Veteran: Civil War (USA)
My maternal g,grandfather.
h/o 1st Mary Elizabeth SHULTS (1851-1874), mother of their four known children, buried Americus cemetery, Lyon county, Kansas, 2nd widow Addie (Crawford) SMITH
Birth: 7th of seven known children in Harrison county, Indiana. (last born, as were his son, my grandfather, my mother and myself)
Census: 1850, age 5 Harrison county, Indiana with parents and siblings.
Census: 1860, age 14 Haw Creek, Bartholomew county, Indiana with parents and his siblings.
Raised in Bartholmew county, Indiana attending Hartsville college.
Director of United Brethren Historical Center, Randy NEUMAN reported:
(8/10/05): "I also can confirm that John Andrew Flora attended Hartsville University. I was able to find his name in one of the account books for 1859 and 1861."
Father, at age 61, joined army in 1861 serving two years, mother died in 1862 while father was away during Civil War, so ~ ~ he then came west, possibly with next older brother, Daniel Rice Boon, settling 1st in Lyon county, Kansas where oldest brother, "V P", had removed, with wife, child & her parents, in 1860 while Kansas was still a Territory.
CIVIL WAR: John Andrew, at age 19, is documented enlisting Friday, 14 October 1864 at Emporia, Lyon county, Kansas (State under Martial Law) with Captain F H Hunt in Company F, 11th Regiment Kansas State Militia under Colonel A J MITCHELL, oldest brother "V P" (Wolney Pulaski, who had arrived in Kansas Territory fall 1860), on 25 April, both on "PAY ROLL" 14 October to 16 November 1864. Both were issued a horse and rigging. Active duty shown as, 9 October to 29 October 1864, between Coldwater Grove (13-miles south of Aubrey) and Fort Scott, KS. They were involved with defeat of General Sterling PRICE's Missouri & Kansas campaign noted in Civil War diary of his future son-in-law's, mother Virginia (Davis) GRAY'S entry of 1 NOV 1864, published in 1983 Arkansas Historical Quarterly. The Flora brother's were attached, at Coldwater Grove, to Colonel Thomas MOONLIGHT's, 2nd Brigade of Major General BLUNT's Provisional Cavalry Division. This 2nd brigade included the 11th Kansas Cavalry, Moonlight's Regiment., 2 Companies of 5th Kansas Cavalry, 2 Companies of 16th Kansas Cavalry, a battery of howitzers and the 11th Regiment Cavalry, Kansas State Militia (under Colonel A.J. MITCHELL). with assignment to go to Fort Scott, along the Ft Leavenworth to Ft Scott, 1859 road (generally, present day route #7) from Paola. They engaged, the 300 pound General PRICE's 12-mile caravan, saving Mound City, 6:00 am, 25 October 1864 while "Mine Creek" engagement occurred later (11:30 am, 25 October 1864) in Linn county, Kansas, (where five future governors battled plus twice Missouri past-governor, Gen Price, and where two CSA Generals were captured). They continued towards Fort Scott, again engaged at 2:30 pm at Little Osage River, near Fort Lincoln, with Price continuing a retreat out of state at Deerfield, Missouri, 10:30 pm and on "56-miles" to my home town of Carthage, Missouri(ah) which had earlier been burnt down, for forage at Spring River. The three FLORA brothers (Cpl Daniel Rice Boon of 7th Regiment Kansas Cavalry) were each battling in Linn county, Kansas, 24-26 October 1864! No pension was found for John Andrew. (SOURCES: Kansas State Historical Society, microfilm reel # 817, p 89, 11th KSM, Muster Rolls, Records of KS Adj Gen. & Arnold SCHOFIELD, "Mine Creek" site manager). View capture of
His future son-in-law's mother, Virginia L (Davis) Gray had fed Gen Sterling Price & others just before they left Princeton, Dallas county, Arkansas for his 1864 Missouri-Kansas venture.
Therefore, William G CULTER's 1883 biography is in error with "Company C", and "Eleventh Kansas Volunteer Infantry",
Judge Nelson CASES's 1901 biography is surprisingly, found completely incorrect, as are many of the other items within his biography.
Census(Kansas): 1865, age, 19, Fremont township, Lyon, formerly Breckenridge county, Kansas with brother "V P" FLORA his family & brother D R B Flora on leave.
He married 1st wife in Lyon county, then removed southerly about 100 miles with his child bride onto Indian ceded land of Wilson, now Montgomery county, Kansas, then having four kids with 2nd born noted in 1883 history book as 1st white child born in Montgomery county, Kansas, with Carrie INGALLS of "Little House on the Prairie" fame, born across river the following year.
The frontier was tough with its share of dangers and hardships in the days when both they and the territory were young. During those years, amongest the many other hardships, were: 130 Kansas settlers slaughtered by Indians in 1867, a horrendous prairie fire occurred in 1868 when the night sky was said to be bright enough to read a book 1-mile away but, as pioneers. The CONRAD & FLORA families survived most hardships of their early prairie living.
"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 (which include: John, wife Mary & brother Daniel) 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.
Census: 1870, age 24 Verdigris, Montgomery, formerly Wilson county, Kansas with wife & two known kids.
Reportedly lost much during the economic down-turn of 1873.
