Saline County KS

Biography of Otto Philip Byers

Otto Philip Byers. Something less than forty years ago Otto Philip Byers was a railroad section hand in Kansas. He was a boy in years, and he grew to mature manhood in the close and orderly discipline of the railroad man’s life, in close touch with working men and working conditions. That he had risen to mature manhood in the close and orderly discipline sponsibility is a tribute both to his personal aggressiveness and also to the fundamental character which he probably inherited from a long line of fighting and industrious American ancestors. His later day distinction among Kansas business … 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 Charles P. Beebe

Charles P. Beebe. Among the well known newspaper men of Wilson County, one who had had broad experience in his vocation is Charles P. Beebe, who during the past three years had been managing editor of the Neodesha Daily Sun. Mr. Beebe learned the newspaper business at the case, and had worked his way up through the various departments of the business so that he had a thorough knowledge of all its details. Under his editorial management this publication had become one of the best daily papers of Wilson County and wields a wide influence all over this section. Mr. … Read more

Biography of George F. Beatty

George F. Beatty, who had spent nearly all his life in Kansas, had been enrolled in the ranks of the lawyers of Salina for the past twelve years, and is now serving as referee in bankruptcy with the United States District Court. His birth occurred August 17, 1877, at 1001 Olive Street in St. Louis, Missouri. His parents were Dr. George F. and Martha Ann (Posey) Beatty. His mother, who is still living, is a daughter of William Thornton Posey, who was closely related to the family of George Washington. During her girlhood Miss Posey graduated from a seminary at … Read more

Biography of Charles L. Ong

Charles L. Ong and his family bore an important part in the pioneer commercial and civic life of several communities in Western Kansas and he spent his last years at Salina. Mr. Ong brought his family to Kansas in 1883. Though the name had the flavor of foreign origin, it is in fact one of the oldest in America. The forebears of the late Charles L. Ong came out of England, crossing the ocean on the ship Lyon, and reaching the American colonies on February 5, 1631. Dr. A. R. Ong, A. M., M. D., now deceased, a brother of … Read more

Biography of Bernard Flesher

Bernard Flesher died at Leavenworth, April 12, 1909. He had been a resident of that city over half a century. In that time he became one of the best known men of Eastern Kansas. His reputation was based not only upon a remarkable business success as a merchant, but also upon his many acts of public spirited citizenship. Although of foreign birth he was in every sense a loyal American, a lover of American institutions, and of the greatness and power of the new world. He was a credit to his city and state. The amassing of wealth was only … Read more

History of Salemsborg Evangelical Lutheran Church

Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of Salemsborg tp

The committee in charge of preparing the material for this anniversary booklet were instructed by the Congregation to translate the history which was presented in the Swedish Language in 1909. It contained a great deal of detailed description of the early days and the development of the Church work and Community life, it seemed proper that this early history should be preserved for future generations. They sincerely hope that those who read these pages will feel that they have tried to be impartial in selecting the historical events in the history of our dear Salemsborg Church.

Biography of Ezra William Ober

Ezra William Ober. “Whenever a new railroad was to be secured, a new institution located, a new business brought to town, E. W. Ober was at the head of the list and generally headed the committee that landed the addition to Salina. There is probably not a permanent institution in the city today secured by general effort where Mr. Ober was not the leading spirit.” Such a tribute, voicing the general opinion of a community, can be paid only to the exceptional man. The late E. W. Ober was in every sense an exceptional man. He had good business ability, … Read more

Biography of Alfred Clark Pierce

At the age of eighty-one, bearing the impress of a life of remarkable experience, a pioneer builder of Kansas, for many years identified with its public and business life, this venerable citizen is now living in comfortable retirement at Junction City. A small party of free state men arrived in Kansas in 1856. It comprised eight or ten men. One of them was Preston B. Plumb, whose name is a household word in Kansas. Alfred Clark Pierce was also in that little party. At Iowa City, Iowa, he had first met Mr. Plumb, and they were ever afterwards intimate friends. … Read more

Biography of Charles Wood Davis

A significantly varied, distinguished and interesting career was that of the late Charles Wood Davis, and fortunate it was for the State of Kansas that he early established his residence within its borders, for his splendid initiative and executive powers came most effectively into play in the furtherance of the eivic, industrial and general material development and progress of this commonwealth. He was one of the famous argonauts of the year 1849 in California, was long and prominently identified with railway interests, was a recognized authority in all matters pertaining to the basic industry of agriculture, was a pioneer in … 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

