Carney Homestead

This clipping contains a partial name for the newspaper: "Kansas City Daily Drovers Teleg".  Research indicates that the final word in the title would have been "Telegram".  The article would have been printed about 1934 or 1935.

OLD CARNEY HOMESTEAD CHANGES HANDS FOR

FIRST TIME SINCE IT WAS CLAIMED IN 1872

Among the real estate transfers in the office of the register of deeds in Belleville, Republic county, Kansas, is found the following: "James Carney and wife to J. D. Carney and wife the NW ¼ of Sec. 13 Township 4, Range 5 Beaver TWP, 160 Acres."  It looks like an ordinary sale of property but it is more than that. This particular farm is a homestead. The abstract records: "A government land grant to James Carney in 1872.”  Now, 62 years later, the homestead passes into other hands-to .James D. Carney, the son of the pioneer

There are few farms in Republic county, perhaps in Kansas, which can boast of so few changes.

James Carney, sr., the pioneer, is still living and has reached the ripe age of 88 years.  He was born in Ireland and came to America with his parents when but 2 years of age.  They settled in Jacksonville Ill. Mr. Carney’s father died when he was but 9 years of age. Three years later, his mother remarried and his stepfather suggested that "Young Jim" was old enough to care for himself. He took his stepfather's advice and has been caring for himself ever since.

He left Illinois and went to Nebraska in 1870 and in '72 came to Kansas and took up the above mentioned homestead.  For four years he spent the time required by law on his homestead and worked in Nebraska the rest of the time, coming to the homestead every six months to protect his right

Weds English Girl

Four years later, he married Miss Mary Agnes McCarthy, daughter of D. W. McCarthy a native of London, England who had come to homestead in Kansas, also.  When Mr. McCarthy’s wife died in London, he decided to bring his young family to the states.  Coming first to Philadelphia, where he remained but a short time.  He moved to Wisconsin and settled near Fondulac where he farmed for several years.  He left his young daughter, Mary Agnes, in Philadelphia, where she attended school at the Convent of Notre Dame for three years.  Accompanied by an older cousin, she joined her family in Wisconsin and a few years later, all came to Kansas.

Mr. McCarthy was a bookkeeper by profession and had kept books for the Phoenix Gas and Water Co., of London, England for 19 years before coming to the states.  Mr. McCarthy took a homestead near Courtland, Kans.  This homestead is now the home of Mr. and Mrs. Halsey Barber

A reporter for the Daily Drovers Telegram called upon Mr. and Mrs. Carney in their Concordia home.  He found Mr. Carney greatly interested in everything pioneer.  He is hale and hearty.  He is as young both mentally and physically as many men ten years his junior.  He is a great reader and enjoys his magazines and daily papers very much-his great regret is that he cannot read as long as he once could.

Mrs. Carney is a small dark-eyed woman.  Her face framed with a halo of soft white hair.  She is 11 years her husband’s junior and does not look her 77 years.  She is very fond of people and enjoys her friends immensely.  She too enjoys reading, good picture shows and drives.  A car is a source of real pleasure to her.
“Tell us some of your hardships, Mrs. Carney,” we suggested.

Relatives Helped Out

Mrs. Carney laughed.  “Really, we had no real hardships.  Of course, we had many relatives in London, England, and in the East.  They furnished us reading matter and many courtesies which add greatly to our…(text cut-off)

...homestead still stands and is in excellent condition. It had but two rooms and is now the kitchen and dining room of a six-room farm house, The circle of oaks just east of the little pioneer home were planted by Mrs. Carney when a bride, They are tall, beautiful trees now, The little house was built by George Kackley, a pioneer stone mason and brother of Joseph Kackley the founder of the town which bears his name. The Kacklev brothers were ex-Confederate soldiers-member of the famous Black Horse Cavalry of Kentucky, Carlos Kackley a son of George Kackley, still resides in Beaver township.

Fire Threatens Home

The reported urged Mr. Carney to tell of old experiences, He looked amused for a minute, then said: "Mother, I'm going to tell him about the prairie fire.  One spring morning, I saw a fire raging over east of us.  It was on the homestead of my friend Erastus Stanton, whose young son, George, was plowing and had burned some weeds in the draw.  The fire got away from him as we expressed it then.  I hurriedly hitched Selum and Kate to the wagon and drove to the rescue.  The wind changed and had it not been for Grandfather Williams and his wife, who kept the fire guard cleared of burning embers, my bride, home and little rail corn crib and stable would have burned.  George Stanton is now pioneering in Wyoming.  John F. Stanton of Belleville is a son of Erastus Stanton also."