John's first wife, Mary Elizabeth (Shults) FLORA, mother of their four children, Clarence M (1868KS-1924OK), Harriette A (1869KS-1956ME), William W (1871KS-1922CO) and Jennie G,---, (birth & death dates unknown, mysteriously buried with mother who reportedly died 1874 in Lyon, formerly Breckenridge county, ~ ~ found in Americus Cemetery, Lyon county, Kansas)
Census (Kansas): 1875, age 28 Liberty, Montgomery, formerly Wilson county, Kansas (his children with their maternal grandmother SHULTS)
Married second wife, she a widow with two of her three kids living.
John removed from Montgomery county in 1878 to Oswego in Labbettr county when married to 2nd wife "Addie", with his two oldest children and her two, a son and daughter where they managed Charles Monroe CONDON's, Condon House (Burgess hotel in 1934, said his obit). Son "Will", my grandfather, remained with his maternal grandmother SHULTS in Montgomery county, joining his father about seven years later, in 1885.
Census: 1880, age 35 Oswego, Lebette county, Kansas with 2nd wife, her two kids & two of his three kids.
John, #33 on roster, age "38", of record "30 June 1883", being in Oswego GAR Post #150, occupation; "hotel keeper", a former "Sargt."(?), discharged; "15 January 1865"(?), dropped in 1891 for lack of dues payment while serving as Labette County Register of Deeds.
Census (Kansas): 1885, age 40 Oswego, Labette county, Kansas with 2nd wife, her two kids, his three kids at Condon Hotel which he operated with one boarder named Carl Raymond GRAY.
Elected Labette County Register of Deeds, 1890-1892.
Census (Kansas): 1895, age 45 Liberty township, Labette county, Kansas with 2nd wife, he farming.
Census: 1900, age 55 Liberty township, Labette county, Kansas with 2nd wife, farming.
Census (Kansas): 1905, age 59 Liberty township, Labette county, Kansas with 2nd wife, farming.
Census: 1910, age 65 Oswego, Labette county, Kansas with 2nd wife who died in 1913.
Census (Kansas): 1915, age 69 widower, Oswego, Lattete county, Kansas with step-daughter.
Census: 1920, age 74 widower, Oswego, Labette county, Kansas.
Attended his first granddaughter's, Harriette Pearle FLORA, 1920 wedding at Colorado Springs, El Paso county, Colorado, but did NOT attend second granddaughter's, my mother, Frances Elizabeth FLORA, August 1921 wedding.
Census (Kansas): 1925, age 79 widower, Oswego, Labette county, Kansas.
Census: 1930, age 84, widower, Oswego, Labette county, Kansas at 10 Michigan street, step-daughter at 24 Michigan street.
Death: in Oswego, Labette county, Kansas.
<-----<>----->
South Kansas Tribune
Wed., Nov. 7, 1934, front page.
Courtesy of Maryann Johnson of the Kansas Room, Independence (KS) Library.
John Flora, Pioneer Settler, Dead
John Flora, age 90, died on Sunday morning at his home in Oswego, Kansas where he has lived for the past 20 years since retiring from active farm work.
John Flora came to Kansas with Henry Conrad and several others and entered claims west of Liberty near Brown's Ford before the signing of Osage treaty with the Indians in 1868, but later- moved [1878] to Labette county, where he had since resided.
His son, Clarence Flora, now deceased, was a well known citizen of Independence at one time, conducting the Independence Shirt Co., in partnership with Bob Kincaid. These two men built up a business employing 20 r 30 people in the manufacturing of shirts.
Mr. Flora is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Carl Gray, who is wife of the president of the Union Pacific railway, and lives in Omaha. The other daughter [step-daughter] is Mrs. Elmer C Clark of Oswego whose husband is the district judge of Labette county, [living on same Michigan street, she looked after her step-father, John Andrew Flora, for his last twenty years, till his in 1934 death].
The funeral was held in Oswego on Tuesday.
Additional Comments:
John was buried with second wife, Addie C Smith-FLORA (mother of Mrs. CLARK), who preceded him in death on 4 Jan 1913, both in Oswego Cemetery. [plot of Addie's sister Sarah J SHIPLEY]
Father: Reverend John FLORA b: 28 JAN 1800 in Germany
Mother: Amanda G. LENTZ b: 12 NOV 1810 in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania
Marriage 1: Mary Elizabeth SHULTS b: 20 JUN 1851 in Delaware county, Ohio
Married: 10 FEB 1867 in Lyon County, Kansas (her age 16)
Known Children
Jennie G FLORA b: date and location in Kansas currently unknown, death after one month.
Clarence Morton FLORA b: 22 APR 1868 in Verdigris township now Liberty township, Wilson County now Montgomery county, Kansas
Harriette Amanda FLORA b: 17 SEP 1869 in Verdigris township now Liberty township, Montgomery county, Kansas
William Walter FLORA b: 23 NOV 1871 in Liberty township, Montgomery county, Kansas
Marriage 2: widow Addie (Crawford) SMITH b: 12 NOV 1844 in Indiana
Married: 1878 in Parsons, Labette county, Kansas by Rev F R MORTON at Presbyterian church.
2nd wife, Addie (Crawford) SMITH, widow of William E SMITH with two living of three children, a sister of Sarah Jenice (Crawford) SHIPLEY, buried in Oswego cemetery, Labette county, Kansas.
No issues ~ ~ she brought two surviving of three children, a son and daughter into the marriage.
Booklet "OUR FLORA FAMILY" filed with:
Kansas Room, Independence Public Library, Emporia Public Library, Labette Genealogical Society, Oswego, Lyon County Historical Achives, Emporia and with Kansas Historical Society's library, Topeka.
Prepared in part by Bill Boggess.
