Biography of Louis Van Dorp

Louis Van Dorp. More than thirty-five years a resident of Kansas, Louis Van Dorp, though he arrived in the state with only a few dollars available cash capital, had built up and maintained for years a large and important service as a sheet metal contractor. With his headquarters in Topeka, his contraets have called him and his class of workmen to all parts of the state. A native of Detroit, Michigan, where he was born November 22, 1857, Louis Van Dorp is one of the three children of August and Sophia (Kohn) Van Dorp, both of whom were natives of … Read more

Biography of Louis R. Roter

Louis R. Roter. One of the very able business men of Parsons was the late Louis R. Roter, who was president of the Parsons Cold Storage and Crystal Ice Company and had followed merchandising and various lines of business in Kansas and other states for many years. He died in his fifty-fourth year at Parsons February 3, 1907. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, October 2, 1853, a son of Henry Roter, who was born in Germany and died at Dillsboro, Indiana. Henry Roter came to this country a young man, lived in Cincinnati many years, and then moved to … Read more

Biography of Louis P. Johnson

Louis P. Johnson has spent his years profitably in Doniphan County, partly as a farmer, partly as a business man and partly as a public official. He now conducts the only hardware store at Bendena and is also the present postmaster of that town. Mr. Johnson was born in Doniphan County January 16, 1870. His father, Claus Johnson, was born in Denmark in 1836 and was one of the early farmer settlers in Doniphan County. He came to the United States in 1865, and for a time lived near Racine, Wisconsin. In 1866 he removed to Donipban County, Kansas, and … Read more

Biography of Louis L. Marcell

Louis L. Marcell. The discovery of oil and gas and its development in Neosho and the surrounding counties had not only added to the wealth and prosperity of this section of the state but had also brought forward a new type of business man: the oil producer and refiner. Today one of the leading representatives of the oil industry in the Mid-Continent field is Louis L. Marcell of Chanute, Kansas, who became interested when the business was in its infancy and had been a factor in making it one of the largest industries of the state. Mr. Marcell was born … Read more

Biography of Louis Henry Rose

Louis Henry Rose. That quality of citizenship which gets things done in a wise and constructive manner and at the same time is constantly looking out for the economy and welfare of the individual is wonderfully well illustrated in the career of Louis Henry Rose, one of the oldest business men of Rosedale. Mr. Rose identified himself with this village of Wyandotte County when its population did not consist of more than 500. He helped make it a city and in recent years had headed the fight to secure its consolidation with that larger metropolitan and industrial group of communities … Read more

Biography of Louis H. Chapman

Louis H. Chapman, commissioner of water and light of Kansas City, Kansas, is the man chiefly responsible for bringing these municipally owned plants to a perfection of service where they completely justify the management and control by the city. Mr. Chapman is an expert electrician and general engineer, and has achieved a significant success through his own energies and ambitions. He has been a resident of Kansas the greater part of the time since 1886. He was born at Hartford, Connecticut, June 17, 1873, the youngest of the nine children of John Oliver and Louisa E. (Smart) Chapman. His parents … Read more

Biography of Louis E. Horville

Louis E. Horville. During the decade of years that Louis E. Horville had figured prominently in financial circles of Iola, he had proven his ability as a banker and his worth as a business man. Primarily an agriculturist, with large land interests, in 1905 he became president of the Iola State Bank, and to its management brought executive ability, foresight and acumen that have enabled the institution to maintain a high place and an enviable reputation. Louis E. Horville is a native son of Kansas and of Allen County, having been born on a farm located 1½ miles northwest of … Read more

Biography of Louis E. Dodds

Louis E. Dodds. Among the well-known native sons of Labette County who have passed their entire careers in this section and who have worked their way to positions of standing in various walks of life, Louis E. Dodds is a representative of the railway element. For more than a quarter of a century, Mr. Dodds has been identified with the Santa Fe Railroad system, and since 1903 has held the position of freight and passenger agent for this line at Cherryvale, where he has become very popular with the patrons of the road. Mr. Dodds was born in Labette County, … Read more

Biography of Louis Bodwell Burt

Louis Bodwell Burt, county clerk of Wabaunsee County, and also president of the State County Clerks’ Association, had for many years been an active figure in this county’s educational and civic affairs. He is a hard worker, is faithful and attentive to his official duties and a man whose ability and service command universal respect. Mr. Burt is of English ancestry. His people were early settlers in the State of Kansas. Mr. Burt was born at Wabaunsee in Wabaunsee County, Kansas, January 7, 1882, son of George S. Burt. His father’s people were early settlers in the State of Wisconsin. … Read more

Biography of Louis A. Swartz

Louis A. Swartz. Some of the finest farming land in Nemaha County is owned by members of the Swartz family, who were pioneers in this section of Kansas and by their energy and industry have acquired a conspicuous position as farmers and stockmen. The operations of Louis A. Swartz, a younger representative of the family, are in the vicinity of Bancroft, where he had made for himself considerable reputation as a farmer and cattle raiser. He was born on his father’s farm in Nemaha County October 11, 1891. He is a son of Albert Swartz, who had lived in this … Read more

