Independence KS

Biography of George Mitchell

George Mitchell was born to Rev. John Mitchell and Catherine Teter, who emigrated from England to America in 1774. John Mitchell served in the Virginia militia during the Revolutionary War and was a prominent preacher in Virginia. George’s lineage includes significant figures such as Rev. Anthony Jacob Henkel, a founder of the Lutheran Church in America. George’s daughter, Mrs. Guernsey, contributed to her community through various educational and philanthropic efforts, while her husband became a successful banker in Kansas.

Biography of James Colyer Gordon

James Colyer Gordon, born October 31, 1874, in New Harmony, Indiana, significantly influenced Independence’s waterworks system alongside his father, Francis Marion Gordon, who served as its engineer for thirty years. Both played critical roles in modernizing the municipal water facility, which features state-of-the-art pumping engines and filtration systems. James began his engineering career with the city at nineteen and eventually became superintendent. He married Kate Jones in 1906 and fathered three children, while maintaining active community involvement through various civic organizations.