William D. Paul, who died January 22, 1912, was one of the pioneer citizens of Shawnee County, and left a permanent memorial to his name and to his enterprise in the Town of Pauline in that county, which he founded.
He resided continuonsly in Kansas from 1870 until his death, but had first come to Kansas when it was a territory. He was born August 6th, 1836, on a farm in Belmont County, Ohio, a son of Dunbar W. Panl. When he was quite young his parents died, and thus left an orphan he grew up in the homes of friends, his education being greatly negleeted. At the age of twenty, in 1856, he came to Topeka, and for a time was employed on the farm of C. K. Holliday. He also took up a claim at Bennett’s Mound in Shawnee County and proved that up before he returned to Ohio.
He went back to Ohio about the time of the Civil war, and became a driver in the quartermaster’s department of the Union army. Later he was made a wagon master, and was in that service until the close of the war.
After the war he married Esther A. Stewart of Ohio. They soon came out to Kansas, and located on his claim of 160 acres. In the years that followed he increased his heldings to 320 acres.
William D. Paul was one of the men who came to Kansas in the early days and helped to break the virgin sod of the prairies, and combatted many of the hardships of existence in the early times. After getting a start as a stock farmer, he made an unusual success, not only through his own efforts but through the assistance of his wife and children. Though starting life with a limited education, he became well informed by his habit of constant reading, and was broad minded and helpful in every matter of community welfare. In founding the Town of Pauline on the Santa Fe Railroad, he also donated both land and money for the establishment of the first schoolhouse and church. For years he served on the local school board, and in politics was a republican. He commanded respect not only by the probity of his character but by the keen judgment which he exercised in all his affairs, and his advice was sought by many. It is well that the Town of Pauline stands as a memorial to his honest, upright character, and industrions life.
His wife died in February, 1909. They were both active members of the First United Presbyterian Church, in which she was a charter member, and they were active and devout Christians all their years. They became the parents of eight children: Margaret, now Mrs. A. D. McAdow of Lecompton, Kansas; William S., a farmer; Grace, Mrs. W. S. Sumey; Carrie, Mrs. Charles Ost of Topeka; Charles; Pauline, who still lives on the old homestead; Mamie, wife of A. D. Estep of Emporia; and Harry, of Topoka.
The son Charles, who now lives on and operates the old homestead of his father at Pauline, was reared in Shawnee County, attended the common schools of Topeka, and started life with the intention of becoming a practical and scientifie farmer. He continued his education in the Manhattan Agricultural College, where he specialized in the creamery work, and for six years he resided at Yorktown, Texas, and conducted a creamery. He is an expert butter maker and while living in Texas took a number of prizes for his products. Since coming home he had operated the old homestead, and is one of the highly prosperous farmers of the county.
Politically he is a ropublican but had never sought any office. Mr. Charles Paul married Miss Cora Kilgore of Colorado. They are the parents of two children, Alvina and Pauline.