Clay County MO

Biography of Albert James Herrod

Albert James Herrod in 1916 was elected judge of the District Court of Wyandotte County for the short term of forty days in Division 3. He had the distinction of being the youngest judge in the state at the present time, and his attainments and ability give promise of a large career of usefulness for the future. Judge Herrod was born at Newark, England, April 14, 1885. He was the fourth in a family of five children, three boys and two girls, born to Walter and Catherine (Taylor) Herrod. His grandfather John Herrod was a successful English maltster and also … Read more

Biography of Charles F. Reed

Charles F. Reed, manager of the Ball Manufacturing Company’s branch house at Independence, is an alert young business man whose proved abilities and varied experience have well qualified him for some of the larger and more important responsibilities of commercial life. The family of which he is a member originated in Germany and was transplanted to Pennsylvania prior to the Revolutionary war. Mr. Reed himself was born at East Lynne, Cass County, Missouri, April 7, 1892. His father is W. B. Reed, now a resident of Kansas City, Kansas, and a merchant there. He was born in Pennsylvania in 1851 … Read more

Biography of Charles C. Finney M. D.

Charles C. Finney, M. D. A native of Atchison and a representative of a pioneer family in that city, Dr. Charles Finney had his introduction to the profession of medicine during an erperience of eight years while he was in the hospital department of the Missouri Pacific Railway under Dr. D. J. Holland. He realized the possibilities of a professional career, was encouraged by his friends to make use of his talents in that direction, and soon entered the Beaumont Medical College at St. Louis, Missouri, where he was gradusted M. D. on March 14, 1894. Since his graduation in … Read more

Biography of K. Ellis Sherrill M. D.

K. Ellis Sherrill, M. D. A physician and surgeon of finisbed ability and wide experience practicing at Formoso, Doctor Sherrill located in Kansas about two years age, having previously practiced in Missouri and Arkansas. He was licensed to practice by the Missouri State Board of Examiners in 1911, by that of the Arkansas Board in 1912, and by reciprecal privileges now had the right to practice in about forty states of the Union. Doctor Sherrill was born at Bismarck in St. Francois County, Missouri, April 7, 1873. His paternal ancestry is of English descent and was established in old Virginia … Read more

Biography of Andrew Calvin Sewell

Andrew Calvin Sewell, a younger brother of J. B. Sewell, was born in Overton County, Tennessee, May 30, 1856. He was fifteen when the family came across the country in a prairie schooner to Montgomery County, Kansas, and in the meantime had attended public schools in Tennessee. While living on the farm southwest of Independence he continued his education in the district schools and in the fall of 1876 became a teacher. Preparatory to beginning his work as a teacher he had attended a private school conducted by Professor Morrison of Radical City. In his home district, Harrisonville, he taught … Read more

Biography of John Conover, Col.

Of the individuals whose lives have influenced, developed, stabilised and broadened the civic and commercial resources of the State of Kansas, one of the most conspicuous was that of the late Col. John Conover. Coming to Kansas in 1857 and locating in Leavenworth, he was one of the pioneer merchants of that city. Going from Kansas at the outbreak of the war into the service of the Union army, he made a brilliant record as a soldier and officer, and that record is one of the many reasons why Kansas people should have a grateful memory of his life. Following … Read more

Biography of Gillis Q. Lake

Gillis Q. Lake has been in the drug business at Kansas City, Kansas, for the past eighteen years. Most of the people of that city know how he had built up the two finest drug stores in Kansas City, Kansas. The druggist is both a professional and business man, and Mr. Lake had apparently been equally strong in the professional and practical side of his business career. He was born at Wooster in Wayne County, Ohio, August 14, 1863. His parents were Constant and Ann (McDonald) Lake, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Charleston, South Carolina. … Read more

Biography of Frank Geoffroy

Frank Geoffroy, who is a successful commission and grain merchant at Abilene, is a native of Kansas, and he and his people have been identified with this state since early pioneer days. Kansas was a territory and was known throughout the country as”bleeding Kansas” when his father and grandparents came and located as pioneers in Franklin County in 1855. His father, Ernest Geoffroy, was born near Metz, France, September 7, 1841, and was brought to America in 1849. The grandparents lived on a farm in Iowa for a few years, but in 1855 came out to Kansas and began their … 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 Joseph Hancock

Joseph Hancock, a rancher near San Bernardino, was born near Cleveland, Ohio, in 1822, and is the son of Solomon and Alta (Adams) Hancock, natives of Massachusetts and Vermont respectively. His father was born in 1793, and his mother in 1795, and were of English descent. The great-grandfather of the subject of this sketch was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.  His paternal great-grandmother was the daughter of General Ward. Solomon Hancock was a frontiersman in the Buckeye State, a farmer, but in his early days spent much time in hunting deer and wild turkey, with which … Read more

