Lyon County KS

Biography of Joseph Cameron Lockhart

Joseph Cameron Lockhart, a veteran Union soldier and a resident of Kansas for nearly forty-five years, had had a successful business career as a farmer and rancher and is now enjoying the fruits of his well spent lifetime at Eskridge in Wabaunsee County. Mr. Lockhart was born in Salem Township of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, February 12, 1838, and is now in his eightieth year, still active and vigorous for all his experiences. The Lockhart ancestors were Scotch and settled in Pennsylvania in colonial times. His father, George Lockhart, was born in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, in 1807, spent his life there … Read more

Biography of Fred Roscoe Sutton, M. D.

Dr. Fred Roscoe Sutton, physician and surgeon of Bartlesville, has been successfully engaged in the practice of medicine in Oklahoma since 1898. The passing years have chronicled the steady growth and progress of the state and in keeping with the trend of change and advancement is the record of Dr. Sutton, who at all times has kept abreast of the latest researches and discoveries relative to the laws of health. He was born in Emporia, Kansas, January 14, 1874, and is a son of Dr. George W. Sutton, a native of Kentucky, whose birth occurred just across the River from … Read more

Biography of Edward Charles Ryan

Edward Charles Ryan is secretary of the Mutual Building & Loan Association of Emporia, which is his native city, and he represents one of the old family names in that section of the state. The Mutual Building & Loan Association, whose other executive officers are A. H. Plumb, president, and M. C. Little, treasurer, was established in 1907, and after eight years of business now had assets of over $800,000. It receives money in payment on stock deposits and loans on real estate and buildings in Emporia and farms in that section. It is one of the best managed and … Read more

Biography of Thomas C. Biddle, M. D.

Thomas C. Biddle, M. D. Superintendent of the State Hospital for the Insane at Topeka, Doctor Biddle had long been prominent in his profession in Kansas, where he had practiced as a private physiclan or in connecton with the public service for thirty-five years. His name is well known among the profession not only over Kansas, but his work as superintendent of hospitals for the insane had attracted favorable attention over the country at large. He belongs to a prominent family, of the same branch that produced Nicholas Biddle, one of the first secretaries of the treasury, and many other … Read more

Biography of F. A. Cassady

F. A. Cassady is one of the most successful business men of his age in the State of Kansas. He is proprietor of one of the largest general stores at Neosho Rapids and is also vice president of the Neosho Rapids State Bank. He had reached this position in business circles before attaining his twenty-second year. He was born in Graysville, Missouri, September 24, 1894. His grandfather was a native of County Londonderry, Ireland, and in the old country spelled his name William O’Cassady but dropped the first syllable when he came to the United States. He lived a time … Read more

Biography of Andrew Garfield Marple

Andrew Garfield Marple, a successful educator and school administrator, is now superintendent of the city schools of White Cloud, Kansas. He is a native of this state, was educated here, and most of his work in mature years had been secomplished within the borders of Kansas. He was born at Yates Center, Kansas, November 16, 1881. His ancestors were Englishmen who settled in Virginia more than a century ago. His grandfather, David Marple, was born in Virginia in 1812, grew up and married in that state Miss Sneff, and subsequently removed to Northern Illinois, where he became a merchant. By trade … Read more

Biography of Oliver Morton Williams

Oliver Morton Williams, one of the younger citizens of Kansas, has played his part efficiently as a teacher and business man, and is now manager and part owner of the Coffeyville Business College. This college is an institution noted for its thorough work in training young men and women for responsible positions in commercial affairs. A native of Kansas, Mr. Williams was born at Oak Valley, October 24, 1887. Several generations back his ancestors were living in Wales, and after coming to the United States settled perhaps first in New York, and afterwards went to Maryland. The great-great-grandfather’s name was … Read more

Biography of Terkel Jensen

Terkel Jensen. Few business men in Southern Kansas have a better record of substantial accomplishment than Terkel Jensen, who had been successfully identified with the wholesale produce business in this state for more than a quarter of a century, and is president of the Emporia Ice and Cold Storage Company, a large enterprise which is a direct outgrowth of his extensive operations as a produce commission man. Mr. Jensen came to Kansas in 1889, and since that date had had his home in Emporia. He had been in this country only 2½ years, but he had the energy, the ability … Read more

Biography of Vernon M. Wiley

Vernon M. Wiley. It does not require a long memory to make a mental comparison between the present Rorabaugh-Wiley Dry Goods Company, located in its magnificent building, the most conspicuous business structure of Hutchinson, and the 25-foot storeroom which the same parties occupied at the beginning of their mercantile career in this city sixteen years ago. “From small acorns great oaks grow,” is an old saying that finds one of its choicest applications in this successful business. The secretary and treasurer of the Rorabaugh-Wiley Dry Goods Company, Mr. Wiley, is surprisingly young for a man of his position and achievements. … Read more

