William Henry Starks

WILLIAM HENRY STARKS, a well known farmer of Labette county, Kansas, whose portrait is herewith shown, lives on section 28, Oswego township. He was born at Carterville, Vermont, in 1831. His father was Stephen A. Starks, a relative of General Starks, of Revolutionary fame.

Stephen A. Starks was born in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1788, and died in Sangamon county, Illinois, in 1836. In 1829, he moved to Carterville, Vermont, and in 1833 to Rutland, Ohio, where he lived for two years; and then moved to Sangamon county, Illinois, where he carried on farming and passed the remainder of his life. He was educated and taught school in Massachusetts where he met Abigail Rich, who afterward became his wife. She was born in Massachusetts, in 1788, and died in Sangamon county, Illinois, in 1864. This couple reared 10 children, all of whom are now dead, excepting the subject hereof; William Henry. The others were: Edwin; Fannie; Evaline; Emeline; Julius A.; John; Julia Ann; Sally; and Homer.

When William Henry Starks was but two years old, his father moved to Rutland, Ohio, where they lived until 1836, when they moved to Sangamon county, Illinois. There Mr. Starks received his primary education, and in 1843 went to live with his brother in Kane county, Illinois. He remained with his brother for three years, and then was engaged in farming for himself until he reached the age of twenty-one years. In the spring of 1852, he joined a company going to California. After crossing the plains, they stopped at Downieville, Sierra county, California, and went to Eldorado county, California, in 1853. In 1864, Mr. Starks was a resident of Douglas county, Nevada, where he kept the hotel at Clark's station, for two years. In February, 1866, Mr. Starks left San Francisco by steamer for New York. He landed there in March, 1866, and went direct to Greene county, Indiana, where he bought a farm and lived until 1876, when he moved to Labette county, Kansas, - Iocating in Elm Grove township. In 1887, he moved to the Indian Territory, where he engaged in fancy stock raising and remained there twelve years. In 1899, he settled in Oswego township, in section 28, and, since that time has resided there. He is largely interested in farming and stock raising, and is a very successful farmer.

Mr. Starks has been married four times. By his second wife he was the father of three children, namely: Thomas; Rosa; and John. He is a Democrat in politics, and religiously is, a member of the Methodist church. The subject of this sketch is an honest, upright citizen, and enjoys the confidence and esteem of all the community.