Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 1015 - 1016 

WILEY R. DOYLE is a farmer and stock‑raiser of Garden Plain. His success in his chosen calling since pursuing it on the fertile prairies of Sedgwick County, is only one more illustration of the numerous instances recorded in this work of men who came here poor in pocket, but are now in prosperous circumstances, owing to the extraordinary agricultural facilities afforded by the rich soil and the mild climate of Kansas. When our subject came here scarcely more than a decade ago, he had only $10 in money; he know owns a well-stocked ranch, a comfortable dwelling, convenient farm buildings, and an ample supply of everything needful to conduct agriculture successfully.

             Mr. Doyle was born in Allen County, Ind., May 20, 1852, and is the son of William and Mary A. (Russell) Doyle, natives of Ohio, his father having been born in Richland County, May 10, 1820, and his mother in Crawford County, March 17, 1825. The paternal grandfather and great-grandfather were natives of Pennsylvania, the former born in Adams County, in 1789, and married Oct. 30, 1810. The latter, it is believed, was born in the town of Reading. It is known that he enlisted from there as a soldier in the Revolutionary army at the age of nineteen years, and was wounded at the battle of Brandywine. Grandfather Doyle was of Irish descent, as were also most of the maternal ancestors of our subject, although Grandmother Doyle is believed to have been German.

             William Doyle, who is a farmer, moved to Indiana when it was still a new country, paid $3.50 an acre for a tract of land, cleared it, and improved a good farm. In that pioneer home ten children, seven of whom are still living, came to him and his wife. Their eldest, John, was born Oct. 2, 1844; Hannah Jane, deceased, was born Oct. 20, 1846; Maria Elizabeth was born June 11, 1849; Wiley R. was the fourth; Laura L. was born April 21, 1854; Electa L., Jan. 22, 1857; Martin Monroe, Feb. 1, 1860; Ida Emeline, May 12, 1862; Jeremiah E., March 8, 1865; Ellis Leroy, born March 29, 1869, died in February, 1873. John, Electa, Martin and Jeremiah, live on the old homestead; Maria married Adrin L. Rogers; they live in Anderson County, Kan., and have six children. Laura married Simeon Libby; she died June 11, 1882, leaving one child, Laura Ethel, who lives with her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Doyle, and is now about six years old. Ida married John M. Miller; they live in Allen County, Ind., and have one child.

             Our subject was reared by his parents on the old homestead, and carefully trained in ways of usefulness, honesty, and good deeds, which were the guiding principles of their own daily lives. His opportunities for schooling were limited to the winter sessions, which lasted from six weeks to two months, but as he was an intelligent lad and applied himself to his books, he managed to pick up a very good education. At the age of twenty-one he started out to earn his own living, having plenty of ambition to make his way in the world, and with a fair share of energy and muscle, he set himself resolutely to work at whatever he could find to do. For some years he was employed by the month, a part of the time in the State of New York. In 1877 he set his face toward Kansas, and on his arrival here pre-empted 160 acres, on a part of which his present home now stands; forty acres of it are platted as town lots in Garden Plain, being very desirably located in a pleasant part of the village, and constantly increasing in value with its growth. After taking up his residence on his land, our subject kept a bachelor's establishment for eighteen months, being his own cook and housekeeper, continuing to live on his farm for about nine months. He then returned to Indiana for the lady who had agreed to preside over his home, and they were united in marriage March 11, 1879. The maiden name of Mrs. Doyle was Clarena Adams, and she was born in Allen County, Ind., March 21, 1858. Her parents are Jerome and Charlotte (Shugharts) Adams, natives of Indiana and Germany respectively; her mother was born in 1838, and came to America with her parents when a child. To her and her husband there were born four children, of whom Mrs. Doyle is the second. Josiah was born in September, 1856; Charlotte H., Jan. 2, 1860; Jerome, Dec. 25, 1865. Josiah and Jerome are unmarried; they live in Allen County, Ind. Charlotte married George Wolf; they live in Allen County, Ind., and have one child.

             Shortly after marriage Mr. Doyle returned with his bride to Kansas, and in the pleasant home which they have since built up three children have been born to them, namely: Jerome Ernest, Dec. 15, 1880; Burton Leroy, Oct. 5, 1885, and Mabel, July 20, 1887.

             For the prosperity which has come to our subject through his persistent labors and intelligent management he is greatly indebted to his wife, who has assisted him by every means in her power. She is a conscientious Christian and a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Doyle was reared in the same belief, but he has never united with the church. He is a man of strong and earnest convictions, is honorable and upright in the daily walks of life, and fully deserves the reputation which he has won of being in every respect a good citizen. Politically, he is a Republican and a Prohibitionist. He has never been an office-seeker, was once elected Constable, but declined to serve.

[ Home ]