Allen County KS

Biography of Joseph J. Wilson

Joseph J. Wilson has been a prominent factor in the business and civic activities of Moran for the past fifteen years. He is now serving as postmaster, and in business affairs he is most widely known as a grain merchant. His Wilson ancestors were colonial settlers in America. His grandfather, Thomas Jefferson Wilson, was born in Kentucky in 1787, the year the Constitution of the United States was framed in Philadelphia, and he remained a resident of Kentucky all his long life. He died in 1891, when in his nineties in Hart County, Kentucky. Thomas Benton Wilson, father of Joseph … Read more

Biography of Charles I. Martin, Gen.

Kansas, in the course of its history, had produced soldiers as well as farmers, statesmen, orators and business men. As is well known, some of these soldiers have covered themselves with glory. It is the distinction of Gen. Charles I. Martin, present adjutant-general of the state, that he had succeeded in bringing the state militia, usually known as the National Guard, nearer to a basis of war perfection and preparedness than is true perhaps of the militia of any other state in the Union. In face, General Martin’s name possesses a nation wide significance. It was while teaching country school, … Read more

Biography of Charles F. Scott, Hon.

Hon. Charles F. Scott. Few of the native sons of Kansas have served so conspicuously and have enjoyed more substantial honors both at home and abroad than Charles Frederick Scott of Iola. Mr. Scott had long furnished both the spirit and the action to that notable example of Kansas journalism, the Iola Register. For ten years he sat in Congress as representative of the state at large and of the Second District. For a number of years he had been recognized as one of the ablest and most influential republican leaders in Kansas. Mr. Scott is president of the Kansas State Historical Society. He … Read more

Biography of Henry Tulley Ashford

Henry T. Ashford has had much to do with Kansas newspaper life during the last quarter of a century. He is now editor and proprietor of the Elsmore Leader, which he founded. His name is also familiar in republican party circles in this section of the state, and whatever he undertakes he does with the fullness of enthusiasm which gets results and begets confidence in his ability. He represents a family of Kentuckians, though his people have lived in Kansas since pioneer times. His grandfather, of Irish-English stock, went at an early day into Kentucky and died near Bowling Green … Read more

Biography of John S. Sutcliffe, M. D.

John S. Sutcliffe, M. D., is one of the widely known physicians and surgeons of Kansas, and besides a large private practice at Iola is proprietor of the Iola Hospital and Sanitarium, which he had brought to a high standard of excellence in its appointments and had made it an institution of widely extended benefit and service. Doctor Sutcliffe is a native of England, born January 10, 1861. He attended a private school known as Beckwith College at Liverpool, but at the age of fifteen came to America to join his father, who some years before had established himself in … Read more

Biography of John C. Carpenter, Col.

Col. John C. Carpenter, retired attorney, veteran of the Civil war, Kansas pioneer, ex-state senator, successful business man and public-spirited citizen, had flgured so conspicuously and honorably in connection with the public interests, business activity and substantial development of Neosho County for forty-six years that no history of this locality would be complete without the record of his career. Throughout his entire life he had been looked upon as a model of integrity and honor, one who had always stood as an example of what determination, combined with the highest degree of integrity, can accomplish for a man of natural … Read more

Biography of Alva C. Starr

Alva C. Starr. For the past twelve years the grocery establishemnt of Alva C. Starr, at No. 710 North Broadway, has been considered in the light of a necessary commercial adjunct by the people of Pittsburg. Many causes contribute to the success of this popular merchant, not the least of which are a thorough knowledge of his business and a determination to keep his particular branch thereof up to the highest known standard. Mr. Starr belongs to that element of business men who have made their own way to success, without the aid of outside influences, and his high standing … Read more

Biography of Lloyd Lakin

Lloyd Lakin is one of the prominent young business leaders of Kansas. He is secretary, treasurer and active manager of the Lakin-McKee Manufacturing Company of Fort Scott. This is the largest individual industry in that city, the largest of its kind in Southeastern Kansas, and perhaps the largest in the entire West. The output is overalls. The Lakin-McKee overalls are distributed all over the Middle West. The goods are pre-eminent for quality and service. It is a business built up on character, and to a large degree the constructive and creative ideas of Lloyd Lakin have been fundamental in the … Read more

Biography of Ward Salisbury

Ward Salisbury. The Salisbury family have been residents of Hiawatha County for over thirty years, and Mr. Ward Salisbury, who was a child when his father located there, had succeeded the older Salisbury as proprietor of the leading grain elevator and his business as a grain buyer extends all over that section of Kansas. Mr. Ward Salisbury was born in Norway, Herkimer County, New York, February 20, 1877. His lineage goes back for a number of generations in American history. The Salisburys came out of England and were colonists in New York. Mr. Salisbury is a member of the Sous … Read more

Biography of Benjamin E. Lewis

Benjamin E. Lewis. It is invariably found in tracing the influences which make for good citizenship, integrity and morality that the fundamental of these qualities lies in education. Therein is found the basis of intelligence, of judgment according to the value, of comprehension, and, equipped with these, youth may enter upon the struggle of life well prepared to fight its battles. Southeastern Kansas had no reason to feel ashamed of its educational system, or of the men who direct it. The individuals chosen to manage and to discipline have been carefully selected, and in their ranks are found men of … Read more

Biography of Frank L. Travis Hon.

