The Yates Center News, Friday, Sept. 11, 1896, Pg. 5

Death of Henry Peters.

A gloom of sadness pervaded the town Monday morning when it was announced that commissioner Henry Peters, of Eminence township, had died at 10 o’clock the night before, from injuries received by a horse falling on him Wednesday evening of last week.

Henry Peters, son of Christoph and Louisa Peters, was born at Mecklephurgh, Germany, Aug. 11, 1847, died at his home, two miles west of Rose, Kansas, Sept. 6, 1896, aged 49 years and 25 days. When Henry was 8 years old his father, with his family, in the act of emigrating to America in 1853, died on board the vessel and was buried at sea. The widow and four children reached their destination at Orchard Grove, Lake county, Ind. In this boyhood days he had the advantage of a common school education. At the age of 16 he felt the inspiration of a young patriot and enlisted in the 12th Ind. Cal. Of the Western Department, and served his country well till the close of the war. In 1866 he worked his way through from Indiana to Woodson county, by driving a team for Mr. Allen Hale, with whom he made his home for a few years, working as a farm hand among the neighbors, always finding employment, and saving his hard earnings. In 1867, he responded to the call to go on the plains to fight Indians, under the gallant General Custer where he served as a brave soldier for seven months through a hard winter. At the age of 25, in March, 1870, he was married to Miss Charlotte Patterson, and settled on the quarter section adjoining Allen Hale. With his little savings he built a small house of two rooms, planted trees and shrubbery about it and began to develop his life’s plans in breaking up the prairie and putting it to crop, and soon met misfortune in the failure of crops, but by the perseverance characteristic of his ancestors, he succeeded little by little, investing his spare money in calves and pigs, so that within 10 years he had a good home and was looking out for more land, having planned to build a commodious house in 1880, and in 1881 as the acne of their expectations of a comfortable home and surroundings were reached, the dark cloud, before which all humanity trembles, gathered over the home and his faithful bosom companion was stricken by death’s relentless hand, leaving four boys and one girl to his care. Now, more than ever, he attended strictly to business. In the fall of 1885, he was married to Miss Catherine Williams, daughter of Dad Williams of Buffalo, who, by the counsels of a good mother and a kindly disposition, was so well fitted to become the mother of these children. Mr. Peters then began anew to enlarge his plans for life, buying more cattle and more land, working full hours with his hired help and growing up boys, until at death he owned three quarter sections in a body, 50 or more acres in the townsite of Rose, and had cattle, horses and other availabilities to leave his family in comfortable circumstances. On Sept. 3 he was riding a horse after some cattle and by some misstep fell on him, inflicting internal injuries from which he died Sept. 6. He grew in the same ratio in the respect and esteem of the citizens of the county, who honored him at the last election with the office of county commissioner. A final proof of his standing was the largest funeral gathering ever met at the Brush school house, where his remains rest beside his wife. He leaves one boy and one girl with his widow and family to cherish his memory. Mr. Peters never made profession of religion, time and again, as he was approached on the subject, his answer was, “when I get ready,” over and over again, “when I get ready.” He died as he lived. He was a K. of P. at Buffalo and a G. A. R. at Yates Center. The K P’s honored his burial with their ritual and songs. Sept. 8, the funeral sermon was preached by Rev. C. H. Grainley, pastor of the M. E. church at Buffalo, from the text, “Prepare to meet they God,” assisted by Rev. G. H. Lamb of the Christian church, and Rev. A. Hale of the Baptist church.

As stated above, Mr. Peters was a member of the board of county commissioners and his record as a public officer is above reproach. His work characterized by fairness and impartiality. In his death the county loses an honored citizen, and the bereaved family a kind and indulgent husband and father.