Lawrence Kansas

Biography of Sidney Clarke

Sidney Clarke, one of the early members of Congress from Kansas, was born at Southbridge, Massachusetts. October 16. 1831, and in his early manhood published and edited a weekly newspaper which he had founded in his native town. He became an active free-soil advocate, supported Fremont in 1856. and three years later, upon the advice of his physician, went west and located at Lawrence. He hecame an ardent supporter of the radical wing of the free-state party, and in 1862 was elected to the State Legislature. The following year President Lincoln appointed him adjutant general of volunteers, and he was … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Thomas Henry Chalkley

Thomas Henry Chalkley, though identified with business affairs of Kansas only a few years, became widely known and was especially esteemed as a citizen of Lawrence. He was born at Tottenham, now part of London, England, October 23, 1858, a son of Henry George and Hannah (Baron) Chalkley, being the oldest of their six children. His family was one of substantial means, and to complete his education the son was sent to Germany. Later he began his business career as a helper in the office of his father, who was the English agent in London of the J. B. Watkins … Read more

Biography of Samuel N. Simpson

Samuel N. Simpson. A notable life came to a close with the death of Samuel N. Simpson on November 27, 1915: Important though his achievements were in the field of business and in the development of many useful enterprises and undertakings in the cities of Lawrence and Kansas City, Kansas, it is because his activities and influence were so vitally identified with the primitive period of the territorial Kansas that his individual history bulks so large in the annals of the state and furnishes a chapter that may be read with instruction and profit by every student of Kansas annals. … Read more

Biography of Marshall M. Murdock

Marshall M. Murdock, a pioneer journalist of Kansas, the founder of the Wichita Eagle and one of the marked men of the commonwealth, was born in the Pierpont settlement of what is now West Virginia, in 1837. He was of Scotch-Irish ancestry, and his father married into the Governor Pierpont family. Soon after his marriage the family moved to Ironton, Southern Ohio, and there Marshall Murdock attended the public schools and commenced to learn the printer’s trade. Thomas Murdock, the father, was unsuccessful in his business venture, and, as he had an abhorrence of slavery and Kansas was then the … Read more

Biography of Eber Cowen

Eber Cowen. One of the oldest residents of Osage County is Eber Cowen, who came to this part of the state when it was raw and new, nearly half a century ago. The business by which he had gained his prosperity had been farming, and at the same time he had enjoyed the respect and esteem of his fellowmen by his sturdy citizenship and his ability as a home maker and valuable factor in community affairs. He was born in Jersey County, Illinois, February 22, 1846, a son of John and Maria Cowen, his father a native of Vermont and … Read more

Biography of George W. Deitzler, Gen.

Gen. George W. Deitzler, one of the famous “treason prisoners” to be taken from Lawrence to Lecompton, afterward prominent in the public affairs of the Territory and State of Kansas and prominent in the Civil war, was born at Pine Grove, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, November 30, 1826. He received a common school edncation and removed to Kansas, where he became one of the prominent figures of the free-state party. He was a delegate to the Topeka convention, and in May, 1856, was one of the seven men who were arrested at Lawrence and taken to Lecompton under guard of Federal … 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 Alexander Lewis

Alexander Lewis was identified with business and civic affairs at Lawrence from territorial times until his death on January 30, 1905. He was one of the fine characters of the university city and a man whose capable business judgment was marked by a benevolence and a kindly interest in the welfare of his community and his fellow man. He was born in Tompkins County, New York, November 13, 1830, and lived to be nearly seventy-five years of age. His parents were Luther and Mary (Sheldon) Lewis. His grandfather Luther Lewis was a native of Suffield, Connecticut, and moved from there … 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