A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans Collections – Page 8 of 109

Biography of William George Jack, M. D.

William George Jack, M. D. Though born and reared on a farm and spending most of his early years in the vicinity of Chautauqua, William G. Jack had an early ambition for a professional career and gratified it after a thorough course in colleges and clinics and for the past fifteen years had successfully practiced as a physician and surgeon at Chautauqua. He is regarded as one of the best informed physicians and most skillful surgeons in this section of the state. A resident of Chautauqua County since he was nine years of age, William George Jack was born in … Read more

Biography of William Geiser

William Geiser. An impressive illustration of what may be accomplished through industry, sobriety and persistent endeavor is furnished in the career of William Geiser, one of the well known oil producers of the Mid-Continent field and the directing head of the Geiser & Bogue Machine Shops at Neodesha. Without aid and relying solely upon his own inherent energy, perseverance and sound judgment, he had worked his way upward from the very bottom of the ladder, and had built up a business that is highly creditable to himself and the community of which he is a worthy member. While he had … Read more

Biography of William Gardner Smyser

William Gardner Smyser, now living retired at Topeka, is one of the interesting citizens of the capital city both on account of his individual experiences and his long service as a railroad and constructing engineer, and also because of his family lineage. Ho is connected by family ties with a number of notable Americans. The Smysors came out of Germany and settled in Pennsylvania early in the eighteenth century. The cause of their coming to America was participation in some revolutionary movement in Germany. The original name of the family was Bowemund. The Bowemunds and others had some part in … Read more

Biography of William G. Anderson

William G. Anderson. A native of Kansas, a member of a prominent old family of Dickinson County, William Gibson Anderson had had a varied experience but early found his real work and vocation in the newspaper profession, and had been actively identified with a number of papers in Southern Kansas. He is now editor and proprietor of the Evening Free Press at Winfield. He was born on a farm near Abilene, Kansas, July 30, 1874, attended the public schools of Abilene, graduating from high school in 1894, and his college alma mater is Baker University at Baldwin. He was graduated … Read more

Biography of William Frederick Rapp

William Frederick Rapp, who came to Harvey County nearly forty years ago, had been a pioneer in many things, was one of the first merchants at Hesston, and had been identified with the growth and development of that town from the time it started. Among other interests Mr. Rapp is now president of the Hesston State Bank. Mr. Rapp was a practical farmer when he came to Kansas, and had acquired his early experience in one of the richest and most fertile farming sections of Illinois. He was born in Lee County, Illinois, May 17, 1852. His grandfather, Frederick William … Read more

Biography of William Frank Flack, M. D.

William Frank Flack, M. D. While the medical profession for centuries had enlisted some of the most profound minds of all times, modern discoveries and developments have opened up new fields for the brilliant physician and surgeon, and many of this profession have turned their attention to particular branches, specializing along certain lines. This development had been necessary, for the problems presented in the calling today are so serious and difficult of solution that the average physician had not the expert knowledge to handle all satisfactorily. For some years past William Frank Flack, the pioneer physician of Elk County, had … Read more

Biography of William F. Schoch

William F. Schoch, state senator and former probate judge of Shawnee County, is one of the prominent lawyers of Kansas and had practiced his profession in Topeka for over twenty years. One of the cardinal rules of his life had been that whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well. Whether as school teacher, farmer, lawyer, political leader, public official, or in the prosecution of his various other interests, Mr. Schoch had applied this rule so faithfully and with such results that he had long stood among the leaders of the bar and in citizenship in Kansas. Practically … Read more

Biography of William F. Peter, Hon.

Hon. William F. Peter. In recalling the representative men of Riley County, who, during life, were earnest and useful, faithful and efficient and so left an impress on the history of their time that is honorable and creditable, the late William F. Peter is called forcibly to mind. Forty-seven years of his life were spent in Kansas and to her interests he was devoted heart and soul, working personally and in public office to further her progress. William F. Peter, twice elected a member of the State Legislature of Kansas, was born in Jackson County, Indiana, January 28, 1854, and … Read more

Biography of William F. M. Arny

Kansas has produced no more eceentric, generous or beloved character than William F. M. Arny. Although not a native of the state, he was a son in all that stands for its independence and humanity. He was born in the District of Columbia, March 6, 1813, and after graduating from Bethany College, West Virginia, acted for a time as secretary for Alexander Campbell the famons Disciple preacher. At the age of twenty-eight he was on intimate terms with all of the leading men of the nation, especially with such as Abraham Lincoln and others of force and originality. In 1850 … Read more

Biography of William F. Isley

William F. Isely is a native of Brown County, where his father was a pioneer farmer, and he himself followed farming on an extensive and successful scale for many years but is now living in Fairview of that county. where among varied other interests he is president of the Fairview State Bank. He is also the city’s mayor. Mr. Isely is of sterling Swiss stock. His grandfather, Christian Isely, was born in Switzerland, came to America after his marriage, and located near Winesberg in Holmes County, Ohio, where he engaged in farming and also in the manufacture of harvesting implements. … Read more

Biography of William F. Hill

William F. Hill is the dean of the newspaper profession in Pottawatomie County. The Becorder had been published consecutively at Westmoreland for thirty-two years, and Mr. Hill had been proprietor and publisher of the paper for more than a quarter of a century. When he first came to Kansas it was in the role of a teacher, and he was at one time principal of schools in Havensville, and Westmoreland of Pottawatomie County. He is of English ancestry, and his forebears came to Virginia in Colonial times. His grandfather, John R. Hill, was born in Ohio and spent his life … Read more

Biography of William F. Coon, M. D.

