February 24, 1880; Austie P., January 15, 1882, she was the first girl and was born on Boy Creek; Lena V., June 2, 1884, died August 6, 1885, in Norton
I. P. Burke moved to Republic county, Kansas, in October, 1870, took a homestead and commenced improving it, living there until the spring of 1876
when in company with his father-in-law, Sylvester Skeels, came to Norton county, the former settling on the head of Boy Creek, the latter on the head of Jones Branch, on the land now owned by D. A. Blue in Rock Branch township.
I. P., as he is commonly known, has been twice elected justice of the peace in his township, and in 1881
was the nominee for commissioner of the first district of the republican convention or high salary, and was endorsed by the people's or low salary convention, and was elected to a three-year term, giving universal satisfaction.
He was again nominated and re-elected, defeating James Hurst, democrat and green backer.
In the spring of 1885 he traded his farm to Job Case for his stock of general merchandise and moved to Norton when he resigned the office of commissioner.
He first had his stock of goods on the south side of the square in the old Iowa restaurant building, until he completed his store room, now occupied by M F. Browne & Co.
He remained in Norton about one year when he sold the building and moved his goods to Oronoque where he had erected a store room and continued the business until about two years ago when he sold his stock of general merchandise to his two oldest sons, but looks after the business.
During the year he was in Norton he was elected to the city council, has been twice elected justice of the peace in Leota township, and he was a candidate for the office of county treasurer before the republican primaries in 1889, but was defeated by N. L. Johnson.
He was the republican nominee for probate judge in 1890, but went down in the great landslide, being defeated by W. S. Gray, populist.
He has alway (sic) been a republican and active in politics, has been a delegate to almost every county convention and is now a delegate to the state convention to be held June 6.
He has held the committeemanshlp of his township continuously for a number of years, he was also elected trustee of Leota township in 1898, defeating W. L. Cole, the populist nominee.
Isaac Keener was born June 8, 1840, in Indiana county, Pennsylvania. He moved to Buchanan county, Missouri, with his parents in 1847.
He was married in September, 1860 to Malinda Evans. Shortly after his marriage he settled in Madison county, lowa, where he lived for two years; he then moved to DeKalb county, Missouri, where he remained until 1878, when he moved to Norton county and settled in Leota township where he has lived ever since.
He enlisted in company B, 78th Missouri state militia during the war. Seven children have been born to them, all living in this county, four of them married.
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