Coffey County KS Genealogy – Access Genealogy

Biography of Thomas Arnold

Thomas Arnold. In recalling the Kansas of sixty years ago a natural interest is aroused concerning the brave and hardy pioneers of that time, for they blazed the way and lighted the fires for the stable civilization that now makes this noble state one of the grandest lying within the great central plain of the United States. One of the earliest to establish a permanent home in Coffey County was Thomas Arnold, and his primitive log cabin stood for many years on his Government land claim, six miles northwest of Burlington. Thomas Arnold was born in Kentucky April 26, 1816. … 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 Frank L. Abbey M. D.

Frank L. Abbey, M. D., long a resident of Newton and formerly a druggist but for twenty years a successful physician, had during the greater part of his professional career been identified with the Axtell Hospital as a member of its staff of physicians. Doctor Abbey was born at Kingsbury, Illinois, February 1, 1861. He is of English ancestry, his grandfather, Luke Abbey, having been born in Yorkshire, England, in 1787. When about twenty-four years of age he came to America with his second wife and two children, and settled first in New Jersey, then in Ohio and finally, as … Read more

Biography of Frank Fockele

Frank Fockele. For a great many years it had been a recognized proof of the town of Le Roy in Coffey County that in any general movement for the attainment of some worthy object in local public affairs the venerable editor, Frank Fockele, is found at the center or out in front leading the enterprise to success. Mr. Fockele had been in many ways identified with the welfare and upbuilding of this town and his career is a most noteworthy one. Mr. Fockele had lived in Kansas for more than forty-five years. He was born March 9, 1843, at Nieheim, … Read more

Biography of Glenn Swogger

Glenn Swogger is one of the younger men in the newspaper business in Kansas and began his career as an editor and publisher soon after leaving Kansas University. Mr. Swogger is editor and owner of The Waverly Gazette and The Harris Commercial. The Waverly Gazette is one of the older papers of Coffey County. It was established as the Gridley Gazette in 1887 by Ben Swearingen, was moved to Burlington in 1888 and in 1889 to Waverly, where it had been published continuously ever since. The Harris Commercial is one of the live weekly papers of Anderson County and was … Read more

Biography of Winfield S. Andrews

Winfield S. Andrews, a merchant and one of the most liberal and enterprising citizens of Neosho Rapids, represents a family name that had been identified with that interesting section of Kansas since territorial days. The Andrews family came from England to Pennsylvania in colonial times, and Mr. Andrews’ grandfather, Thomas Andrews, was born in Pennsylvania in 1780. From Pennsylvania he went to the western frontier, then in Ohio, and from there again became a pioneer in Wisconsin, and when a very old man in 1859 accompanied other members of the family to Kansas, and died at Neosho Rapids in 1860. … Read more

Biography of Austin Alexander Torrance

Austin Alexander Torrance. One of the newspapers of Coffey County, Kansas, that had a wide circulation and is deservedly well supported is the Lebo Star, published at Lebo, Kansas, by its founder and able editor, Austin Alexander Torrance. He is a newspaper man from the bottom up, that is he is a practical printer as well as a talented writer, a judicious exploiter of news and had a very clear and logical conception of what the public demands in its favorite journal. Mr. Torrance had been a resident of Kansas during the last thirty-three years and had had considerable newspaper … Read more

Biography of John Carey Fear, M. D.

John Carey Fear, M. D. Through the long period of forty years Doctor Fear had given his ability and service, only limited by his physical energies, to the people of Waverly and vicinity as a physician and surgeon. Without question he is the leading doctor of the county and his standing among his professional brethren and citizens in general is indicative of that leadership. Another distinction that he enjoys and which came unsought is his membership in the State Legislature in 1917. Doctor Fear was born at Duncansville, Ohio, November 9, 1855, a son of Dr. Francis and Mary Ellen … Read more

Biography of John William Wallace

John William Wallace is one of the able and progressive educators in Kansas, now superintendent of schools at Reading. He came to this city from Americus in the fall of 1716. He is a young Kansan by birth and tradition, and had brought to his work as an educator not only thorough training but also a loyal appreciation of this great state and her institutions. He is of Scotch stock, his great-grandfather having come from Scotland to Massachusetts about the time of the Revolutionary war. Later the family settled in Mohawk Valley of New York. Professor Wallace’s father is J. … Read more

Biography of Will R. Burge

Will R. Burge. Trained faculties and an enlightened understanding are necessary requisites of a newspaper man in these modern days. The responsibility resting upon the man in eharge of the policy and editorial branch of a newspaper is heavy and should not be lightly assumed. From the time of the discovery of the art of printing, the power of the Fourth Estate has been great, and fortunate indeed is the community whose newspapers are directed and controlled by men of real worth, integrity and knowledge. In Will R. Burge, the City of Cherryvale has a newspaper man of this enlightened … Read more

Biography of William C. Suttle

William C. Suttle. Under modern conditions the water works of any thriving and prosperous community is one of the most important branches of the civic service, and its management requires abilities far beyond the ordinary. Fredonia boasts of one of the best water systems in Southeastern Kansas, and much of the credit for the present excellent conditions existing in this enterprising city is due to the capable and experienced work of the superintendent of the water works, William C. Suttle, who had been connected with this department for about eleven years and had been in his present position since 1913. … Read more

Biography of John Child Maxson, M. D.

