Jasper-Jackson County MO Archives Biographies..... FLORA, William Walter November 23, 1871 - November 10, 1922 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mo/mofiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Bill BOGGESS http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00024.html#0005917 June 14, 2008, 8:39 am Author: Bill BOGGESS DR. WILLIAM WALTER FLORA, DDS ~~~ This is my working hypothesis - the way I understand it as of 06/09/08! ~~~ For latest update see: http://community.webtv.net/billboggess-flora/DRWILLIAMWALTERFLORA    WILLIAM (Will) WALTER FLORA was born 23 November 1871, so wrote his brother-in-law, Carl Raymond GRAY, 22 June 1933 in a genealogical research report for Will's daughter, Harriette Pearl (Flora) HOPKINS. My grandfather was born to pioneering parents in Kansas, married in Missouri(ah) 1892, becoming a dentist in 1896, had two daughters while living at Carthage, Jasper County, Missouri, moved to Colorado Springs in 1904, expiried at daughter's Pueblo, Colorado home Friday morning, 10 November 1922, of "Chronic Nephritic", days before fifty-first brithday, burial 12 November, Evergreen Cemetery, Colorado Springs, Colorado. (Readers may find it helpful referring to books concerning frontier history in Kansas, once known as the 'Great Desert', during mid-nineteenth century, for a refreshed perspective of life endured by pioneering farmers such as our Flora families.) www.franklincountykansas.net/fcgs/v09/v09n2%20pg%2026%20Early%20Kansas%20History.htm "I cannot say and I will not say That he is dead.— He is just away! With a cheery smile' and a wave of the hand He has wandered into an unknown land And left us dreaming how very fair It needs must be since he lingers there." http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=DESC&db=califia1&id=I1847    Will's birth reportedly occured: "upon parent's farm in [Liberty Township] Montgomery County, Kansas". --- his parents were among first pioneer settlers of Osage Indian Ceded Land, John Andrew FLORA (1845IN-1934KS) http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/montgomery/bios/flora112bs.txt and Mary Elizabeth SHULTS (1851OH-1874KS) http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=AHN&db=califia1&id=I1840 , a great granddaughter of Revolutionary War veteran Colonel Heinrich Staring (1730NY-1818NY) and Elizabeth Kast (Hess), so wrote Carl Raymond Gray (1867AR-1939DC) --- united Sunday, 10 February 1867 in Lyon (Breckenridge till Feburary 1862) County, Kansas (created January 1861) by "Minister of the Gospel, S G Elliott". Carl's wife, Harriette A Flora, as told by their first great, granddaughter Sandra Stuart Gray, so shared 8/12/05: "Harriette [Hattie A] often told the story of being called into her mother's bedroom as she lay dying to kiss her goodbye. She said she was four at the time. She climbed up on her bed to do so, and lay with her awhile and that after she kissed her mother goodbye she had a vision of Jesus holding his arms out to her." (Harriette, years later was first women to have a nation-wide radio bible class) (also at my mother's bedside at her death in 1928) We found twenty-three year old Mary and one month old daughter Jennie G buried at Americus Cemetery in Lyon County when a photograph of their gravestone was taken and sent me by Sara Murphy of Lyon County Historical Archives ---- but location and death date of sister Jennie G and why they are buried here remain two big, undocumented, mysteries. Its most difficult to believe John moved to remote Lyon County, likewise to understand why Mary, who died 9 November 1874, with daughter Harriette, admittedly in bed with her, is buried with other daughter in remote Americus Cemetery, far from any known family member. Something is missing in this equation? ->>> NOTE; Will's parent's, John and Mary, plus two children are recorded in household #188, Verdigris Township. Montgomery County on June 1870 Federal and only John in household #25 in March 1875 State (Liberty Township) census. The later has Will, Clarence & Hattie in their maternal grandmother's household #14 following November 1874 death of their mother, her fourth known child, Mary Elizabeth.    Their father was remarried by Reverend F R Morton, of seven year old First Presbyterian Church in Parsons, Labette (1st Dorn, then Neosho) County, Kansas, Thursday, 24 October 1878, to widow of William E Smith (ca1844OH-187xKS), with two surviving children, moving to Oswego leaving Will, the youngest, to live with his grandmother till "early manhood" (ca 1885). From 1st Presbyterian Church of Parsons, 4 Jun 2008: "In March 1877, Rev J R Morton began a pastorate which ill health obliged him to terminate after only a few months.  Parsons remained his home, however, until his death. Rev. Morton and Rev Vanable supplied the pulpit intermittently until the coming of Dr W.S.H Keyes in November of 1878."    Earlier, the Floras and Conrads made friends with and each had obtained a 160 acre tract of land from the Osage Indians, later having to pay U S Government $1.25/acre for their land.    