Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 1028 - 1030 

WILLIAM FAUCETT is a real-estate dealer and farmer, living in Wichita, Kan. He was born in Springfield, Ind., Jan. 25, 1846, and is the eldest of the five children, all of whom are still living, of John F. and Sarah R. (Gillespie) Faucett. His father was born in Butler County, Ohio, July 2, 1811, and died Sept. 1, 1886. His mother was born Dec. 24, 1810, and died Sept. 21, 1880. They were united in marriage in 1844, and by industry and frugality gathered together a comfortable property, and were enabled to give the children born to them a good start in life, and the usual educational advantages. The record of their sons and daughters is as follows: William, the subject of this sketch; Francis B., born Oct. 10, 1847; Sarah A., Oct. 11, 1849; John B., Dec. 5, 1851; Genevra, Aug. 7, 1855. Francis married, and lives at College Corner, Ohio; Sarah married A. C. Zartman; they live near Hamilton, Ohio, and have four children. John is married, lives near Springfield, Ind., and has one boy; Genevra married James C. Thompson; they live at Jamaica, Iowa, and have three children.

            The maternal great-grandfather of our subject, Alexander Robinson, was born in Scotland in 1760, and died Nov. 26, 1829. His wife, Nancy (Patterson) Robinson, was born in 1762, and died Aug. 12, 1848. His maternal grandfather, Robert Gillespie, was born Feb. 2, 1782, and died March 12, 1854. His wife, Mary, was born Oct. 16, 1782, and died Feb. 16, 1874, surviving her husband nearly twenty years. They were married Dec. 10, 1799, and the record of their children is as follows: Nancy G. was born Feb. 2, 1801, married Asa Corwine, May 15, 1820, and died Jan. 29, 1881; John W. was born Oct. 13, 1802, married Kittie Resse, April 24, 1828, and died Feb. 16, 1887; James was born Oct. 3, 1804, married Mary Heyden, Oct. 23, 1828, and died Aug. 3, 1844; Jane was born Nov. 9, 1806, married James McCloskey, June 10, 1833, and died May 23, 1882; George H. was born Jan. 4, 1809, and married Hannah Bridge, March 6, 1832; Sarah R. was born Dec. 24, 1811, married John Faucett, Feb. 27, 1844, and died Sept. 21, 1880; Mary E. was born Sept. 25, 1813, married William Wilson, Oct. 13, 1835; Alexander R. was born Feb. 5, 1816, and married Mary E. Pierson, Dec. 24, 1840; Samuel was born March 16, 1818, and married Amanda Billeter, Oct. 29, 1839; William R. was born April 19, 1820, and married Elizabeth Kemple, May 10, 1849; Robert was born March 21, 1822, and married Caroline Bolser, Oct. 21, 1847; Wilson was born Dec. 12, 1824, and died the day following; John Faucett died Sept. 1, 1886, and Asa Corwine, Jan. 10, 1844.

            William Faucett of this sketch spent his boyhood and early manhood on his father's farm, and early became accustomed to hard work. His parents sent him to the public school, where he obtained the foundation of a solid education, as he was a bright, quick scholar, and easily kept his place at the head of his classes; when not in school he was kept closely at home and steadily at work, never even taking a ride on a railway train until after he was twenty-one. His parents were very strict with him, as he was inclined to be wild, but when he was twenty years of age he became convinced of the evil of his ways, and firmly determined to abandon them, and lead a more manly, Christian life. Hence he joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, becoming one of its most earnest and useful members, giving up all of his had habits, with the exception of chewing tobacco. It is worthy of note in this connection that he inherited a craving for that pernicious weed, commencing its use when not more than two or three years old.

            When our subject attained his majority he commenced to make his own way in the world, working out by the month, and being ambitious to acquire a better knowledge of books and things than he already had he wisely saved his money until he had enough to pay his way at an academy, where he obtained a better education than was usual for farmers' boys at that time. Afterward he worked for his father a year, and the ensuing season rented a part of his farm, on which he raised a fine crop, which brought him in a snug sum of money. The next year he resolved to see some of the surrounding country, and traveled through Illinois, Missouri and a part of Kansas. In 1873 he established himself in the mercantile business; that was the season of the great panic, when thousands of solid, long established firms went down in ruins, but Mr. Faucett managed to keep his head above water, continuing in the business until 1876, finally making a success of it.

            In 1876 Mr. Faucett bought an interest in a large feed and sale stable in Indianapolis, Ind., but at the end of a year he had a chance to sell out very advantageously, and did so. He then bought a farm of 175 acres, near College Corner, Butler Co , Ohio, a part of it extending into Union County, Ind. This he farmed for three years with good success. He then sold his property there, and moved to Hamilton, Ohio, where he engaged as traveling salesman for farm implements for a year, and was connected with the business about four years, devoting the last year or two to selling buggies and horses. In this venture he met with unqualified success, as by his geniality, ready tact and honorable dealings he secured the confidence of his customers, and made large sales. In March, 1885, he resolved to resume farming, and coming to Kansas bought 120 acres of land near Chanute. Not liking the location he sold out in a few months, making nearly $1,000 by the transaction, and coming to this county purchased a valuable farm of 320 acres, which was much better suited to his requirements. He has since sold 160 acres of it, and now owns a quarter of section 5, in Afton Township.

            Although our subject has scarcely attained the meridian of life, he has by his diligence and enterprise already secured a competency, and he and his wife can now pass their remaining years in their commodious, comfortable home in the enjoyment of everything that goes to make life easy and happy. While engaged in the mercantile business in Oxford, Ohio, Mr. Faucett was married, Aug. 19, 1875, to Miss Hattie Matson, of that place. The father of Mrs. Faucett was born at Milford, Ohio, Oct. 2, 1814; for many years he was a successful hardware merchant in Oxford, and is still living there, now retired. The maiden name of his wife was Catherine McGee; she was born in Center County, Pa., Dec. 12, 1816, being a descendant of noble Irish ancestry, and was very highly educated. Their marriage took place May 4, 1835; her death occurred Oct. 28, 1866. Their family comprised six children: Georgetta, born Feb. 11, 1836, married A. S. Winston, a lawyer of Burlington, Ky., and they have six children; Mary E., born Dec. 21, 1837, married D. G. Thomas, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and they have two children; Charles M., born Feb. 5, 1840, died Sept. 4, 1848; Sarah E., born Nov. 3, 1843, married Richard Gatch, of Dayton, Ky., and they have three children; Harriet M., Mrs. Faucett, was born Jan. 16, 1850; Annie, born May 29,1853, married Caleb A. Shera, a banker of Oxford, Ohio, and they have three children. Mrs. Faucett is finely educated, being a graduate of Oxford (Ohio) Female College, and carrying away the honors of the class of twelve students in 1867.

            To our subject and his wife there have been born four children, namely: Fannie, May 18, 1876, in Oxford, Ohio; Annie, Nov. 24, 1877, near Hamilton, in Butler County, Ohio; Nerva, March 21, 1880, at College Corner, Butler Co., Ohio; Philip D. Matson, Jan. 25, 1884; another son, not named, was born March 15, 1888.

            Mr. Faucett is a man of unblemished reputation, generous and kind-hearted, genial and helpful to those about him, and of high standing in his community.

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