Transcribed from History of Labette County, Kansas and its Representative Citizens, ed. & comp. by Hon. Nelson Case. Pub. by Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, Ill. 1901

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John A. Flora

Additional information, not found in this book, submitted 9 July 2006 about John A. Flora by William S. Boggess.

John Andrew FLORA was born 5 September 1845 to John FLORA and Amanda Lentz in New Market (1847, became Mauckport), Harrison county, Indiana, last of seven known children.

John A and most siblings attended Hartsville University, Bartholmew county, Indiana, John, 1859 & 1861 (school burnt 1860) where his family moved earlier. Next found, enlisted (age19) 14 October 1864 in Company F, 11th Regiment, Kansas State Militia, active duty 9 Oct to 19 Oct 1864 between Coldwater Grove and Fort Scott, Kansas under Colonel Thomas Moonlight's command.1865 Kansas census John's at oldest brothers farm, Volney Pulaski FLORA in Lyon county with brother, on leave, Corporal Daniel Rice Boon FLORA from Company C, 7th Kansas Cav.

John married Mary Elizabeth Shults born Ohio, 10 February 1867, in Lyon county, moving to Osage Indian Ceded Lands of Verdigris township, Wilson county, --- becoming Montgomery county 3 June 1869, 25 June 1870 Federal census has John, Mary and two children listed between brother Daniel R B and Capt Jacob Hendrix CONRAD households, with brother Henry Wilford CONRAD in household. Wm Cutler's 1883 book, says John's daughter second born, Hattie A (Harriette Amanda (Flora) GRAY) was "first white child born in Montgomery county". William Walter FLORA third born 23 November 1871 most likely Montgomery county. Mary Elizabeth (Shults) FLORA died 9 November 1874, buried with one month old daughter Jennie G in Americus cemetery, Daughter Hattie A often told that her mother asked her to lie on the bed with her as she died. John is in 1875 Kansas census, Liberty township, Montgomery county, the children with maternal grandmother, Harriet Catherine (Sterling) Shults.

John married widow Addie (Crawford) SMITH with two surviving of three children, 24 October 1878 in Parsons, Labette county, Kansas, they moving to Oswego, Labette county. He operated Condon Hotel where daughter Hattie A meet and married Carl Raymond GRAY (later vice-chairman, Union Pacific RR) 6 December 1886. Son Clarence, born April 1868, first married Alice KINGSBURY about 1890, and William (Will) married Alice's cousin Maude WALLICK in Carthage, Missouri(ah) 21 August 1892, Step daughter Linnie C SMITH married Elmer C Clark. later Judge of Sixteenth judicial district for many years. John elected as Register of Deeds, 1890/2, member of GAR his grave, as of 2006, decorated Memeoral Day as a Veteran of Civil War. Addie died January 1913, John November 1934, both buried in her sister, Sarah J (Crawford) SHIPLEY's plot, Oswego cemetery.


Additional Obits:
Oswego Independent, 10 Jan 1913, p , c 3
The Democrat, 10 Jan 1913, p 1, c 2
Oswego Independent, 9 Nov 1934, front page
The Oswego Democrat, 9 Nov 1934, front page
South Kansas Tribune. 7 Nov, 1934 Front page.

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