These farms were: 1)- until January 1871 in Verdigris Township, 2)- until September 1870 on Osage Indian Ceded Land before treaty of Drum Creek, with the Conrad's furnishing beef for the celebration, http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/montgome/chron6.htm treaty resulting from a long running battle with the railroads over these lands (so they could replace the Texas cattle trails that sprung up in 1867) in Washington City ending July 1870, under Ulysses Simpson Grant (1822OH-1885NY), our eighteenth President (1869-1877), --- land being a three mile strip east of Verdigris River (named thusly by Lieutenant Zebulon Montgomery Pike (1779NJ-1813Canada) in 1806 because he observed Indians removing green clay from its banks for painting their faces), seperated from Osage Indian Territory (Osage men were typically six to seven feet tall), created 2 June 1825, with its 3,600 Indians and 3)- until Thursday, 3 June 1869 in Wilson County, organized in 1855. County originally extended to the south line of Kansas Territory, and was named in honor of Colonel Hiero T. Wilson who lived in Fort Scott from September 1843. ~~~~~~~~ KANSAS HISTORICAL MARKER ~~~~~~~~~ IN MAY, 1863, A MOUNTED PARTY OF ABOUT TWENTY CONFEDERATES, NEARLY ALL COMMISSIONED OFFICERS, SET OUT FROM MISSOURI TO RECRUIT TROOPS IN THE WEST. SEVERAL MILES EAST OF HERE THEY WERE CHALLENGED BY LOYAL OSAGE INDIANS. IN A RUNNING FIGHT TWO CONFEDERATES WERE KILLED AND THE OTHERS WERE SURROUNDED ON A GRAVEL BAR IN THE VERDIGRIS RIVER ABOUT THREE MILES NORTH OF THIS MARKER. IGNORING A FLAG OF SURRENDER, THE OSAGES SCALPED AND CUT THE HEADS OFF ALL BUT TWO OF THE PARTY. THESE, WOUNDED, HID UNDER THE RIVER BANK AND ESCAPED. AFTER THE WAR WHEN SETTLERS BEGAN STAKING CLAIMS ON THE OSAGE RESERVATION, CONGRESS AUTHORIZED REMOVAL OF THE TRIBE TO PRESENT OKLAHOMA. IN 1870 A TREATY WAS SIGNED IN A GROVE ON DRUM CREEK, THREE MILES SOUTHEAST. IRONICALLY, THE CHEAP LANDS TO WHICH THE OSAGES WERE REMOVED BECAME A GREAT OIL FIELD AND FOR A TIME THEY WERE THE WEALTHIEST PEOPLE PER CAPITA IN THE WORLD. "For years farming in Kansas was carried on under the greatest difficulty, and few people believed that the frontier would ever extend much beyond the longitude of Topeka. But the pioneers were not daunted, step by step, mile by mile, year by year, they advanced upon the "Great Desert," until now the state is under cultivation practically to, and in some districts beyond, the 100th meridian [Dodge City, state line is 102nd]." so written 1912, Frank W Blackmar.   Montgomery County Seat of Government, according to history books, was: 1st)- Verdigris City, Verdigris Township, In the beginning Verdigris City is said to have had about 50 people, located on west half, northwest quarter, section 22, township 33 south, range 16 east, reportedly farm of Henry Wilford Conrad (1845IN-1928KS), HANBOOK OF THE KANSAS LEGISLATURE, 1901, Topeka : Crane & Co, 1900, states "Came to Kansas in 1868. He was one of the first four settlers of Montgomery County, Kansas." http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/montgomery/obits/c/conrad39ob.txt , proclaimed by fifth Governor of Kansas, James, "Old Honesty", Madison Harvey (1833VA-1894KS), as provisional County Seat Thursday, 3 June 1869 for newly created, (now) 646 square mile, Montgomery County, carved from 1855 created Wilson County, named for General Richard Montgomery who shouted "Death or Liberty" in Revolutionary battle where he died. Henry's farm was next to Will's father, Henry's United Brethren, Hartsville University (Indiana) schoolmate's farm, John Andrew Flora http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/montgomery/obits/f/flora34ob.txt , John's other neighbor was five foot seven inch, blue eyed brother Daniel Rice Boon Flora (1838IN-1908CO). (Will's grandfather, Rev John Flora (1800GER-1876IN) was five foot six and half inches tall with blue eyes, busy raising a second family back in Bartholomew County, Indiana, died October 1876 after falling from son-in-law's apple tree) http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/bartholomew/bios/flora207gbs.txt , each of above four a veteran of the Civil War. 2nd)- Liberty, Verdigris Township, when in fall 1869 Verdigris City merged with Montgomery City to create Town of Liberty becoming County Seat, 3rd)- Independence, Independence Township, after a hotly contested election November 1870 when Independence was chosen by the people as County Seat (which in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, had more millionaires per capita than any place else in the United States). "The site of Independence was bought from the Indians by George A. Brown in September, 1869 [month Hattie A Flora was born as 1st white child in Montgomery, County], before the land had been acquired by the government." (1912, Frank W. Blackmar) Independence was created six miles northerly of Liberty on west bank of river. "During the winter of 1869, the banks of the Verdigris [river] were alive with camps and campers. Families spent the winter, living in covered wagons or in huts constructed of hay.", so wrote Cutler in his 1883 publication. Population exploded from a hand full in 1867 to 7,564 in 1870, 13,017 in 1875, 18,213 in 1880, 49,475 in 1910 but only 36,252 in 2000.    The river at state line, is lowest elevation in Kansas at 680 feet above sea level!    