Harvey County KS

Biography of Roy G. Williams

Roy G. Williams, editor and proprietor of the Burrton Graphic, is one of the younger newspaper men of Kansas, but since entering that field had proved a master of the difficult art of conducting a country journal with usefulness and influence and with a fair share of profit on the credit side of the business ledger. The Burrton Graphic is a continuation of the old Burrton Monitor, which was founded in 1881 by George Vandeveer and published by the Burrton Publishing Company. This was later succeeded by the Burrton Graphic, with M. L. Sherpy editor. In 1904 the Kansas Grit … Read more

Biography of Charles Clifford Mack

Charles Clifford Mack, who so capably represented Harvey County in the State Legislature during the session of 1917, is a prominent business man of Newton, proprietor of the Mack Mortgage and Loan Company of that city. Mr. Mack is a comparatively young man, not yet forty years of age, and his record is especially interesting because of the success he had made from nothing except the sources and talents contained in his own energetic nature. Mr. Mack was born July 5, 1878, and his birth-place was the backwoods community of Southern Indiana, at the Town of Rising Sun. His father, … Read more

Biography of Edward Staton Hymer M. D.

Edward Staton Hymer, M. D. A physician and surgeon of most thorough qualifications, whose work had brought a large practice and a rising reputation, Doctor Hymer had spent his professional career chiefly at Sedgwick. A resident of Kansas most of his life, Doctor Hymer was born at Albany, Missouri, November 6, 1883. His remote ancestors came from Germany. His father is E. R. Hymer, who was born in Illinois in 1852, grew up in that state, and at an early day came to Kansas and located at Centralia. After several years he removed to Missouri, but in 1884 was back … Read more

Biography of Edward C. Willis

Edward C. Willis, superintendent of the State Orphans Home at Atchison, is a graduate of Dartmouth College and came to kansas nearly forty years ago with the equipment and training of a oultured New Englander. His work in this state had been largely of an educational nature, and he had taught, had been superintendent of schools, and was finally appointed to his present post at Atchison, where he had served with the exception of two years since 1907. Nearly all of Mr. Willis’ ancestors were colonial families of New England. The Willis family came originally from the northern part of … Read more

Biography of Harry W. Hart

Harry W. Hart, former county attorney of Harvey County, had enjoyed a steadily increasing practice and prestige as a lawyer at Newton since his admission to the bar. Mr. Hart was born on a farm in Highland Township of Harvey County October 27, 1885. His grandfather, Henry Hart, was born in Germany in 1824. After his marriage he came to America, settling at Cincinnati, Ohio, where he practiced his profession as a veterinary surgeon. He died at Dayton, Ohio, in 1897. At the outbreak of the war of the rebellion in 1861 he enlisted with the Fourth Ohio Cavalry and … Read more

Biography of Rev. John Walter Kliewer

Rev. John Walter Kliewer, president of Bethel College at Newton, one of the well ordered institutions at Kansas, referred to on other pages, grew up in one of the pioneer settlements of the Mennonite Church people in Western Kansas, and had spent his active career in the ministry of his church and as an educator. Rev. Mr. Kliewer is a native of Russian Poland, born near Berdichieff June 8, 1869. His ancestry is partly German. His grandfather, Peter Kliewer, was born in Danzig, Germany, and moved into the vicinity of Berdichieff in Russian Poland, where he followed farming and where … Read more

Biography of Albert L. Egy

Albert L. Egy. A retired cattleman and a bank director at Newton, A. L. Egy had had many interests to identify him with Harvey County, in which part of Kansas he had spent all the years of his life since early boyhood. Albert Lorenzo Egy was born at Wenona, Illinois, September 9, 1863. Going back several generations to his great-grandfather, the family came from Germany. His father, the late Solomon Egy, was a prominent pioneer of Harvey County. Born in Washington County, Pennsylvania, December 31, 1827, he grew up in that rugged and historic section of the Keystone State, afterwards … Read more

Biography of David Bernhard Buhler, M. D.

David Bernhard Buhler, M. D. The work of Doctor Buhler as a physician and surgeon had been done in the county and locality where he was born and reared, Reno County, and the people living in and around the village of Pretty Prairie have for many years appreciated his abilities and excellent services. Doctor Buhler was born at Buhler, in Reno County, April 12, 1879. He represents a pioneer family of Mennonites who settled there in early days, and the village of Buhler was named in honor of his older brother, one of its most enterprising citizens. His father, Bernhard … Read more

Biography of Ason Gittings Richardson

Ason Gittings Richardson. A Kansas pioneer whose name and services were especially identified with Harvey County, Ason Gittings Richardson was one of the strong and noble men of his time. He belonged to the old abolition class of the North, was a man of resolute character and would follow his convictions even in the face of extreme personal danger. He came to Kansas in 1870 and settled in Harvey County, when that district of Kansas was practically unsettled. His home was in Richland Township. The first religious services held in the county, conducted by Rev. Mr. Roberts, were at his … Read more

Biography of Henry B. Lautz

Henry B. Lautz has hardly attained that period in life when he might be described as a middle aged man. Nevertheless he is a veteran in railroad circles, and beginning as a boy of fourteen in the capacity of messenger he had been steadily with the Santa Fe Railway Company, enjoying successive promotions based on merit and efficiency until he is now superintendent of the Middle Division of the Santa Fe lines at Newton. Mr. Lautz was born in Pekin, Illinois, August 2, 1876. His grandfather, Wendell Lautz, was born in Germany in 1801 and became a German machinist. Coming … Read more

