Mamie Tucker, born on March 8, 1868, in Johnson County, Kansas, married David B. Matney on May 1, 1887. They had two sons: Albert J., who passed away in 1915, and Lewis Franklin, born in 1889. Lewis married Bessie Roberts in 1919 and served in World War I. The Matney family lived in Vinita, Oklahoma, where David worked as a farmer. The couple’s lineage continued through their grandchildren, Albert Eugene and Geneva Matney.
Otis B. Gunn, born in Massachusetts on October 27, 1828, established a prominent career in railroad engineering after moving west. He worked on significant projects, including the Hoosac Tunnel Railroad and the Toledo, Wabash and Western, before settling in Wyandotte, Kansas, in 1857. Gunn served in the 1861 State Senate and as a major in the Fourth Kansas Infantry during the Civil War. Post-war, he contributed extensively to rail construction, notably building 600 miles of the Missouri, Kansas and Texas line. He passed away on February 18, 1901, in Kansas City.
Arthur W. Bronson, born in 1855 in Herkimer County, New York, has notably contributed to Kansas’ agricultural prosperity over the past seventeen years as a resident of Topeka. His role as resident agent for foreign capitalists enabled the distribution of over $25 million to local landowners and farmers, making him an authority on agricultural finance. Bronson’s diverse career spans merchandising and investment, and he is a prominent figure in the Topeka community, being a Mason and a member of the Presbyterian Church. He and his wife Ida have one son, Olcott.
A. P. Tone Wilson, Jr., born on June 26, 1875, in Nebraska, is a prominent lawyer in Topeka and owner of the X-Rays Printing Company. Following in his father’s footsteps—a seasoned attorney and Civil War veteran—Wilson graduated from Kansas City Law School in 1898. He began his practice in Colby, Kansas, before relocating to Topeka, where he also served as register of the U.S. Land Office. Wilson is married to Carletta E. Parker and is active in his community and various fraternal organizations.
Dr. Joseph P. Root, born on April 23, 1826, in Greenwich, Massachusetts, was a prominent early physician in Wyandotte, Kansas. A member of the Connecticut-Kansas Colony, he played a crucial role in the free-state movement, organizing forces and securing travel routes for immigrants. He served as the first lieutenant-governor of Kansas and as a surgeon during the Civil War. After a stint as minister to Chile, he returned to Wyandotte, where he remained until his death on July 20, 1885.
Judge Mark W. Delahay, a native of Maryland and a leading figure in Kansas’s early history, was a pioneering newspaper editor and Federal judge. After moving to Leavenworth in 1855, he founded the Leavenworth Register and supported the free-state movement. Delahay attended the Topeka convention and played a vital role in the establishment of the Republican Party in Kansas. Appointed as U.S. district judge by President Lincoln, he served until 1873. He passed away in Kansas City on May 8, 1879.
Clayton Holbert, an 86-year-old ex-slave born in Linn County, Tennessee, shares his experiences working on a large plantation during the Civil War. He recounts daily life, including home-spun clothing, communal butchering, and the close-knit community among enslaved families. Holbert details his family’s struggles post-emancipation, particularly his mother’s challenges after the war. He moved to Kansas in 1877, where he farmed successfully and engaged with the local community. Holbert’s narrative reflects on the resilience and adaptability of enslaved individuals and their families in a changing world.
Samuel D. Lecompte, born on December 13, 1814, in Dorchester County, Maryland, was the first chief justice of the Territory of Kansas, serving from 1854 to 1859. A graduate of Jefferson College, he practiced law in Maryland before relocating to Baltimore. His political career included a term in the Maryland Legislature. After the Civil War, he shifted from the Democratic to the Republican Party, served as probate judge in Leavenworth County, and represented the county in the State Legislature. Lecompte died in Kansas City on April 24, 1888.
Eugene F. Ware, born in Hartford, Connecticut, on May 29, 1841, was an influential figure in Iowa and Kansas as a soldier, lawyer, editor, and author. Educated in Burlington, Iowa, he served as a captain in the Fourth Iowa Cavalry during the Civil War. After moving to Kansas in 1867, he practiced law and held two terms in the Kansas Legislature. Ware was also a U.S. pension commissioner and active in various organizations. He authored several notable works and passed away on July 1, 1911, in Cascade, Colorado.
In September 1916, Peter W. Goebel was unanimously elected president of the American Bankers Association, recognizing his significant impact on the banking industry. He was the founding president of the Commercial National Bank of Kansas City, which began in 1897 and grew to have over $7 million in deposits by 1916. Goebel’s banking career started in 1877, after emigrating from Germany. He served in the State Legislature and was a prominent figure in Kansas banking and politics, representing both Democratic and independent values.
