Mr. Brockett has always espoused the principles of the Republican party, although his father was a Democrat. He has served his home city as a member of the city council, and has been generally active in all undertakings tending to advance the best interests of Atchison and make the city a better and more attractive place in which to live. He is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. It is in church work, however, that Mr. Brockett is most active, aside from his business affairs. Ever since coming to the West he has been identified with church and Sunday school work, and is a prominent and active member of the Methodist Episcopal church. He supplemented his work in behalf of making better men and women of the growing boys and girls of this locality in East Atchison, where he has conducted a mission school for the past four years. He is a trustee of his church, and has taken part in the work of the Sunday school for several years. The highest tribute that can be paid to him is that he is universally known as an earnest Christian, who has reared his family to be valuable members of the community.
JOHN STUTZ.
John Stutz, one of the younger successful farmers of Center township, Atchison county, was born November 5, 1870, on his father’s farm in Lancaster township. His parents were Christian and Kathrine Stutz, concerning whom a complete review is given in the biographies of Gustave and Christian W. Stutz. The reader is referred to these sketches for the history of this worthy pioneer couple, who were among the early settlers of the county. John grew up on the home farm and attended the public schools of Lancaster, remaining at home with his parents until 1898, at which time his father died and John was employed by the Cain Milling Company of Atchison for two months. He became heir to eighty acres of land as his share of the family estate, and began farming for himself. His farm was only partly improved by a small shack and granary. He at once set about to remedy conditions on the land, and erected a substantial home, a good barn and other out-buildings which are well kept. He built a two-story five-room house, and in 1903 erected a fine barn, 48×30 feet in dimension. He has also added to his acreage, and now owns 160 acres of highly productive land.
Mr. Stutz was married October 8, 1895, to Nora Walz, and to this union have been born three children, namely: Christian W., Grover J. and Lester E. all at home with their parents. Mrs. Nora Stutz was born August 24, 1876, on a farm in Shannon township, a daughter of Charles and Margaret (Diehsback) Walz. Charles Walz, the father, was twice married, his first wife being Kathrine Reidel, who bore him four children: Mrs. Rosa Buff, of Shannon township; Charles, deceased; Mary married Fred Stutz, a member of the Atchison police force, and Kathrine, wife of Christian W. Stutz. By the second marriage of Charles Walz, that with Margaret Diehsback, there were born eight children, as follows: Margaret, wife of Gustave Stutz, of Lancaster township; Nora, wife of John Stutz, the subject of this sketch; Frederick, deceased: Mrs. Anna Hager, of Atchison; William, farmer, Shannon township; Mrs. Clara Peterson, Atchison; Albert, Atchison; and Jerry resides on the old home place, in Shannon township.
Mr. Stutz is a Democrat, and a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles. Naturally he has a deep and abiding love for his home county, and thinks there is no place on earth better than Atchison county. His labor and interests have generally been given towards the welfare of his home county, and his standing in his community is assured, as a well respected and industrious citizen who has the respect and esteem of all who know him.
A. S. SPECK.
The Speck family is one of the oldest of the pioneer families in Kansas and the date of the settlement of A. S. Speck in Atchison county goes back to sixty years ago, when in September 20, 1855, Mr. and Mrs. Speck with their two children arrived at the banks of the Missouri river, after a six weeks’ trip overland in a covered wagon from their old home in an eastern State. They crossed the river by ferry to the Kansas side and landed near old Sumner, traveled over the hills and finally stopped at a little log cabin, not far from Stranger creek, which stream is said to have received its name from an unknown man having been drowned in the stream some years previous. The Specks made a settlement in the county and experienced a great deal of trouble from the border ruffians and pro-slavery advocates because of the fact that Mr. Speck was a pronounced anti-slavery man. It was the aim of the border ruffians to intimidate or “get rid” of all Free State people in order to gain their ends and make Kansas a slave State. A story concerning these troublous times is timely here. One afternoon Mrs. Speck glanced from her cabin door and saw a cannon facing the house and planted on a little knoll with about thirty men surrounding the sinister looking weapon. They sent one of their number to the door of the cabin to ascertain if Mr. Speck was at home. In reply to their question as to Mr. Speck’s whereabouts, Mrs. Speck said, “If he were here he would never send his wife to talk for him.” After a long conference the men went away, but returned that night and demanded the privilege of searching the house. All the weapon of defense Mrs. Speck had was an axe which she held in her hand when she opened the door. As the door was opened she asked for the revolver held by one of the men who entered. This he refused to do, but the leader of the gang, a man named Adkins, called out with an oath, “Give it to her, we will protect you.” The gang searched the house thoroughly and were satisfied that the man they sought was not there. They then went away leaving the children crying in fear, and the mother so fearful of her life that she sat up the remainder of the night on the outside of the cabin with her babe in her arms, thinking they would return. Not long after this came the news of the Quantrell raid and the burning of Lawrence, Kan., and Mr. Speck with others went to the relief of the sufferers. The ruffians returned to the Speck cabin in the afternoon of the day of Mr. Speck’s departure, but this time Mrs. Speck was armed with a gun which Mr. Speck had left with her. She also had another gun which had been given her by a neighbor named Martin, who had had similar trouble with the ruffians, who searched through Martin’s cornfield for him, and when the raiders would get near him he would slip away unseen to the rows through which they had already searched and thus elude them. When the men saw the gun one of them insisted that she give it up, and wrenched it from her hands. She at once reached for the other gun which she kept hidden behind her and fired at her assailant, frightening him so that he dropped the gun he had seized and ran from the vicinity of the home. The others who remained near the cannon saw on a high ridge some distance away what they thought was a company of men coming to capture them. They at once took flight and left hastily, leaving behind them a long rope which was evidently intended to be used in hanging Mr. Speck. The small army seen in the distance later proved to be neighbors driving a herd of cattle. One little son of the family made a vow to whip Adkins when he grew up and had the later satisfaction of fulfilling his vow when still a boy. The old neighbor of “cornfield fame” still lives in practically the same locality. Pardee Butler, the famous Free State advocate, who was placed on a raft and set adrift on the Missouri by border ruffians, was an intimate friend of the Speck family. When the Civil war broke out and the call for volunteers was sent out by President Lincoln, Mr. Speck enlisted as lieutenant of Company F, Thirteenth regiment, Kansas infantry, in September, 1862, serving until his resignation, and later being appointed recruiting officer in August, 1863.
Mr. and Mrs. Speck lived on their farm until death took them, the demise of Mr. Speck occurring in February, 1901, and that of Mrs. Speck occurring January, 1904. They are survived by eight children: William A., of Kay See, Wyo.; Frank, James and Arthur, of Nortonville, Kan.; Mrs. D. P. Barber, of Cummings, Kan.; Mrs. Joseph Hotchkiss, of Willow Springs, Mo.; Mrs. S. W. Adams, of Atchison, Kan.
ROBERT L. GRIMES.
Robert L. Grimes, farmer and stockman, of Lancaster township, Atchison county, Kansas, is one of the representative and enterprising citizens of the county who have made good. He has been a resident of Kansas for the past forty-four years, and during that time has worked his way upward by his own unaided efforts and is now the owner of 350 acres of good Kansas soil. Of late he has practically retired from active farming, and has rented out his land, that he may be able to take a well earned repose and enjoy a life of leisure.