The History of the Early Settlement of Norton County, Kansas

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go out and preach His gospel to all people.

James A. Littel was born in New York in 1839; moved to Illinois in 1873, and from there to Kansas in the spring of 1878.  Came from Plano, Illinois in a spring wagon; came up the Prairie Dog to Norton, then to Leota, from there to Lenora, then down the north fork of the Solomon to Logan, then over the divide to Stockton and from there to what was then called Osborne City.  After staying there awhile looking at the country, he returned to Norton in July of 1878 and taught a music class in the old school house on the hill now used as a private residence.  Taught music that winter, and in the spring of 1879 went to work at contracting and building.  In the fall was elected Register of Deeds and about the same time went in the postoffice as assistant postmaster with Joel H. Simmons as principal; remained there about three years and a half.  The next move was to go into the newspaper business under the firm name of Simmons & Littel.  While there went into the photograph business with Arba Howard, then bought him out and built a gallery; went into partnership with B.J. Marsh and afterward sold out to him.  Was married to Miss Chloe E. Ainsworth April 14, 1886; left Norton in the fall of same year and went to South Haven, Kansas; the next year went to Kenset, White county, Arkansas where he is now living.

snow.JPG (44695 bytes) Francis Marion Snow was born near Wooster, Wayne county Ohio, June 24, 1837; moved with his parents when ten years old to Sandusky City, Ohio, entered the public schools where he remained four years.  At fourteen years of age he commenced work in a car shop then went to work on the railroad as a mechanic.  In 1854 he went to Kalamazoo, Michigan, where he remained until August 1862, when he enlisted in company F 19 Michigan infantry; served as private, sergeant and lieutenant until the close of the war.  In the spring 1866 moved to Macon county, Missouri; then to Webster county, Nebraska, in 1876 and to Norton county in 1879, where he still lives.

While in the army he was in the following battles, Thompson's Station, Tennessee; Resaca, Newhope Church, Peach Tree creek, Georgia; Nashville, Tennessee, and Decatur, Alabama.   He was captured March 5, 1863 at Thompson's Station Tennessee, and by slow stages, much delay and suffering in many ways, finaly [sic] landed in the famous Libby prison, where after nine months he was discharged and sent back to the field with the regiment and did post and garrison duty until the "on to Atlanta" campaign began.

He was married to Abigal L. Forbes September 19, 1859, and as a fruit of their marriage there has been born to them six children; Orpha A., Carey (deceased), Nellie M., Lena E., Hattie E., and Orla E.

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