Chicago Illinois

Biography of Clarence W. Brooks

A little thoughtful consideration of the career of Clarence W. Brooks, proprietor of the Brooks House, Idaho Falls, brings one to the conclusion that he has in most of his business operations been impelled by the spirit of the pioneer. He has sought out new plans and new conditions likely to favor his projects, and after he has made them available and profitable, he has sought out still others, and after those others. The wisdom of his selection has been proven by the success which has crowned his efforts. Not only is he one of the boldest, most venturesome and … Read more

Biography of Gen. John E. Ross

GEN. JOHN E. ROSS. – No view of our state would be complete without the figure of General Ross, who was so prominent as Indian fighter and legislator in the early days. he was born in Ohio in 1818, and after a residence in Indiana and Illinois, being married at Chicago to the daughter of Alexander Robinson of that city, whose loss by death he suffered eight years later, he came to the Pacific coast, arriving in Oregon in 1847. He was captain of a company that crossed the plains, and soon after reaching the Grande Ronde came upon some … Read more

Biography of Rev. Thomas Mackin

Reverend Thomas Mackin was born in County Armagh, Ireland, January 4, 1841, the son of Daniel and Ann Mackin. His rudimentary education was received in the Government schools of his native land, and upon his completion of the course afforded there, he turned to teaching as a means of livelihood, and to pave the way for the attainment of wider educational advantages. In 1861 Thomas Mackin came to America, settling in Leland, Illinois. Here his brother James, was engaged in the dry goods, commission and land business. It was during war time and they did an extensive business. Thomas, however, … Read more

Biography of William Sullivan

William Sullivan has been a life long resident of Champaign County and has figured in business affairs as a printer, newspaper man, and in later years in the real estate and insurance business. He has one of the principal offices for the handling of real estate and insurance at Champaign. Mr. Sullivan was born at Urbana Illinois, February 12, 1862, a son of John and Ellen (McCann) Sullivan. Both parents were natives of Ireland, the father born in County Cork and the mother in County Limerick. John Sullivan came to America about 1855, and in 1857 located at Urbana. Subsequently … Read more

Biography of Carl O. Bernhardi, M. D.

It is seldom that a young physician entering upon the practice of his profession achieves instantaneous and striking success. The path that leads to a large and lucrative practice is in nearly every case a weary and a tortuous one. But to all rules there are exceptions. The young physician whose life we are to discuss in this sketch, Doctor Carl O. Bernhardi, although one of the younger of Rock Island County’s physicians, has, nevertheless, in the few brief years that he has practiced his calling, attained an eminence that places him well in the van as a prominent and … Read more

Biography of William E. Durant

William E. Durant. Few citizens of Clay County are better known than William E. Durant, who is clerk of the District Court, a veteran of the Civil war, and a representative and bearer of a name that had been honorably known in this state for over a half century. He was born in Will County, Illinois, April 25, 1843. His parents were Edward T. and Sally Ann (Whallon) Durant, and his paternal grandparents were Edward and Lucina (Willey) Durant, natives of New York. The Durant ancestors went from France to England and in colonial days came to the United States … Read more

Biography of Henry Bennett

Henry Bennett, of Topeka, has been a resident of Kansas over forty years. Before coming to Kansas he made an enviable record as a gallant soldier in the Union army, having served with the famous Chicago Board of Trade Battery. He has lived three-quarters of a century, but still retains his youth and the optimism of virile and aggressive manhood. No individual record could be more worthy of a place in Kansas history than that of Henry Bennett. He was one of the two sons of William and Rachel (Ludby) Bennett, and was born at Chicago, Illinois, June 15, 1841. … Read more

Slave Narrative of Nettie Henry

Person Interviewed: Nettie Henry Location: Meridian, Mississippi Place of Birth: Livingston, Alabama Age: 82 Place of Residence: 19th Street, Meridian, Lauderdale County, Mississippi Nettie Henry, ex-slave, 19th Street, Meridian, Lauderdale County, is 82 years old. She is five feet tall and weighs one hundred pounds. “De Chil’s place was at Livingston, Alabama, on Alamucha Creek. Dat’s where I was born, but I jus’ did git borned good when Miss Lizzie—she was Marse Chil’s girl—married Marse John C. Higgins an’ moved to Mer-ree-dian. Me an’ my mammy an’ my two sisters, Liza an’ Tempe, was give to Miss Lizzie. “I aint … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Leonard M. Rice

Leonard M. Rice is a lawyer of Jefferson City, where his birth occurred February 9, 1887, his parents being Jefferson D. and Zara (McKenzie) Rice, both of whom were natives of Cole county, Missouri, as were their parents, their respective families having been represented in this state for many years. Leonard M. Rice was graduated front the high school of Jefferson City 1n 1904. He went to Chicago in 1909 and took up the study of law in the John Marshall Law school, from which he was graduated in 1912 with the LL.B. degree. He returned to Jefferson City and … Read more

Biography of Elster M. Haile

Elster M. Haile is president of the Haile Investment Company of Kingman, his business partner and associate being Dan Callahan, president of the Federal Land Bank of Wichita. Until taking up his work in the domain of real estate several years ago Mr. Haile was an active minister of the Gospel, and at one time was in charge of one of the leading churches of the Christian denomination at Chicago. He was born in Macon County, Tennessee, June 9, 1879, and is a son of the late Joshua F. Haile, who is regarded as one of the most constructive factors … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Charles Lewellyn Biggs

