The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-04-30
GOPHER FUTILE DEAD
Born in Camden New York,
81 Years Ago.
THIRTY YEARS A KANSAN
How He Made His Great
Fortune.

Mr.. Gopher Tuttle. one Of the best known
residents Of this city and OF Sedgwlck
county died last evening at O'Clock.
aged g years. He lived at so North Topeka
avenue. The funeral VIII occur at 2:S0
o'clock this afternoon from the home.
For many years Mr.. futile has been
one Of the most respected and recognized
citizens Of not only Wichita, but Of sedg-
wick county, and the southern belt Of
Kansas as We'll OF stauneh integrity. IN
questioned honesty Of dealing, and public
spirited citizenship, he has always re-
manned one Of the earliest elements which
have made for the best in the history Of
th-s city and the territory which pays
tribute.
He was born December q, 1917. near
Camden. y. Y. Oneida county. He re-
ceived only a common school education,
and by working in summer and thereby
attending school in winter he worked at
odd work, and was employed on the Erie
canal. His father died while ne was quite
young. He was married April Is, 1s4S. He
removed 70 La Sale county, Illinois. II
1850, and began life on MS own account
by breaking prairie, thereby saving enough
money 10 buy few head of cattle, which
vas the foundation Of the fortune which
he has steadily increased. he bought
lands in la Sale county through the assis-
tance received from the Bank OF Ottawa,
Il, often improving this land. He then
sold Il and moved to Grundy county, IL,
where ne bought more land and was able
70 send his children TO school and at the
same time so ne could have a better
chance 20 handle cattle, which has been
h-s hobby in life and has always been
success. During the war of the Rebellion
ne Was heavy contractor Of beef. In
1866 he sold out in GrUndy county ana
moved to Livingston county, where he
bought 500 acres Of the then Illinois rail-
way lands, which the family still owns
In 1873 he cult the cattle business on ac-
count Of not being able to compete with
western cattle raising. He and his son.
s c. Tutte then started the Dwight
bank, which they continued until 1873. at
which time they disposed OF the bank at
Dwight to s. T. futile. who now lives at
Caldwell, Kan. Mr. futile came to Kan
sas and 10 Wichita and opened a loan
Office, which was under the immediate
management of s. T. Tuttle This was
discontinued n 1852, at the leasing Of the
Cherokee strip. He PURCHASED the Turkey
creek ranch Of Mr.. Secree Of Texas, along
with 1900 cate and a breeding herd of
100. Mr.. futile was the second man to
fence in the Cherokee strip. This ranch
was the cream Of the Strip and comprised
$4,000 acres, enclosed by eixty-four miles
Of wire fence. At the expiration Of the
lease he bought several thousand acres of
land in northeastern Butler county, where
he moved the unsold cattle. Old age and
the limited pasturage cut his career as a
cattle raiser off. In 1883 ne bought the
home where he lived and died, at 800 North
Topeka avenue.
HIS life has been an omen book always.
He was ever doing as he would he done
by. HIS word was as good as his bond
and he died as he had lived, in a quiet,
peaceable way. honored and respected by
al men. Those who knew him best can
speak his praises the more He leaves a
wife who IS now an invalid. two sons
Salmon T. and James /, two daughters
Mrs. +. ". Barker Of Burlington. Kan.
and Mrs ". 3. Throckmorton OF 1881
North North Topeka avenue. One daurh-
ter. Mrs. James T. Dorsey. died in this
city seven years ago. The sickness Of
which he died has continued over q. period
Of about seven months and was q com
pHcaton Of several maladies. but whose
primal cause was old age. He was inst
worn out and the advancing years weigh
Cd down heavily upon him and the latent