Charles W. Aldrach, Register of Deeds, was born at Highgate, Franklin County, VT., March 10, 1848. He came West in 1860, settling at Fond du Lac, Wis., and learned the trade of marble-cutter, and worked at various points in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Missouri. In 1870 he removed from Hastings, Minn., to Brantford, Washington County, Kan., and followed various occupations until 1881; when he was elected Register of Deeds of Washington County. He was married in 1870 at Prescott, Wis., to Miss Eliza Allibone. They have four children – Mable, born September 21, 1871, at Brantford, Kan.; William, born May 27, 1873; at Brantford, Kan.; Blanche, born June 26, 1877, at St. Louis, Mo.; Colt, born May 1, 1879, at Brantford, Kan. All living except Colt, who died November 3, 1882. (Taken from the History of Kansas by A. T. Adreas, 1883, page 1057, submitted by Peggy Thompson)

BESACK, J. B.

J. B. Besack was born in Wayne Co., N.Y., July 18, 1836. At the age of sixteen he removed to Whitley County, Ind., and taught school for two years, and then worked at his trade of printer in Columbia City. In 1855 he removed to Jasper County, Iowa, and started the first paper in that county, and was engaged in the business in that county for fifteen years; also published papers in Guthrie and Shelby counties, Iowa. In 1875 he removed to Tecumseh, Neb., and rented the office of the Chieftain; which he published for a year. From Tecumsch he removed to Clay Centre, Kan., and published the Dispatch for a short time. In October, 1876, he bought the Republican, of Washington, Kan., and removed to that place, where he has resided since. (Taken from the History of Kansas by A. T. Adreas, 1883, page 1057, submitted by Peggy Thompson)

FRENCH, JAMES W., M. D.

James W. French, M. D., was born in Lowell, Mass., November 30, 1839. He removed to Wisconsin when a child, settling at Burlington, Racine County, and lived there until the war. He was educated at Beloit College, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in Washington County in 1860. He enlisted in the army July 12, 1861, in the Ninth Battery Wisconsin Light Artillery, and served in the Trans-Mississippi Department, and was stationed at various forts in Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming and Nebraska. He was mustered out a Sergeant January 1, 1865; and settled at Westpoint, Mo., and studied medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. John S. Davis, attended one course of lectures, and graduated at Rush Medical College in 1872. He settled in practice in Osage, Bourbon County, Kan., and was assistant surgeon of the Gulf Road for several years. He came to Washington from Paola in 1882, and immediately entered upon a very lucrative practice. He was married June 24, 1808 at Ellsworth, Kan., to Miss Sue Gallion. They have two children – Eva, born May 10, 1872, and Charles, born July 25, 1876. Mr. French is a member of the Kansas State Medical Society. (Taken from the History of Kansas by A. T. Adreas, 1883, page 1057, submitted by Peggy Thompson)

HACKNEY, W. F.

W. F. Hackney, was born in Iowa, February 28, 1850. He came to Washington County, Kan., in July, 1874, and engaged in the agricultural implement business, real estate, loans, etc. He owns half a section of fine prairie land five miles south of Washington, with 240 acres under cultivation and two dwelling houses thereon. There are four miles of hedge on the farm. He was married April 13, 1872 to Miss Flora E. Anderson. They have two children – Eneid, born May 6, 1873 and Lula B., born June 15, 1878. (Taken from the History of Kansas by A. T. Adreas, 1883, page 1057, submitted by Peggy Thompson)

HOOD, J. M.

