Barton County KS Archives Biographies.....Lile, John 1872 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ks/ksfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com November 9, 2005, 10:05 pm Author: Great Bend Tribune JOHN LILE AMONG the pioneer citizens of Barton County, John Lile, who lives two and one-half miles west of Dundee, may be classed, because it was on May 2, 1872, that he first settled in the county on a homestead entered in the neighborhood of his present home. At that period he says he was not favorably impressed with the locality as a farming locality; but as he was a young man then, and game was plentiful on the plains he considered it wise to set up a home. Buffalo, antelope and other wild game was in abundant and he at first made good wages by following the chase, and he killed and skinned buffalo for a number of years and sold the meat and hides. In this business he became acquainted with most of the old timers of the early days, but hunted most with Newt Smith, of Pawnee Rock, Judge Morton, (deceased,) and George Lile, a brother who died some years ago. They had great sport and often went as far west as Dodge City on their trips. By that means he was permitted to see that frontier town when it was passing through its toughest period, and if he would he could recount some thrilling encounters between some of the bad men of that day. When the buffalo got scarce he gave his time to farming with about the same result as others of his section; but after a number of bad crop years sold his homestead for a small price and has rented the land since farmed. At present he is a tenant of his daughter, Mrs. Sarah Gilbert, and at seventy-nine years of age is able to do most of the work. His wife is also well preserved and has been a true helpmeet during a life of exposure on the plains. John Lile was born December 11, 1832, in Adams County, Illinois, and grew to manhood on a farm. He married Miss Evaline Duff, of Adams County, Illinois on October 10, 1861, and they have been the parents of eight children. Six are still living, as follows: Albert Lile, Pawnee Rock; Mrs. Ida Smith, Pawnee Rock; Wm. Henry Lile, near Pawnee Rock; Mrs. Sarah Gilbert, Pawnee Rock; Harry N. Lile, near Pawnee Rock and Mrs. Ada Gano, of Hutchinson, Kansas. Mr. Lile is at this time a great believer in the wonderful productiveness of the soil of Barton County, but when he first came here he considered it of little agricultural value. Grass, trees or vegetation could hardly be coaxed to grow, and the soil was so hard that the rain would not penetrate the earth. His testimony is that cultivation made the seasons and the crops that afterward came, and that a great debt is due these who come first and persisted until the present conditions prevailed. Additional Comments: From: Biographical History Of Barton County File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/barton/bios/lile72gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ksfiles/ File size: 3.2 Kb