Marcus J. Laird was born August 26, 1860, in Center township, Atchison county, and is a son of James B. and Marinda (Martin) Laird, who were the parents of fourteen children as follows: Mary died in infancy; Thomas died in infancy; James W., Jackson county, Kansas; Marcus, the subject of this sketch; Abraham, Jefferson county, Kansas; Mrs. Emma Leland, Atchison, Kan.; John, deceased; Ulysses, deceased; Rose, wife of C. Barnes, Chase county, Kansas; Robert, Jackson county, Kansas; Paul, a teacher, Durant, Okla.; Mrs. Amanda Hanson, Nortonville, Kan.; Mrs. Mabel McDonald, Muscotah, Kan., and Frank, Seattle, Wash. James B. Laird, the father, was born in Zanesville, Ohio, June 13, 1834, and was a son of Thomas and Elton (Saffle) Laird, both natives of Pennsylvania. The Lairds are of Scotch descent. James was brought up on his father’s farm, and when he was thirteen years of age his parents removed to Livingston, Mo., where he grew to manhood. He then went to Buchanan county, Missouri, where he was married to Marinda Martin, the wedding taking place at DeKalb, Mo., in 1854. Marinda (Martin) Laird was born August 1, 1836, in Morgan county, Indiana. She is a daughter of Hanson and Mary (Holman) Martin. Her father was a farmer in Kentucky before coming to Atchison county, Kansas, in 1856, where he died in 1878, and the mother died in 1840, at the age of thirty years.
James B. Laird and his bride came to Kansas in the fall of 1854 and settled in Mt. Pleasant township, Atchison county, where they homesteaded 160 acres of prairie and timber land. They drove from Missouri in a covered wagon pulled by oxen. Atchison, Kan., had but one house at that time; it had been moved there from Missouri. James Laird built a sawmill on his farm the first year he was there and sawed 1,000 feet of lumber, but a flood swept it all down into Crooked creek. They built a log cabin on the place, and the first child, Mary, was born there. The fact that Mt. Pleasant, which was only three miles away, provided a nearby market, helped the Lairds out considerably. They farmed the homestead until 1860, when they sold it for $900 and moved farther west and bought 276 acres in Center township. This property became the old home place and the Lairds owned it for many years.
James B. Laird moved to Cummings and conducted a general merchandise store for a few years preceding his death, in 1892. The widow returned to the farm with the children, where she brought them up and educated them. In 1909 she left the home place and has since lived with her children, and at present she lives with Marcus, the subject of this sketch. Marcus J. Laird grew up on the home place and attended school in district No. 36, Center township, and at the age of sixteen he left home and worked as a farm hand for about a year, and later rented land from his father. In 1883, at the age of twenty, he bought sixty acres in Center township and farmed it a year when he traded it for a stock of merchandise at Cummings and was in partnership with Nelson Cox there for five years. Selling his interest in the business he rented land and farmed for a while. In 1892 he bought the place which he now owns and has increased the original eighty acres to 104. He has always kept good stock on his place and takes pride in keeping his animals up to standard. In 1884 Mr. Laird married Britamore Cummings, who was born August 20, 1866, in Center township, Atchison county. She is a daughter of William and Sarah (Quiet) Cummings. Her father was a founder of Cummings, Kan., and was a native of Pennsylvania. He came to Kansas in 1855 and engaged in farming. He died July 27, 1900, at the age of eighty-six. The mother, Sarah, was born in Illinois and is now living in Kansas City, Kan. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Laird, as follows: James W., Kansas City, Mo.; Meda B., wife of L. Reynolds, Center township, Atchison county, Kansas; Anna McKanna, living at home; Edith Hammer, Effingham, Kan.; Blanche, a teacher, living at home. Mr. Laird is a Republican. He was postmaster of Cummings for thirteen years. He is a member of the Baptist church and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and Ancient Order of United Workmen.
ALLEN T. BILDERBACK.
The history of the Bilderback and Johnson families in Kansas goes back to the old freighting and pioneer days when the hardships of the first settlers were many and conveniences were few. The father of Allen T. Bilderback, whose name heads this review, was one of the early stage coach drivers whose route took him on many journeys from Kansas to Denver, and other Colorado points. Aaron Bilderback drove a stage coach from Atchison to Denver and Central City, Colo., beginning in 1864, for several years, until he finally settled on a farm in Center township, Atchison county. Jesse R. Johnson, grandfather of Mrs. Bilderback, had the honor of assisting in establishing the first Methodist church in Kansas, and Methodism is said to have had its origin in the State from a Sunday school which was started in his home at Oak Mills, nearly sixty years ago. From this small beginning a great religious denomination had its inception in the new State of Kansas.
