Biographical Sketch of Henry W. Honnell, Brown County, KSGenWeb Digital Library

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Biographical Sketch
of
Henry W. Honnell
Brown County, Kansas

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The following transcription is from a 750 page book titled "Genealogical and Biographical Record of North-Eastern Kansas, dated 1900. These have been diligently transcribed and generously contributed by Penny R. Harrell, please give her a very big Thank You for her hard work!

Henry W. Honnell

One of the early settlers of Mission township was Henry W. Honnell, who located in Brown county in 1856, four years before the admission of the state into the Union. The entire region was almost in its primitive condition, the settlements were few and much of the land was still unclaimed and undeveloped.

Mr. Honnell is a native of Greene county, Pennsylvania, his birth having occurred there on April 12, 1833, his father being William Honnell, a farmer, who married Miss Ellen Wilson, a lady of German lineage, who died May 30, 1869. Removing westward the family located near Sidney, Shelby county, Ohio, where the father died at the age of fifty-six years. Both parents were members of the United Brethren church and were people of the highest respectability. In their family were twelve children namely: Archibald, who died at the age of sixty years his death resulting from an accident; Morris; Eli; William, who served as captain during the Civil War and died at Everest, Kansas; Jesse, a physician and surgeon who died at Beaver Dam, Allen county, Ohio; Henry; Thomas, a captain in the Union army during the Civil War; Francis, a soldier who died in Andersonville prison during the war of the Rebellion; Maria; Catherine; Cynthia and Martha.

Henry W. Honnell was the seventh son of the family and was reared on the old home farm. He attended the public schools and, with his brother William, came to the West, locating in Mission township, where the town of Horton now stands. He has lived in this locality for forty-four years and is one of the honored pioneers of the state.

He was married at the Indian mission by his brother, the Rev. William Honnell, to Miss Miranda J. Moore, a native of Monroe county, Kentucky, a daughter of Jeremiah Moore, one of the early settlers of Brown county. Her mother bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Spencer, was a native of North Carolina and a daughter of John and Mary Spencer, who died at the advanced age of one hundred years.

Mr. Moore came to Brown county in 1856 and resided here for many years, but died in Kentucky, while visiting in the state. He was then seventy-seven years of age, and his wife passed away when seventy-two years of age. Both were consistent members of the Christian church, and in his political views he was a Republican. In their family were six children, namely: Joel; John; Jonathan; Polly A.; Elizabeth and Mrs. Honnell.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Honnell has been born six children, four of whom are yet living, namely: Mary Ella, wife of E. H. Keller, and the first child born in Mission township, the date of her birth being 1858; William R., an Indian commissioner and president of the Horton Bank; U. G., proprietor of the Telephone Exchange, at Horton, Kansas; and Lizzie, wife of S. R. Farmer, of Mission township.

Throughout his entire business career, Mr. Honnell has engaged in agricultural pursuits and is today the owner of a valuable property of 320 acres of good land, all of which is carefully cultivated and kept in good condition. All modern accessories and improvements are found upon his place and its neat and thrifty appearance indicates the careful and practical supervision of the owner.

Mr. Honnell has been active in every good cause which tends toward the improvement of the country along material, social, intellectual and moral lines, and lends his encouragement to all enterprises which are calculated to promote the general prosperity.

In politics, he is a member of the Republican party, but has never sought office, preferring that his time and energies shall be given to his business affairs, in which he has met with creditable success.

He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church and Mr. Honnell is serving as one of its elders. During his long residence in the county he has witnessed many changes and improvements and at all times has borne his part in the work of progress and advancement.

He well deserves mention among the honorable business men, loyal citizens and leading pioneers of this section of the state and with pleasure we present the record of his life to our readers.

Last update: Friday, August 02, 2024 18:39:01

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