C. G. Pierce. A quarter of a century is a long time to be identified with any line of business in one location, and twenty-five or more years of continuous management of a country paper almost constitutes a record in itself. C. G. Pierce was the founder of the Severyite at Severy, Kansas, more than twenty-five years ago, and is still its editor and proprietor.
He was born at Cobleskill, New York, January 1, 1869. His Pierce ancestors came out of Ireland and settled in New York in colonial days. His great-grandfather is buried at Fergusonville in Delaware County, New York. His grandfather was born in Delaware County, New York, in 1823, and died there in 1888, having spent his active career as a farmer. He married a Miss Patton, who died in Delaware County, New York, in 1900.
B. R. Pierce, father of the Kansas editor, was born in Delaware County, New York, in 1844, grew up and married there, spent his early life on his father’s farm, but then became engaged in the lumber business as a lumber inspector. He was employed in that capacity at Albany, Oswego, Buffalo and other places in New York State, from there went to the lumber districts of Tennessee, but for the past five years had enjoyed a comfortable retirement at Kutch, Colorado. He is a democrat and a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. During the Civil war he served with the Home Guards of Delaware County, New York. B. R. Pierce married Minnie E. Smith, who was born in 1842 at Oneonta, New York, and died at Delaware County in that state in 1885. C. G. Pierce is the oldest of their children. His brother, Harvey, was in the Government service at New York City until a few years ago, when he bought a summer resort at the historic old Town of Haddam, Connecticut, where he now resided and continues its management. B. F. Pierce, the youngest of the three sons, is a farmer at Ramah, Colorado.
C. G. Pierce acquired his early training in the public schools of Bath, New York. At the early age of eleven he left school, and for the next five years worked as a tally boy in the Albany and Buffalo lumber yards. In 1886 Mr. Pierce came to Severy, Kansas, and in October of that year began working for Doctor Littler on the old Severy Record. After about two years Doctor Littler sold the paper to George H. Doud. Mr. Pierce then bought what was known as the Kansas Clipper, which had been established in 1888. Mr. Pierce acquired the stock and business on January 1, 1889, and brought out its first issue under the name of the Severyite. From that time to the present the paper had been under his proprietorship and he had had active charge of its editorial columns and its business management. He had furnished the news of his section of Greenwood County to many families through nearly a generation. The paper is a weekly, is published as a republican organ, and circulates throughout Southern Greenwood and Northern Elk counties. Mr. Pierce had a well equipped plant and owned both the plant and building, located on Kansas Avenue. His own home is on the same street.
Mr. Pierce had himself been identified with republican politics since casting his first vote. He had served as a township clerk and for the past twenty years had been city clerk of Severy. He is a member and clerk of the Congregational Church, and fraternally is identified with Twin Groves Lodge, No. 213, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons at Severy, with Severy Chapter of the Eastern Star, is past noble grand of Severy Lodge, No. 483, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, is a member of the Rebekahs and Knights and Ladies of Security. He had used his influence toward furnishing wholesome amusement for the people of his community, and had been secretary of the Severy Opera House Company since its organization.
In 1890, at Severy, he married Miss Anna L. Huff, daughter of T. D. and Mrs. (Dehl) Huff, both of whom are now deceased. Her father lived retired for several years before his death. Mr. and Mrs. Pierce have two children. Hazel L. is now a senior in the Kansas State Agricultural College at Manhattan. Gloria is a member of the freshman class in the Severy High School.