The History of the Early Settlement of Norton County, Kansas

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nominee for county clerk in 1893, but was defeated at the polls by Dwight Grant.  

John J. Gibson came in 1881 from Iowa.  He was postmaster at FairHaven for several years.

Andrew Jackson Baker came to Grant township from Villisca, Iowa, in 1879.  He has been prominent in politics since 1880.  

John Laughlin and his two sons, John U., and James H., and his son-in-law, James N. Underwood, came from Iowa and settled in Grant township in 1878.  They all reside here yet.  Mr. Underwood has been trustee of Lincoln township for ten terms and has for several years been a member of the republican county central committee. 

boles.JPG (30649 bytes) David E. Boles was born March 20, 1843, in Monroe county, Indiana, came to Iowa in April 1861 with his parents; formed the acquaintance of a Miss Newell and was married to her in 1862.  He learned the blacksmith's trade in his father's shop while he lived at home but always farmed until he moved to Norton county, Kansas, in 1879.  During the hard times here he turned his hand to his trade and has worked at it ever since.  He purchased one hundred and sixty acres of Norton county land, Mike Lichty being the agent to which he paid $150 for.  The improvements were a dugout with a board roof and four acres of breaking. 

In 1880 he helped to organize a school district, and build a sod school house, called the Troy school house, in district 61, but for some reason unknown to the writer they did not get the name established, and in after years when they replaced the sod house with a frame, it was called the Boles school house, and bears the honor of his name to-day.  He had held a number of school and township offices, was one of the eleventh census enumerators in his district, doing the work of two townships, Garfield and Rockwell.  He has always been a republican; has been a delegate to the county convention several times and once to the congressional convention.  He received the nomination by acclamation for county commissioner of the first district but was defeated by Mr. Ireland, the populist candidate. 

He has been a Master Mason for several years, is a member of the Norton lodge No. 199 at the present time. 

Mrs. Boles was born April 21, 1846, in Mahaska county, Iowa.  Her father is living at the present time in the city of Oscaloosa, at the age of 83 years.  She received a common school education and was married in the seventeenth year of her life.  She has always lived in the capacity of a farmer's wife.  She and her husband united with the M. E. church and were baptized by E. P. Mann in 1888.  They have four children, three sons and one daughter, Willis, Oscar, John and Fannie, all living in Garfield township.  They still have faith in Kansas, and taking all things together they are to be considered a happy family. 

Phineas S. Howell was born February 9, 1826 in Wayne county, Indiana.  He was raised on a farm and received a common district school education, and married Miss Ellen Barnett August 18, 1849.  They have had eleven children born to them.  Three are dead and eight are living.  Ella married S. V. Tietsort and lives in Fillmore, California.  E. S. Howell married Mahala Richty; she thought more of another man, left Mr. Howell and he married Miss Anna Glanddon and they now live in Nebraska City, Neb.  lnez married C. A. Harmonson.  They live in Springville, Colorado.  D. T. married Miss Laura West.  They live on their farm in Rock Branch township, this county.  A. H. married Miss Nellie Huff.  They live on their farm in Garfield township, this county.  Etta married Henry 

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