Carroll County IL

Biography of William A. Cormany

William A. Cormany. During a period covering more than a half century William A. Cormany has been a resident of Fort Scott, and in this time has been closely identified with the agencies that have made for progress along material, educational and moral lines. Coming here a veteran of the Civil war, in 1866, he entered newspaper life as owner of the Fort Scott Monitor, and since then his activities have branched out in various avenues of business. He is one of the few remaining of the early settlers of the city, and looks upon its present prosperity with the … 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 Willis J. Bailey

Willis J. Bailey, who was governor of Kansas from 1903 to 1905, had been a resident of the state since 1879 and had long stood as a leader in agricultural affairs, as a banker, and as a member of the republican party. His home is now in the City of Atchison, where he is vice president and managing officer of the Exchange National Bank. His administration as governor of Kansas is made the subject of some paragraphs in an appropriate place on other pages of this history. The following is intended merely as a biographical statement of his career and with some … Read more

Biography of Ernest N. Bailey

Ernest N. Bailey, a brother of former Governor W. J. Bailey, reference to whom is made on other pages, had largely concentrated his efforts and businees enterprise at the Town of Baileyville, named for the family, in Nemaha County. Mr. Bailey had been an extensive farmer and stockman, and in later years a grain merchant, and owned the principal grain elevator at Baileyville. He was born in Carroll County, Illinois, June 15, 1857. The Bailey ancestry is English and the Baileys were Colonial settlers in New York. His grandparents, Joshua and Eleeta Bailey, were both born in or near Tieonderoga, … Read more

Biography of James Blair Lower

James Blair Lower, president of the First National Bank of Washington, is a banker of long and active experience, and represents a family in which the financial ability had been highly developed, two of his brothers being also well known western bankers. Mr. Lower had spent most of his life in Kansas, but was born at Lenark in Carroll County, Illinois, July 30, 1860. A number of generations back his first American ancestors came out of Europe and settled in Pennsylvania. His father was of German descent and his mother of Irish-Scotch descent, her father being Irish and her mother … Read more

Biography of Samuel Strickler

The story of pioneer life in Idaho is well known to such men as Samuel Strickler, for through thirty-six years he has been a witness of the development of the northwest and has faithfully borne his part in the work of up building and advancement; he now resides in Bellevue. He claims Pennsylvania as the state of his nativity, his birth occurring in Chambersburg, Franklin County, November 21, 1832. He is of German descent and his ancestors were among the early settlers of the Keystone state. His father, Samuel Strickler, was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and married Susanna Hollinger, also … Read more

Biography of Frank L. Morse, M.D.

Dr. Frank L. Morse, a surgeon of St. Louis, was born in Savanna, Illinois, December 22, 1876, his parents being Charles and Amanda (Daniels) Morse. The father, a native of the state of New York, is descended from one of the families long represented in New York and previously in Massachusetts, a family of Dutch and English ancestry that was founded In America 1n colonial days. Charles Morse, removing westward, settled In Illinois in the early ’70s and in 1910 became a resident of Missouri. For many years he conducted a profitable lumber business but is now living retired. His … Read more

Biography of David Franklin Shirk

David Franklin Shirk, a prominent Kansas educator and a worker in behalf of child welfare, had been a resident of this state thirty years. Born at Shannon, Carroll County, Illinois, July 10, 1859, he was reared and educated in his native state, and as a young man began teaching school in Illinois. In 1886 he came to Abilene, Dickinson County, Kansas, and followed educational work in this state actively for twenty-four years. In 1906 Mr. Shirk was graduated from Friends University at Wichita. Much distinction attaches to his work as a school man. He assisted in organizing the first county … Read more

Biography of Gen. Smith D. Atkins

Smith D. Atkins, who is a lawyer, soldier, journalist and politician, was born on the 9th of June, 1836, near Elmira, Chemung Co., N. Y.; he came with his father’s family to Illinois in 1848, and lived on a farm until 1850. He then became an apprentice in the office of the Prairie Democrat, which was the first paper published in Freeport. He was educated at Rock River Seminary, Mt. Morris, Ill., working in the printing-office and studying during his spare hours, and in 1852 obtained the foremanship of the Mt. Morris Gazette, while he was yet a student in … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John Harrison

John Harrison, one of the early pioneers of Douglas Township, Ida County, Iowa, was born in County Monaghan, Ireland, in December, 1824, a son of James and Elizabeth (Clendening) Harrison, natives also of that county. He moved to Scotland with his parents when a lad and was raised and educated there. In 1845, John was united in marriage to Jeanette Stevenson at Argyleshire, Scotland, near Glasgow. Her father was Peter Stevenson. In 1855, he came to the United States, locating in New York, but afterwards he engaged in a sawmill for J. Irvin at Savanna, Carroll Co., Illinois. In 1864, … Read more