My maternal g,grandfather.
h/o 1st Mary Elizabeth SHULTS (1851-1874), mother of their four known children, buried Americus cemetery, Lyon county, Kansas, 2nd widow Addie (Crawford) SMITH
Birth: 7th of seven known children in Harrison county, Indiana. (last born, as were his son, my grandfather, my mother and myself)
Census: 1850, age 5 Harrison county, Indiana with parents and siblings.
Census: 1860, age 14 Haw Creek, Bartholomew county, Indiana with parents and his siblings.
Raised in Bartholmew county, Indiana attending Hartsville college.
Director of United Brethren Historical Center, Randy NEUMAN reported:
(8/10/05): "I also can confirm that John Andrew Flora attended Hartsville University. I was able to find his name in one of the account books for 1859 and 1861."
Father, at age 61, joined army in 1861 serving two years, mother died in 1862 while father was away during Civil War, so ~ ~ he then came west, possibly with next older brother, Daniel Rice Boon, settling 1st in Lyon county, Kansas where oldest brother, "V P", had removed, with wife, child & her parents, in 1860 while Kansas was still a Territory.
CIVIL WAR: John Andrew, at age 19, is documented enlisting Friday, 14 October 1864 at Emporia, Lyon county, Kansas (State under Martial Law) with Captain F H Hunt in Company F, 11th Regiment Kansas State Militia under Colonel A J MITCHELL, oldest brother "V P" (Wolney Pulaski, who had arrived in Kansas Territory fall 1860), on 25 April, both on "PAY ROLL" 14 October to 16 November 1864. Both were issued a horse and rigging. Active duty shown as, 9 October to 29 October 1864, between Coldwater Grove (13-miles south of Aubrey) and Fort Scott, KS. They were involved with defeat of General Sterling PRICE's Missouri & Kansas campaign noted in Civil War diary of his future son-in-law's, mother Virginia (Davis) GRAY'S entry of 1 NOV 1864, published in 1983 Arkansas Historical Quarterly. The Flora brother's were attached, at Coldwater Grove, to Colonel Thomas MOONLIGHT's, 2nd Brigade of Major General BLUNT's Provisional Cavalry Division. This 2nd brigade included the 11th Kansas Cavalry, Moonlight's Regiment., 2 Companies of 5th Kansas Cavalry, 2 Companies of 16th Kansas Cavalry, a battery of howitzers and the 11th Regiment Cavalry, Kansas State Militia (under Colonel A.J. MITCHELL). with assignment to go to Fort Scott, along the Ft Leavenworth to Ft Scott, 1859 road (generally, present day route #7) from Paola. They engaged, the 300 pound General PRICE's 12-mile caravan, saving Mound City, 6:00 am, 25 October 1864 while "Mine Creek" engagement occurred later (11:30 am, 25 October 1864) in Linn county, Kansas, (where five future governors battled plus twice Missouri past-governor, Gen Price, and where two CSA Generals were captured). They continued towards Fort Scott, again engaged at 2:30 pm at Little Osage River, near Fort Lincoln, with Price continuing a retreat out of state at Deerfield, Missouri, 10:30 pm and on "56-miles" to my home town of Carthage, Missouri(ah) which had earlier been burnt down, for forage at Spring River. The three FLORA brothers (Cpl Daniel Rice Boon of 7th Regiment Kansas Cavalry) were each battling in Linn county, Kansas, 24-26 October 1864! No pension was found for John Andrew. (SOURCES: Kansas State Historical Society, microfilm reel # 817, p 89, 11th KSM, Muster Rolls, Records of KS Adj Gen. & Arnold SCHOFIELD, "Mine Creek" site manager). View capture of
His future son-in-law's mother, Virginia L (Davis) Gray had fed Gen Sterling Price & others just before they left Princeton, Dallas county, Arkansas for his 1864 Missouri-Kansas venture.
Therefore, William G CULTER's 1883 biography is in error with "Company C", and "Eleventh Kansas Volunteer Infantry",
Judge Nelson CASES's 1901 biography is surprisingly, found completely incorrect, as are many of the other items within his biography.
Census(Kansas): 1865, age, 19, Fremont township, Lyon, formerly Breckenridge county, Kansas with brother "V P" FLORA his family & brother D R B Flora on leave.
He married 1st wife in Lyon county, then removed southerly about 100 miles with his child bride onto Indian ceded land of Wilson, now Montgomery county, Kansas, then having four kids with 2nd born noted in 1883 history book as 1st white child born in Montgomery county, Kansas, with Carrie INGALLS of "Little House on the Prairie" fame, born across river the following year.
The frontier was tough with its share of dangers and hardships in the days when both they and the territory were young. During those years, amongest the many other hardships, were: 130 Kansas settlers slaughtered by Indians in 1867, a horrendous prairie fire occurred in 1868 when the night sky was said to be bright enough to read a book 1-mile away but, as pioneers. The CONRAD & FLORA families survived most hardships of their early prairie living.
"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 (which include: John, wife Mary & brother Daniel) 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.
Census: 1870, age 24 Verdigris, Montgomery, formerly Wilson county, Kansas with wife & two known kids.
Reportedly lost much during the economic down-turn of 1873.
