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W. H. and Lydia C. Curry

S. Y. Curry, a prominent farmer and stockman of Walnut township, belongs to a pioneer Butler county family. He was born in Bradley county, Tennessee, and is a son of William H. and Lydia C. (Simmons) Curry, who settled in Walnut township in 1879. William H. Curry, the father, was prominent in the early day affairs of Walnut township and Butler county. He was born in Bradley county, Tennessee, in 1841, and was engaged in farming in his native State in early life. He also served as clerk of the circuit court there, prior to coming to Kansas, and in 1888 he was elected clerk of the District Court of Butler county. Before being elected to that office, he had held a number of township offices, having been trustee of Walnut township two terms, and he was a member of the school board for nine years. After the expiration of his term of office as clerk of the District Court, he continued to reside in El Dorado until 1895, when he returned to his farm in Walnut township, and continued farming and stock raising, in which he was very successful. He died, October 20, 1915. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge at Augusta, and his son, S. Y., is a member of the same Lodge, and also of the Modern Woodman of America.

S. Y. Curry, the subject of this sketch, is one of a family of six children, born to William H. and Lydia C. (Simmons) Curry, four of whom are living, as follows: Isaac, Kansas City, Mo.; S. Y., the subject of this sketch; John, and Mrs. Nancy Sipe. S. Y. continues the farm and stock business which was founded by his father, and is one of the successful feeders of Butler county, usually preparing for market about four car loads of cattle each year. The Currys were among the first to successfully grow alfalfa in this county, and now have about one hundred acres devoted to this crop. In addition to the value of the surfaces of the Curry farm, it is located in the rich and rapidly developing oil and gas field of Augusta, and is in close proximity to some of the best producing wells brought in in that locality. The Curry farm adjoins the Varner place which has been tested with such a good show of oil production. The Curry farm is leased to the Wichita Natural Gas Company and has two good wells and they are drilling another. The Curry place is well

improved, with a good residence, and a large new barn which was erected about four years ago.

When the Curry family settled in Walnut township, most of the land was homesteaded and a small cabin generally stood on each place. The old stage coach still made its regular trips by their place, the railroad not having been built south of El Dorado at that time. There were a great many settlers from Tennessee along the Walnut river in the locality where the Currys settled, and a portion of the valley in that vicinity was known as Tennessee Bend.

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