Ellsworth County KS

Biography of John O. Adams, Hon.

Hon. John O. Adams. Of the men who in recent years have come to the forefront in the business and official life of Ottawa County, few have accomplished such great and substantial results within so short a period of time as had John O. Adams. A resident of Delphos since 1901, this energetic and capable young man had worked his way to a substantial place in business circles, while in official affairs he had been equally energetic and successful, and in the spring of 1917 was elected mayor of the city. His record as a merchant and as a public … Read more

Biography of William H. Holt

William H. Holt came to Kansas a number of years ago as a railway employee, but soon took up banking and had had a wide experience in that field, partly in Kansas and partly in Northwestern Texas, and is now cashier of the Central National Bank of Ellsworth. This is one of the largest and most substantial banks in Southern Kansas. Mr. Holt was born at Grafton, West Virginia, August 2, 1879. His ancestors came originally out of England and were colonial settlers in Virginia. His father, James W. Holt, was born at Kingwood in Preston County, West Virginia, in … Read more

Biography of Maynard L. Meek

Maynard L. Meek is the present mayor of Ellsworth, Kansas. Local citizens take a great deal of pride in referring to the efficiency and accomplishments of his administration, and express a great deal of satisfaction that Mr. Meek had consented to serve four consecutive terms. Mr. Meek is first and last a thorough business man, and that accounts for his success in public life. Mayor Meek was born in Jones County, Iowa, September 8, 1869. He comes of an old American family, pioneers in Virginia and later in Ohio. His father, Eli C. Meek, was born in Meigs County, Ohio, … Read more

Biography of George F. Zerzan, M. D.

George F. Zerzan, M. D. With his home and practice at Holyrood since 1905, Doctor Zerzan is a man of conspicuous success not only in his profession but by the rapidity with which he had accumalated important business interests. Doctor Zerzan is not yet forty and it would seem that his substantial achiovements to date predieate a splendid success as the form of his life’s activities. Doctor Zerzan was born at Schuyler, Nebraska, August 23, 1878. He is of Bohemian parentage and ancestry. His grandfather, Joseph Zerzan, was born in Bohemia in 1818, served his time in the Bohemian army, … Read more

Biography of Nathaniel Harris

Nathaniel Harris, a veteran business man of Ellsworth now retired, had been identified with that city for over thirty years and among other honors that have come to him was a service in a recent session of the State Legislature. Mr. Harris is of an old American family, the Harrises having been pioneers in Tennessee and Illinois. His father, Benjamin Harris, was born in Tennessee in 1817, and in 1826 removed to Illinois, where he married and took up a career as a farmer and stockman. At the outbreak of the war with Mexico he went with an Illinois regiment … Read more

Biography of A. Sidney Chase

A. Sidney Chase. Quite recently, by his own choice, Mr. Chase terminated an official career which had been continuous for twenty-four years in the office of probate judge of Ellsworth County. It was a long and honorable service and when considered in connection with Judge Chase’s well known integrity of character and other successful aceomplishments it stands as a credit to the entire State of Kansas. To a large degree Judge Chase is the architect of his own destiny, but he had that inestimable advantage of good birth and the inheritance that comes from solid and substantial old American stock. … Read more

Biography of Bert L. Gardanier

Bert L. Gardanier is a well known Kansas banker, being vice president and now acting president of the Central National Bank of Ellsworth. This is one of the best managed banks in Kansas and had long occupied a position on the honor roll of Kansas national banks. It was established as the Farmers and Merchants Bank in 1884, first opening for business in a small room in Ellsworth November 3, 1884, with a capital stock of $7,000. The first depositor was D. A. Burns and the deposits at the close of the first day’s business were less than $1,000. At … Read more

Biography of Joseph F. Tobias

Joseph F. Tobias has for many years been closely identified with banking in Ellsworth County and is now cashier of the Wilson State Bank. The Wilson State Bank was established under a state charter in 1886 by B. S. and Myron P. Westfall. Its original capital stock was $35,000 and the first officers were: E. E. Parks, president; M. P. Westfall, vice president, and B. S. Westfall, cashier. Its record of thirty years had been a splendid one, reflecting good management and prosperity to its stockholders and patrons. Today the bank had a capital of $40,000, surplus and undivided profits … Read more

Biography of Harry A. Kunkle

Harry A. Kunkle. Kansas as one of the greatest agricultural sections of the world had bestowed its riches abundantly upon the disciples of farming, but it will be found an almost invariable rule that those who have benefited most from the prosperity of Kansas have relied upon those old virtues of industry and unceasing vigilance which have their rewards in other less favored communities. Hard work was no doubt the keynote in the success of the late Aaron Kunkle, who developed a splendid estate as a farmer in Kansas, and his only heir, Harry A. Kunkle, had not been bebind … Read more

Biography of John R. Tercy

John R. Tercy, present prohate judge of Ellsworth County, possesses in a distinguishing degree that fine balance of qualities and faculties which enables a probate judge to handle the many delicate problems of administration in a manner that means the approximation of justice to them all. Judge Tercy is not so much a lawyer as a man of affairs. He had had a long and active experience and for many years was a prominent minister of the Presbyterian Church both in Kansas and other weetern states. Judge Tercy was born at Indianapolis, Indiana, September 19, 1858, and is of English … Read more

