Do you have a short, biographical piece on a Graham County resident tucked away in a scrapbook, trunk or file? Does it come from an old local history, a family history or is it something you've written yourself? Send it in and share it with the rest of us! Type up your biography and email it to us and we'll post it below.

 

Please follow the guidelines as best you can, but not to worry.....
if a submission is a little askew I will fix it before I put in on the site.....

 

1. Put "Graham Co Biography" in your subject line and email them to the County Coordinator. If you'd rather mail them to us through the U.S. Postal Service please email the County Coordinator for address details
2. On the first line put the surname of the person.
3. On the second line put the person's full name. Try to use as full a name as you know. Put all surnames in capital letters. Put a nickname or other name used "in quotes." Put a maiden name in (parentheses). If a woman was married more than once add the surnames in order of husband married to.
4. It's ok to edit biographies you submit from other sources than yourself. If you want to add maiden names, correct/add dates or other information do so. Just put any added information in [brackets]. That lets the reader know that this is something not in the original obituary. Just remember to keep the whole thing under 400 words.
5. PLEASE.... Your biographies should be about Graham County residents only... A resident is an individual who lived in Graham County for part of his/her life. You may use material from other county histories if the person was born or lived in Graham County.
6. Include the source of the biography. If it's from a book, give the full title, author, year and place of publication. If it's from a newspaper or journal include the periodical's title, date of issue, volume number, issue number, and place of publication. A special warning... if you use a source that is copyrighted or published more recently than 1923 make sure you have the permission of the author/publisher before you submit it. If you write the biography yourself just say so.
7. Put "submitted by [your name and email address]" at the end. If you want to, include your postal address as well. Include your relation to the individual. Below you will find biographies with no "submitted by" notes. These biographies are usually provided by us as we come across them for people we are not related to. We hope they may be of some help to someone. If you'd also like to donate biographies about Graham County residents not related to you just let us know this when you send them to us.
8. Remember... these are biographies... not queries. If you have questions about a person, put them on the query page. We will delete questions/queries within a biography and ask you if you'd like them on the query page. On the other hand it's ok to write: "John Smith's birtdate is unknown." or "I do not know where John Smith was born."

 

 

BROWN, Oscar BUNDY, Lucile Clay Eisenhauer, Matilda Edna Agatha Retherford FRANKLIN, Ada M. HANNA, D.J. KAY, David Cunningham LAW, Alvin

LEIDIG, William Lloyd McCOY, Jehu Hardy McCOY, John Alvin NEVINS, Sidney Schofield PREDOJA, Charles Jr.

• Lester Ray WORCESTER and Octa May BIRD

BROWN, Oscar
Oscar BROWN of Bogue has been in the appliance business five years, now has stores at Bogue and Hill City. Previously he was in the grocery business at Bogue for 13 years. He was born at Palco (Kansas), Feb. 11, 1912, is married and has two daughters. He served on the school board 10 years, city council four years, city clerk two years. During the last war he was member county board of directors, Red Cross. He is a member of Hill City Chamber of Commerce, Rotary and Bogue Service Club. A Methodist, Likes to fish and hunt. This is his first legislative term.

From a short biographical introduction to Represenative Brown found on page 91 of: The 1951 Kansas Legislative Directory (Topeka, Kansas : Kansas Business Construction Magazine, 1951)

BUNDY, Lucile Clay
Lucile Clay BUNDY was born at Peoria, Illinois, on April 22, 1875. Her parents were William KELLY and Sarah Ann ROBERTS. Lucile graduated from Central High School in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1893. She was married to Dr. John Arthur BUNDY in Kansas City on April 26, 1906. She lived in Hill City.
More biographical information on Lucile Clay Bundy can be found on page 174 of the book, Illustriana Kansas (Hebron, Nebraska : Ilustriana Incorporated, 1933)

FRANKLIN, Ada M.
Ada Franklin, youngest of ten children of Isaac & Margaret Franklin, was born February 11, 1874, near Unionville, Missouri. She departed thi slife at home in WaKeeney, Kansas, on July 6, 1961, at the age of 87years, 4 months & 25 days.

After the death of her parents, she came to Graham County, Kansas in 1890 where she made her home with her sister & brothers. Here in the Leland Community she had her own homestead.

On December 15, 1892, she was united in marriage to John Alvin McCoy in WaKeeney, Kansas. They moved into a sod house on his homestead in southern Graham County. Later a frame house was erected here. They resided on the farm until November 1, 1951, when they retired & moved to WaKeeney.
To this union six sons & three daughters were born.

The closest doctor was in WaKeeney miles away, If anybody in the surrounding area got sick, having a baby or serious injury, Ada was called on to come help. It didn't matter if it was day or night. The doctor would send for her help or stop & pick her up himself. She delivered a lot of babies. Ada always tried to put out a garden, sometimes because of dry weather a little water in the wells she would take her hoe & plant garden over a 1\2 mile from the house. she would walk there, work & walk back.

