Kanopolis Kansas

Biography of Henry Van Deman Faris

Henry Van Deman Faris, born in 1838 in Delaware County, Ohio, is a prominent figure in Kansas’s pioneer history, being the oldest living pioneer west of Salina. He moved to Dickinson County, Kansas, in 1859, where he faced early struggles as a farmer. Later, he established a successful farming operation in Ellsworth County, eventually acquiring a 640-acre ranch. Faris has been an ardent supporter of the Republican Party and an active elder in the Presbyterian Church. He married Emma Pitezel in 1871 and resides in Kanopolis.

Biography of Walter M. Reitzel, M. D.

Walter M. Reitzel, M.D., born in 1878 in Waterville, Kansas, comes from a pioneer family of Marshall County. His father, J.H. Reitzel, a Union soldier, settled in Kansas after the Civil War. Dr. Reitzel graduated from Kansas City Medical College in 1900 and has specialized in eye, ear, nose, and throat medicine. He has practiced in various Kansas towns and has been in Kanopolis since 1910. A dedicated community member, he is involved in local organizations and has held leadership roles in the medical field and his church.