M.A. Stockton, the subject of this sketch, was one of the old residents of Summit township until his removal to Oklahoma in the spring of 1902. Cloud county can illy afford to lose such valuable citizens as M.A. Stockton and his estimable family. He was one of the hardy and persevering pioneers who helped in a tangible way to develop this country.

The Stocktons were sanguine, full of hope that a farm in Kansas would some day honor their drafts. Mr. Stockton came with his father's family to Cloud county, in 1871. Their house was a half way place between Concordia and Beloit, and the first frame house in the vicinity. This old landmark still stands. Mr. Stockton's parents were Hiram and Lucretia (Barber) Stockton.

Hiram Stockton was a native of Kentucky, of German origin. His grandfather emigrated from Germany to America and settled in Kentucky in an early day. Mr. Stockton was a blacksmith and wagon maker and followed that trade in his earlier life, but coming west filed on government land for himself and his boys. There were ten children in the family, eight of whom are living - a daughter died in infancy - nine boys lived to manhood.

Mr. Stockton and five of his sons homesteaded land in Summit township; of these A.J. Stockton of Summit township is the only one remaining. They were in limited circumstances, and came overland from Kentucky with ox teams. Their first house was of logs with dirt roof and the first above ground between Glasco and Jamestown. This domicile housed a family of eleven. The buffalo and antelope supplied them with meat. Hiram Stockton died in 1882 at the age of sixty-three years.

Lucretia Barber was of English origin. She was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1826, and came with her parents to Clinton county, Kentucky where she married H.C. Stockton in 1864. She died at the residence of her son D.M. Stockton in 1893.

M.A. Stockton's brothers are Andrew Jackson, a farmer of Summit township. William Riley was killed in a well in 1871. They had discarded work on the well for a few days. He was let down by ropes and was overcome with damps, falling about forty feet and was killed instantly. M.A. Stockton descended, thinking it might have been the fall that killed him. He, too, was at once overcome, and was pulled up, barely escaping with his life. They then removed the damps by drawing sheets up and down and recovered the body.

Daniel Marion Stockton is a cattle man of Oklahoma. Levi Madison, a farmer of Saline county, Kansas. James Carroll, a farmer and stockman of Oklahoma. George Washington, John Wolford and Lewis Sherman, all farmers in Oklahoma near the city of Stillwater. The Stocktons are all prosperous farmers and stockmen. They are self made, enterprising and good managers.

M.A. Stockton lived on his original homestead and owned a half section of land, feeding and shipping Shorthorn cattle, and hogs until his removal to Oklahoma. He was married in November 1877 to Miss Olive Ethalina Webster of Saline county. She is a Kansan, born in Neosho county near Council Grove. Her father is Theodore Webster, an early settler and one of the most prominent cattle men in the state. He is a New Yorker by birth. Came with his parents to Illinois and located near Galesburg. Later they came to Kansas with an ox team. A sad accident occurred during this overland trip. The oxen ran away with a heavily loaded wagon, throwing out two little girls, the wagon running over and killing one of them. They were early settlers near Council Grove; so primitive that one of the settlers was compelled to take the partition out of his house to improvise a coffin.

This was in the early 'fifties. They became discouraged and left Kansas for a period of five years but returned and took up a residence in Saline county, where her mother died in 1872. Her father now lives in Illinois. Mrs. Stockton is one of four children. Josephine Marie, wife of B.G. Schriven, elevator man, land owner, and stockman; also engaged in the implement business with residence in Lucas, Lincoln county, Kansas. Jennie, wife of R.W. Jay, a Saline county farmer, and Jessie, wife of William Kyle, an elevator man in the state of Washington.

To Mr. and Mrs. Stockton four children have been born. David Webster, associated with his father in farming and stock raising. Hiram Franklin, Jessie Lucretia, aged thirteen and John Martin.