Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 881 - 882

VENIS MAYALL, who is residing on section 11 in Grant Township, is one of the leading farmers and stock-raisers in that section of the county. He was born in Bartholomew County, Ind., April 16, 1844, and is the second child in a family of nine born to his parents, James and Mary A. (Craige) Mayall, natives of Maine and Ohio respectively.

            The father of our subject was the son of Robert and Mary (Bolter) Mayall, natives of England and Scotland respectively. He was a cloth-maker by trade, and worked at that business until his boys were large enough to assist in farm labor, and then, in 1856, removed to Illinois and bought a farm in DeWitt County, where he made his residence until his death, which occurred in 1866. He was one of the early pioneers of that portion of the Prairie State. His widow still survives him, and is living near Clinton, the county seat of DeWitt County. They had a family of nine children, three of whom are living in the last-named county, and one in Butler County, Kan.

            Reared upon a farm, the subject of this sketch was early initiated into hard work. He received his education at the district schools of Indiana and Illinois, and remained at home beneath the parental roof, assisting in the agricultural labors of his father until the death of the latter. He then commenced farming on his own account in Illinois, and after some changes from one county to another, during which he was the owner of three different farms, in February, 1881, he sold the place which he owned at that time in Macon County and came to Kansas. He located in Marion County, settling on a farm near the town of Peabody. He purchased 480 acres of land, which was raw prairie at that time, but after improving it, sold out in 1884, and removed to Grant Township. He at once purchased the entire section 11, on which he now makes his home. Not having use for the entire 640 acres, he rents a portion of it, but is engaged to some extent in feeding cattle. He is the owner of a considerable number of Percheron horses and Durham and Hereford cattle.

            Mr. Mayall has been twice married. The first time he entered into an alliance at Clinton, Ill., Sept. 27, 1868, with Elizabeth Hofer, a native of Switzerland, who was born in 1843. Her parents, John and Elizabeth Hofer, natives of the same Confederation, came to America when she was but eight years of age. She was the mother of five children, three of whom are living, as follows: James, who lives nearby his father; Nevada, who is living in Illinois with a grandmother; and Mary, who makes her home with her uncle in Illinois. Mr. Mayall lost his wife on the 19th of April, 1875. Oct. 2, 1876, he again entered into the marriage state, this time with Martha Rainey, a native of Antrim County, Ireland, born July 26, 1849. She was the eighth child in a family of fourteen born to her parents, James and Sarah (Eagleson) Rainey. Her father was the son of William and Mattie (Green) Rainey, natives of the North of Ireland. Her mother's parents were John and Ann (Black) Eagleson, who were also born in the Emerald Isle. By this marriage there have been brought into the world six children - Minnie, Willie, John, Mattie, Sallie and Josephine - all of whom are attending school, it being the intention of their father to give them all a good education.

            Mr. Mayall affiliates with the Republican party, although he does not take a very active interest in political matters. While a resident of Marion County, Kan., however, he held the office of Township Treasurer for several years, but has little desire to assume the responsibilities and cares of public office. Both he and his wife are consistent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are ever foremost in any religious work. Our subject has been a member of the Masonic fraternity for over twenty years.

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