Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 858 - 859

ISAAC T. AULT. Perhaps among the pioneers of this county there is no more prominent figure that stands out in strong relief in its annals than the gentleman whose name heads this article. He came to Sedgwick County in its earliest days, and in 1871 entered land in Park Township, where he now lives. Since that day he has made this his constant home.

            The subject of our sketch is a native of Coshocton County, Ohio, born Sept. 24, 1848, and is the son of Andrew and Mary (Fagans) Ault. His father was a native of Pennsylvania and his mother of Virginia. Andrew Ault was a carpenter by trade, and removed to Ohio where he was married, and settled in Coshocton County, where he is still living. The mother of our subject died in that portion of the Buckeye State in 1882, having attained the age of fifty-nine years. They were the parents of twelve children, eight of whom attained to years of maturity. The record is as follows: George, who is living in California; Melinda, who married Levi Farrell, and died leaving one child; Barbara, Mrs. Thomas Retilley, who is living in Ohio; Emma, the wife of Bert L. Miles, of Kansas City, Mo.; Isaac T., the subject of this sketch; Albert, who is deceased; Edward L., living in Newton, Kan.; and Allie, wife of Howard Shaw, of Mt. Hope, this State.

            Isaac Ault obtained his education in the district schools of his native county, and entered upon and served an apprenticeship to the shoemaker trade, which line of business he followed for a period of ten years in Ohio, when, having married, he concluded to try his fortunes in the great West. The unsurpassed fertility and genial climate of Kansas seemed a great inducement to him, and he therefore, in 1871, migrated to this State, and settled in Park Township, At first he took up some eighty acres of land on section 12, under the homestead act, to which he added 160 acres more by preemption, on section 14. He made his residence upon the homestead for about ten years, clearing up the land and bringing it to a good state of culture and otherwise improving it, as he had found it in a state of native wildness. The Sedgwick County of that day was not what it is now, as there were but few settlers within its limits, and these were scattered over its broad surface. Weeds and grass seemed to cover all the laud, and it took a stout heart to settle down in the vast prairie wilderness. Having endured all the privations incident to a new settlement and a pioneer life, and having brought his place to the uses of civilized man he finally removed at the expiration of the decade to the land which he had pre-empted on section 14, where he at present resides. On this place he has also brought the land under full cultivation and erected a good and substantial dwelling-house, with neat and commodious barns and other out-buildings. He is giving a large share of his attention to the raising of stock on this farm, which embraces some 240 acres, and is very successful in his operations. He came here with but little property, but by industry and economy has achieved quite a moderate competence.

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