Clay Co., KS AHGP-Portrait and Biographical Album of
Washington, Clay and Riley Counties-Hon. C. M. Anthony
Portrait and
Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties Chapman
Brothers, Chicago, 1890
HON. C. M. ANTHONY, Mayor of Clay
Center and attorney-at-law, has practiced
here for over twenty years, and is now one
of the most prominent lawyers and citizens
of the city. He was born in Clinton County, Ohio,
Oct. 11, 1823, and in January, 1830, accompanied
his father to Muncie, Ind., where he read law, and
where he was admitted to practice in 1841. He
began the practice of his profession in Petersburg.
Pike Co, Ind., and there continued his legal work
for fifteen years, serving as Prosecuting Attorney
three terms. He next opened an office at Muncie.
afterward going to Muscatine County, Iowa,
and thence coming to this county in October, 1869,
being the oldest attorney now living here.
Mr. Anthony was married in Pike County, Ind.,
Dec. 23, 1847, to Miss Nancy B. Campbell, who
bore him four children, of whom only one is living
W. P., now clerk of this county. Mrs. Anthony
died here in 1870. When our subject first came to
this county he bought a farm, which now comprises
a large part of the town site, and on which he lived
for a few years, when he married Mrs. Harriet A.
Huntress, who also owned a large part of the town
site. When Mr. Anthony arrived there were but
about a dozen houses here.
Mrs. Anthony, whose maiden name was Harriet
A. Fuller, was born in Canton, Oxford Co., Me.,
Aug. 28, 1821, and is a daughter of Charles
and Mary (Austin) Fuller. When twenty-one years
old she moved to Boston, where, Jan. 14, 1844, she
was united in marriage with Orvel Huntress, who
was also a native of Canton, his natal day being
Oct. 16, 1815. Mr. and Mrs. Huntress remained in
Boston some years, and in 1852, leaving his wife
there, Mr. Huntress went to California, where he
spent two and a half years. He and his wife then
spent four years at Mexico, Me., and in 1859 came
to Kansas City, Mo., whence the wife and children
came by stage to Manhattan while the husband and
father, having purchased an ox-team and loaded
his goods and provisions, drove across the country.
He opened a store on College Hill.
Mr. Huntress continued his merchandising at
Manhattan for about two years. In May, 1861, he
removed to this place, their only neighbors being
ten miles distant in every direction except the east,
where three and a-half miles was the distance.
They took a claim adjoining the original town site
of Clay Center, on what is now called River View,
and is included in the limits, and there they made
the usual improvements. When building, the material
and their furniture were hauled from Leavenworth.
It was the largest and best house for a
long lime in this vicinity, and in it Mr. Huntress
kept the first store in what is now Clay County.
After the death of Mr. Huntress his widow continued
on the farm, and added to it during the
next two years another half section. Her son,
C. O. Huntress, moved the post-office and store to
what is now the town site, and took charge of it
for two years, when he sold out and wont to Dartmouth,
where he was graduated with the degree of
B. S. in the class of 1874. Mrs. Huntress took
charge of the post-office after his departure, and
kept it until 1871, when she resigned, and, being
married to our subject on May 14 of that year,
they took charge of the farm property.
Mr. and Mrs. Anthony continued to live on the
farm in River View, until April, 1887, when they
took possession of their residence in the city. Mrs.
Anthony has made a forty-acre addition to the
city, called Huntress Addition, where the large
school-house now stands. Mr. Anthony has also
added 160 acres to the town site under his name.
Huntress Park has been donated to the city.
Thomas C. Anthony, the father of our subject,
was born in Richmond, Va., and in Highland
County, Ohio, was united in marriage with Miss
Julia Kimberly, a native of Lynchburg, Va. He
was an attorney and farmer, and spent his latter
days in Muscatine, Iowa, where his death occurred
in 1860, his wife dying about the same time.