David Painter spent three years and six months in the Northern Army
     during the Civil War. He was born in Preble County, Ohio, in 1843, and
     at an early age moved to Petersburg, Indiana, where he grew to manhood.
     On December 6, 1866, he was married to Cynthia Ellen Morton. Cynthia 
     was born on March 4, 1846, near Perryville, Kentucky, and moved to
     Indiana when she was six. Her mother died when she was eight, and since
     her father did not keep the home, she lived with an aunt until her marriage.
       The Painters were the parents of three sons - William, Charley, and
     Henry (who died in infancy), and three daughters - Cora E. (Adams), Lillian
     V. (Herr), and Ora Kathryn (Horney). The family came to Kansas in 1884,
     first settling in Newton. In 1886 they came to Barber County and settled
     on their claim near Sexton.
       It was said that David Painter would fight a buzz saw. One incident in
     his colorful life concerned an altercation with a Jewish family named
     Plotkins, who also lived in Sexton.
       Dave had rented some land from a gentleman and had planted corn. The
     Plotkins bought the land before the crop had matured and turned their cows
     in on the corn. When Dave turned the cows out of the field to cut his corn,
     the Plotkins - mother, father, and son - attacked him. While he was fending
     off blows from a club wielded by Mrs. Plotkins, Mr. Plotkins stabbed him
     in the shoulder! A doctor was summoned to the hills, and Dave's wound was
     tended to. The knife had penetrated his lung and severe infection set in.
     The same week that Plotkins were sentenced to Leavenworth for his crime,
     Dave Painter went to the Veterans Hospital in Leavenworth for treatment.
     His condition was thought grave. Dave was back in Medicine Lodge the next
     week and said that no one had paid any attention to him at the hospital,
     but the trip had done him good! He lived to be 80!
       When the Painters lived at Sexton, Dave walked to town on Monday, worked
     all week, then walked back to Sexton on Saturday evening, carrying the
     necessary stables for the family. The family moved to Medicine Lodge, 
     where Dave built homes at 313 and 315 North Main Street.
       Senator Chester I. Long had a pension awarded to David Painter, and for
     a short time the Painters retired to Ft. Dodge. But he was not happy there,
     so they soon returned to Medicine Lodge.
       The Painters had celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary before
     Cynthia's death on January 27, 1917. Davie married Susan J. Holser in 1918.
     He died on May 9, 1924.   
                
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas, pg. 356 
     Submitted by: Robert McCollom