WILLIAM JOHNSON HUCK.

WILLIAM JOHNSON HUCK. Iola's well known painter and paper-hanger and a Kansas pioneer, was born in Ohio October 21, 1845. He is a son of the late Abraham Huck, of West Minster, British Columbia, and was brought west and into Anderson county, Kansas, in 1860. He located upon a claim thirteen miles south of Garnett and did farming and blacksmithing, as a civilian, till 1865 when he located eight

miles south of Butler, Missouri. In 1871 he began a series of moves which finally brought him to the point where he died in 1892. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1817 and was a son of Jacob Huck, a German-American. The latter died in Williamson county, Illinois. He was the father of five children. Abraham Huck served in Company L, Fourteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, as a private, and was discharged for disability in 1865. He married Nancy Gentry, whose father was from near Vincennes, Indiana. Mrs. Huck died in West Minster, British America, in 1893. Their children are William J. Huck, of Iola, Kansas; Jacob, who died at sixteen years; Mary H., wife of John Turner, who resides in Vancouver, British America, Martha A., wife of George Grimmer, of West Minster, British Columbia; Caroline, deceased, and Cynthia, who married in British Columbia and resides at Chillwhack, on the Frazier river in British Columbia.

"Billy" Huck was educated sparingly in the pioneer schools of Kansas. He enlisted in Company L, Fourteenth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry November 10, 1863, and was under Captain Harris and Colonel Briggs. He was mustered in at Cane Hill, Arkansas, and his service consisted, in the main, in fighting Bushwhackers in the Territory and Arkansas. The nearest approach to an engagement with which his regiment had to do was at Cabin Creek, Indian Territory. His company was one detached at Fort Scott to take a train of supplies down to Fort Smith, Arkansas. The little command was surrounded at Cabin Creek and the train captured with many of Company L. Mr. Huck made his escape to other Federal forces and was stationed at Fort Gibson at the close of the war. He was discharged at Lawrence, Kansas, August 22, 1865. He spent five years succeeding the war in Bates county, Missouri, farming and when Wakefield & Company, through their agent, Henry Waters, made him an offer to engage with them he accepted and traveled over Kansas and Missouri selling medicines till 1874. With his accumulations he came to Allen county and went onto a farm, remaining only two years, then coming into Iola. In Iola he has become widely known as an artist in his business of painting and paper-hanging. He is best known for his absolute reliability and among the old settlers to say that "Billy Huck" did a certain piece of work was a sufficient guarantee of the efficiency and honesty of the job.

Mr. Huck was married near Lecompton, Kansas, February 12, 1874, to Agatha, a daughter of George Rose, who came from West Virginia to Kansas in 1863. Mrs. Huck was born May 20, 1856. Her sister, Agnes, is the wife of J. A. Stuck, of Dexter, Kansas, and her brother is James Rose, of Franklin county, Kansas.

Mr. and Mrs. Huck's children are: Hattie, born July 25, 1875; Mary, born January 9, 1883; Oscar, born January 17, 1885, and Earl and Ernest Huck, twins, born February 9, 1890.

Mr. Huck is one of the well known Republicans of Iola.

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