Kansas

Biography of Joseph Rogers

Joseph Rogers, son of Sarah and John Rogers, left his beautiful farm in Milton County, formerly Forsythe County, situated on the Duluth road, twenty-seven miles from Atlanta, Georgia, and came to the west. He took up his residence at a place now called Lowell, Kansas, three miles east of Baxter Springs, where Shoal creek empties into Spring River, in that part of the country then known as the Neutral Land. He improved a fine farm of four or five hundred acres, built the first house and had the first library in the state of Kansas. The old solid walnut bookcase … Read more

Biography of Herbert Andrew Browne, M. D.

Herbert Andrew Browne, M. D. Since 1899 Doctor Browne had been in steady demand for his exceptional professional ability as a physician and surgeon in Galena. His offices are at 305½ Main Street. Doctor Browne is an active member of the Cherokee County, Southeastern Kansas and State Medical Societies and the American Medical Association, and by these associations and by all other standards of judgment that can be applied to members of this profession he ranks as one of the leaders in his section of the state. Doctor Browne came to Galena after one year of practice in Kansas City, … Read more

Biography of Harry A. Mendenhall

Harry A. Mendenhall. Though his home is in the largest city of Kansas, Harry A. Mendenhall’s business and civic activities have been such as to constitute him one of the best known men of Kansas City, Kansas. For nearly thirty years he had given his best time and energy to the building up of an organization and equipment for the efficient handling of local traffic and freight in the transfer line, he is a former sheriff of Wyandotte County, and is also prominent as a banker. He was born January 11, 1865, on a farm at the edge of the … Read more

Biography of Oscar Maxel Yount

Oscar Maxel Yount. The person of this sketch, Oscar Maxel Yount, is perhaps the most wonderful example, everything being taken into consideration, of what a determined will-power can accomplish that the Sunflower State had ever produced. He had been a lawyer and engaged in the active practice of his profession since June 22, 1905. He is a native son of Kansas, and the work he had done in his profession and in civic affairs had brought him a place of special esteem throughout the state and especially in his home community of Galena. He was not born with a “silver … Read more

Biography of Burton Emory Clifford

Burton Emory Clifford. Chances for success are slight with the lawyer of modern times unless he be a man of sound judgment, possessed of a liberal education and a stern training, combined with a keen insight into human nature and motives. The reason for this lies in the spirit of the age with all its complexities, for modern jurisprudence had become more and more complex because of new laws and conditions. Years of experience and a natural inclination for and inherent ability in his profession are superinduced upon a careful training in the case of Burton Emory Clifford, ex-prosecuting attorney … Read more

Biography of John E. Kibler

John E. Kibler. Though he did not have the opportunity to attend school regularly after he was thirteen years of age, John E. Kibler found ways and means to acquire a liberal education, and that education had not only sufficed for his own needs but had always made him one of the leading educators in Southeastern Kansas. Mr. Kibler is now county superintendent of schools of Chautauqua County and had been engaged in school work for a long period of years. He came to Kansas when a small boy, but was born in Fulton County, Illinois, June 11, 1863. His … Read more

Biography of William Manfred Barbee

William Manfred Barbee. Among the city offices of Chanute, one that had important bearing upon the welfare of the city and its institutions and the duties of which, in their handling, call for more than ordinary ability, is that of commissioner of public utilities. The present incumbent of this office, William Manfred Barbee, had won the confidence of the public through the able and expeditious manner in which he had handled the business of his department and the energy he had displayed in discharging the responsibilities of public service. He is a native son of Neosho County, and was born … Read more

Biography of Samuel C. Varner

Samuel C. Varner, a retired banker and merchant at Moran, is a veteran of the Civil war, and was one of the earliest business men to locate in Moran. His paternal ancestors came out of Germany and were colonial settlers in Pennsylvania. Samuel C. Varner was born in Pennsylvania at Monongahcla on December 10, 1845. His grandfather, John Varner, was born in the eastern part of that state at Lancaster, was a cabinet maker by trade, was a soldier in the War of 1812, and spent most of his years at Monongahela City and at Pittsburg. He married Elizabeth McKnight, … Read more

Biography of Edgar M. Forde

Edgar M. Forde is now grand recorder for Kansas of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, having succeeded his honored father in that office when the late Edgar M. Forde, Sr., died in August, 1912. The official headquarters of this great fraternal order in Kansas are at 417-419 Commercial Street in Emporia. In the year 1916 the Ancient Order of United Workmen had 40,000 members in Kansas, 400 lodges, and there are two lodges in Emporia, Lodge No. 2 and Lodge No. 184. Mr. Forde was born in Emporia September 4, 1885, a son of Edgar M. Forde, who was … Read more