Dr. William F. Coon, born on September 20, 1875, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was a prominent physician in Caney, Kansas. After earning his M.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1903 and gaining experience as an intern in Minneapolis, he practiced in Elysian, Minnesota, before relocating to Caney in 1909. Dr. Coon was active in local medical societies and owned a successful general medical and surgical practice. He was married to May Prescott in 1905, and they had one daughter, Zula Evelyn. Dr. Coon was also involved in various community organizations, including the Masons and Elks.

Biography of William F. Benson, Hon.

Hon. William F. Benson. One of the most responsible offices under the jurisdiction of the State of Kansas is that of state bank commissioner and examiner. One of the best appointments – best because it was based entirely on fitness rather than for purely political reasons–made by former Governor George H. Hodges brought to this office William F. Benson, who had performed its varied and delicate duties for the past two years. Mr. Benson went into office with practical experience that made him almost at once master of all the details entrusted to his charge. Comparatively few understand the responsibilities … Read more

Biography of William Eugene Peddycord

William Eugene Peddycord. No individual in a community wields a greater influence in the molding and shaping of character than does the educator, and the capable, conscientious instructor often stands nearer to the hearts of the people than does their spiritual guide. On entering the schoolroom the child’s mind is as plastic clay and is as readily made to take shape in the skilled hands of the educator. It is for this reason that the individuals who have charge of the education of the children of a community should be chosen with the greatest care; their responsibilities are grave and … Read more

Biography of William Ernest Barker, M. D.

William Ernest Barker, M. D. Prominent among the medical men of Southeastern Kansas is Dr. William Ernest Barker, who since 1881 has been engaged in practice at Chanute. During this long period of devotion to his profession he has built up a large and representative professional business, and is justly regarded in medical circles and by the general public as a thoroughly learned, skilled and reliable physician and surgeon. Doctor Barker is a native of Birmingham, England, and a son of William and Martha (Timmins) Barker. William Barker was born in England, served in the regular army during his youth, … Read more

Biography of William Emmett Ham, M. D.

William Emmett Ham, M. D. The thirty-five years since he received his medical degree from Rush, Medical College of Chicago Doctor Ham had spent almost entirely in practice at Beattie, Kansas. He was the pioneer physician there, though the village had been established in 1870. He had remained throughout the years the leading general practitioner. of the town and a large surrounding country community, and he is the present president of the Marshall County Medical Society. Doctor Ham is of old American stock. His paternal ancestors came out of England and settled in New Hampshire in Colonial times, and some of the … Read more

Biography of William Elsey Connelley

William Elsey Connelley. The Connelly family was founded by emigrants from County Armagh, Ireland, who settled in South Carolina in 1689, being among the founders of Charleston. They were in all the patriotic movements to secure the independence of America, Henry Connelly having been a captain of cavalry in the War of the Revolution in North Carolina. He was appointed by Governor Burke to raise a special company to keep down Fanning, the Tory, and served five years. He was in the battles of Cowpens, Charlotte, Guilford Courthouse, and with General Greene in his masterly retreat beyond the Dan River. … Read more

Biography of William Elliott Barnhart

William Elliott Barnhart, who has lived in Kansas City, Kansas, since 1887, has held many large responsibilities in connection with transportation lines, both urban and general railway companies, and has also regulated his private affairs so as to give time for much public service to his home city. His personal career has been one of many interesting experiences and achievements and his ancestry is also an appropriate matter of record. Mr. Barnhart was born at Cedar Valley in Wayne County, Ohio, December 8, 1857, a son of Frederick William and Clarisas (Gooding) Barnhart. The paternal ancestry goes back to his … Read more

Biography of William Edwin Nelson

William Edwin Nelson, who became superintendent of the public schools of Sabetha in the fall of 1917, is a thoroughly experienced educator, a native of Kansas, and for five years before removing to Sabetha was superintendent of schools at Robinson. Mr. Nelson had the qualification and training of a practical lawyer, which was the profession of his father. For many years one of the ablest attorneys of the Trego County bar was the late John A. Nelson. Born in Sweden, near Stockholm, in 1851, he was brought when an infant to the United States by his parents, who located in … Read more

Biography of William Edward Hogueland

William Edward Hogueland, who had lived in Kansas since 1869, had the unusual distinction of being admitted to the bar when he was nineteen years of age and had been in active practice at Yates Center for the past thirty-six years. He had been elected to a county office just about the time he attained his twenty-first birthday, and having established his home at the county seat while in office he had remained there in the practice of law. Mr. Hogueland’s ancestors came out of Holland in very early times. There were three brothers, one settling in New York, one … Read more