MEMORIES
.....Of a Grandson: by Gayle M. Garrett:
"Grandpa drank his coffee white, Grandma drank her coffee black & strong. When we stayed at our grandparents, "my brother & I" we would usually have pancakes, homemade butter & Log cabin syrup from a can shaped like a log cabin. I remember my favorite time was watching Grandma drop her hair out of a bun & combing it. She flipped it ahead, bent over & combed it out. Her hair reached the floor & she would put it back up and she used a comb for her hair to hold it up & in a bun again. She was a little lady but she moved mountains, she got things done. It was also an experience to watch her dress a chicken, she was fast & good.
Taken From Our McCoy Family History Book
Prepared by: Betty Jo Nesbitt Boller (Aug. 1993)
Edited & Submitted to Graham Co. Web Page
by -- Gayle M. Garrett (Grandson)

 

HANNA, D.J.
D. J. HANNA was the youngest member of the House of '95 is D. J. HANNA, who represents Graham County, the 101st District. Mr. HANNA was born at Coulterville, Randolph County, Illinois, and is twenty-eight years old. He received a good academic education, and is a graduate of the excellent high school at Clay Center. He came to Kansas in 1870, when a child, and has grown to manhood upon our prairies. He has been quite active in politics, and was a delegate to the Republican State Convention of 1894. Later the Republicans of his county nominated him for the House, and after a sharp contest he was elected by a handsome majority in a very close county [sic!.....count?]. Mr. HANNA is unmarried and lives at Hill City, where he is engaged in farming and the real estate business; he is also vice-president of the Farmers' and Merchants' Bank of Hill City. In religion he is a Presbyterian.
From a short biographical introduction to Representative D.J. Hanna found in: Kansas Legislative Directory, 1895 (Topeka, Kansas : Crane & Company, 1894)

KAY, David Cunningham
David Cunningham KAY, a resident of Morland, Kansas, was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on January 3, 1863, the son of James T. KAY. David C. KAY was married June 7, 1886, in Chicago, to Eva SINCLAIR, who was born in Chicago in 1863. Their children were: Fremont, born in Morland, Kansas, 1888, and Angelo, who died young. Fremont KAY married Ethel FULLER..
More biographical information on Sidney Schofield Nevins can be found on page6163 of the book, Illustriana Kansas (Hebron, Nebraska : Ilustriana Incorporated, 1933)

LAW, Alvin
Graham County composes the 104th Representative District, and will be represented by Alvin LAW, a Republican. Mr. LAW was born in Albia, Monroe County, Iowa, forty-four years ago. He was educated in the common schools, and was for some years a teacher therein. He is married and has eight children, five sons and three daughters. He is a member of the Methodist Church. He came to Kansas from Iowa, in September, 1878. Has been active in politics as a Republican; has held all the different township offices, and was Census Enumerator in 1890 and 1900. Has been delegate to a State convention and to Congressional conventions, and assisted in nominating Governor MORRILL. He is a member of the Masonic Order, and held the office of Treasurer; also of the M.W.A. and A.O.U.W., of which latter order he has served as Trustee. Mr. LAW is engaged in stock-raising.
From a short biographical introduction to Representative Alvin Law found in: Handbook of the Kansas Legislature, 1901 (Topeka, Kansas : Crane & Company, 1900)

LEIDIG, William Lloyd
William Lloyd LEIDIG was born August 12, 1881, in Graham County, Kansas, the son of John Wesley and Rebecca (MILLER) LEIDIG. His paternal grandparents were John and Libbie (MORT) LEIDIG. Maternal grandparents were Adam and Mollie (McCOY) MILLER. William Lloyd LEIDIG married Lottie A. LARRICK in Lenora, Kansas, on June 24, 1908. She was the daughter of Seywood and Celestia (HARDMAN) LARRICK.

More biographical information on Mr. Leidig can be found on page 688 of the book, Illustriana Kansas (Hebron, Nebraska : Ilustriana Incorporated, 1933)

McCOY, Jehu Hardy
Jehu Hardy MCCOY was born October 18, 1844 in Perry County, Indiana, and died August 04, 1926 in Graham County, Kansas. Jehu moved to Appanoose County, Iowa when he was 3 years old. His parents were farmers.

By written consent of his parents Jehu enlisted in the army in Moravia Iowa on August 19, 1862. Jehu was a Pvt., in Company C 36th. Reg.. Iowa infantry Volunteers.

Jehu McCoy married Elizabeth Wyatt on August 9, 1866 in Centerville, Iowa. The next 15 years were spent in Iowa. The family moved to Ottawa County, Kansas in 1881, staying there the five years. In the spring of 1886 they homesteaded in Bryant Township in Graham County, KS.

Elizabeth died on June 7, 1900. Jehu died August 4, 1926. Both are buried in Leland Cemetery, Graham County, Kansas. Jehu & Elizabeth were the parents of ten children, many descendants still live in Graham County, & the surrounding area.

CIVIL WAR BATTLES JEHU WAS IN:
Fort Pembleton Mississippi, March 11, 1863. Helena Arkansas July 4,1863. Little Rock Arkansas September 10, 1863. Elkins Ford Arkansas April 4, 1864. Prairie D "Ann" April 15, 1864. Marks Mill Arkansas April25, 1864. In this battle Jehu was wounded in the left leg & captured by the enemy & taken to Rebel Prison in Tyler, Texas.

