C. F. Tibbets

C. F. TIBBETS, who was one of the earliest settlers of Labette county, Kansas, came here in 1869, and has been located upon his present home farm, - the southeast quarter of section 23, township 33, range 18, - in Mound Valley township, since 1870. He was born in Jefferson county, Indiana, December 25, 1848, and is a son of J. H. and Sarah (Nelson) Tibbets.

J. H. Tibbets and his wife now reside in Canada township, Labette county, Kansas, aged eighty-two and eighty-one years, respectively. The former was reared in Ohio, and the latter in Vermont. Two of C. F. Tibbets' brothers also came west, namely: J. N., a farmer in Oklahoma; and J. F., who resides near the subject hereof.

C. F. Tibbets was reared in Indiana and Ohio, and took advantage of the opportunities for an education afforded by the common schools of those states. Some Of his; friends having moved west, to Labette county, Kansas, he also took the same course in September, 1869, accompanied by his uncle, Joseph Nelson, and Dick Stott, who was formerly treasurer of Cherokee county, and a Mr. Cook, who soon after returned to Indiana. In the spring of 1870 he located as a claim his present home farm, in Mound Valley township. He went to Colorado in 1877, and spent five years in mining, after which he returned to his farm, on which he has since been located. His father also came to this county, and now resides on the southwest quarter of section 23, Canada township. C. F. Tibbets has made all the improvements: upon his place, and has a first class farm in every particular. The old part of his house was built of soft pine, which had been hauled from Oswego by ox teams. His present house was built in 1882, and is of comfortable size and substantially built. A fine barn, 38 by 50 feet in size, was built several years later. He has set out considerable hedge and has some natural timber. He spent his first winter and spring in and about Oswego and Chetopa. He is engaged in diversified farming, raises corn, wheat and oats, and has a fine clover meadow. He has also had success with timothy, having seeded 14 acres, from which he cut a large amount of hay. He has an excellent supply of water from a pond 40 rods long, which is supplied by springs. It has never gone dry, although he has watered as many as 200 head of cattle. He has been very successful in his work, and enjoys the friendship and esteem of all who know him.

Mr. Tibbets was united in marriage, in this county, with Augusta Swanson, who was born in Moline, Illinois, in 1855, and came west with her parents. Her father is deceased, and her mother resides in Colorado. Mr. and Mrs. Tibbets have five children: Earl T., who is at home; Lillian, who attends school at Altamont, and will graduate in 1901, after which she will probably teach school; Nellie, who attends the County High School at Altamont, and Jewell and Roy, who are at home. Mr. Tibbets lives in School Dictrict[sic] No. 41, and is treasurer of the school board. He is a Republican in politics, and, religiously, is a Baptist. He and his wife are members of the, Sons and Daughters of justice.