Frank J. Hunn has combined the activities of banker, public citizen, farmer, and stockman, with the refinements of education, and lives today as an example of an all around man of influence. Mr. Hunn is a native Kansan, having been born in Garfield township, Jackson county, Kansas, March 2, 1860. He comes of parentage of the sturdy pioneer type, brave, but God-fearing. The father, Joseph Hunn, was born in 1815, of English descent, being a son of a London minister. He was a native of Connecticut and lived there until he was of middle age. Coming to Kansas in 1857, he preëmpted a claim one mile east and a mile north of Arrington, Atchison county, Kansas. Here he constructed a cabin home and lived in the rough life of the frontier. But this was not new to Joseph Hunn, for he had been one of that vast army of adventurers who crossed the western plains in “forty-nine,” to seek gold in California. For four years he had undergone the hardships of prospecting and the rigors of Kansas winters weighed less heavily on him than they did on many settlers. After two years on the Atchison county place, he sold out and removed to Larkin, Jackson county, Kansas, living there until 1865, when he took possession of the farm now owned by his son, Frank J. The father died two years later, leaving his wife, Elizabeth, with two children, Frank, and a daughter, Bessie, since married to Mr. Kathrens, a merchant, of Arrington, Kan.
Elizabeth Hunn, whose maiden name was Redman, is of English and German descent, coming from a line of religious ancestors, all of her family being of a devout nature. She was born in 1825, and died December 16, 1912, having lived a long and useful career. After the death of her husband she was occupied with the management of the farm, but in her younger days she led a life full of service to others. She worked as a nurse among the sick in the early times, when medical attention was expensive and hard to get, and her efforts saved untold suffering and expense to many settlers. She was a school teacher in Iowa for some time, and always took a great deal of interest in the affairs of the church and Sunday school. Until two years before her death Mrs. Hunn taught a Sunday school class at the Arrington Methodist church, and, although she was eighty-five years old, her age never kept her away from her class. She was always on time and in her place and constantly set a good example for younger persons.
With such persons for parents it is to be expected that Frank Hunn would develop into a good citizen. With the high ideals instilled in his young mind, Frank when a boy was encouraged to study hard at school, and when he finished the graded courses at the Arrington school, he went to Campbell College, at Holton, Kan. Here he spent a short time, and at the age of twenty-two years began farming for himself. In 1893 he bought his father’s old place and has since increased it to 250 acres. But his activities do not stop at the limits of his farm. He has broken the isolation of the farmer and has taken an active part in affairs for the good of the community. He is recognized as a conservative, shrewd business man, and now is president of the Arrington Bank, a position of trust and responsibility. The fact that his fellow-shareholders in the enterprise were willing to place such an honor upon him is proof of his character and achievements. He takes a great deal of interest in Shorthorn cattle and is recognized as a breeder of fine strains. He also keeps graded horses and hogs.
In 1894 Mr. Hunn was married to Susie Gibson. (A sketch of her brother, George W. Gibson, appears elsewhere in this volume.) Mrs. Hunn was born in January, 1860, in Pennsylvania, and was a teacher in the district school of Kapioma township before her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Hunn are the parents of three children, the oldest of whom is Frank, a graduate of Effingham high school, now living at home; Edna and Mildred, the other two children, also live with their parents. Mr. Hunn attends the Methodist church, although he is not a member. He is an independent voter, preferring to cast his ballot for the man whom he thinks will make the best official regardless of party affiliations. He has held the office of township clerk, township trustee, and township treasurer, which positions he filled in a praiseworthy manner. At present Mr. Hunn is a member of the school board of Kapioma township.
AUGUST J. WOLF.
