Montgomery County KS

Biography of Charles W. Kent

Charles W. Kent of Coffeyville is a veteran newspaper man of Kansas. His has been an interesting past. He served as a boy soldier in the Union army, and several of his brothers also bore arms for the Stars and Stripes. In a half century of active experience he has largely been identified with the newspaper business, and has been in Southern Kansas about a quarter of a century. On July 7, 1893, he established and brought out the Gate City Independent, the forerunner of the present weekly Independent. For a number of years Coffeyville was familiarly known as the … Read more

Biography of Victor A. Hays

Victor A. Hays is an example of the successful American who began as a telegraph operator and has reached a commanding position in industrial affairs. He is president of the Kansas Natural Gas Company and has spent the greater part of his active career in the oil and gas fields of the East and Southwest. Like many other successful men in the oil and gas industry Victor A. Hays is a native of Venango County, Pennsylvania, and of Irish ancestry. He was born near Oil City on April 27, 1863. He was educated in the public and Normal schools and … Read more

Biography of Harry E. Floyd

Harry E. Floyd. Prior to coming to Caney, Kansas, in 1907, Harry E. Floyd had been without experience in the journalistic field. He was familiar with the business of farming, had known the cattle ranches for ten years, and for several years had been identified with mercantile affairs, but the newspaper business was one in which he had not engaged. However, since taking hold of the Caney News, Mr. Floyd has built it up to be one of the strong papers circulating in Montgomery and the surrounding counties, and that he has been able to do so may doubtless be … Read more

Biography of Edward Carl Johnson

Edward Carl Johnson. Identified with the Kansas State Agricultural College at Manhattan since the fall of 1912, Edward Carl Johnson is now dean of the division of college extension and is also superintendent of farmers’ institutes and state leader of county agent work. At first his work was that of superintendent of institutes and demonstration in the division of college extension. Since September, 1915, his duties have been as just described. Mr. Johnson is an expert in several departments affecting the broad science of agriculture. His authorship of a number of bulletins and monographs prove this. But his work has … Read more

Biography of Charles Hiram Cook

Charles Hiram Cook. Prominent among the men who have long been identified with the oil industry in Kansas as producers and drillers is found Charles Hiram Cook, of Coffeyville. From the time he left school he has followed the oil and gas fields in various parts of the country, and with the great development of the Kansas fields became interested here and has since played a part in the growth and advancement of the industry. Mr. Cook was born at Springboro, Crawford County, Pennsylvania, January 31, 1863, and is a son of Francis Henry and Emily (Fisher) Cook. The Cook … Read more

Biography of D. C. Hampton

Coming to Oklahoma during the territorial period in its development, D. C. Hampton is thoroughly familiar with the early history of the state and his memory forms a connecting link between the primitive past with its hardships and privations and the present with all of the advantages and comforts of present-day civilization. He is numbered among the progressive merchants of Bartlesville and his business interests are capably and successfully conducted. He was born in Moultrie County, Illinois, April 30, 1858, of the marriage of Roland Thomas and Ruhama (Howe) Hampton, and in 1866 was taken by his parents to Neodesha, … Read more

Biography of Ellsworth L. Burton

Ellsworth L. Burton. One of the very able members of the Kansas Legislature in the session of 1915-16 was Representative E. L. Burton from Parsons. Mr. Burton is an attorney by profession, has spent most of his life in Kansas, and has some very influential and important connections in his part of the state. He was born at Mattoon, Illinois, April 30, 1868. The Burtons came from England and settled in the Carolinas during colonial days. Mr. Burton is a direct descendant of Cavalier Burton. His grandfather Alfred Burton was born near Guilford Court House in North Carolina, and died … Read more

Biography of Charles R. Lewis

In his native county it had been given Charles Royal Lewis to achieve a position of prominence and influence as a representative of a line of business enterprise that had most important bearing upon both civic and material progress. At Independence, the judicial center of Montgomery County, he is actively and successfully engaged in the real estate business, and his operations include the handling of both city and farm property and the effecting of real-estate exchanges, besides which he had developed a substantial realty insurance business and is serving as notary public, his offices being at 108 1/2 East Main … Read more

Biography of John P. Brady

John P. Brady. Since he was fifteen years of age John P. Brady had had a varied and extensive experience as an oil worker. He began in his native state of Pennsylvania, and had been in most of the important oil fields of the country. For the past few years he had had his home at Havans, and is one of the leading individual producers in that section. His birth occurred at Parkers Landing in Pennsylvania on June 3, 1876. His people, however, were early settlers of Ohio. His grandfather Barney Brady was born in County Cavan, Ireland, came to … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Mrs. Frankie F. Heady

(See Ghigau) Frankie Folsom, daughter of John H. and Lulu (Boynton) Kendall was born at Chelsea August 11, 1836. Educated in Nowata High and Cincinnati C. C. M. graduating from the former in 1906 and the latter in1908. Married at Independence, Kansas March 17, 1911 Frank son of J. B. Heady, born at Watova. They are the parents of J. B., born February 4, 1912; Byron Leroy, born October 2, 1914; Mildred Marie, born February 4, 1917 and died October 23, 1918; James Ewing, born September 17, 1918 and Jeanne Eileen Heady, born November 23, 1920. Mrs. Heady is a … Read more

