Mrs. Matilda Thompson
William H. Thompson was ten years of age when the family removed to Missouri, and he was reared to young manhood on the pioneer farm in Platte county. After his marriage in 1862, he and his wife lived with his widowed mother after the death of his father, October 26, 1861. He came into possession of the home place and cultivated the land until his demise in 1884. He was married July 6, 1862, to Matilda Thompson, and eight children were born to this marriage: Annie, wife of Frank Williamson, of California; Ada, wife of Henry Knobloch, of Atchison county; Robert Lee, at home with his mother; William H., a mining expert, in Colorado; Gertrude, wife of Ed. Myer, of Atchison; Sirena Ella, deceased wife of Patrick Burns; Benjamin Isaac, at home; Gladis, deceased wife of Eugene Thornburg. The mother of these children was born in 1842 in Buchanan county, Missouri, a daughter of Isaac Thompson, born in New York State, on a farm near New York City, in 1804. The grandfather and a great-uncle of Isaac came to America from England some time before the American revolution, and became separated and never saw each other again. They were of Scotch origin. The paternal grandmother of Mrs. Thompson was a Miss Fiske of the New York family of Fiskes. Isaac Thompson married Elizabeth Fiscus in Indiana. In the year 1808, the parents of Isaac Thompson removed from New York to Ohio and twelve years later migrated westward to Shelby county, Indiana, where the parents died. After his marriage Isaac migrated to Buchanan county, Missouri, in about 1839, and developed a fine farm in that county. In about 1847 he sold his farm in Missouri and set out on the long overland journey to Oregon. A large party were en route to this new country and the outfit comprised twenty-one wagons and teams. An incident of this journey is here worth recording. While the emigrants were encamped for the night at a point hundreds of miles from any human habitation, an Indian came to the camp and informed them that a band of hostile red men intended to attack them and destroy the outfit. A band of emigrant Mormons drove up and joined them and they at once formed a corral with their wagons and prepared to defend themselves against the threatened attack, but the attack did not take place because of the preparations made. The Thompson family remained in Oregon for five years. Isaac went to California in 1848 and engaged in gold mining. Mr. Thompson was fortunate in his prospecting and accumulated a small fortune. During the winter of ’49 he was shipwrecked while making a voyage from California to his Oregon home, the vessel being driven far and out of its course by terrific storms and he was forced to spend the winter on the Sandwich Islands. After arriving home safely, he again went to California and continued his gold mining. In 1851 the family returned to the Middle West. They boarded a ship at Portland, Ore., journeyed to San Francisco, where they took a ship for New Orleans. On the way down the coast the party was landed on the west coast of the Isthmus of Panama and the emigrants were packed across the Isthmus to the east side, where they boarded a vessel which carried them to New York City, arriving there on Christmas day of 1851. From New York they went to Philadelphia where Mr. Thompson had his gold minted at the Government mint. From Philadelphia they traveled to Pittsburgh, and here the children all contracted measles and two of them died. From Pittsburgh they went down the Ohio river by steamer and up the Mississippi to St. Louis where they boarded a Missouri river steamer which took them to Camden, Mo. Here the wife and mother died. At Camden Mr. Thompson purchased oxen and wagons and took the family to Buchanan county, Missouri, arriving there in the summer of 1852. They lived in Missouri until 1856 and then made a permanent settlement in Kansas preëmpting land and locating on Walnut creek in Mt. Pleasant township, about four miles southwest of the city of Atchison, which is now the Herzog farm. After eight years’ residence here they again moved, this time to Illinois, where they lived for three years and came again to Kansas, this time settling in Nemaha county. Isaac died in Nemaha county in 1871. His was certainly a rich and varied experience and his life was filled with adventure and continual changes.
Mrs. Matilda Thompson, widow of William H., although having attained the age of three score and thirteen years, is active, spry and in full possession of her mental faculties. She is a wonderful woman for her age and is fond of relating reminiscences of the old days when the family crossed the plains and traveled half way around the world in quest of riches and adventure.
JOHN HENRY NASS.
