Clay County MO

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 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 Frank J. Hauber

Frank J. Hauber. A business is only as strong as that of the character and the personal forces behind it. This had been demonstrated over and over again, and perhaps no one enterprise in Kansas is a more signal illustration of this truth than the great Hauber Cooperage Company of Kansas City, Kansas. The president of this company is Mr. Frank J. Hauber. It is a business which had endured all the arrows and slings of fortune, was twice destroyed by floods, and twice by fire, and Phoenix-like had arisen again and is now bigger and better than ever. The … Read more

Biography of William M. Fitch

William M. Fitch was born in the year 1870, near Plattsburg, Clinton county, Missouri. His father, John G. Fitch, was born near Dayton, Ohio, and his grandfather, Humphrey F. Fitch, was born in New York. His mother, Elizabeth M. Johnson. was born near Maysville, Kentucky, near the place where her father, Milton Johnson. was born. John G. Fitch and Elizabeth M. Johnson were married in Clinton county, Missouri, during the year 1869. William M. Fitch was the only child. He obtained his education in the country schools; in the high school of Stewartsville, and in Stewartsviile Academy. In 1889 he … Read more

Biography of William R. Murrow

William R. Murrow. Kansas, with splendid natural resources and true western energy and progressiveness, has afforded to her native sons the best of opportunities, and it is gratifying to note that the greater percentage of the younger generation representative of pioneer families has had the good judgment to pay unfaltering allegiance to the Sunflower commonwealth and to aid in the furtherance of the civic and material progress and prosperity of the state. In the thriving City of Independence, Montgomery County, such a native son is he whose name initiates this paragraph, and his prominence and influence in the business affairs … Read more

Biography of J. S. Summers, M.D.

Dr. J. S. Summers, specializing in the treatment of diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat at Jefferson City, his thorough preliminary study and his later postgraduate courses keeping him in close touch with professional thought, progress and scientific investigation and research, comes to this state from Indiana, his birth having occurred in the city of Wallace, June 27, 1870. His parents, A. J. and Annie (Cunningham) Summers, were also natives of Indiana, where the father followed the occupation of farming, and in addition to his care of the fields he took an active interest in public welfare, particularly … Read more

Biography of Owen M. Thomas

Owen M. Thomas. The Citizens State Bank of Bronson, of which Owen M. Thomas is vice president, is an institution which had grown rapidly and prospered since it was established less than ten years ago, and its success is largely due to the character of the men entrusted with its executive management. Mr. Thomas had been actively identified with banking for ten years, both in Oklahoma and in Kansas. Though a young man, his career had apparently been one of rapid accomplishment, and he had achieved as much in ten years as many men do in their entire active life. … 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 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 Joseph G. Waters, Capt.

Joseph G. Waters, soldier, publicist, author of note, public speaker, lawyer, of Topeka, is an individuality out of the ordinary. As a soldier, his services were a credit to his country, and himself, and his five wounds received in action are witnesses of his activity. As an author his published utterances have been rarely seen outside his own family circle owing to the retiemce and innate modesty of the writer, but throughout his writings, whether prose or poetry, forcefulness, pleasing diction and pathos of high order predominated. For three decades his services have been in demand as a public speaker … 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 William Leslie Porter

A public office is only an opportunity for rendering real service to the public. Whether that opportunity is utilized depends upon the man. Several years ago the people of Topeka elected William Leslie Porter commissioner of parks and public properties. When he entered office he was new to the duties, and he was practically without political experience. But he had exhibited other qualities far more important that political experience. He had a well defined ambition to do everything he could for the community welfare through the opportunity afforded by his office. Mr. Porter also had a reputation of having a … 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 William E. Schermerhorn

William E. Schermerhorn is a merchant at Wilson and for a man of thirty-five carrics some very heavy responsibilities. He is a native of Kansas and son of a pioneer whose career recalls some interesting events and developments in the far West. His father, E. D. Schermerhorn, is still living at Wilson, nearly seventy years of age. E. D. Schermerhorn was born near Troy, New York, in 1848. His ancestors were the Schermerhorn family of Holland established on Manhattan Island by three brothers in the time of Peter Stuyvesant. The name Schermerhorn is still found in local nomenclature in and … Read more

Biography of Harry Jiencke

For about a quarter of a century Harry Jiencke traveled about over the State of Kansas as a salesman, building up a large acquaintance and business relationship, but for the past twelve years had been prominently identified with the oil and gas and various other industrial affairs of Independence, where he is one of the well known citizens. Of an old German family of Mecklenburg, he came to America when only a youth. He was born May 27, 1858. His father, Joachim Jiencke, was born in Mecklenburg in 1806 and died there in 1869. He was a man of more … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Rufus E. Cable

Rufus E. Cable was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He came to Kansas City, Missouri, in 1856, and was employed as a clerk in the establishment of W. E. Proctor, who was the proprietor of a general store. The store of Mr. Proctor and all other business houses in Kansas City, Missouri, were at that time on the levee along the south bank of the Missouri River. The residences were scattered about on the hills back of the business houses. At that time M. J. Payne was mayor of Kansas City, Missouri. Mr. Cable in 1865 moved to Wyandotte, now Kansas … 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 William Schwartz

William Schwartz was one of the pioneers of Eastern Kansas. Many of his activities identified him with Miami County and the City of Paola, though in later years his interests were widely extended. Throughout his career the traits of industry and enterprise are strongly pronounced. He was born in Nassau, Germany, May 4, 1838, and there obtained his early education. He was one of a family of seven children, two sons and five daughters. When he was eighteen years of age, in 1856, William Schwartz set out for the land of promise, crossed the ocean and landed in Philadelphia. He … Read more

Biography of James C. Shimer

Thirty years or association with the coal and feed business at Topeka had established for James C. Shimer a reputation for ability, resource and unflagging industry. He is one of the captains of suscess who have piloted their own craft to harbor. In his numerous varieties of experience, he had gained the good will of his fellow men, had made a place for himself in the business world and had served his county faithfully and well in public office, and out of all his struggles had evolved the belief that hard work rarely injures any one and that straightforward dealing … Read more

Biography of Cyprian Tayrien

Fifty years or more have been added to the cycle of the centuries since Cyprian Tayrien took up his abode on the farm which is still his home and through all these years he has contributed to the agricultural development of the region, thus utilizing the natural resources of the state and adding to the general prosperity of the community, as well as to his individual fortunes. Mr. Tayrien is a native of Missouri. He was born in Clay County, in 1836, his parents being Enoch and Mary Louise (Borboney) Tayrien. The father was a French-Canadian, while the mother was … Read more