Biography of James T. Cooper

James T. Cooper, a lawyer, banker and widely known citizen of Fredonia, was born in Woodson, but then Wilson, County, Kansas, August 30, 1866, and represents a family that came to Kansas while it was a territory. The ancestry of Mr. Cooper is particularly interesting. He is descended from that Sir Ashley Cooper, the Earl of Shaftsbury, who founded a colony on the Ashley River in North Carolina, and from that settlement the family name had become widely dispersed. It may be of interest to recall the fact that the noted John Locke, the great English philosopher, prepared a model … Read more

Biography of Charles M. Hilleary

Charles M. Hilleary, who had identified himself since early youth with educational work and is now superintendent of the city schools of Humboldt, represents one of the early pioneer families of Bourbon County. He was born at the Village of Xenia in Bourbon County, Kansas, May 28, 1879. His people located in that section of southeastern Kansas prior to the Civil war. The Hillearys came originally from England and were colonial settlers in Virginia. Professor Hilleary’s grandfather Daniel Stump Hilleary was born in 1823. In early life he removed west, to Ohio, later into Illinois, and still later to Kansas. … Read more

Biography of S. B. Warren

The Warren Mortgage Company of Emporia is the largest farm mortgage loan company in Kansas. It was founded by the late S. B. Warren, who came to Emporia in 1876, and its notable position among financial organizations in the state is largely due to his personal integrity and many years of honorable and straightforward dealing. Its field of operations covers about two-thirds of Eastern Kansas. Its business is making loans on farm property, which are sold to several savings banks in the New England states and to trust companies and life insurance companies. The present officers of the company are: … Read more

Biography of William M. Sleeth, Maj.

Maj. William M. Sleeth was one of the founders of the modern civic and industrial community of Arkansas City. He was secretary and treasurer of the original townsite company. He was a keen and resourceful business man, but his practical energies were equalled by his splendid public spirit and his readiness to sacrifice his own interests in behalf of some enterprise that would bring benefit to many. Major Sleeth justly earned the honor and esteem of his community during his life, and his death at Arkansas City, September 26, 1906, was felt as a distinct loss to the community, though … 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

Biography of Walter A. Jones

Walter A. Jones is judge of the Probate Court of Lyon County and represents one of the very first families in Lyon County and in that section of Kansas. Both he and other members of the family have accounted well for themselves in the business, farming, professional and civic life of the county. His father, Griffith P. Jones, formerly a merchant at Emporia, is one of the most extensive raisers and breeders of Hereford cattle in Lyon County. He was born in Carnarvonshire, Wales, in 1847, a son of John and Jeanette Jones. John Jones was born in Carnarvonshire, Wales, … Read more

Biography of James W. Henderson, M. D.

James W. Henderson, M. D. One of the old and honored physicians and business men of Southeastern Kansas is Dr. James W. Henderson, who first became identified in a professional way with Labette and the surrounding country thirty-two years ago. Labette County was at that time new and all its towns, farms, roads, and other facilities were in a primitive condition. Doctor Henderson had his share of the hardships of pioneer practice. To almost a generation he was known as the kindly, courteous and helpful physician and friend, and the esteem in which his name is held is as satisfactory … Read more

Biography of William Hebard Grayum

William Hebard Grayum. Perhaps one of the greatest factors in the wonderful progress that the State of Kansas had made in the last twenty years, had been the recognition of the value of education and the provision made for the extension of a sound public school system. Communities vie with each other in efforts to secure for the heads of their own institutions, scholarly men with progressive ideas, and to these hearty support is generally given, with results satisfying to the schools and the public at large. In this connection may be mentioned the able principal of the high school … Read more

Biography of Samuel J. Crawford

Samuel J. Crawford was one of the first members of the Kansas State Legislature, by service on the field of battle attained the rank of brigadier-general during the Civil war, and was the third governor of the state. He was one of the history makers of early Kansas, and what he did to influence the early political development of Kansas must be told on other pages. Following is a brief sketch of his personal career. He was born in Lawrence County, Indiana, April 10, 1835, grew up on a farm, attended the graded schools of Bedford, Indiana, and the law … Read more

Biography of George Plumb, Hon.

Hon. George Plumb is one of Emporia’s honored pioneers. He is a son of David Plumb, and is a brother of the late Senator Preston B. Plumb, who for years was one of the most striking figures not only in Kansas life but in national affairs. Mr. William E. Connelley, the anthor and editor of this history of Kansas, is the offlcial biographer of the late Senator Plumb, and the reader is referred to other pages for the account of his cazeer and of the family relationship. While he had never gained the fame that fell to the lot of … Read more

Biography of John C. Kirby, M. D.

John C. Kirby, M. D. For the past fifteen years the name of Dr. John C. Kirby had been increasingly identified with the best tenets of medical and surgical science in the city and vicinity of Cedar Vale. By many of the longest established and most conservative families his skill, resource and obliging temperament have come to be regarded as indispensable, and there exist many who are indebted to him for their restoration to health, happiness and usefulness. Doctor Kirby had the zeal which recognizes no limitations in his profession, and the great unrest which projects him into ever-widening channels … Read more