Ike Clore

IKE CLORE. Noteworthy among the early pioneers of Hamilton County is Ike Clore, who has been actively identified with the advancement of the agricultural interests of this part of Kansas, and is now known far and wide as an extensive and successful sheep raiser and dealer. He was born May 31, 1874, in Randolph County, Illinois, which was likewise the birthplace of his father, William Clore, who during his earlier life was engaged in farming near Chester, Illinois.

William Clore was one of a family of three children, having had a brother, Harrison, who died in Chester, Illinois, and one sister, Mrs. Rebecca Arnold, of Texas. Migrating in 1884 from Illinois to Kansas, William Clore spent two years in Edwards County, and then took up a homestead claim in Hamilton County, nine miles south of Kendall, where his death occurred about two years later. His widow, whose maiden name was Jane Caruthers, proved up the claim, and after disposing of it moved into Kendall, where she established her permanent home. She reared eight children, as follows: Eva, wife of Ira Kerns, of Kinsley, Kansas; Sadie, wife of Charley Bastion, of Hodgeman County, Kansas; Vina, wife of Martin Parker, of Cleveland, Ohio; Henry, who died in St. Louis, Missouri; Samuel, of Hamilton County; Ike, of this notice; Abram, of Hutchinson, Kansas; and Claude, of Clay Center, Kansas.

Completing his education in the public schools of Kansas, Ike Clore assisted his mother in the care of the homestead property while young, and at the age of sixteen years began rustling for himself, being employed on the Santa Fe Railway section for nearly nine years. Then, renting land south of Kendall, he embarked in farming and stock raising, in each line meeting with encouraging success. He subsequently took up a homestead in section 32, township 25, range 39, and on that claim built the first home of his own, it being a 12 by 14 foot shanty with a lean-to, which he made his abiding place until he had proved up on his claim.

Mr. Clore raised maize and broom corn, having fair success, and for a few years laid up money. The coming of new settlers and the encouragement to farm much more extensively caused him to expand his industries, and a few crop failures and low prices caused him to lose all of his former accumulations. Disposing of his homestead, Mr. Clore leased a farm and the bunch of sheep on it. For two years he worked it on shares, and then purchased from the owner the entire flock of 900 sheep. Soon after that transaction he moved to his present ranch, in section 2, township 26, range 41, and has since devoted his attention almost entirely to sheep, his land lying eleven miles south of Syracuse on the Johnson City road. Here he has a magnificent flock of sheep, consisting of 2,700 Rambouillets, which shear annually a fleece of eight or nine pounds each, the wool ranging in price from 12 cents to 47 cents a pound. He ships his lambs to the Kansas City markets every year, receiving therefor the highest cash price. Mr. Clore now owns three quarter sections of land, on which he has placed improvements of value, having it all fenced, and having erected a substantial residence, where he and his family are enjoying all the comforts of life.

Mr. Clore married in Hamilton County, Kansas, June 10, 1894, Ora M. Weatherly, a daughter of John Weatherly, of Lakin, and to them five children have been born, namely: Ralph, engaged with his father in sheep raising, married Emma Steele, of Sterling, Kansas, and has a daughter, Eva; Hazel, Billie, Esther and Doris. Mr. Clore is not actively interested in politics, but invariably votes the republican ticket.