When the soul of the late John Henry Nass departed from its earthly habitation to go to his Maker, the city of Atchison lost one of its excellent citizens and merchants who had lived all of his life in the city of his birth. The late J. H. Nass was born in Atchison, February 15, 1865, a son of Jacob and Johanna Nass, both of whom were born and reared in Germany and emigrated from the Fatherland in 1856, to America. They first settled at Weston, Mo., but a short time later came to Atchison, Kan., where Jacob Nass became the first brick manufacturer of the city. He erected the first brick plant and made brick for many of the large brick buildings still standing in the city. Jacob Nass continued actively in the brick business until 1875, when he retired and the business was carried on by his four sons. During the course of his business career he established the hardware store which was later owned by his son, the subject of this review. He left at his demise, in 1899, a considerable estate consisting of the brick plant, a hardware store, and real estate. Jacob and Johanna Nass were the parents of six children, namely: Werner, J. H., Theodore, Herman, all living in Atchison; Gertrude, and Mary Nass, who is caring for her aged mother.
J. H., or Henry Nass, as he was better known by his friends and associates, was reared in Atchison and attended the parochial schools and St. Benedict’s College. At the age of sixteen years he entered his father’s hardware store, and took complete charge of the business when he attained the age of eighteen years. In 1886, with a partner named Frank Hess, of Weston, Mo., he purchased the hardware store of his father. Six years later he bought out his partner and became the sole owner of the store, which he conducted until his demise, in 1903. He was married September 27, 1893, to Bertha Fleming, who bore him children as follows: Charles, born September 16, 1895, educated in St. Benedict’s College, and is now in the employ of the Dolan Mercantile Company of Atchison; Raymond, born July 31, 1898, a graduate of St. Benedict’s College, and is now with the Harwi Hardware Company of Atchison; Rose, born October 31, 1899, at home with her mother; Margarette, born June 2, 1901, student in St. Louis parochial school; William, born November 19, 1902, a student in a St. Louis school; Henry John, born December 7, 1903, and died at the age of eighteen months. Mrs. Nass is justly proud of her children and has endeavored to rear them so that they will lead upright lives and be a credit to her and the public. The Nass home is located near St. Benedict’s College, and it is a happy one at all times. When Mr. and Mrs. Nass were married in 1893 their honeymoon trip included the World’s Fair at Chicago. She was born in Holland, a daughter of Lambert and Rosa (Johnson) Fleming, both of whom were born and reared in Holland and married there, after which they immigrated to America with their family and settled in Atchison where Lambert made wooden shoes for a time and later moved to a farm where he died June 15, 1880. Mrs. Fleming died in 1903.
J. H. Nass was moderately successful in his business pursuits, and left his family comfortably provided for. He was a Democrat but did not take a very active interest in political matters. He was a member of St. Benedict’s Catholic Church. His life was a good and useful one and his main interest was in the well being of his family, of whom he was very thoughtful and treated kindly and justly.
FRANK M. WOODFORD.
Frank M. Woodford, the well known cashier of the Atchison Savings Bank, was born at Niles, Mich., November 29, 1874. He is a son of James H. and Emma (Bickell) Woodford, both natives of Niles, Mich., the former born in 1851 and the latter in 1855. James H. Woodford is a son of Benjamin Woodford, who was a native of New York, and an early settler in Michigan. His wife, Emma Bickell, is a daughter of Thomas J. Bickell, a Virginian. James H. Woodford came to Kansas with his family in 1887, and located in Atchison, and was an employee of the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company for a number of years, and later purchased a farm in Atchison county, where he now resides. Frank M. Woodford is the only son born to James H. and Emma (Bickell) Woodford. He attended the public schools and graduated from the Atchison High School in the class of 1894. In 1896 he entered the employ of the Exchange National Bank of Atchison, and worked in the collection department of that institution for two and one-half years. He then entered the employ of the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company as yard clerk and later served in the capacity of inspector and bookkeeper. August 1, 1900, he became bookkeeper of the Atchison Savings Bank, and in 1910 succeeded to the cashier-ship of that bank, and has capably filled that position to the present time. Mr. Woodford possesses the safe and conservative judgment of the successful bank cashier and is recognized for his efficiency in that important branch of the commercial world. Mr. Woodford was united in marriage December 21, 1898, with Miss Mabel Santchfield, of Macon, Mo., and two children have been born to this union: Millard, aged eleven, and Maurice, aged eight. Mr. Woodford is a Royal Arch Mason, a member of the Knights of Pythias, Fraternal Order of Eagles, Knights of the Maccabees, Modern Woodmen of America, and Knights and Ladies of Security. He is a Democrat and a member of the Baptist church.