Sunday, December 12, 2010

Biographical Sketch of George Washington Doze

email from Vicki Bever Doze October 30 2010
vickibev@yahoo.com


I sent George Washington Doze's family info back in Feb. or March. I believe I also sent a picture of him with his little grandson. George was the 8th child of Victor and Mary Bailey Doze. For those of you who may not remember, Victor was the eldest son of John Claude and MAry Barbe Doze (French immigrants.) Some of you may not have received the info above, if not, and you are interested in receiving Doze info from time to time, let me know. If you aren't interested in receiving anything, let me know that, too!
If you have trouble with where George fits into the Doze genealogy, just let me know. I just got the following added to his history in my genealogy program and thought I'd copy and send along to you. I found this information at the Kansas State Historical Society in Topeka, KS years ago. He mentions his Grandparents as well as his father Victor in this history.

A BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF CENTRAL KANSAS VOL. 1, 1902, pp. 666-667.
GEORGE W. DOZE

In every period of American history the people of France have sympathized with the Americans, in whose footsteps they have followed politically, and in every decade drom the beginning of the settlement in the colonies to the present time Frenchmen have been leaders among our pioneers and in our civilization and material progress. Kansas has reason to be proud of her citizens of French blood, and of such there is none in Kingman county more prominent or more highly esteemed than George W. George, the proprietor of the Norwich Roller Mills and police judge of the city of Norwich, who was born in America of French parents.
George W. Doze is a native of Decatur Co, Iowa, where he opened his eyes upon this world November 23 1851 and is a son of Victor and Mary (Baily) Doze, natives of Lorraine, France. His grandfather, John Doze, was a soldier under Napoleon and fought at Austerlitz. Victor came to America at the age of eighteen years with his father and they located near Covington, Kentucky, where the elder Doze became a landowner. Later Victor removed to Decatur county, Iowa, where some years later he was joined by his father. Eventually he removed to Sullivan County, Missouri, where he enlisted in Company G, Eleventh Regiment of Missouri Cavalry, with which he served in the Civil War two years, until discharged on account of age, with the rank of major. Returning home he organized a company of home guards and after the war gave his attention to farming and stock-raising, becoming one of the most extensive land-owners in Sullivan county, an influential citizen and a leader in many important affairs. In politics, he was a Democrat. He died in August, 1881, aged eighty-five years, his widow in 1885. aged sixty-eight years. They were the parents of twelve children, nine of whom lived to manhood and womanhood. John is a farmer in Allen township, Kingman county, Kansas; Job is a farmer of Sullivan county, Missouri; Victor died in infancy; Julia is the widow of G.T. Mellan; Polly is the widow of Job Dodson; Margaret is the wife of John Hill, of Lyonsville, Iowa; Phoebe married C. Custer of Sullivan county, Missouri; George W. is the immediate subject of this sketch; Melvina died in infancy; Thomas Jefferson lives in Brown county, Nebraska; Frank lives on the old family homestead in Sullivan county, Missouri; and Peter is a farmer in Bennett township, Kingman County, Kansas.
George W. Doze was the eighth in the order of birth of the children of Victor and Mary (Baily) [sic] Doze, who were married in Ohio. He grew up on his fathers farm in Sullivan county, Missouri, gained his education in common schools, and remained under his fathers roof until he was twenty-three years old. June 28 1874 at Osceola, Missouri he married Fannie C. Hahn, a native of St Claire county,Missouri and a daughter of Columbus and Gilia (Brown) Hahn, natives of Kentucky, who settled early in Missouri. For some years after his marriage he farmed in Sullivan county, Missouri, and after that gave his attention to contracting and building there until the fall of 1883, when he went to Kingman county, Kansas, remaining only a short time, and went thence to Pratt county, Kansas. He pre-empted land in McPherson township, in the county just mentioned, paid for it and remained on it until the fall of 1895, when he removed to Norwich, Kingman county, where he has since lived.
Judge Doze was engaged in contracting and building at Norwich until October 1901 when he leased the roller mills there, then newly remodeled and equipped with the latest machinery. The mill has a capacity of sixty barrels of flour daily, and the flour made by Judge Doze is as good in every respect as any made anywhere. In politics he is a Democrat, and wherever he has lived, he has, since he grew up, been always active in political affairs. In his former place of residence he served long and ably in the office of justice of the peace. In September, 1901 he was elected police judge of the city of Norwich, the duties of which office he is performing justly and expeditously and without fear or favor. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
George W. and Fannie C. (Hahn) Doze have four children: Wallace W. and Edgar O. of Norwich, are up-to-date prosperous carpenters; J. Burtis is connected with the circulating department and reportorial staff of the Wichita Eagle; and Gertrude Lena died in Pratt county, Kansas, aged five years.

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