Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Page 558 

CALEB TETER. The valuable tract of land owned by this gentleman lies along the Motor Line, from Wichita to Derby, embracing a distance of ten miles. Here he is largely engaged in the growing of fine stock, an industry particularly adapted to a man of good judgment, and in which our subject has been very successful. As one of the pioneers of Kansas he is regarded with more than ordinary interest. He came to this section of country in the spring of 1866, locating upon a tract of land embracing the present site of Wichita. He assisted, on the 5th of April, 1870, in laying the foundation of the first house erected in the city, and since that time has made this locality his home. In 1869 he pre-empted the southwest quarter, of section 34, and has succeeded in building up one of the finest homesteads within the borders of Sedgwick County, and a view of which we show in this connection. Being a natural mechanic, much of his building has been done by his own hands, which, while it involved but a moderate outlay of money, has been effected in a first-class manner.

            Our subject, a native of West Virginia, was born in Pendleton County, Sept. 11, 1833. His parents, Johnson and Rachel (Bland) Teter, were also natives of the Old Dominion, and spent their entire lives in Pendleton County, the father dying in 1882, aged about seventy-seven years, and the mother some years before her husband, in 1875. Johnson Teter was a farmer by occupation, and carried on agriculture in a modest way, providing comfortably for a large family, the household circle having been completed by the birth of seventeen children. These were named respectively: Naomi, Margaret, Caleb, Sarah, Eunice, Cyrus, Jane, Mary, Adam, Elizabeth, Louisa, Johnson, Martha (who died in early childhood), Eve and Job. Of these fourteen are living and residents mostly of Virginia.

            Mr. Teter continued under the parental roof until nearly twenty-three years of age, and then started out for himself, one of the first important steps being his marriage, which took place on the 14th of August, 1856. His bride, Miss Hannah D. Hoover, is a native of his own county in West Virginia, and born Feb. 6, 1838. Her parents, Samuel and Margaret (Brady) Hoover, were natives of West Virginia; the father died in Illinois, the mother in Wichita. The young people soon after their marriage emigrated to McLean County, Ill., and Mr. T. rented a tract of land near Old Town. He also purchased twenty acres in that locality, and farmed there for a period of ten years, and until coming to this county. The family of our subject and his wife includes the following children: Belle, who was born in 1857, became the wife of Irvin Richmond, and died Jan. 17, 1884, leaving four children; Bion was born in 1858, and died in infancy; Samuel Lincoln, who was born in 1859, married Miss Bessie Laverty, who died in November, 1887, leaving two children; Mary C., born in 1862, is the wife of William S. Young, and the mother of one son, Horton, who was born Feb. 25, 1885; Lola D., who was born in 1864, married A. J. Crow, and is the mother of two children - Mearle and Eugene; Monte, born in 1867, is attending the Business College at Wichita; Maude G., the first white girl who was born within the city limits of Wichita, began life on the 8th of March, 1870; Walter M., born in 1873; Ollie R., in 1875, and Max in 1882. The brothers and sisters of Mrs. Teter were named respectively: Amanda J., Denizze C., Mary M., Sarah E., Daniel, Andrew, Lutetia and Samuel.

            Mr. Teter, for a time, was engaged in the real-estate business as a member of the firm of Crow & Co., of Wichita. He and his estimable wife are members of the First Baptist Church of that city, and Mrs. T. is a strictly temperance and a woman's rights woman, and a strong missionary worker. Our subject uniformly votes the Republican ticket.

[ Home ]