S. C. Bowles was born on April 15, 1842, in Kentucky and relocated to Chicago in 1865. He moved to Nebraska in 1867 and settled in Jewell County, Kansas, in 1870. In 1876, he established the Commercial Hotel in Mankato, a two-and-a-half-story building notable for its quality service. Bowles married Louisa Marshall in Pottawatomie County, Iowa, on May 3, 1868.
Nelson Antrim Crawford, a distinguished professor of industrial journalism at Kansas State Agricultural College, has significantly advanced the journalism department since 1914. Previously a newspaper reporter, he served as an English instructor before specializing in journalism. Crawford edits both The Kansas Industrialist and The Kansas Churchman, and is active in numerous professional organizations. Born in South Dakota and raised in Iowa, he earned his degrees from the University of Iowa and the University of Kansas, demonstrating a commitment to education and journalism throughout his career.