Jesse Buzard

JESSE BUZARD, one of the excellent farmers and well known citizens of Ross township, who owns a finely improved farm of 210 acres in sections 35 and 36, township 32, range 23, was born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, September 15, 1833, and is a son of Daniel and Susanna (Randles) Buzard.

The parents of Mr. Buzard belonged to old agricultural families of Fayette County. They moved from there to Guernsey County, Ohio, where Daniel Buzard followed farming some 30 years. He then moved with his family still farther West, locating in McLean County, Illinois, and later in Cherokee County, Kansas. Here he bought a farm in section 32, township 31, range 23, in Ross township, on which he died in March, 1904, at the age of 93 years. His wife passed away in 1884. They had nine children, as follows: Margaret, deceased; Jesse; Sarah, wife of Thomas Haynes, of Ross township; Elizabeth, wife of John Arbuckle, of Ross township; John, a farmer of Ross township; Ann, wife of Daniel Stucky, of Harper County, Kansas; Holts, of McLean County, Illinois; Susan, wife of William McGowan, of Salamanca township; and Samuel, of Crawford County, Kansas. The parents of these children were worthy members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Politically, Daniel Buzard was a Democrat.

The subject of this sketch remained with his father until he was 23 years of age. His mental training was obtained in the schools of the localities where the family lived, and he grew to young manhood, well equipped both mentally and physically for the burdens of life. He remained in Guernsey County, Ohio, for some years after his marriage, following farming, accompanied his father to McLean County, Illinois, and in 1877 came to Cherokee County. Here he secured 160 acres of land in Ross township, on which some breaking had been done, but no improvements had been made. To this he subsequently added land, until he now owns 210 acres. This land he now rents, and is thus relieved from the active duties of farming. It has proved a valuable property, producing satisfactory crops of wheat, oats, corn and flax, and some excellent cattle, horses, mules and hogs. He has made many substantial improvements here, and has carried on his operations with modern machinery, and by modern methods of agriculture.

In 1856 Mr. Buzard married Rachel LePage, who was born in Guernsey County, Ohio, and died in May, 1894, being the mother of the following named children: Elizabeth, wife of William Beebe, of Oklahoma; Catherine, deceased, who was the wife of Peter Yordy; Mary, wife of Samuel Baker, who operates the Buzard farm; John, deceased; William, of Crawford township; Susan, wife of Daniel McCune, of Lyon township; Ellen, wife of Emanuel Sweet, a miner at Mineral; Thomas, a farmer of Sheridan township; and an infant, deceased.

Mr. Buzard has always voted the Democratic ticket, and has filled some of the local offices. He takes an interest in local matters, and his judgment is considered of value in connection with public improvements, and other movements in the township. As one of the old settlers, he has watched the wonderful development of this section of Kansas, and at all times has done his share in making Ross township an important portion of Cherokee County. His children have been reared in the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which their mother was a consistent member.

History of Cherokee County Kansas and its representative citizens, ed. & comp. by Nathaniel Thompson Allison, 1904, transcribed by students from USD 508, Baxter Springs, Kansas