Barton County KS Archives Biographies.....Donovan, John 1839 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com October 6, 2005, 10:15 pm

Author: Great Bend Tribune

JOHN DONOVAN

AMONG the old timers who came to Barton County in the 70's none is better known
than John Donovan who lives on a half section of land in section 8, Great Bend
township. Mr. Donovan was born in Ireland in 1839. He came to New York in 1870
and to Kansas in 1879 at a time when it required a great deal of nerve to make a
substantial start in the cultivation of the soil and the building of a home.
However, Mr. Donovan is made of that kind of material and as soon as he arrived
here he began to farm and successfully corn-batted the bad years, and made a
success of his occupation. He was married in New York state to Miss Louisa
Hettinger and they are the parents of four children, Emma, Agnes, Alice and
Anna. Emma is now Mrs. A. Wynian and lives at Macksville; Agnes is now Mrs. Jack
Neeland and they live near the home place in this county; Alice is now Mrs. B.
Hingy of Stafford county; Anna is living at home. Mr. Donovan had the misfortune
to lose his eyesight about twelve years ago but still superintends the
operations on the farm. The home place has a fine set of improvements, the
residence containing eight rooms in addition to closets, pantries, etc. A small
orchard is found near the house where nearly all varieties of fruits are grown.
When Mr. Donovan arrived in this county he was compelled to do his farming with
a yoke of oxen and he relates how one time in the early days they ran away with
him while he was attempting to plow with them and for a time he did not know
whether he liked Kansas or not. He served a term as Justice of the Peace and has
always been an enterprising citizen. Mr. Donovan gives due credit to his wife, a
hard working little women who shared her part of the burden with her husband
when they were beginning the home that they have since built. Mrs. Donovan is
one of those kind hearted motherly women without whose aid the work of
developing the great west could not have been done.


Additional Comments:
From:
Biographical History Of Barton County


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