Historic People of Rush County, Kansas - History and Information

Pioneers of Rush County - Page 3

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Dr. F.W. Longacre - A physician and surgeon, and dealer in general line drugs and medicines in Rush Center, he came to Kansas in spring of 1878, first locating in Harvey and Ness Counties before making his way to Rush Center. He was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania on September 4, 1849 where he was raised. He was educated in Norristown, Pennsylvania and received his medical education at Jefferson College, in Philadelphia, graduating in the class of 1877. He practiced there before relocating to Kansas. In 1880, he married Mary L. Wise, of Pottstown, Pennsylvania. In addition to his practice in Rush Center, he also served as a United States Examining Surgeon for Pensions in Rush and adjoining counties.

A ghost farm near Timken, Kansas, Kathy Weiser, March, 2009

Allen McCann - The County Clerk of Rush County, Kansas, he first arrived in the state in 1869, settling in Cherokee County. There, he engaged in making rails and cutting saw-logs. Soon afterward, he went to Neosho County, where he worked in farming and railroading before making his way to Rush County in March, 1872. Here, he engaged in stock-raising and farming. He was elected County Clerk in February, 1875, being the first officer in that capacity and was re-elected in 1876, and served one term; re-elected November, 1881. He was born in Muskingum County, Ohio on August 19, 1840 where he was raised on a farm. He married in 1878 to Jennie Ely of Washington County, Iowa and the pair had two children -- Samuel and Frank.

Thomas H. McDowell - Clerk of the District Court of Rush County, McDowell came to Rush Center, came to Kansas in 1878, where he engaged in farming. He was elected as the Clerk of the District Court in the fall of 1880 and re-elected fall of 1882. He was born in Franklin County, Pennsylvania in 1843 where he was raised. He enlisted in July, 1862, in Company A, One Hundred and Twenty-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry and was taken prisoner during the General Lee's invasion of Pennsylvania. After being confined to a Confederate prison for one year and eight months, he was mustered out in 1863. He went to California in 1866, where he worked in mining until January, 1871, when he returned to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, engaging in merchandising until he came to Kansas.

Daniel E. Miller - Rush County Sheriff, Miller first arrived in Kansas on July 23, 1875 where he engaged in farming and ranching. He was elected Sheriff of the county fall of 1877 and re-elected in the fall of 1881. He was born in Hampshire County, Virginia on November 21, 1839, where he lived until he moved to Clinton County, Illinois at the age of 20. There he worked at farming and married Cecelia Edmonds, of Clinton County, Illinois in 1861. The couple would have six children -- Alexis M., Edward R., John T., Lee P., Mary B. and Daniel M., Jr.

E. F. Mullay - One of the proprietors of the Hayes & Mullay general merchandise store in Rush Center, Mullay originally came from Kentucky, where he was born in Fleming County in 1860. He later moved to Hernando, Mississippi in 1866 where he lived for two years before returning Kentucky. There he began clerking in a merchandise store and by 1877 was living in Larned, Kansas where he clerked in the dry goods house of G. Krouch. In 1878; however, he moved to Rush Center, where he clerked for L. Wolfe & Co. He married Annie How of Athens County, Ohio in 1882 and the following year, he and W.J. Hayes established theHayes & Mullay Merchandise Store in Rush Center, the largest in Rush County at the time.

Post rock fences near Rush Center, Kansas, Kathy

Weiser, March, 2009.

Nelson P. Olson - A banker, businessman and farmer, Olson was identified with Rush County most of his life. Of Norwegian descent, Nelson was born to Andrew and Anna Thompson Olson, in Decorah, Iowa on March 1, 1869 before moving to Bazine township of Ness County, with his family at the age of ten. When Nelson grew up, he began to rent land near Alexander, working as a farmer. Frugally saving his money, he was able to buy some 480 acres of land and built a large country home and barn. He married Edna Robins in Ness County on October 30, 1894 and the couple would eventually have five children.

In 1910, Olson left farming and engaged in the lumber business at Alexander, associated with George A. Ryan, and they bought out the interests of the Ryan Lumber Company of McCracken.

The business handled coal, as well as lumber and was also involved in buying and shipping grain. With the organization of the Alexander, State Bank, Olson became a stockholder, and later served as president and a director. He also served as a member of the school board of Alexander for twenty-seven years and as a clerk of Belle Prairie Township.

Frank B. Smith - An agent for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, Smith also worked as a rancher near Rush Center where he owned 240 acres of land and kept both horses and cattle. He first arrived in Rush County in March, 1873. As an agent for the railroad, he managed some 60,000 acres of land dealing with trades and land claims. He was born near Bangor, Maine on February 23, 1841 and lived there until he moved with his family to Belmont, New York at the age of ten. Five years later, the family moved again to Winnebago County, Wisconsin. In November, 1861, he enlisted in Company C of the Fourteenth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He was shot through the head at Corinth, Mississippi and was discharged on July 3, 1863. He soon afterward went to Monona County, Iowa, where he followed agricultural pursuits until he came to Kansas. He married Sarah A. Grow of Charlestown, Vermonth on October 26, 1867, and the pair had six children -- Bertha E., L. Guy, J. Glenn, Clyde E., Nina W. and Ross Dene. Smith also served as Rush County Treasurer for four years.

Compiled and edited by Kathy Weiser/Legends of Kansas, updated April 2010.

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