Marshall County KS Archives Biographies.....Parthemer, Jonathan C. 1854 - 
************************************************
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 18, 2007, 7:26 pm

Author: Emma E. Forter (1917)

JONATHAN C. PARTHEMER.

    Jonathan C. Parthemer, one of the real pioneers of Marshall county, the
proprietor of a well-improved farm of one hundred and forty acres in Wells
township and one hundred and sixty acres in section 33 of Bigelow township and
since pioneer days one of the best-known residents of that section of the
county, is a native of the old Buckeye state, but has been a resident of Kansas
since the days of his boyhood and has consequently been a witness to the
development of this section since the days of the early settlement of this
region. He was born in Union county, Ohio, March 28, 1854, son of J. S. and
Maria (Clayton) Parthemer, natives, respectively, of Pennsylvania and of Ohio,
both of Virginia parentage, who later moved to Iowa and thence to Kansas,
becoming pioneers of Marshall county, where their last days were spent.

    J. S. Parthemer was born at Middleton, Pennsylvania, September 23, 1818, son
of Jacob S. Parthemer, and in 1839 moved with his father to Union county, Ohio,
whence, in the middle fifties, he moved to Iowa, where he remained but a few
years, however, coming to Kansas in 1859 and preempting a tract of land one mile
east of the Barrett settlement, where he built a log cabin and established his
home, one of the very earliest settlers in Marshall county. He later moved from
the farm to Barrett, where he opened a grocery store, and in 1861 was appointed
postmaster of that village, his commission being signed by Abraham Lincoln, a
position he held for years and during which time he also was an active business
man, influential in the labors of bringing about a proper social order in the
early days of the settlement. J. S. Parthemer also took an active part in the
civic affairs of the new settlement and was the first justice of the peace in
Barrett. He also served for some time as township clerk and as township
treasurer and in other ways did his part in the public service, while he and his
wife were ever active in church and other good works. J. S. Parthemer was twice
married. In 1841 he married Maria S. Amerine, who died, leaving one son and four
daughters, and in April, 1852, he married Maria T. Clayton, who was born in
Union county, Ohio, October 9, 1831, and to that union was born one child, a
son, Jonathan C, the subject of this sketch. J. S. Parthemer died at his home in
Barrett on December 1, 1898, and his widow survived him for more than ten years,
her death occurring on March 3, 1910. Jonathan C. Parthemer was but an infant
when his parents moved from Ohio to Iowa and was about five years of age when
they moved from the latter state to Kansas. He grew up at Barrett, receiving his
schooling in the first school house built in Marshall county, old district No.
1, at Barrett, the same having been conducted by Mrs. Mary A. Stagg. His first
job when a boy was herding sheep on the plains, later becoming a cattle drover,
helping to drive herds across the plains to Atchison and St. Joseph. Mr.
Parthemer was the first person in Marshall county to use horses in the task of
breaking the prairie soil and was told by old settlers that he was foolish for
making the attempt, they holding that only oxen could be used in such work, but
young Parthemer went ahead with his team of horses and was successful. By the
time he was sixteen years of age he had saved money enough to buy an "eighty," a
part of his present home place, and early began the improvement and development
of the same. At fourteen years of age he secured the contract for carrying the
mail on the star route from Barrett to Seneca, making a trip once a week, on
Saturdays, and in other ways found outlet for his active energies, during the
days of his boyhood. After his marriage in 1874 Mr. Parthemer settled down on
the tract he had bought in Wells township and there lived until 1885, when he
bought a half section of land over in Norton county, on the extreme western edge
of that county, and made his home there for five years, or until 1890, when he
sold the place, upon the coming of the railroad, as a site for the present town
of Clayton. Upon disposing of his holdings in Norton county Mr. Parthemer
returned to his Marshall county home and has since resided there, having one of
the best-kept places in that part of the county. He now owns one hundred and
forty acres in the home place and a quarter section in section 33 of Bigelow
township, and has long been regarded as one of the substantial residents of that
section of the county. In addition to his general farming, Mr. Parthemer has for
years given his attention to the raising of cattle, is also an extensive breeder
of Duroc-Jersey hogs, and has done very well in his operations. Mr. Parthemer
holds the original patent to his home place, the same bearing the signature of
A. Lincoln.

    On October 4, 1874, Jonathan C. Parthemer was united in marriage to Harriet
Mosher, who was born in Knox county, Illinois, April 22, 1854, daughter of
Reuben and Mary (McCombs) Mosher, natives of New York state, who came to Kansas
in 1858 and settled in Nemaha county, where they spent the remainder of their
lives, the former dying in September, 1885, and the latter, in March, 1902. To
Mr. and Mrs. Parthemer four children have been born, namely Mrs. Maude Wolfe, of
Vermillion township, this county; Mrs. Daisy Stauffer, of Los Angeles,
California; Mrs. Pearl Whiting, of Blue Rapids, this county, and Jacob, born on
December 22, 1893, who is at home, a valued assistant to his father in the
management of the latter's agricultural interests. Mr. Parthemer is a Republican
and has ever given his close attention to local political affairs, but has not
been a seeker after public office. He is a member of the local lodge of the
Modern Woodmen of America 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/partheme450gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ksfiles/

File size: 6.6 Kb