He was held prisoner here until February 25, 1865. He was part of a prisoner exchange at the mouth of Red River, Louisiana, & returned to his Company. Jehu saw his brother Matthias killed in the Mark Mills Battle. Jehu mustered out at Devalls Bluff, Arkansas on August 24, 1865.MEMORIES:
.....Of granddaughter, Glenn McCoy Sproul, about Jehu McCoy:
"I was born after Elizabeth had already passed away. Granddad, as we always called him, spent a lot of time visiting his children, going & staying a few days with each one. He liked to walk from place to place. He just headed across the prairies. He made his daughter, Janie Woodard's home, his home for several years until her family moved to California. Then he spent most of his time with my dad, John McCoy &family, & called it home. Granddad passed away at my fathers on August 4, 1926."
MEMORIES:
.....Of Francis Gripp, about his Great Grandpa, Jehu McCoy:
"What I remember about Great Grandpa McCoy: Once a month he would come to Penokee, Kansas in southern Graham County to pick up his pension check. He always walked to town. If he was at Uncle Johns, it was a 15 mile walk. When he came to town he stayed over night with us & he always brought us a sack of horehound stick candy & we looked forward his visits. He bought himself a can of Niles - Moser cigars, & wore acorduroy suit."
Taken From Our McCoy Family History Book
Prepared by: Betty Jo Nesbitt Boller (Aug. 1993)
Edited & Submitted: (Oct. 24, 2000) by -- Gayle M. Garrett (Great Grandson)

 

McCOY, John Alvin
John Alvin MCCOY was born September 18, 1870 in Moravia Iowa, AppanooseCounty, Iowa, and died March 21, 1960 in WaKeeney, Kansas.He was born into a family of ten children, to Jehu & Elizabeth WYATT McCOY. He departed this life on March 21, 1960, at his home in WaKeeney, Kansas, after an illness of several months. He came to Ottawa County, Kansas in 1881, later moving to Graham County in 1886. On December 15, 1892 he was united in marriage to Ada FRANKLIN at WaKeeney, & they moved on to his homestead where they lived continuously until November of 1951, when they moved to Wa Keeney where they resided until his passing.

MEMORIES
.....Of a Daughter, by Glenn McCoy Sproul:
"Now a few things about my dad's family. My Dad John Alvin was a twin. His brother Calvin only lived about 2 - 3 years. Dad & Mother celebrated over 67 years of married life. Dad was born in Iowa & came by covered wagon with his parents, to Graham County, Kansas in 1886. It was here that he proved up his homestead in Happy Township, Graham County, Kansas.
MEMORIES
.....Of a Grandson: by Gayle M. Garrett:
"I've always tried to pattern my life after some of the traits & character I observed myself, & others who knew my Grandfather John McCoy and have told me lots of stories. I'm happy to have had the chance to spend some time with my grandparents over several years. My Granddad was known as Honest, Caring, Sincere, Great Neighbor, & Family Man. Granddad liked strawberry soda pop, horehound candy, and at Christmas, hard ribbon candy. Granddad liked his coffee. He put a little coffee in his cup, then added a lot of cows milk and cream until the coffee was white. He was always reading the paper when he had a chance & listening to the radio. He kept up on the news & could tell you what was going on locally, nationally, or even on the world scene. When it got hard for him to read, he followed the news on radio & television. His favorite show was Meet the Press. He kept this up & had an clear & enlightened mind until two-three months of illness before his passing."
Taken From Our McCoy Family History Book
Prepared by: Betty Jo Nesbitt Boller (Aug. 1993)
Edited & Submitted to Graham Co. Web Page by -- Gayle M. Garrett (Grandson)

 

NEVINS, Sidney Schofield
Sidney Schofield NEVINS was born in Michigan on March 4, 1852, the son of Oran Green NEVINS and Eliza SCHOFIELD. Sidney was married to Margaret STRATCH in Edmond, Kansas, on November 3, 1877. Born in Iowa, October 3, 1859, she was the daughter of William STRATCH. She died in Edmond, Kansas, March 27, 1893. Sidney and Margaret NEVINS had the following children: Edith (who married Joseph Wesley SMITH), Oren (who married Pauline MAGGIE), Laura (who married Garfield INLOW), Allen (who married Alice GORDON), Maggie (who married Earl AYERS), Hester (who married Ray GORDON), Oscar (who married Bessie VICAR), and Harry (who married Mary ROOT). Sidney NEVINS was a resident of Hill City.
More biographical information on Sidney Schofield Nevins can be found on page 863 of the book, Illustriana Kansas (Hebron, Nebraska : Ilustriana Incorporated, 1933)

PREDOJA, Charles Jr.
[Charles, who was a druggist in Hill City is mentioned in a biography of his brother, John PREDOJA of Crawford County, Kansas, found in the 1918 book, A STANDARD HISTORY OF KANSAS AND KANSANS, which has been transcribed online by students at the Baxter Springs Middle School under the direction of Carolyn Ward.]

 

 

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