Pottawatomie County KS

Biography of John Milligan Johnson

John Milligan Johnson. Recently there died at Manhattan a Kansan whose character was even more important than his material achievements. He came within four years of living a century and he was a figure in the activities of the frontier until the frontier had passed away. But more important than all his experiences were the moral forces that emanated from his life, and the things he stood for, believed in, and worked to bring about. It is therefore as a character sketch that the following paragraphs are offered, and they find an appropriate place in the history of Kansas. John … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Francis Bowen, M. D.

William Francis Bowen, M. D. One of the best known surgeons of Topeka is Dr. William Francis Bowen, who while a general practitioner of both medicine and surgery had manifested a particularly high degree of skill in surgery and is accounted one of the ablest operators in the state. Most of his life had been spent in Topeka, but he was born in Wamego, Pottawatomie County, Kansas, December 25, 1872. His father, Frank C. Bowen, is a prominent and widely known man of Topeka and had long been identified with local politics and public affairs. Frank C. Bowen was born … Read more

Biography of Michael T. Hoffman, Rev.

Rev. Michael T. Hoffman is pastor of the Church of the Holy Cross at Emmett. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1908 and practically his entire service had been given in Kansas. He is a devoted and zealous churchman and had done much in a constructive way for the upbuilding of Catholic influence in Kansas. Father Hoffman was born in Alsace-Lorraine, Germany, June 4, 1885, but had lived in the United States since he was five years of age. His father, John Hoffman, was a native of the same border country but then under the Dominion of France, born … Read more

Biography of Harry J. Miller

Harry J. Miller has been one of the business factors in the Town of Olsburg for over a quarter of a century. He was formerly engaged in agricultural pursuits in that rich and fertile district of Pottawatomie County, but now gives all his time to the management of a garage and the real estate business in Olsburg. His people were pioneers in two states, Tennessee and Illinois. His grandfather was born in Tennessee about twenty years after the close of the Revolutionary war and before the opening of the nineteenth century. In 1818 he took upon himself the responsibilities of … Read more

Biography of William Peterson

William Peterson, during the last years of his life, lived retired with his wife in a comfortable home at Randolph in Riley County. He had a remarkable range of experience. A native of Sweden, he came to the United States a poor man. He had hardly become accustomed to American ways before he entered the army to fight for his adopted land. Three years of gallant and faithful service as a Union soldier are to his credit. Nearly fifty years ago he came out to the new State of Kansas. He was a homesteader and for years a successful farmer … Read more

Biography of Walter Robson

Walter Robson, a former representative of Pottawatomie County in the Legislature, is a man of large and important business interests in and around Westmoreland. His chief business is farming, but whether as a farmer, legislator, merchant he had played a forceful and virile part in every one of his numerous interests. Reared in Kansas from early infancy, Mr. Robson was born at Wilmington in Will County, Illinois, February 26, 1875. His father, John Robson, is and for many years had been a prominent factor in Pottawatomie County and is still living on his farm two miles northeast of Westmoreland. He … Read more

Biography of George H. Weeks

George H. Weeks. While Mr. Weeks had speat practically all his life in and around Belvue in Pottawatomie County, his reputation as a stock breeder is nothing less than state wide. His farm is famous for his splendid Percheron horses, and hardly less well known for his herd of Hereford cattle and his Poland China hogs. Mr. Weeks was born Jannary 18, 1877, and in the same year his parents removed to Pottawatomie County. His birth occurred in a rich and prosperons section of Northern Illinois, at LaMoille in Burean County. He is of English ancestry. His father, David Weeks, … Read more

Biography of John McKimens

John McKimens. Pottawatomie County was organized in 1857, It is one of the oldest counties in that section of the state that was fairly well settled during the border period of Kansas history. The present county seat, Westmoreland, was established in 1871 and was named for Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. The pioneer who gave the name to the county seat was the late John McKimens, Sr. He was one of the first settlers in Pottawatomie County, having located at the present site of Westmoreland in Oetober, 1856, a year before the county was organized. John McKimens, Sr., was born in Pennsylvania … Read more

Biography of Winfield A. S. Bird

For thirty-five years a Topeka lawyer, Mr. Bird’s name had become widely known over the state not only in the legal profession, but as a practical farmer and stockman, by his various distinctions in Masonry and other fraternities, and by his important services in the State Legislature. In his own character and in an carnest ambition to acquit himself well among the world’s useful workers, is to be found the secret of his snccess. He was born in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, August 31, 1855, and spent his early life there. His father, Archibald Bird, was born in the same county … Read more

Biography of John T. Feighny

John T. Feighny has spent all his life in Northern Kansas and from a farm in Jackson County he went to Emmett some years ago and engaged in the grain and elevator business, which he successfully continues to the present time. Mr. Feighny was born in Jackson County, Kansas, September 2, 1873. His parents, John and Mary (Lyons) Feighny, were both natives of County Limerick, Ireland, but were married in Boston, Massachusetts. Her father was born in 1830 and the mother in 1842. John Feighny was sixteen years of age when he came to the United States, landing in New … Read more

Biography of Boyd Elias Pollom

The men who came to Shawnee County in 1871 were of necessity patient plodders, content to await the rewards of a developing civilization. There were no short cuts to fortune such as fired the zeal of the argonauts of ’49, but there existed sane and practical opportunities for the man to whom labor was a beneflcent and necessary festure of his existence. To such a class belonged William Pollom, father of Boyd Elias Pollom, the latter one of the successful agrienlturists and substantial citizens of the vicinity of North Topeka. William Pollom was born in Ohio, in 1838, a son … Read more

Biography of Charles F. Little, M.D.

