Baxter Springs Kansas

Biographical Sketch of B. F. Townsend

B. F. Townsend a prosperous farmer near Garden Grove, was born in Bowdoinham, Maine, in 1834, educated at the high school there, and in 1855 left home to take care of himself. For nine years he worked in a wholesale boot and shoe store in Massachusetts, and from there, January 13, 1864, he went to Chicago, Milwaukee, Sioux City and other places; then to Omaha, and to Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas, where he worked on a farm until 1866, teaching school during the winter seasons. Then he went to Baxter Springs, Cherokee County, Kansas, engaging in the manufacture and sale … Read more

Biography of William S. Norton

William S. Norton. Whatever their environment, men of true ability have the power to raise themselves above circumstances, and apparently handicaps and difficulties act only as a spur to increase effort and accomplishment. There are few Kansas whose careers better illustrate the truth of this assertion than that of William S. Norton, who is known so well in Cherokee County as a financier and business man. Mr. Norton could review by personal recollections practically every phase of life in Southwestern Missouri and Southeastern Kansas during the last half century. He was a Union soldier during the war and the keynote … Read more

Biography of Edward Bell Payne, M. D.

Edward Bell Payne, M. D. With an understanding of what is awaiting the man of science, the many doors yet unopened which will lead to the further amelioration of the ills of mankind, and the constant yearning to add to his store of knowledge, it is practically impossible for the conscientious physician and surgeon to arrive at a state of mind where he is satisfied with what he has accomplished and, of necessity, he keeps on striving for perfection as long as life lasts. A long list of accomplishments in his profession have marked the career of Dr. Edward Bell … Read more

Jeremiah John Miller – Obituary

Medical Springs, Oregon Jeremiah John Miller, 81, a longtime Medical Springs resident, died Dec. 5, 2001, at his home. There will be a memorial service later. Jeremiah was born at Baxter Springs, Kan., where he grew up on his grandmother’s farm. He graduated from Joplin High School and enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps, which took him to Randolph Field at San Antonio, Texas. There he met and fell in love with Adeline Kosharek. They were married on July 1, 1940, and spent 27 years in the U.S. Air Force where his career was in aircraft maintenance and engineering. … Read more

Biography of Joseph Henry Hoopingarner

Joseph Henry Hoopingarner has for twenty-five years been identified with the Methodist Conference in Kansas, though he has not spent all of that time in the active ministry. He is a large property owner and is now pastor of the leading church at Baxter Springs. He comes of a very interesting family of pioneers in Southeastern Kansas. Rev. Mr. Hoopingarner himself was born in Crawford County, Kansas, April 3, 1871, only a few years after the real settlement of that region began. His ancestry goes back to Wuertemberg, Germany, where his great-grandfather Coonrad Hoopingarner was born. Coonrad and a brother … Read more

Biography of Samuel Aaron Kenoyer

Samuel Aaron Kenoyer, a prominent real estate operator of Miami, has won a substantial, measure of success through the capable management of his business affairs and has also aided materially in improving and developing his city, being recognized as a most progressive and public-spirited citizen. He was born in Kentland, Newton county, Indiana, September 30, 1873, of the marriage of James and Nancy Jane Kenoyer, the former also born in that county, while the latter was likewise a native of the Hoosier state. For a time the father engaged in farming and he afterward turned his attention to the carpenter’s … Read more

Biography of John D. Burton

John D. Burton. Like many of his contemporaries in the field of journalism in Southeastern Kansas, John D. Burton, proprietor and editor of the Potwin Ledger, began his career at the case. His entire life had been devoted to newspaper work, as compositor, editor and owner of publications in various parts of the country, but principally in Kansas, where he had resided and labored since the fall of 1878. While his present publication was founded only recently, it had already gained a wide circulation and promises to become an organ of influence in public matters under Mr. Burton’s wise and experienced direction. John D. … Read more

