Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 811 - 812

G. L. SMYSER. This highly respected gentleman, of Kechi Township, is paying especial attention to horticulture, and intends to turn his place into a fruit farm, making a specialty of grapes, and raising the finest varieties of pears, plums, apricots and other fruits. Mr. Smyser was born in Wayne County, Ohio, Sept. 28, 1849, and is the youngest of the seven children born to Jacob and Sarah (Diehl) Smyser, natives of York County, Pa. His paternal grandparents, Jacob and Catherine (Herman) Smyser, were likewise natives of the Keystone State. The father of our subject was a farmer in his native State for some years after he had attained his majority, and subsequently moved to Ohio, where he is engaged in the same occupation. He and his wife are industrious, honest, intelligent people, well worthy of the respect of the people among whom they have lived for so many years. They have been fairly prosperous in life and can spend their last years in comfort.

            The subject of this sketch grew to man's estate on his father's farm, and as soon as old enough assisted in its cultivation until he was twenty-one, gaining a good, practical knowledge of the business, under the wise guidance of his father. He subsequently entered upon a mercantile life in his native State, continuing in it for nine years. In the meantime he had married and established a home, his marriage to Miss Lydia Norton, of Ohio, taking place in that State, Dec. 4, 1873. She was born Sept. 22, 1852, and was the eighth child born to Benjamin and Catherine (Emerich) Norton, natives of Pennsylvania. Her paternal grandparents, Hugh and Elizabeth Norton, and her maternal grandparents, Joseph and Elizabeth (Keiser) Emerich, were all natives of Pennsylvania. Her grandfather Emerich was engaged in the War of 1812. To Mr. and Mrs. Smyser were born three children, namely: Edward, Cleveland and Clyde; the latter two are twins. Edward is a student in a school at Wichita, and the others are at school in the home district.

            In the winter of 1877 our subject closed his business in Ohio, and went to Texas the following spring, remaining there the succeeding two years, engaged in the stock business, while his family still resided in their Ohio home. He finally sold out his business interests in Texas and returned to his native State, from which he removed with his family in the spring of 1881 to Meriden, Jefferson Co., Kan. There he turned his attention to the stock and grain business for two and one-half years, and then moved with his family to Wichita, and took up his residence in the city. In January, 1883, he bought 160 acres of land on section 33, but he still continued to live in the city until the following year, when he moved with his wife and children to this place, and commenced the improvement of his land, which he has already placed in a high state of culture, and has built a neat, commodious house, a fine barn and carriage-house. He has since platted 140 acres of his land, under the name of Wichita Gardens, and sold it in two and one-half acre lots, and by that speculation made quite a sum of money. He owns eighty acres of land adjacent to Newton, about a mile from First street, and a beautiful home near Wichita, with grounds twenty acres in extent. His farm is well stocked with driving horses of the Hazard strain, a fine bunch of Durham cattle, and with fifty Poland-China hogs. As we have before mentioned, he is turning his attention to fruit-raising, to which the rich, friable soil of his land is peculiarly adapted, and he has already set out orchards of the best kinds of fruit, and has a good vineyard.

            Our subject is a keen, practical man, well gifted with mental and physical vigor. In politics he casts his vote for the candidates of the Republican party, and, although he does not take an active part in public life, he conscientiously performs his duties as a good citizen. He and his wife are people of high consideration in social circles in this community, and are members of the Presbyterian Church. Mr. Smyers is a member of the A. O. U. W.

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