Milton M. Roush

MILTON M. ROUSH is a member of the firm of W. Roush Sons, which does an extensive hardware and tinning business in the city of Parsons, Kansas, and its vicinity. He is one of its most enterprising citizens, and takes a deep interest in the welfare and growth of the city, where he has been located since 1880. Milton M. Roush was born November 25, 1862, and is a son of William Roush, and a grandson of Morehart and Elizabeth Roush. His grandparents had 13 children, as follows: George, a resident of Michigan, who was born February 5, 1825; John, who was born June 29, 1827, and keeps a tinshop at Lima, Ohio; Joseph, who was born March 6, 1829, and is a farmer and a hub and spoke manufacturer, of Macon, Georgia; William, the father of Milton H.; Catherine (Copeland), who was born July 27, 1834, and lives at Lima, Ohio; Henry, who was born July 16, 1836, and is a farmer and pension attorney at Siam, Iowa; Franklin, born October 1, 1838, and Philip, born December 26, 1840, who live near Lima, Ohio; Jacob, who was born March 18, 1845, and is a stationary engineer, of Dayton, Ohio; Theodore, who was born January 18, 1847, and is in Lima, Ohio; Jane (Boose), born December 4, 1848, and Emma (Roberts), born May 7, 1850, who live near Lima, Ohio; and Ephraim, who was born March 6, 1852, and runs a dairy farm near Lima, Ohio.

William Roush, was born February 26, 1831, in Pennsylvania, and went to Wisconsin when a young man, and was at one time a rafter on the Wisconsin river. He located in Kansas in 1868, and engaged in the hardware business at Osage Mission, where he remained until 1878, when he moved to Burlington, Kansas, and in 1880 established the business now conducted by his sons in Parsons, Kansas, and served as alderman from the Third Ward. He was a stanch Republican, in politics. He died in June, 1899, at the age of sixty-six years. He was united in marriage, in Wisconsin, with Sarah A. Osman, who was born in that state, March 6, 1833, and still lives in Parsons, Kansas. They became parents of 10 children, as follows: William H., Jr.; Joseph Franklin; Andrew Jackson; Mary Elizabeth; Luella Jane; Milton M.; Ulysses Grant; Edmond Davis; Emma Elnora; and Ida May. William H., Jr., was born January 8, 1857, and is now in the restaurant business at Shawnee, Oklahoma. Joseph Franklin, born September 7, 1853, was killed on the railroad at St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1893. Andrew Jackson, born August 25, 1855, runs a tinshop at Tipton, Georgia. Mary Elizabeth (Ream), born September 10, 1858, resides in Labette county, Kansas. Luella Jane (Patterson), born March 4, 1861, also lives in Parsons. Ulysses Grant, a barber of Parsons, was born October 15, 1865. Edmond Davis, born April 6, 1867, married Nellie Chapin, of Erie, Neosho county, and has two sons, Carl M. and Emil J. Emma Elnora (Rorschach), born November 30, 1869, lives at Shawnee, Oklahoma. Ida May (McBirney), born October 20, 1877, is a resident of Carthage, Missouri. William Roush was a Mason and a Knight Templar. He enlisted during the Civil War in the 44th Reg., Wis. Vol. Inf., and served three years. He was a member of the local post of the G. A. R., and held many of the offices.

Milton M. Roush was virtually reared in Kansas, and was located on a farm near Burlington. He accompanied his father to Parsons in 1880, and the tinning business was established one year later, in the building now occupied by Bartlett & Company. They removed to the building opposite their present one on Johnson avenue, in 1883 or 1884, and continued there until 1896, when they again changed their location to No. 1827 Johnson avenue. A building 100 by 25 feet in dimensions accommodates their stock, 100 square feet being now devoted to hardware, - a line of which they began to carry in 1883. In addition to the members of the firm, M. M. and E. D. Roush, five men are employed, and more than that number are sometimes required. They do all kinds of tin roofing and have a very extensive and profitable business.

In 1885 Milton M. Roush was united in marriage with Addie B. Gardner, who was born, in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1866, and is a daughter of Carlyle D. Gardner. When three years old she was taken to Kansas, and was living in Neosho county at the time of her marriage. This union resulted in two children: Guy, aged fourteen years; and Nina Florence, aged eleven years. Fraternally, Mr. Roush is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen; Modern Woodmen of America; and Knights of the Maccabees. His brother, Edmond Davis Roush, is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Knights of the Maccabees. In politics, Milton M. Roush is a Republican, and was alderman from the Third Ward, - his term expired in April, 1899. In religious attachments, he and the other members of the family are members of the Christian church. Mr. Roush has a beautiful new home at No. 1618 Crawford avenue.

A portrait of William Roush is presented on another page in connection with this sketch.