Verdigris Township was redefined then renamed Liberty in January 1871, later Town of Liberty moved a few miles east to new railroad, the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Fort Gibson RR which started operating January 1872, after 1880, was Kansas City, Lawrence & Southern RR then 1882, Atchinson, Topeka & Santa Fe RR. FAMILY & LIFE: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~    Will had an older brother & sister: Clarence Morton (1868KS-1924OK) http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/labette/bios/flora133bs.txt born when mother was only sixteen y/o, thrice married, whose first wife's cousin Will married, had two sons with third wife, family attending wedding of Will's oldest daughter in 1920 but strangely, is not noted in Will's 1922 obituary, and Harriette Amanda (Hattie A) (1869KS-1956ME) http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/labette/bios/flora134bs.txt born after mother turned eighteen y/o, she, the first white child born in Montgomery County according to Cutler's 1883 written history, had three sons and likewise attended wedding of Harriette, Will's oldest daughter with sons, less oldest married son, Carl R Gray, Jr www.morninmail.com/_archives/8june11.html and is noted in Will's obituary. Among her writtings is this poem: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/montgomery/history/other/apoem116ms.txt We discovered Will had a second sister, Jennie G who lived but one month. Birth, death dates and locations unknown! She may (?), have been born a twin (?) or, ---- maybe (?) while Mary visited her mother in Lyon County, Kansas late 1870 or early 1871 as third child (before Will's November 1871 birth), buried in Americus Cemetery, Lyon County where her mother lived in household #79 in 1865, before Mary's marriage to John, possibly (?) where Mary's father, Elizah Schults (1824OH-1860KS) died at age thirty-five, 28 September 1860 (Harriet pregnant with eighth known child), year of the great drouth, also year first of Will's family from Indiana arrived, uncle Wolney, same county, settling on Taylor creek. Her little brother Henry born 1861, missing after 1870 census, he/both buried, in now unmarked grave(s). Jennie's death may (?) have been what caused Mary's mother Harriet to move south one-hundred miles to Montgomery County in 1871, then when Mary died [Monday], 9 November 1874, reportedly in Lyon County by Carl Gray, President of Union Pacific Systems (Railroad), in 1933, her son-in-law (being the astute person he was and purpose of his report for joining; "Daughter's of the American Revolution", presumably he conferred with wife and father-in-law obtaining verifiable information concerning Mary and her father's deaths, possibly from a family Bible, for the specific dates he used.) and husband of daughter who laid with her in death --- at age twenty-three, her body was interned with month old daughter, Jennie G, or ---- (??) when was she born and buried, maybe (?) last born and possibly mother died of "childbirth fever"? WHY else is she buried in Americus Cemetery??? John's oldest brother Wolney, "V P", enlisted under Captain Thomas C Hill, 25 April 1864, during civil war, a founding father of Americus in 1857 www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/lyon/lyon-co-p13.html , also was first president of Americus Cemetery Association, www.idreamof.com/cemetery/ks/lyon.html It appears to me that Mary may (?) have been taken to Lyon County for medical treatment and there died. She then was buried with daughter Jennie G (who may (?) have died years earlier), with both now in Americus Cemetery. Four separate independent searches were conducted at different times resulting with NO answers regarding the above unsolved mysteries. Its possible (?) Harriette Flora Gray and/or her father placed this gravestone with engraving during early 20th century.          "MARY E. WIFE OF            JOHN A. FLORA           BORN June 20, 1851           DIED Nov. 9, 1874        Infant Daughter Jennie G              Aged 1 Month"    Granddaddy's uncle, Daniel Rice Boon Flora http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=califia1&id=I1666 , lived next door till moving in 1875 to the high country of Colorado Territory with his family (Daniel's wife was a younger sister of Wolney's wife), also uncle Wolney Pulaski "VP" Flora (1834IN-1909KS) http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=califia1&id=I1664 followed west after Sunday, 28th of November wedding in his home of oldest daughter, Wilhelmina (Wilma) Isidora (1857IN-1937KS), http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=califia1&id=I1893 to Henry Wilford Conrad, by Rev J H Vancleave, they living their lives in Montgomery County. Two of Will's three aunts married brothers and moved to Missouri(ah), Josephine (Flora) Beauchamp (1833IN-1915KS) http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=califia1&id=I1663 , Livingston County, later moving to and died in Johnson County, Kansas (county in which I lived, Jan 1960 to May 1984) and Margaret Anna (Flora) Beauchamp (1841IN-1926MO) http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=califia1&id=I471 , in Worth County. Third aunt, Sarah Catherine (Flora) Muth (1836IN-1877KS) http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=califia1&id=I1665 , moved to Franklin County, Kansas.    