A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans Collections – Page 45 of 109

Biography of John K. Forney

John K. Forney. Dairying is more and more looked upon as one of the most important means of elevating the general agricultural industry of the country. One of the pioneers in stimulating dairying as a farm resource in Western Kansas is Mr. John K. Forney of Abilene, president of the Belle Springs Creamery Company. This is the largest creamery company in Kansas owned exclusively by Kansas capital. Like many other great business enterprises it had been developed from small beginnings. Mr. Forney was at the beginning. He arrived in Kansas with limited capital in 1879, and bought a tract of … Read more

Biography of John J. Jones

John J. Jones. Actively connected with a profession that has an important bearing upon the progress and stable prosperity of any section or community, and one which has ever been considered as conserving the public welfare by furthering the ends of justice and maintaining individual rights, the reputation of John J. Jones, of Chanute, as a lawyer has been won through honest, earnest labor, and his standing at the bar is a merited tribute to his ability. For a quarter of a century he has been engaged in practice at Chanute, and during this time has been connected with much … Read more

Biography of John J. Jenness

John J. Jenness, of the Solomon City community, was one of the early pioneers of Ottawa County. Mr. Jenness knows Kansas from the standpoint of over half a century’s residence therein. He was born at Hermon, Penobscot County, Maine, January 2, 1839, a son of David L. and Martha (York) Jenness. His father was born in New Hampshire and his mother in Maine, and both were descendants of early New England families. David L. Jenness’ father, in company with two of his brothers, came from France to the United States, locating in New Hampshire, and there he became prominently identified … Read more

Biography of John J. Ingalls

John J. Ingalls was a genius and one of the most versatile statesmen, scholars and writers which Kansas had produced. He was born at Middletown, Massachusetts, December 29, 1833, a son of Elias T. and Eliza (Chase) Ingalls, and a descendant of Edmond Ingalls, who, with his brother Francis, founded the town of Lynn, Massachusetts, in 1628. Mr. Ingalls graduated at Williams College, Massachusetts, in 1855, and two years later was admitted to the bar in his native county of Essex. In 1858 he came to Kansas and served as a member of the Wyandotte constitutional convention in 1859, in … Read more

Biography of John J. Griffin

John J. Griffin. There are several reasons for the success of John J. Griffin, superintendent at Iola of the Wichita Pipe Line Company, and these may be said to be energy, system and practical knowledge. The range of his activities had been large, but from the beginning of his career he had sought to work steadily and energetically for ultimate results, and had never been content to labor merely for the present. Self help had accomplished about all the worth-while things in the world, and as a general rule the men who have found success have not awaited the knock … Read more

Biography of John J. Fowles

John J. Fowles has been a Kansas educator since 1908 and is now superintendent of the city schools of Summerfield. Largely through his own earnest efforts he acquired a liberal education. He was born in Eldora, Iowa, January 3, 1884. He is of a Colonial American family. This branch of the Fowlers came out of England and settled in New York in pioneer times His grandfather. Thomas Charles Fowler, was born in Kentucky and died at Eldora, Iowa, before John J. Fowler was born. He was one of the pioneers around Eldora and became well known as a stockman and … Read more

Biography of John Hunt

John Hunt is one of the oldest business men in point of continuous service at Grenola, Kansas. He established a lumber business there more than thirty-four years ago, and today he is the only merchant furnishing lumber and building supplies to the people of that community. He had had a long and active career, and aside from his material achievement he may take special pride in the fact that he had reared a large family of self-respecting, honest and worthy children. He represents old American stock. The Hunts came originally from Wales and were settlers in New Jersey in colonial … Read more

Biography of John Holt Rice

John Holt Rice was educated at Tusculum College in his native county. At that time his uncle, Dr. Samuel W. Doak was president of the school. In February, 1845, at the age of nineteen, John H. Rice was admitted to the bar. In the following May he located at Cassville, Georgia, where he took up an active practice. In 1855 he became editor of the Cassville Standard, carrying those responsibilities in addition to his legal practice. January 1, 1856, he was elected major general of the Twelfth Division of the Georgia State Militia. That election was important because of its … Read more

Biography Of John Hermann

John Hermann. America as a land of opportunities means much to every citizen, but the meaning in all its depth and breadth is seldom realized. Perhaps no Kansan had a truer assurance of all this than John Hermann of Lawrence. He is able to contrast the American life of the past half century with the restricted and intolerant regime of the European fatherland where he was born and bred. He early conceived an abomination for a country which imposed compulsory military service, compulsory education, and a host of other restrictions upon the freedom and liberty of its people. It was … Read more

Biography of John Henry Tole

John H. Tole. While it is certainly true that a live and growing community such as Liberty offers many and widely diversified opportunities for advancement along every line of personal endeavor, yet it is just as true that only a certain percentage achieve distinction, and a large number fail of even attaining a competency. It takes something more than mere opportunity to elevate a man from the common level of every-day accomplishments. Unless he has within him that divine spark of genius for his life work, be will continue to belong to the great majority of mediocre humanity, instead of … Read more