Hon. Frank L. Travis. A resident of Kansas since early boyhood, Frank L. Travis had been a farmer, public official and insurance man at Iola, but his name is most familiarly known over the state at large through his active leadership in the Legislature of Kansas. During the recent session of the Lower House he was the accepted leader of his party, and some of the most beneficial legislation enacted in recent years had been largely shaped and influenced by Mr. Travis of Iola. The ancestry of the Travis family goes back to Ireland. There were men of the name … 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 Elmer Stover Emmert

Elmer Stover Emmert, senior partner of the well known firm of Emmert Brothers and thus head of one of the strong insurance agencies not only of Muskogee but of the state, was born in Humboldt, Kansas, May 18, 1868, and is a son of David B. and Margaret D. (Moffett) Emmert, the former a newspaper publisher. During the early boyhood of Elmer S. Emmert the parents removed with their family to Wichita, Kansas, and there he pursued his education in the public schools until a further removal was made to Albuquerque, New Mexico. After the death of his father, at … Read more

Biography of Orlian Scott Redfield

A spirit of undaunted enterprise characterizes Orlian Scott Redfield in the conduct of his extensive business interests. He is proprietor of two grocery houses in Muskogee and is one of the proprietor successful merchants of the city, a point to which he has attained by reason of indefatigable industry, intelligently directed. He started out in life without special advantages and steadily, step by step, has worked his way upward. He has also found opportunity for cooperation in those activities which make for progress and improvement in the community, or which constitute a source of worth to the individual, his labors … Read more

Biography of Joel Moore O’Brien

Joel Moore O’Brien is proprietor of the largest department store in Allen County. The present business is the outgrowth of many years of successful experience and gradual development beginning with a single stock of groceries. Mr. O’Brien had proved himself a merchant of unusual sagacity and had been one of the principal factors in recent years in the development and progress of his home city. The O’Brien family had long been identified with the development of this section of Kansas. Mr. O’Brien’s grandfather Daniel Cornelius O’Brien was one of the Kansas pioneers. He was born in Ohio and in 1857 … Read more

Biography of Charles H. Apt

Charles H. Apt first came to Kansas in the weeks following the first election of Grover Cleveland for the presidency. He had already been thoroughly trained and for a time had practiced law in Ohio, and deciding upon a location in Kansas, he transferred his professional interests to this state and for more than thirty years had been a successful lawyer, had acquired a large amount of farming interests, and is one of the best known citizens of Iola. He is now head of the law firm of Apt & Apt, having a son in partnership with him. The Apt … 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

Biography of Frank Hayden Martin, M. D.

Frank Hayden Martin, M. D. Now practicing medicine and surgery at Lorraine, Ellsworth County, Doctor Martin is widely known to the profession in Kansas, especially through his associations in earlier years with the staff of instruction of the Medical College at Topeka. Few physicians of the state have utilized to a greater degree abundant opportunities for advancement in the science of medicine and surgery. Doctor Martin is of old New England colonial stock. He was born at Gray in the State of Maine March 24, 1852. The Martins came out of England and settled in Massachusetts in colonial times. Doctor … Read more

Biography of Fred J. Horton

Fred J. Horton. When an individual had been closely identified with the business interests of a community for twenty-three years, it would be an anomaly were he not intimately known to the citizens of that place. In the seething, progressive life of an energetic, enterprising city or town the man who shows himself interested in the advancement of the public welfare is bound to be more or less in the public eye, and that eye, as it had often shown itself, is capable of piercing its way into the deepest recesses of the lives of the citizens of the community. … Read more

Biography of Alfred Harris Hecox

Alfred Harris Hecox. One of the native sons of Allen County who are now holding official positions in the employ of the United States Government, is Alfred Harris Hecox, who since July, 1914, had served in the capacity of postmaster of the City of Iola. Mr. Hecox had had a diversified and interesting career, in which he had visited various parts of the country and engaged in a number of different occupations which have brought him in close touch with the public and at the same time had given him a broadened experience. These qualities have served him well in … Read more