Montgomery County KS

Biography of William L. McNaughten, M. D.

William L. McNaughten, M. D., had been long and favorably known as a capable physician and surgeon in Chautauqua County, and now controls a large practice at Sedan. In his younger days he met and overcame obstacles and had to work for every step of his advancement while gaining his education and preparing himself for his profession. When nineteen years of age his education in the common schools was completed, and he then began working on a farm and learning the carpenter’s trade. As a carpenter he worked in Missouri and in 1883 moved to Kansas, locating in Montgomery County. … Read more

Biography of John Hebrank

John Hebrank. During a residence in and a familiarity with the West for a long period of years Mr. Hebrank has many and varied experiences, but it was through the resources of Kansas that he found the medium for the achieving of his maximum success, and he is now one of the prominent and influential figures in the development of the oil industry in this state, with residence and business headquarters at Independence, Montgomery County. Mr. Hebrank was born in the Kingdom of Wurtemburg, Germany, on the 19th of September, 1848, and in that same section of the great German … Read more

Biography of Asa Knowles Talbot

Asa Knowles Talbot. It is no small distinction in the business world to create and build up a business which is generally recognized as the leader of its kind in a city or county. That is the place occupied by the A. K. Talbot Harness and Manufacturing Company at Coffeyville. It is the leading concern in the handling of harness and other goods in Montgomery County, and Mr. Talbot has also developed a factory for the manufacture of leather novelties and is at the head of a very successful concern. While he has spent nearly all his life in Kansas, … Read more

Biography of E. C. Glass, D. D. S.

E. C. Glass, D. D. S., has been a resident of Independence since 1903, and is one of the leading members of the dental profession in Southern Kansas. Born January 28, 1876, the year of the hundredth anniversary of our national independence, he was given the name Earl Centennial Glass. His birth occurred near Bois d’Arc, Greene County, in Southern Missouri. His parents are Albert M. and Susan (Van Voorhis) Glass, both of whom are still living, with their home at Bois d’Arc, Missouri. The Glass family came originally from Scotland and settled in Virginia in colonial days, while the … Read more

Biography of Charles Jacob Sloop

C. J. Sloop. In January, 1909, Mr. Sloop was admitted to the bar at Topeka, Kansas, and on July 12th of that year moved to Independence. Since then he has been steadily building up a reputation as a sound and safe counselor and as one who can be trusted with the skillful handling of all important interests entrusted to him, whether in civil or criminal law. A native of Missouri, Charles Jacob Sloop was born at Queen City, December 10, 1878. His father John B. Sloop was born in Schuyler County, Missouri, November 16, 1845, and he spent his active … Read more

Biography of Mamie J. Tanquary, M. D.

Mamie J. Tanquary, M. D., of Independence is one of the leading woman physicians and surgeons of Kansas. She comes of a family that has supplied several able members to the profession, and her work throughout the fifteen years she has practiced at Independence shows her capabilities are on a plane with her own brothers and her professional brethren throughout the state. Doctor Tanquary, whose maiden name was Edwards, was born at Water Valley in Hickman County, Kentucky, April 29, 1870. She is of old Southern stock, but her first ancestors in the Edwards line came from England of Seotch-Irish … Read more

Biography of James Leonard Gibbs

James Leonard Gibbs, county assessor of Mayes county, has the distinction of being the first republican ever elected to the office of assessor in this county. He assumed office on the 3d of January, 1921, for a term of two years. Mr. Gibbs was born at Eagle Mills, Lawrence County, Tennessee, on the 15th of August, 1.863, a son of A. B. and Evelyn (Shannon) Gibbs, both of whom are deceased. For many years the father was a builder and contractor in Tennessee and at the close of the Civil war removed to Illinois. In 1880 he went to Cherryvale, … Read more

Biography of Harry Jiencke

For about a quarter of a century Harry Jiencke traveled about over the State of Kansas as a salesman, building up a large acquaintance and business relationship, but for the past twelve years had been prominently identified with the oil and gas and various other industrial affairs of Independence, where he is one of the well known citizens. Of an old German family of Mecklenburg, he came to America when only a youth. He was born May 27, 1858. His father, Joachim Jiencke, was born in Mecklenburg in 1806 and died there in 1869. He was a man of more … Read more

Biography of Michael Dougherty

Michael Dougherty is one of the able industrious workers and business men who have identified themselves with the City of Independence because it is a center for the oil and gas industry of the Southwest. For forty years he had been a boilermaker, and had followed his trade as a workman and as a contractor in nearly all the oil and gas fields in the country. He is now superintendent of tankage construction for the Prairie Oil and Gas Company. He is a native of Ireland and of an old County Donegal family. His grandfather spent his life as a … Read more

Biography of James W. Phillips

An excellent farm property in the Sand Creek district of Washington county pays tribute to the care and labor bestowed upon it by its owner, James W. Phillips, who brings to the operation of his place a thorough knowledge of modern agriculture and a progressive, open mind. He was born at Independence, Kansas, September 6, 1897, and is of Osage extraction. His parents, W. S. and Emma C. (Debo) Phillips, are also natives of Kansas and were married in 1892, the mother being a daughter of James Debo. Following their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Phillips located at Hominy, in Osage … Read more

