Cowley County Heritage Book

Pages

- 191 - 192 - 193 - 194 - 195 -


Cowley County Heritage Book Page 191


(continued from page 190) Wetzel had also coached President Theodore Roosevelt in speech.

Another great influence on Cecil was his junior high school English teacher, Cora B. Vaughn, who had served as one of President Roosevelt's secretaries, Other mucb-loved high school faculty members were Will Freich, Helen Prichard, and Curly Vaughan. His favorite college teachers were Eleanor Hayes and Ada M. Herr.

Ted Marvel, who became Cecil's closest friend, sat in the same English class with him under Miss Hayes. Ted Marvel became a member of the Radio City Music Hall Chorus in New York and for seven years assisted Walter Cronkhite in producing his well-known TV news broadcasts. On Saturday nights, Ted conducted these broadcasts by himself.

Cecil broke off from graduate school to take a job as an exchange work-student in Germany. There he worked in brown coal mines and at the Deutz Motoren factory for a year. He then became a full-time exchange student at the University of Berlin. He also rode a bicycle through eleven countries and went by train and boat from Moscow to Japan and back to Germany.

In 1933, Cecil began teaching sociology at New York University, where he obtained a Ph.D. and rose to become assistant professor. In 1945, he was urged to resign and to enter government service in Germany to take part in the occupation, He was in charge of setting up the "American Houses" in the U,S. Zone from 1945 to 1948. He was then transferred to Radio Stuttgart and for the last three years of the occupation served as County Commissioner in Nurtingen, a town close to Stuttgart in South Germany.

In 1931, Cecil married Edith Finkelstein, a French-English stenographer who took down Herbert Hoover's speech at the 1931 Economic Conference.

Their sons, William (called Cedric in the family), born in 1937, and Daniel, born in 1941, attended German elementary schools for a couple of years, but had most of their secondary education in French schools in Germany. Both boys later attended Swarthmore College near Philadelphia. William later obtained an LL-B. degree from the Yale Law School and a J.S.D. from the University of Mexico. Daniel obtained a Masters in International Relations at Johns Hopkins University and a PH,D. from Princeton in history in 1969.

Wlliam was a law professor at the University of Puerto Rico from 1964 to 1970 and for two years thereafter was visiting professor at the University of Montana Law School. He is now a practising lawyer in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He is married to Inga Westerholm, born in Finland of Swedish parentage. They have two sons, Allan and Mark, who both attended an English boarding school. Allan graduated from Swarthmore College, and Mark from the College of William and Mary. Allan is now completing his master's in physics at the University of Texas, while supervising an undergraduate laboratory. William and Inga have also adopted a girl by the name of Celilia, who is now eleven years old. She spent four years in the French school in Santo Domingo, and speaks English, French and Spanish.

Submitted by Cecil Hedrick
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 191.

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The Heins

In February of 1957 the Heins, Allen J. and Jean, moved to Cowley County and purchased the Western Auto Store in Winfield, at 807 Main. They and their two small daughters, Barbara Jean and Mary Joanne, moved to 1115 Menor as their very first Cowley County home. As the business grew, so did their family, Douglas Allen was born in 1960.

Allen joined the Lions Club and Winfield Jaycees and the Winfield Chamber of Commerce. The family united with the First United Methodist Church. Jean taught Sunday School for many years. She also was affiliated with Beta Sigma Phi Ritual Chapter, Hypatia Study Club, Soroptimist International of Winfield and served as a leader in both 4H and Girl Scouts.

The Western Auto Store moved to 1020 Main in 1967 into a new building built by Richardson Bros. Construction Co. on the site of the former Opera House. General Electric Appliance franchise and recreation vehicles were added to the merchandise lines of Western Auto appliances, furniture, lawn and garden, electrical, plumbing, tires, batteries and automotive parts. Stutz toppers, Sportsman campers, Kit Road Ranger trailers, 5th wheels, and mini-homes were displayed on the lot at 1lth & Main.

After 32 years Allen and Jean sold the store and retired February 5, 1989, and reside in Lake View Addition in Winfield.

Allen's father, Jake Hein, migrated to Hillsboro, Kansas from Russia when he was a small child. His parents traveled to Russia from Germciny to escape oppression.

Allen's mother, Anna Blackim Hein came to Marion, Kansas with her parents, James and Mary Ann McQuilken Blackim, from Ireland.

Jean's parents J.Kenneth and Agnes Ayers Muse were native Kansans.

Allen and Jean graduated from Marion High School. Allen attended Bethel College in Newton and worked as a salesman for Wolf Creamery in Marion. Jean attended Kansas State University. They were married in 1949 and Allen served two years in the Bth Division, U.S. Army, Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Jean was executive secretary to the President of Life Insurance Company of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina. Upon discharge they returned to Kansas and Allen worked for AT&SF Railway in Newton and Wichita, as he searched for the Western Auto Store he wished to purchase.

Barbara attended Emporia State University and graduated from Cowley County Community College, married Eric Stanton King, also from Winfield. They have two children. Zachary and Jennifer. They reside in Hays, Kansas. Eric is Director of Facility Planning at Fort Hays State University. Barbara is a senior in the School of Nursing, at Fort Hays.

Mary Jo attended Southwestern College and graduated from Wichita State University. She and her husband, Dr. Steven Rohr, DDS, reside in Wichita. Their children are Matthew and Melanie. Mary Jo is a Registered Nurse with the Wichita State Student Health Department.

