1905 History of Crawford County Kansas
MILES W. GREENWOOD.
Miles W. Greenwood, a leading contractor of Pittsburg, was among the first to cast in their lot with this settlement, and in a very substantial fashion helped to build up and develop his town into a city of which he and the entire county is now most proud. Nearly all the years of his adult manhood, thirty in number, have been passed in this city, and his success has been achieved here by his industry and steady adherence to fixed and honorable principles in life.
Mr. Greenwood was born at Alexandria, Campbell county, Kentucky, in 1854. His parents, James and Sarah (Horswell) Greenwood were both born in Yorkshire, England, and they came to the United States about 1834. James Greenwood was a woolen mill employe, and also engaged in that occupation after coming to America. His brother, Thomas Greenwood, with his family, had started for America a year before James, but has never since been heard of. It is known that his vessel suffered shipwreck on the way, but it is also known that he finally reached this country, although the most diligent efforts to locate him or his family have been so far unsuccessful. James Greenwood died in 1862, and his wife in 1881, both in Kentucky, where they had lived since coming to America. Four of their sons served as Union soldiers in the Civil war, namely, James, Henry, John and George. The first named was wounded at the battle of Murfreesboro, and was also a prisoner in the awful Libby Prison.
Mr. Miles W. Greenwood received his education at Alexandria, Kentucky, and during his boyhood days there also began learning the carpenter's trade. He completed his period of apprenticeship at Cincinnati, and worked there for a time as a journeyman, having employment in that capacity in the Mill Creek section of that city. In 1875 he came to Illinois and worked at his trade for nine months. His introduction to the present city of Pittsburg was in 1876, but the place was then known as New Pittsburg, and was a small station on the Girard and Joplin Railroad, containing probably one hundred inhabitants and a very few buildings. It was a promising locality because of the great coal prospects which were just beginning to be developed and which were certain to make a rich community in time. Mr. Greenwood went to work as a carpenter and contractor, and put up a number of buildings in the town. The second winter he was here the old Stevens Hotel, at which he was boarding, burned to the ground, and he suffered a heavy loss in his two hundred and fifty dollars' worth of tools. In 1884 he was compelled to give up his carpentry work on account of ill health, and during the following nine years he engaged in mining. He then resumed and has since continued his business as contractor and builder. He has constructed a great many buildings, both in the city and for the large mining companies nearby. Among others, he built the Schneider and Hunter blocks, and the Ash, Clark and McCluskey residences.
Mr. Greenwood has always been a stanch Republican in politics, and for some time during his earlier career in this city was in public life. He was constable for eight years, and also served a term as deputy sheriff under W. H. Braden. His fraternal affiliations are with the Ancient Order of United Workmen, the Improved Order of Red Men, the Fraternal Aid, and his wife is also a member of a number of local orders. He was married in this city in 1879 to Miss Maggie Botts, and they have three sons, George, Harry and Dan. They have also lost a little son, Frank, and two daughters, Lucy and Edna.
Pages 358-359 from A Twentieth century history and biographical record of Crawford County, Kansas, by Home Authors; Illustrated. Published by Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, IL : 1905. 656 p. ill. Transcribed by Thomas Hughes, student at Baxter Springs Middle School, Baxter Springs, Kansas, in April, 2003.
