Salem Hedges

REV. SALEM HEDGES, a minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, in Liberty township, Labette county, Kansas, is living on section 10. He was born in Fairfield, Ohio, in 1836, and is a son of William C. and Mary C. (Thomas) Hedges.

William C. Hedges was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, in 1807, and his death occurred in Osage county, Kansas, in 1870. His wife, who was Mary C. Thomas, was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, in 1815, and died in Franklin county, Kansas, in 1892. They reared the following children, namely: Salem; Zelda (McClelland), of Charleston, Illinois; Elijah N., of Coles county, Illinois; Mary, deceased; John, of Osage county, Kansas; Drusilla (Reihl), of Osage county; Catherine (Jamison); and George, of Colorado; and Missouri (Hedges), of Franklin county, Kansas.

Salem Hedges, whose name appears at the opening of this biography, lived in his native state, Ohio, until 1856, when he moved to Coles county, Illinois. In the fall of 1862 he enlisted, in Company C, 123d Reg., Ill. Vol. Inf. In 1863 and 1864 Rev. Mr. Hedges was with the famous Wilder's brigade of mounted infantry, and took part in the battles of Chickamauga, Farmington, Perryville, Milton Hill, and several minor engagements. He was wounded, and as a consequence, was honorably discharged in 1864, after which he returned to Coles county, Illinois, where he became a minister of the Gospel. He was a member of the Illinois conference of the Methodist church for seventeen years, and in 1883 was transferred to the South Kansas conference. He traveled in that district for fifteen years, and in 1899 settled on the farm where he now lives. He is universally beloved and respected, by all in the community, where his many charitable acts are greatly appreciated. He goes to and fro, comforting those in sickness and distress, and his friends in the county are legion.

Rev. Mr. Hedges married Ruth Smith, who was born in Marion county, Indiana, in 1845. She was a daughter of Jacob and Lucinda (Potter) Smith. Jacob Smith was born in Switzerland county, Indiana, in 1822, and died in Marshall, Illinois, in 1895. His wife was also born in Indiana, in 1827, and her death occurred in Pennsylvania, in 1847. They reared two children, Ruth and Albert. The subject of this sketch and his wife have been blessed with four children, as follows: Nettie (Tilton), of Edna, Kansas, whose children are, - Grace, Clyde, Fred, and Ruth; Frank P., who is in Oswego, Kansas; Rhoda (Ramsey), who lives in Elsmore, Kansas; and Paul, who lives in Labette county. Rev. Mr. Hedges is a stanch Republican. He is a member of the G. A. R., and also of the Masonic order.