Biggs, Charles Lewellyn; attorney; born, West Newton, Pa., Aug. 16, 1870; son of Andrew Wesley and Mary F. Gressley Biggs; educated Fort Scott, Kan.; 1889-1890, and Cleveland Law School, 1908; married, Chicago, Ill., May 9, 1899, Mary Blanche Fletcher; one son, Alfred H., age 8; in 1894, engaged in the manufacture bicycles in Chicago, in 1899; appointed state mgr. for Michigan of the North American Insurance Co. of Chicago; in connection with law business; mgr. for State of Ohio for The Knights of the Modern Maccabees; member law firm Bentley, McCrystal, Biggs & Staiger; trustee Highland Avenue Congregational Church, member Woodward … Read more

Biographical Sketch of John P. Marshall

John P. Marshall was born in New Alresford, Hampshire, England, October 11, 1846. His father was William Marshall, a contractor and builder of that town. Leaving school, John P. Marshall worked in the drygoods business at Southampton, and at Stony Stratford, Buckinghamshire, until 1865, when he came to Montreal where he worked in the wholesale drygoods business until September, 1868, when he moved to Chicago. In February, 1870, he came to Wakefield and took up land southwest of town. This he farmed until January, 1890, when he was called to take the management of the Co-operative Store in Wakefield, a … Read more

Biographical Sketch of James J. Tanyan

Tanyan, James J.; Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co.; born, Illinois, Nov. 14, 1874; educated in Chicago; married; has children; came to Cleveland ten years ago, as local mngr. for The Pittsburgh Plate Glass Co., manufacturers of plate window glass, mirrors, paints, varnishes and brushes; member Knights of Columbus, B. P. O. E., Athletic, Rotary, Advertising, Tippecanoe, Lumber and Manufacturers’ Clubs, and Chamber of Commerce.

Robert Emerson Todd of Chicago IL

Robert Emerson Todd8, (Asa E.7, Asa6, Titus5, Titus4, Benjamin3, Michael2, Christopher1) born July 22, 1871, married Sept. 1, 1903, Henrietta Ellen, daughter of Edward Collins and Mary Welles Stone, of Hartford, Conn., who was born Sept. 28, 1874. Mr. Todd received his education in Springfield, Mass., and has been engaged in civic and social work all his life. After about nine years of social settlement work at Chicago Commons, Chicago, he was with the New York Bureau of Municipal Research, three years. For the last ten years he has devoted himself as a trained specialist to the subject of housing. … Read more

Biography of Edward Staton Hymer M. D.

Edward Staton Hymer, M. D. A physician and surgeon of most thorough qualifications, whose work had brought a large practice and a rising reputation, Doctor Hymer had spent his professional career chiefly at Sedgwick. A resident of Kansas most of his life, Doctor Hymer was born at Albany, Missouri, November 6, 1883. His remote ancestors came from Germany. His father is E. R. Hymer, who was born in Illinois in 1852, grew up in that state, and at an early day came to Kansas and located at Centralia. After several years he removed to Missouri, but in 1884 was back … Read more

Biography of Joseph Cook Bunten, M. D.

Joseph Cook Bunten, M. D. Since 1915 the medical profession at Douglass had been capably represented by Doctor Bunten, a young physician and surgeon of thorough training and capabilities and already well established in practice. He is a native son of Kansas, and had shown those traits and talents which have been distinctive of the Scotch people and also the enterprise of the typical Kansan. Doctor Bunten was born at Scranton, Kansas, January 27, 1891. His grandfather, John Bunten, was born in Scotland at Irvine, April 7, 1830. He came to this country in May, 1885, locating at Scranton, Kansas, … Read more

Biography of Frank Decatur Tait

As treasurer of Tait Brothers, of Springfield, Massachusetts, one of the largest and best known milk businesses in the country, is a prominent citizen of a town where his family has long played an important part in economic development The American progenitor was George Tait, born in Paisley, Scotland, about 1795, who settled for a time in Montreal, where he pursued his trade of tailoring, then in Terrebonne County, Canada, where he farmed until his death in 1878. His son, James Tait, born in St. Sophia, Terrebonne County, Canada, in 1839, died in Chicopee, Massachusetts, January 22, 1880. He established … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Frederick L. Baker

Baker, Frederick L.; diet. agent Empire Line; born, Wooster, O., Aug. 5, 1876; public and high school education; married, Chicago, June 10, 1911, Irene Carr; one child; fifteen years with the Empire Line; being district agent for the past seven years; member Traffic and Country clubs; three years member of Troop A; Mason.

Biographical Sketch of Clark W. Sloan

Sloan, Clark W.; optometrist; born, Ironton, O., Oct. 18, 1875; son of Ezra C. and Mary C. Wood Sloan, D. D. S.; educated, Ironton Grammar and High School, Chicago Ophthalmic College, 1899, and post graduate courses; married, Ironton, 1893, Frances E. Donohoe; issue, one son, and three daughters; six years with the Bowler & Burdick Co.; one year with The Webb C. Ball Co.; established his own office in 1903; pres. Cleveland Optometrical Society, 1908-1910; vice pres. Ohio State Optical Ass’n, 1909; pres. Ohio State Optical Ass’n, 1910-1912; member Finance and Educational Committees, American Optical Ass’n, 1910-1911; active in promoting … Read more

Biography of Parker Farnsworth Morey

Parker Farnsworth Morey, without great wealth, is one of the most successful men of Portland. As an organizer and conductor of successful enterprises he has no superior in this busy city. A man of untiring energy he possesses the patience to attend to the smallest details provided success depends on them. He has the ability and the courage to make successful those undertakings which a timid, a less confident or a richer man might not dare attempt. He has a genius for inventing. As a manager of men he has few superiors. Mr. Morey comes of old New England stock. … Read more