John's first wife, Mary Elizabeth (Shults) FLORA, mother of their four children, Clarence M (1868KS-1924OK), Harriette A (1869KS-1956ME), William W (1871KS-1922CO) and Jennie G,---, (birth & death dates unknown, mysteriously buried with mother who reportedly died 1874 in Lyon, formerly Breckenridge county, ~ ~ found in Americus Cemetery, Lyon county, Kansas)
Census (Kansas): 1875, age 28 Liberty, Montgomery, formerly Wilson county, Kansas (his children with their maternal grandmother SHULTS)
Married second wife, she a widow with two of her three kids living.
John removed from Montgomery county in 1878 to Oswego in Labbettr county when married to 2nd wife "Addie", with his two oldest children and her two, a son and daughter where they managed Charles Monroe CONDON's, Condon House (Burgess hotel in 1934, said his obit). Son "Will", my grandfather, remained with his maternal grandmother SHULTS in Montgomery county, joining his father about seven years later, in 1885.
Census: 1880, age 35 Oswego, Lebette county, Kansas with 2nd wife, her two kids & two of his three kids.
John, #33 on roster, age "38", of record "30 June 1883", being in Oswego GAR Post #150, occupation; "hotel keeper", a former "Sargt."(?), discharged; "15 January 1865"(?), dropped in 1891 for lack of dues payment while serving as Labette County Register of Deeds.
Census (Kansas): 1885, age 40 Oswego, Labette county, Kansas with 2nd wife, her two kids, his three kids at Condon Hotel which he operated with one boarder named Carl Raymond GRAY.
Elected Labette County Register of Deeds, 1890-1892.
Census (Kansas): 1895, age 45 Liberty township, Labette county, Kansas with 2nd wife, he farming.
Census: 1900, age 55 Liberty township, Labette county, Kansas with 2nd wife, farming.
Census (Kansas): 1905, age 59 Liberty township, Labette county, Kansas with 2nd wife, farming.
Census: 1910, age 65 Oswego, Labette county, Kansas with 2nd wife who died in 1913.
Census (Kansas): 1915, age 69 widower, Oswego, Lattete county, Kansas with step-daughter.
Census: 1920, age 74 widower, Oswego, Labette county, Kansas.
Attended his first granddaughter's, Harriette Pearle FLORA, 1920 wedding at Colorado Springs, El Paso county, Colorado, but did NOT attend second granddaughter's, my mother, Frances Elizabeth FLORA, August 1921 wedding.
Census (Kansas): 1925, age 79 widower, Oswego, Labette county, Kansas.
Census: 1930, age 84, widower, Oswego, Labette county, Kansas at 10 Michigan street, step-daughter at 24 Michigan street.
Death: in Oswego, Labette county, Kansas.
<-----<>----->
South Kansas Tribune
Wed., Nov. 7, 1934, front page.
Courtesy of Maryann Johnson of the Kansas Room, Independence (KS) Library.
John Flora, Pioneer Settler, Dead
John Flora, age 90, died on Sunday morning at his home in Oswego, Kansas where he has lived for the past 20 years since retiring from active farm work.
John Flora came to Kansas with Henry Conrad and several others and entered claims west of Liberty near Brown's Ford before the signing of Osage treaty with the Indians in 1868, but later- moved [1878] to Labette county, where he had since resided.
His son, Clarence Flora, now deceased, was a well known citizen of Independence at one time, conducting the Independence Shirt Co., in partnership with Bob Kincaid. These two men built up a business employing 20 r 30 people in the manufacturing of shirts.
Mr. Flora is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Carl Gray, who is wife of the president of the Union Pacific railway, and lives in Omaha. The other daughter [step-daughter] is Mrs. Elmer C Clark of Oswego whose husband is the district judge of Labette county, [living on same Michigan street, she looked after her step-father, John Andrew Flora, for his last twenty years, till his in 1934 death].
The funeral was held in Oswego on Tuesday.
Additional Comments:
John was buried with second wife, Addie C Smith-FLORA (mother of Mrs. CLARK), who preceded him in death on 4 Jan 1913, both in Oswego Cemetery. [plot of Addie's sister Sarah J SHIPLEY]
Father: Reverend John FLORA b: 28 JAN 1800 in Germany
Mother: Amanda G. LENTZ b: 12 NOV 1810 in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania
Marriage 1: Mary Elizabeth SHULTS b: 20 JUN 1851 in Delaware county, Ohio
Married: 10 FEB 1867 in Lyon County, Kansas (her age 16)
Known Children
Jennie G FLORA b: date and location in Kansas currently unknown, death after one month.
Clarence Morton FLORA b: 22 APR 1868 in Verdigris township now Liberty township, Wilson County now Montgomery county, Kansas
Harriette Amanda FLORA b: 17 SEP 1869 in Verdigris township now Liberty township, Montgomery county, Kansas
William Walter FLORA b: 23 NOV 1871 in Liberty township, Montgomery county, Kansas
Marriage 2: widow Addie (Crawford) SMITH b: 12 NOV 1844 in Indiana
Married: 1878 in Parsons, Labette county, Kansas by Rev F R MORTON at Presbyterian church.
2nd wife, Addie (Crawford) SMITH, widow of William E SMITH with two living of three children, a sister of Sarah Jenice (Crawford) SHIPLEY, buried in Oswego cemetery, Labette county, Kansas.
No issues ~ ~ she brought two surviving of three children, a son and daughter into the marriage.
Booklet "OUR FLORA FAMILY" filed with:
Kansas Room, Independence Public Library, Emporia Public Library, Labette Genealogical Society, Oswego, Lyon County Historical Achives, Emporia and with Kansas Historical Society's library, Topeka.
Prepared in part by Bill Boggess.
