Nemaha County KS

Biography of John Child Maxson, M. D.

John Child Maxson, M. D. For over twenty-four years Doctor Maxson had practiced his profession in Kansas and is now located at Corning, where as a physician and surgeon of thorough attainments he had an extensive practice. His family were early settlers in Sonthern and Southeastern Kansas. Doctor Maxson is in the tenth generation from the immigrant of the family from England to the American colonies. The founder of the Maxson family in this country was Richard Maxson. Doctor Maxson’s grandfather, James Maxson, spent his life as a farmer in Alleghany County, New York. James S. Maxson, father of Doctor … Read more

Biography of Jesse B. Horn

Jesse B. Horn is now superintendent of the city schools of Oneida in Nemaha County. He is a native of Kansas, and had spent most of his years since he attained his majority in school work either as a teacher or as an administrator of schools. His ancestry, the Horns, originated in Germany and from there came to Pennsylvania, later removing to Ohio. His grandfather, George Horn, was born in Ohio in 1824, was a blacksmith by trade, and after living for a number of years in Indiana moved in 1869 to Kansas and was a pioneer in Labette County … Read more

Biography of William Henry Jordan

William Henry Jordan is a printer and newspaper man, and for over thirty years had been identified with the publication of the Seneea Tribune, founded in 1879 by Wren and Clawson. Mr. Jordan, now the sole proprietor and editor, is a native of England, born at Rye, March 7, 1854. His father, Henry Jordan, was born in the old cathedral city of Canterbury in 1822, was reared there, and was married at Rye to Miss Elizabeth Head. She was born at Rye in 1831. After the birth of two of their children they immigrated to the United States in March, … Read more

Biography of Fred M. Watkins, M. D.

Fred M. Watkins, M. D. It is not every individual who possesses in his make-up the characteristics that make for success in widely diversified callings, but in the person of Dr. Fred M. Watkins there is found a combination of qualities that have brought him equal success in the profession, in business undertakings and in the vocation of farming, and he has likewise made an important place for himself in the field of politics. Dr. Fred M. Watkins, president of the Cherryvale Ice and Cold Storage Company, of Cherryvale, Kansas, was born November 22, 1868, at Lawton, Van Buren County, … Read more

Biography of Robert D. Blaine

Robert D. Blaine, who has had his home in Topeka for a number of years and also maintains a business office there, has been one of the builders of Kansas, his part in the development of the state being particularly reflected in the magnificent prosperity which during the past quarter of a century has come to the southwestern corner of Kansas. Pratt County in the Arkansas Valley will always have particular reason to remember Mr. Blaine’s early activities and influence he directed to the proper development of the resources of that section. For what he has done and for what … Read more

Biography of Albert Irven Decker

Albert Irven Decker. In the demands which it makes upon its devotees, educational work is exceedingly exacting. The duty of the educator, ostensibly, is to instill a practical, working knowledge into each of his pupils, but his correlative, although less direct, function of instilling character and worthy precepts through his personal influence is equally important. The duty first named calls for an individual of knowledge and specialized training, while the second demands a conscientious and capable person whose life and mode of living provide a fit criterion and example for the minds of youth. When a man is found in … Read more

Biography of Ernest N. Bailey

Ernest N. Bailey, a brother of former Governor W. J. Bailey, reference to whom is made on other pages, had largely concentrated his efforts and businees enterprise at the Town of Baileyville, named for the family, in Nemaha County. Mr. Bailey had been an extensive farmer and stockman, and in later years a grain merchant, and owned the principal grain elevator at Baileyville. He was born in Carroll County, Illinois, June 15, 1857. The Bailey ancestry is English and the Baileys were Colonial settlers in New York. His grandparents, Joshua and Eleeta Bailey, were both born in or near Tieonderoga, … Read more

Biography of James M. Meek

James M. Meek is one of the veteran stock farmers and dealers of Nemaha County, and is now living retired at Centralia. Mr. Meek is widely known over this section of Kansas, especially through his terms of service in the Legislature and the Senate, in which he proved a capable representative of his constituency and did much to promote the wholesome business and civic interests of his state. Mr. Meek was born in Union County, Ohio, September 28, 1852, grew up in Northwest Missouri, and had been a resident of Kansas over thirty-five years. His ancestors were English people who … Read more

Biography of Frank H. Curtis

Frank H. Curtis is a school man, superintendent of the city schools of Bern in Nemaha County and had been a factor in Kansas educational affairs for a number of years. He was born in Massac County, Illinois, July 28, 1874, but when five years of age went with his parents to Western Kansas and grew up in Trego County when that was a frontier section. Mr. Curtis is of Scotch-Irish ancestry and members of the family were pioneers in Kentucky. His father, Dr. D. B. Curtis, was born in Kentucky in 1815. He graduated from the Louisville Medical College … Read more

Biography of Louis A. Swartz

Louis A. Swartz. Some of the finest farming land in Nemaha County is owned by members of the Swartz family, who were pioneers in this section of Kansas and by their energy and industry have acquired a conspicuous position as farmers and stockmen. The operations of Louis A. Swartz, a younger representative of the family, are in the vicinity of Bancroft, where he had made for himself considerable reputation as a farmer and cattle raiser. He was born on his father’s farm in Nemaha County October 11, 1891. He is a son of Albert Swartz, who had lived in this … Read more

Biography of Robert M. Bronaugh

Robert M. Bronaugh of Baileyville had been a factor in the life of Kansas for considerably more than half a century. His people were in fact territorial pioneers. He fought when the country needed his fighting ability as a young man during the Civil war, and after that took up farming and latterly business connections with Baileyville, where he is still a merchant and is vice president of the Baileyville State Bank. He comes of old French stock and of aristocratic ancestry in America. Mr. Bronaugh was born in Schuyler County, Illinois, May 6, 1844. His paternal ancestors some generations … Read more

Biography of William Edwin Nelson

William Edwin Nelson, who became superintendent of the public schools of Sabetha in the fall of 1917, is a thoroughly experienced educator, a native of Kansas, and for five years before removing to Sabetha was superintendent of schools at Robinson. Mr. Nelson had the qualification and training of a practical lawyer, which was the profession of his father. For many years one of the ablest attorneys of the Trego County bar was the late John A. Nelson. Born in Sweden, near Stockholm, in 1851, he was brought when an infant to the United States by his parents, who located in … Read more

Biography of William Acker

William Acker has for many years been prominently known in Marshall County, at first as a teacher and educator, afterwards as a farmer and stock raiser, and in connection with various public interests and affairs. Mr. Acker is vice president of the State Bank of Vermillion and is one of the leading blooded stock raisers in that community. He is a native of Kansas and was born in Seneca March 19, 1862. He was left an orphan almost in infancy, and was adopted and reared by the late D. W. Acker, whose family name he took. His own family name … Read more