Charles J. Darling

CHARLES J. DARLING, a prominent resident of Osage township, Labette county, Kansas, came to this county in 1871, a poor man, and by years of careful saving and industry has laid by a handsome competency, and is now the owner of between 600 and 700 acres of excellent farm land. He was born. August 22, 1841, in Jackson county, Ohio, and is a son of James H. Darling.

James H. Darling was born in Virginia, as was also his wife, both being of English descent. They were the parents, of three daughters and five sons, as follows: P. B., who came to Labette county in 1869, and resides south of the home of Charles J.; Tacy B. (Dove), who died in Illinois; Virginia C. (Martin), of Jackson county, Ohio; Charles J.; Malinda S. (Eubanks), of Jackson county, Ohio; Joseph R., who resides west of Cherryvale, in Montgomery county, Kansas; W. L., who lives in Jackson county, Ohio; and Henry C., who also lives in Ohio. In 1882, James H. Darling was persuaded by his son, Charles J., to come and reside with him in Labette county, and here he died in 1895, at the age of eighty-two years, his wife having died here in 1892. He was a soldier in the Civil war, and served with the 73d Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., for two years, when he was discharged because of rheumatism.

Charles J. Darling attended the common schools of Ohio, and enlisted from there in Company F, 173d Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., in 1864, receiving an honorable discharge at Nashville, Tennessee, in 1865. He then returned to Ohio, and in the fall of 1867 removed to Illinois. He came to Labette county, Kansas, March 31, 1871, and, in April of that year purchased his home farm, the southwest quarter of section 31, township 31, range 18. Mr. Adams, the gentleman of whom he purchased, had placed some logs as a foundation, and Mr. Darling erected a log house in the rear of the site of his present house. The first frame house was moved upon the place in 1876, and the crude stable, characteristic of early days, was replaced by good substantial barns. His wife, who was in poor health upon their arrival in this county, died, and was buried on April 22, 1871. Mr. Darling was a very poor man at the time, owning only two teams, and was obliged to borrow money to defray the funeral expenses. He now owns between 600 and 700 acres of land, including the south half of section 36, township 31, range 17; the southwest quarter of section 31, township 31, range 18; 53 acres in section 7, township 32, range 18, for which he traded a span of mules; and 120 acres east of his home place in section 32. He broke hedge rows in the spring of 1871, and did all his early plowing. He is now raising two boys and a girl, who are Jonathan Rogers' children. At all times he has two men employed in work on the farm, and at intervals has many more than this number. Of late years, he has used mules almost exclusively in farm work, and, has been engaged in raising mules, having imported a fine Spanish jack. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising, and favors Red Polled Angus cattle and Poland-China hogs. He has an excellent water supply, as Gig Hill Creek runs through two of his farms.

Charles J. Darling was first united in marriage, in Ohio, with Jane Meeker, who was born in 1837 and died in 1871, leaving three children: James T.; Ruth Jane; and William C. James T., who married Anna Bussert, lives near LaFountaine, Kansas, and has three children, Charles K., Cleo, and Clair. Ruth Jane (Wagner), of Montgomery county, Kansas, has five children: Roy, Daisy, Charles, Lulu, and Maynard. William C. married Nellie Swart, a daughter of J. B. Swart, a well known politician of this county. The second matrimonial alliance of Mr. Darling was with Martha A. Cassill, who was born in Ohio, in 1849, and is a daughter of Jacob and Elizabeth (St. Clair) Cassill. She is one of 10 children, as follows: Mary J. (Newton), of Rich Hill, Missouri; Martha A.; Louis, of Missouri; Sarah (Aldrich), of Platte county, Kansas; Nancy (Gilbert), of Oklahoma; Josie; 0. E., who lives in Illinois; George, an artist of Boston, Massachusetts; and two who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Darling have two children: Alonzo A. and Charles J. Jr., both of whom are engaged in the lumber business at Grand Falls, Washington. In politics Mr. Darling, is really a Republican, although a bi-metallist. He served as township treasurer for several terms. Fraternally, he is a member of the A. 0. U. W., of Cherryvale; the Sons and Daughters of justice; Modern Woodmen of America; and was formerly a member of the G. A. R., and of the Anti-Horsethief Association. His wife is a member of the Modern Tontines. Religiously, he is a Methodist and assisted in erecting the church, where he worships. His postoffice is Cherryvale, but he is on one of the three free rural delivery mail routes.