W.W. Teasley, one of the early settlers, also one of the many prosperous farmers and foremost stockmen of Summit township, was a native of Dalton, Whitfield county, Georgia, born in the year 1846. His parents were David Allan and Rhoda Milligan (Boatwright) Teasley, both natives of Georgia. Mr. Teasley's father owned and successfully managed a cotton plantation. His paternal grandparents settled in Georgia at an early day. The Teasleys left their southern home to test the possibilities of the much discussed new country of Kansas. His father, Allan Teasley, and his family were among the first settlers on Fisher creek, in the year 1866, where he endured the hardships of pioneer life with dauntless courage, bearing privations, that his family might in later years reap the reward of his efforts. He died on February 18, 1875 at the age of fifty-one years. He was cutting wood in the timber, left his home early in the morning and not returning at the noon hour, his wife instituted a search and found him with life extinct - supposedly from heart failure brought on by over exertion - leaving his little band to struggle on alone in the battle of life. Mr. Teasley's mother was of Scotch origin and died June 8, 1886, at the advanced age of seventy four years.

"To come to Kansas in the early times without a dollar," was so frequent an occurance that it was cited with pride rather than an event of something to be held back from the neighbors lest they look down upon them as less adventurers. All lived alike in houses of sod or logs. The dugouts was counted as the warmest in winter and coolest in summer. To be the owner of a wagon and a span of horses decorated with a rope harness was quite a rise in the world from the yoke of oxen and home-made sled.

Our subject's home was a one-room house built of stone, where six of his children opened their eyes to the "great round world." Childhood knows nothing but brightness and joy, and this little house brought them all the comforts and pleasures of a palace. Appetites savored the buffalo meat and bread made of corn meal. Buffalo were numerous and formed a staple article of food, and from the skin robes for warm carpets and coverings for the beds were made.

During the Indian raids of 1868, W.W. Teasley with his family moved to Franklin county, but returned to their homestead in 1870. Upon his arrival he was well pleased to meet his old employer. "Uncle Tommy" Pinkerton, who was a contractor, and after the usual salutations of "How are you getting along?" etc., Mr. Teasley remarked with all the soberness of a judge, "Physically well, but financially busted," and ventured to ask for a loan of fifteen dollars. Such an amount in those days was seldom near at hand but credit was its equivalent and the amount in goods from a general merchandise store was soon put in shape to be taken home and prepared into wholesome meals. When he finished his marketing he had a wagon load of purchases and felt rich.

Mrs. Teasley's father in the year 1872, was the owner of two cows only one of which gave milk, the other having "gone dry" for lack of proper care. His son-in-law thinking he saw an opportunity to make a little stake asked for the cow. The owner, little thinking anything could be done to bring her milk back, consented to the deal. In the first attempt the son-in-law secured about a spoonful of the lacteal fluid, the next time two, and after repeated trials was well rewarded by getting a flowing pall full of milk, which made nice rolls of butter, illustrating that even in so small a venture, industry brings its reward.

Mr. Teasley's home was seven miles from Ottawa, while living in Franklin county, and upon the occasion of a show coining to town all wanted to go. But "the price" could not be obtained. Mrs. Teasley's father gave her the wherewithal for admittance and while enroute to the city Mr. Teasley overtook a man with a balky horse, accepted the proffered two dollars to help him out of his predicament took the man into town, and to his wife's great surprise when she entered the big tent, found him quietly "seeing the elephant" and all the wonderful sights under the convas.[sic]

Mr. Teasley homesteaded his present farm March 15, 1872, and added to his land from time to time until he was the possessor of one thousand acres. He has, however, sold to his sons portions of this land, retaining for himself three hundred and sixty acres. About eleven years ago Mr. Teasley suffered from a stroke of paralysis, which disabled him for manual labor. His career has been a financial success and even after losing the use of his limbs, Mr. Teasley made in 1897, while seated in his conveyance, a profit of seven hundred dollars on the sales of cattle, beside other financial bargains.

Mr. Teasley was married in December, 1869, to Mary Jane, a daughter of Henry Stackhouse, a brother of the Reverend Stackhouse, who held services and preached one of the first sermons in the Glasco community. and all the early settlers remember how, like music, the first words of the gospel fell on their listing ears; the words of comfort and good cheer were at that time "pearls without price." Her father is still living and resides in Mitchell county. Mrs. Teasley is the eldest of eight children, and, with the exception of one brother living in Texas, all reside in Kansas.

Mr. and Mrs. Teasley are the parents of eight children, seven of whom have been spared to them, viz: Rhoda E., wife of W.G. Wells, of Concordia: David Henry, a farmer of Cloud county; George Monroe and Thomas Wesley are both farmers and own land in Summit township; Minnie Jane, wife of Isaac Moore, a farmer living seven miles south of Concordia; Charles Calvin is associated with his father on the farm, and Cora Adell, a prepossessing and industrious young woman, living at home.

Mr. Teasley has practically retired from financial transactions, having a sufficiency of this world's goods. Hs[sic] is a Democrat politically, but has voted the populist ticket since the organization of that party. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.