E. C. PRICE.

E. C. PRICE—No man in Allen county is more entitled to credit for success in life than Mr. Price who today owns and operates one of the fine farms in Elsmore township. He was born in Lawrence county, Arkansas, on the 17th of May, 1855, a son of L. C. and Elizabeth (Huston) Price. The father was a native of North Carolina, and when a young man

emigrated to Arkansas. Three children were born to him and his wife, and in 1861 he started with his family for Illinois, leaving the south on account of the danger that threatened the Union men who lived in that portion of the country. They took passage on a boat going up the Mississippi, and while on the voyage the wife and mother, together with two of the children, was taken ill. All three died and the boat anchored by the shore in order that the bodies might be interred on the bank of the river.

After reaching Illinois Mr. Price placed his surviving child, the subject of this review, with a family and enlisted in the Union army, with which he served throughout the remainder of the war. He returned to Illinois and was again married and moved to Arkansas. In 1873 he came to Kansas, locating in Bourbon county on the 22nd of December, of that year. Subsequently, however, he removed to Linn county. From there he returned to Illinois, leaving the son in Linn county, Kansas.

During his minority E. C. Price continued work by the month as a farm hand, his father collecting his wages until he was twenty-one years of age, when for the first time he was allowed to enjoy the benefit of his own labor. He determined to own a team of horses, and at the end of one year, as the result of day labor, he had capital sufficient to make the purchase. During the second year he rented land and engaged in farming on his own account. At the age of twenty-four he was married and rented for two years, then purchased eighty acres of land, making arrangements to pay for the same in six years, but when only two years had passed his farm was freed from all indebtedness. About three years afterward he sold the place and came to Allen county, purchasing a claim on the league land, for which he gave eleven hundred dollars,—all of the money that he had received from his eighty acre farm. Not long afterward the courts made a decision whereby he lost all of his property. He then rented until three years ago, then removed to the southeastern portion of the county and purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land on which few improvements had been made. He saved enough to make a payment on the land and arranged to make payments at stated intervals and now has the farm almost free from indebtedness. In the meantime he has made many improvements, erecting a good residence and a large barn. A nice grove surrounds his home, which occupies one of the finest locations in the county, standing on the northeastern corner of his farm about three miles from Savonburg. The place is one which any person might be proud to possess, for the fields are well tilled, the fences and buildings are kept in good repair and everything about the farm is neat and thrifty in appearance, showing that the owner is a man of progressive spirit.

In 1880 Mr. Price was united in marriage to Miss Jeanette Smith, a native of Johnson county, born on the 2nd of August, 1862, her parents being Thomas and Lucy (McKnight) Smith. Her father was a native of Ireland and when five years of age was brought to America. His wife was born in Osage county, Missouri, and died at the age of twenty-three years, while he was murdered in Colorado by traveling companions, who took

that method of obaining[sic] his money. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Price have been born four children, namely: Thomas Elmer, who is now married and resides near his father; Zachariah W. Ardella and Dora Etta. With the exception of the elder son all are at home.

In his youth Mr. Price had very few advantages. At an extremely early age he started out to earn his own living. His educational privileges were very meager, yet by reading, experience and observation he has acquired a good practical knowledge and keeps well informed on the questions of the day. He was not even allowed to profit by the wages of his labors until he had attained his majority. Notwithstanding all the difficulties and hardships in his path he has worked his way steadily upward, his trials seeming to serve as an impetus to renewed effort. His advancement has been sure and steadfast, for he possesses that determined nature that will brook no obstacles that can be overthrown by honest labor. Today, numbered among the well-to-do citizens of his adopted county he is certainly deserving of honorable mention among the respected and representative residents of this portion of the State.

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