George W. Mollenhour

GEORGE W. MOLLENHOUR, one of the leading agriculturists of Richland township, Labette county, Kansas, has been a resident of the county since the spring of 1869. He owns 418 acres of land, and is a prosperous and influential man. He was born in Kosciusko county, Indiana, in 1843, and is a son of John and Margaret (Tester) Mollenhour. John Mollenhour settled in Indiana at a very early day, having been born in Ohio. His father was a native of Germany, and his mother, although of German parentage, was born in Virginia, in 1807, and died at the age of eighty-six years. One brother and three sisters of George W. settled in Labette county. His parents followed him to this county about five years after his arrival, and his father died here in 1875, at the age of sixty-eight years, of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Mollenhour, besides the subject of this sketch, Frederick, who died about 1885, was a farmer of Cherokee county, Kansas, but was living at Chetopa, Labette county, at the time of his death; Rebecca (Gordon) is deceased; Sarah (Busick) resides in Richland township; Catherine, a widow, resides in Colorado; and two remained in Indiana, one of whom is deceased.

George W. Mollenhour was reared in Indiana, and in 1863, at the age of twenty years, enlisted in Company E, 138th Reg., Ind. Vol. Inf., and served several months, after which he returned to Indiana and there remained until he removed to Kansas. He was not again in his native state until 1898, when he visited it, and again in 1900, when he attended the G. A. R. National Encampment at Chicago. He was accompanied to Kansas by a brother-in-law, Mr. Gordon, and when they arrived at the state line, they flipped a coin to see whether they should continue to their destination, or return and go up into Wisconsin, and the toss was in favor of the former course. They located in Labette county in the spring of 1869, having stopped at Oswego in 1868. Mr. Mollenhour located near Chetopa, on his present home farm, in section 32, Richland township, and now owns 418 acres in Labette county, and 178 acres in Cherokee county. His claim was originally acquired by Samuel Quinby. He has a finely improved property, a large house, barns and fine shadetrees. He has a good orchard of four acres, and the pines in front of the house were set out by him, being at first covered with gallon crocks to protect them from the sun. When he and his wife commenced housekeeping it was in a small house at the edge of Cherokee county, on the farm where their son, E. L., now lives, He then had two ponies and about $25, and what he now possesses has been gained by his own industry and careful management. He is one of the prominent farmers of the county, and has a large circle of acquaintances and friends.

Mr. Mollenhour was united in marriage, in Labette county, with Hannah Creekbaum, who was born in Indiana in 1854, and is a daughter of William and Salome Creekbaum. Her father is deceased and her mother still lives; Mr. and Mrs. Creekbaum had eight children, all of whom reside in Labette county, except one, who is in Colorado. Three children were the offspring of Mr. Mollenhour and his wife, namely: Edward L., John W., and Myrtle May. Edward L. was born in Labette county, in 1873, married Georgia Watson, a daughter of Charles Watson, of Mound Valley, and has one son, George Earl. John W. was born in Cherokee county, in 1874, married Molly Pearson, and has a son, Frederick; they reside on a farm near Floral Hill. Myrtle May was born in 1880, and died at the age of three months. In politics, Mr. Mollenhour has always been a Republican until recent years, and now favors bimetalism. He has been called upon to serve in numerous township offices. He is a member of the G. A. R., Pea Ridge Post, No. 118; and he and his wife are members of the Sons and Daughters of Justice. His son, Edward L., is a member of the A. 0. U. W. Religiously, the family are Methodists.