Biography of John Henry Seal

John Henry Seal, cashier of the Farmers State Bank of Mitchell, is a native of Kansas, represents some of the pioneer families who came here in territorial times and his own career had been one of progressive industry as a teacher, business man and banker. Mr. Seal was born at Meriden, Shawnee County, Kansas, December 24, 1879, a son of John C. and Elizabeth (Rippetoe) Seal. The Seal family was established in America by his great-grandfather, who came probably from Germany and settled in the State of Pennsylvania. The grandfather, Henry Seal, was born in Pennsylvania in 1827, grew up … Read more

Biography of John Henry Prescott

John Henry Prescott. At the close of the Civil war, in which he had played a gallant role as a Union soldier and had attained the rank of captain, Mr. Prescott came out to Kansas and from that time until his death on July 5, 1891, was a notable figure in the life and affairs of Salina and that part of the state. He attained high rank as a lawyer and as a jurist, and was also remarkably successful in business affairs. His name and memory may well be cherished by his descendants and by the people of the entire … Read more

Biography of John Henry Keith

John Henry Keith. From his native state of Kentucky, where his ancestors had lived for generations, and where he was admitted to the bar, John Henry Keith came west about twenty-five years ago, and the greater part of the time has been in active practice as a lawyer at Coffeyville. Along with a large clientage he has developed many interests that connect him with the oil and gas industry of the Mid-Continent field, and he long since reached that position where he can be properly spoken of as a successful and prosperous man. His birth occurred in Warren County, Kentucky, … Read more

Biography of John Hebrank

John Hebrank. During a residence in and a familiarity with the West for a long period of years Mr. Hebrank has many and varied experiences, but it was through the resources of Kansas that he found the medium for the achieving of his maximum success, and he is now one of the prominent and influential figures in the development of the oil industry in this state, with residence and business headquarters at Independence, Montgomery County. Mr. Hebrank was born in the Kingdom of Wurtemburg, Germany, on the 19th of September, 1848, and in that same section of the great German … Read more

Biography of John Harvey Staatz M. D.

John Harvey Staatz, M. D. The community of Rushton in Rice County had known and appreciated the services of Dr. Staatz as a capable physician and surgeon for the past seventeen years. Doctor Staatz is a man of real attainments in his profession, was unusually well qualified before beginning practice, and had kept in close touch with the leaders in medical science ever since. He represents the pioneer element of Kansas, his father having come to the state when Kansas was still a territory. Doctor Staatz was born at Enterprise in Dickinson County December 6, 1874. His father, John Frederick … Read more

Biography of John Harrison Atwood

John Harrison Atwood. While Mr. Atwood had had his home and law business at Kansas City, Missouri, since 1909, he is still regarded as a Kansas man. His is one of the names most familiar to the people of the state in the realm of law and oratory and political leadership. For a quarter of a century Mr. Atwood was a member of the Kansas bar, residing at Leavenworth. Perhaps as much credit is due to him as to any other individual for the rehabilitation and upbuilding of the democratic party in Kansas. In 1896 came Bryan and a new … Read more

Biography of John H. Sperry

John H. Sperry. Among the men who have contributed to the upbuilding and development of Neosho County, and particularly of the City of Thayer, few are entitled to a greater degree of credit than John H. Sperry, ex-president of the Thayer State Bank, veteran of the Civil war, farmer and stockman, and a citizen who has always been representative of the best type of progressive citizenship. While he is now retired from active labors, Mr. Sperry continues to take a keen interest in the community in which he has resided for forty-eight years, and through his influence and example continues … Read more

Biography of John H. Smythe

John H. Smythe. The life of John Henry Smythe, who for many years had served as city clerk of Eureka, had been one that exemplifies the true spirit and practice of service. He had always been a worker. He had performed faithfully those duties that have come to him in a long career, whether as a soldier on the battlefield, as an employe of business concerns, or as a public official. While he had attained none of the conspicuous places in business or public life, there is much that is honorable, instructive and praiseworthy in what he had done, and … Read more

Biography of John H. Rice

John H. Rice had the distinction of having made his mark in two states of the Union of widely different tendencies–Georgia and Kansas. He was born in Greene County, Tennessee, November 14, 1825, and his father, a native of Virginia, was surveyor of the county, named for twenty-six consecutive terms. Mr. Rice commenced his higher education at Tusculum College, in his native county, of which his maternal uncle, Dr. Samuel W. Doak, was president. He was admitted to the bar in 1845 and, a few months afterward, opened an office at Cassville, Georgia. In 1855, in addition to conducting a … Read more

Biography of John H. Nelson

John H. Nelson. A man of strength, force and character is John H, Nelson, president of the Bennington State Bank and mayor of Bennington, having been thrlce elected to this highest municipal office. He comes of sturdy pioneer ancestry and belongs to a family that had become prominent and honorably influential in Kansas in less than a half century. John H. Nelson was born at Placerville, California, January 9, 1856. His parents were Christian and Nancy Jane (Hereford) Nelson. The father was born on a farm near Bergen, Norway, in 1823, and died at Bennington, Kansas, September 17, 1897. The … Read more