Frank J. Watowa was married in 1879 to Miss Anna Falk, who died in 1885, leaving three children, as follows: Mary, the wife of Antone Lutz, of Lancaster township; Josephine resides in Colorado Springs, Colo., and Anna, deceased. On June 24, 1892, Mr. Watowa was united in marriage to Amanda Smith, and four children have been born to this union, as follows: Sarah, Frances, Frank and Lawrence.
Mr. Watowa is one of the extensive farmers of Atchison county. He has 280 acres of land, nicely located and very productive. In 1895 he built a handsome stone residence, which is one of the finest farm homes to be found in the county. Politically he is a Democrat, and he and his family are members of the Catholic church. He is a progressive and public spirited citizen and one of the substantial men of Atchison county.
LEWIS BRADLEY.
Lewis Bradley, farmer and stockman, of Kapioma township, Atchison county, was born February 24, 1857, in Henderson county, Illinois, and is a son of Hamilton J. and Sarah E. (Pence) Bradley. The father was born in Steuben county, New York, October 27, 1834. He followed the stonemason’s trade. Coming to Atchison county, Kansas, several years later, in 1880, bought the farm of 160 acres which his son now owns. He came to Kansas with very little capital, but was able to save enough money to buy 160 acres in Canadian county, Oklahoma. His death occurred May 24, 1914. The mother, who died March 8, 1908, was born in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, May 14, 1837. Lewis Bradley, the subject of this sketch, spent the first few years of his life in Illinois, Missouri and Iowa, and then was brought to Kansas by his parents in 1874. He farmed with his father until 1898, when he bought the home farm and built a fine nine-room house on the place, a two-story dwelling. In 1913 he erected a large barn, 48×60 feet, and keeps the best graded stock. Mr. Bradley was married September 5, 1881, to Minnie Streeter, who was born in Boone county, Illinois, October 28, 1865. She is a daughter of Rev. William H. and Hanna (Vandicar) Streeter, both natives of Watertown, N. Y. Mr. Streeter came to Kansas in 1870. He was a Methodist minister and established churches all over Kansas. He was born September 16, 1825, and died February 28, 1911. Hanna, his wife, was born May 16, 1826, and died July 29, 1879. Mr. and Mrs. Bradley have four children as follows: Maud married Albert Williams, railroad contractor, Muscotah, Kan., who is a graduate of the county high school and taught for fourteen years; Bessie, deceased; Henry, living at home, graduate of business college of Kansas City, Mo.; Leslie married Miss Mabel Swisher, and has three children, Elberta, Clarence and Bessie. Mr. Bradley is a Republican, and belongs to the Modem Woodmen of America and to the Mystic Workers of the World. He and his wife were charter members of the Advent Christian church at Muscotah. Mr. Bradley is the oldest living of a family of eleven children; the others living are: Lavelle Green, Levi, Ellen Sheets, Elmer, May Sommers, and Mary Raasch.
ALFRED J. HAMON.
Alfred J. Hamon, farmer, stockman and builder, is one of those self-made men whose careers demonstrate to our growing youths the possibilities of industry and good management. Born with no unusual gifts and of parents who were only in moderate circumstances, he has, by his own efforts, built up a worthy name for himself in the community in which he lives. Mr. Hamon was born in Kapioma township, Atchison county, Kansas, July 10, 1863. He was one of five children born to William and Leanah (Brutton) Hamon. Emma Royer, the oldest child, is dead; Alfred, the subject of this sketch, is the second in order of birth. The others are: Nancy Heimbach, Effingham, Kan.; John, Jefferson county, Kansas: Samuel, Kapioma township. The father was a Kentuckian, born in 1835, and during part of his young manhood he farmed in his native State. Coming to Kansas in the early days, he homesteaded 160 acres in Kapioma township, Atchison county. This land was covered with timber, and rather than attempt to clear it, he traded it for prairie land which composed the farm on which he lived until his death in 1873, and his widow is living on the farm in Kapioma township, at the age of seventy-six years.
Alfred Hamon grew up on the farm and attended school at Cole Creek district a few months each year, and at the age of twenty-one he started out for himself, renting a farm. Three years later he bought the place and owned it three years. He then worked at the carpenters’ trade in Atchison for three years and during this time he worked in many places around Atchison and helped erect some of the more important buildings, which were constructed during that time. Another two years was spent on the farm in Kapioma township, and Mr. Hamon returned again to Atchison to work at his trade. Carpenter work appealed to him more than farming and he spent twenty-three years handling the plane and the saw. For thirteen years of this time he did contracting and supervised the erection of many buildings. Meanwhile he accumulated considerable property in Atchison, and in 1906, the exacting work of carpentry became tedious to Mr. Hamon, and he returned to farming, after twenty-three years in Atchison. He had eighty acres of well improved land in Kapioma township, section 23. He built a fine house and barn, utilizing his experience in construction work to put up the best buildings that the money would afford. His improvements cost $4,000. Mr. Hamon was a real farmer as well as a carpenter. In 1911 he won first prize with an exhibit of yellow corn at the Muscotah fair.
In 1884 he married Emma Tull, who was born in October, 1863, in Kapioma township, Atchison county. She is a daughter of John and Hanna H. (Rust) Tull, Virginians, who settled in Atchison county at an early date. Mr. and Mrs. Hamon have five children as follows: Effie, deceased; Edna Piper, California: Susan Clark, of Kansas City, Kan.; Roy and Ruth, living at home. Mr. Hamon is a member of the Christian church. He is a Republican and has been a member of the school board in his township.
JOHN GRIFFIN.
John Griffin, farmer and stockman, of Kapioma township, Atchison county, Kansas, is a native of Kansas, having been born on the farm where he now lives March 25, 1882. His parents, Lawrence and Ellen Griffin, lived on the farm in Kapioma township. John Griffin was brought up on the farm and when a small boy divided his time between chores and school at district No. 60, Kapioma township, and later attended St. Benedict’s College at Atchison, Kan. Considering the time spent in school, John started out in life remarkably early, making his first venture at the age of eighteen, renting a farm from his father. He continues to work the farm rented from his mother at the present time.