Clay Co., KS AHGP-Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties-John P. Brockway
Portrait and Biographical Album of Washington, Clay and Riley Counties Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1890
JOHN P. BROCKWAY. Among the men who have developed the resources of Clay County, Mr. Brockway deserves special mention. His well-cultivated farm of 160
acres occupies the northeast quarter of section 32, Mulberry Township, to which he came in 1873. The country was then inhabited mostly by wild beasts, and had been only a short time previous the happy hunting grounds of the Indians. Mr. Brockway first arrived in Kansas in 1869, and purchased a claim on section 10, in what is now Boone(?) Township. After making some improvements he sold out and secured his present property. His native place was in Schodack, Rensselaer Co., N. Y., and the date of his birth March 1, 1833. He comes of an old family who had settled in that State during the Colonial days, his father being Chauncey P., his grandfather Jess, and his great-grandfather Nathaniel Brockway. The latter was born April 3, 1748, and came from Dover to Schodack probably in 1772. He was poor in purse and had nothing on which to depend save the labor of his hands, but by industry and perseverance succeeded in constructing n comfortable homestead, and left to his descendants not only the heritage of a good name and robust health, but was enabled to give each of his children a farm. He followed agricultural pursuits, and became the owner of 500 acres of good land. Religiously, he was a Methodist. He married Sylvia Hunter, who was born Oct. 27, 1750, and to them there were born nine children. Both Nathaniel Brockway and his wife lived to a good old age, she dying March 23, 1834, when eighty-four years old, and he surviving until Sept. 7, 1838. He was over ninety years of age, and during the latter part of his life was greatly afflicted, being nearly blind for a number of years. The records of the children born to Nathaniel Brockway and his wife is as follows: Dorcas, born Aug. 25, 1769; Stephen, Jan. 21, 1772; Wolston, March 31, 1775; Jeremiah, Dec. 17, 1777; Nathaniel, in 1779; David, Dec. 21, 1782; Sylvia, May 6, 1785: Jesse, Jan. 30, 1788, and Lydia, Oct. 27, 1793. Dorcas Brockway afterwards became Dorcas Hall and was the mother of five sons and two daughters. She died Feb. 25, 1861. Stephen married, was the father of four sons and three daughters, and passed to rest Dec. 27, 1860. Wolston also established family ties of his own, having two sons and nine daughters. He died Dec. 27, 1868. Jeremiah died May 2, 1837, in the prime of life. To him and his wife a family of four sons and six daughters had been born. David closed his eyes to the scenes of earth June 24, 1848. Besides his wife, his family comprised two sons and three daughters. Sylvia married a Mr. Porter, and they had two sons and seven daughters. Mrs. Porter died June 15, 1874. Jesse had one son and ten daughters, and passed from earth July 12, 1869.
It is in Jesse Brockway that we are particularly interested, as he is the grandfather of our subject. He was born and reared in Rensselaer County, N. Y., and became heir of a part of the old homestead. He served for a short time in the War of 1812. He added to the property given him and died in good circumstances, July 12, 1869, after having reached his eighty-first year. With the exception of two years passed with his father in Chatham, Columbia Co., N. Y., Jesse Brockway spent his entire life on three adjoining farms. He married a Pennsylvania lady, Miss Content Burlington, who was born April 3, 1786, and passed from earthly scenes March 15, 1857. The following is their family record : Chauncey P., born June 24, 1807; Lydia Maria, born Aug. 9, 1808, and died Aug. 15,1888; Sylvia, born May 25, 1810, lived only about two months; Sally Eliza, born July 8, 1811, and lived to the age of more than seventy-three years; Phebe, born March 10, 1813, but lived only a few weeks: Orpha T., born March 10, 1814, died Oct. 25, 1867; Olive Ann, born Dec. 21, 1815, and passed to rest Aug. 28, 1883; Deidamia E., born July 22, 1818; Dorcas Ann, Dec. 22, 1821; Mary Jane, Feb. 8, 1824; Cynthia K., born March 9, 1826, died Jan. 31, 1845; Lydia M. married a Mr. Rosaback, and their family comprised the following children: Jane Eliza, Jesse B., James H., Orpha T. Conklin, Matthew M., Mary Jane, Jesse B., Emily F., Henrietta E., and George B. Conklin. Deidamia E. (Brockway) Fosmire was the mother of five children, namely: Charles H., Dorcas Ann Strever, Esther Content Strever, Mary Jane Wade, Deidamia E. B. Wade.
