A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans Collections – Page 5 of 109

Biography of William M. Boone, M. D.

William M. Boone, M. D., who located at Highland, Doniphan County, a well-equipped physician and surgeon in 1892, had steadily practiced in that community for over a quarter of a century and is now the oldest member in point of continuous service of the local profession. Doctor Boone belongs to the family of Kentucky Boones and four or five generations back his ancestry was the same as that of the famous frontiersman and hunter, Daniel Boone. The Boone family origlnated in Southern England, and it will be recalled that Daniel Boone was a native of Pennsylvania but subsequently went to … Read more

Biography of William Lester Kellogg

William Lester Kellogg. The superintendent of motive power of the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad, William L. Kellogg, had worked his way to his present position through his own initiative. At the outset of his career he had no favorable influences to assist him, and he had depended upon no happy circumstances to aid him in his promotion. The chances he had had have been the chances that have come to every man who had been placed in a position similar to his own; the reason that he had gone further than some of his fellow workmen is due to … Read more

Biography of William Leslie Porter

A public office is only an opportunity for rendering real service to the public. Whether that opportunity is utilized depends upon the man. Several years ago the people of Topeka elected William Leslie Porter commissioner of parks and public properties. When he entered office he was new to the duties, and he was practically without political experience. But he had exhibited other qualities far more important that political experience. He had a well defined ambition to do everything he could for the community welfare through the opportunity afforded by his office. Mr. Porter also had a reputation of having a … Read more

Biography of William Lenley Goheen

William Lenley Goheen is publisher of the Holyrood Banner and also the Galatia Register, two papers of extensive circulation and large influence in Ellsworth and Barton counties. Mr. Goheen is a veteran of the printing trade and it is doubtful if any Kansas printer or newspaper man had had a more varied and eventful experience. Much of his life had been spent in the service of that typical American institution, the traveling circus, and as a press agent he had covered nearly every town and city of the United States. Mr. Goheen, who was born at Moweaqua, Illinois, July 25, … Read more

Biography of William Lee Vaughan

William Lee Vaughan for a number of years had been one of the foremost business men and merchants of Kansas City, Kansas. Nearly all the residents of that city know his place of business at Eighteenth and Central Avenue, and particularly in that district of Kansas City his influence is recognized as having been one of the chief factors in many lines of development and improvement which have been brought about during the last decade or so. Mr. Vaughan had an interesting family history. He was born at Sedalla, Missouri, June 29, 1873, but had lived in Kansas for thirty … Read more

Biography of William Lanyon

William Lanyon. More than any other the name Lanyon is distinctive of the zinc industry in Southeastern Kansas, particularly at Pittsburg. The Lanyon family had been prominent in this particular industry for several generations. To a large degree the importance of Pittsburg as a zinc manufacturing center is due to the enterprise of the Lanyons who came to this part of Kansas more than thirty years ago from their original home in Southern Wisconsin, where they had operated extensive mining and manufacturing industries. Though he was one of the earliest of the family to take an active part in the … Read more

Biography of William Landren Privett

William. L. Privett has had much to do with the public life and affairs of Doniphan County, and is now in his third consecutive term as county clerk and county assessor, with official quarters in the courthouse at Troy. Mr. Privitt represents probably the oldest of the pioneer names with a continuous connection with Doniphan County and one of the oldest families in the annals of settlament in the entire state. A number of generations back the Privetts had their home in Germany, and immigrating from there settled in Pennsylvania in colonial times. The founder of the family in Kansas … Read more

Biography of William L. Nesmith

William L. Nesmith is one of the Kansas pioneers. He had lived in this state more than forty years, having come here in 1874 with his young wife and their wagon trip from Iowa was in the nature of a honeymoon journey. For a great many years William Nesmith was actively engaged in merchandising and in other affairs at Wilson, and is now a resident of Salina and a member of the grocery house of Nesmith & Son. His public spirit as a citizen and his generous contributions to educational institutions and moral movements have been on a par with … Read more

Biography of William L. McNaughten, M. D.

William L. McNaughten, M. D., had been long and favorably known as a capable physician and surgeon in Chautauqua County, and now controls a large practice at Sedan. In his younger days he met and overcame obstacles and had to work for every step of his advancement while gaining his education and preparing himself for his profession. When nineteen years of age his education in the common schools was completed, and he then began working on a farm and learning the carpenter’s trade. As a carpenter he worked in Missouri and in 1883 moved to Kansas, locating in Montgomery County. … Read more

Biography of William L. Cunningham

William L. Cunningham. The relations of William L. Cunningham with Arkansas City cover a successful record as a lawyer, important service in the Legislature, and the activities of a self-made man of affairs, who can be depended upon by clients and the public in general for the exertion of solid ability and public thrift whenever those qualities are needed. Mr. Cunningham is a native of Kansas, born in the historic old Town of Auburn, December 24, 1876. The Cunningham ancestors were Scotch-Irish and were settlers in New York in colonial times. His father is E. L. Cunningham, now living retired … Read more

Biography of William James Phillips M. D.

