Cherokee County KS

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 Charles S. Huffman, M. D.

Charles S. Huffman, M. D. It is unusual for a medical man to become so widely and prominently identified with state affairs as Dr. Charles S. Huffman, of Columbus. Doctor Huffman is also a state senator, having represented his district in the State Senate for twelve years. On account of his long and arduous participation in the state militia, beginning with service in the famous Kansas Regiment during the Spanish-American war, he had attained the rank of brigade commander, and is one of the most active figures in the National Guard of the state. He made his mark in the … Read more

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

Beecher, Lawson Mrs. – Obituary

Mrs. Lawson Beecher died early Saturday morning in the Enterprise hospital where she had been a patient several weeks. She had been ill for six months and went to the hospital for treatment after her condition had become serious. For four days before the end came she had resigned herself to it and said she was ready to go. Many of her friends called to see her and she discussed her condition with them very calmly, retaining her self possession better than any of her visitors. In fact she never broke down until, shortly before he passed away and Mr. … 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 General Marion Swanson

General Marion Swanson of Muskogee, well known in real estate circles through his purchase and sale of farm lands, is also engaged in farming, but follows this more as a recreation than as a source of livelihood. He was born in Lineville, Iowa, April 29, 1863, and is a son of William E. and Susan J. (Edgemand) Swanson. His father was always engaged in farming and stock raising and General Swanson, therefore, early became familiar with the various phases of agricultural life. He was educated in the public schools of Millersburg, Cherokee county, Kansas, and when not busy with his … 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 Stephens

Charles Stephens. The history of Kansas can best he interpreted by the careers of the men who have made the state what it is and also by those careers which have been largely shaped and moulded by Kansas influences. A resident of Columbus almost continuously since 1872, and a widely known lawyer in Southeastern Kansas, Charles Stephens is a man who had practiced the principles that self-help is the best means of realizing all the resources of an individual character and advancing one’s self to a worthy station in the world. As an orphan youth he had experience in farming, … Read more

Biography of Fred L. Stone

Fred L. Stone. One of the first men to strike a pick into the mineral deposits around the present City of Galena in Cherokee County was the late Joseph T. Stone, whose experiences in that new mining field began nearly forty years ago. His son Fred L. Stone had spent the greater part of his active career in and around mines, beginning as a miner and later developing a business of his own, and is now one of the leading mine operators and business men of Galena. This is a family that had been in America since colonial days. The … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Julius C. Dykes

Dykes, Mrs. Julius C. (See Foreman)—Cora Evelyn Mizer, born at Chelsea, Nov. 28, 1895, educated at Chelsea and Female Semi­nary. Married at Galena, Kas., April 16, 1918, Julius Otto Dykes, born February 11, 1896. They are the parents of: Julius Otto, born Jan. 14, 1919, and Evelyn Jane Dykes, born March 31, 1921. Mr. Dykes, who is the maternal grandson of Julius and Jennie (Bigby) Henchoz, saw service in the World war in Company C, 49th Infantry, which he joined August 26, 1918, sailed for France, October 31, 1918, returned January 16, 1919 and was discharged at Ft. Leavenworth, February … 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

Biographical Sketch of James Lightle

(See Thompson) –James, son of Edward and Sarah Lightle was born Tuesday, August 22, 1889 in Scammon, Cherokee County, Kansas. Educated at Tahala. Married at Talala, November 6th, 1910, Nettie, daughter of Lawson and Mary Jane (Merrill) Runyar, born Nov. 6, 1886. They are the parents of Elsie Florence Lightle, born April 23, 1913. Mr. Lightle is a pharmacist at Talala.

Biography of Oliver Wilson Fail

Oliver Wilson Fail. One of the most popular citizens of Cherokee County is O. W. Fail, recently clerk of the District Court at Columbus, and now engaged in the real estate business at Baxter Springs. Mr. Fail had had a varied and active career. He had been a hard worker, had associated with men who work with their hands as well as with their brains, and he long held a card of active membership in the ranks of that army connected with the operation of street and interurban electric lines. In all the relationships of his life he had shown … Read more

Biography of George W. Long

George W. Long is postmaster at Galena. Prior to his appointment to that office during the present administration he had become known as a young and vigorous business man and merchant. He practically grew up in the grocery trade and knows its every detail not only from the point of view of a salesman but also from the business office. He first became known to the citizens of Galena in 1897 when he entered the service of one of the grocery stores and was employed as a clerk up to 1904. He gave up his work long enough during that … 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 M. W. Burrows

Coming to Indian Territory in 1890, M. W. Burrows was for many years actively identified with oil development work in this state, but has recently purchased a farm in Cherokee County, Kansas, which he intends to devote to the raising of fruit. He was born in Newton County, Missouri, January 17, 1876, of the marriage of J. H. and Mary E. (Medlin) Burrows, both natives of that state. The father is seventy years of age and is now living in Cherokee County, Kansas. In 1890 he came to Indian Territory, locating near Copan, on the Little Caney River, and there … 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 Prof. Harry W. Shideler

Prof. Harry W. Shideler. For the reason that the journalistic and educational professions are in many ways so closely allied, it is a happy combination of talents that allows an individual to participate in the work of the schoolroom and at the same time to devote a part of his abilities to the editing of a newspaper. Prof. Harry W. Shideler, superintendent of schools of Girard, Kansas, has for many years been well known in educational circles as a thorough and learned instructor, and in more recent years has entered the field of journalism as one of the proprietors of … Read more

Biography of C. H. Little

For thirty years C. H. Little has made his home in Oklahoma and he is now the owner of a well improved-and highly developed farm in Washington County, in which connection he is contributing to the agricultural development of his part of the state. A native of Kansas, he was born in Cherokee County on the 19th of November, 1878, his parents being T. A. and Frona (Hanks) Little, who came to Oklahoma in 1891, purchasing the Bill Weber farm in Dewey township, on which they resided for four years. They then moved to the Black Wing place, which the … Read more

Biography of John William Waldron, Rev.

Rev. John William Waldron is well known in a number of towns and cities of Kansas through his active ministerial labors in behalf of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is now living at Galena, where he is pastor of the local church of his denomination. He had spent most of his life in Kansas, and by unusual talents as a preacher and unselfish devotion to his church had become a recognized leader in Methodism in this city. Both he and his people for many generations back are English. His grandfather, John Waldron, spent his life in England and was a … Read more