Brown County KS Genealogy – Access Genealogy

Biography of Rev. John Dunbar

Rev. John Dunbar was a missionary to the Pawnes Indians of the West for a period of more than twenty years before he became a resident of Kansas. He spent a little over a year in the territory and, as its first treasurer, assisted in the organization of Brown County. Mr. Dunbar was a native of Palmer, Massachusetts, born March 3, 1804. In 1832 he was graduated at Williams College, and later at the Auburn Theological Seminary. While a student at the latter institution he received an appointment as missionary to the western Indians; was ordained at Ithaca, New York, … Read more

Biography of James Boyd Hitt

James Boyd Hitt, who had been actively identified with school work nearly twenty years, is now superintendent of the city schools of Everest, Brown County. Mr. Hitt did his first work as an educator in his native State of Ohio and had been connected with kansas schools for about ten years. His forefathers in the Hitt family were of Scotch-Irish ancestry and were early settlers in Virginia. His grandfather, Garrett T. Hitt, was born in Culpeper County, Virginia. He came North and located in Ohio, at first in Tuscarawas County and later in Williams County. He followed farming, and after a … Read more

Biography of Elmer Birdell Gift

Elmer Birdell Gift, a native Kansan, spent his active years in educational work. He is now city superintendent of the public schools of Manhattan, and has been a teacher or a student in higher educational institutions continuously for the past twenty years. He was born on a farm in Smith County, Kansas, April 28, 1874, a son of John and Rachel Ann (Akers) Gift. His parents came to Kansas from Iowa in 1873, settling on a farm. His father was a native of Pennsylvania of German lineage, while his mother was born in Ohio of Scotch and English ancestry. Their … Read more

Biography of Charles G. Blakely

Charles G. Blakely, whose attainments as a business man have made his name familiar not only in his home City of Topeka but in many parts of the state, has been a resident of Kansas since the fall of 1883, and his first experience here was as teacher in Brown County. His is the interesting story of a boy born and reared in the mountainens district of Eastern Kentucky, where people lived on the plane of the simplest existence but not always of the highest ideals. There, in his early youth, came a stimulus to his ambition and hope which … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Ralph W. McDonald

Ralph W. McDonald is proprietor and editor of the Robinson Index at Robinson, Kansas. His activities and experiences have nearly all been wrought out in the environment of a printing office and editorial sanctum. At the age of eighteen he left school and began his apprenticeship in the printing office of the Hiawatha World. He was with that paper in various capacities until July, 1914, when he removed to Robinson and bought the Index. This is one of the older papers of Brown County, having been established in 1891. Through populism and every other politicaliam it had steadfastly advocated republican … Read more

Kickapoo Indian Tribe of Brown County Kansas

The Kickapoo Indian Tribe of Brown County, Kansas, played a significant role in the region’s history, particularly during the westward expansion of the United States. Originally settled in Illinois, the Kickapoos were forced westward as settlers encroached on their lands. Led by their prophet Kennekuk, the tribe moved into what is now Kansas, where they initially occupied land near Wathena before being relocated to a reservation in Brown County. Over time, treaties reduced their landholdings drastically, eventually leaving them with a smaller area in the southwestern part of the county. Despite these reductions, the Kickapoo have adapted to changes by embracing farming and integrating aspects of white culture, while the government continues to manage their lands and protect them from exploitation.

Biography of William H. Holt

William H. Holt came to Kansas a number of years ago as a railway employee, but soon took up banking and had had a wide experience in that field, partly in Kansas and partly in Northwestern Texas, and is now cashier of the Central National Bank of Ellsworth. This is one of the largest and most substantial banks in Southern Kansas. Mr. Holt was born at Grafton, West Virginia, August 2, 1879. His ancestors came originally out of England and were colonial settlers in Virginia. His father, James W. Holt, was born at Kingwood in Preston County, West Virginia, in … Read more

Biography of John C. Hoyt

John C. Hoyt became identified with the real estate, loan and insurance business at El Dorado over thirty years ago. He is the dean in that line of business in Butler County, and the reputation for honesty and integrity which had become associated with his name through many long years had brought him all the business that his firm could attend to during the rapid development of Butler County’s resources in recent years. Mr. Hoyt was born near Bellevue, Ohio, September 3, 1860. His people have been identified with Northern Ohio since pioneer times. His grandfather, John Hoyt, was born … Read more

Biography of William Colfax Markham

William Colfax Markham, son of the late Dr. L. A. Markham and younger brother of Dean Markham of Baker University, is a Kansas man distinguished by exceptional talents and a versatile ability which have caused him to be referred to as editor, poet, playwright and enterprising citizen. He was born at Bolivar, Ohio, September 10, 1868, and he spent his youth in the various places where his father was engaged in his ministerial labors. For three years he was a student in Baldwin University at Berea, Ohio, and in 1886 he moved with his parents to Missouri and subsequently entered … Read more