These three German Indiana born Flora brothers fought during Civil War (along with Buffalo Bill Cody & 2,500 others against some 12,000), just south from where Lieutenant Zebulon M. Pike entered in 1806 (discovering Pikes Peak that November 15th) what now was Kansas, just north of Mine Creek, Linn County, Kansas, October 1864, defeating Gen Sterling Price, CSA http://skyways.lib.ks.us/genweb/archives/1912/m/mine_creek_battle_of.html . An engagement where one ex and five future state Governors were fighting, ie: Price having been Governor of Missouri twice (1853-57); John L Beveridge, IL, Samuel Crawford, KS, T T Crittenden, MO, John S Marmaduke, MO, and Thomas Moonlight, WY, while General William L Cabell became a six term Mayor of Dallas, TX, and where Confederate Generals Marmaduke and Cabell were captured, with General Price and others escaping to burnt-out Carthage, Missouri. ~~~~~~~~ KANSAS HISTORICAL MARKER ~~~~~~~~ IN OCTOBER, 1864, A CONFEDERATE ARMY UNDER GEN. STERLING PRICE WAS DEFEATED NEAR KANSAS CITY. HE RETREATED SOUTH, CROSSED INTO KANSAS, AND CAMPED AT TRADING POST. EARLY ON THE MORNING OF OCTOBER 25 UNION TROOPS UNDER GENERALS PLEASONTON, BLUNT AND CURTIS FORCED HIM FROM THIS POSITION, AND A FEW HOURS LATER THE BATTLE OF MINE CREEK WAS FOUGHT OVER THESE FIELDS. CONFEDERATE FORCES WERE THROWN INTO CONFUSION AS THEY TRIED TO CROSS THE STEEP, SLIPPERY BANKS OF THE STREAM. IN THE CLOSE FIGHTING ON THE BOTTOMS HUNDREDS OF REBEL SOLDIERS WERE CAPTURED, INCLUDING GENERAL MARMADUKE, WHO WAS TAKEN BY A 20-YEAR-OLD PRIVATE. ALTHOUGH UNION FORCES MISSED A CHANCE TO DESTROY PRICE'S ARMY THE DEFEAT WAS DECISIVE ENOUGH TO END THE THREAT OF A REBEL INVASION OF KANSAS. ABOUT 25,000 MEN WERE ENGAGED, MORE THAN IN ANY OTHER KANSAS BATTLE.    The Ingall's of now famous "Little House on the Prairie" fame, www.geocities.com/Heartland/Prairie/1867/indpic.html settled just west across Verdigris River, on Diminished Reserves of Osage Indians, remaining about a year, where little Carrie Ingall was born August 1870, year before Will. The REPLICA OF THE INGALL HOME (ca1870) www.littlehouseontheprairie.com/web/little.htm was most likely typical of other earlier Montgomery County farm homes, such as the Flora and Conrad families, except the John Flora house may (?) have had a bedroom.    During those earlier years, in addition to the many natural hardships, were: 130 Kansas settlers slaughtered by Indians in 1867, in Montgomery County, a horrendous prairie fire occurred in 1868 when the night sky was said to be bright enough to read a book 1-mile away, the 1874 infestation of grasshoppers and the great flood of 1885 but, as pioneers, our FLORA family survived most hardships of prairie living.    Strange to me, while Clarence and Hattie moved to Oswego, Labette County, Kansas October 1878 with their father, new step-mother Adda (Crawford) Smith (1844IN-1913KS), her son Peter (ca 1865IL-19xx) and daughter Linnie (1868KS-1947CO) --- Will is raised until "early manhood", thirty miles west near Liberty in Montgomery County by his maternal grandmother, Harriet Catherine (Sterling) Shults (1824NY-1905KS), http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=califia1&id=I1842 following death of his Ohio born mother. Harriet's obituary said she moved from Lyon County in "1871" to Montgomery County, [less John Marsh, her 2nd (1868) hubby, and without "Marsh" surname] with her son George E, seventh child of eight known children and servant Ettie Grubb, relocating to near 'new' Town of Liberty, by new 1871 railroad, 11-miles north from Indian Territory (since November 1907, Oklahoma), --- on property listed between household's of her sixth born Elige (Elijah?) with wife Libbie and her first born, civil war veteran John with wife Clara. --- Her fifth born, Sarah, married Deputy Sheriff Clarence Scranton in Independence Township. She lived with daughter from 1885 till her Sunday, 20 August 1905 death near grandson, Clarence Morton Flora's home, with Will in attendance at her death and funeral, buried where her daughter's family were later, in Mount Hope Cemetery.    Will, age 13, moved to his father's Oswego home, Condon (1913, "City", 1934, "Burgess") Hotel , before the 1885 State census, "When circuses play little towns in Kansas and go away leaving their 'tanbark rings stamped on the prairie, the town youngsters bring in their ponies and try to duplicate the Daring Feats of Horsemanship they have just witnessed. At least that is what they did in the early 1880s and among the girls of small Oswego, Kans. who would try backflips and pick-up-the-handkerchief was an extremely pretty, darkhaired girl named Harriette Flora.", so written in Time Magazine, May 3, 1937, page 17. and reportedly was enrolled in a Presbyterian school. Its highly questionable how well he knew his brother, sister, step-brother and step-sister after having been raised since not yet age three, for eleven formative years, thirty miles west with other children. Hattie's future husband, Carl Gray, boarded at the Flora's operated Condon Hotel until promoted by "Frisco" and transferred to Wichita, ---they comforted him during his mother's lingering