Veteran: Civil War (USA)
My maternal g,grandfather.
h/o 1st Mary Elizabeth SHULTS (1851-1874), mother of their four known children, buried Americus cemetery, Lyon county, Kansas, 2nd widow Addie (Crawford) SMITH
Birth: 7th of seven known children in Harrison county, Indiana. (last born, as were his son, my grandfather, my mother and myself)
Census: 1850, age 5 Harrison county, Indiana with parents and siblings.
Census: 1860, age 14 Haw Creek, Bartholomew county, Indiana with parents and his siblings.
Raised in Bartholmew county, Indiana attending Hartsville college.
Director of United Brethren Historical Center, Randy NEUMAN reported:
(8/10/05): "I also can confirm that John Andrew Flora attended Hartsville University. I was able to find his name in one of the account books for 1859 and 1861."
Father, at age 61, joined army in 1861 serving two years, mother died in 1862 while father was away during Civil War, so ~ ~ he then came west, possibly with next older brother, Daniel Rice Boon, settling 1st in Lyon county, Kansas where oldest brother, "V P", had removed, with wife, child & her parents, in 1860 while Kansas was still a Territory.
CIVIL WAR: John Andrew, at age 19, is documented enlisting Friday, 14 October 1864 at Emporia, Lyon county, Kansas (State under Martial Law) with Captain F H Hunt in Company F, 11th Regiment Kansas State Militia under Colonel A J MITCHELL, oldest brother "V P" (Wolney Pulaski, who had arrived in Kansas Territory fall 1860), on 25 April, both on "PAY ROLL" 14 October to 16 November 1864. Both were issued a horse and rigging. Active duty shown as, 9 October to 29 October 1864, between Coldwater Grove (13-miles south of Aubrey) and Fort Scott, KS. They were involved with defeat of General Sterling PRICE's Missouri & Kansas campaign noted in Civil War diary of his future son-in-law's, mother Virginia (Davis) GRAY'S entry of 1 NOV 1864, published in 1983 Arkansas Historical Quarterly. The Flora brother's were attached, at Coldwater Grove, to Colonel Thomas MOONLIGHT's, 2nd Brigade of Major General BLUNT's Provisional Cavalry Division. This 2nd brigade included the 11th Kansas Cavalry, Moonlight's Regiment., 2 Companies of 5th Kansas Cavalry, 2 Companies of 16th Kansas Cavalry, a battery of howitzers and the 11th Regiment Cavalry, Kansas State Militia (under Colonel A.J. MITCHELL). with assignment to go to Fort Scott, along the Ft Leavenworth to Ft Scott, 1859 road (generally, present day route #7) from Paola. They engaged, the 300 pound General PRICE's 12-mile caravan, saving Mound City, 6:00 am, 25 October 1864 while "Mine Creek" engagement occurred later (11:30 am, 25 October 1864) in Linn county, Kansas, (where five future governors battled plus twice Missouri past-governor, Gen Price, and where two CSA Generals were captured). They continued towards Fort Scott, again engaged at 2:30 pm at Little Osage River, near Fort Lincoln, with Price continuing a retreat out of state at Deerfield, Missouri, 10:30 pm and on "56-miles" to my home town of Carthage, Missouri(ah) which had earlier been burnt down, for forage at Spring River. The three FLORA brothers (Cpl Daniel Rice Boon of 7th Regiment Kansas Cavalry) were each battling in Linn county, Kansas, 24-26 October 1864! No pension was found for John Andrew. (SOURCES: Kansas State Historical Society, microfilm reel # 817, p 89, 11th KSM, Muster Rolls, Records of KS Adj Gen. & Arnold SCHOFIELD, "Mine Creek" site manager). View capture of
His future son-in-law's mother, Virginia L (Davis) Gray had fed Gen Sterling Price & others just before they left Princeton, Dallas county, Arkansas for his 1864 Missouri-Kansas venture.
Therefore, William G CULTER's 1883 biography is in error with "Company C", and "Eleventh Kansas Volunteer Infantry",
Judge Nelson CASES's 1901 biography is surprisingly, found completely incorrect, as are many of the other items within his biography.
Census(Kansas): 1865, age, 19, Fremont township, Lyon, formerly Breckenridge county, Kansas with brother "V P" FLORA his family & brother D R B Flora on leave.
He married 1st wife in Lyon county, then removed southerly about 100 miles with his child bride onto Indian ceded land of Wilson, now Montgomery county, Kansas, then having four kids with 2nd born noted in 1883 history book as 1st white child born in Montgomery county, Kansas, with Carrie INGALLS of "Little House on the Prairie" fame, born across river the following year.
The frontier was tough with its share of dangers and hardships in the days when both they and the territory were young. During those years, amongest the many other hardships, were: 130 Kansas settlers slaughtered by Indians in 1867, a horrendous prairie fire occurred in 1868 when the night sky was said to be bright enough to read a book 1-mile away but, as pioneers. The CONRAD & FLORA families survived most hardships of their early prairie living.
"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 (which include: John, wife Mary & brother Daniel) 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.
Census: 1870, age 24 Verdigris, Montgomery, formerly Wilson county, Kansas with wife & two known kids.
Reportedly lost much during the economic down-turn of 1873.
