| WOODSON COUNTIES, KANSAS. | 123 cont'd |
ITHAMER F. RANDOLPH.
ITHAMER F. RANDOLPH has won the right to be termed a self-made man and is now classed among the enterprising citizens of Salem township, Allen County. He was born in Shelby County, Indiana, January 9, 1844, and is a son of Reuben F. Randolph, a native of Ohio, who removed to the Hoosier State when a young man and was there married to Miss Amanda Runyon, who was born in Indiana of southern parentage. During the early boyhood of their son Ithamer they removed to Iowa, where both died in November, 1860, there being only about two weeks' difference in the time of their demise. Their children were: Owen F., Reuben F., William F., Ithamar F., Melinda F., wife of Lafayette Shadley, who was killed at Coffeyville by the Daltons; Amanda F., wife of Alexander Breeding and Margaret A. F., wife of Charles Hodgkiss.
Ithamar F. Randolph spent the greater part of his youth in Iowa, and to its public school system is indebted for the educational privileges which he enjoyed. He worked on the home farm until after the country became involved in Civil war, when on the 15th of July, 1863, at the age of 19 years, he offered his services to the government, enlisting in Company C, Ninth Iowa Cavalry, with which he remained until the 20th of March, 1866. During that time he was in Arkansas, Missouri and Texas with the Western Division, engaged in fighting bushwhackers and Texas Rangers. He was never wounded nor taken prisoner, although he saw some very hard service while associated with the boys in blue in establishing the supremacy of the Union.
After receiving an honorable discharge Mr. Randolph returned to Davis County, Iowa, and two years later married Miss Miriam V. Cade, a native of that county. The marriage was celebrated March 12, 1868, and has been blessed with seven children: Louie F., now the wife of W. J. Royer; Mattie F., wife of W. J. Kelso; Mary F., wife of Lewis Anderson, of Kansas City, Missouri; Effie F., Myrtle F., Bessie F., and Jessie F., all at home.
Mr. Randolph continued to reside in Iowa until 1877, when he came with his family to Kansas and for five years was a resident of Wilson County. The spring of 1882 witnessed his arrival in Allen County, and he purchased a farm in the southeastern part of Salem township, where he still resides, having a very comfortable home that stands as a monument to his thrift and enterprise. His life has been one of industry and honesty, and his career has been a useful and commendable one, showing what can be accomplished by determined purpose and serving as an example that is well worthy of emulation.
Page 123, transcribed by Carolyn Ward from History of Allen and Woodson Counties, Kansas: embellished with portraits of well known people of these counties, with biographies of our representative citizens, cuts of public buildings and a map of each county / Edited and Compiled by L. Wallace Duncan and Chas. F. Scott. Iola Registers, Printers and Binders, Iola, Kan.: 1901; 894 p., [36] leaves of plates: ill., ports.; includes index.
