Kansas

Biographical Sketch of P. B. and W. B. Spears

Spears Bros., bankers. P. B. Spears was born in Carroll County, Ind., December 29, 1854, and came to Kansas in 1880. He was married in Illinois, May 10, 1876, to Miss Georgia A. Taylor. They have two children – Ethel and Charles. W. B. Spears was born in Carroll County, Ind., April 6, 1858; moved to Illinois, thence to Burr Oak, Jewell County, Kan., and March 1, 1880. He was married in Morrison, Whiteside County, Illinois, and January 19, 1881, to Miss Minnie B. Clark. They have one child – Helen, born January 15, 1882. The brothers established the Bank … Read more

Biography of Philander Hamilton Adams

Philander Hamilton Adams. Ever since the year 1871, members of the Adams family have contributed to the good citizenship, progress and development of Shawnee County, their activities having invaded the fields of agriculture, merchandising, consulting engineering, education, religion, and public service. The founder of the family in this state was the late Jacob Clendenin Adams, and at present it is worthily represented at Topeka by Philander Hamilton Adams, who at this time is the owner of the original homestead, in addition to being a well known business man of the capital city. Jacob Clendenin Adams was born in 1823 at … Read more

Biography of Thurman Hill

Thurman Hill, who is serving as county attorney, has identified himself with the community of Independence and Montgomery County as a rising young lawyer and as a public spirited citizen whose influence has already been displayed effectively as a campaign manager and through association with various public and business enterprises. His family has been identified with Kansas for more than forty years. His grandparents, John and Mary Hill, came from England to New York State about 1850. His grandfather, John Hill, was born in 1825, was a ship contractor, but in 1874 moved to Kansas and took up a homestead … Read more

Biography of Walter Ashton Smith

Walter Ashton Smith. Among the able and successful business men of Topeka, Walter Ashton Smith occupies a foremost place, for years being financially and officially connected with large enterprises in Shawnee and Decatur counties. As the vice president and treasurer of the Farm Mortgage Company, Mr. Smith is interested and influential in one of the largest corporations of its kind in the state. Walter Ashton Smith was born at Monroeville, Huron County, Ohio, February 16, 1864, and is a son of Welding E. and Charlotte (Ashton) Smith. Welding E. Smith was born at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, in which city he attended … Read more

Biography of Matthew B. Van Petten

Matthew B. Van Petten. The success which has attended the enterprise operating at Topeka under the name of the Pioneer Mortgage Company attests the foresight, sagacity and financial skill of its members, whose watchful care and fidelity have combined to build up and perpetuate their fortunes. The life of the financier is less conspicuous before the world than that of a member of a learned calling, or of one who mingles in public affairs, but is none the less one of arduous labor and thorough engrossment, requiring a high order of organizing talent, watchfulness of the trend of affairs and … Read more

Biography of Roy Pitts

Roy Pitts is chief of the fire department at Independence. During his two years in that office he has developed the service to a high point of efficiency, partly by organization and partly by the introduction of modern apparatus, so that Independence today can boast of as perfect an equipment for fighting fire as any city of its size in Kansas. When Mr. Pitts took charge of the department the apparatus consisted of a chief’s car and a horse-drawn hose wagon. Since then he has taken the lead in giving the city a better apparatus. The city now has three … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Patrick McInerney, Rev.

Rev. Patrick McInerney is pastor of the Assumption Catholic Church of Topeka. Reared and trained for the duties of the priesthood abroad, he has been in the ministry of the church in America for the past eighteen years, and all that time has been spent in Kansas. He is an able priest, devoted to the cause, and has an important record of constructive work in the various parishes where he has served. One of the eleven children of Patrick and Bridget (Purcell) McInerney, he was born in Ireland March 6, 1876. He attended the local schools of Ireland and the … Read more

Biography of David Bowie

David Bowie. The important and solid business enterprises of Topeka today are largely concerns that have been developed slowly and carefully, the integrity of character of their founders and the foresight and intelligent management of their officials resulting in expansion and prosperity. A well known concern of this kind, the Thomas Page Milling Company, of which David Bowie is vice president and treasurer, is a business carried on with abundant capital. David Bowie was born in Stirling, Scotland, July 26, 1869, one of four children born to his parents, Thomas and Margaret (McLintock) Bowie. In 1875, when David Bowie was … Read more

Biography of Charles A. Karlan

Charles A. Karlan. Though comparatively a newcomer in Kansas, Mr. Karlan in a few years has made a record of practical accomplishment and a reputation for himself such as few who have spent their entire lives within the state’s borders have been able to attain. He is an artist in furniture. The making of high grade furniture has been a specialty of his for many years, and it was in 1905 that he came to Topeka and set up his establishment in that line. It is no disparagement to other similar concerns to state that his is the largest and … Read more

Biography of Charles L. Mitchell

Charles L. Mitchell is secretary and sales manager of Crane & Company of Topeka. As every one knows in that city and the state this is one of the largest publishing and stationery houses in Kansas. It may be said with propriety that Mr. Mitchell has deserved success because he has earned it. He was born at Kenosha, Wisconsin, February 12, 1873, a son of John C. and Sallie Ann (Connell) Mitchell. His father saw four years of active service in the Civil war and died in 1898, while the mother is still residing in Wisconsin. John C. Mitchell was … Read more