The only son of Jesse Brockway and his wife was Chauncey P., who was born, reared and married in Schodack, his wife being Miss Ruth A. Manning, a native of Hyde Park, Dutchess Co., N. Y. This lady was the nineteenth child of her father by his third wife. After marriage the young people settled down upon the old farm in Schodack County. and some years later, in 1836, removed to Clifton Park, Saratoga County, where they sojourned a number of years. They had ten children, namely: Elcea, born Nov. 27, 1827, and the wife of Abram Flagler; Jesse R., born Dec. 11, 1829, and died March 13, 1881; Sylvia, born June 12, 1831, and the wife of Henry M. Best; John P., the subject of this sketch, was born March 1, 1833; Content, born Sept. 6, 1834, became the wife of H. G. Peck, and passed to her final rest in 1888; Charles S., born April 21st 1837. died in infancy; Cynthia E., born July 27, 1839, married S. W. Pearsall; Albert L., born Sept. 11, 1841, married Mary Simpson; Arzelia, born Feb. 11, 1845, died July 11, 1845; Dora, born May 30, 1851, is now the wife of Philetus Brown.
On the 8th of May, 1852, Chanucey Brockway and his sons. Jesse R. and John P. set sail at New York for San Francisco, Cal., going via Cape Horn, and landed at their destination October 19, following. They were accompanied by a Mr. Slater, and after their arrival on the Pacific Slope went into the mines and engaged in searching for the yellow ore, meeting with many thrilling experiences. The father of our subject remained in that region until 1881. then returned to his old haunts. Subsequently he came West and is now living with his children at Junction City, this State, being fourscore years of age. He was very successful as a miner and can tell many interesting tales of life in the Wild West.
The subject of this sketch likewise sought the Golden State prior to the outbreak of the Civil War. and on the 5th of October, 1861, enlisted in Company E., 5th California Infantry, under Capt. Silas P. Ford and Col. Kellogg. Later the regiment was in command of Col. Bowie. They were assigned mostly to duty in Arizona, operating among the Indians, guarding certain sections of the country and the overland stage route, also scouting in New Mexico and Texas. They were thus actively engaged in keeping the Indians in subjection and gaining the better of the rebel element in that section, frequently having fights and skirmishes. Mr. Brockway escaped unharmed after a service of four years and two months.
After his discharge at Santa Fe, New Mexico. Jan, 6, 1866, Mr. Brockway returned to his native State overland, and thence the same year set out for the Northwest, and going to Watana, Minn., engaged in buying grain for a year. It will thus be seen that he has had a wide experience on the frontier, meeting all kinds of men and frequently having to exercise all his ingenuity in order to keep out of trouble. For one year he was Indian Agent at Fort Buford, at the mouth of the Yellowstone River and for a few months was at Fort Peck, Mont.
After coming to Kansas in 1869, Mr. Brockway took unto himself a wife and helpmate, being married in Mulberry Township, Clay County, to Mrs. Jane E. (Sorden) Blue. This lady was born in Hancock County. Ohio, whence she removed to Iowa with her parents and was there married to Orange Blue, who died a year later in Iowa County, Iowa, after having made a settlement in Mulberry Township. Of her union with Mr. Brockway there were born seven children, one of whom, Carrie R., died when seventeen months old. The survivors are Hattie, Albert L., John C., Ellsworth B., Lilian R. C., and Alpha M. They are all at home with their parents.
Mr. Brockway is an active local politician, but not an office-seeker. He was first a Whig, later a strong Republican until the presidential contest of 1876, after which he gave his support to the Democratic party. He now uniformly labors with that organization. He has been an extensive reader and is thoroughly well informed�one of those men with whom an hour may be spent pleasantly and profitably. He has decided views in regard to questions of general interest and is held in high esteem in the community where he has so long resided.