Cherokee County KS Genealogy – Page 3 of 4

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 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

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 Louis Henry Rose

Louis Henry Rose. That quality of citizenship which gets things done in a wise and constructive manner and at the same time is constantly looking out for the economy and welfare of the individual is wonderfully well illustrated in the career of Louis Henry Rose, one of the oldest business men of Rosedale. Mr. Rose identified himself with this village of Wyandotte County when its population did not consist of more than 500. He helped make it a city and in recent years had headed the fight to secure its consolidation with that larger metropolitan and industrial group of communities … Read more

Biography of A. H. Skidmore

A. H. Skidmore. The general instances in the early life of men who “do things” are peculiarly similar. Differing in detail, the general outline is the short and simple story of the rise and progress to eminence from poverty to prosperity. Assiduous toil, the common school advantages, and the struggle for supremacy generates reliance on self, the natural, rather than art is their guide; individual talents are developed and each shows through the originality thereby becoming and recognized as self-made men. Judge Skidmore was born in Virginia February 14, 1856, was reared to manhood on a farm by parents possessing … Read more

Biography of Frank L. Ball

Frank L. Ball, M. D. A resident of Kansas nearly all his life, Dr. Frank L. Ball had for the past fifteen years been one of the leading physicians and surgeons of Cherokee County. His family were among the pioneer settlers of Southeastern Kansas, and the name had been closely identified with the agricultural development and with the civic and professional life of various communities. The Ball family is of Scotch-Irish descent. Originally they were Quakers, and it is said that the first of the name came to Pennsylvania with William Penn. Doctor Ball’s grandfather was Guy Ball, a native … Read more

Biography of Mrs. Nancy J. McNeill

Mrs. Nancy J. McNeill. While the professional career of Mrs. Nancy J. McNeill has covered but a short period of time, she has already demonstrated her right to a place among the learned members of the Cherokee County bar, and, as junior partner of the firm of Skidmore & McNeill, at Columbus, has built up a large and representative practice. Mrs. McNeill was born near the Town of Messer, in Cherokee County, Kansas, and is a daughter of Branche and Mary M. (Fowler) Jones, and a descendant of revolutionary ancestors on both sides of the family. The Jones family originated … Read more

Biography of Edwin D. Mikesell

Edwin D. Mikesell. The long and uniformly progressive career of Edwin D. Mikesell, of Fredonia, had been characterized by several noticeable personal traits, among which may be mentioned versatility of talents combined with thoroughness of preparation and depth of legal knowledge. A man of broad education and wide experience, of high personal character, courteous and able, he is not alone one of Wilson County’s strong legists, but a man who had served his community and his state in positions of official importance, in which he had demonstrated unusual executive ability. Mr. Mikesell was born on a farm nine miles southeast … Read more

Biography of Ernest Everett Stonecipher

Ernest Everett Stonecipher. A Kansas educator of fifteen years’ experience, Mr. Stonecipher has taught in country schools, has been principal of village and city schools, and with increasing capabilities and growing reputation has been preferred to some of the larger responsibilities connected with school work in Cherokee County. He is now county superintendent of public instruction in Cherokee County, and his place in the profession is well indicated by the fact that he is also serving as president of the Southeastern Kansas Teachers Association, the largest organization of school workers in the state. Mr. Stonecipher was born in Cherokee County, … 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

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 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 Alexander McCrary

Alexander McCrary was born in Ross County, Ohio, in 1825, son of Alexander and Mary (Summers) McCrary. His father was a native of South Carolina and his mother of Kentucky. Mr. McCrary spent his youth upon a farm, receiving such an education as the common schools afforded and was early inured to the hard labor of pioneer farming. His natural mechanical tastes and ideas prompted his taking up a trade, and at the age of twenty-one years he started out in life as a carpenter, and later as a bridge builder and millwright. In 1856 he moved to Iowa and … 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 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

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

Beecher, Lawson Mrs. – Obituary

Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon 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 … Read more

Biography of Ellsworth L. Burton

Ellsworth L. Burton. One of the very able members of the Kansas Legislature in the session of 1915-16 was Representative E. L. Burton from Parsons. Mr. Burton is an attorney by profession, has spent most of his life in Kansas, and has some very influential and important connections in his part of the state. He was born at Mattoon, Illinois, April 30, 1868. The Burtons came from England and settled in the Carolinas during colonial days. Mr. Burton is a direct descendant of Cavalier Burton. His grandfather Alfred Burton was born near Guilford Court House in North Carolina, and died … Read more

Biography of Oliver W. Sparks

Oliver W. Sparks. In a greater degree than is true of most towns the City of Galena is the result of the enterprise of a comparatively small group of men. Oliver W. Sparks came along and discovered zinc and lead on the Schermerhorn farm. That marked the opening chapter in the industrial history of one of the most progressive mining towns of Southeastern Kansas. After his first strike Mr. Sparks opened up other mineral deposits on the Maston land, later on the Bunco farm, and now for many years he had been continuously operating in that vicinity. Today he is … Read more

Biography of Edwin E. Sapp

Edwin E. Sapp. There has been a Sapp connected with the bar of Cherokee County almost since the City of Galena was founded. Coming to that town in January, 1884, after having worked and studied earnestly to prepare himself for the bar, earning his own living in the meantime, Edwin E. Sapp in a comparatively brief time had won the approbation and favor of a considerable clientage. In the years that have followed hardly a member of the Cherokee County Bar has been shown greater honors and has been accorded a larger and more profitable share in the civil practice … Read more