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July 1886, when he moved to this city. In 1870 he speculated considerably in cattle and hogs, a pursuit in which he is at present occupied, from the proceeds of which he has become wealthy. When the Norton County State bank was organized he was chosen president. a position he still retains. He has been a life long republican with faith in the country, a fact attested by his owning eighteen Kansas farms, six of which are in Norton county. Thomas Beaumont came here in the spring of 1873 and settled on the Solomon. He was an old soldier and badly crippled. He taught school in this county for several years and served one term as county attorney. He was afterward appointed to a clerkship in Washington, D. C., where he remained until 1890 where he died from the effects of his army wounds. In 1869 he was a student in the Iowa Agricultural college where his sister Lillie, was teacher of French and German, his older sister being wife of the president of the institution, Dr. Welch. Young Thomas was too lively for the relatives, so they sent him west with a satchel of law books. William L. Porter was born in Wayne county. Illinois, March 21, 1855. His education was received in the common schools of that county. At the age of 19 he began teaching in the district schools of his home county after which he attended the Ladoga normal, the Danvill institue (sic) and the Valparaiso normal school. After a course in the Valparaiso normal he took up the "Greeley cry" and came west, locating at Logan, Phillips county. His experience as a Kansas pedagogue has been in this county. He has a very fine homestead in West Union township. As a citizen and as a teacher he has been successful in every effort. Jerome Shepherd came here in 1873. He taught the first school in Almena township. During the county seat contest he was a Leota man. He was couny (sic) commissioner one term and later was editor of the Almena Plaindealer. He left this county in 1890 and moved to Iowa. Isaac Blackford came here in 1873. He was an old soldier having served nearly four years in the 28th Illinois infantry. He committed suicide January 17, 1892, leaving a wife and five children who reside on the old farm on Wildcat creek in the east part of the county. Stephen McVay came to Almena from Iowa in 1878. He died at Almena November 22, 1892. He left a wife and five children. His eldest daughter married Dr. Youngman, who came to this county in 1885 and settled in Almena, but resides in Nebraska at this time. Ed J. Phipps, the merchant prince of Devizes, came to the county in 1879. He followed farming for several years before he went into the mercantile business. He has been post master at Devizes for several years. |
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