Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 230 - 232 

EDWARD HORNER, a farmer and stock-raiser, on section 22, in Waco Township, is one of the intelligent and enterprising agriculturists of the county, who thoroughly understands his business. He is a native of Adams County, Pa., born May 19, 1841, and is the son of George W. and Frances Maria (McCullough) Horner, who were natives of Pennsylvania and Maryland respectively.

      The father of the subject of this sketch was both a miller and a farmer, having a mill on his farm, which he operated in connection with the latter. He had a family of ten children, as follows: James E., who died while mowing in West Virginia, at the age of fifteen years; Daniel F., who married Martha Bender, was a lumber manufacturer in West Virginia, and had three children; Alexander, who died in August, 1884; Edward, the subject of this sketch; Calvin, who married Eliza Lincoln, but lost both her and their child, is a resident of Kansas; Robert G., a resident of West Virginia, who married Sarah Miller, and is the father of five children; William, who died in West Virginia in his seventh year; Eli Q., who married Jenny Kensel, by whom he had three children; Frances M., who died in infancy; and George W., who was born the day his father died, married Alice Nagley, and is a resident of Kansas and a farmer.

       When Edward Horner was about eight years of age, the family removed from the Keystone State to West Virginia, and among the hills and beautiful valleys of that State he grew to manhood. He attended the common schools of that mountainous region, where he received the elements of an excellent education. He made his home with his parents until he was some fifteen years of age, when he started out in life for himself to hew out his own fortune. He was employed for nearly five years in working among the farmers of the vicinity, and early earned the reputation of being an honest, industrious youth, who never shirked any matter of duty.

      But war, with red and lurid front, soon appeared in the valleys of West Virginia, and with the intense loyalty that distinguished the men of that mountain region, he and three of his brothers made up their minds to join the forces of the Federal army. Calvin enlisted in the 17th Pennsylvania Infantry, and Robert, Alexander and Edward, in Company C, 3d West Virginia Cavalry. Edward served with gallant and distinguished conduct with this noble regiment until the close of the war, participating in many of the campaigns and battles which took place in the far-famed Shenandoah Valley, prominent among which were those at Winchester, Fisher's Hill, Cedar Creek, Port Republic and Five Forks. He was also engaged in the last campaign of the army of Virginia, which terminated with the surrender of Gen. R. E. Lee, and the Confederate forces at Appomattox. He was fortunate enough to escape without any wound, although he had several close calls. In the first battle in which he was engaged his horse was shot dead from under him, and at another time the top of his canteen was cut off by a ball. During Lee's march into Pennsylvania, in the summer of 1863, the regiment to which he was attached arrived at the town of Chambersburg, Pa., just as the retiring rebels had fired it. He was mustered out of the service at Wheeling, W. Va., July 7, 1865, and returned to his home in West Virginia.

      Edward Horner and Miss Margaret Lowry were united in marriage, in West Virginia, Nov. 9, 1869. The bride was a daughter of Samuel S. and Sarah C. (Warner) Lowry, who were natives of West Virginia, where her father was carrying on a farm. She was born in Berkeley County, W. Va., Aug. 28, 1846. The balance of the children of her parents were as follows: James W., who married Ella Pine, by whom he had seven children, four of whom are living, and is a Kansas farmer; H. Ellen, Mrs. Joseph B. Crowl, is the mother of six children, two of whom are dead, and is a resident of Mulvane, Kan.; Mary H., Mrs. John Sherrard, a resident of West Virginia, is the mother of four children; John A., who married Alice Stanley, who is the mother of four children, of whom two are dead, and is now a resident of Ohio; Betty J., the wife of Joseph L. Stuckey, a sketch of whom appears in this Album; Alexander, who died at the age of three years; Joseph Edwin, who is a dentist in Ohio; Ellsworth U. S. Grant, a citizen of Ohio; Mattie Belle, and an infant son, deceased.

      The subject of our sketch, in 1876, concluded to follow the star of Empire and move West, and accordingly came to Kansas, and located in this county, and is now the owner of 235 acres of well improved land of fine quality. He has three good orchards upon his place, containing altogether 1,420 trees, all of which are thrifty, and bearing profusely. He is the father of nine children, as follows: Alice G., born Feb. 9, 1871; twins, both of whom died in infancy; George Walter, born June 30, 1873; an infant son deceased; Francis M., born Sept. 26, 1877; Minnie Bell, born June 14, 1880, and died Feb. 14, 1882; Elizabeth Virginia, born Aug. 28, 1883; and Helen Hester, born July 7, 1886.

      In politics Mr. Horner is a stanch Republican, and has been elected to serve as a member of the School Board of the district, which office he has retained for six years. He is a sturdy, honest and intelligent citizen, and enjoys the esteem and regard of all classes of people. His industrious habits and his genial warm-heartedness endear him to all with whom he comes in contact. He is one of the representative men of Sedgwick County.

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