Marshall County KS Archives Biographies.....Balderson, Charles A. 1855 - ************************************************ 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@yahoo.com May 10, 2007, 7:01 pm Author: Emma E. Forter (1917) CHARLES A. BALDERSON. Charles A. Balderson, one of Marshall county's best-known farmers, former trustee of Franklin township and the proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres in that township, is a native of the state of Illinois, but has been a resident of this county since he was fourteen years of age, having come here with his parents back in pioneer days. He was born on a farm in Ogle county, Illinois, May 3, 1855, son of John and Mary Ann (Smith) Balderson, the former a native of the Dominion of Canada and the latter of England, who became early and influential pioneers of Marshall county and here spent their last days. John Balderson was born on a farm near Toronto, Canada, April 19, 1826, son of Thomas Balderson, a native of England, and was reared on a farm. About 1845 he located at Creston, in Ogle county, Illinois, where, in 1854, he married Mary Ann Smith, who was born in England on March 9, 1833, and who was but an infant when her parents, Thomas T. and Jane (Thompson) Smith, came to this country. In 1869 John Balderson and family came to Kansas, driving through from Illinois in a "prairie schooner," and settled in Marshall county, taking a homestead in section 28 of township 1 south, range 8 east, which township, presently, upon the organization of the same, was given the name of Balderson, in compliment to this pioneer settler, who was one of the most forceful characters and important factors in the development of that part of the county in pioneer days. Upon taking possession of his homestead tract, John Balderson built a house, fourteen by twenty-eight, boarded up and down, the lumber for which he hauled from Frankfort, twenty-five miles away, proceeded to break the soil and presently was well established there. During the grasshopper visitations he suffered, in common with all the settlers of this region, but he stuck to the farm and in time acquired additional land holdings and became one of the most substantial pioneer farmers and stockmen in that part of the county, spending the rest of his life on that farm, his death occurring in 1905. His widow survived him ten years, her death occurring on May 28, 1915. They were the parents of ten children, of whom the subject of this sketch was the first-born and all of whom are living save four, two having died in childhood before the family left Illinois and two dying in youth after the family located in this county, the others being as follow: Mrs. John King, of Tacoma, Washington; Mrs. Jane Hardenbrook, a widow, of Balderson township, this county; Frank, who is now living in Idaho; Minnie, who married Myers Withey and is living on the old home place in Balderson township, and Mrs. Rena Sheppard, of Lawrence, this state. As noted above, Charles A. Balderson was fourteen years of age when he came to Marshall county with his parents and he grew to manhood on the pioneer farm in Balderson township, a valuable assistant to his father in the labors of developing and improving the same. In his younger days he, as well as his brother, Frank, both of whom owned ponies, herded cattle on the plains and grew up hardy and robust sons of the open range. After his marriage in 1880 his father gave him a quarter of a section of unimproved land in Franklin township, on which he established his home and where he ever since has resided. Mr. Balderson has made excellent improvements on his place and long has been accounted one of the leading farmers in that part of the county. He has always made more or less a specialty of raising a good grade of stock and has done very well in his operations. He has ever given his thoughtful attention to local civic affairs and for four years served as township trustee, while for thirty vears he has been a member of the school board and has in other ways given of his time and services to the public good. On December 1, 1880, Charles A. Balderson was united in marriage to Laura Foulk, who was born in Jefferson county, Ohio, March 2, 1863, daughter of James and Mary (Beattie) Foulk, also natives of Ohio, the former born in 1835 and the latter in 1845, wno came to Kansas in 1870 and settled on a farm in this county, north of Marysville. For years James Foulk farmed in Marshall county and is now living in the state of Washington. His wife is making her home with her daughter, Mrs. Balderson. To James Foulk and wife eight children were born, all of whom are living, save one, and of whom Mrs. Balderson is the eldest. To Mr. and Mrs. Balderson two children have been born, Edna, who married Frank Withey, of Franklin township, this county, and has three children, and Alta, who is attending high school at Marysville. The Baldersons are members of the Christian church, of which Mr. Balderson is one of the elders. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen and takes a warm interest in the affairs of that organization. Additional Comments: Extracted from: History of Marshall County, Kansas: its people, industries, and institutions by Emma E. Forter Indianapolis, Ind.: B.F. Bowen & Co. (1917) File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/marshall/bios/balderso412gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ksfiles/ File size: 5.6 Kb