Douglas, an Industrial Engineer at Boeing, Wichita, mcirried Dale Robin Davies, also from Winfield. They both graduated from Kansas State University, have three sons, Christopher, Nathan and David, and reside in Mulvane, Kansas.

Submitted By Allen & Jean Hein
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 191.

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Joseph H. Henderson & Family

Joseph H. Henderson was born 7-11-1892. He was the son of Oscar C. and Mary Shermie Salmon Henderson. He had a sister, Irene Belle, born 8-11-1887, brothers, James D., born 8-3-1889, and Eugene S., born 5-28-1900. They grew up on the Henderson form southwest of Dexter and attended Glenwood School.

Joseph H. was named after his grandfather, Joseph Henderson, who came to Cowley County with his son, Oscar, in June 1876. He bought the eighty acres where the house is built. Oscar and Shermie homesteaded an adjoining eighty acres in 1885 and bought another eighty acres adjoining in 1891 to make the farm 240 acres.

James D. Salmon and Ermine F. Builington were married 1-5-1865. They were Joseph's maternal grandparents. His grandparents had five dciughters: Mary Shermie born 11-22-1865, Carrie born 11-13-1867, LUlie born 3-8-1871, Kate born 8-14-1874 and Mildred born 5-24-1878. Salmons owned the hotel in Dexter for a number of years. Mr. Salmons was a veteran of the Civil War.

Joseph H. Henderson married Amanda Elizabeth Radcliff on 7-31-1917. She was the daughter of James W. and Clara L. Elliott Radcliff, who lived on a farm on Plum Creek north of Dexter.

Joseph was called Joe, In 1918 Joe went to the U.S. Army during World War 1. When he came home from the army, he and his wife moved to Hayden, Colorado. In 1920 he homesteaded some land in Colorado and farmed it for two or three years.

Mr. & Mrs. Joe Henderson moved back to Dexter. Joe was in the drayage business for several years. While they were living in Dexter, a son, William Oscar Henderson, was born 8-6-1923. Billy was named after both of his grandfathers. In about 1924 they moved to a farm southwest of Dexter, where the lived for about ten years.

A daughter, Betty Marie, was born to them 9-1-1926. joe's mother, Shermie Henderson, passed away in 1931. About 1934, Joe and family moved to the old Henderson Homestead farm so they could be near Joe's dad, Oscar, and help look after him. He died 4-11-1939.

Bill and Betty graduated from Dexter High School. Bill married Lenora A. Bair 12-3-1944. Bill was in the army during WW II from August 1944 until September 1946, spending nineteen months in the South Pacific and Japan. Twins were born to Lenora and Bill, Donald William and Connie Sue, born 1-28-1949.

Betty married William L. Allen from the Dexter area, on 5-10-1946. They have two sons, William Randy, born 11 -28-1950 and Mark Joseph, born 1-3-1953, They all live in Kirkland, Washington.

Joe was a member of the Dexter Masonic Lodge for over fifty years and Amanda was a member of the Eastern Star.

Joe loved this farm that had been in the family for three generations. Joe and Amanda bought the farm about 1950. AB of the Hendersons, down through the years, have been very proud to have been a part of Cowley County and Dexter and the Grouse Creek Valley, in some way or another.

Joe liked to hunt and fish. He liked to farm on Grouse Creek where he continued to do so until 1967. They retired and moved into a home in Winfield at 1502 East 12th. Joseph died 12-7-1979 and Amanda passed away 10-25-1981.

Submitted by William 0. Henderson
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 191.

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Oscar C. Henderson & Family

Joseph Henderson and his nineteen year old son, Oscar C. Henderson, came to Cowley County, Kansas in about June 1876. Oscar was born in Indianola, Iowa on June 2, 1857. His (continued on page 192)

Submitted by William O. Henderson
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 191.

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Cowley County Heritage Book Page 192


(continued from page 191) mother, Margaret A. (Fee) Henderson died at the time of his birth. When Oscar and his father came into Grouse Creek Valley in 1876, they saw lots of fertile farmland and had green grass excellent for grazing land. The grass was as high as a man riding horseback, as it was told by many in those days.

Back in those early days they had a number of visits from the different Indian tribes that came traveling through. The Indians would stop and want to trade for something with my grandfather, Oscar.

Joseph Henderson bought eighty acres on Grouse Creek Valley, Cowley County, Kansas, five and one-half miles southwest of Dexter, Kansas in December 1877. Joseph Henderson became ill with pneumonia and passed away on April II, 1879, at the age of seventy.

Tirzah Ann Henderson, Oscar's older sister, had come from Indiana to live at the Dexter farm. In July 1884 Tirzah Ann and James McDermott, a lawyer and founder of Dexter, were married. They had two sons, George and William. Later they moved to Winfield, Kansas.

Oscar Henderson was married to Shermie Salmon in October 1884. In June 1885 Oscar and Shermie homesteaded eighty acres joining the original eighty acres. They bought another joining eighty acres January 20, 1891 for a total of 240 acres. They worked very hard and were very happy together. Oscar and Shermie lived in a small house built on the farm in the 1880's. In 1901 they built a large four bedroom, two story, fine home on the farm.

They met friends in the community on Grouse Creek and they remained lifelong friends. Eventually, when they grew wheat as a crop and began threshing it, the entire neighborhood in the valley, acquired a steam engine and a separator. It was used each year for everyone up and down Grouse Creek, from Dexter to Vinton and beyond.

