Emporia Kansas

Biography of George A. Gemmell, Prof.

Prof. George A. Gemmell. It is doubtful if there is any other profession which demands so much judgment, tact, specialized knowledge, patient and natural executive ability as that of the educator, and the individual selecting it as his calling must be prepared to make many personal sacrifices, to endure many disappointments, to often spend himself for others without apparent gratitude in return, and to give the best years of his life without the material emoluments that equal effort would surely bring in any other profession. It is a profession for which there is no established table of weights and measures, … Read more

Biography of Calvin M. Hill

Calvin M. Hill. One of the long established business houses of Topeka, and one which has established itself firmly in the confidence of the public by reason of the honorable manner in which its affairs have been conducted, is the wholesale wall paper and retail paint business of Calvin M. Hill. Mr. Hill has been a resident of Kansas for thirty-four years, having come here with his parents in 1882, and, with the exception of four years has been identified with the painting and decorating business throughout his career. His present enterprise was started in a small way sixteen years … Read more

Biography of Hon. Arthur Thompson Crocker

Hon. Arthur Thompson Crocker, present state senator from Chase County, is a member of the firm Crocker Brothers, who as stockmen and farmers have developed some of the biggest interests in that line in the State of Kansas. The center of their operations is near Bazaar in Chase County. Senator Crocker is a native of Chase County and was born on his father’s cattle ranch here January 17, 1874. He is a son of Erastus Bryant and Annie Elizabeth (Grey) Crocker. Erastus B. Crocker, who was born in New York State in 1840, is a son of Alexander and Dorcas … Read more

Biography of James A. Walker

James A. Walker, a resident of Kansas for more than thirty years, had applied himself with credit to various lines of business and official activity, but is now most widely known as state deputy of the Modern Woodmen of America, with headquarters at Emporia, where he had had his home for the past six years. Born at Winterset, Iowa, February 12, 1866, he grew up on his father’s farm in Missouri, gained his early education in the public schools of that state, and early in 1884 at the age of eighteen arrived in Jefferson County, Kansas. Then followed two years … Read more

Biography of William M. Price, Hon.

Hon. William M. Price, a resident of Kansas for fifteen years, is a successful banker, being now president of the Lyon County State Bank at Emporia, but over the state at large is best known through his services as a member of the State Senate. Senator Price was elected to the Senate in 1912, his present term expiring January 1, 1917. He represents the senatorial district comprising Greenwood and Lyon counties. He had the distinction of having been the chief supporter of the measure now on the Kansas statute books providing pensions for mothers. The Mothers’ Pension Bill as he … Read more

Biography of Keenan Hurst

Keenan Hurst, a veteran of the Civil war, forty years a resident of Elk County, is one of the most widely known and esteemed men in this section of Kansas. He followed farming and stock raising several years, took an active part in politics, finally entered the legal profession, and had handled a general practice as an attorney at Howard. He is now serving as city attorney and deputy county attorney. Mr. Hurst was born in Warren County, Ohio, March 5, 1839. His Hurst ancestors came from England to Virginia in colonial days. His grandfather, George Hurst, was born in … Read more

Biography of Walter A. Jones

Walter A. Jones is judge of the Probate Court of Lyon County and represents one of the very first families in Lyon County and in that section of Kansas. Both he and other members of the family have accounted well for themselves in the business, farming, professional and civic life of the county. His father, Griffith P. Jones, formerly a merchant at Emporia, is one of the most extensive raisers and breeders of Hereford cattle in Lyon County. He was born in Carnarvonshire, Wales, in 1847, a son of John and Jeanette Jones. John Jones was born in Carnarvonshire, Wales, … 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 B. A. Welch

B. A. Welch, a native of Kansas, had been a prominent citizen of Kingman County for many years, is a former clerk of the District Court, was a farmer in early life, and for the past ten years had been active in the State Bank of Kingman, in which he is now cashier and active head. Mr. Welch was born at Valley Center, Kansas, September 8, 1876. He comes of a pioneer Pennsylvania family. His great-grandfather fought as a soldier in the Revolutionary war. His grandfather, Josiah Edward Welch, was a soldier in the War of 1812. He afterwards went … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Otis Patterson

OTIS PATTERSON. – Mr. Patterson, editor of the Heppner Gazette, at Heppner, Oregon, and one of the representative men of common sense and energy in the Inland Empire, was born at Danville, Indiana, September 4, 1858. He remained in that city until the age of eighteen, receiving a good common-school education. He also improved himself by a scientific course, graduating as B.S. from the Centeral Normal College of Danville. In 1876 he acted upon the advice of a celebrated father of his profession, and came to Emporia, Kansas, where he engaged in educational work. In 1882 he performed the rest … 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 Volney P. Mooney

