A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans Collections – Page 10 of 109

Biography of William Carroll

William Carroll. One of the most popular members of the county government of Woodson County is William Carroll, who had recently finished his second term as sheriff. Mr. Carroll had spent all his life since infancy in this section of Kansas, belongs to a family of pioneers of Woodson County, and his own career had been one of hard work and exceptional fidelity to every interest committed to his care. He was born in Kane County, Illinois, November 2, 1868, but was brought to Kansas when about two years of age. His father, Michael Carroll, was born in Southern Ireland … Read more

Biography of William C. Suttle

William C. Suttle. Under modern conditions the water works of any thriving and prosperous community is one of the most important branches of the civic service, and its management requires abilities far beyond the ordinary. Fredonia boasts of one of the best water systems in Southeastern Kansas, and much of the credit for the present excellent conditions existing in this enterprising city is due to the capable and experienced work of the superintendent of the water works, William C. Suttle, who had been connected with this department for about eleven years and had been in his present position since 1913. … Read more

Biography of William C. Sewell

William C. Sewell. While Montgomery County had contributed many millions to the wealth of the world through its oil and gas fields, it is primarily and essentially an agricultural county, and many of its more substantial citizens laid the basis of their prosperity as farmers. One of these is William C. Sewell, who is now living at Independence, and since retiring from the farm had busied himself with the management of a number of property interests. In his period of residence in Montgomery County practically every development of importance had occurred since the Indians left this section of Kansas. Mr. … Read more

Biography of William C. Roughton

William C. Roughton, editor and proprietor of the Manchester Motor in Dickinson County, with his wife as local editor, had been identified either with the printing trade or with newspaper work since early boyhood. His father was at one time proprietor of the Jetmore Republican. The Roughton family is one of the earliest names that occur in the history of Hodgeman County. At Jetmore in that county William C. Roughton was born September 21, 1882. He is a son of Columbus E. and Amanda (Wilson) Roughton. Columbus E. Roughton, who was born in Yadkin County, North Carolina, in 1843, a … Read more

Biography of William C. Phenicie

William C. Phenicie, an honored veteran of the Civil war, a resident of Kansas for more than half a century, had played his varied part in life with exceeding industry, thrift, and a public spirited sense of responsibility as a citizen. He is now a resident of Tonganoxie in Leavenworth County. His birth occurred on a farm near Zanesville, Muskingum County, Ohio, December 19, 1841. His parents were George W. and Mary Ann (Howk) Phenicie. His father was an Ohio farmer. He also had the pioneer spirit which led Americans of all classes away from the settled states into the … Read more

Biography of William C. Kandt

William C. Kandt, a native of Kansas, and member of a pioneer family in the state, has been a banker all his active career, and while he maintains offices and has his home at Independence he is active cashier of the Wayside State Bank and president of the Citizens State Bank of Elk City. His birth occurred in Dickinson County, Kansas, August 24, 1877. His grandparents, John and Mary Kandt were German people who came to this country in the early ’50s and in 1857 pioneered into Dickinson County, Kansas, where they were among the first to break the virgin … Read more

Biography of William C. Hook

William C. Hook, United States Circuit Judge of the Eighth Judicial Circuit, had been a resident of Leavenworth since childhood, and his people have some interesting associations with Kansas in the territorial as well as the later period. Enos and Dawson Adams Hook, brothers, the former the father of Judge Hook and the latter an uncle, came to Kansas when it was a territory and had an active part in the upbuilding of the community in and around Leavenworth. They were the sons of John and Nancy (Adams) Hook. The mother was of the old Pennsylvania family of Adams. The … Read more

Biography of William C. Goodwin, Rev.

Rev. William C. Goodwin. In the death of Rev. William C. Goodwin, which occurred at his home in Moline, Kansas, May 12, 1913, that community lost a much loved citizen and there passed away a character which in strength and in service deserves more than passing mention. Largely in the words of a friend and admirer who wrote of him the following biography had been prepared for this publication. He was born at Massena Center in St. Lawrence County, New York, September 3, 1837. His father, Daniel Goodwin, was born and reared in New Hampshire; his mother, Elvira Clark, in … Read more

Biography of William C. Christensen

William C. Christensen, now living retired at Topeka, had well earned a niche in the honorable and industrious citizenship of Kansas. He was one of the real upbuilders of western Kansas, and his family played a specially notable part in the development of Cloud County. A native of Denmark, he was born November 7, 1857. At the age of eight years he was brought to this country by his parents Stephen and Anna Christensen. They settled in Freeborn County, Minnesota, where they lived on the frontier and where the mother died. The father married again and in 1870 brought his … Read more

Biography of William C. Cecil, M. D.

Dr. William C. Cecil, born November 15, 1850, in Plymouth, Illinois, was a pioneering physician in Stark, Kansas. A descendant of the notable Cecil family of Maryland, Dr. Cecil earned his M.D. from the Eclectic Medical Institute in Cincinnati in 1875. He practiced medicine in Illinois and Kansas, settling in Stark in 1888, where he was the first permanent doctor. Renowned for his dedication, Dr. Cecil served the community for nearly 30 years. He was active in local Masonic organizations and married twice, first to Sarah E. Robinson and later to Nell Rumbeck, with whom he had three children.

