light plant in the City of Great Bend. The business occupies a building on Kansas Avenue 25 by 65 feet in dimensions and during the busy season employs eight people. In addition to manufacturing all kinds of pop and soft drinks Mr. Weltmer is the exclusive bottler of Cocoa Cola and Jersey Creame in this territory. The works are equipped with the most modern machinery and appliances for bottling in a sanitary manner. Mr. Weltmer was married in 1904 to Miss Lelia A. Giddings who came to this part of the state from Connecticut. They have one bright eyed baby boy two years old. His name is Donald, Jr., and while Donald, Sr., is manager of the bottling works, the junior member of the firm is sole manager of the household.
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Transcribed from Biographical history of Barton County, Kansas. ; Illustrated. Published by Great Bend Tribune, Great Bend, KS : 1912. 318 p. : ill. ; 28 cm. Transcribed by Carolyn Ward, July 2006.