Biography of Myron White

Myron White, an active representative of the Muskogee bar for the past two decades, has been accorded an extensive and gratifying clientage in recognition of his skill in the handling of intricate legal problems. He is numbered among the native sons of Kangas, his birth having occurred in Brown county on the 6th of September, 1875. His father, Jesse H. White, a native of Ohio, came of Revolutionary stock and was of English lineage. He served as a soldier of the Union army during the four-year period ‘of the Civil war and after the close of the conflict he married … 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 Samuel K. Klinefelter

Samuel K. Klinefelter is the junior member of the firm of Hayt & Klinefelter, the proprietors of the well known Fashion Livery Stables of Riverside. Mr. Klinefelter was born in Richland County, Ohio, June 10, 1845. His parents, Joseph and Elizabeth Klinefelter, were natives of Pennsylvania and were among the early settlers of the county in which he was born. He was reared in his native place until twelve years of age. In 1857 his father moved to Brown County, Kansas and was there engaged in farming occupations until his death in 1858. Mr. Klinefelter was brought up to farm … Read more

Biography of John M. Everts

John M. Everts. When he came to Kansas Mr. Everts took up farming and with every reason might still be classifled as a farmer since he had two well improved places in Nemaha County near Baileyville. For over twenty years, however, he had given much of his time to the Baileyville State Bank, of which he is the general cashier. Mr. Everts was born near Mansfield in Richland County, Ohio, August 10, 1857. His grandfather, Gilbert Everts, was born in Canada in 1802, but reared his family and spent many years as a farmer in Richland County, Ohio. In 1880 … Read more

Biography of Joseph H. McGauhey, M. D.

Joseph H. McGauhey, M. D.,had been in the general practice of medicine at White Cloud, twenty-eight years, and is also identified with the banking business of his town, and had farming interests in Brown County. The McGauhey ancestors were Scolch-Irish, and Doctor McGauhey’s great-grandfather was the immigrant to this country. His grandfather was Archibald McGauhey, who spent most of his life as a farmer in Indiana, where he died. John McGauhey, father of Doctor McGauhey, was born in Pennsylvania in 1809. For a time during his childhood his parents lived in North Carolina and afterward moved to Indiana, where he … Read more

Biography of Edmund Woodbridge Buffon

E. W. Buffon. For the greater part of twenty years Edmund Woodbridge Buffon had been engaged in educational work and is now superintendent of the city schools of Centralia. He is a highly educated gentleman and had made his influence a decided factor in Nemsha County in other ways than as a school man. Mr. Buffon was born at Beatrice, Nebraska, November 30, 1875, but had lived in Kansas since early childhood. His ancestry goes back to Denmark. His great-grandrather came from that country and settled in one of the New England states. Mr. Buffon’s grandfather, George Buffon, was born … Read more

Biography of Frederick M. Thompson

Frederick M. Thompson, superintendent of the city schools of Horton, and an educator of long and successful experience, is a native of Kansas, and his family have been identified with this state since the territorial period. His father, Samuel C. Thompson, who is now living at Leavenworth at the venerable age of eighty-two, came out to Kansas in 1856 and for a time was identified with the frontier Town of Leavenworth and later removed to Springdale. where he was employed by the firm of Russell Waddell and Major in their big sawmill twelve miles west of Leavenworth on “Big Stranger.” … Read more

Kansas Registrations of Enemy Aliens, 1917 – 1921

The series contains original affidavits of registration that record personal information about each registrant, their photograph affixed to the majority of documents, and the registrants fingerprints. All of these are specific to Kansas, and most have the actual documents attached.

Biography of Charles D. Lamme

Charles D. Lamme is president of the Morrill-Janes Bank of Hiawatha, one of the largest and most prosperous financial institutions of Northern Kansas. His is a business career that may be studied with profit by all members of the rising generation. He was not yet twenty years of age when in January, 1880, he became connected with the Morrill-Janes Bank. At first his dutles were not classified on the regular payroll. Morning and night he did janitor work and during the day was variously employed as a messenger and in any other duties thought best by his superiors. He possessed … Read more

Biography of Allen Thomas Stewart

Allen Thomas Stewart is one of the younger business men of Doniphan County and had established himself firmly in business and civic esteem at Denton, where he is proprietor of the only drug store and is now serving his second suecessive term as mayor. Most of his life had been spent in Kansas. He was born at Salem, Kentucky, in Livingston County, March 11, 1881, and came to this state with his parents when he was five years old. He attended public schools, graduated from the high school at Seneca. Kansas, in 1901, and following that had two years in … Read more

Biography of Henry J. Calnan

Henry J. Calnan, publisher and editor of the Weekly Kansas Chief at Troy, had had an unusually varied experience even for a newspaper man. Since acquiring the Kansas Chief he had improved its influence and strengthened its organization and equipment in keeping with the dignity of the paper as the oldest journal under one continuous name in the State of Kansas. The files of the Kansas Chief contain sixty complete volumes. The paper was founded in 1857 by Sol Miller at White Cloud, Kansas, and was first known as the White Cloud Chief. The paper was moved to Troy July … Read more