The History of the Early Settlement of Norton County, Kansas

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shop in a poker game, which was run under the personal supervision of L. M Sherburn.  In 1882, he found himself amply able to leave the town on foot with the happy consolation that no one here owed him a dollar.  In the list of old settlers who have left here, none are more kindly remembered and oftener named than the Wrager boys and should providence ever send them this way they will find the latch string of all old acquaintances out.  The last known of them, May, 1893, they were in Wyoming engaged in the lucrative occupation of trapping gophers for the bounty paid by that commonwealth for their extermination. 

The first Thanksgiving dinner in the county was given by Mrs. Jarvis in 1872.  Henry Oliver had been out hunting a couple of days before and passing by the Jarvis dugout with a wild turkey on his back she suggested that if he left it with her she would cook it for Thanksgiving day.  This he did, and it was served in grand style, with all the neighbors to participate.

cope_in.jpg (32649 bytes) I. N. Cope was born in Marion county, Ohio, Dec. 10, 1848, moved with his parents to Wisconsin when small, came to Kansas in 1870. Married Miss Charity P. Cary in Nemaha county in January, 1871.  She was born in Broome county, New York, in 1803, came with her parents to Kansas in 1865.  They have had nine chlldren: Albert, born Jan. 8, 1872, died Sept. 16, 1885, with diptheria; Florence M, Oct 15, 1873; Iva P., Nov. 22 1878, died Oct. 5, 1879; Floyd, Oct 7, 1880. Claude, Sept. 9, 1882, died Sept. 12, 1883; Inez E, June 8, 1885;  Harrison, Jan 4, 1887; Bertha A, Sept. 17, 1888, and Roy N. born March 16, 1891.

kingsbury.jpg (33637 bytes) George Noah Kingsbury was born in Genesee county, New York, January 1, 1844.  His parents moved to Lake county, Indiana, in 1847.  He was raised on a farm.  At the age of 17 he volunteered in company E 9th Indiana Infantry, served four years and two months; was in the battle of Green Brier, Buffalo Mountain, Pittsburg Landing, Shiloh, Perryville, Stone River,.Chickamaugua, Mission Ridge and Lookout Mountain; served in the Atlanta campaign; then went with General Thomas back to Nashville and Franklin; was mustered out at Camp Stanley, Texas.  Married Miss Catharine Bieber August 27, 1867.  They have two children, the eldest Jennie Fannie, born January 12, 1871; Ada Inez, born January 4. 1873, she was married to Frank Bower Oct. 18, 1892 and has one child, Vivian Arthur, born Aug. 21, 1893; they reside now at Colby, Kansas.  Mrs. Kingsbury was born December 16, 1847, at Warren, Ohio.  George Kingsbury has always taken an active part in politics as a Republican; represented his township as delegate in the county conventions of 1873, '73 and '74 and several times since; he is now farming in Noble township.

gishwiller_ja.jpg (35223 bytes) John A. Gishweller [Gishwiller] was born in Ashland county, Ohio. February 15, 1841. He worked on a farm in summer and attended district school in winter.  He enlisted in company A 38th Ohio infantry [on] August 18, 1861, and served until September, 1864.  He then took up the occupation of farming.  In 1869, he moved to Nemeha [Nemaha] county, Nebraska; in May, 1873, he settled in Norton county on the land he now resides on.  He has been a successful farmer, was the first to grow alfalfa on the Prairie Dog, which has proven to be a successful crop in this country; he married Miss Anna M. Howard, of Illinois, Feb, 9, 1882, they have had three children, two of them still living.  Louis N., born in 1883, and Nina P. in 1885.  During the county seat contest, Gishwiller was a Norton man; was elected clerk of court in 1872, but never qualified; has served his township as trustee several times, and represented it in many county conventions;

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