Kansas

Biography of Thomas Coleman Truman

Thomas Coleman Truman. Among those sterling citizens who have been prominent and influential in connection with the civic and business affairs of [p.1834] Montgomery County and who are today to be designated as representative pioneers of the county a place must consistently be given to Mr. Truman, who has maintained his home at Independence, the county seat, for more than forty years and who is now living in well earned retirement–a man who has been in the most significant sense the architect of his own fortunes, as he became dependent upon his own resources when but twelve years of age. … Read more

Biography of Mrs. Kate M. Dilley

Mrs. Kate M. Dilley. The able and honored proprietor of the Dilley Sanitarium, in the City of Wichita, has proved herself one of the vigorous and resourceful business women of the Sunflower State and by the establishing and maintaining of her excellent sanitarium she has made a noble contribution to the list of valuable medical institutions in the City of Wichita. Mrs. Dilley was born in Manchester, England. When she was a child of two years her parents removed to Cape Town, South Africa, and in that far distant land Mrs. Dilley passed the period of her girlhood and early … Read more

Biography of Joseph F. Savage

Joseph F. Savage. There are many things of interest connected with the career of Joseph F. Savage, of Coffeyville, particularly in the line of achievements and success and position gained through individual efforts and with honor. Perhaps the most interesting, however, as well as the most important in regard to the history of Kansas, is the fact that this retired banker made what was really the first treaty here with the Osage Indians, this being in 1868, when Mr. Savage was a “sooner.” Since that time his fortunes have grown and developed and he has watched what was once the … Read more

Biography of Herbert K. Lindsley

Herbert K. Lindsley. Recognized as one of the leading commercial centers of the West, the City of Wichita has advanced rapidly in recent years along particular lines. Its geographical location and railroad facilities have made it the largest market in the world for broom corn. In the handling of broom corn, an important figure is Herbert K. Lindsley, president of the American Warehouse Company, whose career is typical of modern progress and advancement. It is not necessary to seek far for the reason for his success, or his indefatigable energy, close application and progressive methods have not only laid the … Read more

Biography of Charles W. Barnes

Charles W. Barnes. As reporter and newspaper editor, former state superintendent of insurance and now president of the Kansas Life Insurance Company of Topeka, Charles W. Barnes has had an exceedingly busy and successful career covering almost the entire forty-year period since he came to the state. He was born on a farm in Coshocton County, Ohio, October 28, 1869, a son of William O. and Maria Lonisa (McGruder) Barnes. His grandfather Charles Barnes was a lawyer, one of the pioneer members of the Ohio bar, and in the early days served as a judge. William O. Barnes was a … Read more

Biography of Desire Debacker

Desire Debacker. The greatest sources of productive wealth along the Kaw River are the market gardens and fruit orchards. This is an industry which has developed to high proportions in Kansas, and as everyone knows is a business where hard work, careful management, and thorough planning are prerequisites of success. Perhaps no family has made a better record in this field and has shown more of these essentials than that of Debacker, one of whose representatives is named above. The Debackers are Belgian people. Desire Debacker was born near Brussels in Belgium in 1874. His father was the late John … Read more

Biography of Orvis Milton Bloom

Orvis Milton Bloom, one of the well known oil producers living at Independence, Kansas, has been closely identified with the oil districts of the southwest for over twenty years. He was born in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania, February 9, 1873, a son of A. W. and Rebecca (MacCracken) Bloom. His mother is now living at Independence. Mr. Bloom was one of a large family of children, and his brother, C. L. Bloom, has been one of the most successful oil operators in the southwest. When O. M. Bloom was five years of age his parents moved to Fulton County, Indiana, and … Read more

Biography of Ray L. Bailey

Ray L. Bailey is one of the widely known men of Shawnee County, and is now successfully farming a fine place four miles north of North Topeka. He makes farming a real business, understands it in all details, and gives it the same energy and close attention which he formerly paid to his work as a traveling salesman. He was on the road for a number of years, and his firm sent him on a number of missions to Old Mexico. On account of his travel and extensive acquaintance in that southern republic he is well informed as to Mexican … Read more

Biography of William M. Jamieson

William M. Jamieson. Few of the business men of Wichita have had more varied careers than has William M. Jamieson, who, since 1910, has been engaged in the handling of large realty transactions in this city. A Scot by birth, he came to America as a lad, and during the next forty years his activities carried him to many out-of-the-way places of this continent, where he was connected with the construction of some of the largest engineering projects of the time. The broad experience and knowledge of men which he gained during this period of his life have been of … Read more

Biography of Homer Ward Bomgardner

Homer Ward Bomgardner is one of Topeka’s leading business men, and is also active in civic affairs and a prominent Sunday school worker. Much of his life has been spent in Kansas. He was born at Canal Dover, Ohio, February 1, 1865, a son of Benjamin F. and Mary (Ward) Bomgardner, his father being of Swiss ancestry. Reared in Ohio where he obtained an education in the high schools and academies, in January, 1884, Mr. Bomgardner came to Kansas, locating in Smith County, and for seven years was a teacher in the public schools of this state. During that time … Read more