Allen T. Bilderback, with whom this review is directly concerned, is a native born Kansan, a man of good education, who has been useful as an educator and farmer during his residence in his native county. He was born in Center township July 21, 1878, and is a son of Aaron and Sarah (Jones) Bilderback, who were the parents of two children: Allen, the subject of this sketch, and Leslie, who lives in Atchison. The father was born in Indiana September 17, 1843. When a young man he came to Kansas in 1855, and freighted across the plains to Denver. The trail extended from Atchison to Denver, and Aaron Bilderback drove a stage coach and a prairie schooner. He later bought forty acres of land just south of Cummings, Atchison county, where he remained a few years. In August, 1881, he bought the farm which his son now owns. He improved it and lived there until his death, January 4, 1890. Allen Bilderback’s mother was born in Mt. Pleasant township, Atchison county, in 1855. She was a daughter of Vincent Jones, an early settler in Kansas. She died in 1885, at the age of thirty years. Both parents died when Allen was very young, and he was brought up by his uncle, Gabriel T. Bilderback. He attended school in District No. 36, Center township, and later attended the Atchison county high school at Effingham. At the age of twenty-one he began teaching in District No. 19, Mt. Pleasant township. In 1902 he went to Granada, Colo., where he started a livery business. Three years later he returned to Atchison county and taught school again. After a term of teaching, he took charge of the old home place and engaged in farming. He now owns 149 acres and has graded stock.
On March 28, 1906, Mr. Bilderback married Edith K. Jones, who was born November 15, 1884, near Mayetta, Jackson county, Kansas. She also was a teacher before her marriage, having taught for a number of years in Jackson county, Kansas. She is a daughter of Samuel R. and Sarah J. (Johnson) Jones. The father was born in Miami county, Ohio, and came to Atchison county in 1856, settling near Oak Mills. For a time he farmed there, at first using oxen, and lived in a log cabin. A number of years later he moved to Jackson county, Kansas, where he died January 23, 1916. His wife was born in Virginia, a daughter of Jesse and Nancy (Davis) Johnson. Her father was born in New York April 11, 1819, and came to Kansas in 1834, settling near Oak Mills, and helped organize the first Methodist church in Kansas. For some time a Bible class met at his house, and when it grew to a membership of forty, a Methodist church was organized by Rev. Bowen. That was the origin of Methodism in Kansas. Jesse Johnson died in 1904. and his wife died in 1907, at the age of eighty-three. Mr. and Mrs. Bilderback have three children, all living at home, as follows: Allen, Jr., born March 18, 1907; Sarah Naomi, born July 27, 1909, and Lucile Elizabeth, born June 8, 1913. Mr. Bilderback is a member of the Methodist church, and now holds the office of trustee. He belongs to the Modern Woodmen of America, and is president of the farmers’ institute at Cummings.
WILLIAM M. NITZ.
America is proud of her citizens of German birth, and glories in their accomplishments, their successes, and affluence, wherever they are located. It is an undisputable fact that the farmers of German birth or ancestry in Kansas today are rated as among the most prosperous of this great commonwealth. Atchison county has its quota of successful German agriculturists, and William M. Nitz, of Center township, is one who is deserving of special mention. It is a noteworthy rise from a poor German immigrant boy to become one of the large landed proprietors of the county, but Mr. Nitz has accomplished all this. His 400 acres or more of land in Center township were all obtained by hard labor, economy, intelligence and good financial judgment. The rearing of his large family of nine children, and their gift to the county and country as sturdy and upright citizens, is alone a matter for praiseworthy mention.
William M. Nitz was born in Germany, March 26, 1864, and is a son of Ludwig and Johanna Louisa (Linstad) Nitz, who were the parents of eleven children, eight of whom are living. The father was born in Germany, in August, 1836, and left his native land in 1883 with his wife and one child, coming to America. He came west and worked a year as a laborer, and then bought eighty acres of land in Doniphan county, Kansas, where he farmed until 1911. He then removed to Kansas City, Mo., where he and his wife now live. His wife, the mother of William Nitz, was also born in Germany, in 1845. William N. Nitz immigrated to America when he was fifteen years of age. He worked in Pennsylvania as a farm hand for a year, then he came to Doniphan county, Kansas, where he also worked as a farm hand. He then rented land in Lancaster township, Atchison county, for two years, when he returned to Doniphan county, where he bought eighty acres of land. In 1902 he sold out and bought 307 acres in Center township. This farm was poorly improved, the house and barn being old and dilapidated. Mr. Nitz proceeded to rebuild and improve the buildings. He is now located in section 11, and owns 427 acres of land. He is a fancier of good mules and keeps graded stock on his farm. Mr. Nitz, together with several other farmers in his neighborhood, hold stock in a thresher outfit which they operate jointly.