CATHERINE A. RAPP SHIKLES OBIT
Mrs. Catherine A Shikles, formerly of Plattsburg, died Saturday at Excelsior Springs, where she had lived a part of the time in recent years. She had also lived for a while in Liberty.
Mrs. Shikles' maiden name was Catherine RAPP. She was married on Sept. 6, 1870 to WILLIAM H. SHIKLES. His death was on May 4, 1895.
When she was 8 years old she was made an orphan in a border incident. She and her 6 year old sister (Sarah Edna Rapp Martin), were living with their father, JOHN RAPP, on a farm about two miles north of Farley. Mrs. Rapp had died some years before.
In her later life Mrs. Shikles could still recall every detail of the incident. A band of Kansas bushwhackers raided the farm at night. Thru records they found in the home the anti-slavery men established that Mr. Rapp had been a slave owner. Mr. Rapp and a visiting neighbor immediately were dragged into the yard and hanged, while the two children watched. The raiders rode away and the children huddled alone in the home until daylight when they made their way to the home of a neighbor.
Mrs. Shikles and her husband, William H. Shikles, who died in 1895, had eleven children who survive their mother.
They are: Dr. W. C. Shikles of Plattsburg; Dr. E. A. Shikles and Dr. John Shikles of Dearborn; J. W. Shikles, Kansas City; Mrs. Emma Trice, Plattsburg; Mrs. Edna Rand, Mrs. Bertie Breen, and Miss Ruth Shikles of Liberty; Mrs. Katherine Cross of Lathrop, Mrs. Stella Diehl, Chicago; and Mrs. Mary Jennings of Kansas City.
Funeral services were held at 2:30 o'clock Monday at the Methodist church in Plattsburg. Burial was at Lathrop.
The service was conducted by Rev. R. S. Tomlin, pastor of the Plattsburg Methodist church.
STORY OF THE RAPP FAMILY, PRINTED IN THE PLATTE CITY LANDMARK Sent by Mrs. G. T. Trice, Plattsburg, Missouri
Weston Chronicle, 22 Jan 1981 40 Years ago column
Mrs. Catherine A. Shikles, 88 years old, died in Excelsior Springs, Saturday. Her home was in Liberty. Mrs. Shikles was made an orphan when only 8 years old. It was while she and her sister, 6, were living with their father John Rapp on a farm north of Farley, a band of Kansas bushwackers raided the homestead at night. Find out that Mr. Rapp had been a slave owner he was dragged into the yard and hanged while the two children watched.
Letter dated 11 April 1952, Plattsburg, Missouri Dear Mrs. Dowling, My grandmother was first married to JOHN MCCORD. She was a MILLER; four children were born to them. They were James, John, Frank and Anna McCord. John McCord went to Colorado in the Gold Rush of '49 and died. In about a year my grandmother married JOHN RAPP. They had three children, Catherine, Edna, and a baby that died with the mother. The McCord children were taken to Aunt Malinda Miller's and three Rapp children remained with their father. Grandfather was a slave owner, who sold all his slaves but a few and buried his "money" -- no one knew where. The Jay Hawkers came in one night and hung him and two of his neighbors on one limb of a tree. The other two men were JOHN CARSON and ELISHA GREEN. John Carson did not die. The two small children were left alone in the house until morning. The negroes had fled. My grandfather John Rapp's body was taken down and kept until the next night. They made a coffin out of boards and carried him to the Green Cemetery after night and buried him. I'm enclosing a clipping out of the Platte City paper some years ago that might help you. I hope this will help you. Sincerely, Mrs. G. T. Trice Note: Mrs. G. T. Trice was EMMA SHIKLES who married GRANVILLE TAYLOR TRICE. She was the daughter of Catherine Rapp Shikles Copyright 3 Aug 2003 All rights reserved Carolyn Whitaker, Webmaster
Letter dated 11 April 1952, Plattsburg, Missouri
Dear Mrs. Dowling,
My grandmother was first married to JOHN MCCORD. She was a MILLER; four children were born to them. They were James, John, Frank and Anna McCord. John McCord went to Colorado in the Gold Rush of '49 and died. In about a year my grandmother married JOHN RAPP. They had three children, Catherine, Edna, and a baby that died with the mother.
The McCord children were taken to Aunt Malinda Miller's and three Rapp children remained with their father. Grandfather was a slave owner, who sold all his slaves but a few and buried his "money" -- no one knew where.
The Jay Hawkers came in one night and hung him and two of his neighbors on one limb of a tree. The other two men were JOHN CARSON and ELISHA GREEN. John Carson did not die. The two small children were left alone in the house until morning. The negroes had fled.
My grandfather John Rapp's body was taken down and kept until the next night. They made a coffin out of boards and carried him to the Green Cemetery after night and buried him.
I'm enclosing a clipping out of the Platte City paper some years ago that might help you. I hope this will help you.
Sincerely,
Mrs. G. T. Trice
Note: Mrs. G. T. Trice was EMMA SHIKLES who married GRANVILLE TAYLOR TRICE. She was the daughter of Catherine Rapp Shikles
Copyright 3 Aug 2003
All rights reserved
Carolyn Whitaker, Webmaster