Kansas History and Heritage Project- Marshall County

Marshall County Biographies

CHARLES A. SPRATT.

Among the busy men and successful residents of Blue Rapids township, Marshall county, is Charles A. Spratt, the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of land, and one of the finest gravel pits in the state of Kansas. He was born in Buchanan county, Iowa, on December 7, 1865, and is the son of Otis and Esther (Hardick) Spratt.

Otis and Esther Spratt were born in England, and there they received their education in the public schools, grew to maturity and were married. They continued to reside in the land of their nativity until 1855, when they decided to come to America. After their arrival in the United States they at once proceeded to the state of Iowa, where they established themselves on a farm and there they continued to live until 1879, when they came to Marshall county, Kansas. They settled on a farm five miles west of Oketo, on the old Indian Reservation, which they developed and improved, and where they lived for many years. They were a most estimable people and were held in the highest regard by all who knew them.

Charles A. Spratt received his education in the schools of Iowa and in Oketo township, and grew to manhood on the home farm, where as a lad he assisted his father with the farm work. He remained at home until 1890, when he came to Blue Rapids township, where he purchased his present farm, which he has developed and improved and where he is engaged in general farming and stock raising with much success. He is a great fancier of fine horses, high-grade Jersey cattle and good hogs, and his place is at all times well stocked with these animals. He has among the animals on the farm some of the finest in the county, and is recognized as one of the best stockmen of the district.

In 1886 Charles A. Spratt was united in marriage to Ida Bickell, daughter of John Bickell and wife, prominent residents of the county. To this union three children were born : Mrs. John March, Ralph and Benjamin. The two former are residents of Blue Rapids township and the latter is living in Idaho. Ida Bickell, who was a woman of unusual attainments and greatly admired by all, died in 1893. On November 1, 1900, Mr. Spratt was united in marriage to Roseman Summers, and to this union two children have been born, Cecile, who was born on April 22, 1904, and Iris, whose birth occurred on July 4, 1905. Mrs. Spratt was born at Chanute, Kansas, on April 1, 1881. She was left an orphan at a young age, and was reared by Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Roush, of Chanute, who came to Blue Rapids township in 1897. She received her education in the schools of Chanute and at Blue Rapids, and has spent her mature life in the community where she now resides and where she and her husband are among the worthy and prominent people. They are active in the social life of their home district and are earnest members of the United Brethren church, to which they are liberal supporters and in which they are active workers. Few people of the township take greater interest in the educational and moral development of the district.

Politically, Mr. Spratt is a member of the Republican party, and while he has never aspired to office, he has always taken the greatest interest in the civic life of his home township and county. He is most progressive and is an advocate of substantial public improvements and is a supporter of the best schools. He has long been a member of the Marshall County Fair Association, and has given his best efforts to its success. On his farm Mr. Spratt has a splendid gravel pit of some forty acres in extent. The pit is one of the most valuable deposits of clean, pure gravel in the state. He ships to all parts of the state in carload lots, and employs a number of men in the pit at all times. The product is most valuable for concrete work, building material and high-grade road work.



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