Marion County KS Genealogy – Access Genealogy

Biography of William H. Rhodes

William H. Rhodes. As proprietor of the Sunrise Stock farm, comprising 230 acres, situated near Manhattan, in Riley County, Kansas, William H. Rhodes occupies a prominent place among agriculturists in this part of the state, the products of his farm because of their standard merits having a wide distribution. Mr. Rhodes was born in Atchison County, Kansas, March 31, 1869, but was reared in Marion County, Kansas. His parents were John M. and Martha (Kuhn) Rhodes. John M. Rbodes was born in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and died in Marion County, Kansas, in 1914, when aged seventy-nine years. His father, Christian … Read more

Biography of James Dodwell

James Dodwell. The career of James Dodwell, pioneer harnessmaker of Butler County and a well known resident of the county seat, El Dorado, is one considerably apart from the ordinary and of unusual interest. In its unfolding it had invaded various fields of endeavor and the occupations of war and peace, and through it Mr. Dodwell had worked out an admirable destiny and had established his right to be numbered among the self-made men who have attained success in spite of the most discouraging circumstances. James Dodwell was born in the City of New York, in 1845, and, having been … Read more

Kansas Registrations of Enemy Aliens, 1917 – 1921

The series contains original affidavits of registration that record personal information about each registrant, their photograph affixed to the majority of documents, and the registrants fingerprints. All of these are specific to Kansas, and most have the actual documents attached.

Biography of Fred Eugene Pettit

Fred Eugene Pettit is a veteran business man and merchant of Marion County, and until he retired a few years ago conducted one of the largest stores at Peabody. Mr. Pettit was reared and educated and gained his first mercantile experience in the State of Illinois. He was born at Wyoming in Stark County, Illinois, January 8, 1861, a son of Peter and Mary Anne (Bailey) Pettit. Peter Pettit was born in New York State and located in Illinois in 1851, when the country was new and undeveloped. After a few years he lost his health and suffered invalidism throughout … Read more

Biography of William W. Driggs, Jr.

William W. Driggs, Jr.,is a capable young newspaper man and is now editor of the Bern Gazette in Nemaha county. The Gazette is one of the live papers of that county, and was established in 1898 by M. E. Ford. The editor of the paper was born in Hannibal, Missouri, December 25, 1891. His father is William W. Driggs, Sr., and together they make the firm Driggs & Driggs, publishers of the Bern Gazette. The senior Driggs was born March 25, 1856, in Pennsylvania. At the age of fifteen he learned telegraphy and began working soon afterward as a railroad … Read more

Biography of Samuel Theodore Howe

Samuel Theodore Howe. Beginning in 1871, when he was appointed to a township office in Marion County, Samuel T. Howe had been engaged in the discharge of duties connected with some public and official positions practically without interruption to the present time. He first attained state wide prominence in the early ’80s when he was elected state treasurer. He had also been state railroad commissioner, and for the past ten years had been the senior commissioner of the tax commission of Kansas. He was born July 23, 1848, at Savannah, Wayne County, New York, but was reared and educated at … Read more

Biography of Ed Green, Col.

Col. Ed Green. While Colonel Green’s home and interests have been centered in Kansas for a number of years, he is hardly less well known in the State of Illinois, where he was reared and where he spent many active years, and in fact throughout the country and even abroad the name of Col. Ed Green is one of the most prominent associated with the breeding of short-horn cattle and of fine trotting horses. His home is now at Howard, Kansas, and he owned several ranches in that section of the state. Colonel Green was born at Indianola, Illinois, October … Read more

Biography of Miller M. Van Denberg

Miller M. Van Denberg. One of El Dorado’s oldest business men and citizens is Miller M. Van Denberg, who had lived in that community for thirty-nine years. The name is most prominently associated with the lumber business. In that connection it is known not only in El Dorado but in many other towns of Kansas and Oklahoma. Mr. Van Denberg had owned at different times as many as twenty-three lumber yards in these two states. However, his home had always been at El Dorado. Perhaps the chief fruit of his many years of business effort had been the opportunity presented … Read more

Biography of Braden C. Johnston

Braden C. Johnston is a lawyer by profession and had in a few years’ time snccessfully established himself with a good practice and standing at Marion. A native of Kansas, his birth occurred on a farm two miles north of Lyons in Rice County March 7, 1889, His parents are James A. and Cynthia (Chitty) Johnston. His mother is of the same branch of Chittys that gave to the legal profession some of its brightest lights both as lawyers and authors of standard law books. James A. Johnston was born in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1852, and when a child he … Read more

Biography of Richmond T. Battey

Richmond T. Battey is a retired banker at Florence, Kansas, with which community he had been, identified as a businees man and leader in public affairs for forty years. Mr. Battey is one of the old timers of Kansas. His recollections of the state go back to the territorial period of the latter ’50s. His experiences as a whole and particularly those of his earlier years are mainly a reflection of those events and times which form the substance of Kansas history. He knew the western plains and the old trails by actual experience, and is perhaps as well informed … Read more

Biography of John Franklin Coffman M. D.

