Marshall County KS Archives Biographies.....Lillibridge, Hiram 1847 - 
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Author: Emma E. Forter (1917)

HIRAM LILLIBRIDGE.

    Among the many well-known and substantial farmers and stockmen of Waterville
township, Marshall county, Hiram Lillibridge ranks prominently. He is the owner
of three hundred and ten acres of splendid land in section 18, and was born in
Crawford county, Pennsylvania, on March 28, 1847, being the son of Thomas and
Sophia (Brooks) Lillibridge.

    Thomas and Sophia Lillibridge were natives of the state of Vermont and there
they received their education in the local schools, and later, with their
parents moved to the state of New York, where they were married. The father was
born in 1807 and died in 1865. The mother was born in 1818 and died in 1895.
After their marriage they established their home in the state of New York, where
they lived for a time and then moved to Pennsylvania, where Mr. Lillibridge
engaged in general farming. Some years later the family moved to Crawford
county, Iowa, where they remained until the spring of i860, when they settled in
Oketo township, Marshall county. Here Mr. Lillibridge homesteaded one hundred
and sixty acres of land, where he made his home until the time of his death. The
trip from Iowa to their new home was made with oxen and a covered wagon, and the
family experienced many of the hardships of that method of travel. They lived
for a time in a dug-out on their homestead, during which time Mr. Lillibridge
broke his land with his oxen and prepared the soil for the planting of his
crops. In addition to his work on the farm, he was a well-known freighter, and
made many trips from Marysville to Atchison with his team of oxen. His death
occurred in the Rocky Mountains. His wife died at the home of her son, Hiram, at
the age of eighty-two years. They were the parents of nine children, two of whom
are now deceased, Hiram being the fourth eldest born. They were active memebrs
of the Baptist church and always took a keen interest in church work.

    Hiram Lillibridge came to Marshall county with his parents. He received his
education in one of the pioneer schools, held in a dug-out. He was married when
he was but eighteen years of age and soon thereafter homesteaded eighty acres of
his present farm in Waterville township. Here he constructed a dug-out in which
he and his wife lived for some years. He at once proceeded to develop and
improve his farm, which was at that time raw prairie. He had but twenty dollars
when he was married. He worked as a farm hand and in that way bought himself a
yoke of oxen, and he worked for twenty-five days for John Tulle and Newton Cook,
in return for which they broke five acres of his land. As he began to prosper he
built a log house, and in this the family lived' until the present frame house
was built forty-two years ago. Those first few years were trying ones to the
young man and woman, who had attempted to establish a home for themselves on the
wild and unbroken prairie of Kansas. They had the determination to win, and by
hard work and close economy, they did in time become successful and influential
people in the district. The territory was at that time sparsely settled, and
their nearest trading point was at Marysville, where they were compelled to go
for the few-necessities of life that they could get. There were no roads, and
the trips to market were as few as possible.

    On July 15, 1865, Hiram Lillibridge was united in marriage to Margaret M.
Cook, who was born in Hamilton county, Indiana, on January 29, 1847, an(* is tne
daughter of Joseph and Rachel (Willis) Cook. Mr. and Mrs. Cook were both natives
of the Hoosier state, the former having been born in 1811 and died in 1877, at
the age of seevnty-seven years; the latter was born in Rush county and died on
June 3, 1884, at the age of seventy-one years. After their marriage Mr. and Mrs.
Cook established their home on a farm in Hamilton county, where they lived until
1865, when they decided to seek a home on the plains of Kansas, and that year
they homesteaded eighty acres in section 19, Waterville township, Marshall
county. Their early life on the prairie was fraught with many hardships, for the
country was but thinly settled and was for the most part undeveloped. They
shared the hardships with other pioneers, and a bond of friendship and
hospitality was developed that would be hard to find in a more advanced
district. Their lot was a common one and each shared the hardships and the few
pleasures with the others. They had three sons who took an active part in the
Civil War, one of whom was killed in battle and another died a few weeks after
coming home.

    To Hiram and Margaret M. Lillibridge were born the following children:
Ollie, Matthew, William, Mary, Isabelle, John, Lulu, Daniel L., Daisy and Hiram,
Jr. Ollie was the wife of L. Park and to them ten children were born, four of
whom with the mother are now deceased; Matthew is a farmer and stockman of
Washington county, Kansas; Mary J. is the wife of Al Arganbright, a resident of
Waterville township, and to them have been born nine children, all of whom are
now living; Isabelle is the wife of Bert Arganbright, of Waterville township and
to them have been born five children, one having died some years ago; John P. is
a landowner and farmer of Waterville township; Hiram, J., resides in Nebraska;
Lulu, now deceased, was the wife of A. Mapes and to her three children were
born; Daniel L. was killed when but two years of age; Daisy is the wife of J.
Brooks of Frankfort, and to them no children have been born. Mr. and Mrs.
Lillibridge have twelve great-grandchildren and forty-five grandchildren, and
one of their greatest pleasures is experienced on home-coming days. Mrs.
Lillibridge is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and Mr.
Lillibridge is a regular attendant and a liberal subscriber to its support They
are estimable people and are held in the highest regard by all who know them.
Their lives have been active ones and they have accomplished much that is worthy
the emulation of all. Their early married life was started under the most trying
circumstances, but as the years came and went, they advanced on the ladder of
success and in the affection of the people with whom they associated.

    Mr. Lillibridge has always taken an active interest in the affairs of the
township and county. Although he has never been a seeker after office, he has
felt it to be his duty to assist in the selection of the best men to administer
the affairs of county and state. He is a stockholder of the Farmers Elevator at
Waterville, and a man of much force and influence. He has his farm rented, yet
there are few days in the year that he is not busy looking after his extensive
interests.


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)



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