William James Phillips, M. D. The community of Beaumont, Kansas, esteems Dr. William J. Phillips as its pioneer physician and surgeon and as a man whose capable efforts have been directed through a long period of years largely to the service of his fellow men. Doctor Phillips had gained his best recognition in a comparatively limited community, and had been well satisfied to do his work there and to merit the esteem and respect of those closest to him. Many men more widely known have not accomplished so much in that work which is so vitally necessary to human welfare. … Read more

Biography of William Jacobs, M. D.

William Jacobs, M. D. By the activities of a long and successful career Dr. William Jacobs is identified with the great plains period of the West before railroads were built across the continent, also with business and official affairs, and had for more than forty years been a resident of Washington County and only recently retired from an active practice as a physician and surgeon. Doctor Jacobs is still active in affairs as president of the Farmers State Bank of Washington. He was born at St. Louis, Missouri, December 19, 1844, and is now in his seventy-third year. His grand-father, … Read more

Biography of William J. Stewart, M. D.

William J. Stewart, M. D. His first years in. Kansas Doctor Stewart spent in the role of a practical farmer, but since finishing his medical course had been in successful practice as a physician and surgeon at Summerfield, Marshall County. Doctor Stewart is of Scotch-Irish ancestry. His grandfather, William Stewart, was born at Strabane, Ireland, in 1808, and married Nancy Wilson, a native of the same place, born in 1806. Both of them were of Scotch-Irish families. They married in the old country and all their children were born in Ireland as follows: Charles, who became a farmer and died … Read more

Biography of William J. Rickenbacher

The real estate business conducted under the name of William J. Rickenhacher had gone hand in band with the development of Topeka for a number of years, and undoubtedly had contributed as largely toward the advantageous disposal of property and the honorable and satisfactory placing of loans as any concern of the kind in the city. Mr. Rickenbacher is one of the city’s foremost realty men, and while his name necessarily is associated with one of the early families of Topeka, his sucess is self made, and in its scope and usefulness directs attention to qualities of perseverance, business integrity … Read more

Biography of William J. Krehbiel

William J. Krehbiel is editor and owner of The McPherson Daily and Weekly Republican, the pioneer newspaper of McPherson County. It was established as a weekly issue in 1872, the year that McPherson City was founded. In 1885 it took on a daily issue, and Mr. Krehbiel had been its proprietor and manager for the past twenty years. Mr. Krehbiel had been a resident of Kansas since he was nine years of age, and was born at Denmark, Iowa, December 11, 1870. His parents were John J. and Anna (Leisy) Krehbiel. John J. Krehbiel was born in Hamilton County, Ohio, … Read more

Biography of William J. Johnston

William J. Johnston, cashier of the First National Bank of Eureka, is the only democrat who was ever elected to the office of sheriff in Greenwood County. That political distinction may have been inherited. At any rate, he is not the only member of his family whose qualifications and personal popularily have proved so strong as to overturn normal majorities. His father back in New York State in Washington County enjoyed a similar honor many years ago, and in all the years of the political annals of Washington County it had had only one democratic sheriff. Mr. Johnston, who had … Read more

Biography of William J. Hill

William J. Hill has one of the responsible positions connected with the Santa Fe Railway at Arkansas City. He is master mechanic at that division headquarters and handles the large force of men employed in the immense yards and shops of the railroad at that point. Mr. Hill had been long in the railroad service in the mechanical department, beginning when a boy with the Chicago & Alton in Illinois. He was born at Bloomington, Illinois, August 20, 1863. His father was William Hill, a native of London, England, where he was born in 1834. He spent his early life … Read more

Biography of William J. Combs

William J. Combs. Among the families which have been known in business circles of Leavenworth for more than half a century, one which had always borne an honorable reputation and a name for absolute integrity combined with notable achievements is that of Combs, as represented here by the late William J. Combs, who was connected with a number of business enterprises dating from the year 1858 until his death, and his son, George W. Combs, general superintendent of the Great Western Manufacturing Company, and the inventor of several appliances which have made his name widely known. William J. Combs, with … Read more

Biography of William J. Bovaird

William J. Bovaird. Due to the important position occupied by Independence in the oil and gas fields of Kansas and Oklahoma, it had become the center of many large business corporations, and one of these is the Bovaird Supply Company of Kansas, whose president is William J. Bovaird. Mr. Bovaird had been identified with the manufacture of tools and apparatos used in the oil fields since an early age, his father having established a business of that kind in Western Pennsylvania in the early days. In 1903 Mr. Bovaird located at Independence and established the Bovaird Supply Company, at first … Read more

Biography of William Irvin Hammel

William Irvin Hammel is a young business man at Moran, and since establishing himself in that town had built up a very prosperous enterprise as a grain dealer and owned a half interest in the only elevator in that locality. He had also distinguished himself by a very progressive administration of the local city affairs in the office of mayor. Mr. Hammel was born in Sangamon County, Illinois, July 30, 1876, but had spent his life since early boyhood in Kansas. His people, the Hammels, came out of Germany and were Pennsylvania settlers in the colonial times. His grandfather, Samuel … Read more