Independence Kansas

Biography of William Hasselmann

William Hasselmann is an expert florist. He learned the business in all its details and all its phases in Germany, and had had experience in some of the greatest flower growing centers in the world. Some years ago he located at Independence, Kansas, and is now proprietor of the leading greenhouses of that city and his business had grown so rapidly that it is constantly demanding more room and greater facillties for the better handling of a custom that now extends far beyond the borders of his home city. His full name is William Dietrich Hasselmann. He was born at … Read more

Biography of John Hunt

John Hunt is one of the oldest business men in point of continuous service at Grenola, Kansas. He established a lumber business there more than thirty-four years ago, and today he is the only merchant furnishing lumber and building supplies to the people of that community. He had had a long and active career, and aside from his material achievement he may take special pride in the fact that he had reared a large family of self-respecting, honest and worthy children. He represents old American stock. The Hunts came originally from Wales and were settlers in New Jersey in colonial … Read more

Biography of Walter L. McVey

Walter L. McVey is one of the able young members of the Independence bar, and had enjoyed extensive relations with the profession in Montgomery County for the past eight years. Though a native of Illinois, his life had been spent largely in this part of Southern Kansas. He was born at Marshall, Illinois, September 11, 1880. His father, William H. McVey, was born in the same state in 1833, and died in Independence, Kansas, in 1891. He was reared and married in Illinois and in 1883 moved to Montgomery County, Kansas. He devoted his life to the service of the … Read more

Biography of A. Frank Johnson

A. Frank Johnson. During his residence at Independence for thirty-five years A. Frank Johnson has made a most commendable and successful business record, and in many ways has found opportunity to serve the public welfare as a private citizen. For more than twenty years he has been in business as a stock buyer and meat dealer, and is also a bank director and the owner of considerable property. A Pennsylvanian, he belongs to the branch of the Johnson family which settled in Pennsylvania in colonial days. His grandfather, Roan Johnson, spent his life in that state as a farmer. A. … Read more

Biography of William A. Quigley

William A. Quigley. A varied and eventful career had been that of Mr. Quigley, the efficient and popular cashier of the Kansas National Gas Company in the offices of this corporation at Independence, Montgomery County. Mr. Quigley claims the old Hoosier State as the place of his nativity, was there reared and educated and it was given him to represent that commonwealth as one of the valiant soldiers of the Union during the major portion of the Civil war. His activities in the business world have been diversified and he had been a resident of Kansas for the past thirty … Read more

Biography of Christopher Columbus Michal

C. C. Michal, for the past fifteen years, had been one of the extensive contractors in Southern Kansas, though his work had been done in various parts of the state. His home and headquarters are at Independence, where he is recognized as one of the substantial citizens. Mr. Michal went to the border with the Kansas National Guards, Company K, Second Infantry, as a sergeant and served three months. His ancestors came originally from Ireland and were early settlers in the United States. They located very early in the nineteenth century in Western Indiana near Terre Hante, where Philip Michal, … Read more

Biography of Millard Fillmore Wood

Millard Fillmore Wood. A little more than forty years age Millard F. Wood came to Montgomery County, a young school teacher. While he taught school for a time, he also interested himself in improving a homestead claim, and afterwards advanced rapidly in business and also in politics. He is now secretary and treasurer of the Ideal Supply Company. An Illinois man by birth, he was born at Aviston, Clinton County, November 12, 1850. His grandfather, Wiley Wood, was born in Virginia in 1791, and was a farmer and one of the early circuit riders of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In … Read more

Biography of Andrew Benson

Andrew Benson has had a long and varied experience in the oil fields of both the East and West, and for a number of years had been established at Independence, from which city as headquarters he had operated extensively in the oil and gas districts of Southern Kansas and Oklahoma. Born March 5, 1864, in Warberg, Sweden, he was six years of age when his parents came to the United States in 1870 and settled in Jamestown, New York. He grew up there on a farm, received a fair amount of schooling, and in 1883, at the age of nineteen, … Read more

Biography of La Rue Royce

La Rue Royce, who recently began practice of his profession as a lawyer at Salina, represents one of the distinguished names of Kansas. He is a son of John Quincy Royce of Topeka, long prominent as a lawyer, editor and a dominating character in republican politics in this state. John Quiney Royce was born on a farm in Fayette County, Iowa, June 1, 1856, a son of David P. Royce, who was a native of New York State. When nine years of age John Quincy Royce was taken from the farm in his native Iowa county to Independence in that … Read more