John's first wife, Mary Elizabeth (Shults) FLORA, mother of their four children, Clarence M (1868KS-1924OK), Harriette A (1869KS-1956ME), William W (1871KS-1922CO) and Jennie G,---, (birth & death dates unknown, mysteriously buried with mother who reportedly died 1874 in Lyon, formerly Breckenridge county, ~ ~ found in Americus Cemetery, Lyon county, Kansas)
Census (Kansas): 1875, age 28 Liberty, Montgomery, formerly Wilson county, Kansas (his children with their maternal grandmother SHULTS)
Married second wife, she a widow with two of her three kids living.
John removed from Montgomery county in 1878 to Oswego in Labbettr county when married to 2nd wife "Addie", with his two oldest children and her two, a son and daughter where they managed Charles Monroe CONDON's, Condon House (Burgess hotel in 1934, said his obit). Son "Will", my grandfather, remained with his maternal grandmother SHULTS in Montgomery county, joining his father about seven years later, in 1885.
Census: 1880, age 35 Oswego, Lebette county, Kansas with 2nd wife, her two kids & two of his three kids.
John, #33 on roster, age "38", of record "30 June 1883", being in Oswego GAR Post #150, occupation; "hotel keeper", a former "Sargt."(?), discharged; "15 January 1865"(?), dropped in 1891 for lack of dues payment while serving as Labette County Register of Deeds.
Census (Kansas): 1885, age 40 Oswego, Labette county, Kansas with 2nd wife, her two kids, his three kids at Condon Hotel which he operated with one boarder named Carl Raymond GRAY.
Elected Labette County Register of Deeds, 1890-1892.
Census (Kansas): 1895, age 45 Liberty township, Labette county, Kansas with 2nd wife, he farming.
Census: 1900, age 55 Liberty township, Labette county, Kansas with 2nd wife, farming.
Census (Kansas): 1905, age 59 Liberty township, Labette county, Kansas with 2nd wife, farming.
Census: 1910, age 65 Oswego, Labette county, Kansas with 2nd wife who died in 1913.
Census (Kansas): 1915, age 69 widower, Oswego, Lattete county, Kansas with step-daughter.
Census: 1920, age 74 widower, Oswego, Labette county, Kansas.
Attended his first granddaughter's, Harriette Pearle FLORA, 1920 wedding at Colorado Springs, El Paso county, Colorado, but did NOT attend second granddaughter's, my mother, Frances Elizabeth FLORA, August 1921 wedding.
Census (Kansas): 1925, age 79 widower, Oswego, Labette county, Kansas.
Census: 1930, age 84, widower, Oswego, Labette county, Kansas at 10 Michigan street, step-daughter at 24 Michigan street.
Death: in Oswego, Labette county, Kansas.
<-----<>----->
South Kansas Tribune
Wed., Nov. 7, 1934, front page.
Courtesy of Maryann Johnson of the Kansas Room, Independence (KS) Library.
John Flora, Pioneer Settler, Dead
John Flora, age 90, died on Sunday morning at his home in Oswego, Kansas where he has lived for the past 20 years since retiring from active farm work.
John Flora came to Kansas with Henry Conrad and several others and entered claims west of Liberty near Brown's Ford before the signing of Osage treaty with the Indians in 1868, but later- moved [1878] to Labette county, where he had since resided.
His son, Clarence Flora, now deceased, was a well known citizen of Independence at one time, conducting the Independence Shirt Co., in partnership with Bob Kincaid. These two men built up a business employing 20 r 30 people in the manufacturing of shirts.
Mr. Flora is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Carl Gray, who is wife of the president of the Union Pacific railway, and lives in Omaha. The other daughter [step-daughter] is Mrs. Elmer C Clark of Oswego whose husband is the district judge of Labette county, [living on same Michigan street, she looked after her step-father, John Andrew Flora, for his last twenty years, till his in 1934 death].
The funeral was held in Oswego on Tuesday.
Additional Comments:
John was buried with second wife, Addie C Smith-FLORA (mother of Mrs. CLARK), who preceded him in death on 4 Jan 1913, both in Oswego Cemetery. [plot of Addie's sister Sarah J SHIPLEY]
Father: Reverend John FLORA b: 28 JAN 1800 in Germany
Mother: Amanda G. LENTZ b: 12 NOV 1810 in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania
Marriage 1: Mary Elizabeth SHULTS b: 20 JUN 1851 in Delaware county, Ohio
Married: 10 FEB 1867 in Lyon County, Kansas (her age 16)
Known Children
Jennie G FLORA b: date and location in Kansas currently unknown, death after one month.
Clarence Morton FLORA b: 22 APR 1868 in Verdigris township now Liberty township, Wilson County now Montgomery county, Kansas
Harriette Amanda FLORA b: 17 SEP 1869 in Verdigris township now Liberty township, Montgomery county, Kansas
William Walter FLORA b: 23 NOV 1871 in Liberty township, Montgomery county, Kansas
Marriage 2: widow Addie (Crawford) SMITH b: 12 NOV 1844 in Indiana
Married: 1878 in Parsons, Labette county, Kansas by Rev F R MORTON at Presbyterian church.
2nd wife, Addie (Crawford) SMITH, widow of William E SMITH with two living of three children, a sister of Sarah Jenice (Crawford) SHIPLEY, buried in Oswego cemetery, Labette county, Kansas.
No issues ~ ~ she brought two surviving of three children, a son and daughter into the marriage.
Booklet "OUR FLORA FAMILY" filed with:
Kansas Room, Independence Public Library, Emporia Public Library, Labette Genealogical Society, Oswego, Lyon County Historical Achives, Emporia and with Kansas Historical Society's library, Topeka.
Prepared in part by Bill Boggess.
