My Genealogy Hound

SANFORD G. PARIS. On the roster of county officials in Woodson County appears the name of Sanford G. Paris among those who are serving as county commissioners. His labors in behalf of the county have been productive of good and indicate his loyalty to the best interests of citizenship. As an enterprising, practical and progressive farmer of Center township he is also widely known, and as a representative of the political and agricultural interests of this portion of the state he well deserves mention in the history of Woodson County.

A native of Putnam County, Indiana, Mr. Paris was born on the 10th of December, 1847, a son of Allen and Elizabeth (Youngman) Paris. The father was born in 1818, near Covington, Kentucky, and during his boyhood days went to the Hoosier state, where he grew to manhood and was married. His wife was also born in Kentucky and was a daughter of Jesse Youngman. The father of our subject followed farming and shoemaking throughout his entire life. In politics he was a Republican, recognized as one of the active local workers in his party. In October, 1883, he was killed by the falling of a limb, but is still survived by his widow, who yet resides in Putnam County. Her children are: Agnes, of Putnam County; George, who died in 1863; Melissa, wife of W. F. Butler, of Putnam County; Charles, who was a soldier of the Civil war and died in 1890, in Putnam County leaving a family; Sanford G.; Alice, wife of James Ruark, of Putnam County, and Viola, wife of G. H. Hamm, of the same county.

The school privileges of Sanford G. Paris were somewhat limited. He spent the days of his boyhood and youth upon the home farm and his time was largely occupied with the labors of the field. Since attaining his majority he has devoted five years to the coopering trade, and was also employed in a rolling mill in Greencastle, Indiana. Upon leaving that position he resumed farming, which he has since followed. In August, 1881, he arrived in Woodson County and first located in Toronto township, where he engaged in the operation of rented land for four years. With money he had then saved from his earnings he purchased two hundred acres of land in Center township, upon which not a furrow had been turned or an improvement been made, but since 1885 a great transformation has been wrought in the appearance of the property, which is now one of the fine farms of the county, supplied with substantial buildings and all modern conveniences and accessories.

Ere leaving his native county Mr. Paris was married, in 1868, to Miss Mary Wheeling, a daughter of Augustus Wheeling, who belonged to an old Ohio family. Mr. and Mrs. Paris now have eight children: Grace E., wife of M. P. Davis, of Hutchinson, Kansas; Walter, a blacksmith of Rose, Kansas, who married Sarah Reagan; Lillie, deceased; Herbert, Myrtle, Mabel, Glenn and Ross, who are still with their parents.

Since attaining his majority Mr. Paris has been an earnest advocate of Republican principles and takes an active interest in furthering the welfare of the party in the community in which he resides. On that, ticket he was elected county commissioner, in November, 1900, to represent the second district, which he carried by a majority of two hundred and nine. He is now filling that office and discharges his duties with the same promptness and practical spirit which characterizes his management of his farming interests.