John Budy

JOHN BUDY. - The United States ranks today as the foremost nation of the civilized world. It has served as the melting pot of the best characteristics of all other nations and the outcome is a fine sterling American citizenship, consisting of strong and able bodied men, loyal and public spirited in civic life, broad minded and honorable in business, and alert and enthusiastically in sympathy with every measure tending to further the material welfare of the entire country. The great empire of Germany has contributed its fair quota to the upbuilding of this great nation and among its representatives in this country are to be found successful men in every walk of life from the professions to the prosperous farmers.

John Budy, whose demise occurred on the 3rd of January, 1904, was born at Silesia, Germany, the date of his nativity being the 21st of June, 1848. When death summoned him from the scene of his mortal endeavors he was a prominent and influential citizen of Quindaro township, Wyandotte county, Kansas, where he was engaged in agricultural operations on a fine estate of sixty-nine acres, all of which he raised to a high state of cultivation. He was a son of John and Teresa (Slusser) Budy, both of whom were likewise born and reared in Germany, where the father devoted the major portion of his active career to farming. In the public schools of his native place John Budy received his preliminary educational training and in 1870, when twenty-three years of age, he decided to immigrate to America. Accordingly he set sail for the United States, being accompanied on the trip by Matilda Hay, whom he married on their arrival in Leavenworth, Kansas, in 1870. Up to the year 1878 Mr. Budy was variously engaged, and in that year he, with his wife and family of four children, came to Wyandotte county, Kansas, locating on the old Hester place, near the water works, in Quindaro township, and residing there until the autumn of 1881, when he purchased a tract of forty acres of land six miles distant from Kansas City. This land had been cleared of timber, but was covered with stumps, and the only improvement on the place was a few fruit trees which had been set out. The family moved into a one room log house, which boasted an additional room of rough boards, used as a kitchen, and there they continued to reside until 1901, when their present commodious and beautiful home was erected, the same being one of the most attractive places in the county. With the passage of time, Mr. Budy added to his original estate until at the time of his death he was the owner of a fine farm of sixty-nine acres. In the midst of well tilled fields are located fine barns and farm buildings and the general air of thrift which permeates the place well indicates the practical ability of the industrious Budy family. During his life time Mr. Budy devoted his attention to diversified agriculture and the raising of high grade stock, and along those lines of enterprise he achieved most gratifying success. He was a stanch advocate of the Republican party in his political convictions and was for a number of years the efficient incumbent of the office of road overseer in Quindaro township. He ever manifested a deep and sincere interest in educational affairs and at one time was treasurer of the local school board.

At Leavenworth, Kansas, on June 3, 1870, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Budy to Miss Matilda Hay, whose birth occurred in Germany on the 4th of August, 1851, and who is a daughter of Frank and Julia (Longer) Hay, both of Germany. Mrs. Budy was reared and educated in Germany and she came to America in 1870, as previously noted. Mr. and Mrs. Budy became the parents of twelve children, concerning whom the following brief data are here incorporated: Julia, whose death occurred at the age of ten years; Christina, who is now Mrs. Frank Miller, of Quindaro township; William, who resides at White Church, married Pauline Gabel, at Haraneff, Kansas, in 1904; Anna, who is the wife of Mark Cassidy and who maintains her home at Kansas City, Kansas; Frank, who is farming on the Gibson place, in Quindaro township, married Emily Ballard; Emma, who is Mrs. Nicholas Gable, lives at White Church; John lives near Tonganoxie, where he is engaged in farming, his wife's maiden name being Silvia Muelemester; Mary, is the wife of Ermine Cardene and they live at St. Joseph, Missouri, where he is engineer on a railroad; Joseph is at home, where he has general charge of the estate of his mother; Albert, likewise is at home, as are also Margaret and Martha. All the children were afforded good common school educations in their youth and they are a distinct credit to their honored parents. Mrs. Budy is a woman of most gracious personality and she is deeply beloved by all with whom she has come in contact. In their religious faith the family are devout communicants of the Blessed Sacrament Catholic church at Chelsea, with which the father was affiliated during his lifetime. Mr. Budy was a man of broad and liberal views, considerate of others' opinions and sensibilities, and it has been said concerning him that his charity knew only the bounds of his opportunities. At the time of his death his loss was universally mourned and Quindaro township lost one of her most loyal citizens.