Levi K. Hain

LEVI K. HAIN, father of Mrs. James E. Andrews, is now living retired at La Crosse and is one of the prominent old timers of Rush County. He was born in Berks County, Pennsylvania, November 23, 1836. His father, Michael Hain, was born in the same county, was a farmer, and died in Lebanon County in 1857. His wife was Mary Keith, daughter of Michael Keith. She died in 1864. They were the parents of seven children.

L. K. Hain attended one of the first free schools that was ever established in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, and for forty-four days he taught among the hills in Berks County. That was an experience he will never forget. He boarded around, put up with poor food and often slept in vermin infested quarters.

Later he joined a brother at Germantown, Indiana, learned the trade of cigar maker, but on the death of his father returned to Pennsylvania and became a clerk. He was also in the grain business, and from there moved to Cass County, Indiana, and with associates bought timber land and put up a saw mill near Anoka. Returning to Pennsylvania, he was in the coal business for eight years, afterward put in four years as a poultry and produce dealer at Rockwood in Somerset County, and from there came out to Kansas in 1878.

Mr. Hain arrived in Rush County in March, 1878, and entered a homestead three miles south of McCracken. His homestead was the southeast quarter of section 30, township 17, range 20. He was one of a large party of Pennsylvania settlers who cams to Western Kansas at that time. Among others who located in Rush County were Ed Keim, Louis Samuel, Tom Boyd, Doc Benford and John Schrock. On his claim Mr. Hain put up a sod house, and this was replaced several years later by a stone house of five rooms. He began farming with a team and wagon and a couple of cows. He soon saw that Pennsylvania methods were not adapted to Western Kansas farming conditions, and after some disastrous experiments he began making profit as a wheat grower and in a few years was substantially situated as one of the leading farmers of the county.

In 1883 Mr. Hain was elected county clerk of Rush County. In 1884 he removed to LaCrosse, held the office two terms, and was connected with it during the county seat contest between LaCrosse and Rush Center. It was not until he retired from office that the clerk's records were removed to Rush Center. After his official term Mr. Hain engaged in the hardware and implement business at LaCrosse as a member of the firm Hain & Forney. He gave his active attention to that business three years, was then for fifteen months a clerk, was appointed register of deeds and subsequently elected to that office, and continued either as chief or deputy in the office for about eight years. Since leaving the court house Mr. Hain has lived largely a retired life, managing his investments in lands around LaCrosse and cultivating his private garden.

Mr. Hain has always been a sturdy republican. At the age of twenty-one he cast his first presidential vote for Mr. Lincoln in 1860. His voting place was Myerstown, Pennsylvania. At Myerstown he also joined the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and has been a member of that lodge for fifty years or more. He is a United Presbyterian and brought up his family in that faith. Hs[sic] lives in a house which was one of the first residences put up at LaCrosse.

Mr. Hain married Rebecca Shally. She was born in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, in October, 1840, a daughter of Henry Shally, who, like Mr. Hain, was of Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Hain are: Thomas, who died at Ellsworth, Kansas, leaving a son, Leo Hain, of Alaska; Harry T., who married Anna Turner and lives at LaCrosse; Albert, of Amarillo, Texas; Lillie, wife of W. A. Fickin, of Burton, Kansas; Anna, Mrs. Kohlhas, of Alton, Kansas; Mary, wife of Judge J. E. Andrews, of LaCrosse; Eula, who married Obed L. Toadvine, of LaCrosse; and Nelle, wife of Ben E. Byers, of Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania.

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