Biography of August Bondi

August Bondi was a splendid figure in the annals of Kansas for fully half a century, and had been fitly described as soldier and patriot and one of the immortal followers of John Brown. From the city of culture and of old world civilization, Vienna, Austria, it is a far cry to the plains of Kansas where were performed those deeds which will ring down through history. August Bondi was born at Vienna July 21, 1833, a son of Hart Emanuel and Martha (Frankl) Bondi, who were also natives of Vienna. His father was a Jewish manufacturer of cotton goods. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. William R. Samuel

(See Downing) Minnie L., daughter of Clement and Rebecca Caroline (Bryan) Hayden, was born at Chouteau April 5, 1879. She was educated in Liberty, Mo. Married on April 21, 1901, William Ruben Samuel, born February 2, 1869 in Calloway County, Missouri. He graduated May 28, 1902, from Stephens College, Columbia, Missouri. They are the parents of Rebecca Ann Samuel, born Oct. 3, 1917. Mr. Samuel is Secretary of the State Bankers Association, and is a Mason and Odd Fellow. He was for four years State Insurance Commissioner. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel are members of the Methodist church, and residents of … Read more

Biography of John Levi Hunt, Hon.

Hon. John Levi Hunt. It may be said that Hon. John Levi Hunt, assistant attorney-general of Kansas, and member of the leading law firm of Wheeler, Switzer & Hunt, is one of the fortunate men of Topeka. He was fortunate in having a good parentage, a fair endowment of intellect and feeling, a liberal education, in attaching himself to one of the learned professions, and in casting in his lot with the people of Topeka when her enterprises were probably at their fullest tide of development, and under circumstances which enabled him to co-operate in her material growth. While he … 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

Biography of Francis Joseph Scherman

Francis Joseph Scherman. A leading representative of the agricultural interests of Shawnee County, Francis Joseph Scherman is also a member of the Kansas bar and had taken more than an ordinarily prominent part in public affairs. His present fine farm, where he is engaged in general and stock raising operations, is located not far from the City of Topeka, and Mr. Scherman had a number of business interests at the Kansas capital, where he is widely and favorably known. Mr. Scherman was born November 6, 1872, in Johnson County, Kansas, and is a son of Andrew Scherman, who was born … Read more

Biography of Alvis Clayton Zimmerman, M.D.

Alvis Clayton Zimmerman, M. D. Having survived all his contemporaries, Doctor Zimmerman may be justly called the pioneer physician and surgeon at Perry, where he established himself in practice twenty years ago and where his skill and ability have brought him a commendable place professionally and in the social and civic life of that community. Doctor Zimmerman was born in Jefferson County, Kansas, April 9, 1874, and represents a very early pioneer and territorial family in this section of Kansas. He is a son of the venerable Mathias Coffman Zimmerman, who is still living at Oskaloosa, Kansas, retired, past four … Read more

Biography of James Duval Holman

James Duval Holman was born in August 18, 1814, on his father’s farm in Woodford county, Kentucky. He was of the Holman family so well known in the Southern and Middle States. His mother was a Duval of Hugenot descent, a family of equal position with the Holmans in the south. Of Mr. Holman’s great-grand parents, three came from Virginia and one from North Carolina. His parents were John and Betsy L. Holman, who were married in October, 1810. In 1817 they moved to Tennessee, where they resided for nine years, when they moved to Clay county, Missouri. His mother … Read more

Biography of Fred Burris

Fred Burris of Wichita is county poor commissioner of Sedgwick County. He has been a resident of that city ten years, and previously had acquired an extensive acquaintance in Kansas as a traveling salesman. Something more than passing mention should be made of his administration as county poor commissioner. He has introduced new methods and system and has given distinction to his method of handling the routine cases which come under his jurisdiction. For many years he has taken a deep interest in charity work and in his trips to other cities and other states has observed how the problems … Read more

Biography of Raymond William Moore, M. D.

Raymond William Moore, M. D. Medicine embraces a vast field of knowledge and the successful physician must be a man of varied learning. Never at any time has the healing art demanded more in its practioners than at the present day and never has the profession given so fair an account of itself. Find the leading physician in a community and this acquaintance will indicate, with few exceptions, the man of most intellectual attainments, the keenest mind, the most progressive spirit. In this category stands Raymond William Moore, president of the Crawford County Medical Society, who since 1899 has been … 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