A one room school house, 'Glenwood,' was built on land near the Henderson f arm house in 1888. Children from all over the neighborhood came to school at 'Glenwood'. My father, his sister and brothers went to school there. My cousins, Helen and Bob Henderson, Lawrence Fry, my sister and I and many others went through grade school there. The school was closed in the 1950's.

Oscar and Shermie had four children, Irene, James, Joseph, and Eugene. Irene married the Rev. William Poole, a Presbyterian minister. They had a daughter, Patty. Eugene married Sylvia Morse in 1920. They had three children, Helen, Robert, and Joan. Joseph married Amanda Radcliff in 1917. They had two children, William and Betty.

Oscar Henderson was residing on his Grouse Creek farm at the time of his death, April 11, 1939, having survived his wife, Shermie, by eight years.

Submitted by Wifliam 0. Henderson
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 192.

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Henry Family

Candy making has been in the Henry family of Dexter for generations. Tom Henry who was born in Boston, Mass., in 1880, started the business years ago. At the age of ten, he helped a Greek candy maker after school. He later worked in Missouri, Illinois, Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, as well as Kansas.

Finally Tom started his own successful candy business located on Highway 5, south of Little Rock, Arkansas. The business was known as the "Better Mouse Trap Candy Store". The Better Mouse Trap brand is copyrighted and was inspired by Emerson's essay, wherein he stated, "If a man makes a better mousetrap, the public will beat a path to his door". The well-known O'Henry candy bar was originated by Tom Henry. Tom Henry made candy until the age of eighty-three.

Patrick Henry, Sr. traveled around the country with his father Tom, and followed in his father's vocation of candy making. In 1956, the Henry Candy Company was started at Dexter, with Pat, his wife Mildred, and their son Pat Henry, Jr., working in the business. Pat Henry, Jr., left the candy business two years later to go into the insurance business. The candy store was first located in downtown Dexter, before moving to a larger building on Kansas Highway 15.

The tird and fourth generation of Henry's continued swith the candy making operation. Evelyn (Henry) Pudden and her daughters, Tammie adn Robyn Evinger, are currently running the business, with other members helping our occasionally.

Patrick Henry, Sr., died in February, 1989, His wife Mildred, April 1987.

Submitted by Nita Wilson
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 192.

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Basil Dean Herlocker

John Wesley Herlocker, the husband of Charlotte Chittenden, was born in 1854 and died in 1929. He was the son of John Horlocher and Catherine Williams Horlocher. After he, his wife, Charlotte and their son, Dean, moved to Winfield in 1892, he was employed as a hardware salesman. Following John's death in 1929, Charlotte was, for many years, the housemother for the nurses at William Newton Memorial Hospital.

Ona M. Mfllspaugh married Basil Dean Herlocker on February 26, 1880 in Winfield. Ona and Dean had two children, John Aubrey Herlocker and Betty Herlocker, who later married M.E. Baird.

Ona was a homemaker and Dean was a traveling salesman for Munsingwear and Modern Globe clothing companies with a territory that included Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Colorado. Dean was good at his occupation and enjoyed it. He continued to take his sample cases on the road and sell to retailers until he was in his 80's. Both he and Ona passed away in 197 1, within three months of each other.

Submitted By Thomas D. Herlocker
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 192.

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John Aubrey Herlocker

John A. Herlocker, the son of Dean and Ona Herlocker, was born and raised in Winfield, attending Winfield High School, Southwestern College and the University of Kansas where he was award a LL.B. degree. He was elected Cowley County Attorney in 1936 and served in that office until enlisting in the United States Navy in 1943. In 1937 he married Carolan Cox of Sacramento, California, and they had two sons, Thomas Dean and John Dennis. After returning from World War 11 and service in the South Pacific with the rank of Lieutenant in the Navy, John A. Herlocker resumed the practice of law with Harry 0. Janicke and later, Robert L. Bishop. Still later, after Janicke's death and Bishop's appointment as a judge of the District Court, John became partners with Kay Roberts and his sons, Tom and Dennis, in the law firm of Herlocker, Roberts & Herlocker. John died in 1984 and his wife, Carolan died in 1987.

Kay Roberts, Thomas D. Herlocker, J. Dennis Herlocker and Nicholas M. St.Peter continue to practice law in Winfield at the present date. The firm traces its beginnings to the early day law firms of Hackney & Lafferty and Charles W. Roberts.

Submitted By Thomas D. Herlocker
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 192.

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John Dennis Herlocker

John Dennis Herlocker was born in Winfield in 1942. He was raised here and attended Winfield High School, the University of Kansas, where he was awarded a B.A. degree, and the University of Texas Law School where he was awarded a LL.B. degree. After practicing law for seven years in Texas, Dennis moved back to Winfield to practice law with his brother, Tom, and Kay Roberts in the firm which is now Herlocker, Roberts & St. Peter, P.A.

Dennis is married to Gretchen Wilson, the daughter of Wil. bur and Louise Goodwin Wilson, and the granddaughter of Joseph Deacon Wilson and Cloa Wilson. Gretchen and Dennis have three children, David, Carolan and Jeffrey. Davis is married to the former Terry McArtor and they are the parents of two daughters, Peyton and Sydney, Carolan is attending the University of Kansas and Jeffrey is a freshman at Winfield High School.

Submitted By Thomas Dean Herlocker
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 192.

