Pages 373-375, transcribed by Carolyn Ward from History of Allen and Woodson Counties, Kansas: embellished with portraits of well known people of these counties, with biographies of our representative citizens, cuts of public buildings and a map of each county / Edited and Compiled by L. Wallace Duncan and Chas. F. Scott. Iola Registers, Printers and Binders, Iola, Kan.: 1901; 894 p., [36] leaves of plates: ill., ports.; includes index.



 

  WOODSON COUNTIES, KANSAS. 373 cont'd

CHARLES W. DANIELS.

CHARLES W. DANIELS.—One of the successful farmers of Allen county is Charles W. Daniels. He claims Virginia as the state of his nativity, his birth having occurred in Barbara county, of the Old Dominion on the 22nd of February, 1865. His father was Elmore Daniels, also a native of Virginia and in which state he was reared, spending the days of his childhood and youth in the usual manner of farmer lads of that period. After arriving at years of maturity he married Miss Rebecca Cooper, also a native of the same state, and after residing there a number of years succeeding their marriage they came to Kansas, emigrating westward in 1877. In Bourbon county they took up their abode on a farm, and to the further improvement and development of the land Mr. Daniels devoted his time and energies until his life's labors were ended in death. He passed away in 1888 at the age of seventy years and the community thereby lost one of its valued citizens, for he was a man faithful to every trust reposed in him, honorable in business and well worthy of the esteem in which he was uniformly held. His widow still survives him and is now living in Baldwin where her son Edwin is attending Baker University. In their family were twelve children, and with one exception all are yet living, namely: Eugene, John, Alice, Jennie, Elizabeth, May, Charles W., Anna, Grace, Ed and Frank. Jessie, who was the eleventh in order of birth, died at the age of twenty-three years.

In taking up the personal history of Charles W. Daniels we present to

374 HISTORY OF ALLEN AND  

our readers the life record of one who is widely and favorably known in Allen county. He spent the first twelve years of his life in the state of his nativity and then accompanied his parents on their westward journey to Kansas where he has since made his house. He remained under the parental roof until he had attained his majority and during that time he acquired his education in the common schools, mastering the branches of English learning which usually formed the curriculum in such an institution. During the summer months he assisted in the work of the fields from the time of the early planting until the crops were harvested and thus he gained practical experience in the work he has followed as a means of livelihood since attaining his majority. After he had reached man's estate he left the parental roof and entered upon an independent business career, and rented a farm which he operated for three years. As a companion and helpmate on life's journey he chose Miss Lottie Lorrick, a native of Ohio, his preparation for a home being consummated by their marriage in 1886. The lady is a daughter of John and Mary Lorrick, also natives of the Buckeye state. John Lorrick died in Charleston, Coles county, Illinois. The widow and family settled in Neosho county, Kansas, in 1869, where she how resides.

After his marriage Mr. Daniels continued to operate a rented farm for five years and during that period, as the result of his industry, economy and capable management, he acquired money sufficient to enable him to purchase eighty acres of land in Bourbon county, and there he resided for two years, after which he sold the eighty-acre tract and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of raw land in Allen county, the place being three miles east of the town of Elsmore. Not a furrow had been turned nor an improvement made on the place, but through his energetic efforts he has developed a very desirable farm property. The fields are well tilled and give promise of good harvests. He has also made many improvements, erecting a nice residence, a good barn and all the necessary outbuildings for the shelter of grain and stock. As time has passed and his financial resources have increased he has made judicious investments of his capital in more land, extending the boundaries of his farm until it now comprises three hundred and sixty acres. He also handles stock to a considerable extent, feeding hogs and cattle, and thus he utilizes all the corn which he raises.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Daniels have been born six children, namely: Elmer, Gerard, Zola, Leonard, Jessie and Edna. Mr. Daniels is a member of the Masonic lodge of Savonburg and also has membership relation with the Modern Woodmen of America, belonging to the camp in Elsmore. In his political affiliations he is a Democrat.

Not many men of Mr. Daniels' years have met with such success as he has achieved, but his prosperity has all been won along legitimate business lines. He has followed closely the old time-tried maxims such as "Honesty is the best policy," and "There is no excellence without labor." He had to incur indebtedness in order to buy his first farming implements, but his successful management has enabled him to work his way steadily up-

  WOODSON COUNTIES, KANSAS. 375

ward and to-day he is numbered among the substantial citizens of his community.


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