Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 697 - 698 

ORLANDO G. JACOBS. The subject of this history, a man of more than ordinary intelligence and business capacity, owns a large tract of land in Valley Center, and is prominent among the agricultural interests of Sedgwick County, contributing largely to its reputation by building up one of the most desirable homesteads within its borders. He is in the prime of life, and the midst of his usefulness, admired and esteemed by his friends and neighbors, and enjoying, as he deserves, a generous portion of this world's goods.

            Like a large proportion of the go-ahead men of Sedgwick County, our subject is a native of the Empire State, and his birth took place on the 14th of March, 1844. His parents, Joseph C. and Margaret (Courtwright) Jacobs, were natives of New York, and are now both deceased, the mother dying in Wisconsin in 1870, and the father in Iowa, in September, 1876. The paternal grandfather of Mr. Jacobs was a native of Newfoundland, and spent his last years in New York. The children of Joseph C. and Margaret Jacobs, eight in number, were named respectively: Cornelius V., Eleanor, Nelson, Stephen, Lyman and Orlando (our subject and Levi T. being the youngest living of the family). The three deceased are Stephen, Nelson and Phebe. Cornelius V. is married and living in Wichita; Eleanor is the wife of John T. Hoover, who is married and practicing law in Dakota; he has one child, a son, named Nelson. Lyman is teaching school in San-diago County, Cal., and his brother Taylor is engaged in mining in that State; Stephen died in New York State when a little lad eight years of age; Nelson, during the late Rebellion enlisted as a soldier in the Union army, and about the time of the battle of Petersburg, when going from his tent to a spring after water, was laid low by rebel sharpshooters, and died in hospital; his remains now fill a soldier's grave near the place of his death. Phebe died in Wisconsin when about twenty-four years of age.

            The father of our subject carried on farming in Wisconsin about sixteen years, then crossed the Mississippi into Bassett, Iowa, where he spent his last days. He was a zealous Republican, politically, and a conscientious member of the Baptist Church. He gave to his children the best advantages in his power, Orlando G. of our sketch being permitted to attend the Albion Academy two years, and thus fitting himself for a teacher, which profession he followed during the winter season for several years. The balance of the year he assisted in the labors of the farm, and remained with his father until reaching his majority. Afterward he began cultivating a tract of land for himself, and continued in Wisconsin three years, coming in the fall of 1870 to this county, arriving here on the 29th of Septeber.

            Mr. Jacobs first homesteaded eighty acres, later pre-empted another eighty acres, and subsequently purchased another quarter-section. He has brought the whole 320 acres to a good state of cultivation, put up a tasteful and substantial residence and commodious barn, and added from time to time the various buildings required for the general purposes of farming and stock-raising. He feeds annually from fifty to seventy-five head of cattle, and 100 hogs. The home surroundings are creditable to the proprietor, everything being kept in good order, and at all points indicating the supervision of an intelligent and enterprising man.

            Mr. Jacobs for the past two or three years, in addition to his extensive farming interests, has engaged considerably in the loan and real-estate business, having his office on Third street, in Valley Center. He takes a lively interest in local affairs, and uniformly supports the Republican party. He was elected County Commissioner in 1875, and has served two terms as Township Trustee, besides filling other important positions in the counsels of his fellow-townsmen.

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