Biography of Albert B. Willard

Albert B. Willard. Historically one of the most interesting communities in Southeastern Kansas is Baxter Springs. The history of that town might possibly be written without reference to the name Willard, but could not be adequately told without reference to the enterprise and activities established and carried on by members of that family. One of the real founders of the town and for many years one of its most prominent merchants was the late Albert Willard. The Willard family is of Scotch-Irish ancestry, and had been identified with America since Colonial days, when the first of the name established a … Read more

Biography of Charles B. Skidmore

Charles B. Skidmore. To attain success as a member of the Kansas bar requires more than ordinary ability which had been trained along the lines of the legal profession, as well as a vest fund of general information, and keen judgment with regard to men and their motives. In the big and pulsing communities of the Sunflower State there is so much competition, circumstances play such an important part in the shaping of events, and these events crowd each other so closely, that the legist had to be capable of grasping affairs with a competent hand to effect satisfactory results. … Read more

Biography of Grant Waggoner

Grant Waggoner is a specialist in mining law with office and practice at Baxter Springs, Kansas. He has claimed his home at Baxter Springs since 1909, but did not open his law office in that city until 1912. While most of his practice is connected with some phase or other of the mining industry, he also handles a general civil and criminal practice. In 1914 Mr. Waggouer was elected from his district as representative in the State Legislature. He proved an able champion of all progressive legislation enacted during his term, and was particularly at the front in all matters … Read more

Biography of John Wesley Twente

John Wesley Twente. Since the fall of 1911 John W. Twente had been numbered among Kansas successful educators, and is superintendent of the city schools of Baxter Springs. He is well qualified both by natural ability and by training for leadership in educational affairs, and in many ways he had increased the efficiency of the local schools and raised the general standards of educational work at Baxter Springs. As a teacher he is well known throughout Southeastern Kansas, is a member of the Southeast Kansas Teachers’ Association, and also belongs to the state organization of teachers. His home before locating … Read more

Biography of Seba Clarence Westcott

Seba Clarence Westcott. With a record of twenty-six years of continuous practice at Galena, Mr. Westcott is secure in those honors and successes that come to the lawyer of ability and character, and is one of the best known men of Cherokee County. He has served in the Legislature and conscientious care and business integrity have marked every relationship of his career. His people were among the pioneer settlers of Southeastern Kansas. His father, William H. Westcott moved to Baxter Springs, Kansas, in 1869. He died at Baxter Springs in 1872. By occupation he was a farmer, and in politics … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. F. W. Propp

(See Ghigau)—Mary Eleanor, daughter of David and Lucinda Ann (Harlan) Archer, born in Kansas, May 2, 1867, and educated in Cherokee County, Kansas. Married at Baxter Springs in that state, January 2, 1888 Frederick William, son of Carl and Henrietta (Stabnow) Propp, born July 22, 1859 in Germany. They are the parents of: Carl Willard, born August 21, 1906 and Elva Carlene Propp, born December 30, 1910. Mr. Propp is a farmer and stock raiser near Adair. Mrs. Propp is a Presbyterian and a member of the Grange and Rebeccas. David M., son of Ezekial and Hannah (Lewis) Harlan married … Read more

Biography of Robert E. Rosenstein

Robert E. Rosenstein of Baxter Springs is a man of varied talents and abilities and has successfully performed the services of a minister of the Gospel and lawyer at the same time. And though his time and attention are now given to the law, he occasionally preaches and is widely known over several states in the ministry of the Christian Church. While Mr. Rosenstein spent most of his early life in Texas, he was born at Cairo, Illinois, January 4, 1871. His father Rudolph Rosenstein was born at Mecklenberg-Schwerin, Germany, in 1826, and came to America at the age of … Read more

Biography of Edward C. Gates

Edward C, Gates. It was in 1887 that Edward C. Gates was admitted to the Kansas bar and undertook to build up a reputation and practice at Fulton, where be resided until he came to Fort Scott. In Fort Scott for the past twenty years he had enjoyed a reputation among the ablest members of the Kansas bar. Until 1913 he was actively associated with A. M. Keene in the firm of Keene & Gates, and since then had pratticed alone. The law had always represented to Mr. Gates a profession rather than an occnpation, and in all his work … Read more