Biography of William Bruce Middlekauff

William Bruce Middlekauff, banker, farmer and stockman of Vesper, came to Kansas with his father over forty years ago, and since then the interests and activities and holdings of the Middlekauff family have grown apace until the name is now one of the most substantial and respected in Lincoln County. The family through its varied relationship had become prominently known in Kansas, Mr. Middlekauff himself is a native of Maryland and in the vicinity of Hagerstown the family and its kin have lived for generations. Mr. Middlekauff’s grandfather, Daniel Middlekauff, was also born near Hagerstown, Maryland, was a farmer and … Read more

Biography of William Boast

William Boast. Nearly forty-five years ago the Boast family came to Shawnee County, Kansas. Mr. William Boast, who now lives retired in Topeka, had a long and active career in general farming and stock raising, and by industry and good foresight he accumulated 480 acres in Menoken Township of Shawnee County. He retired from active farm work in 1901, and later sold his old homestead and reinvested in a quarter section of land six miles north of North Topeka on the Rochester Road. He also owns 270 acres of fine Missouri land six miles north of Kansas City. Mr. Boast … Read more

Biography of William Bender

William Bender came with his parents to Kansas over thirty years ago, helped the family get established, and then took up agriculture as an independent career, in which he had been so liberally prospered that he had now practically given up the active superintendence of his extensive land holdings and lives retired in the City of Ellsworth. Mr. Bender is a native of Germany, where he was born August 19, 1869. His father, also William Bender, was born in that country in 1846, grew up and married there, acquired the trade of shoemaker, but also did farming. He was in … Read more

Biography of William Beggs

William Beggs, now county clerk of Wyandotte County, and with a long and honorable record of public service, has been a resident of Kansas City, Kansas, since early boyhood and found his work for many years in connection with some of the packing industries of the city. There is hardly a better known citizen of the city or county, and his ability to do things and get things done and his personal integrity have long made him a man of mark. He was born in the northern part of Ireland May 27, 1867, the oldest of seven children of Richard … Read more

Biography of William Baker, Rev.

Rev. William Baker was a well known figure in Kansas, and had a career of remarkable experience in foreign lands before taking up his residence in the Sunflower State. He lived and developed a fine farm in Wabaunsee County, but spent his last years in Topeka, where members of his family still reside. He was born in London, England, July 6, 1838. His father, William Baker, Sr., was a basket manufacturer and also a native of London. The country home of the family was at Plaistow in Essex County. Reared in the Episcopal or Established Church of England, Rev. William … Read more

Biography of William B. Wade

William B. Wade. When the pioneers of 1854, who were men of solid worth, as was William B. Wade, later a member of the First Territorial Legislature of Kansas, came to Shawnee County, it was for the peaceful conquest of the soil and for the establishing of permanent homes in which they could rear their families to succeed them with credit to state and parentage. These pioneers were home-seekers, not restless, irresponsible wanderers, and, while many brought a measure of capital, all came with sturdy, industrious habits insuring the earning of it. The historian of today looks back over the … Read more

Biography of William B. Sutton

William B. Sutton. Since he came to Kansas in 1887, as a rancher-lawyer, William B. Sutton has found all the opportunities that an ambitious man could crave for an active, earnest, useful and prosperous career. For many years he has lived in Kansas City, Kansas, and is one of the leading lawyers of that city. He was born in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, February 12, 1849, the seventh in a family of ten children born to James and Sarah (Stanborough) Sutton. His father was born in the same county of Pennsylvania in 1812, and died in 1870, while the mother was … Read more

Biography of William Anthony

William Anthony was long known as a dry goods merchant in Burlingame, Kansas. When he died there he left his widow and four young children. Mrs. Anthony, who now lives at Topeka, gave a splendid exposition of resourcefulness in a critical time. After the death of her husband she took the active management of the dry goods store, and though little acquainted with mercantile methods, she managed the enterprise so successfully that she gave her children the advantages they required at home and in school, and a few years ago sold the business, and moved to Topeka. Born at Marysville … Read more

Biography of William Allison Aikman

Aikman Brothers. As farmers, merchants, lawyers and active citizens the Aikman family have been prominent in Butler County for over forty-five years. The father of the Aikman brothers, lawyers and business men at El Dorado, was the late William A. Aikman, who on coming to Kansas in 1871 took up a homestead in Butler County and contributed his share of the heavy work involved in converting the virgin prairies into fertile farms. He was the father of four sons. Granville P. had long been a lawyer of El Dorado and had been distinguished by long and capable service on the … Read more

Biography of William Allen Sells

William Allen Sells, son of Allen Sells, was probably the most noted bare-back rider of his time. He began practicing the art when a child, and subsequently performed in every city and remote hamlet of the United States and also before the royalty of Europe. After his return from his European tour he organized and conducted a show of his own for some years. He died in New York City in 1907. In 1890 William Allen Sells married Miss Effigene Marris of Columbus, Ohio. Their only son and child is Allen William Sells, who as a boy and young man … Read more