John Eisenhart

JOHN EISEHART, deceased, an old settler of Mineral township and well known contractor of Scammon, was born in 1835 in Pennsylvania, where he lived until he grew to manhood. Before taking up the trade of a stone-mason, he learned that of a tanner, which he followed for three years

He was married in 1859 to Catherine Russeller, a daughter of Samuel and Mary (Kahler) Russeller, of Pennsylvania, and thereafter went to Ohio, where he was engaged in mining in the coal fields for seven years. About this time he decided to go West and try his fortunes in the new country, and with his family he moved to Texas, and there followed his trade of stone-mason. Three years later, 1880, found him settled in a place called Stillson, near Scammon, Cherokee County, Kansas, this being some time before Scammon was laid out.

During the period of his residence in Kansas, Mr. Eisenhart worked at his trade, and in his later years finished many large contracts, employing at one time as many as 20 men. He also invested in town property, and his investments each time turned out successfully.

Mr. Eisenhart came to Scammon without a dollar, but his perseverance and honesty brought him not only esteem, but prosperity, and an income which yielded many comforts, not the least of which was a nice home. He died August 16, 1904, and was buried under the auspices of the I. O. O. F. Iodge of Scammon. A wife and four children are left to mourn his loss. Mary, the eldest of the children, was born in Pennsylvania, and married Amos Vieweg; she has six children,—Kate, Bessie, Anna, Mary, Novella and John A. John, the second child, born in Pennsylvania, married Nettie Young, and has two children,—Vera and John. Ellsworth, born in Ohio, married Nellie Horn, and has one child,—Beatrice Charles, born in Ohio, is unmarried. Two children died in infancy, viz: William Henry and Ulysses Grant.

Mr. Eisenhart's parents were natives of Pennsylvania. The father, Jonas Eisenhart, a farmer, died there at the age of 72 years, and the mother, Polly (Geist) Eisenhart, died at the age of 58 years. They were the parents of an unusually large family, which consisted of nine boys and nine girls. Fourteen of them lived to a marriageable age. Six only are now living, namely: William, Daniel, Gabriel, Lewis, Emanuel and Mary.

Mr. Eisenhart was independent, in politics, his vote being given to the best man. The esteem in which he was held by his friends and neighbors is shown by the fact that, for years, he was trustee of Mineral township and was serving his second term as city treasurer of Scammon, at the time of his death.

Although a volunteer, in 1861, in the Pennsylvania State Militia, he saw no active service. He was, however, a stanch Union man, and during the war served the cause in many ways.

Scammon and Cherokee County owe much to the solid, industrious class represented by Mr. Eisenhart. No drought has been so severe as to dry up their enthusiasm for their section, and their faith in it, nor has any season been so wet as to dampen their ardor.

The subject of this sketch has gone to his reward, following many of his early associates in this region, but others are coming forward to take up their unfinished tasks, and emulate the worthy example shining forth from Mr. Eisenhart's civic career, and from the lives of his departed colaborers in promoting the prosperity of their community.

History of Cherokee County Kansas and its representative citizens, ed. & comp. by Nathaniel Thompson Allison, 1904, transcribed by Sharon Godfrey, student from USD 508, Baxter Springs Middle School, Baxter Springs, Kansas, 2/17/97.