Jacob W. Boughner

JACOB W. BOUGHNER went out to Western Kansas forty years ago. It is the men of forty years experience who have done most for that section of the state, since nearly all the counties were then just in process of formation and settlement. Mr. Boughner has been through hard times and good times, but there is no question about his prosperity, since he has acquired large holdings of rich and productive lands, and has long been a well known banker in Osborne County.

Mr. Boughner came to Western Kansas with the family before he reached his majority. He was born at Centerville, Iowa, November 19, 1859. His remote ancestors came from Germany, three Boughner brothers coming to this country in colonial times, one of them locating in Canada and two in New Jersey, and they fought in the Revolutionary war. Of the noteworthy ancestors of Mr. Boughner one was his great-great-grandmother, the sister of Captain Hull of the Frigate "Constitution." The story is told of how she was one of a party of schoolgirls who with song and flowers welcomed General Washington after his return from a victorious campaign. Mr. Boughner's grandfather, Richard Boughner, was born in New Jersey in 1794. He lived for a number of years in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, where he was a farmer and stock raiser. In 1844 he moved to Wayne County, Indiana, but late in life retired to Dayton, Ohio, where he died in 1884, at the age of ninety years. His youngest son, William, was killed while a soldier in the Civil war. Mr. Boughner's maternal grandfather was Henry Hittle. He was born in Darke County, Ohio, in 1809, and was an early settler in Wayne County, Indiana, where he tendered a valuable service to the community as a blacksmith and wagonmaker. He was fifty-two years old when the Civil war broke out, but in spite of that age enlisted and served all through that struggle. He died honored and esteemed in Wayne County in 1880.

Martin Boughner, father of Jacob W., was born in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, in 1826. He was about eighteen years old when his parents moved to Cambridge, Wayne County, Indiana, where he grew up and married. He was a carpenter and builder in early years. In 1855 he moved out to Centerville, Iowa, bought a farm and also followed his trade part of the time. In April, 1878, he arrived in Osborne County, Kansas, and homesteaded 160 acres at Round Mound. Eventually he acquired 600 acres of good farm land, and was a noted stock raiser and wheat farmer for many years. He finally retired to Natoma, and died there in 1911. He served as justice of the peace and at one time was postmaster of Round Mound. He was a republican aud a Methodist, being very regular and active in his church duties.

Martin Boughner married Catherine Hittle. She was born in Darke County, Ohio, in 1834, and died at Centerville, Iowa, in 1916. Of her three children Jacob W. is the youngest. Viola married Samuel Conger, a retired farmer at Centerville, Iowa. Henry Boughner lives at Downs in Osborne County, and is a farmer, specializing in pure bred Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle.

The opportunities Jacob W. Boughner had to attend school were in the country district near Centerville, Iowa. He was nineteen years old when he came to Kansas with his parents in 1878, and first assisted his father on the homestead, but after reaching his majority he too took up a homestead of 160 acres and also a timber claim of like amount. He still owns both those claims, but in addition has increased his holdings to 1,500 acres in Osborne County, and uses this large tract for stock raising and wheat growing. His home for many years has been at Natoma, where he built a large modern residence in 1910. Besides farming Mr. Boughner has always been interested in other business affairs. In 1909 he helped establish the First National Bank of Natoma, and was its president until January, 1918. He is now chairman of its board of directors. The president is George S. Welling, the vice president, E. G. Boughner, and the cashier Otto F. Borden. This is a highly prosperous institution, having n capital of $50,000 and surplus and profits of $8,500. Mr. Boughner also established the Citizens State Bank of Republic, Kansas, and was its president two years, then selling his interests. In 1889 he and his father established a store at Natoma, conducting it three years, until 1892. He also opened a store in 1892 at Plainville, and was a factor in its management until 1896, when he sold out. He owned another store at Republic, Kansas, for nine years, and on disposing of his mercantile properties he invested in his present ranch. Mr. Boughner is also chairman of the board of the National Loan Company, capitalized at $25,000.

For over twenty years Mr. Boughner was a member of the school boards of Natoma, Plainville and Republic, and has also been a member of the city council. He is a republican, and is a very active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, being chairman of the board of trustees and superintendent of the Sunday school. He is affiliated with Natoma Camp of the Modern Woodmen of America.

In 1881, at Osborne, Mr. Boughner married Miss Julia Edmisten, daughter of James and Mary (McMannis) Edmisten. Her mother is deceased and her father, a retired farmer lives with Mr. and Mrs. Boughner. The latter have good reason to be proud of the record of their three children. The oldest, Grace, is the wife of William Musselman. She is a graduate of the Republic High School. The Musselman family reside at Fort Sam Houston, near San Antonio, Texas. William Musselman is a captain and adjutant in the United States army, being with the Third Field Artillery and the Three Hundred and Forty-Third Field Artillery during the war period. In 1918 he was on the firing line in France, at St. Mihiel, Argonne Forest and Verdun and on to Coblenz, Germany.

Elbert Grant Boughner, the oldest son of Mr. Boughner, graduated from the Republic High School, attended Salina University, and is now vice president of the First National Bank of Natoma. He was born in Osborne County June 25, 1886. He is also secretary and treasurer of the National Loan Company above mentioned. He is a republican, is treasurer of the Natoma School Board, and a member of Natoma Lodge No. 390, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, and Salina, Kansas, Consistory No. 3 of the Scottish Rite. He and his family occupy a fine modern residence built in 1911. In that year, at Kansas City, he married Miss Elsie Goodman, daughter of C. H. and Dora Goodman, the former a well known stockman at Plainville, Kansas. Her mother is deceased. Mr. and Mrs. E. G. Boughner have one daughter, Marjorie, born June 8, 1912, and one son, E. G. Jr., born January 23, 1919.

Philip E. Boughner, the youngest of the children, is a very talented musician. After graduating from the Natoma High School he entered Bethany College at Lindsborg, Kansas, graduated in the musical department of that well known institution, later studied for a year in the Chicago Conservatory of Music, and finished his education in New York City under Dr. Arthur Freidheim. He is now in the service of his country as lieutenant in the Three Hundred and Fortieth Field Artillery, hand master of the regimental band. Several months in 1918 he was on the firing line in France, was with the Eighty-Ninth Division at St. Mihiel, Argonne Forest and went into Coblenz as part of the Army of Occupation.

Pages 2406-2407.