Biography of Charles Manville Sawyer

Charles Manville Sawyer, chairman of the board of directors of the Federal Reserve Bank at Kansas City, Missouri, began his banking career in Kansas and is perhaps as widely known over the state as any one banker. The Federal Reserve Bank at Kansas City, Missouri, serves the district comprising the states of Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming and the greater part of Oklahoma, and portions of Missouri and New Mexico. Mr. Sawyer was born on a farm near Streator, Illinois. His is an old American family and some of his ancestors fought as officers in the revolutionary war. His parents were … Read more

Biography of Anthony Wayne Fairchild, M. D.

Anthony Wayne Fairchild, M. D. The work which he had done as a member of the medical profession in Fall River had already attracted much attention to Doctor Fairchild, whose attainments and abilities are much above the average. Not only does a large clientage esteem him for his services, but his wife, Mrs. Fairchild, is likewise a graduate physician and had a considerable practice, specializing in discases of the eye. The Fairchild family originated in England, coming to America in Colonial times. Doctor Fairchild’s grandfather was Minor Fairchild, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1818, and became a pioneer farmer … Read more

Biography of James Duncan Millar Crockett

James Duncan Millar Crockett. Modern business and industry have developed specialists in various lines, and one of the professions that had arisen to meet the increasing demands of business efficiency is that of public accountancy. One of the best known public accountants of the State of Kansas is J. D. M. Crockett, who had done much to organize and extend the field of public accountancy in this state. He is a member of the firm Crockett, Couchman & Company, certified public accountants, now having offices in New York, St. Louis, Kansas City and Topeka. Mr. Crockett was born near the … Read more

Biography of William Ernest Barker, M. D.

William Ernest Barker, M. D. Prominent among the medical men of Southeastern Kansas is Dr. William Ernest Barker, who since 1881 has been engaged in practice at Chanute. During this long period of devotion to his profession he has built up a large and representative professional business, and is justly regarded in medical circles and by the general public as a thoroughly learned, skilled and reliable physician and surgeon. Doctor Barker is a native of Birmingham, England, and a son of William and Martha (Timmins) Barker. William Barker was born in England, served in the regular army during his youth, … Read more

Biography of Walter R. Pratt

Walter R. Pratt. In 1899 Mr. Pratt established himself in business in the City of Independence, Montgomery County, and he had not only continued as one of the representative factors in the business activities of this community, but had also so shown his civic loyalty and progressiveness as to be called upon to serve as mayor of the city, of which office he was the incumbent one term and in which he gave a most effective administration. Mr. Pratt is of Scotch and English lineage and the first representatives of the family in America settled in Virginia, in the colonial … Read more

Biography of Charles R. Jennison, Dr.

Dr. Charles R. Jennison, of Leavenworth, a brigadier general during the Civil war and afterward a leader in the public affairs of the state, was born in Jefferson County, New York, June 6, 1834. When he was twelve years old he moved with his parents to Wisconsin, and at the age of nineteen years he began to study medicine. After completing his medical course he practiced for a short time in Wisconsin and then came to Kansas, settling at Osawatomie in 1857. Within a short time he moved to Mound City, where he remained for three years, and then went … Read more

Biography of James Wallingford Waggener

James Wallingford Waggener is general superintendent of the Atchison Railway, Light & Power Company, and for many years had been in active charge of the varied public utilities directed under that corporate title. Mr. Waggener is an able business man, was educated for the law, and was in practice for a number of years until he transferred his talents to more active and constructive fields. Mr. Waggener is a brother of Hon. Balie P. Waggener, the eminent Kansas Lawyer. The details of the family history will be found in connection with the sketch of that prominent Atchison citizen. James W. … Read more

Biography of Arthur W. Evans, M. D.

Arthur W. Evans, M. D., is a native of the Sunflower State, a scion of a pioneer family of this commonwealth and has here achieved definite success in his profession, as one of the representative physicians and surgeons engaged in practice in the City of Independence. Dr. Arthur Whiting Evans was born at Lawrence, Kansas, on the 26th of October, 1870, and is a son of Arthur and Mary (Leishum) Evans, the former of whom was born in Lancastershire, England, in 1841, and the latter of whom was born in Wales, in the same year, she having been a young … Read more

Biography of James H. Anderson

James H. Anderson, whose term as state auditor of Idaho expired at the beginning of the present year (1899), was born in Platte County, Missouri, on the 4th of October 1845. His ancestors were early settlers of Virginia and were participants in that struggle which ended in the overthrow of British rule in the colonies and the establishment of the United States of America. In the year 1818 his grandfather emigrated to Kentucky, at which time George W. Anderson, father of our subject, was only about six years of age. His birth had occurred in the Old Dominion in 181 … Read more

Biography of Charles R. Hewins

Charles R. Hewins is in point of continuous service one of the oldest educators in Kansas. His work had been accomplished almost entirely within the limits of Doniphan County. For thirty years he had been connected with the schools of that county and in November, 1916, he was elected county superintendent, beginning May 14, 1917. Mr. Hewins represents a pioneer family of Northeastern Kansas, and his own birth occurred near Wathena on December 1, 1866. His family were Colonial settlers in Maine from England. His grandfather, John A. Hewins, Sr., was a native of Maine, followed farming in that state … Read more

