Clay County MO

Biography of Robert H. Ramsey

Robert H. Ramsey. During the past thirty-five years no name had been more closely identified with the ranching and stock raising interests of Butler County than that of Ramsey. Robert H. Ramsey is a son of A. C. Ramsey, who was the pioneer of the family in the cattle industry. Robert Ramsey himself had handled cattle and ranching as a conspicuous interest of his career, but is also identified with the business community of El Dorado. He was born in Bellefontaine, Ohio, November 18, 1881. Albert C. Ramsey, his father, was born in Coshocton County, Ohio, June 7, 1837, one … Read more

Biography of William Proebstel

WILLIAM PROEBSTEL. – In the word, pioneer, is wrapped more real substance and genuine meaning than perhaps in any other word of the English language. Its pronunciation brings vividly before us weary days of marching through the trackles wastes of western desert, enduring the pain of hunger, thirst and waning strength, although courage was never less to the pioneer and the buoyancy of hope never shone dimmer than when first its vision lured him to turn his face from civilization hired him to turn his face from civilization and begin the pilgrim journey toward the setting sun. What scenes of … Read more

Biography of Edgar Ernest Brooks, M. D.

Edgar Ernest Brooks, M. D.The town and community in which he had gained note as a successful physician and surgeon is also Dr. Brooks’ birthplace. He is one of the leading members of the medical fraternity of Cowley County and had now been in practice at Burden for nine years. Dr. Brooks was born in that community August 1, 1884. He was one of a family of eleven children. This branch of the Brooks family came to America from England and were pioneers in the province of Pennsylvania. Dr. Brooks’ grandfather, John Brooks, was born about 1806. He spent the … Read more

Biography of Max J. Kennedy

Max J. Kennedy. An enterprise which, founded in 1904, had grown to large and important proportions is that of the Kennedy Printing Company, of Fredonia. In an era of specialization, the proprietor of this business, Max J. Kennedy, had confined the activities of his establishment to the printing of matter for banking houses, a field in which he had not only had phenomenal success in the immediate locality in which his business is located, but in towns and cities far distant, one of the most important branches of his house being that which handles the mail orders. Mr. Kennedy is … Read more

Biography of Joseph Alfred Strowbridge

Strowbridge, Joseph Alfred, was born in Montour county, Pennsylvania, in 1835, the third child of Phillip Moss and Elizabeth K. (Smith) Strowbridge. His father was a farmer who soon after Joseph’s birth, moved with his family to Marion county, Ohio. Here the youth of our subject was passed. His educational advantages were mostly confined to the district school, but with the assistance of an aunt who resided with the family he made rapid and substantial progress in his studies. So well prepared was he that at the early age of fourteen years, he taught a school near his home, and … Read more

Biography of George W. B. Beverley, M. D.

George W. B. Beverley, M. D. A resident physician and surgeon at Alma since 1903, Doctor Beverley is an Englishman by birth and secured his early training and his professional qualifications in some of the best schools of that country. His birth occurred in the county or shire of Hereford, England, August 27, 1872. He was christened George William Bertram Beverley. His father, Addison Beverley, spent his life as an English farmer and stock man. He was born in Yorkshire in 1840 and died in Somersetshire in March, 1916. He became widely known as a breeder and raiser of the … Read more

Biography of James F. Rankin

James F. Rankin has proved his ability both in general business affairs and as a banker, and is the organizer and active official of the State Bank of Sidney. Mr. Rankin was born near Deland, Illinois, October 31, 1879, a son of Joseph H. and Emma (Brown) Rankin. His parents were natives of Ohio, and his father was for a number of years a general merchant at Deland, but about 1902 removed to Champaign County and located in the city of Champaign, where he is still living. James F. is the only surviving child, his younger brother, Willis D., having … Read more

Biography of Hon. T. C. Shaw

HON. T.C. SHAW. – This honored pioneer of 1844 was born in Clay County, Missouri, near Liberty, the county-seat, February 23, 1823. On his father’s side the stock was Scotch-Irish, and on his mother’s Welsh and English. His father, Captain William Shaw, was born in Eastern Tennessee, and belonged to a large family of that name who settled in Maryland at an early date, whence they removed into Tennessee, North Carolina and Missouri; and from the latter state the Oregon branch of the family came in the year 1844. His mother, whose maiden name was Sarah Gilliam, was the sister … Read more

Biography of David C. Stahlman

David C. Stahlman, M. D.The kind of energy, resource and large-mindedness required of the man who would succsed in any of the learned professions in these days of strennous effort seem to be an integral part of the equipment of Dr. David C. Stahlman, a medical and surgical practitioner, who with the exception of two years had been engaged in the practice of his honored calling at Potwin, Butler County, since 1900. The recipient of a patronage that is as remnnerative financially as it is satisfying intellectually, Doctor Stahlman is an enthusiastic and careful thinker, and notwithstanding his well known … Read more

Van Blokland, Icis L. – Obituary

Icis L. Van Blokland, 91, of Tigard and formerly of La Grande, died Tuesday, Dec 25, 1990, at St. Vincent Hospital in Portland. A private family interment service was held Friday at the Island City Cemetery. A memorial service will be held later. Mrs. Van Blokland was born Aug. 21, 1899, at Kansas City, Mo., to Haskell and Letitia (Halstead) Bryant. She moved to Island City in 1912 and married Ray Van Blokland on Oct. 14, 1924. He died in 1949. Following her husband’s death, she moved to La Grande where she lived until moving to Tigard in 1987. She … Read more