"We had wonderful gardens, both flower and vegetable," added Mrs. Carney.  "Of course, canning was an unknown art, but we were resourceful and dried everything-corn, string beans and even tomatoes.  They provided variety.  Dried corn, properly prepared, is decidedly delicious.  We had no market for anything.  I remember Mrs. Stanton sent a load of find, Bronze turkeys to ScandiaScandia, therefore, no outlet.  Two years after our marriage, we set out three acres of peach trees.  We had raised the seedlings from seed Mr. Carney brought from Nebraska.  Many peach orchards in Republic county were started from our orchard.  The entire farm was enclosed by a sturdy hedge.  The hedge apples which furnished the seed came from Nebraska also.  The hedge is still alive and useful."

Fruit Plentiful.

Mr. and Mrs. Carney remembered that there was never a scarcity of wild fruit as the creeks were will filled with plums, grapes, and gooseberries.  "Of course, it did take enterprise to convert them into desirable food, but enterprise was something most pioneers possessed or they would not have remained long enough to qualify for the title."

Mr. and Mrs. Carney are the parents of six children.  Four have passed on.  J. D. Carney the new owner of the homestead, and Miss Grace Carney, for many years an instructor in the Concordia Business College, now at home caring for her aged parents, are the only children left to comfort their declining years.
 

Mr. and Mrs. Carney left the homestead as soon as their children were old enough to attend school and moved to Concordia where they have since resided.  The homestead was cared for by tenant farmers.  They kept in touch with old friends and neighbors.  Concordia is hone to them, but they have real affection for the friends of their early married life.  Many have passed away.  The death of each and every one is a source of grief and loss to Mr. and Mrs. Carney.   Among those who are gone are: Mr. and Mrs. T. A. NeIson, Mr. and Mrs. Stanton, the Kackley brothers, Mr. and Mrs. S. A. Haggman, Magnus Nelson, Mrs. Frank Dlckerhoof, Dan Kershner and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. P. O. Larson, Newt. Erickson, Nelse Monson, Geo. Dawes and many, many others.

Bought As Investment

J. D. Carney, who has just purchased the homestead, resides in Kackley and is a member of the Johnson-Carney Oil company.  He purchased the homestead as an Investment and will rent It.  He Is married and has four children, Mrs. J. D. Carney, Jr.,  is a daughter of another pioneer  family.  She was formerly Miss May Dlckerhoof, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Dickerhoof of Norway township.
 

Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Carney have four children, Avis, Eva, James F. and Jean.  Avis is married; Eva is teaching just south of Kackley; "Jim" graduated in June from the Kackley High and the baby, Jean, is in the sixth grade.
 

There are now four generations of the Carney family.  Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Carney’s eldest daughter Avis is the wife of Harold Shaver, the grandson of another pioneer.  They have two babies Eldon Harold and Patricia Lou.

James Carney - Obituary

This clipping has a hand-written note stating "Concordia Blade - Empire  Tues. June 27th 1944" (photo is not original to the clipping).

James Carney is Dead; Skull Fracture Fatal to Cloud County Pioneer

James Carney died Monday evening at the St. Joseph Hospital as the result of a skull fracture he received when he at his home at 102½ West Sixth Street a week ago.

Mr. Carney was born December 17, 1845, in Thurlos, Ireland, came to the United States when he was two years old.  He has been a resident of Concordia vicinity for 50 years, and was 98 years old at the time of his death.

He is survived by one daughter, Grace, of the home; one son, J. D. Carney, of Kackley; and four grandchildren.

Funeral services will be Thursday morning at 9 o'clock at the Catholic church.  Burial will be at the Catholic cemetery.  Monsignor James McErlean will be in charge of services.

Mary Agnes McCarthy Carney - Obituary

This clipping has a hand-written notation of "Blade - Oct. 11, 1937".  Likely this newspaper was the Concordia Daily Blade.

KANSAS HER HOME FOR LAST 64 YEARS

Mrs. James Carney, Claimed by Death Saturday Evening, One of the Pioneers Here

Mrs. James Carney, pioneer woman of this vicinity, died Saturday evening at her home, 312 East Seventh Street, here.  Mrs. Carney had been in ill health for some time but her death Saturday was unexpected.  She was 80 years old and had lived in Kansas since a girl of 16.

Mrs. Carney, whose maiden name was Mary Agnes McCarthy, was born in London, England, the daughter of D. W. McCarthy.  When she was 9 years of age her father came to the United States and, her mother having died, he left her in charge of the Sisters of Notre Dame in Philadelphia.  She had also attended the convent of the Sisters in London previous to coming to the States.

Her father went to Fond Du Lac. Wis., where he stayed several years, then the family came to Kansas and he took a homestead near Courtland.  She was married in 1876 to James Carney, who had homesteaded in 1872 near Kackley.