Biography of Lorenzo V. Knox

Lorenzo V. Knox was a great merchant, assisted in building up a wholesale enterprise at Leavenworth which still exists, flourishes, and bears his name. In a broad public sense more important even than his achievements as a merchant were the efforts and influences which he directed to the general well being of his home city. He became actively identified with all that pertained to the material and moral welfare of the community. This was particularly manifested in his connection with educational affairs. For years Mr. Knox was a member of the Leavenworth school board, serving twelve years in all and … Read more

Biography of Loren E. Harvey

Loren E. Harvey for nearly ten years has been chief of the fire department of Coffeyville. No municipal service has been more highly developed in efficiency and equipment than that for fighting fires, and none is of greater usefulness to the property and welfare of citizens. Mr. Harvey is one of the veterans of the fire department of Coffeyville, and by his leadership among his men and also his influence in equipping and keeping up the best standards of service, is performing a most valuable part in the life of that city. Though he was born at Sheldon, Missouri, November … Read more

Biography of Lloyd S. Fry

Lloyd S. Fry. When he came to the City of Manhattan in 1883, Mr. Fry engaged at once in the work which had occupied him for a number of years in Pennsylvania and Kansas and which brought him an enviable place among the state’s leading educators. He was employed as a teacher in the College Hill School, and in 1886 was elected superintendent of the city schools of Manhattan, a position he held two years. His record as an educator included two years in charge of the schools of Randolph, one year at Atwood, three years at Hays City. In … Read more

Biography of Lloyd Minot Collins

Lloyd Minot Collins. While the superintendent of schools of Longton, Kansas, Lloyd Minot Collins, had but recently entered upon the duties of his office, he had already created a favorable impression upon the people of the community, and during the short period of his regime had demonstrated the possession of those qualities which make the successful educator and the abilities that combine for capable executive handling of affairs. Mr. Collins had been a teacher all through his active career, and is energetic and progressive in his methods and thoroughly grounded in the elementals that are necessary for the proper moulding … Read more

Biography of Lloyd Lakin

Lloyd Lakin is one of the prominent young business leaders of Kansas. He is secretary, treasurer and active manager of the Lakin-McKee Manufacturing Company of Fort Scott. This is the largest individual industry in that city, the largest of its kind in Southeastern Kansas, and perhaps the largest in the entire West. The output is overalls. The Lakin-McKee overalls are distributed all over the Middle West. The goods are pre-eminent for quality and service. It is a business built up on character, and to a large degree the constructive and creative ideas of Lloyd Lakin have been fundamental in the … Read more

Biography of Lewis T. Hussey

Within the limits of Kansas there is probably no better informed insurance man than Lewis T. Hussey, who is now filling the responsible position of state fire marshal at Topeka. Mr. Hussey is the only son of Jerry Hussey of Williamsburg, reference to whom is made on other pages. Born in Clermont County, Ohio, November 19, 1866, Lewis T. Hussey came with his parents to Kansas when two years old, and in his early life imbibed the spirit of Kansas prairie. His youth was spent on a farm, where he learned all the duties of a Kansas country place during … Read more

Biography of Lewis R. Jewell, Col.

Col. Lewis R. Jewell. In Northern Kansas is a county, one of the fairest and most prosperous in the state, which by its name honors one of the most distinguished characters in the early annals of this commonwealth. A pioneer in the development of the lands of Southeastern Kansas, and a soldier who went to a gallant death at Cane Hill, Arkansas, during the Civil war, the late Col. Lewis R. Jewell’s memory deserves to have a lasting place in the affections and remembrance of his fellowmen. He was born August 16, 1822, at the old Jewell homestead at Marlboro … Read more

Biography of Lewis R. Jewell

Lewis R. Jewell, a son of Colonel Jewell, was born August 13, 1846, in Gallipolis, Ohio, and was thirteen years of age when he came to Kansas with his father. Reared on his father’s farm, he completed his education in Baker University at Baldwin. In 1864 he enlisted in Company L of the Sixth Kansas Cavalry, his father’s old regiment, and was made clerk. In June, 1865, after being mustered out, he engaged in the mercantile business at Old Arcadia and was one of the early postmasters of that place. He founded the new city of Arcadia, and was the … Read more

Biography of Lewis J. Lamar

Lewis J. Lamar, present mayor of the Town of McFarland, is a veteran railroad man, though by no means old in point of years of life. He became self supporting at the age of sixteen, and therefore had had an active career much longer than his age would indicate. Mr. Lamar was born at Nashville, Illinois, July 31, 1879. His grandfather was a Frenchman and on coming to America settled in Pennsylvania, where he married into a family of Pennsylvania Dutch. Lewis J. Lamar’s maternal grandmother was a member of the Hanks family and was a sister of the mother … Read more

Biography of Lewis Hanback

Lewis Hanback. In the summer of 1865, soon after the close of the Civil war, in which he had played a gallant part as a Union officer, Lewis Hanback came to Topeka to practice law. For many years he was one of the eminent members of the Kansas bar, and he was not less well known and esteemed in public affairs. He was one of the makers of Kansas history during the last half century. He was born at Winchester, Scott County, Illinois, March 27, 1839. He was the oldest of the six children of William and Ann Hanback. His … Read more