John Clabourn Hubbard

JOHN CLABOURN HUBBARD, whose portrait is shown on the opposite page, is one of the most successful farmers in Shawnee township. He has a farm of 200 acres in section 23, township 33, range 25, which he conducts according to modern and approved methods, and the general appearance of the place indicates good management and prosperity. He is a native of Washington County, Indiana, where he was born December 16, 1839, and is a son of Joseph and Mary Ellen (Franklin) Hubbard.

Joseph Hubbard was born in Indiana and died there when the subject of this sketch was 10 years old. He was a carpenter by trade and followed that occupation in connection with farming and stock-raising. Politically, he was a Democrat. He married Mary Ellen Franklin, a daughter of Clabourn Franklin, and a native of Kentucky. Of the nine children born to them, four grew to maturity, namely: John Clabourn; William G., a member of the 66th Reg., Indiana Vol. Inf., who was killed during the Civil War at Collierville, Tennessee; David, who is deceased; and Nancy, who is the widow of Thomas Weir, of Indiana. Religiously, Mr. and Mrs. Hubbard were originally Methodists and later belonged to the Christian Church, in which they were very active workers. The family removed to Indiana from Tennessee, but were originally from Virginia.

John C. Hubbard was reared after his father's death by his uncle, P. C. Franklin, a farmer, and later by his uncle, Rev. Aaron Hubbard,—a very prominent elder in the Christian Church, who gave him employment in a store for about two years. After this, he farmed on his own account until the war, renting different places. In August, 1861, he enlisted in Company C, 38th Reg., Indiana Vol. Inf. He veteranized at Rossville Gap, Tennessee, in 1864. He was honorably discharged in August, 1865, having received but slight wounds in the service. The 38th Regiment belonged to the 1st Brigade, 1st Division, of the 14th Army Corps and was one of the "star" regiments of the Civil War. It was in 17 battles, in which men were killed and wounded. Mr. Hubbard was in every battle in which his regiment was engaged, and was with Sherman on his famous "March to the Sea." He fought in the last battle of the war at Bentonville, North Carolina, in 1865. After the close of the war, he opened a grocery store at Little York, Indiana, which he conducted a year and a half. In 1867 with his wife he moved to Iola, Allen County, Kansas, where he purchased a farm and conducted it for six or seven years. While residing at Iola, in 1872, he was elected trustee of Deer Creek township, at that time six by 11 miles square. Having sold this farm, he went to Granby, Missouri, and engaged in the grocery business with Jacob Mingus under the firm name of Mingus & Hubbard. He disposed of his interest in the store to his partner in 1879, and went to Leadville, Colorado, where he furnished a transportation service for a railroad survey from Georgetown to Leadville, remaining there one year. When snow came on, he went from the mountains to Leadville, and bought a feed store, which he conducted until the following spring. In 1880 he returned to Granby. In the spring of 1883 he went to Texas, but as he did not like it there he came North within a few months. He located at Galena, Kansas, and was engaged in prospecting and mining there until 1892, meeting with fair success. In that year he was elected register of deeds. During the four years he held that office, he resided at Columbus. In 1896 he bought his present farm of 200 acres and engaged in general farming and stock-raising, having more stock than the average farmer, and of very fine blood. He has from 50 to 60 head of cattle, and as many Poland-China hogs. He has a Poland-China boar, registered, from "Western Wilkes," and is the owner of "Albion Duke Second," No. 202,385, an American Shorthorn bull. He has as fine buildings as any farmer in this section, and is well fixed for raising both grain and stock. In 1903 he built a splendid bank barn, with 14-foot posts on one side and 20-foot posts on the other, and with a capacity for 75 tons of hay and eight head of horses. He has the finest corn crib and granary in the county, and an implement building of the same size as the barn. with the exception that it has 10-foot posts. It is equipped with grain bins, and space for hay overhead. Mr. Hubbard has a young orchard of 700 trees, consisting of apples, peaches, cherries and plums. He also has an excellent vineyard, with four of the best varieties of early and late grapes. Although a man given to hard work and close application to business, Mr. Hubbard has never been a slave to the accumulation of money, but believes in partaking of the pleasures of life, and in relaxation from work. He has always been partial to the comforts of home life, and the companionship of his family. In 1903 he remodeled his residence, the frame of which is of white pine and was erected in 1877. There are 10 large, airy rooms, well provided with closets and other conveniences, making it one of the best country homes in the county.

Mr. Hubbard was united in marriage with Olive Maynard, a daughter of A. K. Maynard, of Indiana, and of the 11 children born to them seven grew to maturity, namely: Flora, principal of the First Ward School at Galena; Francis M., a mechanic of St. Louis; Walter G., who is in the undertaking and livery business at Bisbee, Arizona; Calvin, a general merchant of Appalachie, Oklahoma; David Albert, who is on the farm; Annie, a music teacher, who is the wife of John McMillin, of Joplin, Missouri, who conducts a music store; and Arthur Leroy, a farmer of Spring Valley township. Mrs. Hubbard died November 9, 1888, at the age of 44 years. She was a member of the Christian Church. On August 15, 1900, the subject of this sketch formed a second union, wedding Minnie Van Metre, of Wisconsin.

History of Cherokee County Kansas and its representative citizens, ed. & comp. by Nathaniel Thompson Allison, 1904, transcribed by Carolyn Ward, instructor from USD 508, Baxter Springs Middle School, Baxter Springs, Kansas, 5/5/97.