My maternal g,grandfather.
h/o 1st Mary Elizabeth SHULTS (1851-1874), mother of their four known children, buried Americus cemetery, Lyon county, Kansas, 2nd widow Addie (Crawford) SMITH
Birth: 7th of seven known children in Harrison county, Indiana. (last born, as were his son, my grandfather, my mother and myself)
Census: 1850, age 5 Harrison county, Indiana with parents and siblings.
Census: 1860, age 14 Haw Creek, Bartholomew county, Indiana with parents and his siblings.
Raised in Bartholmew county, Indiana attending Hartsville college.
Director of United Brethren Historical Center, Randy NEUMAN reported:
(8/10/05): "I also can confirm that John Andrew Flora attended Hartsville University. I was able to find his name in one of the account books for 1859 and 1861."
Father, at age 61, joined army in 1861 serving two years, mother died in 1862 while father was away during Civil War, so ~ ~ he then came west, possibly with next older brother, Daniel Rice Boon, settling 1st in Lyon county, Kansas where oldest brother, "V P", had removed, with wife, child & her parents, in 1860 while Kansas was still a Territory.
CIVIL WAR: John Andrew, at age 19, is documented enlisting Friday, 14 October 1864 at Emporia, Lyon county, Kansas (State under Martial Law) with Captain F H Hunt in Company F, 11th Regiment Kansas State Militia under Colonel A J MITCHELL, oldest brother "V P" (Wolney Pulaski, who had arrived in Kansas Territory fall 1860), on 25 April, both on "PAY ROLL" 14 October to 16 November 1864. Both were issued a horse and rigging. Active duty shown as, 9 October to 29 October 1864, between Coldwater Grove (13-miles south of Aubrey) and Fort Scott, KS. They were involved with defeat of General Sterling PRICE's Missouri & Kansas campaign noted in Civil War diary of his future son-in-law's, mother Virginia (Davis) GRAY'S entry of 1 NOV 1864, published in 1983 Arkansas Historical Quarterly. The Flora brother's were attached, at Coldwater Grove, to Colonel Thomas MOONLIGHT's, 2nd Brigade of Major General BLUNT's Provisional Cavalry Division. This 2nd brigade included the 11th Kansas Cavalry, Moonlight's Regiment., 2 Companies of 5th Kansas Cavalry, 2 Companies of 16th Kansas Cavalry, a battery of howitzers and the 11th Regiment Cavalry, Kansas State Militia (under Colonel A.J. MITCHELL). with assignment to go to Fort Scott, along the Ft Leavenworth to Ft Scott, 1859 road (generally, present day route #7) from Paola. They engaged, the 300 pound General PRICE's 12-mile caravan, saving Mound City, 6:00 am, 25 October 1864 while "Mine Creek" engagement occurred later (11:30 am, 25 October 1864) in Linn county, Kansas, (where five future governors battled plus twice Missouri past-governor, Gen Price, and where two CSA Generals were captured). They continued towards Fort Scott, again engaged at 2:30 pm at Little Osage River, near Fort Lincoln, with Price continuing a retreat out of state at Deerfield, Missouri, 10:30 pm and on "56-miles" to my home town of Carthage, Missouri(ah) which had earlier been burnt down, for forage at Spring River. The three FLORA brothers (Cpl Daniel Rice Boon of 7th Regiment Kansas Cavalry) were each battling in Linn county, Kansas, 24-26 October 1864! No pension was found for John Andrew. (SOURCES: Kansas State Historical Society, microfilm reel # 817, p 89, 11th KSM, Muster Rolls, Records of KS Adj Gen. & Arnold SCHOFIELD, "Mine Creek" site manager). View capture of
His future son-in-law's mother, Virginia L (Davis) Gray had fed Gen Sterling Price & others just before they left Princeton, Dallas county, Arkansas for his 1864 Missouri-Kansas venture.
Therefore, William G CULTER's 1883 biography is in error with "Company C", and "Eleventh Kansas Volunteer Infantry",
Judge Nelson CASES's 1901 biography is surprisingly, found completely incorrect, as are many of the other items within his biography.
Census(Kansas): 1865, age, 19, Fremont township, Lyon, formerly Breckenridge county, Kansas with brother "V P" FLORA his family & brother D R B Flora on leave.
He married 1st wife in Lyon county, then removed southerly about 100 miles with his child bride onto Indian ceded land of Wilson, now Montgomery county, Kansas, then having four kids with 2nd born noted in 1883 history book as 1st white child born in Montgomery county, Kansas, with Carrie INGALLS of "Little House on the Prairie" fame, born across river the following year.
The frontier was tough with its share of dangers and hardships in the days when both they and the territory were young. During those years, amongest the many other hardships, were: 130 Kansas settlers slaughtered by Indians in 1867, a horrendous prairie fire occurred in 1868 when the night sky was said to be bright enough to read a book 1-mile away but, as pioneers. The CONRAD & FLORA families survived most hardships of their early prairie living.
"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 (which include: John, wife Mary & brother Daniel) 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.
Census: 1870, age 24 Verdigris, Montgomery, formerly Wilson county, Kansas with wife & two known kids.
Reportedly lost much during the economic down-turn of 1873.
