Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 814 - 817

WILLIAM H. STAFFORD. This gentleman is notable as being one of the very earliest pioneers of Sedgwick County, and it gives us pleasure to place a brief account of his life before the readers of this work. He is extensively engaged in farming in Ninnescah Township. He comes of Anglo-Celtic ancestry, his father and mother, who were of Southern birth, being respectively of English and Irish origin. His father, James Stafford, was born in South Carolina, but when a boy he moved with his parents to Highland County, Ohio, and there grew to manhood; later on he became a resident and an early settler of Fountain County, Ind., and there he led an honored and useful life until his death, in 1856, aged sixty-four, at which time he had accumulated considerable property by his industry and frugality, and was enabled to leave his family in comfortable circumstances. His amiable wife, the mother of our subject, survived him until 1876. Her maiden name was Anna Savage, and she was born in Virginia in 1800. Mr. Stafford had been twice married, and was the father of eight children, of whom the following survive: Charles A., James M., Rebecca and William H. Charles lives in Wichita, Kan.; James is a resident of Sedgwick County; Rebecca is the wife of Aaron Franklin, of Pawnee County, Neb.

            William H., of this sketch, was born in Fountain County, Ind., Dec. 30, 1842. He was reared to manhood in his native county, receiving a preliminary education in the district school, and in 1860 entering his name on the roll of students of Asbury University, Greencastle, Ind. The following year, after the breaking out of the war, he and several of his fellow-students laid aside their studies and with enthusiastic patriotism went forth to fight the battles of their country, our subject enlisting as a private in Company H, 72d Indiana Infantry. In six months he was promoted to Sergeant, and for nearly a year participated in the pursuit of Morgan. Just before the battle of Stone River he was taken sick with jaundice, and discharged in January, 1863, and returned to his home in Indiana. In July, 1863, he re-enlisted for a period of six months, entering the ranks as a common soldier in Company C, 116th Indiana Infantry. He was stationed principally in Kentucky and Tennessee, performing guard duty. He was discharged in March, 1864, having served his country with faithfulness and ability.

            After the war Mr. Stafford returned to Indiana, and thence went to Champaign County, Ill., where he spent the succeeding two years. He then came to Kansas and pre-empted a quarter of section 34, in what is now Ninnescah Township, which was not organized until some time afterward. He settled on his land while it was yet in its wild state, before a furrow had been turned, and then began the uphill work of making it tillable, building up a home, and securing a competency, with no other assistance than brain and muscle, as he had but the sum of $5 left after securing his land, and in order to make both ends meet he was obliged to engage in freighting between Wichita and Emporia. When he first came here to live the buffalo roamed over the prairie in large herds within a few miles of his home, and he has participated in many a hunt for that animal. He endured the hardships common to Western pioneer life, but by patient and incessant toil he overcame them all, and his beautiful farm of 300 acres, with its broad and fertile fields, his comfortable dwelling and ample farm buildings, are all indicative of his industry and shrewd management. Besides his possessions in this township he owns valuable property in Wichita.

            Mr. Stafford had been sufficiently successful, and had gathered together enough of this world's goods to warrant his marriage with the lady of his choice, Miss Emma A. Boyd, on the 7th of February, 1878. She was born in North Carolina, Nov. 6, 1852, and was a daughter of Thomas and Margaret (Smith) Boyd, both of Southern birth. They were the parents of ten children, seven of whom are now living - Emma, Julius, John, James, Sarah, Mary and Dorcas P. Emma, Julius and John live in Wichita; James lives in this county; Sarah is the wife of Elisha R. Harrington, of Ninnescah Township; Mary is the wife of Dodson Watts, of Kansas; Dorcas is the wife of Dr. J. M. Carson, of Taylorsville, N. C.

            Mr. Stafford is public-spirited and open-handed, contributing liberally in aid of all movements for the improvement of the township. He is a member of the Masonic Lodge at Clearwater, and in politics is prominently identified with the Republican party. He and his wife occupy a high social position among the residents of this community.

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