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Thomas Dean Herlocker

Thomas Dean Herlocker was born in 1938 in Winfield, Kansas and was raised there. He attended Winfield High School, Stanford University and the University of Kansas, where he was awarded B.A. and J. D. degrees. He was married in 1960 to Judith Ann Gildehaus of Webster Groves, Missouri and they have three daughters, Lucy, Jennifer and Katherine. Lucy Herlocker, who is married to Timothy Otte, also of Winfield, practices law in Wichita, Kansas and she and Tim have two children, a son, Ian Thomas, and a daughter, Abby Marie.

Jennifer is married to Todd Sklamberg of New York City, She and Todd five in St.Louis, Missouri, where each are employed in the banking industry.

Katherine is married to Rick L. Eastman, also of Winfield, They live in Cowley County, near Winfield, and have two children, John Thomas and Brett Matthew.

Submitted By Thomas D. Herlocker
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 192.

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George H. & Eliza Hesket Family

George H. Hesket came to Cowley County from Ohio in 1874. He received a patent on a quarter section of land in Beaver Township, west of the Arkansas River, dated May 1, 1876, signed by U.S. Grant, President.

He married Eliza A. Oringdulph. They had 3 sons and a daughter. The daughter died in infancy and is buried in the Yeager Cemetery.

William Harvey was born November 25, 1879. The story of his family will be included.

George Earl was born May 6, 1884. He lived all of his life on the same farm and farming it until his death in October 1960. He married Myrtle Givens from Arkansas City and they had three sons, Gary who lives in Mankato, KS now; John Earl now lives in California; and Tony Dick now lives on the East Coast. He was called Earl by his family and was also known as "Dick."

Noble Wayne was born November 19, 1888. Noble was in the service in World War I. He married Esther Holman and they lived near Ashton on a farm, in Sumner County. When he retired from farming he moved to Arkansas City and then to Winfield. His daughter Berniece Hesket Scrivner came to Cowley County in 1963 and another daughter Marie Hesket Cathey moved to Winfield in 1981 where they presently reside. Another daughter and his son live in Oklahoma.

George H. died March 25, 1919 at the age of 67 years. Eliza A. died August 6, 1932 at the age of 75.

This land is still owned by descendants of George H. Hesket and 50 acres of it is still farmed by one of them. There are numerous springs on this land.

Submitted By Mable Hesket King
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 192.

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Harvey & lone Hesket Family

My grandfather William Harvey Hesket was born in Cowley County on November 25,1879. He lived all of his life within two miles from where he was born, However, not all of it was in Cowley County, as the "home place" borders on the Sumner (continued on page 193)

Submitted by Mabel Ione Hesket King
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 192.

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Cowley County Heritage Book Page 193


John Wesley Hess Family

(continued from page 192) county line. He was son of George H. and Eliza A. (Oringdulph) Hesket.

Harvey attended college in Winfield at the school that later became Southwestern College.

William Harvey married lone Lucas, who was born 3 miles south of Oxford in Sumner County, on July 15, 1901. They had four children. My father, George Wayne, Harvey Elmo, Willis Earl and Mary Louise.

Harvey and Ione moved back into Cowley County (moving about one-half mile) in January 1950 and Harvey died in January 1951. lone continued living in Cowley County until her death, October 17, 1983, at the age of 99.

My father, Wayne, never lived in Cowley County, but he married Velma Condit who was born a mile or two east of New Salem, on November 19, 1903. She moved into Sumner County at the age of two, returning to Cowley County in 1945. Wayne died in an accident in August 1936. Velma operated the Rainbow Bend Grocery store for four years, moving to Winfield in 1949. She lived there until her death October 20, 1986.

My brother, Donald Hesket lived in Cowley County for a short period of time. He presently farms 370 acres in Cowley County but lives in Sumner County. He married Alice Harding of Cowley County. Their daughter, Terry Lynn married Steve Post and they live in Arkansas City with their children Stephanie and John Post.

My sisters, Doris, Elizabeth (Betty), and Lois, as well as myself graduated from Winfield High School. Doris lives in Enid, OK. Her daughter, Dana Wanzer graduated from Southwestern College.

Elizabeth (Betty) lives in Wichita. Her son, Neil Arnold, his wife Susan and sons Jeremy and Seth live in Winfield.

Lois now lives in Edgerton, Wisconsin.

I married C, Raymond (Scotty) King in 1954 and still live in Cowley County.

Harvey Elmo, son of William Harvey and lone Hesket lived in Cowley County several years before his death January 15, 1984. His son Dale and grandson Jimmy live in Arkansas City.

Submitted by Mabel Ione Hesket King
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 193.

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John Wesley Hess Family

My father, John Wesley Hess was born 1867 in Oblong Co., Indiana. He came to Kansas and Winfield as a small boy. They settled west of Winfield and lived in a sod house. He went to school at "48" school house. He could go only part-time. His father was a very poor provider. John and his brother, George, had to provide for their younger brother and two sisters. The teacher's name was J. Scott Baker. Pat Taylor went at the same time my father did. John and his mother and sisters made the run into Oklahoma in 1889.

In 1894, he married my mother, Rosa Alice Kite. They lived on the farm until the fall of 1900, then they came back to Winfield and lived at 1109 W. 9th, down by the fairgrounds. He built a three room house with oil lamps, etc. They had three girls, in April 1901, I was born, The first job I remember Dad had was delivering ice in a horse-drawn wagon. The ice was made by Jennings Ice Co. About 1906, he and his brother, George, started building houses. They built a number of barns for Fred Clarke. They built his home at 902 E. 9th. They lived there and the two girls went to WHS- They also built barns for Mart Jarvis, and stayed at the farm all week. Dad and his brother, George, helped build the Indian "home" at Chilocco, Oklahoma.