Biography of Walter J. Arnold

Walter J. Arnold. The county engineer of Shawnee County, Walter J. Arnold has led an active and diversified career, and although not yet forty-one years of age has crowded into his life more experiences than the ordinary man sees in an entire lifetime. From gold mining in Colorado to chasing the insurgents in the Philippines is a long call, but unlike many men whose activities have led them to out-of-the-way-places, Mr. Arnold has been constantly advancing, and each new experience, each new employment, has brought him a little bit further ahead toward the goal of success. In his present capacity, … Read more

Biography of George K. Reid

George K. Reid, who had been a resident of Kansas nearly thirty-five years, had built up and maintained what is unquestionably the largest business at Howard in abstracts, loans and insurance. When it is stated that Mr. Reid is the son of a minister, there is no need to explain that he was not reared in a home of luxury or wealth, and as a matter of fact from an early age he had been dependent upon his own resources and had made good. His Reid ancestors at one time lived in England, moved from there to Scotland, thence to … Read more

Biography of Earl M. Robinson

Earl M. Robinson is one of the younger business men of Emporia, and his name at once suggests in that section of Kansas the Robinson greenhouses, which have become noted for the perfection of their cut flowers. This is a business which he had built up to extensive proportions, and its product now supplies not only Emporia but a wide surrounding territory. He is an alert and enterprising factor in business circles. Descended from the family of Robinsons that were in Virginia during colonial days, Earl M. Robinson is himself a southerner by birth and was born at Huntsville, Madison … Read more

Biographical Sketch of S. L. Doty

S. L. Doty was born in Greene county, Tennessee, August 13, 1831. His parents, Jesse and Rebecca Doty, were both natives of Tennessee. Azre Doty, grand-father of S. L. Doty, was a soldier of the Revolutionary War, and was under General Marion, ” the Swamp Fox.” Our subject was educated in the common schools, and at the age of eighteen began to learn the cabinet-making trade, which he made his business until 1865, and since that time he has been farming. He came to Missouri in 1853 and settled in Liberty, Clay county, where he remained four years, then removed … Read more

Dwyer, Edward D. – Obituary

Halfway, Baker County, Oregon Edward D. Dwyer, 75, of Halfway, died Dec. 30, 2002, at his home. Mass of Christian Burial will be Monday, Jan. 6, at 11 a.m. at St. Therese Catholic Church in Halfway. The Rev. Robert C. Irwin of St. Francis de Sales Cathedral will officiate. Interment will follow at Pine Haven Cemetery. Military rites will be accorded by Halfway V.F.W. Post No. 7847. Mr. Dwyer was born April 8, 1927, in Kansas City, Mo, to Bert M. and Frances (Northington) Dwyer. He was raised in Kansas City and worked at various jobs until he entered the … Read more

Biography of James Duncan Millar Crockett

James Duncan Millar Crockett. Modern business and industry have developed specialists in various lines, and one of the professions that had arisen to meet the increasing demands of business efficiency is that of public accountancy. One of the best known public accountants of the State of Kansas is J. D. M. Crockett, who had done much to organize and extend the field of public accountancy in this state. He is a member of the firm Crockett, Couchman & Company, certified public accountants, now having offices in New York, St. Louis, Kansas City and Topeka. Mr. Crockett was born near the … Read more

Biography of William Frank Flack, M. D.

William Frank Flack, M. D. While the medical profession for centuries had enlisted some of the most profound minds of all times, modern discoveries and developments have opened up new fields for the brilliant physician and surgeon, and many of this profession have turned their attention to particular branches, specializing along certain lines. This development had been necessary, for the problems presented in the calling today are so serious and difficult of solution that the average physician had not the expert knowledge to handle all satisfactorily. For some years past William Frank Flack, the pioneer physician of Elk County, had … Read more

Biography of Arthur W. Evans, M. D.

Arthur W. Evans, M. D., is a native of the Sunflower State, a scion of a pioneer family of this commonwealth and has here achieved definite success in his profession, as one of the representative physicians and surgeons engaged in practice in the City of Independence. Dr. Arthur Whiting Evans was born at Lawrence, Kansas, on the 26th of October, 1870, and is a son of Arthur and Mary (Leishum) Evans, the former of whom was born in Lancastershire, England, in 1841, and the latter of whom was born in Wales, in the same year, she having been a young … Read more

Biography of William Groom

William Groom, of England, emigrated to America, and settled in Kentucky, where he married Sally Parker. They had Abraham, Isaac, Moses, Jacob, Aaron, Susan, Elizabeth, and Sally. All except Susan came to Missouri. Abraham and Isaac settled in Clay County. Jacob and Aaron settled in Montgomery County in 1810. Jacob was a ranger under Captain Callaway, and, in company with Jackey Stewart, was scouting in the woods the day Callaway was killed. A man named Dougherty was killed the same day, at Salt Peter Cave, not far from Groom’s farm. After they had killed him the Indians cut his body … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas S. Huffaker

Thomas S. Huffaker, a pioneer Indian missionary among the Shawnees, a founder of Council Grove and an old-time republican leader, was born in Clay County, Missouri, March 30, 1825, a son of Rev. George Huffaker, who had come from Kentucky five years before. In 1849 he came to Kansas in connection with the manual training school for the Shawnee Indians at the mission in what is now Jefferson County, The following year he went to Council Grove, where he took charge of the Indian mission school which had been established on the Kaw reservation there by the Methodist Episcopal Church … Read more