J. M. Hood, was born in Vermillion County, Ind., November 18, 1827, and lived on a farm until he was of age, when he learned the telegraphers’ art. In 1861 he removed to Dallas County, Iowa, where he taught school for three years at Lemon’s Point. In 1863 he moved to Hamburg, Fremont County, and in 1865 he was elected County Superintendent of Schools for the term of two years; and in 1869 he was elected Representative to the State Legislature from that county. He was Mayor of the city of Hamburg in 1874, and served as a Justice of the Peace for eight years. In 1878 he removed to Hanover, Kan., and began the publication of the Hanover Democrat, and has published the same since. He was married September 30, 1861, to Miss Climena Flanders, at Adel, Dallas County, Iowa. (Taken from the History of Kansas by A. T. Adreas, 1883, page 1057, submitted by Peggy Thompson)

HOWE, J. H. CAPTAIN

Captain J. H. Howe, was born in Richmond, Ind., February 8, 1842. He removed to Dayton, Ohio, when a child, and soon removed to a farm in the same county. At the age of sixteen he went into the nursery business and has been at the business since, excepting only the time spent in the army. He enlisted in September 1861, in Company A, First Battalion Fifteenth United States Infantry; served a year and one half and was discharged for disability resulting from wounds, having been disabled at Shiloh and other places; was wounded three times. Again, on December 4, 1863, he entered service as Captain of Company E, One Hundred and Sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served until February, 1865, when he was struck by lightning and disabled, having been partially paralyzed. He was once married, but Mrs. Howe is deceased. He has one child, a daughter, Mary B. Howe, living in Iowa and aged seventeen years. (Taken from the History of Kansas, by A. T. Adreas, 1883, page 1057, submitted by Peggy Thompson)

KNOWLES, E. C.

E. C. Knowles, banker, was born in Burlington, Iowa, in 1856. In 1881 he removed to Kansas and engaged in the banking business in Seneca, Nemaha County. In the same year he removed to Washington and organized the Washington State Bank, with a capital stock of $50,000. Mr. Knowles is an extensive farmer and stock-raiser, and owns 4,000 acres of land in one body, in the county of Washington. He has 1,200 head of cattle, thirty head of which are thoroughbred Short-horns; has forty head of thoroughbred horses, and 5,000 sheep. Two hundred acres of land are under cultivation. (Taken from the History of Kansas, by A. T. Adreas, 1883, page 1057, submitted by Peggy Thompson)

MOODY, R. O.

R. O. Moody, County Clerk, was born in Grant County, Ind., on April 22, 1856, and removed with his parents, when a child, to Jo Daviess County, Ill. In 1870 he removed to Washington County, Kan., settling in Clifton Township. He taught school and clerked until elected to the office of Clerk of the District Court in 1880. He was married December 24, 1877 to Miss Della Webster, of Washington County. They have one child, worth W., born July 29, 1881. He is a member of the I.O.O.F. (Taken from the History of Kansas, by A. T. Adreas, 1883, page 1058, submitted by Peggy Thompson)

POWELL, OMAR

Omar Powell, attorney, was born in Greene County, N.Y., May 4, 1855. He removed to McLean County, Ill., with his parents in 1865, where he received a common school education. In 1874 he settled at Vermillion, Marshall County, Kan. Here he taught school for several years. He attended the Kansas State Agricultural College at Manhattan. After leaving College he studied law in the office of Col. T. Mann, of Marysville, Kan., and was admitted to the bar in 1880. He then located at Washington, and is now making an excellent reputation as an attorney. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity. (Taken from the History of Kansas, by A. T. Adreas, 1883, page 1058, submitted by Peggy Thompson)

SPRENGLE, H. C.

H. C. Sprengle, County treasurer, was born in Frederick City, Md., May 3, 1830. In 1835 he removed to what is now Ashland County, Ohio, then a part of Richland. In 1869 he came to Kansas settling on a farm and adjoining Washington. He was appointed Postmaster in 1870, and served four years; and was elected Justice of the Peace, the same year, and served five years. In 1877 he was elected Treasurer of Washington County, and was re-elected in 1879, serving the full term of four years – the legal limitation; he was nominated both times by acclamation, and received about 1,000 majority at the last election. He was married April 8, 1852, to Miss Amelia G. Cook, of Ashland County, Ohio. Their children age: Francis J., married and lives in Iowa; Lewis J., born May 8, 1857; Caroline M., born 1864; Joseph F., born January 24, 1867; Laura A., born March 21, 1870,and John A. born January 2, 1872. (Taken from the History of Kansas by A. T. Adreas, 1883, page 1058, submitted by Peggy Thompson)