We lived at 1109 W. 9th thru several floods. There were no sidewalks, and only dirt roads. When the city built the dike, they bought the properties west of the railroad tracks. The home we lived in was moved down by Island Park, and Winn's live in it. In 1910, Dad built on several rooms, including a bath. We were really uptown! We had electric lights but still used wood stoves. My parents moved to California where the three older girls lived. Dad sold the farm after they went to California. I am the only one here. My sister, Marie Hess Benner, lives in Kansas City.

The old mule car tracks were close to the east line of our property. They would turn the car to go back to town by unhooking the mules at one end and hooking them to the other end.

Submitted by Louise (Hess) Denton
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 193.

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Mrs. Emerine Yount Hess

Emerine Yount Hess was the youngest daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth Yount and also a sister to George W. Yount. She was born in Martinsville, Morgan County, Indiana April 1, 1842. She was married to Lewis Francis Hess on August 28, 1861 and to them nine children were born. With her family, Mrs. Hess moved to Crawford County, III in 1863 where the family lived until October 1878 at which time they came to Cowley County, Kansas. The trip was made by covered wagon and took 30 days. In 1886 Mrs. Hess, with her children, traveled in a covered wagon to Comanche County, Kansas where they lived for three years, At the end of this time the family packed up and again, using covered wagon, went to old Oklahoma where the members of the family staked four good claims. She lived here until 1899 when she moved back to Winfield to live with her daughter Nora Hess. At the time of her death, there were six children still living, they were; Mrs. George Gentry, Miss Lenora Hess, Christian J. Hess, George H. Hess, John W. Hess, and S. Curt Hess; 19 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Since 1928 she was blind. She celebrated a 91st birthday in 1933. She passed away in 1934 and is buried in Highland Cemetery.

Submitted by Zoa Manny
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 193.

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Heydecker Family

Eugene and Nellie Heydecker came to Winfield in February, 1906. They arrived by train with their belongings in a boxcar, including a Christmas cactus, a white rose, and six horses. They rented a 160 acre farm owned by John Crawford, located 2W and 1/2S of the Country Club. The children were Louis Francis "Doc" 1894-1985, Bessie May 1895-1989, Chester Lee 1897-1918. They attended Easterly school.

Eugene was the son of Jean-Baptiste Heydecker, who came from the Alsace-Lorraine in the early 1860s, and Justine Schaub. Eugene Leon was born in 1864, his brother Remy Louis in New York City in 1866. In 1872 Justine died and the boys were placed in the New York Juvenile Asylum. They were brought to Rochelle, Illinois on an orphan train in September, 1878. Later their father died in New Orleans, he was cook and butcher on the ship Bristol.

Eugene married Nellie Miler, whose family came from Germany in 1867. Around 1920, Eugene returned to Illinois and Nellie moved into a small house near 15th and Main. She took in laundry and assisted with childbirths. After several years she bought a larger house at 811 Mansfield where she had roomers. In the flood of 1928 the house had over a foot of water downstairs. Doc waded through waist high water to help his mother raise furniture just before the house flooded.

Doc graduated from the Kansas City Veterinary College in 1915. He had a veterinary practice in Oxford, then was a Second Lieutenant in WWI, and was with the army of occupation in Europe until fall 1919. From 1921-1924 Doc and several friends, Roy Day, Emmett Pugh, Lee Stuber, Tommy Jones Tom Barker, homesteaded near Gillette, Wyoming. Next he worked for civil engineers in Winfield, then with a New Deal program buying drought cattle and TB testing. Then he was a government meat inspector in St. Paul, Minnesota and Kansas City, Missouri. In 1949 Doc returned to Winfield. He married Lorene Singley, from Meade, Kansas in 1934. Lorene attended Central Commercial College in Winfield, and was the first office secretary for the Cowley County Extension Office. His daughter, Mary Lou, was born in St. Paul. He worked with parking meters for the city engineers.

Doc's sister, Bessie, married Arthur McClung in 1915. 01 November 10, 1918 Chester wrote his brother that he wm leaving Winfield with 28 other young men the next day for Ft Riley where he expected to train as a medic. On November 11th the war ended; December 4, 1918 Chester died in this influenza epidemic.

Doc's daughter attended college in Emporia, and was librarian in Wichita, San Diego, and Seattle. After 26 years il Seattle, Mary Lou returned to Winfield with her son, Remy, ii 1987, to be near her mother, who was living at Good Samaritan Village.

Submitted by Mary Lou Heydecker Soule
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 193.

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Ada S. (Hoyt) Fell Hicks

Ada Sedell Hoyt was born in a log cabin 7 March 1877 at Good Hope, McDonough County, Illinois to Hollis Ammi and Emily Elizabeth (Cocks) Hoyt. Ada had two brothers, Olis A. and Arthur Roy, and a sister, Ida May.

Ada came to Arkansas City, Kansas in 1881 on the first Santa Fe train. Mr. Hoyt hired a freight car to bring the family, their animals and all their belongings to Kansas. They lived in Arkansas City for a short time. They moved to a farm three miles east of Wilmot, Kansas when Ada was eight years old. Ada went to school at Queen Village, Dist. 19, and one-half year in Wilmot.

Ada is second cousin to Buckskin Joe Hoyt. She was in Arkansas City when Buckskin Joe walked a tight rope across Summit Street from the two tallest buildings in town.

