Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 349- 350

 CHARLES WASHINGTON EADS, a wealthy and prominent citizen of Minneha Township, resides on section 20, on a fine property which he has acquired by industry, diligence and shrewd business tact. He has retired from most of the active pursuits of life, and is now enjoying the fruits of the labor of his earlier years. He is a native of Lexington, Ky., and was born May 20, 1811, and is the son of Jothan and Carrie Ann (Self) Eads.

      Jothan Eads, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Maryland, and removed with his parents to Ohio in his childhood. From that State he went to Lexington, Ky., on attaining his maturity, and learning the blacksmith's trade, followed the labor of the forge for a number of years, to his pecuniary benefit. In 1809 he was united in marriage with Carrie M. Self, the daughter of Charnock Self. The latter was an old Revolutionary hero, and was engaged in many of the contests of those days, when "deeds of eternal fame were done." He was on the field of Yorktown when Cornwallis presented his sword to Gen. Washington, and the latter refused to receive it, preferring to humiliate the British General by putting forward an under officer, Col. Washington, of Virginia. After the close of the war Mr. Self removed to Kentucky, and took up his residence in a fort, some eighteen months before the city of Lexington was laid out. After living in the latter city for sixteen years after its settlement, he purchased a farm in the vicinity, and followed agricultural pursuits for nearly forty years. Moving thirty miles below Cincinnati, on the Kentucky side of the river on a farm, he there made his residence until 1831, when he was called away by death.

      Charles W. Eads was reared in the city of his birth and adopted the trade of his father, that of a blacksmith, which he followed for many years. He and one brother, John Eads, of King City, Mo., are the only survivors of a family of nine children born to his parents. In 1832 he decided to journey farther north into newer country, and accordingly located in Morgan County, and in 1852 removed to Whiteside County, Ill., where he followed the business of farming until 1878. At that time, a great tide of emigration having set in toward the golden State of Kansas, he removed here. Immediately on his arrival in this county he bought the farm where he at present resides. The place was entirely without a house or shelter for man or beast at that time, and although it was October a tent was procured with a view of the family using it as a shelter from the elements until a building could be put up. For three months during the winter they managed to keep house in this little better than no protection. Breakfast was often eaten in the early morning by the light of a lantern, as the strong winds which penetrated the tent would extinguish the flame of a candle.

      Mr. Eads, the subject of this sketch, has been twice married; the first time, Aug. 15, 1831, to Miss Catherine Johnson, a distant relative of Col. William Johnson, the man who killed the famous Indian chief, Tecumseh, at the battle of the Thames, in 1813. By this first marriage there were nine children, born to them as follows: Elizabeth, William, Catherine, George W., Mary, John H., Jonathan, Eliza and Hardin; Eliza and Hardin are twins. Five children are dead. The remainder are all married and in the enjoyment of comfortable fortunes. Most of his children having left the parental roof, "like birds that leave their nests with keen regret," Mr. Eads concluded again to enter into matrimony. Sept. 22, 1874, at Morrison, Whiteside Co., Ill., he led to the altar Miss Silence E. Cobb. She is a native of Potsdam, St. Lawrence Co., N.Y., and was born May 29, 1844. She was reared in the county of her birth, among "the hills, rock-ribbed and ancient as the sun," that cover that portion of the Empire State. The family then removed to Morrison, Ill., where she remained with her parents until her marriage. She is the daughter of Harvey C. and Charlotte (Willmark) Cobb, who were natives of Burlington, Vt., but had moved to New York. By the second marriage Mr. and Mrs. Eads are the parents of six children, as follows: Charles H., Alice M., Theodore H., Anna M., Robert L. and Thomas J. The last two are deceased.

      Mr. Eads is the owner of some 400 acres of land, divided into three farms, all of which are under excellent cultivation. Each place is well supplied with a good, comfortable house, spacious barns and other out-buildings. He has set out a good orchard, which is in a very healthy and thrifty state, and all the land is well fenced in, either with the Osage hedge or wire. He is also the possessor of a large brick block on Douglas avenue, Wichita, which is valued at $50,000, and ten dwellings on First street in the same city, which bring him a monthly rental of $170. During the late conflict between the States, George and Jonathan, the sons of Mr. Eads, and David Follansbee and Thomas Hansford, two sons-in-law, entered the service of the Government. The first-named died from sickness at Henderson. David Follansbee was captured by the rebels, but being paroled, came home and died two weeks later. Like many other families, theirs must suffer, for throughout the length and breadth of our fair land there are but few firesides that are not called upon to mourn some loved member carried to an untimely grave by the war. Mr. Eads is a cousin of Capt. J. B. Eads, the builder of the St. Louis steel bridge, and the originator of the jetty system of the Lower Mississippi. He is a member of the Masonic and Odd Fellow fraternities, and in politics is entirely independent. As a representative and leading citizen of the county we present the portrait of Mr. Eads in this volume.

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