Biography of George Alvin Wilson

George Alvin Wilson, present sheriff of Lincoln County, is one of the strong, fearless and independent men developed by life on the plains and in contact with the ranching business. Mr. Wilson had spent many years as a practical stockman and so far as his official duties permit he still gives active superintendence to his farm in Lincoln County. Mr. Wilson was born in this county March 10, 1877. His people were among the early settlers. A number of generations back the Wilsons claimed German ancestry, but the family was established in New York in colonial days and subsequently were … Read more

Biography of Charles W. Fielder

Charles W. Fielder, vice president of the Wilson State Bank, is a comparative newcomer in Kansas, but brought with him a large experience as a banker and business man from the northwestern states. Mr. Fielder was born at Sioux Falls, South Dakota, July 20, 1879. His father, Rev. William Fielder, was born at Hemil Hempstead, in the County of Herts, England, in 1853. He prepared for a career as a Methodist minister. He had come to America in 1868, living at first at Queenstown, Prince Edward Island, later in New Brunswick, and in 1877 was sent as a missionary of … Read more

Biography of Frank Hayden Martin, M. D.

Frank Hayden Martin, M. D. Now practicing medicine and surgery at Lorraine, Ellsworth County, Doctor Martin is widely known to the profession in Kansas, especially through his associations in earlier years with the staff of instruction of the Medical College at Topeka. Few physicians of the state have utilized to a greater degree abundant opportunities for advancement in the science of medicine and surgery. Doctor Martin is of old New England colonial stock. He was born at Gray in the State of Maine March 24, 1852. The Martins came out of England and settled in Massachusetts in colonial times. Doctor … Read more

Biography of Henry W. Weber

Henry W. Weber, cashier of the Farmers State Bank of Wilson, had worked and had lived in close touch with business and banking affairs since he was a young boy. Part of his early experience was as a farmer, and he is individually owner of a farm and had that invaluable asset of the country banker, a close knowledge and sympathy and understanding with farming interests and farmers. Mr. Weber was born near Dubuque in Russell County, Kansas, March 31, 1883. His father, Nicholas Weber, who still lives in that community, had long been a prominent man of affairs in … Read more

Biography of Gustav A. Nyquist

Gustav A. Nyquist, now county attorney of McPherson County, had won the honors of his profession in many hard fought legal combats since he was admitted to practice ten years ago, and is one of the ablest and most influential citizens in this section of the state. Mr. Nyquist is a native Kansan. His early life was one of comparative lack of opportunity and struggle against adverse circumstances. He fought the good fight and had gained such a position as men of honorable ambition most desire. His birth occurred in a dugout on a claim in Ellsworth County, Kansas, September … Read more

Biography of Alfred O’Donnell, M. D.

Alfred O’Donnell, M. D. The name of O’Donnell had been associated for many years in Ellsworth County with the profession of medicine. Dr. Alfred O’Donnell began practice at Ellsworth about ten years ago as successor to an older brother, and his worth had brought him a fair degree of fame and some of the best honors and achievements of the successful physician and surgeon. Doctor O’Donnell had lived most of his life in Kansas but was born in County Clare, Ireland, June 6, 1876. His father, John O’Donnell, was born in the same county of Ireland in 1837, grew up … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Samuel E. Bartlett

Samuel E. Bartlett, lawyer, of Ellsworth, Kansas, was born on a farm near Wellington in Sumner County, Kansas, January 18, 1882, a son of Samuel Coan Bartlett and Mary Catherine (Wheeler) Bartlett. He is a graduate of the Sumner County High School in 1901, and a graduate of the University of Kansas in 1905, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts and in 1908 with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. Mr. Bartlett was admitted to the bar in 1908 and began the practice of law at Ellsworth. He was appointed city attorney of Ellsworth in 1909, which position he … Read more

Hollinger, J. A. – Obituary

North Powder, Union County, Oregon J. A. Hollinger of North Powder, passed this life at St. Elizabeth hospital in Baker, Thursday, May 1. Deceased was 62 years of age and had been a resident of this vicinity for the past twelve years. The immediate surviving relatives are the widow and eight children, Mrs. Eva Lockwood of Florence, Oregon, Mrs. Elvina Pearson, Mrs. Violet Dougherty, Misses Nina, Iva and Josephine, Edgar in France, and Alfred Hollinger all of North Powder, and a mother and six brothers and two sisters of Kansas. Mr. Hollinger was born February 7, 1857, at Stone Tavern, … Read more

Biography of Winslow Cipra

Winslow Cipra, editor and proprietor of the Lincoln Sentinel and present postmaster of that city, had spent nearly all his life in Kansas, and had had a varied career of usefuluess as a teacher, business man and in journalism and public affairs. Mr. Cipra represents that sterling stock of Bohemian people who have accomplished so much for the cause of agriculture and development in Kansas. He was born at Teskov, Bohemia, December 8, 1873. His father, Frank Cipra, was born in Zbirov, Bohemia, in October, 1839, grew up and married at Teakov, and followed farming according to the intensive methods … Read more

Biography of Albert Hutchison

ALBERT HUTCHISON. In the person of the subject of this sketch we have a living exemplification of the principles of success as wrought out by genuine industry and worth, having come to this county with but little of this world’s goods. Mr. Hutchison has here taken hold with his hands and his wise manipulation of resources that came before him, has placed him among the leading property owners of the county and his energy and enterprise, together with stanch integrity, have won for him the esteem and encomiums of his fellows, while the substantial proofs of the labor and care … Read more