cancerous illness from December 1885 till her 17 August 1886 death. Monday morning, 6 December 1886 sister Hattie, barely seventeen, married barely nineteen y/o, Carl R Gray http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=califia1&id=I1912 of the Frisco RR, moving west to Wichita (see page 479, volume I, "Who was Who in America"). Both of Carl's parents were born on Maine's coast, but were Arkansas pioneering school teachers since 1860, he with the south during Civil War, she a talented artist and prolific writer, diaries existing of Civil War and son Carl --- Colonel Oliver Crosby and Virginia LaFayette (Davis) Gray www.usgwarchives.net/ar/state/gray.jpg http://files.usgwarchives.net/ar/state/newspapers/graytech.txt www.argenweb.net/pulaski/Col.MrsOCGray.html . See; http://aolsvc.timeforkids.kol.aol.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,757731,00.html http://205.188.238.109/time/magazine/article/0,9171,757171,00.html ("Celebrated")    "Mrs H C Shults" (grandmother Harriet Catherine) attended Will's wedding to 1877 orphaned, Maude Wallick (1870IN-1940CO) http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=AHN&db=califia1&id=I1918 , with name misspelled "Wallock" on mariage license and "Wallack" in newspaper reports), --- born, Monday, 21 March 1870 in Peru, Miami County, Indiana, d/o Anna Elizabeth Hagee (1840PA-1877IN) http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=califia1&id=I1920 http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/miami/bios/hagee196bs.txt and Captain William F M Wallick (1842OH-1873IN) http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=califia1&id=I1919 http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/miami/obits/w/wallick4ob.txt , ---- Maude then from Chicago, Illinois, married in what was Osage Indian country until 1808 Treaty, a town completely burnt down during Civil War, Carthage, Jasper County, Missouri, Sunday, 21 August 1892, service performed by Reverend William Sims Knight, D D (1837OH-1905MO), in the $6,500 First Presbyterian church (1867-date), minister (1875-1893), earlier and again later its college's President. Also attending were; "Mr & Mrs. J.A. Flora" (father & step-mother), "Mr and Mrs C.R. Gray" (sister, Hattie A and Carl) and Maude's and Alice Kingsbury's aunt, "Mrs L E Carrier" (Elmira (Wallick) Carrier (1842OH-1901MI), http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/elpaso/bios/wallick4bs.txt .   It would appear Maude may (?) have moved after 1880 census from Peru, Indiana, possibly to, or near, Oswego for a spell before going to Chicago area about 1890/1 (World's Fair in 1892-3) where she likely (?) lived with her aunt Elmira.    Their wedding (requiring his father's consent) http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/labette/vitals/marriages/wallick102mr.txt took place thirteen days following the Oswego funeral of Maude's friend and first cousin, Alice (Kingsbury) Flora http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/labette/obits/f/florakin42ob.txt , first wife of Will's brother Clarence.    This Presbyterianism in his life is puzzling to say the least!!! Presbyterian schools were being created in the 1880s to fill the need. A young girls school in Oswego operated from January 1886 to 1901, but none near found for boys except at Carthage, Missouri. ----- His grandmother, from New York, wed in Ohio where her first seven of eight known children were born, raised Will after mother's 1874 death till 1885, was Methodist, his father, thou a Methodist from early life, was given final words by a Presbyterian minister http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/montgomery/obits/f/flora34ob.txt , most likely because of his step-daughter who had looked after him his last twenty-one years, till 1934, his step-mother, Addie, was given last rites in 1913 by a Baptist minister, but her daughter, Linnie, Will's step-sister http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/labette/bios/clarksmi124bs.txt , was Presbyterian (church three blocks away), her mother, his step-mother's sister & husband. the Shipleys (whose only son, Monie C (ca1868KS-19xx), was a conductor for "Frisco", were Baptist.    Will & Maude were devout Methodist in Carthage and Colorado Springs, his sister was Baptist, brother Presbyterian, but they are married by a Presbyterian minister. His partially incorrect 1918 published biography in "History of Colorado", says he attended Presbyterian school --- and further is printed, he was a well liked professor when teaching after graduation, supposedly at Kansas City's Western Dental College which itself had a Methodist background.    