Charles F. Little, M. D., is one of the oldest living members of the medical profession in Kansas. It was fully half a century ago that he came to Manhattan, and until his recent retirement was almost continuously identifled with his professional duties in Riley County. Doctor Little is one of the men who gained their training and attended their first cases prior to the Civil war. In the war he served as an assistant surgeon. A great fund of practical business ability has been a prominent characteristie of Doctor Little and for years he has been one of the … 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 Harry O. Sutcliff

Harry O. Sutcliff is superintendent of the city schools of Wheaton in Pottawatomie County. Mr. Sutcliff is still young, with life before him, but had already proved an instrument of great service in the educational affairs of his native state. He was born on a farm in Jewell County, Kansas, January 14, 1891. The Suteliff family had lived in this state for over thirty-five years. His grandfather, Robert Sutcliff, was born in England in 1820 and came when a young man to the United States, living in Illinois until 1880, when he removed to Jewell County, Kansas, and followed farming … Read more

Biography of Manasseh Stewart Knox

Manasseh Stewart Knox is one of the oldesb residents of Pottawatomie County. His own recollections of that district cover a period of sixty years, beginning in his early childhood. He knew Pottawatomie County when it was a virtual wilderness and when Kansas was still in the throes of the free stats struggle. Mr. Knox is one of the most substantial land holders and formerly one of the largest farmers in Northern Kansas and is president of the First National Bank of Havensville and had banking interests elsewhere. He was born in Cayuga County, New York, August 21, 1843. His ancestors … Read more

Biography of Christian D. Ladner

Christian D. Ladner. In electing Christian D. Ladner their sheriff in 1916 the citizens of Pottawatomie County exereised a wise discretion in the choice of one of the most important county officials. Mr. Ladner is a native of Pottawatomie County, and had played a varied and successful part in the affairs of this community for over thirty years. He is of fine old Swiss stock. His father, George Ladner, was born December 25, 1823, in the largest Canton or Province of Switzerland, Gran Buenden. He grew up in his native country and married there Barbara Neff, who was born in … Read more

Biography of Mary Morrall Darling

Mrs. Mary Morrall Darling is the daughter of Wamego’s pioneer physician, Dr. Albert Morrall, and she is now living in the same house where she was born May 14, 1872. The Morralls were English people and were colonial settlers in the Carolinas. Her great-great-grandfather was Daniel Morrall who married Lydia Savanen. Her great-grandfather was John Morrall. Her grandfather, George Washington Morrall, was born at Georgetown, South Carolina, August 17, 1786, became an attorney by profession, and practiced at Grahamville and at Beaufort, South Carolina, dying in the latter city February 22, 1836. He married Phoebe Jenkins Tripp, who was born … Read more

Biography of Frank G. Hooper

Frank G. Hooper has lived in Pottawatomie County since 1885. He had shown exceptional ability in accumulating those things which mean a high degree of material prosperity, and for many years was identified with farming and had one of the largest single estates in Pottawatomie County. He is now living zetized at Belvue and is vice president of the Belvue State Bank. Mr. Hooper was born at Palmyra in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, February 16, 1860. His grandparents were George and Elizabeth Hooper, both natives of England. George Hooper was born in 1799 and in 1845 brought his family to the … Read more

Biography of Leslie V. Johnson

With all the progressiveness and enterprise of the native Kansan, Leslie V. Johnson had made his years in this state count chiefly as a banker, and for many years had found a large opportunity to serve the public through his post as cashier of the State Bank of Randolph in Riley County. As in the case with many successful business men and financiers, he had the atmosphere of a farm during his youth. He was born on his father’s farm in Pottawatomie County, October 8, 1872, and his earliest recollections are associated with that rural district. As a boy he … Read more

Biography of James Claude Wilhoit, M. D.

James Claude Wilhoit, M. D. This is the name of a prominent young physician and surgeon at Manhattan, but a man who in spite of his years has attained an enviable prominence in the professional and business life of his home state. Doctor Wilhoit has those natural gifts which together with thorough training make the proficient surgeon. His work is now largely surgery and diagnosis. He was born at Westmoreland in Pottawatomie County, Kansas, July 14, 1885, a son of Dr. John W. and Jennie (Armstrong) Wilhoit. His parents were natives of Kentucky, where they married, and they came to … Read more