A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans Collections – Page 14 of 109

Biography of W. W. Kaney

W. W. Kaney. In the career of W. W. Kaney, of Chanute, there is found an excellent illustration of the rewards that may be attained through industry and perseverance, for his had been a life in which achievements have been self gained and in which outside assistance had played no part. With but an indifferent education he started out in the world to make his own way when he was but a lad, and had steadfastly worked his way to a position of prominence as one of the leading oil producers of this part of Kansas. Mr. Kaney was born … Read more

Biography of W. T. Yoe

The Independence Tribune is one of the oldest papers in Kansas, with a record of continuous issue in one locality for forty-six years, and it is even older than that since the same plant had been used for publishing a paper in Missouri for several years before its removal to Independence, when that town was located on the frontier and at the very beginning of its growth and development. The Tribune ever since its establishment has been under the control of two veteran newspaper men, both brothers, W. T. Yoe, who is editor, and Charles Yoe, who is president of … Read more

Biography of W. Scott M. D.

W. Scott, M. D. Among the original settlers of Republic County who lived to share in the prosperity which had came to this fertile section of Kansas as a result of the labors of themselves and those who have followed them was Dr. W. Scott, who had the distinction of being one of the first settlers of the present site of Norway and the only one of his company to survive to a recent date. Among the pioneers he served as physician, surgeon and dentist, and at the same time took part in the development of the soil and shared … Read more

Biography of W. S. Mourning

The successful contractor is not only a skilled mechanic but must also possess the qualifications of sound business judgment and above all a thorough integrity and honesty in carrying out every detail of his work. Those are the qualities at the basis of W. S. Mourning’s success as a contraetor of Wichita. While one of the younger men in the business in Kansas, he had a record of many contracts successfully carried out and his business is still growing. He was born at Quincy, Illinois, May 22, 1883. In 1884 his parents moved to Northwestern Kansas, his father taking up … Read more

Biography of W. S. Ferguson

W. S. Ferguson is secretary and treasurer of The Locomotive Finished Material Company of Atchison, one of the most important industries of the city. Mr. Ferguson had been identified with Kansas and Atchison for over thirty years, and throughout that time had been connected with the foundry and manufacturing business in different capacities. He is now the oldest executive official in point of continuous service of The Locomotive Finished Material Company. He represents an old and honored family name in the City of Alton, Illinois, where he was born January 16, 1861. The Fergusons for several generations were linen drapers … Read more

Biography of W. R. Blanding

W. R. Blanding. Among the prosperous business enterprises of Barnard, Kansas, none perhaps are more soundly established than is the Blanding Hardware Company, which was started by W. R. Blanding, the present secretary and treasurer, who is also vice president of the First National Bank of Barnard. He is a man of large business experience and in public esteem no citizen is considered more trustworthy. W. R. Blanding was born in Kent County, near Lowell, Michigan, May 11, 1871. His ancestors came to the United States many generations ago from Germany and settled in New York, and in that state … Read more

Biography of W. A. Scidmore

W. A. Scidmore. The center of the financial interests of the Town of Tescott is the Bank of Tescott, an institution that had been holding up the financial credit and stability of the community for many years. It was founded by Mr. F. F. Scidmore in 1887. At the present time the bank had a capital stock of $50,000, surplus and profits of $10,000, and its deposits average $160,000. The two story brick structure on Main Street which was built and owned by the bank in 1911, is the most conspicuous business building in the town. The present officers are: … Read more

Biography of W. A. Blair

W. A. Blair, editor and proprietor of the Oswego Independent, has had a long and successful experience in Kansas journalism, has owned several papers in the southeastern part of the state, and has always been a live and vigorous citizen and for four years was county clerk of Labette County. He is a native Kansan, having been born in Washington County January 30, 1879. His paternal ancestors were Irish. His grandfather Andrew Blair was born in County Antrim, Ireland, and spent his life there. For many years he was engaged in the limestone industry and also owned a large amount … Read more

Biography of Volney P. Mooney

Volney P. Mooney, now probate judge of Butler County, had resided in this section of Kansas more than forty-eight years and had been successively teacher, merchant, lawyer and public official. The people of Butler County know him and trust him as completely as any other citizen. His father, the late Rev. Isaac Mooney, was one of the notable men in this section of Kansas. He was the founder of a town and community, and throughout his life held that community up to his own high ideals. It is not easy to lose sight of the tremendous influence either for good … Read more

Biography of Virgil A. Bird

Virgil A. Bird has long been one of the live business factors in the Town of Bern. He is a native of Northeastern Kansas and his people were among the pioneers of Doniphan County. Mr. Bird was born near Severance in Doniphan County September 3, 1869. His ancestors were New England people, and in that section his grandfather, Isaac Bird, spent his life. The Bird family came originally from England, and became Americans in Colonial days. George Bird, father of Virgil A., was born in Litchfield, Connecticut, in 1834, and is still living, at the age of eighty-three, in Denton, … Read more