Biography of B. S. Smith

B. S. Smith is one of the oldest business men of Humboldt. He had been a merchant there thirty years. In that time he had built up the largest and most complete dry goods establishment not only in the city but in that part of the state: It is a splendid store, stocked with a varied assortment of all the goods required by a discriminating trade, and had been built up on the foundation of square and honest dealing and a careful and painstaking service. Mr. Smith is also well known in other lines of business and as a public … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Shaler W. Eldridge

Shaler W. Eldridge, one of the leading free-state men of Lawrence and therefore of the Territory of Kansas, was a native of Massachusetts, born at West Springfield, August 29, 1816. The twelve years previous to coming to Kansas, he spent as a leading railroad contractor of New England. Arriving in Kansas City, Missouri, January 3, 1855, he purchased the American House from Samuel C. Pomeroy, who had previously obtained it from the Emigrant Aid Society. It is needless to say that it was headquarters for the free-state men, and that it harbored Governor Reeder in his escape from Kansas. In … Read more

Biography of Alphius Lamont Hamilton

Alphius Lamont Hamilton. Forty-five years of continuous work and association with the law, public office, politics and civic affairs in El Dorado and, Butler County have naturally made Alphius Lamont Hamilton one of the noteworthy figures in that section of Kansas. That he takes first rank in the Kansas bar is a distinction that will be readily acknowledged by lawyers all over the state. He is also the dean of the profession in his home county. No one could be more thoroughly American than Judge Hamilton. His ancestors have been connected with every great war in which our nation engaged … Read more

Biography of Bertrand Rockwell, Captain

Bertrand Rockwell, who had had his home at Kansas City, Missouri, since 1906 was one of the constructive figures in Kansas from the close of the Civil war until he retired from business. Apart from the individual interest of his career, his activities have had the greatest value in connection with Junction City and that section of the state. Before he had reached his majority he had left school and entered the army, and came out with the rank of captain. Two weeks after being mustered out, in September, 1865, Captain Rockwell reached Leavenworth, Kansas. From there he was carried … Read more

Biography of William Timmerman

Western Terea Cotta Company of Kansas City, Kansas, is the only successful industry for the making of this building material, which has had such a remarkable growth of popularity in use during recent years, between Chicago and the extreme Pacific coast. It is an industry which reflects credit upon the growing importance of Kansas City, Kansas, and is the only concern of its kind in the state. Terra cotta, which is the Italian for “burnt clay,” is perhaps the oldest manufactured building material known in history. It has been manufactured in America only during the last forty or forty-five years … Read more

Biography of William Frank Flack, M. D.

William Frank Flack, M. D. While the medical profession for centuries had enlisted some of the most profound minds of all times, modern discoveries and developments have opened up new fields for the brilliant physician and surgeon, and many of this profession have turned their attention to particular branches, specializing along certain lines. This development had been necessary, for the problems presented in the calling today are so serious and difficult of solution that the average physician had not the expert knowledge to handle all satisfactorily. For some years past William Frank Flack, the pioneer physician of Elk County, had … Read more

Biography of Clarence Case Goddard, M. D.

Clarence Case Goddard, M. D. While Doctor Goddard now gives all his time and attention to the Evergreen Place Hospital at Leavenworth, a high class sanitarium for nervous and mental troubles, liquor and drug habits, he had occupied such a disguished position in Kansas medical circles for so many years that hardly any name in the profession is more widely known and more highly honored. In 1911 he was elected president of the Kansas State Medical Society. He served four terms as president of the County Medical Society, had been the president of the District Society, had been a delegate … Read more

Biography of Alvis Clayton Zimmerman, M.D.

Alvis Clayton Zimmerman, M. D. Having survived all his contemporaries, Doctor Zimmerman may be justly called the pioneer physician and surgeon at Perry, where he established himself in practice twenty years ago and where his skill and ability have brought him a commendable place professionally and in the social and civic life of that community. Doctor Zimmerman was born in Jefferson County, Kansas, April 9, 1874, and represents a very early pioneer and territorial family in this section of Kansas. He is a son of the venerable Mathias Coffman Zimmerman, who is still living at Oskaloosa, Kansas, retired, past four … Read more

Biography of Floyd E. Doubleday

Floyd E. Doubleday. It has been the fortune of Floyd E. Doubleday to realize many of his worthy ambitions, and through the exercise of good judgment and business ability to wrest from his opportunities financial and general success. For many years he has been interested in the coal industry, and at the present time is accounted one of the leading operators of Pittsburg. Mr. Doubleday was born at Italy, New York, June 23, 1859, and is a son of Guy L. and Caroline (Hobart) Doubleday. The Doubleday family is of English origin and traces its ancestry back in America to … Read more

Biography of David Johnson, M. D.

David Johnson, M. D., a prominent medical specialist whose home and laboratories are at Salina, returned to Kansas a few years ago after many years spent in practice in the New England states, most of the time at Boston. He returned to Kansas because many years ago, on first coming to America, he had located in this then new state, and it was those early impressions and experiences with Kansas life and people that caused him to locate here for a permanent home in his decliaing years. Doctor Johnson was born in Sweden on May 4, 1848. He was liberally … Read more