Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1907-03-22
the couple suffered a severe blow,
as it was their hope that he would
follow in the foot steps of the
father in the practice of law.

loilo" III Ine 1o0t steps OF the
father in the practice of law.
Mr.. DIffenbaeher belonged to
but one society, that was the
Ancient. Order Of United Work
men, of which he had been
member for years, having earlier
in life been an active worker, and
at one time served as Master
Workman. He was not affiliated
with any particular church, al
though an attendant at worship
and living the life of a christian
as he saw it.
Mr.. Difenbacher has always
taken an active part in politics,
has been life long democrat, and
was one of the few men who in
the early days pulled themselves
together and organized the
democracy of Barton county. |
He was born April 5th., 1885 ia
Pennsylvania and came west in
1856 settling in Illinois. and
taught school for several years. |
His first vote was cast in that
state for Stephen A. Douglas for
president. He enlisted in the
federal service and was honorably |
discharged as 1st. Lieutenant, Go.
q, 18th, regiment Illinois volun-
teer infantry, in June 1865. 10
1867 he was appointed assistant
revenue assessor for the 9th, con-
gressional district of Illinois by
Andrew Johnston. president. |
This office he resigned in Septem- |
Der 1858 to run for clerk of the |
circuit court and ex-oficio re-
order for Cass county Illinois, to
which Office he was elected and
served for years.
Mr.. Diffenbacher came to Great
Bend in 1873. and moved his in
teresting family here in April |
1874, and has been a citizen of |
Barton county ever since. Be-
fore coming to Kansas be read law |
with Pollard & Phillips, attorneys
at Beardstown Illinois, was admit
ted to the bar after coming to
Kansas, and has practi.ed in the
state aid federal courts of Kansas,
and for some years he was en-.
gagged in the practice with G. W. |
Nimocks,
In 1884 he formed a law part.
nership with D. A. Banta, which |
continued until the campaign of
1896.
In 1876 Mr.. Diffenbacher was
elected mayor, and in the history
of our city prepared for the cor
ner stone of the city building, we
find the following reference to his
administration. The city ad
minlstration of the year 1875 was
noted for its efforts in suppressing
dance houses and the tough ele-
ment in society, which had been
part of the cattle trade" In |
1859 he was elected a member of
the board of education from the
first ward. and two years later
was reelected. He was elected |
county attorney in 1882. and re-
elected in 1854. In that year he
also was delegate from the 7th,
congressional district to the ma
tional democratic convention at
Chicago. which nominated Grover
Cleveland the first time. In 1886
he was the nomineea'of the demo-
cratic party for attorney general. |
In 1890 he was again candidate
for county attorney, but was de-
feated in the populist wave of that
year. In 1896 he was again a
delegate from this congressional
district to the democratic national
convention at Chicago, where he
took an active part among the
western delegates for the nomins.
ton of William J. Bryan for
president. The same year be was
a candidate for county attorney.
defeated Mr.. Nimocks by a few
votes. Contest proceedings were