Their pioneer life together, although hard in many ways, Mrs. Carney protested was not full of hardships.  Relatives in England furnished them with reading material and other comforts, bridging the space between the older civilization and the wilderness of the West;  They had many friends of similar tastes to their own, splendid people who were also pioneering, and after the first few years she accustomed herself with ease to the prairie life.

Their stone house on the homestead, which still stand, was built by George Kackley, brother of the founder of the town of Kackley, and is surrounded by oak trees planted by Mrs. Carney.  With enterprise typical of the early day residents here, Mr. and Mrs. Carney planted and improved their homestead and made provide most of the necessities of their lives.

Six children were born to them; four, Margaret, John, Daniel McCarthy, and Mary Estella are deceased.  Surviving Mrs. Carney are her husband, a son, J. D. Carney, of Kackley, and daughter, Grace, of the home here.

When their children were old enough to attend school, Mrs. and Mrs. Carney left their homestead and moved to a farm south of Concordia; this home, "Lilac Hill", became known for the grace and hospitality of its hostess and was a joy to the many friends of the family.

Funeral Services for Mrs. Carney will be held Tuesday morning at 9:30 o'clock at the Cathedral here.  Pallbearers will be Frank Schmitt, J. J. Brown, Ray Campbell, James O'Rourke, John Schlax and Dr. J. S. Whelan.  Interment will be in the Catholic cemetery.

Beaver Township History

The following article appeared in the "Courtland Journal", Volume 58, Number 15, Thursday, June 1, 1961.

Excerpts from Mrs. Swenson's history, read at the Centennial Observance.

     In 1868 Beaver Township was part of Grant Township which consisted of Grant, Elk Creek, Lincoln, Norway, and Beaver.  According to the minutes of the county Commissioners of that time, since watches and clocks were scarce, the clerk wrote "The meeting adjourned until dark, board was reconvened at dark and pursued business."

     According to the record, the first settlers in Beaver Township were T. A. Nelson, who later moved to Norway, and E. B. Pederson.  These men located on Beaver Creek in 1869 and settled the adjoining quarters.  This land was later purchased by Nelson.  The Missus Alphild and Esther Larson have original papers showing this transaction.

     As stated earlier, Beaver in 1868 was part of Grant township and did not become a separate township until 1873.  R. V. William was the first township trustee.

     According to Savage these "firsts" occurred in Beaver: First birth 1872, Joseph Munson, son of Nels Munson.  First marriage, Andrew Sederlin and Mary Knutson, June 1872.  First death, Gustav Werner, Aug. 10, 1872.  By 1880 Beaver township had a population of 481.

     Some early residents of Beaver were A. L. Anderson, Chas. Barricklow, John Berg, N. J. Bergstrom, A. Ellington, S. A. Hagman, A. E. Hall, L. Hall, F. G. Henrikson. G. H. Hoffman (hardware & harness), Joab Houghton, J. E. Johnson, O. R. Kackley, Magnus Nelson, A. H. Rosenquist, C. A. Tornquist, N. C. Swenson, A. Hedstrom, Olaf Bergstrom, John Nelson, C. H. Johnson, Olaf Hanson, F. August Larson, L. Edberg, G. Thudin, C. Lundblade, John Lund, P. J. Johnson, O. L. Olund, Eli Shaver, Olaf Johnson, Nels Nelson, N. J. Nelson, J. P. Florell, Jonas Anderson, Peter Pearson, Swen Carlson, James Carney, J. M. Engwall, Frank Anderson, C. O. Rolf, C. L. Elmborg, J. O. Larson.

     Beaver township thrived and prospered.  In 1890 the county held a Corn Festival on Oct, 4, 5, and 6 to celebrate the great progress being made.  One Beaver resident according to Savage won a first prize having the best 1-2 bushel of wheat.  His prize was 1 pound of Tourist coffee from a New York store and one towel rack and mirror.  Prizes were also given to the perennial crop-cute babies.

     Life was not easy on the Kansas prairie.  In spite of difficulties, sickness, disease and storms our pioneer mothers and fathers never lost sight of their ideals.

     Their happiness was contentment with what they honestly got.  Typical of that philosophy are the words of on 80 year old who said, "I have learned not to expect something for nothing, for I have had to work for everything and was glad to do it.  None but fools expect to take out more than they honestly put in.  I have learned that pure happiness is found only in the paths of God.  I have tried to improve my farm land in every way I can, but I know I shall leave it soon and think that my character, my soul, and the little good I have done in life, are all I will take from my farm at last.  There are men richer than I am, some of them are stronger, some are wiser, but not man has ever been happier than I am."