I'm not related, but ran across this mention of a fellow who only lived for a year in Butler County before traveling on and thought someone might be interested in his bio... http://www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/leavenworth/leavenworth-co-p33.html VALANTINE CARL BECKER, farmer and stock-raiser, P. O. Pleasant Ridge, came to Kansas in May, 1855, and first located on Crooked Creek, Jefferson County, where he lived six months, engaged in farming. From Jefferson County he removed to Lee County, Iowa, where he lived one and a half years, and then returned to Kansas, locating in the city of Leavenworth, where he lived twelve years, and was engaged in freighting. From the city of Leavenworth he removed to his farm in Kickapoo Township, where he has since lived. He is a member of the Lutheran Church. He was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, January 28, 1835, and lived in his native country until his eighteenth year, when he emigrated to America, and first located in Butler County, Ohio, where he lived one year, and was engaged in farming. From Ohio he removed to Lee County, Iowa, where he lived three years, and from there came to Kansas. Mr. Becker was married in the city of Leavenworth, April 6, 1858, to Miss Mary Litsch, a ! native of Kentucky. They have two children living, Lillie and Nellie. Mr. B. has a fine upland farm of 133 acres, all enclosed, and all in cultivation, except fifty-eight acres, which is timber land, and is covered with a good growth of oak, walnut, and hickory. His orchard covers ten acres, and contains 1,000 apple, seventy-five pear, 500 peach, and fifty plum and cherry trees. The water supply is excellent, consisting of two fine springs and a good well. The improvements on his property consist of a four-roomed frame dwelling house, large frame barn, 40 x 44, smoke-house, etc. He pays particular attention to raising wheat, corn, and fine horses. His wheat this season (1882) averaged twenty-five bushels to the acre. His corn averaged forty bushels to the acre. He had twenty-five acres in oats this year which averaged forty bushels to the acre. He has one or two blooded horses on his farm, which it is well worth a journey to see. Diane Beaty Blankets for America Friends of Pine Ridge Reservation Before us lies a new day, and in the distance a new world, ours to create by the strength of our faith.