May (?) it be suggested: ---- He was sent to Carthage, Missouri for school where he became aquainted with Reverend Knight, who later served in uniting him in marriage and was associated in many good endeavors at Carthage where sister Hattie A lived between 1890 and 1898 whose two youngest sons attended Presbyterian created Princeton Unversity, earlier in 1889 while living in Wichita, Sedgwick County, Kansas her sister-in-law, Ethel Davis Gray (1871AR-1910IL) of Fayetteville, Washington county, Arkansas, attended the Wichita Presbyterian Lewis Academy. ---- A Presbyterian high school and junior college had reportedly been started in Carthage, Friday night, 17 September 1886, with Reverend William S Knight the college president 1886-1887 (to 1827 created Lindenwood College for Women, St Charles, Missouri, later returning) for 1899 to death November 1905 while opening his morning mail, then Mrs W S Knight, 1905-1906, then lastly son, David Mack Knight, 1906-1908, --- first, in an addition at Grant & Seventh street church, until 1 January 1887 then Carthage Collegiate Institute (1887-1908) their imposing $36,000 four story brick structure in 1400 block of south Main street. Building reportedly constructed by Presbyterian George Brown Wood (1852VA-1941MO), younger brother to my paternal great, grandmother, Sarah E (Wood) Boggess (1835VA-1918MO), --- after the city closed Lyon Street for school use (where Mark Twain grade school was built in 1917 which I attended 1932 through 1940). I also suspicion (?) that this might be the college in which grandfather Flora taught under the minister who united he and Maude August 1892, not in a college one-hundred & fifty miles north at Kansas City and not for eleven years, maybe till1904.    Carl Raymond Gray was promoted to Frisco's divisional superintendent (years later in Washington, D C , 1934 introducing President Roosevelt to/with Union Pacific's Chairman Harriman and viewed America's first streamline passenger train. www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/streamliners/peopleevents/e_mtrain.html www.gwu.edu/~erpapers/mep/displaydoc.cfm?docid=erpn-avh Grandmother Flora rode on the first streamline train's intial trip at Carl's invitation and was amazed at how fast (to 111 mph), quiet and smooth riding it was. This first train later was named "City of Salina" with service between Salina, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri, --- Carl became vice-chairman of Union Pacific RR on 70th birthday (1937), see page 74, 26 April 1937, Time magazine and in 1938 a Trustee of Colby College), ---- reportedly living in Carthage 1890 to 1898 with wife (Will's sister), Harriette Amanda (Flora), selected by the Golden Rule Foundation, "American Mother of 1937" ("Time" Magazine, 3 May 1937, page 17) www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,931573-1,00.html , same year presented "Cross of Honor" of U S Flag Association, www.lincoln-highway-museum.org/USFA/Cross-Index.html (#28), --- three y/o son Carl R Jr, (1889KS-1955MN), later an army Major-General (head of military railroads in Africa and Europe, WW II, awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for his outstanding service in Italy and France, also; Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster: Bronze Star Medal: Army Commendation Medal, www.americal.org/awards/achv-svc.htm : Italian War Cross for Merit: Order Crown of Italy: Knight Comdr. British Empire: Officer Legion of Honor, Croix de Guerre with 2 palms(France): Order of Belgium), following Missourian, 5-star General-of-the-Army, Omar N Bradley as "Administrator of Veteran Affairs" 1948-1953, for Harry Truman (Time Magazine, 01 December 1947 www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,779446,00.html ), ---- when Will and Maude were wed with her sister, Pearle, not noted in attendance.    Will & Maude's first home, as reported in newspaper, was Oswego where they met, she then had been living in Chicago area, likely with her aunt, he employed by I R Fisher at the grocery store, whose daughter, Lucy, attended the wedding. "Will" was president in 1891 and 1892 of Oswego's Young Men's Christian Association (Y M C A) according to writings of Honorable Judge Nelson Case, its first president.    Maude gave birth October 1893 to Harriette Pearl (1893MO-1973CO) and August 1898 to my mother Frances Elizabeth (1898MO-1928MO) in Carthage. The new Jasper County $100,000 Court House building was started 1894 using Carthage stone (as reportedly later, the Missouri State Capitol, U.S. Capitol and White House were faced with Carthage marble), finished following year, and is still (2008) in use.    Will is reported a 1896 graduate of Western Dental College of Kansas City, Missouri (created 1891 now since 1963, University of Missouri College of Dentistry, K C), the year Lakeside Park was opened west of Carthage after a four-foot high damn was built across Center Creek accessible by electric Trolly (1896-1935), operating more than forty years, with automobile access later. THE CARTHAGE PRESS, July 5,1900 reported: "The crowd at the Fourth of July celebration at Lakeside Park yesterday is conceded by everyone to have eclipsed in size any that ever before gathered at the popular resort. After pouring people into the park all day long, it took until 4 o'clock this morning for the electric line to get all the people away again, crowding every car to do so. Boating, swimming and swinging furnished pleasure for many. A "ten set" dance was kept going in the pavilion all day and nearly all night." Source: Powers Museum    Will, for several years was president of the Carthage Y M C A (organized 1890), in 1897, year Y M C A held state convention in Carthage, also involved with the Chautauqua Assembly which re-established its building in 1902 directly south of the