Lawrence Kansas

Biography of Seth J. Bailey

Seth J. Bailey. The gratifying success which had crowned the efforts of Seth J. Bailey, of Chanute, clearly and emphatically evidence the business skill, perseverance and enterprise of this individual, who had been engaged in business here since the fall of 1900. This is a utilitarian age, one in which advancement and progress come through activity in the industrial and commercial interests of life. There is nothing to which America owes her pre-eminence among the nations of the earth so much as to her inventions, and each year sees additions to the list which bear marked impress upon the world … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Shaler W. Eldridge

Shaler W. Eldridge, one of the leading free-state men of Lawrence and therefore of the Territory of Kansas, was a native of Massachusetts, born at West Springfield, August 29, 1816. The twelve years previous to coming to Kansas, he spent as a leading railroad contractor of New England. Arriving in Kansas City, Missouri, January 3, 1855, he purchased the American House from Samuel C. Pomeroy, who had previously obtained it from the Emigrant Aid Society. It is needless to say that it was headquarters for the free-state men, and that it harbored Governor Reeder in his escape from Kansas. In … Read more

Biography of Clark Goodhue Howland, Rev.

Rev. Clark Goodhue Howland was one of the early Unitarian ministers of Kansas. The work he did as pastor of that church at Lawrence made him widely known, but he is remembered not as a minister of creeds or denominations, but as a minister of service. He was the personification of kindness and sympathy, and the grateful memory that follows him is better than any form of material wealth. Rev. Mr. Howland was born in Orleans County, New York, August 8, 1835. He was the eighth in direct line of descent from John Howland, who came to the American colonies … Read more

Biography of Cyrus K. Holliday

Cyrus K. Holliday was one of the founders of Topeka, in which, for many years, he was the largest taxpayer; projected and built the first portion of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad; was one of the organizers of the republican party in Kansas, and an all-around promoter of great enterprises. Born at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, April 3, 1826, he was educated for the legal profession, but decided in early manhood in favor of a business life. His first venture was the building of a short line of railroad in his native state, in which he accumulated some $20,000, which … Read more

Biography of G. S. Holt

G. S. Holt. A Kansas territorial pioneer whose name and services will always be specially remembered in the City of Ottawa was G. S. Holt, a native of Connecticut who came to Kansas Territory in the early ’50s. For a time he lived at Lawrence, but from there went to Ottawa and became proprietor of the first dry goods store, opened in a building at the corner of Second and Main streets. This building had been constructed from the timbers of the old capitol building at Mineola. Besides his work as a business man Mr. Holt was identified and was … Read more

Biography of Francis M. Perkins

Francis M. Perkins, president of the Perkins Trust Company of Lawrence, had been a prominent factor in financial and business affairs of that city and of the state at large for more than forty years. He was the first of his family to come to Kansas. Mr. Perkins was born in Racine County, Wisconsin, on a farm June 21, 1846. His parents were Otis Goodspeed and Julia Ann (Bender) Perkins. His father was a descendant of John W. Perkins of Ipswich, Massachusetts, who came to Massachusetts Colony in 1631 and was originally from Ufton Court, the large family estate of … Read more

Biography of Justin Dewitt Bowersock

Justin Dewitt Bowersock. The secret of human leadership is a matter both of determination and temperament. Some men achieve it by a rugged aggressiveness which bears all before them, leaving in their wake many painful bruises and some wounds which never heal; other progress, perhaps even more rapidly, endowed with a decisive elasticity, a considerate and friendly spirit, a broad and attractive outlook, and obtain the enthusiastic cooperation of those who are best qualified to advance laudable enterprises and movements, either private or public in their character. It is to the latter class of elastic, able and pleasing leaders that … Read more

Biography of Prof. William H. Carruth

Prof. William H. Carruth, one of the leading linguistic seholars and authors of the West, had held the chair of German Language and Literature of the University of Kansas since its creation over thirty years ago. He was born on a farm near Osawatomie, Kansas, April 5, 1859, the son of James H. and Jane (Grant) Carruth. His father, from whom he in herited his love of books, was a home missionary of the Presbyterian Church, and from his mother he inherited courage, energy and an independent disposition. He worked his way through school and college, graduating at the University … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Amos Hinsdale Plumb

Amos Hinsdale Plumb is one of the children of the late Senator Preston B. Plumb and Caroline (Southwick) Plumb. He was born at Emporia, January 31, 1869, He was educated in the public schools of Emporia and the Kansas State University at Lawrence. Mr. Plumb’s chief business activities have been in real estate and mining. He organized and is president of the Mutual Building and Loan Association of Emporia, and during 1915-17 was president of the building and loan section of the Kansas Bankers’ Association. He was married at Omaha, Nebraska, January 1, 1897, to Elva Lawrence Gibson, daughter of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Gen. Carmi W. Babcock

Gen. Carmi W. Babcock, president of the first free state council of 1857-58, a leading citizen of Lawrence and a prominent contractor in the building of several noted structures of the state, was born in Franklin County, Vermont, April 21, 1830. In 1850, after teaching for a time, he moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, where he read law and was admitted to the bar. He arrived at Lawrence in September, 1854, and finding that everything was too unsettled to make the practice of the law reliable he engaged in the real estate business. In 1857 he established a bank, only … Read more

Biography of Allen Thomas Stewart

Allen Thomas Stewart is one of the younger business men of Doniphan County and had established himself firmly in business and civic esteem at Denton, where he is proprietor of the only drug store and is now serving his second suecessive term as mayor. Most of his life had been spent in Kansas. He was born at Salem, Kentucky, in Livingston County, March 11, 1881, and came to this state with his parents when he was five years old. He attended public schools, graduated from the high school at Seneca. Kansas, in 1901, and following that had two years in … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Anthony, A.J.