John Child Maxson, M. D. For over twenty-four years Doctor Maxson had practiced his profession in Kansas and is now located at Corning, where as a physician and surgeon of thorough attainments he had an extensive practice. His family were early settlers in Sonthern and Southeastern Kansas. Doctor Maxson is in the tenth generation from the immigrant of the family from England to the American colonies. The founder of the Maxson family in this country was Richard Maxson. Doctor Maxson’s grandfather, James Maxson, spent his life as a farmer in Alleghany County, New York. James S. Maxson, father of Doctor … Read more

Biography of Hon. James Ralph Anspaugh

Hon. James Ralph Anspaugh, as cashier of the Gridley State Bank, had been a factor in business affairs in that section of Kansas for a number of years. His recent capable service as a member of the State Senate from the Fifteenth Senatorial District had made his name known and appreciated over the state at large. The Fifteenth District which he represents comprises Coffey and Franklin counties. Senator Anspaugh is a native Kansan. He was born in a sod house that stood on his father’s claim in Russell County, Kansas, September 19, 1883. He is a son of John W. … Read more

Biography of Henry Seymour Sewell

Henry Seymour Sewell. For a man of forty years Henry S. Sewell has had more than an ordinary record of success in business affairs. He is one of the well known merchants of Independence, owns extensive properties in that city and in other sections of Southern Kansas, and all his prosperity is a result of continued concentrated effort through the years since he left home and started out to carve his own career. Born in Montgomery County, Kansas, October 4, 1876, Henry Scymour Sewell is a son of J. B. and Mary M. (James) Sewell, and a grandson of J. … Read more

Biography of Charlie H. Riker

Charlie H. Riker. At Gage’s Park, on West Sixth Street Road, near Topeks, is situated one of the most beautiful suburban homes of this locality, that belonging to Charlie H. Riker, who for many years had been engaged in agricultural pursuits in Kansas. Mr. Riker was reared a farmer and is the son of a pioneer of 1870, since which time with the exception of several years spent in Ohio, he had been engaged in operations in different parts of the Sunflower State, and in each locality in which operations have been centered, he had not only made a success … Read more

Biography of Leonard R. Manley

The value of a useful trade, of making one’s energy count toward one thing, of forging steadily ahead, regardless of obstaeles and discouragements, finds emphatic expression in the life of Leonard R. Manley, president and manager of the Topeka Pure Milk Company, the largest concern dealing exclusively in milk in the State of Kansas. When Mr. Manley first came to Topeka, it was in a humble capacity, but he was a thorough master of his trade, and possessed the ambition, energy and ability to better and elevate himself, so that he had shapod his abilities to his needs, had made … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Miohakl Joseph McManus, Rev.

Rev. Miohakl Joseph McManus is pastor of St. Michael Archangel’s Church at Wheaton. Father MeManus had lived in America ten years and most of his work as a priest had been done in Kansas. A record of good deeds and capable service preceded him to Wheaton, and in this parish his good work had continued and had brought him high favor both with his own parishioners and non-Catholic people. Father McManus was born in County Mayo, Ireland, May 4, 1881. As a boy he attended the national schools and obtained his classical education in Mount Melleray College, County Waterford, where … Read more

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

Biography of William Wallace Brown

William Wallace Brown, general attorney at Parsons for the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railway and a director in that railway company, is one of Kansas’ prominent lawyers with many well earned distinctions in the profession. The secret of his success has been hard work. He began practice only after a thorough preliminary training of self reliance and after getting his professional education through his own earnings and efforts. A native of Kansas, he represents a pioneer family. Mr. Brown was born in Coffey County July 29, 1868. He is of English ancestry. His grandfather Robert Brown was born in England, … Read more

Biography of Wilfred B. Gasche

Wilfred B. Gasche. One of the best known figures in fire insurance circles of Kansas, and, in fact, of the West, is Wilfred B. Gasche, president since 1900 of the Alliance Co-Operative Insurance Company of Kansas, president of the Kansas State Association of Mutual Insurance Companies for the same length of time, and president of the National Association for two terms. Mr. Gasche was one of the earliest promoters of mutual insurance in the Sunflower state, and had steadily advanced in this connection, until he is today a national figure in this line of indemnity against loss. He is a … Read more