Marshall County KS Archives Biographies.....Sullivan, James 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@yahoo.com May 23, 2007, 10:57 pm Author: Emma E. Forter (1917) JAMES SULLIVAN. James Sullivan, former sheriff of Marshall county and one of the best-known farmers, stockmen and grain buyers in the county, proprietor of a fine farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Vermillion township, is a native son of Marshall county and has lived here all his life. He was born on the pioneer farm on which he is now living, October 19, 1872, son of James and Bridget (Drew) Sullivan, natives of Ireland and pioneers of Marshall county, whose last days were spent on their home farm in Vermillion township, both dying in the year 1902. The senior James Sullivan, who for years was one of the best-known figures on the plains during the days of the freighters along the old Overland Trail, was born in County Limerick, Ireland, in 1838, and there spent his youth. In 1857, he then being nineteen years of age and of an adventurous turn of mind, he came to the United States and proceeded up into Wisconsin, glowing word at that time going out of the Northwest and attracting many settlers to that part of the country. The lay of the land there did not suit him, however, and he presently came down into the Territory of Kansas and became a freighter on the old Overland Trail from Atchison and St. Joseph to Denver and was thus employed when the Civil War broke out. Ardently espousing the cause of the Union he enlisted his services in behalf of that cause and served valiantly as a member of the Missouri Militia until the close of the war, returning then to the old position as a freighter on the Overland Trail and was thus engaged until his marriage in 1867, when he bought a quarter of a section of land in Vermillion township and there "settled down," spending the rest of his life there, the farm on which his son, the subject of this sketch, is now living. The last trip James Sullivan made over the Overland Trail in 1867 was with a load of shelled corn, eighty bushels, which brought fourteen cents a pound on the market at Denver, corn being greatly in demand there for meal for the miners. The quarter section James Sullivan bought in Vermillion township was a parcel of school land and he paid seven dollars an acre for the same. His first house was a log cabin and he started breaking his land with an ox-team. From the very beginning he prospered in his farming operations and eventually became a well-to-do landowner, being able to give his children a good start in the world when they branched out for themselves. His wife, Bridget Drew, also was born in Ireland, in 1843, and both were devout members of the Catholic church, raising their children in that faith. They were among the organizers of the Catholic church at Lillis and their second son, James Sullivan, the subject of this sketch, was the first person baptized in that church, to the necessities of which his parents ever were liberal contributors, as well as active workers in all departments of the parish work. To this pioneer couple eleven children were born, those besides the subject of this sketch being as follow: Thomas, who died when nineteen years of age; Michael, now a resident of Noble township; William, also of Noble township; Mary E., who married Warren Osborn and lives near Frankfort; John, deceased; Hannah, who married George Moss and lives in Wells township; Katherine, who married J. M. Brophy and lives at Frankfort; Joseph, deceased, and Daniel and Margaret, who died in infancy. The parents of these children both died in 1902, after many years of usefulness in the community in which they had settled in pioneer days and which they had lived to see develop grandly. The junior James Sullivan was reared on the farm on which he was born, receiving his schooling in the neighboring district school, and remained on the farm, assisting- his father and his brothers in the labors of the same. Upon the death of his parents in 1902 he inherited the home quarter section and continued farming there until his election in 1908 to the office of sheriff of Marshall county, as the nominee of the Democratic party. So efficiently did Mr. Sullivan perform the duties of that office that he was re-elected in the following election and thus served for two terms as sheriff of this county. Upon the completion of his term of service as sheriff he returned to the home farm from Marysville and began buying grain and live stock, carrying on these operations quite successfully in addition to managing his farm, and has been thus engaged since that time, long having been recognized as one of the most substantial farmers and stockmen in that part of the county. In addition to his term of service as sheriff of Marshall county Mr. Sullivan for twelve years prior to his election as sheriff served as clerk of his school district. In 1906 he was the nominee of his party for commissioner from his district, but was defeated by twenty-three votes. He has long taken an active part in the political affairs of the county and is recognized as one of the leading Democrats in his neighborhood. On January 12, 1908, James Sullivan was united in marriage to Julia Brophy, who was born at Kingston, New York, June 26, 1873, a daughter of Michael and Anna (Delaney) Brophy, natives of Ireland, who had come to this country with their respective parents in the days of their youth, the families settling in New York. In 1879 Michael Brophy came west with his family and located at Atchison, where he was engaged as a building contractor until 1882, when he came over into Marshall county and bought a farm in Cleveland township, where he spent the rest of his life, his death occurring on July 12, 1884, he then being forty-five years of age. His widow survived him many years, her death occurring on January 21, 1914, she then being seventy-five years of age. They were the parents of seven children, those besides Mrs. Sullivan, the third in order of birth, being as follow: Mary, who married George McCarthy and lives in Noble township, this county; Bridget, who makes her home with her sister, Mrs. Sullivan; Andrew, a farmer, of Clear Fork township; Edward, of Vliets; Margaret, who married Edward Brown and lives in the neighboring county of Pottawatomie, and John, of Frankfort. To James and Julia (Brophy) Sullivan one child has been born, a daughter, Mary E., who died in 1914, at the age of three years. Mr. and Mrs. Sullivan are members of the Catholic church at Lillis and give their earnest attention to the affairs of that parish, as well as to the general social activities of the community in which they live. Mr. Sullivan formerly was a member of the Knights of Columbus. He is an active, energetic farmer and business man and has done well his part in helping in the development of his native county, in the general industrial and civic affairs of which he has always taken a deep interest. 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/sullivan481gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ksfiles/ File size: 7.5 Kb