Biography of Frank F. Fletcher

Frank F. Fletcher is the only architect practicing the profession exclusively at Independence. He has a long and successful record as a builder and was active as a contractor until an unfortunate injury obliged him to desist. He has since followed the profession of architect and has built up a very large clientele. He was born in Louisiana, Missouri, September 19, 1870. His maternal grandfather was William Kling, who was born in Holland in 1800 and was a horticulturist. On coming to America he settled in Louisiana, Missouri, in 1818. Peter R. Fletcher, father of Frank F., was born in … Read more

Biography of Oliver Franklin Winner

Oliver Franklin Winner. The excellent business standing of Oliver Franklin Winner rests upon many years of connection with agricultural affairs in Shawnee County, where he is still the owner of a large and valuable property. Particularly is he known as an authority upon the subject of alfalfa growing, to which he has devoted many years of study and investigation. Mr. Winner is an Illinoisan by nativity, and was born at Belvidere, Boone County, in 1859, being a son of Martin W. Winner. Martin W. Winner was born in New York, from which state he emigrated as a young man to … Read more

Biography of John Sayre Downes

John Sayre Downes. The City of Topeka is the home of the largest organization of its kind in the United States, the Aetna Building and Loan Association, which maintains about 600 agencies in Kansas and Oklahoma. The growth and development of this institution during the quarter of a century in which it has been in existence is a commentary upon the success to be attained by enterprises in the Sunflower State when their policies are directed by men of substantial ability, strict integrity and business foresight. At the head of the Aetna Building and Loan Association today, in the office … Read more

Biography of Joseph W. Cochran

Joseph W. Cochran. Of the agriculturists of Shawnee County who have been the architects of their own fortunes, and who, from small beginnings, have worked their way to independence and position, Joseph W. Cochran is a leading representative. He began his career without advantages of any kind, and his early struggles to gain a foothold necessitated the use of all his energies, but his present fine farm of 107 acres, in Menoken Township, illustrates what may be gained through the exercise of industry and well directed effort. Mr. Cochran was born on a farm near Lewistown, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, May … Read more

Biography of William P. Bowen

William P. Bowen. For thirty years or more the name Bowen has been extensively associated with milling industries in Southern Kansas. William P. Bowen owns the only flour and feed milling enterprise at Independence, and this was established by himself and his father a great many years ago in connection with several other mills of the same kind located in other parts of the state. Mr. Bowen is not only a business man but a citizen well known throughout Montgomery County. He has filled the post of mayor of his home city, and has done much to advance community welfare. … Read more

Biography of Archibald Steel Johnson

Archibald Steel Johnson, a resident of Kansas nearly forty years, has one of the very interesting places historically considered. It is located a few miles from North Topeka on rural route No. 6 in Shawnee County, and is a farm of eighty acres which he bought in 1907. The history of this farm is especially interesting. The site comprises the old historic Town of Indianola. This town was established when the Territory of Kansas was new. It was the home of a large number of abolitionists, though there were two or three pro-slavery families in the same community. When this … Read more

Biography of Edwin Scotton

Edwin Scotton. Precisely speaking there is no new country and pioneers and pioneer life no longer exist. An absorbing and fascinating condition has passed into history, and its lessons and inspiration live principally in the lives of those who endured the hardships and contributed by various services and diversified gifts to the upbuilding of the present. Shawnee County has as noble a roll call of early settlers as any part of Kansas, and among those inseparably associated with the Fulton County records, none are more deserving of perpetuation in its annals than is the late Edwin Scotton. Mr. Scotton was … Read more

Biography of Peter Heil

Peter Heil, now living retired at Topeka, was born in Jefferson County, New York, December 9, 1840. When sixteen years of age he moved with his father, John Peter Heil, to Buchanan County, Iowa. His mother’s maiden name was Louisa Bueling, and she died when her son Peter was six years old. His parents were natives of Germany, and came to the United States separately as young people, being married in New York State. When in his native state, Peter Heil attended district school for a few months, but after the removal of his people to the West his help … Read more

Biography of R. W. Lewis

R. W. Lewis is now serving his second term as sheriff of Montgomery County. He is a native of Montgomery County, and for many years has had a reputation as a man who does things in a large and efficient way. That is true of his official career as also of his business record. Mr. Lewis has some extensive interests as a merchant in Independence, owns a large amount of property, and is one of the leading oil producers in that section of the state. He is an American to the core, and represents a family that came from England … Read more

Biography of Samuel Hummer

Samuel Hummer, by his early settlement and his wide interests as a land owner and business man, is one of the sterling pioneers of Kansas whose names should receive the credit of some record in this publication. He was born near Gettysburg and not far from the battlefield of that name in Adams County, Pennsylvania, in 1811. His father, P. H. Hummer, served as a soldier in the Revolutionary war. Samuel Hummer grew up in Pennsylvania, followed farming there for a number of years, and in 1868 brought his family out to Kansas. On the 16th of December of that … Read more