William H. Hekelnkaemper died August 20, 1881. He was politically allied with the Republican party during his life, and was a member of the Atchison city council for a number of years, having been a particular and close friend and admirer of the late Senator John J. Ingalls. He was one of the founders of the famous Turner Society, and was its first president. He was prominently identified with the affairs of the society and the civic affairs of Atchison until his demise. He was a man of great resourcefulness which aided him in making a new start on occasions when everything looked darkest for his future. He had many warm friends in Atchison and was universally respected by all who knew him.
CLEM P. HIGLEY.
Clem P. Higley, farmer and stockman of Center township, Atchison county, was born there March 25, 1869. He is a son of Russell and Carrie (Hooper) Higley, who were the parents of nine children, as follows: William, deceased; Otto, deceased; Emma Winsor, Las Vegas, N. M.; Hallie Nelson, Las Vegas, N. M.; Theodore, a traveling man; Clem, the subject of this sketch; Frank, farming the old home place, and Gilbert and Mina, both deceased. The father was born just west of New York City, January 3, 1833. In his early manhood he followed the blacksmithing trade, and at the age of twenty went to Illinois, where he remained for two years. Coming to Atchison county, he preëmpted 160 acres of land in section 3, Center township, and sold it shortly afterward and bought 80 acres in section 35, a mile east of old Pardee, Kan. He made extensive improvements on this place and farmed it until he retired in 1895. He now lives with his son, Clem. Russell Higley’s life did not run as smoothly as it might seem from this account of it. In his early days in Kansas the drought destroyed his crops one year. He gathered only one bushel of corn from his field that year. Having started out with no capital, this misfortune was a serious one. He and his twin brother, Russell, worked for Pardee Butler, while he returned to Illinois. They worked for Mr. Butler all summer and in the fall of 1856 started to walk back to Illinois, so as to be home during the winter. A winter in Kansas was a serious thing in those days, and with the best of provisions, it was a fierce ordeal. In the spring of 1857 they returned to Kansas, having the confidence in this country to develop into a prosperous district. Russell was a son of Francis Higley, and his mother died when he was a very small boy. Carrie Higley, the mother of Clem, was born in Tennessee in 1837. Her father was a freighter from Missouri to Santa Fe, N. M. Mrs. Higley died in 1899.
Clem Higley, the subject of this sketch, attended school at Pardee, Kan., and when twenty-one years old, started out to work by the month. A year later he rented a farm in Benton township, five miles south of Effingham, Kan. Then for a period of nine years he rented in Benton township, and the following three years rented his father’s farm and in 1903 bought 105 acres. The place was not well improved and he set to work erecting buildings, and now has a large two-story home and two barns, one 24×50 feet and the other 40×42 feet. The latter has a cement basement. Higley’s total holdings now number 185 acres of land. He keeps graded stock, including fine Poland China hogs. In 1896 he was married to Margaret Hawk, who was born March 21, 1877, in Ohio. She is a daughter of Lafayette and Hattie (Pitt) Hawk, both natives of Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Higley have had six children born to them, the second child dying in infancy. The others are, Newell, Wilber, Morris, Marie, Dale. All are living with their parents. Mr. Higley is a Republican and is a member of the Christian church.
WILLIAM E. HUBBARD.
William E. Hubbard, farmer and stockman, Kapioma township, Atchison county, was born September 8, 1861, in Henderson county, Illinois. He is a son of Simeon and Mary Ann (Pence) Hubbard, who were the parents of the following children: Mrs. Lillie O’Connor, widow living in Muscotah; Mrs. Cora Routh, Kapioma township; Lewis, farmer, Kapioma township; William, the subject of this sketch, and two children who died in infancy. Simeon Hubbard, the father of William, was born March 10, 1840, in Indiana. He was a farmer in his young manhood, and on coming to Kansas in 1874, followed the same occupation. Settling near Muscotah, he rented land for four years, and during this time saved his earnings for future investment. At the end of four years he had accumulated enough to buy the farm, and he became a landowner and led a prosperous career as a farmer. He fed stock for the market as well as grew crops. He now resides in Muscotah, Kan. The mother of William Hubbard is also living.
William E. Hubbard grew up on his father’s farm in Illinois and attended the district school in Kapioma township, Atchison county. When he was of age he began farming in partnership with his father. At the age of twenty-eight he was married and located on a rented farm near his father’s place. He lived there until 1895, when he bought 180 acres just south of where he had rented. After working this place seven years, he sold it and bought the 160–acre farm which he now owns. On this place William has invested a considerable sum in improvements which include a fine granary. He is a stockholder in the Grange elevator at Muscotah, Kan. It should also be mentioned that William keeps graded stock on his farm.
In 1889 he married Martha Routh, who was born near Leavenworth, Kan., in 1869. They are the parents of seven children as follows: Jesse, Atchison county; Mrs. Bessie Roberts, Kapioma township; Fred, Lola, Ollie, Mabel and Frank, all living at home. Mr. Hubbard is a Democrat and is now serving as a member on the school board in his district, Rose Valley, No. 49. He is a member of the Mission church. Mr. Hubbard is a citizen interested in the welfare of his community and is always active in any project that will improve his neighborhood.
DRENNAN L. DAWDY.
Drennan L. Dawdy is a stockman first, last and always. Pedigrees and prices are his stock in trade, and to talk with Mr. Dawdy without hearing about his fine stock is impossible. Next to his family his stock is his pride. Mr. Dawdy confines his stock raising to the best strains. It is his theory that it never pays to bring up a scrub. The same amount of feed and the same amount of care, if intelligently applied to registered animals, will bring in double and treble returns, Mr. Dawdy believes, and it is his policy not to waste time on inferior breeds. Mr. Dawdy has a cow that cost him $75. The former owner of the cow did not see any marks of good blood in the animal, but Mr. Dawdy did, and he has made $4,000 out of that one cow in the last seven years. The buying of this cow at the price, however, was simply a very fortunate investment, as Mr. Dawdy says, generally speaking, “The highest priced cattle were much the best investments, and he has paid as high as $800 and $900 for cows and $1,000 for a bull. He sold one of the calves for $755 and another for $500. He learned his business well, for he learned it in the best way possible, from his father. The father, John W. Dawdy, was a breeder of fine cattle in Illinois and probably inherited that trait from his parents, who were Kentuckians. The father was born in the blue grass country March 30, 1840, but at the age of seven was taken by his parents, Jefferson and Elizabeth (Amos) Dawdy, to Illinois, where he remained until 1910. While he was living at Abingdon, Ill., he met Sarah J. Latimer, to whom he was married May 7, 1847. She was a daughter of Alexandria and Julia Ann (Hart) Latimer, natives of Tennessee, and was the mother of six children, three of whom are living. Drennan, the subject of this sketch, is the oldest. The others are Norval M. and Daisy E., who live in California. In 1910 the parents removed to Napa, Cal., where the father is now living. The mother died August 12, 1915.