Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 359 - 360

RICHARD W. VANSANT, a prominent farmer and stock-raiser of Rockford Township, is the owner and manager of one of the fine farms for which the Arkansas River Valley is so famed. It is located on section 15 and also includes a quarter of section 10, his pleasant residence and ample farm buildings being situated on the former place.

     Mr. Vansant is a native of Maryland, and was born in Howard County, Feb. 20, 1842, being the third son in the family of four children born to John and Mary (Brown) Vansant. His parents were born in Maryland, his father in January, 1810, and his mother in August, 1812. The names of the brothers of our subject are William, Walter Brown, and James Edgar; the latter is now Mayor of Ellicott City, Md. His father was a machinist by trade, but in 1853 he removed with his family to Linn County, Iowa, and turned his attention to the nursery business, following it for about six years. While residing there he suffered the loss of his faithful, amiable wife in May, 1873. In 1876 Mr. Vansant came to Kansas and bought the quarter-section in Rockford Township, where his son, our subject, now resides, and was engaged in agricultural pursuits until his death in May, 1884. He was in every respect a worthy and honored citizen.

     Our subject was quite young when his parents removed from their Southern home to Iowa, and the remaining years of his boyhood were passed in that State, principally in the public schools of Mt. Vernon in Linn County. In 1861 he enlisted in Company A, 13th Iowa Infantry, and was immediately made Corporal of the Guards, and ably and faithfully discharged his duties in camp and field until the winter of 1864, when he was discharged on account of sickness. He took part in the following engagements: Pittsburg Landing, battle of Corinth, Iuka, and siege of Vicksburg.

     After retiring from the service, our subject returned to Iowa and engaged in farming there for some years. In the meantime he married, in 1866, Miss Louisa W. Stinger, a former schoolmate of his, and a daughter of Andrew and Mary Stinger, natives of Washington County, Pa. Mr. Stinger was a glass-blower, but after his removal to Linn County, Iowa, he turned his attention to farming, continuing in that occupation until his death in 1876. To him and his wife, whose death occurred in 1846, were born nine children. The union of our subject and his wife has been blessed by the birth of seven children, namely: Jennie, born June 28, 1867, died in Iowa, Dec. 31, 1873; Andrew, born Nov. 1, 1869; John L. and Willie, twins, born Jan. 27, 1871; Willie died July 27, 1871; Vernon, born Dec. 22, 1875; James, Aug. 29, 1879; Blanche, Aug. 15, 1883.

     In 1878 Mr. Vansant removed to Kansas with his family, and bought a quarter of section 10 in this township. Since making his home here his thrift, energy and sound management have made him successful to a marked degree. He has been principally engaged in raising fine stock, has an interest in a full-blooded Clydesdale horse, and is the owner of several fine horses; his well graded Short-horn cattle are classed among the best in the township, as are also his Poland-China hogs.

     Mr. Vansant's career as a farmer and stock-raiser has been characterized by keen judgment, shrewd common sense, and good business habits. In politics our subject is a Republican, actively advocating the principles of that party, which he sincerely believes to be for the public good.

     Mr. Vansant has one of the finest and best kept homesteads in Sedgwick County, Kan., and everything about it denotes system and intelligence. The handsome orchard of forty acres is without a parallel in this part of the State. It is with unusual pleasure that we present a lithographic view of this splendid place on an accompanying page of this work.

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