JOHN CONNELLY CHASE.

The subject of this sketch is J.C. Chase, a farmer, stockman and chicken fancier of Solomon township, two miles southeast of Glasco. Mr. Chase was born on Third avenue, in the city of New York, October 18, 1854, but in appearance is ten years younger. His father, William Henry Chase, was a carpenter by trade and a native of New York, with residence in New York City and Brooklyn. He died in 1874, in his forty-eighth year. The Chase ancestry came from Wales and were early settlers in New York. His mother was Maria L. (Johnson) Chase; born and died in the city of New York. The Chase family consisted of himself and two sisters. The eldest sister, Elizabeth F. Lane, is a widow, - having buried two husbands. She resides in the city of New York and has one daughter, Priscilla, by her first husband. The other sister is Mrs. Ida M. Satterlee, of New York City.

Mr. Chase learned the alphabet in the city of New York with one hundred or more other children; as the teacher pointed to the charts they screamed out the letters. He then attended school in winter and in this way received a good common education. He was at one time a pupil of John Ridpath, the historian. Mr. Chase left the city of New York when seven years of age and with some race horse owners went to Indiana, where he began to exercise and train for a jockey, and soon afterward rode in the races, and subsequently became well known among the turfmen. He has been connected with the Horner & Crouch stables near Lebanon, Indiana, and with Samuel Hine, near Greencastle, Indiana, Long & Allen, of Bloomington, Illinois, and with General Price, a son of General Sterling Price, of Missouri, for four years. Mr. Chase rode his famous horse, "Bill Bass," at the head of the Tennessee wagon in the procession at the ratification of Cleveland's election. General Price took an active part in the celebration, allowing his handsome milk white horse to lead the procession, but had voted against Cleveland.

Mr. Chase was with Kellar & Tracy, of St. Louis, and went with them to Denver, remaining one year. He was with Sam Trowbridge, of Wellington, Kansas, and with D.W. Covington. In 1891 he shipped a brood mare to Cloud county, intending to move on to St. Louis for the purpose of training some horses and riding in the races. He had friends in Cloud county, who persuaded him to ride at meetings in Concordia, Clyde, Clay Center and other towns. Mr. Chase has won big stakes. He won a handsome purse on "Pete Willis," General Price's horse, at St. Louis. He has been more or less interested in horses all his life.

Mr. Chase has five young horses that have been bred for the track. He has one of the best bred stallions in the world, "Frances Hennessey," His sire, "Sid Arthur," was imported by Pierre Lorillard. His dam was "Murtillo," bred by Milton Young, of Lexington, Kentucky. "Francis Hennessey" is a, half-brother of "Our Nellie," the famous mare which holds the two-mile record, 3:32 1/4, and a number of other record breakers. She made this record at Memphis in 1899. In color "Francis Hennessey" is a very dark seal brown horse, with two white heels. He is a superbly magnificent animal.

Mr. Chase also has a strictly thoroughbred mare, "Lucy," from "Longbow" by "Longfellow." She is now eighteen years old and he has raised six colts from her. He has retained one of her colts, a brood mare, "Vina Long" by "Okema." The latter is by "Reform," out of the dam of "Iroqi" that went to England and won the English derby, the only American bred horse that ever captured it.

Mr. Chase takes delight in poultry breeding, but horses are his "long suit." He has been breeding the Brown Leghorns and the Black Minorcas five years. In the latter he has scored up to 95 1/4 points. Judge Rhodes, of Topeka, at the Delphos poultry show in 1900, affirmed they were the highest he had ever adjudged, and carried away the blue ribbon. He supplies eggs for hatching and his patrons are sure of getting the pure article. He keeps about a half dozen pit game chickens and when it comes to a "show down" they prove themselves champions. He has taken his share and the biggest end of the blue ribbon wherever he has exhibited, - Beloit, Delphos, Minneapolis and Glasco, - and they have been scored by as good judges as there are in the country: L.P. Harris, of Nebraska, Judge Rhodes, of Topeka, and other competent authority. Mr. Chase also has some fine bred shorthorn cattle, but for lack of pasture does not keep a large herd. He has been successful in hog raising during the corn years. His fine farm consists of one hundred and eighty-five acres of bottom land, intersected by the Solomon river.

Mr. Chase was married in 1894 to Pauline (Knatkowsky), the widow of Jacob Studt, by whom she had six children. The two younger were twins, one of them died at the age of three months. Jacob Studt was a native of Germany, born in 1840. When a small boy he came to America with his parents and settled in Illinois, near Waterloo, and in 1867 came to Cloud county, where he died January 26, 1891. Their children are Margaret C., Augusta S., Elizabeth K.A., Herman A., and Clara H. The Chase farm is the original homestead of Mr. Studt, where he and his brother lived in a dugout for several years and built the first log house in the neighborhood, which was then deemed commodious. The house still stands. In 1890 Mr. Studt built a good frame house of nine rooms.

To Mr. and Chase has been born one child, Priscilli Cornelia, a beautiful little girl of five years. Mr. Chase takes an active part in political affairs and votes the Republican ticket. He is a member of the order of Woodmen of Glasco. Mrs. Chase is a member of the Lutheran church.

Mr. Chase is diminutive in stature and looks his part. He is never so happy as when training a horse for the turf, unless it is when mounted for the race. He is an affable, genial fellow and by his social qualities draws around him a host of friends. He is a good citizen and desirable neighbor.