Kansas City Missouri

Biography of Ernst Fredrick Pihlblad, D. D., Rev.

Rev. Ernst Fredrick Pihlblad, D. D., president of Bethany College, is an educator of long and successful experience and had been connected with Bethany College more than twenty years. He was born at Kansas City, Missouri, March 18, 1873, a son of John and Louise (Nord) Pihlblad. Both parents were born in Sweden. His father came to America in 1869. He followed merchandising all his active career, and lived at Kansas City, Missouri, and at Lindsborg and Marquette, Kansas. His death occurred March 14, 1889. In 1872 he married Miss Nord, and they were the parents of two sons. The … Read more

Biography of Clyde Magill, Dr.

One of the younger members of the medical profession in Sedgwick County, Dr. Clyde Magill had found his work at Clearwater, not far from his birthplace, and in the past four years had enjoyed a rapidly accumulating practice and is accounted one of the ablest doctors in that vicinity. He was born on a farm twelve miles east of Wichita December 6, 1887. His father, Silas Magill, is an old settler of Sedgwick County, having come to Kansas from Illinois, in 1871, and taking up a homestead in Sedgwick County. In the years that followed he proved one of the … Read more

Biography of Charles Sumner Newlon, M.D.

Dr. Charles Sumner Newlon, who for the past fifteen years has engaged in the practice of medicine and surgery in Kansas City, Missouri, and who for many years prior to this period was a physician and surgeon of the state of Kansas, was born at Newton’s Grove, Cass county, Iowa, in 1858, a son of Dr. William Smithson and Maria (Wimp) Newlon. The ancestral line is traced back to his great-grandfather, John Newlon. The grandfather, Hiram Newlon, was born in Virginia and was a cousin of Dolly Madison, wife of the fourth president of the United States and also a … Read more

Biography of William M. Fitch

William M. Fitch was born in the year 1870, near Plattsburg, Clinton county, Missouri. His father, John G. Fitch, was born near Dayton, Ohio, and his grandfather, Humphrey F. Fitch, was born in New York. His mother, Elizabeth M. Johnson. was born near Maysville, Kentucky, near the place where her father, Milton Johnson. was born. John G. Fitch and Elizabeth M. Johnson were married in Clinton county, Missouri, during the year 1869. William M. Fitch was the only child. He obtained his education in the country schools; in the high school of Stewartsville, and in Stewartsviile Academy. In 1889 he … Read more

Biography of Benjamin Franklin Strong, M. D.

Benjamin Franklin Strong, M. D. Now engaged in practice as a physician and surgeon at Chautauqua, Doctor Strong had a wide acquaintance in the two states of Kansas and Missouri, had practiced medicine in both states and had also a successful business record to his credit prior to his entrance into the medical profession. He was born in Sabula, Iowa, June 4, 1861. He represents an old American family. His first American ancestor was Elder John Strong, who was the founder of Northampton, Massachusetts. The Strong family originated in Scotland but this branch of it came from England. Many generations … Read more

Biography of Edward J. Curtin

Edward J. Curtin, who in the practice of law has gained wide recognition of his ability to present with clearness and force any cause which engages his attention and his powers, was born in Jackson county, Missouri, August 9, 1875. He is one of a family of eight children, all of whom are yet living and of whom he is the fourth in order of birth. His parents are Cornelius and Elizabeth (McKenna) Curtin, both of whom are natives of Ireland. The father came to the United States in his boyhood days, first settling in New York and afterward removing … Read more

Biography of Francis Joseph Scherman

Francis Joseph Scherman. A leading representative of the agricultural interests of Shawnee County, Francis Joseph Scherman is also a member of the Kansas bar and had taken more than an ordinarily prominent part in public affairs. His present fine farm, where he is engaged in general and stock raising operations, is located not far from the City of Topeka, and Mr. Scherman had a number of business interests at the Kansas capital, where he is widely and favorably known. Mr. Scherman was born November 6, 1872, in Johnson County, Kansas, and is a son of Andrew Scherman, who was born … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Rufus E. Cable

Rufus E. Cable was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He came to Kansas City, Missouri, in 1856, and was employed as a clerk in the establishment of W. E. Proctor, who was the proprietor of a general store. The store of Mr. Proctor and all other business houses in Kansas City, Missouri, were at that time on the levee along the south bank of the Missouri River. The residences were scattered about on the hills back of the business houses. At that time M. J. Payne was mayor of Kansas City, Missouri. Mr. Cable in 1865 moved to Wyandotte, now Kansas … Read more

Lee, Burnham ‘Bernie’ D. – Obituary

Bernie Lee, 52 years old, brother of Oscar Lee, pioneer city developer, died Monday [September 12, 1932] in Kansas City after an illness of 11 months. Services will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at Hahn’s Funeral Home, with burial in Fairlawn Cemetery [Kingfisher Co., OK]. Survivors are his wife [Julia], a sister, Mrs. A. E. Bracken [Nellie] of Kingfisher, and three brothers, Oscar, Harley, and Harker of Kansas City. With his twin brother, Harker, Bernie Lee once was prominent in University of Oklahoma athletics. He was an Oklahoma City resident for 20 years before moving to Kansas City eight years ago. … Read more

Biography of Oscar Eugene Learnard, Col.