Missouri-Pacific RR depot with a building seating 4,000 --- NOTE! June 26 (Thursday) - 2 pm [2008] "Carthage Chautauqua Assembly One Hundred Years Ago" by Michele Hansford at Powers Museum, 1617 West Oak, Carthage, Missouri, 2:00 pm Come learn about what Chautauqua was like over a hundred years ago and where it was held and who came and spoke. Some of the most important people of the late 19th and early 20th century visited Carthage as Chautauqua speakers and this program will highlight a few of them. Special display of old Chautauqua programs will also be on hand from the museum's archives. --- Will was living on Howard Avenue June 11, 1898 when nine y/o nephew Carl R Gray, Jr fell out of their Cherry tree www.morninmail.com/_archives/8june11.html when his mother dropped him off for her trip to Monett to find a house to live in (her first son Carl's repeated comment shared with others was; "I moved 40 times in my first fifty years"), ---- when Maude was seven months pregnant with her second daughter, my mother, Frances Elizabeth (1898-1928). They built, according to newspaper article, their new house some time after December 1898 at 1216 south Main (former numbering). The Carthage Public Library was built in 1904 (year Dr Flora's family moved to Colorado Springs) with funds from Carneige Foundation at 7th & Garrison Avenue, enlarged one hundred years later, ca 2004.    Granddaddy Flora's life again becomes confused by historical writings. When did they move from Carthage to Colorado Springs? After cogitating the following I believe they moved in 1904. 1)- His 1922 obituary says 1900, yet they are documented in Carthage beyond 1900. 2)- The "El Paso County Odontological Society" have him as one of eight charter members when formed thursday, 15 May 1902, with his partner and pallbearer, Dr William K Sinton President, however lists eighteen, which may (?) have been membership at 1st annual meeting of Friday, 15 October 1904. www.cs-ds.org/history.asp --- yet a Carthage newspaper article of Wednesday 25 June 1902 has grandmother and girls going to Colorado, he to Jefferson City, Missouri for a dental meeting, then back home, www.morninmail.com/_archives/2june25.html . 3)- Its reported in 1918 published "History of Colorado", in his (partially incorrect) biography page 843, http://books.google.com/books?id=H44cmkWK6f8C , that "Dr. William Walter Flora" moved family to Colorado in 1904 (not found in 1900 census) for her health. She had spent time in June 1902 and October 1903 there and he reportedly attended Philadelphia College of Dentistry for advanced education then settled in Colorado Springs, Colorado where he belonged to the Masonic fraternity and was also a member of the Colorado Springs Golf Club winning many golf tourament trophies and reportedly a member of Delta Sig fraternity,— associations which indicate something of the nature of his recreation. He belonged to the First Methodist Episcopal church, served on its official board, and was a very earnest and active worker in the church and in the Y M C A. While actuated in his professional career by a laudable ambition, he had never allowed his practice to so dominate his time and interests that he had no opportunity to aid in movements that work for individual uplift and the betterment of the community. On the contrary, he had given much thought and attention to those lines which lead to moral progress and the worth of his work was widely acknowledged by all who know aught of his career. He was for a number of years a teacher in Beth-El Hospital (organized 1904 as Beth, started with Methodist background, renamed Beth-El in 1911, became Memorial Hosptial 1943, now Memorial Health System). Its most disconcerting to realize Memorial Health System's organization refuses to reply to inquiries regarding Dr William Walter Flora who dedicated so much of his personal life in time and energy towards its beginning years from 1904 till his death in 1922. First inquiry to hospital, second to hospital including also the Mayor of Colorado Springs and a Council member. Disheartening, to say the least! They put a new dress on volunteerism! (No better luck in years earlier with The Colorado School for the Blind and the Deaf, --- must be (?) something in the air, water or the altitude.) Only helpful and friendly folks I found in Colorado Springs were at the Special Collections of the Pikes Peak Library District, and to each of them, a hearty thank you for the many historical family facts freely researched to 1902, regarding Flora and Beattie surnames!!! Outside of professional interests, his REO (Oldsmobile) was one of the first automobiles in Colorado Springs, and he was a Director of the Colorado Springs National Bank in which he held five percent of bank shares that started in 1907. Each share of stock increased to nearly 320 by time bank sold, to 450,000 with par value of $10.00 was sold in 1985 for $100.00 per share (over four billion dollars). The Armstrong family operated an exteremely good bank! His friend Willis R Armstrong was pallbearer at both Will and Maude's funerals. (Payment for my bank stock was made by check, via registered mail, dated August 1, 1985, with $79.99 in postage affixed.)    