Volney P. Mooney, now probate judge of Butler County, had resided in this section of Kansas more than forty-eight years and had been successively teacher, merchant, lawyer and public official. The people of Butler County know him and trust him as completely as any other citizen. His father, the late Rev. Isaac Mooney, was one of the notable men in this section of Kansas. He was the founder of a town and community, and throughout his life held that community up to his own high ideals. It is not easy to lose sight of the tremendous influence either for good … Read more

Biography of John Spencer Kenyon

John Spencer Kenyon is a member of the furniture firm of Hardcastle & Kenyon at Emporia. Established nearly thirty-five years ago, this is one of the oldest furniture houses in Kansas, and so far as known only one firm had been in business for a longer time and that is the Thompson Brothers at Topeka. Mr. Kenyon’s had been a most creditable business record. His name had been familiar to the people of Emporia and that section of Kansas for more than a generation, and always suggests the best qualities of commercial enterprise. His public spirit had also been a … Read more

Biography of Andrew Garfield Marple

Andrew Garfield Marple, a successful educator and school administrator, is now superintendent of the city schools of White Cloud, Kansas. He is a native of this state, was educated here, and most of his work in mature years had been secomplished within the borders of Kansas. He was born at Yates Center, Kansas, November 16, 1881. His ancestors were Englishmen who settled in Virginia more than a century ago. His grandfather, David Marple, was born in Virginia in 1812, grew up and married in that state Miss Sneff, and subsequently removed to Northern Illinois, where he became a merchant. By trade … Read more

Biography of Thomas Walter Butcher

Thomas Walter Butcher. Among Kansas men who have performed services of far reaching benefit to the state there is a distinctive place for Thomas Walter Butcher, now president of the Kansas State Normal School at Emporia. Mr. Butcher began his career as an educator in Kansas, and most of his work had been done within the state. He was born at Macomb, Illinois, July 3, 1867, a son of Boman Rilea Butcher and Adaline (Vail) Butcher. His father was a Union soldier during the Civil war. Mr. Butcher was reared in Illinois and Kansas and attended the public schools of … Read more

Biography of Clark Nicholas Starry, M. D.

Clark Nicholas Starry, M. D. Representing the first class ability and skill of his profession and enjoying a large general practice, Clark Starry has devoted all his active lifetime to medicine as a profession, and began his career with an excellent equipment, the test of real practice finding him well qualified for important service. For the past fifteen years he has practiced at Coffeyville. He represents a family that came originally from England and settled in Virginia during colonial days. Clark Nicholas Starry, M. D., was born in Marshfield, Indiana, February 28, 1871, and his parents soon afterward came to … Read more

Biography of Charles M. Hilleary

Charles M. Hilleary, who had identified himself since early youth with educational work and is now superintendent of the city schools of Humboldt, represents one of the early pioneer families of Bourbon County. He was born at the Village of Xenia in Bourbon County, Kansas, May 28, 1879. His people located in that section of southeastern Kansas prior to the Civil war. The Hillearys came originally from England and were colonial settlers in Virginia. Professor Hilleary’s grandfather Daniel Stump Hilleary was born in 1823. In early life he removed west, to Ohio, later into Illinois, and still later to Kansas. … Read more

Biography of Captain Nelson Green Gill

Captain Nelson Green Gill, Post-master of San Bernardino, came to California from Toulon, Illinois, in March 1849, with a team composed of four oxen and two cows. He came by way of St. Joseph, Fort Laramie, Fort Hall and Lassen’s cut-off, with a train composed of twenty-two wagons. They brought with them a ferryboat, which they used in crossing the North Platte and Green rivers, afterward selling it for $100. They arrived in Sacramento valley, September 26, 1849. Leaving his ox teams at Bidwell’s ranch, Captain Gill started for the mines on Feather River. After he had been in the … Read more

Biography of Edgar M. Forde

Edgar M. Forde is now grand recorder for Kansas of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, having succeeded his honored father in that office when the late Edgar M. Forde, Sr., died in August, 1912. The official headquarters of this great fraternal order in Kansas are at 417-419 Commercial Street in Emporia. In the year 1916 the Ancient Order of United Workmen had 40,000 members in Kansas, 400 lodges, and there are two lodges in Emporia, Lodge No. 2 and Lodge No. 184. Mr. Forde was born in Emporia September 4, 1885, a son of Edgar M. Forde, who was … Read more

Biography Of Mary Alice Murdock

Mary Alice Murdock probably deserves to rank first among Kansas women in the field of journalism. As editor and manager of the El Dorado Republican she is continuing a publication and an influence which were dignified and ennobled by her honored father, the late Thomas Benton Murdock. She was born at Emporia, Kansas, February 28, 1870, and four days after her birth her parents removed to El Dorado, where she grew up and was educated in the public schools. She worked nearly through the senior year in high school, and finished her education in Mount Washington Seminary at Baltimore, Maryland. … Read more