Ada married Isaac Wesley Fell, son of Joseph Oscar and Amanda (Brown) Fell on 24 Nov. 1897 in Winfield, Kansas at Sheriff Skinner's home. Isaac was a laborer, railroader, and farm worker. They lived in Wilmot and Floral. Ada and Isaac had three children. Bessie May (1889-1980) born at Floral, Roy Cecil (1903- ) born at 1035 So. B, Arkansas City, Eva Sedell (1907-1976) was born at Eva's great-grandfather John Fell's home six miles south of Atlanta. (continued on page 194)

Submitted by Glenda L. Martin, Great-granddaughter
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 193.

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Cowley County Heritage Book Page 194


(continued from page 193) In September 1907 they moved near Perry, Oklahoma. Isaac was on his way to work on 19 December 1908 when he was robbed and killed for his team and wagon by halibreed Indians. He was shot and beaten with "Brass Nucks." They threw his body in a well near Morrison, Oklahoma. The men were caught, tried, and one was hung, the other, a boy, was sent to prison for life. Ada witnessed the hanging. Isaac was buried at Rose Hill Cemetery, Perry, Oklahoma on 29 December 1908. The "Brass Nucks" that were used to kill Isaac are an display at the museum in Perry, Oklahoma. Ada moved back to Arkansas City, Kansas.

In June 1912 Ada married Otis Hoffman, and separated in June 1918. Ada married Eli Wilt, a farmer and trucker, on 9 November 1921 at Newkirk, Oklahoma. They lived in Winfield during the flood of 10 June 1923. Mr. Wilt died November, 1923. Ada married George Ellsworth Hicks, a cement mason and carpenter, on 15 January 1925 in Winfield Kansas. George helped build part of the Winfield State Training School, the Courier Building, and Catholic Church in Arkansas City. He worked for Grant Pally, a contractor. They moved to Arkansas City on 15 March 1944 living at 509 North Summit Street. George died I August 1946 at his home. He is buried at Highland Cemetery in Winfield.

Ada never married after Mr. Hicks died. She spent her remaining years in Arkansas City enjoying her children, grand, and great-grandchildren. She was a member of the Salvation Army Church. Ada died 4 May 1970 at Arkansas City, Kansas and is buried at Wilmot Cemetery, Wilmot, Kansas.

This information was taken from pictures and family register of Ada's.

Submitted by Glenda L. Martin, Great-granddaughter
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 194.

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Clarence & Frank Higginbottom

Throughout their adult lives Clarence and Frank Higginbottom successfully combined their talents in various business ventures. Both were employed by the Winfield Wholesale Grocery Company, later were partners in the Higginhottom Grocery Store, and finally were owners and partners in the insurance and real estate business.

Clarence and Frank were both active in civic and community affairs, Each served as president of the Winfield Merchants' Association, president of the Winfield Chamber of Commerce, as a member of the Winfield City Commission for several terms, and each was Mayor of Winfield on different occasions. In addition, Frank served as Cowley County Commissioner for several terms.

The two brothers were both active in the United Commercial Travelers of America, an accident insurance company. Each held the highest state and national office in the organization.

Clarence served as president of the annual Eaton School Picnic for twenty-one years He also was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church. He served as chairman of the building committee when the present church located on the corner of 10th and Mound Streets was dedicated in 1962.

Clarence and Frank each had two children. Of the four only Dorothy Higginbottom Flottman, daughter of Clarence, still resides in Winfield. In 1982 she was elected Kansas State Representative from the 78th District, a district which includes northern Cowley County. She is still serving in that capacity and is completing her fourth term. She is the widow of L.R. "Dick" Flottman who died on February 3, 1979.

The Higginbottom brothers, Clarence and Frank, will be remembered as Winfield citizens who loved their community and were willing to contribute their time and talents in helping Winfield to grow and prosper. They were two brothers who worked well together. They and their wives vacationed together, and even in death, Frank, Mary, Clarence and Louise, share a common memorial monument in Highland Cemetery in Winfield.

Submitted By Dorothy (Higginbottom) Flottman
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 194.

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Higginbottom Family

Members of the Higginbottom family left Illinois in the late 1800's and traveled by covered wagon to Cowley County. They settled west of Burden, Frank Higginbottom, born October 3, 1839, and his wife Minervia, born October 31, 1838, had four children: John, born August 16, 18621- Levi, born October 13, 1865; Mary Ellen, born May 16, 1872; and Ida Jane, born March 21, 1879.

On October 7, 1896 John Higginbottom married Mary Hansen, daughter of William Henry and Katherine Theis Hansen. They had five children: Clarence C., Rose Higginbottom Fielder Vail Nelson; Mattie Higginbottom Van Horn Smith; Frank, and a daughter who died in infancy.

When Clarence was a teenager the family lived in the Eaton community east of Winfield. He started his business career by working in Eaton at Sandborn's Grocery Store. In the early 1920's Clarence was employed at Tharp's Grocery Store in Winfield. During the late 1920's and early 1930's he was employed as a salesman for the Winfield Wholesale Grocery Company during the Dust Bowl years. His route was south central and southwest Kansas.

In 1937 Frank and Clarence purchased Vincent's Grocery Store (formerly Tharp's) which was located on the southwest corner of 10th and Main Streets in Winfield. The two brothers sold the grocery store in the 1950's and opened the Higginbottom Insurance and Real Estate Agency.

