1905 History of Crawford County Kansas

J. T. Louthan, a prominent farmer and stockman of Arcadia, has passed a life of most useful and honorable activity, beginning with a creditable record as a Union soldier while in the bloom of young manhood, then for a number of years following the trade of blacksmith, and for the past thirty years engaged, until five years ago, in the dual occupation of farming and blacksmithing, and since then in conducting his fine estate near Arcadia, where after the stress of sixty years of life he will pass his remaining years in contentment with what the years have brought forth. He has met in a manly and courageous manner all the obligations laid upon him, whether as a soldier or civilian, and he merits and receives the respect and esteem of his fellow citizens in this part of Crawford county.

Mr. Louthan was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, May 3, 1843, a son of Moses and Electra (Thomas) Louthan, who came to Ohio from Pennsylvania. Both his parents lived to honorable old age, his father dying in 1892 at the age of eighty-two, and his mother in 1901, when eighty-seven years old.

Mr. Louthan received his education in the common schools of Ohio, and at the age of nineteen, in the spring of 1862, he enlisted in Company F, Eighty-seventh Ohio Infantry, going in for three months' service. At the siege of Harper's Ferry he was captured, and after being paroled he returned home. He re-enlisted in August, 1863, being enrolled in Company B, Twelfth Ohio Cavalry. He participated in the engagements at Saltsville, Virginia, Greensboro, South Carolina, Strawberry Plains, Tennessee, and at Bridgeport, Alabama, and was mustered out at Nashville, and was discharged at Columbus, Ohio, October 22, 1865, with a most creditable record as a soldier in defense of the Union. He returned home to engage for a time in the blacksmith business, and in the spring of 1867 came out to Baxter Springs, Kansas, where he followed his trade one year. He lived in Barton county, Missouri, until August, 1875, at which time he took up his permanent residence at Arcadia, Crawford county, and bought the farm of one hundred and sixty acres which now comprises his pleasant and productive homestead. He had a blacksmith shop on his farm until about five years ago, but has now given up following his trade.

Mr. Louthan is a stanch Republican. He served one term on the school board of Arcadia. He has fraternal affiliations with Lodge No. 401, I. O. O. F. He was married in 1869 to Miss Margaret Myer, of Illinois. She died in March, 1889, leaving the following children: Marion Franklin, of the state of Washington; W. S., of Washington; Lewis, of Peru, Kansas; Ruth Electra, of Fort Scott, Kansas; and M. E., of Washington. Mr. Louthan married, second, in May, 1896, Miss Charlotte Parker. She is a native of England, and was a trained nurse in London. She is a member of the Presbyterian church, and a most delightful and pleasant lady.