John's first wife, Mary Elizabeth (Shults) FLORA, mother of their four children, Clarence M (1868KS-1924OK), Harriette A (1869KS-1956ME), William W (1871KS-1922CO) and Jennie G,---, (birth & death dates unknown, mysteriously buried with mother who reportedly died 1874 in Lyon, formerly Breckenridge county, ~ ~ found in Americus Cemetery, Lyon county, Kansas)
Census (Kansas): 1875, age 28 Liberty, Montgomery, formerly Wilson county, Kansas (his children with their maternal grandmother SHULTS)
Married second wife, she a widow with two of her three kids living.
John removed from Montgomery county in 1878 to Oswego in Labbettr county when married to 2nd wife "Addie", with his two oldest children and her two, a son and daughter where they managed Charles Monroe CONDON's, Condon House (Burgess hotel in 1934, said his obit). Son "Will", my grandfather, remained with his maternal grandmother SHULTS in Montgomery county, joining his father about seven years later, in 1885.
Census: 1880, age 35 Oswego, Lebette county, Kansas with 2nd wife, her two kids & two of his three kids.
John, #33 on roster, age "38", of record "30 June 1883", being in Oswego GAR Post #150, occupation; "hotel keeper", a former "Sargt."(?), discharged; "15 January 1865"(?), dropped in 1891 for lack of dues payment while serving as Labette County Register of Deeds.
Census (Kansas): 1885, age 40 Oswego, Labette county, Kansas with 2nd wife, her two kids, his three kids at Condon Hotel which he operated with one boarder named Carl Raymond GRAY.
Elected Labette County Register of Deeds, 1890-1892.
Census (Kansas): 1895, age 45 Liberty township, Labette county, Kansas with 2nd wife, he farming.
Census: 1900, age 55 Liberty township, Labette county, Kansas with 2nd wife, farming.
Census (Kansas): 1905, age 59 Liberty township, Labette county, Kansas with 2nd wife, farming.
Census: 1910, age 65 Oswego, Labette county, Kansas with 2nd wife who died in 1913.
Census (Kansas): 1915, age 69 widower, Oswego, Lattete county, Kansas with step-daughter.
Census: 1920, age 74 widower, Oswego, Labette county, Kansas.
Attended his first granddaughter's, Harriette Pearle FLORA, 1920 wedding at Colorado Springs, El Paso county, Colorado, but did NOT attend second granddaughter's, my mother, Frances Elizabeth FLORA, August 1921 wedding.
Census (Kansas): 1925, age 79 widower, Oswego, Labette county, Kansas.
Census: 1930, age 84, widower, Oswego, Labette county, Kansas at 10 Michigan street, step-daughter at 24 Michigan street.
Death: in Oswego, Labette county, Kansas.
<-----<>----->
South Kansas Tribune
Wed., Nov. 7, 1934, front page.
Courtesy of Maryann Johnson of the Kansas Room, Independence (KS) Library.
John Flora, Pioneer Settler, Dead
John Flora, age 90, died on Sunday morning at his home in Oswego, Kansas where he has lived for the past 20 years since retiring from active farm work.
John Flora came to Kansas with Henry Conrad and several others and entered claims west of Liberty near Brown's Ford before the signing of Osage treaty with the Indians in 1868, but later- moved [1878] to Labette county, where he had since resided.
His son, Clarence Flora, now deceased, was a well known citizen of Independence at one time, conducting the Independence Shirt Co., in partnership with Bob Kincaid. These two men built up a business employing 20 r 30 people in the manufacturing of shirts.
Mr. Flora is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Carl Gray, who is wife of the president of the Union Pacific railway, and lives in Omaha. The other daughter [step-daughter] is Mrs. Elmer C Clark of Oswego whose husband is the district judge of Labette county, [living on same Michigan street, she looked after her step-father, John Andrew Flora, for his last twenty years, till his in 1934 death].
The funeral was held in Oswego on Tuesday.
Additional Comments:
John was buried with second wife, Addie C Smith-FLORA (mother of Mrs. CLARK), who preceded him in death on 4 Jan 1913, both in Oswego Cemetery. [plot of Addie's sister Sarah J SHIPLEY]
Father: Reverend John FLORA b: 28 JAN 1800 in Germany
Mother: Amanda G. LENTZ b: 12 NOV 1810 in Lower Merion Township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania
Marriage 1: Mary Elizabeth SHULTS b: 20 JUN 1851 in Delaware county, Ohio
Married: 10 FEB 1867 in Lyon County, Kansas (her age 16)
Known Children
Jennie G FLORA b: date and location in Kansas currently unknown, death after one month.
Clarence Morton FLORA b: 22 APR 1868 in Verdigris township now Liberty township, Wilson County now Montgomery county, Kansas
Harriette Amanda FLORA b: 17 SEP 1869 in Verdigris township now Liberty township, Montgomery county, Kansas
William Walter FLORA b: 23 NOV 1871 in Liberty township, Montgomery county, Kansas
Marriage 2: widow Addie (Crawford) SMITH b: 12 NOV 1844 in Indiana
Married: 1878 in Parsons, Labette county, Kansas by Rev F R MORTON at Presbyterian church.
2nd wife, Addie (Crawford) SMITH, widow of William E SMITH with two living of three children, a sister of Sarah Jenice (Crawford) SHIPLEY, buried in Oswego cemetery, Labette county, Kansas.
No issues ~ ~ she brought two surviving of three children, a son and daughter into the marriage.
Booklet "OUR FLORA FAMILY" filed with:
Kansas Room, Independence Public Library, Emporia Public Library, Labette Genealogical Society, Oswego, Lyon County Historical Achives, Emporia and with Kansas Historical Society's library, Topeka.
Prepared in part by Bill Boggess.
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