Anderson County Biographies
"Portrait and Biographical Record of Southeastern Kansas"
Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1894
JAMES M. HARGRAVE. A glance at the
interesting genealogy of the Hargrave family shows that James M. Hargrave comes of
very prominent people, who have become
noted in the annals of Anderson County history,
and who have, by their upright, straightforward
course through life, kept their names unspotted
and honored in the sight of God and man. Mr.
Hargrave is at present Treasurer of Anderson
County and one of the most prominent citizens
and business men of the place. He has been a
resident of Kansas since February, 1866, and of
Anderson County since October of that year.
The Hargrave family was first represented in
this country by three brothers, who, some time
in the eighteenth century, emigrated to America
and settled, one near Richmond, Va.,and the others
in the Carolinas. The former, John Hargrave,
was the great-grandfather of the subject of this
sketch. In the Old Dominion, William Hargrave,
our subject's grandfather, was born and reared to
manhood. He followed the occupation of an
overseer, and his two sons, Cornelius T. and John,
were reared upon a plantation. The latter became a Presbyterian minister and resided in Shepherdstown for some time, where he died.
A native Virginian, Cornelius T. Hargrave was
born near Richmond in 1804 and in early life migrated to Ohio, the family having removed from
Virginia on account of slavery. In 1829 he located in Fairfield County, and there followed the
occupation of a farmer. After coming to Ohio,
he married Miss Elizabeth A. Gephart, a native of
Virginia, and for some time after their union they
continued to reside in the Buckeye State. In
1842, they left Ohio with the intention of going
to Springfield, Ill., but having a sick child they
deemed it advisable to stop in Indiana instead of
proceeding further westward. There they passed
the remainder of their days, the mother dying in
1878, and the father in April, 1886.
In the parental family there were six sons and
two daughters, all of whom are now living. William H., a carpenter by trade, resides in Rockville,
Parke County, Ind., and is engaged in the furniture and undertaking business; James is the subject
of this sketch ; John W., a carpenter by trade, resides
in York, Neb.; Benjamin F. is a gardener at Kingman, Kan.; George W., a carpenter, resides in
Kansas City, Kan.; Henry C. is a furniture dealer
of Russellville, Putnam County, Ind.; Sarah E.
married Thomas Sutherland, of Russellville, Ind.;
Ann M., now Mrs. D. H. Grimes, also lives in Russellville, Ind.
The original of this notice was born near Lancaster, Ohio, May 30, 1836. He was six years of
age when the family settled in Indiana, and there
grew to manhood. In 1858 he made a trip to
Kansas, pre-empted one hundred and sixty acres
of land in Franklin County and engaged in
agricultural pursuits. During the Civil War he
was a member of the state militia. Previous to this,
in 1859, he married Miss Elizabeth A., a daughter
of David Bowers, and a native of Putnam County.
Ind. For some time after his marriage he rented
land, but in 1866 he came to Kansas, and in October
purchased eighty acres of land in Putnam Township, Anderson County, where he resided until
September, 1890, when he became the owner of
two hundred and forty acres. He then engaged
in stock-raising in connection with farming, and
has made many and vast improvements on his place.
Mr. Hargrave passed through pioneer privations
and never accepted a dollar in aid during hard
times. In 1889 he was elected Treasurer of Anderson County, and in 1890 he removed to Garnett
to enter upon the duties of the office. He was re-elected by an increased majority in 1891, and is
now serving his second term. In politics he has
always supported the Republican party, and has
held the office of Justice of the Peace as well as
other minor positions of trust and honor, discharging the duties of all in a very credible manner. He still owns his farm and property near
Garnett. A Presbyterian in his religious views, he
is an Elder in the church at Garnett, and has been
a member of that church since 1854. To his
marriage were born two children: John A. and
Lillie A.
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