Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 216 - 217 

JAMES C. WINTERS. Among the prominent and progressive young men of Sedgwick County, who are turning their attention to the breeding and raising of stock, is Mr. Winters. who has his home on section 20, in Sherman Township. Although young in years, still, having excellent business abilities, he has already placed himself in a position with the prosperous and well-to-do farmers of this portion of the county, and is ranked among the best citizens of the township. He is a native of Stark County, Ohio, born in July, 1852, and is the son of William and Letitia (McDowell) Winters, both of whom were also natives of the Buckeye State.

             The father of the subject of this sketch, who was the son of John and Mary Winters, was engaged in farming in Ohio, but came to Illinois in 1856, settling in LaSalle County. He remained a resident of that portion of the Prairie State, occupied in the vocation of his calling, until 1882, when he came to Kansas, and settled in Sedgwick County, in what is now known as Eagle Township, where he made his home for but a short time, as he died in April of that year. His estimable wife, the mother of our subject, still survives him, and is a resident of Colwich, this county.

             The subject of this memoir in his boyhood attended the district schools in LaSalle County, I11., from which source he drew the elements of his education, while at home he received the training that has been so valuable to him in carrying on agricultural pursuits. He made his home upon the family homestead, assisting his father in his daily labors, until he was about nineteen years of age, and in the spring of 1871 came to Kansas, and remained with his brother in this county for some three years. In 1874 he bought the homestead claim of a party who had partially improved the 160 acres on section 20 where Mr. Winters now lives, and at once commenced its cultivation by breaking up the tough prairie sod. He set out a good orchard and grove, and in 1878, with an eye to his future needs, erected the handsome residence which adorns his place and enhances its value. The quarter-section of land which he owns is of a most excellent quality, extremely fertile and productive, and well cultivated. Most of the farm our subject rents to a tenant, and is occupied principally in the breeding and raising of high-grade Durham cattle. The farm is pleasantly situated, and is only about three and one-half miles from Andale and about twice that distance from Mt. Hope. When Mr. Winters settled on this place Sedgwick County was not what it is to-day. Wolves, coyotes, antelopes and buffaloes ranged over much of the land that is now well cultivated farms. The last-named animal has been seen by our subject upon his own claim, and he has killed quite a number of the huge beasts not many miles distant. He has seen the wilderness grow from its primitive state to its present condition with considerable amazement, for the development of this portion of Southern Kansas has been almost miraculous in its rapidity.

             Mr. Winters is a Republican in politics, and is quite active during the local campaigns of that organization. He has always taken an active part in the educational matters of the township, and was largely instrumental in the organization of many of the school districts. A public-spirited and energetic citizen, he merits and receives the respect and esteem of a legion of friends. March 19, 1880, our subject was united in marriage with Miss Julia May Sidles, a native of Appanoose County, Iowa, born Aug. 25, 1862, and eldest child of George and Nancy (Shield) Sidles, natives of Ohio and Virginia respectively. Of this union there were four children born: Roy Ross; Effie Etta, who died July 21, 1885, at the age of seventeen months; Oscar Kent, and Glen B., an infant.

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