Lawrence Pembroke Browne, originally from Pennsylvania, established his career in Kansas City, Missouri, where he became a prominent businessman in general merchandise through his partnership with W. H. Chick. As the head of the Browne family business until his death in 1893, he significantly contributed to the Mexican trade and was influential in the expansion of commerce along the railroads. His son, Evan H. Browne, pursued a varied career in banking and manufacturing, demonstrating strong business acumen and community involvement, including founding the Mercantile Club.
Fred Robertson, born in Orange County, New York, became a prominent Kansas resident after his family moved there in 1885 for economic opportunities. Despite early hardships, including living in a sod house and drought-afflicted farming, Robertson pursued education and law, eventually gaining admission to the bar in 1897. He built a successful legal career, serving as Rawlins County attorney and Kansas state senator. Appointed as the United States district attorney for Kansas in 1913, he resides in Kansas City with his wife, Luella, and their daughter.
Charles H. Sessions, born on February 1, 1868, in Woodstock, Ohio, is best known in Kansas for his two terms as secretary of state and as private secretary to Governor Capper. However, his primary passion lies in journalism, which he pursued throughout his life, starting as a cub reporter for the Kansas City Times in 1888. A veteran of the Kansas City Journal, he served as both a special and Washington correspondent before resuming his newspaper career in 1908. He is also involved in various fraternal organizations and is a Scottish Rite Mason.
George W. Martin, born on June 30, 1841, in Blair County, Pennsylvania, was a prominent figure in Kansas’s history as a journalist, printer, and civic leader. He honed his printing skills before moving to Kansas in 1857, where he worked in various roles, including editor of the Junction City Union and postmaster. Martin also served as the state printer and held multiple government positions, culminating in his role as secretary of the State Historical Society until his death. His contributions reflect a deep commitment to public service and historical preservation.
Timothy D. Thacher, born October 31, 1831, in New York, emerged as a significant figure in the political landscape of Lawrence and Kansas City. A graduate of Union College, he launched the Lawrence Republican in 1857, a key free-state publication. Thacher participated in the Leavenworth constitutional convention and later purchased the Journal of Commerce in Kansas City. He returned to Lawrence to revive the Republican after it was destroyed in Quantrill’s raid, ultimately serving as state printer for three terms until his death in 1894.
Frederick Funston, born on November 9, 1865, in Ohio, was a prominent soldier from Kansas. After moving to Kansas at a young age, he pursued studies at the State University and worked as a newspaper reporter. His military career began in Cuba, where he served in the insurgent army. Rising through the ranks, he became a brigadier general during the Philippine-American War, known for capturing Emilio Aguinaldo. Funston later commanded several military departments before his sudden death in San Antonio, Texas, on February 19, 1917.
Martin S. Rochelle, born in Ohio on November 25, 1842, dedicated his life to service and community. A Civil War veteran, he fought with the Forty-sixth Ohio Volunteer Infantry and took part in Sherman’s march to the sea. After the war, he moved to Kansas, where he became a prominent businessman in Wichita, engaging in real estate and establishing a cancer sanitarium that gained a commendable reputation. Married to Margaret J. Hanson, he was a devoted community member until his death on February 25, 1908.
Dr. Charles R. Jennison, born in New York in 1834, was a significant figure during the Civil War as a brigadier general. His medical studies began at nineteen, leading to a medical practice in Wisconsin before he settled in Kansas in 1857. A staunch ally of John Brown, he commanded the Seventh Kansas Cavalry, known as Jennison’s Jayhawkers, focusing on clearing guerrillas from the border. Post-war, he served in local governance and the state legislature. Jennison passed away in Leavenworth in 1884.
Frederick E. Dillenbeck, M. D., born in 1867 in New York, has made significant contributions to medicine in El Dorado, Kansas, practicing for over twenty years as a surgeon and medical examiner for several railroads. A graduate of the University Medical College, he also gained expertise in electro-therapeutics and X-ray work. In addition to his medical career, he is involved in the oil industry as president of the El Dorado Oil and Gas Company. His family background includes a renowned horse-breeding father, Charles B. Dillenbeck.
James Willis Gleed, born on March 8, 1859, in Morrisville, Vermont, was a prominent attorney for the Southwestern Bell Telephone Company in St. Louis. Educated at the University of Kansas and Columbia University, he earned both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, as well as an LL.B. in 1884. Gleed practiced law in Topeka, Kansas, before moving to St. Louis in 1918. Active in education and politics, he served as regent of the University of Kansas and remains a distinguished figure in the legal community. He was married to Grace Greer, and they had three children.