HIRAM LIEURANCE.

HIRAM LIEURANCE.—A well known and prominent representative of agricultural interests in Allen county, Hiram Lieurance, well deserves mention in this volume devoted to recording the history of the leading men of Allen county. He was born in Clinton county, Ohio, on the 8th of March, 1829, a son of Elijah and Cynthia (Wright) Lieurance. The father was a native of North Carolina and when about twenty years of age removed to the Buckeye state, where he met and married Miss Wright, an Ohio lady. In 1836 they started westward and became identified with the farming interests of Illinois, the father continuing the work of the fields throughout his active business career. His wife died in 1844 at the age of forty-two years, and surviving her twenty-four years Mr.

Lieurance departed this life in 1868, at the age of seventy-eight. They were the parents of twelve children, but three of whom are living, the sisters being Cynthia, a resident of Nebraska, and Mary L. Jane Reynolds, living in Anderson county, Kansas.

Hiram Lieurance, the only surviving son of the family, accompanied his parents on their removal to Illinois when he was but seven years of age. There he was reared and in the common schools he acquired his education, pursuing his studies through the winter season, while in the summer months he assisted in the work of the home farm, remaining with his father until he was twenty years of age. He then went to Wisconsin where he worked as a farm hand by the month for two years, returning to Illinois on the expiration of that period. In a short time, however, he again left home, his destination being the Pacific coast. It was in 1850 that he crossed the plains to California, reaching the Golden state after a trip of four months. There he began mining, following that pursuit for three years with good success, and with the large sum of money which he had acquired he returned to the east, making the journey by the water route. He sailed to San Juan, crossed the Isthmus to Graytown, and by way of the Nicaragua river reached the Atlantic ocean where he took passage on a vessel bound for New York. From that point he continued on his way as a passenger on the Hudson river boats, and on the great lakes proceeded to Chicago, reaching his home after forty days of travel.

Soon afterward Mr. Lieurance was united in marriage to Miss Mary A. Vandiveer, a native of Illinois, in which state they resided until 1868, when they came to Kansas, locating in Allen county upon the farm where they have since resided. Mr. Lieurance first secured a tract of eighty acres, but he has extended the boundaries of his place until it now comprises three hundred and twenty acres. For some time he engaged in buying and shipping stock, but after a number of years he withdrew from that enterprise and now devotes his attention solely to the cultivation of his land.

The home of Mr. and Mrs. Lieurance has been blessed with four children, namely: Eliza, the wife of J. N. Fallis, who is living with her parents; Elvin T.; Herbert Grant and Perry. All are married and reside near the homestead, either in Allen or Anderson counties. That Mr. Lieurance is a popular citizen in the community is indicated by the fact that in 1883 he was elected to the office of county commissioner in his district, on the Democratic ticket, although the district was largely Republican and his opponent was a strong candidate. He served in that capacity for three years and his course was one which showed that the confidence and trust reposed in him was well merited. Faithful to the duties of citizenship, he has given his support to measures and movements calculated to prove of public good and is justly numbered among the valued and influential residents of the community.

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