Weeks, George H.

The following data is extracted from A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans.

George H. Weeks. While Mr. Weeks had speat practically all his life in and around Belvue in Pottawatomie County, his reputation as a stock breeder is nothing less than state wide. His farm is famous for his splendid Percheron horses, and hardly less well known for his herd of Hereford cattle and his Poland China hogs.

Mr. Weeks was born Jannary 18, 1877, and in the same year his parents removed to Pottawatomie County. His birth occurred in a rich and prosperons section of Northern Illinois, at LaMoille in Burean County. He is of English ancestry. His father, David Weeks, was born in Wiltshire, England, in 1835, and the grandfather was William Weeks, a native of the same country. In 1846 the family came to America, locating near Marsellus, New York, where the grandfather, William, died. He was a farmer. David Weeks was eleven years of age when brought to this country, and grew up near Mareellus, New York, and from there moved to Illinois. In 1877 he brought his family to Kansas and located on a farm five miles south of Belvue. That farm was his home until 1895, when he moved into the Village of Belvue. Few men in Kansas made a more generous success as a farmer than David Weeks, who died at Belvne in 1910. The quality of enterprise which was his had been tranamitted to his children and George H. Weeks learned farming and stock raising under the capable direction of his father. Besides his original farm David Weeks had another place a half mile north of Belvue and altogether owned 1,100 acres. He made liberal provision for his children, giving each of the nine sons and danghters eighty acres and a similar tract to his wife. Three of the sons each bought eighty acres from their father, George H., R. W. and J. D. David Weeks was a republican and held various township offices. He was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The maiden name of his wife was Mary Wiley. She was born in New York State in 1842 and is still living at Belvue. The record of the children is as follows: R. W., a merchant at Belvue; Charles E., who lives on the old homestead in Wabannsee County, five miles south of Belvue; Charlotte, wife of Charles Locke, a farmer in Wabaunsee County; J. D., who was a successful farmer and died at Belvue in 1915; Elizabeth, wife of James Craig, who now owned and occupies an orange farm at Lake Hamilton in Florida; Minnie, who lives with her mother, widow of George Anderson, an electrician who died at Topeka; George H., who is the seventh in order of birth; Carrie, wife of Dr. J. A. Steinmeyer, a dentist at Topeka; and Loreene, wife of Fred Klasse, a Topaka merchant.

George H. Weeks received his early training in the public schools of Belvue, gradusting from high school in 1897. Since leaving high school his energies and time have been assiduonsly devoted to farming and stock raising. He had developed one of the best known studs of Parcheron horses in the State of Kansas. He had about a dozen stallions of that famous breed. As a Hereford cattle raiser he had at this writing a herd of about 100, and he also raises many Poland China hogs and is an extensive buyer and seller. His main stock farm is located adjoining Bebrue on the south and west and comprises 220 acres. He also had 170 acres in Wabaunsee County and a farm of 240 acres north of Belvue. Besides this ample property he owned two dwelling houses in Belvue and is a stockholder and director in the Belvue State Bank.

He had not neglected those other interests which claim the attention of a public spirited, broad minded citlzen. He attends the Methodist Episcopal Church, is affiliated with Pottawatomie Lodge No. 52 Ancient Free and Accepted Masong, at St. Marys, and with Topeka Consistory No. 1 of the Scottish Rite. As a republican be had filled the office of township trustee.

In 1902 at Wamego he married Miss Nettie Helm, daughter of R. H. and Laura (Chase) Helm. Her father is a well-to-do retired farmer and he and his wife live at Wamego. Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Weeks: Georgia, born in October, 1905; Laura Gayle, born in October, 1911; and Lula Ethel, born in August, 1914.

Source: A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans

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