HENRY GIVLER.

HENRY GIVLER had passed the eighty-third milestone on life's journey, before he passed away, and his last days were made happy by the veneration and respect which should ever be accorded to those of advanced years whose career has been colored by good deeds and by honorable purpose. He was numbered among the pioneer settlers of this section of the Sunflower State, and had not only been a witness of the growth and progress of the county, but had aided in its advancement and substantial improvement.

Mr. Givler was born in Pennsylvania, on the first of September, 1817, and was of German lineage. His grandfather was the founder of the family in America and located in Pennsylvania at an early day. The father of our subject was born in that State in 1775 and was a miller by trade. His son Henry spent his boyhood days on the home farm, where he early learned to plow and hoe, working in the fields from the time of early spring planting until crops were harvested in the autumn. In early life he learned the machinists's, carpenter's and blacksmith's trades and followed the latter until his removal to Illinois, in 1855. In that State he again carried on both blacksmithing and farming, but thinking to benefit his financial condition in a district still further west he came to Kansas in 1867, taking up his residence in Elm township, Allen county. This region was

then wild and unimproved; there were few houses and an old log school house was almost the only evidence of civilization in his immediate neighborhood. With characteristic energy he began the work of developing a farm, and as the years passed his richly cultivated fields brought him in a good financial return.

Mr. Givler was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Goodhart, who belonged to an old Pennsylvania family, and two of her brothers and three of her sisters are still living in Cumberland county. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Givler, namely: Mrs. Lina Reilly, who resides with her family on the old home place; Mrs. Mary Faddis, of Iola; Mrs. Anna Morrison, of Iola; Isaac, a resident of Carthage, Missouri; W. F., of Clayton, Illinois; and Samuel, of Meade Center, Kansas.

Like the other members of the family Mr. Givler gave his political support to the Democratic party in early life, but at the time of the civil war espoused the cause of the Republican party, which loyally stood by the Union. Of recent years he had given his allegiance to the People's party. His first presidential vote was cast for Martin Van Buren in 1840. Since the age of eighteen years Mr. Givler had been a consistent member of the Lutheran church, and in his life exemplified his belief. The cause of education ever found in him a warm friend and he aided in building schools in Pennsylvania, Illinois and Kansas. He never withheld his support from any measure or movement which he believed would contribute to the public good, and his was a well spent life, in many respects well worthy of emulation. He looked back over the past without regret, and forward to the future without fear. Mr. Givler died between 12 and 1 o'clock January 1, 1901.

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