Biography of Charles H. Pocock

Charles H. Pocock. Postmaster of Tyro, in Montgomery County, a farmer and well known citizen of that locality, Charles H. Pocock for many years was identified with educational work both in Kansas and other states. In character and attainments he is type of man whom the people instinctively respect and repose confidence in, and again and again he has been called to duties of a public nature. By ancestry he is English, and his grandfather, Eliyah Pocock, came from England to Ohio in the very early days. He was a farmer and blacksmith and died in Wayne County. Mr. Charles … Read more

Biography of Thomas H. Smith

THOMAS H. SMITH. The prosperity of any locality depends almost solely upon the character of the people who inhabit it, and if the citizens are pushing, energetic and intelligent the country will prosper accordingly. Tennessee has given to Missouri many of her most progressive and prosperous citizens, prominent among whom is Thomas H. Smith, who is a product of Marion County, where he was born on August 7, 1850, a son of Ransom and Mary (Hendricks) Smith, the former of whom was born in Campbell County, April 7, 1820, and the latter in Marion County April 14, 1826, both of … Read more

Biography of J. H. Stephens, Mrs.

Mrs. J. H. Stephens. As president of the City Federation of Women’s Clubs, an active factor in the Current Club and a member of the Carnegie Library Board, at Coffeyville, Mrs. J. H. Stephens occupies a prominent position in the social, civic and intellectual life that has made this city one of the centers of cultural interests in the state. Mrs. Stephens (Esther Logan) comes of an old colonial family of English origin. The Logans were pioneers in Kentucky, in which state Mrs. Stephens’ grandfather was born and died. Her father, G. H. Logan, was born in Somerset County, Kentucky, … Read more

Biography of Harry S. Brown

Harry S. Brown. A lawyer of twenty years’ experience, Harry S. Brown has been identified with the Coffeyville bar the greater part of his professional career and he has shown a remarkable capacity for handling litigation entrusted to him and is a leading citizen as well as a lawyer. He represents an old Indiana family of English origin. His first American ancestors came to South Carolina in colonial times. Through his grandmother Mr. Brown is of Scotch descent. One of his Brown ancestors was a captain in the English navy and lost his life at sea. His grandfather, John Brown, … Read more

Biography of W. T. Yoe

The Independence Tribune is one of the oldest papers in Kansas, with a record of continuous issue in one locality for forty-six years, and it is even older than that since the same plant had been used for publishing a paper in Missouri for several years before its removal to Independence, when that town was located on the frontier and at the very beginning of its growth and development. The Tribune ever since its establishment has been under the control of two veteran newspaper men, both brothers, W. T. Yoe, who is editor, and Charles Yoe, who is president of … Read more

Biography of William H. Lewark.

William H. Lewark was one of the prominent factors in the business and social life of Coffeyville for many years. His death in that city July 3, 1914, removed a forceful and energetic worker and a man whose public spirit had always been uppermost in all his relations with that community from the early days. He was born in the State of Indiana in 1848, a son of John and Elizabeth Lewark. His father was a farmer and died in Idaho, and his mother died in Indiana. The late Mr. Lewark was one of the boy soldiers of the Union … Read more

Biography of Frederic M. Wilhelm

Frederic M. Wilhelm. When a boy in his early teens Frederic M. Wilhelm began working for himself and has risen from the position of an office employe to secretary of the Prairie Pipe Line Company of Independence. He has been closely identified with the present company and the Prairie State Oil and Gas Company at Independence for the past twelve years. Thirty-three years of age, Mr. Wilhelm was born at Decatur, Indiana, January 6, 1883. His father, George Wilhelm, was born in Germany in 1854, and when ten years of age ran away from home and soon afterwards found his … Read more

Biography of Clark Nichols

Clark Nichols, attorney at law in Eufaula and a member of the State senate from McIntosh, Muskogee and Haskell counties, was born in Elk County, Kansas, on the 16th of November, 1880, a son of John A. and Mary C. (Conover) Nichols, both natives of Illinois. The father removed to Kansas at an early age and acquiring land in Elk County, farmed there until 1889, in which year he, removed to Joplin, Missouri. There he engaged in mining but in 1911 he disposed of his interests and came to Hanna, Oklahoma. He bought land near here, which he still operates. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Oscar Lyle McSpadden

(See Grant and Oolootsa)—Oscar Lyle McSpadden, born November 2, 1892 educated at Chelsea; married September 1920, Georgia Craig. Mr. McSpadden is engaged in stock raising for the firm of Milam & McSpadden near Magdalena New Mexico, where he has taken active part in the upbuilding of the community; he is a 32nd degree Mason and Shriner. Attended Business College in Coffeyville, Kas. Was in the stock business prior to going to New Mexico.

Biography of Thomas E. Wagstaff

An attorney of long and successful experience in Montgomery County, both in Coffeyville and Independence, Thomas E. Wagstaff had been and is a leader in republican politics in the state, and a few years ago his name beeame known all over Kansas as a candidate for nomination to the office of governor. He lost the nomination by only a few votes. This was in 1910, when W. R. Stubbs was nominated and afterwards elected. His family have been identified with Kansas for forty years. Thomas E. Wagstaff was born at Galesburg, Illinois, July 23, 1875, and was still an infant … Read more