August J. Wolf, farmer and stockman, of Atchison county, was born October 17, 1862, in Doniphan county, Kansas. He is a son of Gottlieb and Joehanna Wolf, who were the parents of fourteen children, seven of whom are living. The parents of August Wolf were born in Germany and both grew up there and were married in the capital city. In 1860 they left the Fatherland with their five children and came to Doniphan county, Kansas, where they engaged in farming. In 1880, they came to Atchison county, Kansas, and bought the farm of 240 acres which is now owned by their son, August, the subject of this sketch. Five years later they moved to Atchison, Kan., where the father died in 1904, at the age of eighty-five years. The mother died in 1914, at the age of eighty-one. August Wolf grew up on his father’s farm and at the age of twenty-seven started out to shift for himself. He rented his father’s farm, and also helped his father in the threshing business. While feeding a thresher he had his right hand torn off. This, of course, disabled him greatly, but he kept up courage and after his injury had healed engaged in threshing again. In 1902 he bought his father’s farm, and kept up both farming and threshing until 1905, when he gave all of his attention to farming. Just after this a storm destroyed many of the buildings on his place and he rebuilt them better than they were before and made several additions. He now owns 320 acres of land, seventy of which he plants in corn each year. In 1910 he retired from active work on the farm, and his son-in-law, Will Graham, now has actual charge of the place. Mr. Wolf has been twice married, his first wife being Mary Walsh, a native of Germany, to whom he was married in 1890. No children were born to them and the wife died in 1912. Mr. Wolf later married Dorothea Hoffman, who was born in Atchison county, April 15, 1870, and is the daughter of Frederick and Katharena (Scheu) Hoffman. Her parents are of German birth, both having left their native country when quite young. They were married in Illinois and came to Kansas about 1860, where nine children were born to them. Three had been born to them while they were living in Illinois. The father engaged in farming in Center township and worked the place which Frank Hubbard now farms and was also a blacksmith in Atchison, Kan., for a few years. He died in July, 1887, at the age of fifty-six years. No children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Wolf, and the wife died in July, 1913, at the age of seventy-six years. Mr. Wolf is a Republican. He is a member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and belongs to the Evangelical church. Mr. Wolf has striven under the greatest difficulties, having lost his right hand when a young man, he has been immeasurably handicapped through the greater part of his life. This is especially true in view of the fact that he followed farming, where, if anywhere, the use of both hands is necessary. Though it was a great disadvantage that Mr. Wolf was placed under, he made a success of his career by hard work and good management.
FRANK J. WAGNER.
Frank J. Wagner, farmer and stockman, of Center township, Atchison county, was born July 16, 1864, in Austria. He is a son of Frank J. and Louise (Frennar) Wagner, and was one of seven children, four of whom are living. The parents were born in Austria and the father remained there until his death in 1870. He was a farmer and was seventy-eight years old when he died. In 1888 the mother left Austria and came to Atchison, Kan., where she is now living. She was married a second time and this husband is also dead. She will be seventy-six years old in August, 1916. Frank J. Wagner, the subject of this sketch, was educated in his native land and after attending the Austrian schools learned the trade of wagon maker. Until 1884 he worked at this trade in Austria. He then immigrated to America and came to Atchison, Kan., where he worked for a lumber company for some time. Three years later he went to work on a farm, and after five years he returned to Atchison and worked two years. He then rented land in Shannon township, Atchison county, and in 1905 bought 160 acres in Center township. He bought this place just in time to have his buildings torn to pieces by the storm of 1905. Most of the buildings were blown down by the wind and it was necessary to rebuild practically all of them. In doing this he made some $5,000 worth of improvements. Mr. Wagner takes a great deal of interest in the breeding of fine Poland China hogs.
He was married to Amelia Wonder, March 5, 1890. She is a daughter of Wenzel and Amelia Wonder, and was born in Austria in August, 1873. She came to America with her mother in 1888, and later settled in Atchison county. Mr. and Mrs. Wagner are the parents of the following children: Frank, farming with his father; Karl, living with his father; Frances, married to M. Mudice; Ada, deceased: John, Albert and George, living at home. Mr. Wagner is an independent Democrat in politics. He is a member of the Catholic church and of the Fraternal Order of Eagles.