WILLIAM D. JEWELL.

WILLIAM D. JEWELL.—For thirty years Mr. Jewell has been a resident of Allen county and in the active pursuits of business has gained a competence that now classes him among the substantial citizens in this portion of the state. He was born in Allegany county, New York, July 7, 1831, and is a son of Sias and Charlotte (Davis) Jewell, the former born at Scipio, New York, was a weaver by trade, following that vocation during the period of his residence in the Empire state. He wedded Miss Davis, a native of Massachusetts, and in 1833 they removed to Michigan, where Mrs. Jewell's death occurred a short time after their arrival. Mr. Jewell purchased land in Michigan and engaged in farming for a number of years, and afterward resumed work at his trade. He was again married and was the father of five children; two by the first union and three by the second. Mary Jane, an own sister of our subject, is now the wife of Sylvester Wood, a resident of St. Joseph county, Michigan. The father of our subject died in that state in 1865, at the age of eighty-three years.

William D. Jewell was only two years old when his parents removed to Michigan, where he was reared upon the home farm amid the wild scenes of frontier life. He attended the common schools, which, however, were of a rather primitive character, owing to the unsettled condition of the county, in which the Indians outnumbered the white population five to one. Through association with the red men our subject learned to speak their language as well as he could the English tongue. At the age of thirteen he began an apprenticeship as an engineer, and for several years was employed as an engineer in a large distillery. He afterward secured a similar situation in a sawmill, where four hundred men were employed, and served as engineer in connection with that enterprise until his removal to Kansas in 1870. Here he located in the southwest corner of Salem township, where he has since made his home, his farm being pleasantly located five miles southeast of Humboldt. He secured a homestead of eighty acres, and added to his property from time to time until he now owns one hundred and eighty-one acres of rich and arable land. The farm is divided into fields of convenient size by well-kept fences, and everything about it is characterized by neatness and order. He has an attractive residence and beautiful shade trees surround his home. There is a good barn

and other substantial outbuildings and he has a small vineyard and a good orchard of six acres planted with fine varieties of apple trees.

When he arrived in Kansas Mr. Jewell's cash capital consisted of four hundred and eighty dollars which he had saved from his earnings in Michigan. He had to pay a very high price for his team and when he had become settled for the winter his funds were exhausted, but he was not discouraged with this condition and resolutely set to work to earn a livelihood for his family. As the years have passed his financial resources have increased, and to-day he occupies an enviable position among those who have reached a place of independence.

In 1869 Mr. Jewel! was united in marriage, in Michigan, to Seraph A. Whitford. Her father, George Riley, was a native of New York and died in Kansas at the home of his daughter in February, 1900, at the age of eighty-two years. Mrs. Jewell's mother is living with her at the age of eighty-three years. She bore the maiden name of Hannah A. Dailey, and was a native of New York. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Jewell have been born six children, all of whom are living, namely: John Leslie; Estelle, wife of William Grenane, of Neosho county, Kansas; Wesley, at home; Nellie J., wife of Sedley Yount, of Allen county; Nettie and Iva, at home.

Mr. Jewell is a public spirited and progressive citizen. He takes a deep interest in everything pertaining to the welfare of the county. At the time of the Civil war he manifested his loyalty to the government by enlisting in Company K, Twelfth Michigan Infantry, with which command he served two years and eleven months. He participated in the battle of Saline Cross Roads and in many smaller engagements and skirmishes, and when the war was ended received an honorable discharge, returning to his home with a creditable military record. That his fellow townsmen recognize in Mr. Jewel! worth and ability, and that he is one of the popular citizens of Allen county is shown by the fact that at the convention held in Iola in June, 1900, he was unanimously nominated for Probate Judge by the People's convention without his knowledge or consent, but was defeated at the election.

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