Clarence Higginbottom married Louise W. Janke on February 27, 1924 and were the parents of two daughters: Dorothy Louise Higginbottom Flottman; and Lorita Mae Higginbottom Pendleton. They had four grandchildren. Clarence died on June 2, 1977 and Louise died on October 23, 1982.

Frank Higginbottom married Mary Hooper, of Sedan, and they had two children: Phillip Scott; and Barbara Higginbottom Niewald. Mary died in 1973 and Frank later married Mae Jennings. He died on March 2, 1981.

Submitted By Dorothy Higginbottom Flottman
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 194.

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Bud And Lucy Higgins Family

Arthur-Otto (Bud) Higgins, born in 1871 in Burden, Kansas, was a depot agent in Gordon, Galva, and Rose Hill for many years. His father, William Wallace Higgins, was in the Civil War serving as a drummer boy in the Kansas 6th Cavalry During the battle of Pea Ridge, he dug a flattened bullet out of a tree, which would have hit him had he not been sitting under the tree, taking a lunch break. That bullet remains in the family.

After the war, and before settling in Burden, he took his wife, Joanna Thorpe, and their two small children, Bud and (continued on page 195)

Submitted by Mary Emery Jones.
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 194.

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Cowley County Heritage Book Page 195


(contined from page 194) Mary, to what is now Sun Valley, Idaho. William Wallace fashioned snowshoes for himself and his children. He worked in a saw mill, and delivered mail to the scant settlers. When the Indians became unfriendly, he sent his family, Joanna with a third baby, back to Kansas. William Wallace stayed to sell his cattle. The Indians left him alone, because he had a dark complexion; but a group of braves stopped Joanna's stagecoach. One of them wanted the baby, but Grandma said "No".

Their son, Bud, married Lucy Bell Haskell in 1897 in Winfield. Lucy was born in Vermillion County, Indiana, in 1876. They had four children, one of whom died in childhood. Mary Higgins Pease (born 1900; died 1985) was their second child, and my grandmother. She did extensive genealogical research, and it is from her writings that this information is available.

Lucy's family, the Haskells, is traced back to four settlers who arrived on the Mayflower in 1620. They moved from Massachusetts to Vermont, down to Indiana, and then into Kansas.

The Higgins clan arrived a few years earlier, in 1611, when Thomas Harris and George Thorpe arrived in Jamestown, Virginia, on the ship Prosperous. They migrated from Virginia into Kentucky, then on to Missouri, and into Kansas.

Bud and Lucy's eldest daughter, Mary Higgins Pease, had two daughters; my mother, Janet Pease Emery lived in Concordia, Kansas. My sister, Elizabeth Ann, and I, Mary Lou were born and raised in Concordia.

I have now come full circle, and live in Winfield with my husband Robert L. Jones from Colby, and our two children, Katherine Elizabeth (h. 5-23-83) and Barrett Lee (h. 5-6-85)

Submitted By Mary Emery Jones
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 195.

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Jacob Jackson & Martha Frances (Brookings) Higgins.

Jacob Jackson, always known as Jack Higgins, was born Jan. 30, 1884, one of nine children. His wife, Martha Frances Brooking, was the only daughter of Leonard James (L.J.) or (Jim) and Ida Brooking, His wife, Ida, died when Frances was born. Frances was born Dec 28, 1893 west of Atlanta. She and Jack were married Aug. 17, 1912 (?) in Cowley County. Both died at William Newton Memorial Hospital, he in 1970 and his wife Jan. 9, 1964. Both are buried in Atlanta Cemetery.

"Jack" and Frances had two sons: Jack James Higgins, born Jan 17, 1914; and Joe (no middle name), born Sept. 14, 1924. Joe died May 5, 1942 in St. Francis Hospital, Wichita, Kansas, and is buried in the Atlanta Cemetery. Six weeks prior to his death after a short illness, he married Lova Cheek of near Wichita. Jack (Jr.) and Joe both attended and graduated from Atlanta High School, Jack in 1932 and Joe in 1940. Both also attended Northern Oklahoma Junior College at Tonkawa, Oklahoma and Wichita Business College in Wichita, Kansas.

Jack James Higgins was married March 28, 1937 to Lenore McCulley of Blackwell, Kay County, Oklahoma. They had four children, two sons and two daughters: Jacquelyn Lenore, Jack Lenord, Hardie Mack, and Eleanore Maxine. Their permanent home was in Blackwell, Oklahoma, but after Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 1941, Jack volunteered for the United States Army Officer Candidate School. He served with Company C. 65th Infantry Division, with Patton's Third Army in World War II. After twenty-eight years active and reserve, he retired as a Lt. Col. in 1968. Jack James Higgins was active in Church, civic and community work, served as Postmaster at Blackwell, Oklahoma, and manager of Chamber of Commerce in Wellington, Kansas and at Winfield, Kansas. He died Feb. 26, 1988 and is buried in the Blackwell, Oklahoma I.O.O.F. Cemetery.

Submitted by Lenore M. Higgins
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 195.

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Highfill Family

Jerry Matthew and Sue Conrad Highfill moved to Winfield on June 1, 1946, with their children: Brilla Ann, Kenneth Matthew (Kim), and Jerry Wayne. Highfill was hired to teach business at Southwestern College. Housing was extremely scare following World War II and the family lived at Allison Hall, at the corner of Third and College Streets, the first summer.

In the fall the family bought a home at 1505 East 17th, bordering the city limits. The address was later changed to 1605 Elizabeth. Their fourth child, Trudy Sue, was born the following year.

