JOHN S. LEHMAN.

JOHN S. LEHMAN.—It is a well proven assertion that the history of a county is best told in the lives of its people, for it is individual enterprise and effort that bring about the upbuilding and advancement of a community. One of the energetic and reliable merchants of Humboldt is John S. Lehman, who is now connected with the grain trade. He was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, on the 16th day of May, 1850. His father, Christian Lehman, was a native of Franklin county, Pennsylvania, and accompanied his parents on their removal to Ohio when he was only six years of age. After reaching years of maturity he married Susannah Shank, a native of Rockingham county, Virginia, who was a little maiden of five summers when her parents became early settlers of the Buckeye state. The father of our subject was a farmer by occupation and died in Ohio, in 1895, at the age of seventy-seven years. His wife passed away some time previous, her death occurring in 1866. He was a second time married. By the first union he had eight children, and by the second, one.

John S. Lehman, our subject, is the eldest of the family, the others being David, a minister residing in Columbiana county, Ohio; Jacob, a farmer of that county; Henry, who is a horse buyer and shipper of Humboldt; Christian, who is conducting a planing mill and lumber business in Columbiana county, Ohio; Mrs. Anna Miller, of the same place; Mrs. Susan Hurst, of Wayne county Ohio; and Mrs. Rebecca Culler, of Columbiana county. Frances L. Lehman, the half-sister, died in 1893.

After John S. Lehman completed his common school course he pur-

sued his studies through one term in the Polland Seminary Union, and afterward organized the Columbiana Lumber & Coal Company, with which he was connected for eight years, serving for two years as its manager. In 1884 he came to Kansas, locating on a farm in Allen county, northwest of Humboldt. There he engaged in the cultivation of grain and the raising of stock for seven years, and in 1893 took up his residence in this city, where he engaged in buying and shipping live stock, an industry to which he devoted his energies for about three years. He was then appointed by Governor Leedy, to the position of superintendent of the public grounds and state house, thus serving until he was relieved by the Republican governor. After his return to Humboldt he opened a grain and feed store, buying and shipping all kinds of grain, vegetables, seeds and flour.

Before leaving Ohio Mr. Lehman was married in 1876 to Miss Mary A. Kistler, of Lordstown, Ohio, and to them have been born eight children: Gertrude, wife of Edward King, who is now foreman of a blacksmith shop in Topeka, Kansas; Cora, who is living with her sister, Gertrude; Allen, who died in 1897; Arden; Leslie; Ethel, who died in 1888, and Harney and Floyd, at home.

Mr. Lehman is a stalwart advocate of the Populist party and his deep interest in political affairs has led him to give an earnest support to its principles and to labor untiringly for its success. Socially he is a member of the Odd Fellows fraternity. As a citizen he has always been true and faithful to every trust reposed in him and is a worthy representative of that class who lead quiet, industrious, honest and useful lives and constitute the best portion of a community.

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