Biography of William Frederick Rapp

William Frederick Rapp, who came to Harvey County nearly forty years ago, had been a pioneer in many things, was one of the first merchants at Hesston, and had been identified with the growth and development of that town from the time it started. Among other interests Mr. Rapp is now president of the Hesston State Bank. Mr. Rapp was a practical farmer when he came to Kansas, and had acquired his early experience in one of the richest and most fertile farming sections of Illinois. He was born in Lee County, Illinois, May 17, 1852. His grandfather, Frederick William … Read more

Fellers, Kathryn P. Cummings – Obituary

Kathryn P. Fellers, 80, 1857 Eighth Ave. N., died Monday, March 23, 1998 at Tompkins Memorial Health Center. Services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Tompsie K. Smith officiating. Burial will be in North Lawn Cemetery. Visitation is after 4 p.m. today at Bruce’s Funeral Home with an Eastern Star service at 7 p.m. Survivors include sons Phillip L. and Stephan C., both of Fort Dodge; daughter Connie S. Schnurr, Fort Dodge; 13 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren; and brothers Robert Cummings, Glide, Ore., Dean Cummings, Madera, Calif., and Dale Cummings, Spirit Lake. … Read more

Biography of George P. Nieman

George P. Neiman. A career of singular interest and one that had been characterized by marked achievement is that of George P. Neiman, executive head of the Bank of Whitewater, an extensive farmer and stockman, and a citizen who had contributed in many ways to the growth of Butler County, and particularly to the thriving community of Whitewater, which he promoted and which is situated upon a portion of his original homestead, on which he filed in 1869. Mr. Neiman is a native of Pennsylvania, born at New Berlin, Union County, January 24, 1842, and a son of Isaac and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J. T. Shive

J. T. Shive, another son of John W. Shive, was born on his father’s farm in Harvey County December 12, 1875, was educated partly in the rural schools there and attended the State Normal School at Emporia. At the age of nineteen he began teaching in Neosho County, followed that work two years, then for nine years was connected with the Burrton State Bank, beginning as bookkeeper and promoted to assistant cashier and cashier. In April, 1908, he became cashier of the Galesburg State Bank, but on July 1, 1917, returned to the Burrton State Bank as cashier. He is … Read more

Biography of Zolo A. Emerson

Zolo A. Emerson. Through the business ability and courtesy of its owner the general merchandise store of Zolo A. Emerson in a comparatively short time has become an important source of supply to the people of Auburn and the surrounding vicinity. In addition to rendering this service to his fellow citizens, Mr. Emerson has a further claim to their esteem in the manner in which he is discharging the duties [p.1749] of postmaster, which office he has efficiently filled since his appointment in 1908. Mr. Emerson is a native of Holmes County, Ohio, born at Millersburg, September 24, 1873, one … Read more

Biography of David Franklin Shirk

David Franklin Shirk, a prominent Kansas educator and a worker in behalf of child welfare, had been a resident of this state thirty years. Born at Shannon, Carroll County, Illinois, July 10, 1859, he was reared and educated in his native state, and as a young man began teaching school in Illinois. In 1886 he came to Abilene, Dickinson County, Kansas, and followed educational work in this state actively for twenty-four years. In 1906 Mr. Shirk was graduated from Friends University at Wichita. Much distinction attaches to his work as a school man. He assisted in organizing the first county … Read more

Biography of H. B. Rodecker

H. B. Rodecker, an enterprising and successful druggist of Ramona, was born near Eureka, Illinois, on the 22d of August, 1874, and was taken by his parents, William B. and Leona (Hellen) Rodecker, to Newton, Harvey county, Kansas, in 1880. The mother is a niece of the late Cecil Rhodes, multi-millionaire and statesman of South Africa. The father was a tinner by trade and followed that pursuit until 1889, when the family removed to Oklahoma City and he entered the employ of W. J. Pettie, a hardware merchant, conducting a business that has since been developed into a large wholesale … Read more

Biography of Bernhard Warkentin

Bernhard Warkentin was born June 18, 1847, in the Village of Altonan, situate in Southern Russia, just north of the Crimea. His parents belonged to the Mennonites–followers of Menno Simon, a sect originating in Holland, migrating to Prussia, thence to Russia in 1783 when the Turkish government ceded to Russia the Crimea and Empress Catherine h of Russia induced them to colonize her new possession by offering them allotments of land, religious freedom and immunity from military service for 100 years. His father, Bernhard Warkentin, Sr., was born in Southern Russia in 1816. His mother–nee Tiesen–was born the same year … Read more

Biography of Col. Perry M. Hoisington

Col. Perry M. Hoisington, of Newton, is one of the big men of Kansas today. For over a quarter of a century he had been closely identified with the state military organization, at first with the old Kansas Militia and now with the Kansas National Guard. At the head of his fine regiment, the Second, he gave some good service on the Texas border in 1916 and is now ready for the call to duty in France. His business career had been equally successful and progressive. Colonel Hoisington is president of the First National Bank of Newton and had been … Read more

Biography of Charles A. Smith

Charles A. Smith, of Halstead, is a Kansan of long and varied experience, and his people were pioneers here. Mr. Smith is now one of the active heads of a large produce business at Halstead. He is of Scotch-Irish ancestry, and his people were early day Quakers in North Carolina, their hatred of slavery causing them to migrate to the North. Mr. Smith was born in Randolph County, Indiana, October 13, 1867. His father, John W. Smith, was born in North Carolina July 30, 1836, and in 1846, when he was ten years of age, his parents moved to Randolph … Read more