Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1909-01-06
A SHORT SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF
JOSEPH p, MASSEY

Joseph Pierce Massey was born in
Pike county, Missouri, December 10, 49,
%, and died December %, 1908, aged Sc
years and days. He was the youngest
of nine children of which only three sis.
ters remain to mourn his loss. Only
one Of these sisters was able to attend
the funeral, Miss Sarah Massey, OF
Bowling Green, Mo. His other sisters
live, one in California and the other in
Chanute, the latter being unable to at
tend on account of sickness.
Mr.. Massey remained on his fathers
farm until about 1G years of age when
he started out to do for himself. He
spent some time in Minnesota and
Louisiana and then went to Texas and
followed ranch life several years. From
Texas he went to Rush county, Kansas,
and settled on timber claim in 1879
and was 10 prosperous condition when
prairie fire burned him out. From
there he went to Pawnee county and
was employed by the A. T. & S. F. Ry.
Co., in the bridge construction depart
ment. Here he became acquainted with
Miss Artha L. Vanhorn, his future wife.
In 1883 he came to Barber county and
was foreman on the Garvaric ranch for
about year. He then went to work
for G. II. Douglas of Sun City, in which
position he remained about four years.
While in this capacity be acted as a
peace officer and was familiar with most
affairs of Sun City and surrounding
country. In February, 1889, he resign
ed his position as foreman and went to
Pawnee county and was married to Miss
Vanhorn early in April of the same year.
They Immediately came to Barber coun-
ty to make their home and settled on
the Samuel Holloway ranch which be
later purchased and where he lived un-
til the time of his death.
To the union of Joseph Massey and
Artha Vanhorn, five children were born
as follows: Ralph Nathan, Joseph Ray
mond, Lillian Ruth, Ruby E. and Rob-
ert L. Massey, aged respectively, Is, 16,
ID, II and 6. Mr.. Massey prospered
abuDdantly on the above homestead and
became one Of the leading ranchmen of
the county, owning at the time Of his
death 1900 acres of land much of which
is fine alfalfa land with some set in that
crop.
Joseph Massey has long been promi-
nent in the affairs of the county and his
community, being for over twenty years
trustee of his township and member of
Tue Gun OlLy SCuOOt DOdrQ IOf the same
period, and always stood out boldly for
Advancement and better education.
Any community seldom has such q
man as j. P. Massey. He did not hest
tate to help any worthy person and was
always considerate about the rights of
other people; and by his sterling worth,
his indomitable will, honesty and indus
try had amassed considerable of this
worlds goods and by bis faithfulness as
friend and neighbor has eudeared him.
self to the community in which he lived
as it is the lot of few men to do.
Joseph Massey was true FREUD, a
kind and loving husband and fond and
indulgent father and from the day that
his great soul passed into eternity, the
entire community was grief stricken and
realized that the community had sus.
tanned loss in his death that could not
be repaired, aud he was laid to rest in
the Lake City cemetery amid the gather
ing of sympathetic and grief stricken
people and will be long missed and
mourned by the entire community.
A FRIEND