Biography of Charles Joseph Boeger

Charles Joseph Boeger is without doubt one of the foremost men in the profession of photography in the State of Kansas. Some years ago he located in Topeka, and with his studio at 707 Kansas Avenue has done work that entitles him to his place in the profession, and his career is also dignified by the fact that he represents a pioneer family in this state. His father is the honored Joseph Boeger of Decatur County. Joseph Boeger was born in Prussia, Germany, in 1850, and before he left the fatherland became well known and highly respected in Westphalia. When … Read more

Biography of Herbert J. Corwine

Herbert J. Corwine has long been one of Topeka’s most popular citizens, was formerly pastor of the Third Christian Church of that city, and in 1916 he became widely known all over the First Congressional District as democratic candidate for Congress, running in opposition to Congressman Anthony of Leavenworth. To elect a democrat from this district would be to perform a miracle in politics, but Mr. Corwine made a very strong bid for popular support and secured a handsome aggregate of votes, thought impartial observers would have conceded the election of his republican opponent before the ballots were counted. Mr. … Read more

Biography of George S. Hine

George S. Hine is state dairy commissioner of Kansas with office in the State Agricultural College at Manhattan. His early life was spent on a Wisconsin dairy farm. Thus he is in a measure a dairyman to the manner born, as well as a man of thorough technical training and wide experience in that field. He had gained considerable distinction as a technical expert in his chosen profession in Wisconsin before he was called to Kansas, and has been identified with the dairy department of the state for the past six years. He was born on his father’s farm near … Read more

Biography of William P. Brown

William P. Brown, brother of S. Allen Brown, a well known citizen of Independence whose career has already been sketched, has been prominently identified with various business affairs in Southeastern Kansas for nearly forty years, and is now a resident and has his headquarters at Coffeyville. Born in Pomeroy, Ohio, July 29, 1861, a son of Gen. William R. Brown, he received his early education in the public schools of that state, and came with his parents to Independence, Kansas, in 1874. He was then a student in the Independence High School, but at the early age of seventeen started … Read more

Biography of John W. Stanford

John W. Stanford. One of the strongest banks of southern Kansas is the First National Bank of Independence, of which John W. Stanford is cashier. The Stanford family have been prominently identified with Independence for thirty years, since early days in that city, and Mr. Stanford has practically spent his life there and has made himself an important factor in local affairs. The First National Bank was established in 1883 with William E. Otis as president. In 1904 the late R. S. Litchfield became president of the bank. Since Mr. Litchfield’s death on March 21, 1916, his successor has not … Read more

Biography of William M. Rounds

William M. Rounds. Among the men who have won places of responsibility in the gas and oil business in Kansas, one of the best known is William M. Rounds, district superintendent for this part of Kansas and local manager at Caney of the Prairie Pipe Line Company. From the time of his graduation from high school, twenty-three years ago, Mr. Rounds has been identified with his present line of business, and few men are better informed in its various branches. He has been a resident of Caney since 1915 and has already established himself in the confidence of the people … Read more

Biography of Fred Harvey Quincy

Fred Harvey Quincy. Success in any line of occupation, in any avenue of business, is not a matter of spontaneity, but represents the result of the application of definite subjective forces and the controlling of objective agencies in such a way as to achieve desired ends. Senator Quincy has realized a large and substantial success in the business world, has been given important public office, in which he has served with honor and distinction, and his career has well exemplified the truth of the foregoing statements. He occupies a prominent place in the financial circles of Kansas, is the controlling … Read more

Biography of Isaac S. Lightle

Isaac S. Lightle. The influence of a sound, conservative banking house is wide and its practical results far reaching. Without such an institution in its midst, no city can hope to take its place among its sister communities, and to it will come no reliable outside concerns. It may be truly said that the growth and development of a community depends largely upon the quality and stability of its banks, and this means the sagacity and integrity of the men who stand at their head. Therefore the thriving community of Arcadia, in Crawford County, is fortunate in the possession of … Read more

Biography of Robert E. Kenner

Robert E. Kenner. No better lesson relative to the value of honorable effort intelligently directed can be found than that offered by the career of a man who has risen to a responsible position through his own initiative, and in this connection the life of Robert E. Kenner presents an example. Still a young man, he has worked his way to an important post, that of superintendent of the American Zinc, Lead and Smelter Company, at Dearing, Kansas, and in so doing has been dependent only upon his own resource and industry. Mr. Kenner was born at Eureka, Kansas, August … Read more

Biography of Edwin F. Paul

Edwin F. Paul. Engaged in the retail grocery business at Independence, Montgomery County, Mr. Paul is one of the representative merchants of the younger generation in his native city, his birth having here occurred on the 5th of June, 1886. He is a son of Morgan J. and Della (Kilgore) Paul, the former of whom was born in 1845, in Ohio, where he was reared and educated, and the latter of whom was born in 1862, she being still a resident of Independence, where the death of her honored husband occurred in 1909, the subject of this review being the … Read more