Biography of Roy L. Fruit

Roy L. Fruit, one of the progressive newspaper men of the state, is publisher and proprietor of the Sedan Times-Star, one of the oldest republican journals in the southeastern quarter of the state. The Times-Star inherits the history of half a dozen or more papers which have had their share in the newspaper history of Chautauqua County. The Chautauqua Journal was founded at Sedan in 1875 by H. B. Kelley and R. S. Turner. It was consolidated with the Sedan Times in 1885. The Cedarvale Times, founded in 1878, was removed to Sedan the same year and the name changed … Read more

Biography of William H. Smith

William H. Smith. It is almost a half century that had crept around on the world’s clock since William H. Smith, one of Chanute’s substantial and respected citizens, came to Kansas, locating in Neosho County, where at present he is held in high esteem with the Old Settlers’ Association, of which he is president. With interest he had watched this section develop and had assisted very materially, ever lending his influence to law and order, encouraging the investment of capital, and setting an industrious example that might very profitably be emulated. William H. Smith was born January 25, 1846, in … Read more

Biography of James A. Vaughan M. D.

James A. Vaughan, M. D. During his long and active career as a physician Doctor Vaughan had spent his most useful and profitable years in the State of Kansas. For more than ten years he had practiced successfully in Mound Valley in Labette County. Though most of his early years were spent in Southwest Missouri, Doctor Vaughan was born in Benton County, Arkansas, October 21, 1868. He is of English stock, and his great-grandfather came over from England and settled in Tennessee in the early days. His father, G. W. Vaughan, was born in Illinois in 1843, was reared in … Read more

Biography of Robert N. McMillen, M. D.

Robert N. McMillen, M. D. Doctor McMillen began the practice of medicine in Kansas thirty-five years ago, and was among the first physicians in Pratt County. Much of his early practice was among the pioneer homes of that section. For seventeen years his home and offices have been at Iola, and he still carries the burden of a heavy practice at that city. Doctor McMillen represents Scotch ancestry, who came to America many years ago and were pioneers in the State of Kentucky. His grandfather Robert McMillen was a native of Kentucky, was a farmer there, and met his death … 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 J. M. Massey

J. M. Massey. One of the live and prosperous communities of Southeastern Kansas which is offering unsurpassed opportunities for the development of men and large business interests is the growing City of Chanute. In this locality may be found many of the raw materials, or they can be easily obtained through railroad shipments. Here is an immense local market, and here are the men, solid, reliable and aggressive, ready and willing to push ahead to the ultimate end whatever enterprise they connect themselves with. Once an individual establishes himself in the line for which he is best fitted, if he … Read more

Biography of H. L. Kinnaman

H. L. Kinnaman. The present county treasurer of Chautauqua County is one of the oldest residents of that section of the state. More than forty years ago he began farming on some of the virgin acres of this county, and the careful study and energy he gave to the business brought him an ample competence besides providing liberally for his growing family. He is now a resident of the City of Sedan and had recently been chosen for a second term to the responsibilities of the county treasuryship. Mr. Kinnaman represents old American stock. His Kinnaman ancestors were German people … Read more

Biography of Augustine P. Heimann, Rev.

Rev. Augustine P. Heimann is the beloved priest and rector of St. Martin’s Catholic Church at Plqua, Kansas. He is a veteran in the service of the church in Kansas. He came to the state more than a quarter of a century ago, soon after his ordination as a priest, and for years had devoted himself to the constructive as well as the spiritual administration of several important parishes in different counties. Father Heimann was born in Lafayette, Indiana, February 15, 1866. His father, August Heimann, was born in Silesia, Prussia, in 1834. When eighteen years of age he came … Read more

Biography of Norman L. Hay

Norman L. Hay. When a group of really progressive, enterprising and public-spirited men get in control of a local government, it matters little what special form of charter or municipal organization they operate under, they do things and an entire community feels an uplift. This is well illustrated in the case of the City of Sedan, where Norman L. Hay had been mayor since 1912, and in close co-operation with the city council dominated by similar ideas as to the public good, he had brought about results which justify unusual pride in the part of Sedan in its civic and … Read more

Biography of Charles P. Beebe

Charles P. Beebe. Among the well known newspaper men of Wilson County, one who had had broad experience in his vocation is Charles P. Beebe, who during the past three years had been managing editor of the Neodesha Daily Sun. Mr. Beebe learned the newspaper business at the case, and had worked his way up through the various departments of the business so that he had a thorough knowledge of all its details. Under his editorial management this publication had become one of the best daily papers of Wilson County and wields a wide influence all over this section. Mr. … Read more

Biography of Walter L. Payne

Walter L. Payne, a native son of Kansas, had been closely identified with a number of its business and public activities for a number of years, and is vice-president of the Pioneer State Bank of Burlingame. The Payne family have had a part in the making of Kansas for fully sixty years. It was Mr. Payne’s grandparents, Lorenzo Dow and Mary Ann (Wildman) Payne, who were the pioneers of the family in Kansas. They located at Trading Post in Miami County, where Lorenzo D., who was a physician by profession, practiced for two years until the border ruffians drove him … Read more