Mrs. Highfill established a nursery school in 1948 which was in operation until 1958. A large playground east of the Highfiil home featured a merry-go-round with wooden horses painted by Mrs. Highfill, self-propelled wooden swings, and a metal slide. Mrs. Highfill taught physical education and art and served as the girls' tennis coach at Winfield High School from 1958-1967.

Mr. Highfill later was employed as Business Manager at Winfield State Hospital and Gordon & Platt, Inc. Mrs. Highfill retired as a teacher in the Valley Center schools; and, upon his retirement, Mr. Highfill was named Professor Emeritus at Friends University, Wichita. Mr. and Mrs. Highfill continued to own their Winfield home until her death in 1987 and his death in 19B8. Their daughter, Trudy Sue, owns the family home at the present time.

The four Highfill children graduated from Winfield High School and Southwestern College. Brilla Ann married C. Larrie Scott, son of Charles and Louise Scott, in 1957, Their Eric Edward Scott, was born in 1962. The Scotts taught at Winfield High School until they rooved to Lawrence in 1966.

Kenneth Matthew Highfill married Kathryn Ann (Kay) Johnson, daughter of Robert F. and Elizabeth Johnson, in Winfield in 1965. Jerry Wayne Highfill married Elizabeth Ann (Betty) Blackburn, Wichita, in 1966. Trudy Highfill Lewis taught at Winfield High School, was Fund Director at Southwestern College, and was counselor at Winfield Middle School. She married Charles E. Shirley in 1989 and moved to Maxwell, Iowa.

Submitted by Brilia Highfill Scott
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 195.

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Hill & Estill Family

The great-grandfather of Cheryl Estill, Arkansas City; the grandfather of Edna Young, Winfield; Avis BonneU, Winfield; and Bessie Strait (later Murphy), Wichita, was Hiram T. Albert who came to Harvey Township around 1880 from LanGaster County, Pa. with his wife, Hester Herr, and seven children. He walked with crutches from the effects of scarlet fever he had as a small child. He was a school teacher in Pa. His pupils had a special celebration to honor him, giving him three twenty dollar gold pieces, two of which are still in the family. He was a teacher and also probate judge of Cowley County from 1893 to 1895, a pioneer of the Grouse Valley, and one of the county's most respected citizens, being prominent in its affairs for many years.

His wife, Hester, was a Mennonite and a descendant of Bishop Hans Herr who came to Pa. from Switzerland about 1710. His son built a stone house in Lancaster for the minister, and it stands there today as a historic site to the public.

The seven children and their spouses were: Howard and Della Heimlick, Elmer and Mattie Huff, Minerva and John Savage, Paris and Alice Matson, Emma and William H. Hill, Magdalene and Joseph F. Doherty, and David and Eva.

Grace Albert was born in Cowley County in 18B2, completing the family of eight children. She married Charles W. Savage. They lived in Durham, Ks. where Charles was a rural mail carrier until they moved to California for retirement. Their children are Adrian, deceased; Max, Warrensburg, Mo.; and Hester Elizabeth, Sacramento, Ca.

Maggie Albert married Joseph F. Doherty, Cambridge in 1889, who came as a boy from Ireland and became wellknown throughout Cowley County as a bridge builder and stone mason. He supervised the building of many of the Cowley County bridges; among them were the Rock Creek bridge in southeastern Cowley County, one at Stout Hill south of Atlanta, and also the one over Silver Creek south of Burden. His tombstone monuments are outstanding yet today in Cambridge Cemetery. They had four children: Leo, deceased; Inez, 97, an artist living in Denver; Iris, etymologist for the State of California, living in Sacramento; and Claude, deceased.

Emma Albert married William H. Hill in 1886, who came from Stanford, Ky. near Richmond, alone as a young man about 1880.

His mother was related to Captain James Estill of Richmond, Ky. who was with Daniel Boone and helped build Boonesborough and Ft. Estill, Ky. Captain Estill was not only one of the bravest of Kentucky's pioneers, but also one of the kindest and most considerate. There is a twenty foot statue of the Captain in the Richmond Cemetery. Mr. Hill settled in Harvey Township and built stone fences for his sheep herd. He became so ifl he had to leave and return to Ky. When he returned, his sheep were all dead. They had three daughters.

Edna E. Hill taught rural schools in the Box School neighborhood, riding a horse several miles to her school each day while she was a teenager. She married Earl C. Young, Burden in 1909. They had one daughter, Enid, who died in infancy. They moved to Breckenridge, Texas, where Mr. Young was an optometrist, watchmaker, and jeweler. They returned to Winfield for retirement.

Avis R. Hill married Charles E. BonneE, farmer-rancher, Harvey Township in 1911. They retired in Winfield. He died in 1966, but she still has her residence in Winfield and resided in Good Samaritan Village. She will celebrate her 100th birthday October 12, 1990.

Bessie E. Hill married Emer H. Strait, Winfield in 1912. He was graduated from the Business Academy at Southwestern College. His sister, Viola Strait was graduated from Southwestern College. The Strait's lived in Winfield and operated a candy kitchen before moving near El Dorado.

They had one daughter, Cheryl A. Strait, who married William B. Estill. Estill's have lived in Arkansas City since 1950. (continued on pag 196)

Submitted by Cheryl Estill.
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, Page 195.

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State Coordinators
Tom & Carolyn Ward, Columbus, KS


tcward@columbus-ks.com