A. J. Anthony, stock-raiser, first came to Lawrence in 1857, and engaged in staging until 1863; he then became conductor and express messenger on the Southern Overland Stage Line from Kansas City, Mo., to Santa Fe, N. M., until August, 1867. He then located at a ranch twenty miles west of Dodge City, where he kept a few cattle and a provision store. A year thence he moved to Fort Dodge and engaged in the sutler business until 1874, when he located on a stock-ranch three-fourths of a mile west of where Dodge City now stands, where he has been … Read more

Biography Of Irving Hill

Irving Hill, of this sketch, is one of the citizens of prominence in Lawrence, who is identified with the younger generation in the promotion of its industries, its finances and its civic affairs. He is of good Scotch blood, and comes naturally by his traits of intellectual and business acumen. William Hill, his father, was born in Greenock, a suburb of Glasgow, and when a boy came with his parents to the United States and settled at Baraboo, Wisconsin. There he followed newspaper work, became owner of a paper in that place, and later corresponded for the Chicago Tribune and … Read more

Biography of Charles R. Jennison, Dr.

Dr. Charles R. Jennison, of Leavenworth, a brigadier general during the Civil war and afterward a leader in the public affairs of the state, was born in Jefferson County, New York, June 6, 1834. When he was twelve years old he moved with his parents to Wisconsin, and at the age of nineteen years he began to study medicine. After completing his medical course he practiced for a short time in Wisconsin and then came to Kansas, settling at Osawatomie in 1857. Within a short time he moved to Mound City, where he remained for three years, and then went … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Prof. Lewis L. Dyche

Prof. Lewis L. Dyche, who held the chair of systematic zoology and taxidermy at the University of Kansas from 1900 until his death January 20, 1915, had a wide reputation in North America in his chosen fields. He was born at Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, March 20, 1857, in early life he came to Kansas, and in 1884 received the degrees of B. S. and B. A. from the University of Kansas. During the years 1885-86 he was assistant professor of zoology, and in 1886 he received the degree of A. M. He was then made professor of comparative anatomy, … Read more

Biography of Carey J. Wilson

Carey J. Wilson is superintendent of insurance for the State of Kansas. His is one of the busiest offices at the State Capitol and practically every minute of his official time is taken up either with the broader policies of the state insurance department or with the immense amount of details pertaining to the ability of companies to meet solvency requirements, as well as the general conduct of business within the state. To this office Mr. Wilson brought years of practical experience in the insurance field. He had been solely identified with insurance since he left college. Though a native … Read more

Biography of Walter E. Brown

Walter E. Brown is one of the younger members of the Atchison bar, but had been favored by his ability and training and early associations and had attained just recognition as one of the resourceful lawyers of the state. He is junior member of the well known firm of Waggener, Challiss, DeLacy & Brown, senior partner of which is one of Kansas’ most distinguished and eminent lawyers and citizens, Hon. Bailie P. Waggener. Mr. Brown represents a pioneer name in Kansas history. He was born in Whiting, Kansas, November 17, 1887. His grandfather, Michael Brown, came to Kansas in 1872 … Read more

Biography of Solon O.Thachek

Solon O. Thachek, of Lawrence, able lawyer, judge and public man of Kansas, achieved a wider fame as one of the pioneers in the great work of promoting friendly relations with the republics of South America. He came of a distinguished English and Revolutionary ancestry and was born in Stenben County, New York, August 31, 1830. His father was a county judge. After graduating from Union College of Schenectady, New York, and from the Albany Law School, he married, and in 1858 located at Lawrence, where he became one of the proprietors of the Journal. He was a member of … Read more

Biography of William Lloyd Garrison Soule

William Lloyd Garrison Soule, Auditor of San Bernardino County, and founder of the mining town of Calico, is a lineal descendant from Puritan stock, and was born in the State of Maine, in July, 1836. He was reared from early childhood in Massachusetts, and started to learn the printer’s trade in Boston at the age of fourteen. He came with his parents to Kansas in 1854, and set the first stickful of type ever set within the boundary of that State, on the Herald of Freedom, established at that time in Lawrence. Being like his illustrious namesake, an uncompromising enemy … Read more

Biography of Joseph O. Ward M. D.

Joseph O. Ward, M. D., is a physician and surgeon of Horton whose work and attainments have brought him increasing repntstion for skill and ability. Doctor Ward is a native of Kansas, was a successful teacher before he took up his preparation for a medical career, and had been in practice now for almost twenty years. His father, M. Ward, who is still living at the venerable age of eighty-four, had had a most mteresting career and one that had brought him in close contast with pioneer conditions of the Middle West. Born in Ireland in 1833, he came to this … Read more