ln his political views Dr. Flora was a republican, as was his father, having supported the party since age conferred upon him the right of franchise. For six years he efficiently served on the Colorado state board of dental examiners and was connected with the Colorado Council of Defense in furthering war work of WW I.    Granddaddy lived long enough to enjoy both daughters attending college and to give their hand in matrimony, --- Harriette Pearl, nearly twenty-seven y/o, at home, 2129 North Nevada, to Dr Guy Huskinson Hopkins (1894IL-1966CO), Wednesday, 8 September 1920, entire family in attendance, including her grandfather John A Flora, of Oswego, Kansas, her uncle Clarence M Flora and his family, from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, her aunt Harriette (Hattie A Flora) Gray, from Omaha, Nebraska, with sons (less Carl jr), plus Guy's family members --- with sister Frances as her attendant and her grandfather's step-grandson, Elmer C Clark, Jr (1893KS-1969CO), best man. ---- Then Frances Elizabeth, my mother, barely twenty-three y/o, Sunday, 28 August 1921 at home, 221 East St Vrain Street, to Luke J Boggess (1899MO-1974MO), with sister Harriette as matron of honor and Dr Guy H Hopkins best man, only immediate family members present. Will & Maude had four grandchildren photographed on car at Mt Manitou, August 10, 1936, to wit: Harriette Flora Hopkins, 15 (now of Northridge, California, married, two chidren), William (Bill) Samuel Boggess, 9 (now www.shellpoint.org , never married), William Guy Hopkins, 13 (always of Pueblo, Colorado, married 57+ years, three children), L Jack Boggess, 12 (buried Portland, Oregon, married 50 years, three children). All alive except brother Jack (1924NE-2001OR). Harriette and Ralph with 65th wedding anniversary, 30 June 2008. She is still water-skiing at age 87 in that frigid water of Lake Tahoe from their south shore summer home, which they've enjoyed forty years after ten years of rentals. William's wife Cay (Catherine Louise Howland) passed away April 2004.    Maude's sister Pearle (Wallick) Jacobs (1872IN-1930MN) http://files.usgwarchives.net/mn/stlouis/obits/j/jacobswa5ob.txt , buried Forest Hill Cemetery, of Duluth, Minnesota visited at both Carthage and Colorado Springs, present at my mother's 1928 death, had one child, son William Albert (1908MN-1977CA). Son William once amazed much younger, Pueblo, Colorado cousins, Harriette and William Hopkins by throwing a baseball high into the air, --- then catching it.    Carl R Gray's step-sister, Grace M Beattie (1872TN-1954MS) www.arkansasties.com/People/Borland,Mary.htm ("3E-a"), a teacher, 1902 thru 1944 at Colorado School for the Blind and the Deaf (school started 1874, territorial days, same location since 1876, a few blocks south and west from Beth-El Hospital (Memorial)), was a frequent visitor of Maude's through the years. She, oldest of two daughters, who with their mother provided nearly a hundred years service to deaf schools in Arkansas, Michigan, Washington, and Colorado. Pictured were step-sisters Grace & Mary Beattie fixing lobsters on Harbor Island in Muscongus Bay, Maine (favorite isle of Carl's mother) while visiting Carl & Harriette who loved having family at their "Friendship Cottage" --- after 1922 remodelling, "Gray Rocks", Pleasant Point, Cushing, Knox county, Maine. ["Gray Rocks", Gray's summer home 1919-1943, with 3 of its 34 acres was for sale May 2008, $2,650,000]    Granddaddy died at daughter Harriette's Pueblo, Colorado home in 1922, his obituary http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/montgomery/obits/f/flora37ob.txt failed to mention his father John Andrew, brother Clarence Morton and step-sister Linne C (Smith) Clark. Dr Frederick S McKay, a honorary pallbearer, is credited with starting study which discovered "flouride" benefiting teeth. My brother Jack http://files.usgwarchives.net/mo/jasper/obits/b/boggess7ob.txt and I http://community.webtv.net/billboggess/WILLIAMSAMUELBOGGESS , raised in Carthage, Missouri(ah), spent summer of 1936 with grandmother Maude in home where our parents wed 1921 and she died of "hypertensive heart disease" in 1940, 221 East St Vrain Street. Will and Maude were both buried in Colorado Springs' Evergreen Cemetery, he, Sunday,12 November 1922, she, Monday, 5 August 1940 later, daughter Harriette's husband, Guy Hopkins, 1966, then Harriette, in 1973 joined them. Daughter Frances was buried 1928 in Park cemetery, Carthage, Missouri. When, where & why was name "Gault" added to grandmother's name? Was it an early marriage or what? ~-~-~ For others in our FLORA family see ~-~-~ http://community.webtv.net/billboggess-flora/MYMATERNALFLORA Some of above from: History of Colorado, by Wilbur Friske Stone, published by H J Clarke, Chicago,1918 (partially incorrect). http://books.google.com/books?id=H44cmkWK6f8C... (search: Dr William Walter Flora) Compiled with fond memories and pictures from Harriette Flora (Hopkins) Anglea and others as noted, by: grandson, William (Bill) Samuel Boggess billboggess@webtv.net www.shellpoint.org http://community.webtv.net/billboggess/MYWEBSITES ~~~~~ 02/15/08 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mo/jasper/bios/flora12bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/mofiles/ File size: 40.8 Kb