John Franklin Coffman, M. D. For nearly ten years Doctor Coffman had successfully practiced as a physician and surgeon in Marion. Throughout that period he was associated with Dr. E. P. Marner, one of the oldest physicians of Marion County, and their relations were dissolved only when Doctor Coffman answered the call for duty in the medical department of the American army. He was born July 1, 1883, at Glenwood, Iowa, a son of John Franklin and Mary E. (Turpin) Coffman. His father, who was born in Hagerstown, Indiana, June 25, 1850, spent all his active career as a farmer … Read more

Biography of James Henry Clay Brewer

James Henry Clay Brewer is a pioneer of Marion County, was one of the first merchants at Peabody, is a veteran officer of the Union army and had played an active and influentlal part in civic affairs in this section of Kansas for over forty-five years. He was born at Clear Springs, Maryland, July 11, 1838. His grandfather, Peter Brewer, was a native of Virginia and of Huguenot stock. He is a son of Captain Daniel and Mary (Hellar) Brewer. Captain Daniel was born in the same part of Maryland May 14, 1791, and during the War of 1812 was … Read more

Cracraft, Douglas L. – Obituary

Enterprise, Oregon Douglas L. “Doug” Cracraft died July 25, 2006, at his home. He was 72. Mr. Cracraft was born Sept. 23, 1933 in Hillsborough, Kan to Orrin and Viola Orpin Cracraft. After his schooling, he joined the U.S. Army, serving during the Korean War. He was with the Mountaineer Division. He served for seven years in the regular army and ten years in the reserves. He attended college for four years studying forestry and fire science. Mr. Cracraft became a fireman in Pleasanton, Calif. where he retired as a Captain after serving the department for 20 years. On April … Read more

Biography of Oscar Maxel Yount

Oscar Maxel Yount. The person of this sketch, Oscar Maxel Yount, is perhaps the most wonderful example, everything being taken into consideration, of what a determined will-power can accomplish that the Sunflower State had ever produced. He had been a lawyer and engaged in the active practice of his profession since June 22, 1905. He is a native son of Kansas, and the work he had done in his profession and in civic affairs had brought him a place of special esteem throughout the state and especially in his home community of Galena. He was not born with a “silver … Read more

Biography of David Edward Lamb

David Edward Lamb is a member of the Pettit & Lamb Mercantile Company at Herington in Dickinson County. This company operates the largest department store in that county, and the firm of Pettit & Lamb had been in existence for over twenty years. Mr. Lamb’s individual experiences and achievements since he came to manhood have made him a leading citizen of Kansas, and he represents a very honored family in this state. He was born November 27, 1866, at the Village of Independence, near Dayton, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania. His grandfather, William Lamb, was a native of Pennsylvania. His parents were … Read more

Biography of J. Carroll Montgomery, M. D.

J. Carroll Montgomery, M. D. In the office of Doctor Montgomery at Manhattan is a large map of Riley County showing in detail all the features of the county and particularly those which are the work and evidence of man’s activities. A number of different colored pegs or pins are usually found dotted about over this map. It is in this way that Doctor Montgomery as county and city health officer of Manhattan and Riley County keeps track of the district under his jurisdiction, a glance at one of these charts indicate the location of all infectious diseases prevalent in … Read more

Biography of Horace Greeley Kyle

Horace Greeley Kyle, whose name is widely known over the State of Kansas on account of his legislative experience and active participation in public and business affairs, is a successful stock farmer and owned a splendid place in Dickinson County known as “The Cedars.” That is the scene of his business activities as a farmer and raiser of blooded livestock. Mr. Kyle is a native of Kansas and belongs to the pioneer and territorial element. He was born in a log cabin four miles west of Holton in Jackson County October 21, 1861. His father, James B. Kyle, came to … 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 William M. Burkholder

William M. Burkholder is one of the younger native Kansans filling places of responsibility and action and recently became proprietor and editor of the Anthony Bulletin. He had one of the older papers of Harper County. The Bulletin had enjoyed an independent existence since 1891, but is a continuation of several earlier papers. The old Harper County Enterprise was founded at Anthony in 1884, was consolidated in 1891 with the Alliance Bulletin of Harper, and was continued under the name Weekly Bulletin. The editor and publisher prior to Mr. Burkholder’s ownership was R. P. McColloch. The Bulletin is independent in … Read more

Biography of Roswell Leonard King

Roswell Leonard King, who is now serving his tenth year of consecutive service as judge of the eighth district of Kansas, which is comprised of the counties of Marion, Dickinson, Geary and Morris, was appointed by Governor Bailey in 1904 to fill a vacancy on the bench of the eighth district, and had since been elected three times judge of that district, the last time, in the election of 1916, being elected on the republican ticket without opposition by any candidate upon any other ticket. His record since being upon the bench, tested by the few reversals of his decisions … Read more