Mr. Harwi was married September 30, 1908, to Miss Florence Cain, a daughter of John M. and Lucy Cain. To this union two children have been born: Alfred J., born August 22, 1909, and Lucy E., born January 12, 1912. John M. Cain, father of Mrs. Harwi, was born July 30, 1839, at Castletown, Isle of Man. He was educated in the select schools of his native island, learned the carpenter’s trade and emigrated from the Isle of Man in 1856, locating in Kansas, where he was successively farmer, soldier, merchant and banker. He was a volunteer soldier in the company organized by A. S. Speck and Asa Barnes, and was accepted for service in 1862, enlisting in Capt. P. H. McNamara’s company, of which he became sergeant, and upon the organization of the regiments of colored troops he was appointed first lieutenant of a company in the Eighty-third regiment, colored infantry. He was afterwards commissioned a captain and did splendid service throughout the Civil war. After the close of the war he farmed in Atchison county, became a merchant, and was connected with the old Atchison State Bank. He died in 1897. Mr. Cain was married May 15, 1879, to Lucy Neerman, a daughter of Frank and Isabella (Rust) Neerman. The following children were born of this marriage Eva, wife of Foster Branson, of River Forest, Ill.; Ralph R., a banker, at Ada, Okla.; Florence, wife of Frank E. Harwi; John Milton, with the A. J. Harwi Hardware Company: William O., an attorney in Atchison, and Alfred Neerman, deceased.
Mr. Harwi is an independent in politics. He was one of the organizers of the Atchison Commercial Club and served as president of this thriving organization in 1913, and is at present a member of its board of directors. He is a member of the board of trustees of Midland College and is a member of the Atchison city board of education. He has likewise been one of the trustees of the Atchison city hospital since its establishment. While the responsibilities connected with the conduct of the great business establishment thrust upon his shoulders at the demise of his father have been such as would probably daunt the young man of average ability, Mr. Harwi has shown that he fully measures up to the requirements of his important position in the mercantile world and has made a reputation on his own individual account as a business head of decided executive ability of a high order.
JOSEPH TROMPETER.
When Joseph Trumpeter departed this life Effingham lost one of its best and most-highly respected citizens and his family suffered the lost of a kind and industrious husband and father, whose sole ambition in life was to provide well for his kindred and those dependent upon him for a livelihood, and to accomplish his purpose in the most honorable and upright manner possible. To him fell the task of erecting the first county high school building in Effingham, and many of the most pretentious dwellings of the city were built by him. He was one of the widely known and successful contractors of the county, whose operations extended over a wide stretch of territory, and whose work was always strictly up to a certain high standard and honestly performed.
Mr. Trompeter was born June 15, 1857, in Prussia, Germany, and when ten years of age he accompanied his parents to America. His father was Maurice Trompeter, who settled on a farm in Illinois and who went from Illinois to Texas, but after a short residence in that State returned to Illinois, where he passed the remainder of his days. Joseph was reared to young manhood in Illinois and there married Hannah Sowers. He also went to Texas and removed from there to Horton, Kan. His father before him was a carpenter and Joseph learned his trade and followed it, becoming a contractor and builder when a young man. He erected several court houses in Texas, and built several school buildings and church edifices in Kansas. His first wife died in Horton, Kan., eight children being born to this union, of whom two are living, namely: Mrs. Tina Demmer, of Effingham. Kan.; Mrs. Bertha Wallace, also residing in Effingham. Mr. Trumpeter removed to Effingham, and at once engaged in building and contracting on an extensive scale. He erected all the buildings on the main street of the town, on the north side of the street, running from the banners and Merchants Bank building to the newspaper office, at the end of the block. He also built the greater part of the finer residences in Effingham and it is due to his handiwork and taste that the city presents such an attractive appearance to the visitor. In the spring of 1912 he and the family moved to his farm of 160 acres southeast of Effingham on which with his own hands Mr. Trompeter erected a handsome farm dwelling and fitted it with all modern improvements, adding an attractive barn at the same time. He did not live to enjoy the comforts of his new home long, however, as illness brought on by overwork, caused him to take to his bed and his demise occurred August 19, 1915.
His second marriage was with Louise Richter, on November 8, 1892, at Effingham. Four children were born of this marriage, namely: Amelia, John, James and Mary, all of whom are at home with their mother. Mrs. Trompeter was born in Austria, in 1874, a daughter of John, born September 2, 1852, and Amelia (Wohletz) Richter, born May 31, 1849. The Richters are of German birth and immigrated to America in 1882, first residing in Atchison and then coming to Effingham. For twenty-eight years Mr. Richter was employed in railroad work on the Central Branch of the Missouri Pacific railroad. Mr. and Mrs. Richter now make their home with their daughter, Mrs. Trompeter, and assist in the farming operations. The Richter children are as follows: Mrs. Joseph Trompeter; Domineck, conducting a meat market in Effingham; Leapold, living at Tacoma, Wash., also a builder and contractor; Mrs. Amelia Hansen, residing in Texas; Mrs. Anna Royer, Tacoma, Wash. There are eleven grand children in the Richter family.
Mr. Trompeter was affiliated with the Democratic party, but was never a seeker after political preferment. He was a member of the Catholic church, and was fraternally connected with the Knights of Columbus and the Modern Woodmen. Throughout his life he was an industrious and hard-working citizen who did his duty as he saw it and lived an upright and honest life. He was prominently identified with the civic life of Effingham and was highly respected for his many excellent qualities.
JOSEPH N. ARTHUR.
Joseph N. Arthur, automobile salesman and garage proprietor, of Effingham, Kan., is one of the progressive and enterprising business men of the second city of Atchison county. Signal success has attended his efforts during the years he has been a resident of Atchison county. He embarked in the automobile business and established a garage in Effingham, despite the fact that predictions were made that the venture would not be a success, and Mr. Arthur as a result is the recognized pioneer automobile man of his part of the county. Since taking the agency for the Ford cars in 1912, he has sold over half the total of Ford cars sold in the county and vicinity. Mr. Arthur first started in business in 1910 and established a small garage in the rear of his real estate office. His business grew to such an extent that larger quarters became necessary, and in 1913 he erected a large concrete building, forty by eighty feet in extent, in which is incorporated his office, display and repair rooms. He employs a skilled mechanic, assistant and driver. Mr. Arthur handles the Dodge Brothers, the Maxwell, and Ford automobiles.
J. N. Arthur was born June 3, 1869, near Corning, Adams county, Iowa, and is a son of John and Martha Arthur, natives of Ohio. Both parents were reared in the old Buckeye State, and were early pioneer settlers in Iowa, coming from Bucyrus, Ohio, in 1855, and driving overland via the ox team route, with all their movable possessions loaded on wagons en route from St. Joseph, Mo., to their destination in Adams county, Iowa. John Arthur homesteaded Government land in Adams county and preëmpted along the river where timber and water were plentiful. He prospered as the years went on and the country became more and more settled, and he became the owner of over 800 acres of excellent Iowa farm lands. He resided in Adams county, Iowa, until his demise, in 1907.