Biography of Capt. Edmond D. Pennington

CAPT. EDMOND D. PENNINGTON. This gentleman has resided in the community in which he now lives for the past ten years. He was born in White County, Tennessee, January 26, 1825, a son of John and Nancy (Harris) Pennington the former of whom was born in Virginia, a son of Charles Pennington, a native of England, who married after reaching America, a German lady. He was a soldier of the Revolution, and at an early day became a resident of Tennessee, and later of Illinois, in which State he passed from life, having followed the calling of a Baptist minister … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Wallace McClain

This well-known and representative business man and patriotic citizen of Harney county is one of the firm of McClain & Biggs, liverymen and dealers in horses and mules in Burns, where their stables are, being also owners of a fine stock ranch. Our subject was born in Scotland county, Missouri, on September 16, 1854, being the son of Martin and Sarah (Childers) McClain. The father was in the confederate army and in the battle of Pea Ridge lost his right arm. He served under Price. In 1866 the family removed to Schuyler county and our subject was educated in these … Read more

Biography of Adolph Carl Stich

Adolph Carl Stich, who died at his home in Independence October 8, 1915, was identified with Independence more than forty years, and for many years was one of the foremost citizens of Kansas. Only one estimate could be placed on his career–it was constructive, efficient, positive, and redounded not so much to his own advantage as to the community in which he lived. He was a true type of the business and city builder. No other individual contributed so much to the material and civic advancement of Independence. The record of his life is one that can he read to … Read more

Biography of Arthur Devore

Arthur Devore is one of the able merchants of Southern Kansas. For a quarter of a century he has been manager of the Ulmer Furniture Company at Independence, one of the largest furniture and general household supply houses in the state. While his exceptional ability has gone into the making of this large establishment, he has not withheld his influence and work from any local affairs of importance, and is regarded as one of Independence’s most progressive and public spirited men. He has spent most of his life in Kansas, but was born at Wapakoneta, Ohio, April 23, 1862. His … Read more

Biography of Harry R. Harshbarger

Harry R. Harshbarger of Sedan had found varied employment for his energies since he reached manhood, but is now chiefly engaged in the business of oil production, and had some of the most valuable properties of that kind in Chautauqua County. He was born at Vermilion, Edgar County, Illinois, May 28, 1868. His father was John W. Harshbarger, long and favorably known in Kansas. John W. was born in Cabell County, Virginia, in what is now West Virginia, in 1835. His father, John Harshbarger, also a native of Virginia, died in the western part of that state three months before … Read more

Biography of Harold McGugin

Harold McGugin. The McGugin family came from Ireland to the United States many years ago, the first of the name in America appearing in Pennsylvania. Removal was subsequently made to Ohio and the family records do not definitely prove whether David McGugin, the grandfather of Harold McGugin, one of the able young attorneys of the Coffeyville bar, was born before or after the family exodus. He was a farmer and a merchant and died in Montgomery County, Kansas, prior to the birth of his grandson. He may thus be numbered with the pioneers of this section. William McGugin, son of … Read more

Biography of Joseph E. Roberts

Joseph E. Roberts, conducting a furniture and undertaking business at Nowata, is one of the wide-awake and alert young men of the city, whose success is the result of thoroughness and enterprise. He was born October 23, 1892, about twelve miles east of the city in which he still makes his home. His father, Edward Taylor Roberts, was a native of Indiana, his birth having occurred on a farm near Lebanon in Montgomery County, his parents being James Thomas and Lydia A. (James) Roberts. His parents were Kentuckians but were married in Indiana, to which state they had removed in … Read more

Biography of C. O. Ross

C. O. Ross. In a conspicuous place on the roll of men who have become successful through their connection with the oil and gas industry is found the name of C. O. Ross, a native of the Buckeye state and a splendid type of the alert, progressive and public-apirited men whose records are indications that success is ambition’s answer. His long and prominent connection with the oil business began at the time of his majority, when he started in at the bottom to make his way to a position of prominence, and no oil producer in Kansas has a better … Read more

Biography of L. M. Roome

L. M. Roome is an oil producer and contractor whose activities have brought him considerable success in Kansas territory and whose business headquarters are at Tyro, in Montgomery County. His first experience in the business was gained in the Illinois oil district, and he came to Kansas about two years ago. His ancestors came originally from England and settled in old Virginia during colonial days. His grandfather, Edward Roome, was born in Pennsylvania, spent most of his life as a farmer in West Virginia, where he died. Mr. L. M. Roome was born in Sistersville, West Virginia, July 23, 1886, … Read more

Biography of Thomas Coleman Truman

Thomas Coleman Truman. Among those sterling citizens who have been prominent and influential in connection with the civic and business affairs of [p.1834] Montgomery County and who are today to be designated as representative pioneers of the county a place must consistently be given to Mr. Truman, who has maintained his home at Independence, the county seat, for more than forty years and who is now living in well earned retirement–a man who has been in the most significant sense the architect of his own fortunes, as he became dependent upon his own resources when but twelve years of age. … Read more