HOSMER FAMILY.

George W. Hosmer.

He is written about in the 1901 Biographic sketches of Cowley County. He came in the spring of 1871.

[1871] PAGE 481.

PLAYED UP IN BIO...MRS. HARRIET HOSMER, WIDOW OF THE LATE GEORGE HOSMER.

GEORGE W. HOSMER lived on the northwest quarter of section 32, township 33, range 8 east, Otter Township, Cowley County, Kansas. He was born in the town of Jerusalem, Yates County, New York, in April 1822. He was a son of J. P. and Lucy (Earle) Hosmer. J. P. Hosmer was a farmer by occupation, and moved from New York to Huron County, Ohio, where G. W. Hosmer was reared and educated.

George W. Hosmer remained at home until 1850 when he moved to Iroquois County, Illinois. He enlisted in Company D, 113th Reg., Ill. Vol. If., in August 1862, and served three years, first as a private, and later as sergeant. He took part in several famous battles, but received no wounds. His health was greatly impaired, however, and in 1865 he was mustered out.

Mr. Hosmer died December 1894, aged 73. He was one of 10 children: John T., who resided in Michigan; George W.; Mercy Ann, deceased; Daniel, who lived in Ohio; Lucy (Boyd), a resident of Michigan; Abigail (Hess), who also lived in Michigan; Nancy (Maine) (Rice), who resided near Chicago, Illinois; Ellen (Barrett), of New London, Ohio; and Sidney, who lived near the same place.

Mr. Hosmer was a Republican and held various township offices. He was one of the first members of the township board of Cowley County, and also served as treasurer. He was an honest, upright man, and his death was much lamented throughout the county.

George W. Hosmer married Harriet Stocking in 1850. She was born in 1827, in Madison County, New York, a daughter of Roderick and Electra (Post) Stocking. Her father died in Ohio, in 1836, aged 45. His wife died in Illinois, aged 71. They had nine children: Julia, deceased; Lydia (Cottran), a widow who lived in Lincoln, Nebraska; John and Arvine, deceased; Erastus, who lived in Michigan; Harriet; Marshy, deceased; Melvina (Smith), who lived in Nebraska; and Jerod, a resident of Chautauqua County, Kansas. Harriet Stocking lived in Michigan for some time, and then located with her husband, George W. Hosmer, and family in Cowley County. Mr. Hosmer had been in Kansas in 1871, and, after deciding to locate permanently, drove through from Michigan with his wife and four children. He had his household goods shipped to Thayer, which was then the nearest railroad station, and afterward hauled them by wagon to Otter Township.

Mr. Hosmer bought the northwest quarter of section 32, township 33, range 8 east, and after building the humblest kind of a log cabin, began farming in the West. After breaking a portion of the land, Mr. Hosmer planted some corn and garden-truck and, a year later, some wheat, the crop being marketed at Independence.

[Note: At that time there was not a hog in the state and provisions were very high.]

Slocum & Davis kept a general store in Cedar Vale, and a Mr. Orr kept the first hotel in the place. There were very few women in the state. Mr. Hosmer gradually improved the land, and in 1874 built a frame house. Since his death, Mrs. Hosmer rented the farm to her son-in-law, J. H. Pulliam, and made her home there with him.

George and Harriet Hosmer had the following children: Viola, Electa, John P., and George.

1. Viola, the wife of J. H. Pulliam, was born in April 1852. Mr. Pulliam located in Chautauqua County, Kansas, in 1872, where he made his home until he married Miss Hosmer. In 1878, he moved to Cowley County, and lived near Winfield, where he owned some land. In 1900 he rented the Hosmer farm, and resided there since that time. J. H. and Viola Pulliam had six children: W. C., who lived in Chautauqua County, Kansas; Hattie E., who lived at home; Susie E. (Clingpeel), who lived in Idaho; Joseph F., who attended school at home; and Lucy A. and Francis G., who were living at home in 1901.

2. Electa Hosmer (Hains) was born in Michigan, and lived in Chautauqua County, Kansas.

3. John P. Hosmer, born in Illinois, became editor of the Cedar Vale Democrat.

4. George Hosmer, a resident of Trinidad, Colorado, went west in 1896, and became editor of the Monitor at Trinidad.