Col. Oscar Eugene Learnard was born in Fairfax, Vermont, November 14, 1832, the son of Stephen Tracy Learnard, and he died in Lawrence, Kansas, November 5, 1911. He grew to manhood in his native state, attended the common schools and Bakersfield Academy, taught school, and attended Norwich, Vermont, University. He did not finish his course at the University but that institution afterward conferred a Master’s degree upon him. Ill health compelled him to give up his studies, and he went to Tennessee, where he was for a time collector for a commercial house. After regaining his health he returned to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George Washington Schaffer

The subject of this sketch, George Washington Schaffer, was born in St. Louis, Missouri, July 4, 1847. His parents removed, during his boyhood, to Galesburg, Illinois, where they resided several years. Returning to St. Louis, Mr. Schaffer engaged in the butcher business, and continued there until the fall of 1868. His next field of operation was Kansas City, where he followed his trade for some time. From Kansas City he went to St. Joseph, where he remained until 1874, and then returned to St. Louis. He lived in St. Louis one year, during which time he had a rib broken while … Read more

Biography of Horace G. Lyons

Horace G. Lyons. One of the most interesting personalities surviving the pioneer decade of Kansas is Horace G. Lyons, who for four years had had his home in the Highland Park suburb of Topeka. Mr. Lyons is now eighty-four years of age. His had been not only a long but a broad outlook upon life. The experiences, the adventures, the hardships and the constructive enterprise of the early settlers were all his. The fruits of his life have been more than the material. Many persons who are not acquainted with his personal history know the depths of his philosophic thought … Read more

Siegmund, Thomas – Obituary

Thomas Siegmund died at General Hospital in Kansas City, MO on July 27, 1907 of pneumonia. He was a widow at his death. He was born in Ohio. He was 83 years old. He is buried in Maple Hill Cemetery in Kansas City, MO. [Thomas was married to Rachel Snider in 1853, Sarah Allison in 1867, and Mary Wolfe in 1871.] Contributed by: Shelli Steedman

Biography of John F. Richards

John F. Richards, born October 23, 1834, in Bath County, Virginia, the founder of the wholesale hardware house Richards & Conover Hardware Company of Kansas City, Missouri, and now residing at 200 Forty-fourth Street in that city, is not only one of the merchants who have risen to prominence in this section of the Middle West, but had a career connected by many experiences and activities with the Territory and State of Kansas. His parents were Walter and Nancy (Mayse) Richards, both natives of Virginia. Their old farm, Cloverdale, was situated on one of the stage lines which then crossed … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Miohakl Joseph McManus, Rev.

Rev. Miohakl Joseph McManus is pastor of St. Michael Archangel’s Church at Wheaton. Father MeManus had lived in America ten years and most of his work as a priest had been done in Kansas. A record of good deeds and capable service preceded him to Wheaton, and in this parish his good work had continued and had brought him high favor both with his own parishioners and non-Catholic people. Father McManus was born in County Mayo, Ireland, May 4, 1881. As a boy he attended the national schools and obtained his classical education in Mount Melleray College, County Waterford, where … Read more

Biography of Clarence Graves

Since 1914 Clarence Graves has been engaged in the conduct of a mercantile business in Talala and is readily conceded to be one of the leading merchants of the community. A native of Kansas, he was born in Wyandotte County, on the 30th of September, 1864, a son of Charles and Albora (Gutherie) Graves. His parents came to Indian Territory in 1875 and located on a farm on Russell creek. The father was born in Maryland but upon the outbreak of the Civil war, his sympathies being with the south, he enlisted in the Confederate army, serving throughout that conflict … Read more

Biography of Walter R. Pratt

Walter R. Pratt. In 1899 Mr. Pratt established himself in business in the City of Independence, Montgomery County, and he had not only continued as one of the representative factors in the business activities of this community, but had also so shown his civic loyalty and progressiveness as to be called upon to serve as mayor of the city, of which office he was the incumbent one term and in which he gave a most effective administration. Mr. Pratt is of Scotch and English lineage and the first representatives of the family in America settled in Virginia, in the colonial … Read more

Biography of Floyd E. Doubleday

Floyd E. Doubleday. It has been the fortune of Floyd E. Doubleday to realize many of his worthy ambitions, and through the exercise of good judgment and business ability to wrest from his opportunities financial and general success. For many years he has been interested in the coal industry, and at the present time is accounted one of the leading operators of Pittsburg. Mr. Doubleday was born at Italy, New York, June 23, 1859, and is a son of Guy L. and Caroline (Hobart) Doubleday. The Doubleday family is of English origin and traces its ancestry back in America to … Read more

Biography of James Duncan Millar Crockett

James Duncan Millar Crockett. Modern business and industry have developed specialists in various lines, and one of the professions that had arisen to meet the increasing demands of business efficiency is that of public accountancy. One of the best known public accountants of the State of Kansas is J. D. M. Crockett, who had done much to organize and extend the field of public accountancy in this state. He is a member of the firm Crockett, Couchman & Company, certified public accountants, now having offices in New York, St. Louis, Kansas City and Topeka. Mr. Crockett was born near the … Read more

Biography of A. O. Harrison

A. O. Harrison, a member of an old and honored family that has figured prominently on the pages of American history, is a leading representative of the Bartlesville bar and is now capably filling the office of city attorney. A native of Missouri, he was born in Callaway County, September 25, 1871, his parents being Jilson Payne and Catherine (Bernard) Harrison, the former a native of Kentucky, while the latter was born in Virginia. In the paternal line the ancestry is traced back to General William Henry Harrison, known as “Tippecanoe,” who won fame in the Indian wars of 1812. … Read more