Biography of Victor A. Hays

Victor A. Hays is an example of the successful American who began as a telegraph operator and has reached a commanding position in industrial affairs. He is president of the Kansas Natural Gas Company and has spent the greater part of his active career in the oil and gas fields of the East and Southwest. Like many other successful men in the oil and gas industry Victor A. Hays is a native of Venango County, Pennsylvania, and of Irish ancestry. He was born near Oil City on April 27, 1863. He was educated in the public and Normal schools and … Read more

Biography of Vernon M. Wiley

Vernon M. Wiley. It does not require a long memory to make a mental comparison between the present Rorabaugh-Wiley Dry Goods Company, located in its magnificent building, the most conspicuous business structure of Hutchinson, and the 25-foot storeroom which the same parties occupied at the beginning of their mercantile career in this city sixteen years ago. “From small acorns great oaks grow,” is an old saying that finds one of its choicest applications in this successful business. The secretary and treasurer of the Rorabaugh-Wiley Dry Goods Company, Mr. Wiley, is surprisingly young for a man of his position and achievements. … Read more

Biography of Vernon H. Branch

Vernon H. Branch of Wichita has had a successful career as a banker in Kansas covering a period of more than thirty-five years. In that time he has been officially identified with a number of important banks in different parts of the state, but is now concentrating all his efforts along the line of investment banking, and is one of the reliable investment bankers of Kansas. He came to Kansas when a youth. His birth occurred at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, February 3, 1863, but when he was two years of age his parents removed to Orwell, Vermont, his father’s childhood home. … Read more

Biography of V. E. Creighton

V. E. Creighton, president of the Traders State Bank of Arkansas City, had spent most of his active career in Kansas, began life as a teacher, afterwards was a railroad clerk, and by hard work and a certain special ability in financial affairs had promoted himself to his present standing and influential connections as a banker. The Traders State Bank of Arkansas City was organized in 1905 by B. C. Straughan, J. E. Heard and W. M. Bummell. The original capital was $25,000. On May 1, 1914, Mr. Creighton and his associates bought the institution, and besides Mr. Creighton the … Read more

Biography of Ulysses Schuyler Wolfe

Ulysses Schuyler Wolfe is sole proprietor of the Alfalfa Milling Company of Emporia. This is a business of more than local proportions and makes a specialty of converting the great alfalfa crop of Kansas into special feed and combination of feed for livestock. Mr. Wolfe had been a resident of Kansas since early boyhood and his family were among the early settlers of Emporia. His original ancestors came from England in colonial times and many of them settled in Maryland and Southern Pennsylvania. Grandfather David Wolfe was born in Maryland in 1821 and died in Hagerstown of that state in … Read more

Biography of U. G. Charles

U. G. Charles. One of the oldest of the refining and civilizing agencies of man is architecture, the art which constructs for beauty or utility or combines both. While it has necessarily been regulated by natural conditions and configuration of the country in which it is exercised, the development of a modern palace, either for residence or business, step by step from the ancestral cave or tent, is one of the great and interesting romances of civilization. Of the masters of this art who have contributed much to the past of Wichita, and who, because of their superior equipment and … Read more

Biography of Truman W. Gardner

Truman W. Gardner had a wide and varied experience as a Kansas farmer, real estate man and banker, and is now cashier of the Neosho Falls State Bank in Woodson County. In 1906 he supplied part of the capital and much of the enterprise for the organization of that institution, and had filled the place of cashier ever since. The bank was founded by local people in Neosho Falls and the present officers are: J. Bishop, president; L. W. Knotts, vice president; T. W. Gardner, cashier; and Errol McCullough, assistant cashier. The bank had a capital stock of $10,000 and … Read more

Biography of Tom White Flory

Tom White Flory, whose name is widely known over Kansas both as a newspaper editor and as former state hotel inspector, is now editor and owner of the Gridley Light. The Gridley Light had a good name in Kansas journalism, and is a strong and successfully conducted paper. Its editorials and pithy paragraphs are extensively printed in the state press. It is worthy of note that this is one of the chief Kansas weeklies which have a legitimate use for an office safe. Mr. Flory was born at Longton, Kansas, February 11, 1885. His grandfather, Frank C. Flory, was born … Read more

Biography of Tom D. Smith

Tom D. Smith, lawyer at Hiawatha, had for a number of years been regarded as one of the most forceful orators and leaders in the republican party of Kansas. Because of his unusual resources as a speaker and reasoner, he was given some of the most important assignments during the national republican campaign of 1916. Much of his work was done in the far East. He spoke at President Wilson’s home and at Long Brauch, and spoke with Charles E. Hughes and William Taft during the Union Square meeting in New York City. He stumped all over New Jersey, Connecticut … Read more

Biography of Timothy McShane

Timothy McShane, who came to America from his native Ireland when a young man of twenty years, has found or made his opportunities in life, and by a strict course of self reliance and integrity has become one of the leading business men of Kansas City, Kansas, where he is vice president and manager of the Bargain Lumber Company at Tenth and State streets. He has been a resident of Kansas City since 1884, and resides at 240 North Eighth Street: He was born on a farm in County Donegal, Province of Ulster, September 15, 1860. He was one of … Read more