Biography of Charles Elda Banker

Charles Elda Banker, city clerk of Salina, had been a resident of Saline County forty years, and his family is one of the best known in this section of the state. His father was the late John A. Banker, who was especially well known for his services as a landscape gardener in Saline County, and also had the distinction of establishing the first nursery in the county. John A. Banker was born near Germantown, Ohio, December 25, 1848. He followed farming for many years in Ohio, subsequently became a merchant at Germantown, but in 1877 brought his family to Kansas … Read more

Biography of C. B. Goodrich

C. B. Goodrich. A life of quiet effectiveness, marked by a record of many duties well done and many responsibilities faithfully fulfilled, was that of the late, C. B. Goodrich, who died in Lawrence in 1910 at the age of sixty-six. He was one of those quiet unassuming men, rarely known to the world in general, but worthily filling the niche in the affairs of life allotted to them. Of Canadian nativity, born at Sarnia, he was brought to the United States when very young and was reared in and about Kankakee, Illinois. The first service in his quiet routine … Read more

Biography of Knut J. Knutson

Knut J. Knutson. Three quarters of a century is the measure of a long lifetime. It is a sufficient time in which to accomplish all those things which men most desire. These seventy-five years from birth to old age have been well utilized by Knut Knutson of Saline County. Mr. Knutson came to Central Kansas over forty years ago, and while he had many hardships and difficulties in establishing a home and maintaining it in earlier years, he came to the age of three score and ten with all that he might reasonably desire. He had ample material possessions in … Read more

Biography of John D. M. Conrad

John D. M. Conrad. Among the most interesting men of Salina are those who can justly be named pioneers of this fair city. They have a wealth of experience that no later comers can claim, and it is because of their courage and enterprise that such rich and rapid development had taken place. In John D. M. Conrad, who is the only survivor of a once very important body, the first city council of Salina, is found not only a pioneer of this section but also a veteran of honorable record of the great Civil war. John D. M. Conrad … Read more

Biography of Hugh H. Morrison

Hugh H. Morrison. The history of Salina from beginning to the present time was like an open book to Hugh H. Morrison, who went to that section of Kansas when it was far out on the frontier and before Kansas had become a state of the Union. For over fifty-five years he lived there, and the farm which he once cultivated had gradually been absorbed within the city limits of Salina. His was a prominent part in connection with the various movements and events of Salina’s early history. Mr. Morrison was born August 8, 1836, in a log house on … Read more

Biography of Levi D. Hill

Levi D. Hill is an old timer in Saline County and is now living retired at Salina. His had been a long and creditable career, and as a young man he served as a soldier of the Union in the Civil war. He was born January 8, 1844, in a one-room log house on a farm in Johnson County, Indiana, a son of Squire S. and Mary Ann (Cunningham) Hill. His father was born in Kentucky and his mother in Indiana. Squire Hill was born February 17, 1810, and died August 5, 1886, at Tipton, Indiana. Throughout his active career … Read more

Biography of Charles S. Walker

The Farmers Union of Kansas is a branch of the great national organization known as The Farmers Educational and Co-operative Union, with business headquarters at Atlanta, Georgia. C. S. Barrett is president of the national organization. This organization had a membership of 2,500,000, located in thirty-one different states. The head office of the Kansas organization is at Salina, and the president of The State Farmers Union is Maurice McAuliffe, while the manager, with headquarters at Kansas City, Kansas, is Mr. Charles S. Walker. The Kansas Union had 50,000 members, and had undoubtedly been the greatest single factor in creating a … Read more

Biography of Andrew G. Beck

Andrew G. Beck is entitled to distinction among the pioneers of Saline County, Kansas, where his family located, among the first of the Swedish colonists, nearly half a century ago. Mr. Beck’s material affairs have been wonderfully prospered. At the same time he had shouldered a large share of those responsibilities which devolve upon good citizenship. In helping himself he had helped others and his name is everywhere spoken with honor and respect. His birth occurred in Sweden May 20, 1860. His parents were Nelse Johnson and Maria (Johnson) Beck. His father was born March 1, 1832. It was in … Read more

Biography of Thomas Watson Roach

Thomas Watson Roach, for twenty-one years president of Kansas Wesleyan Business College, and a former president of Kansas Wesleyan University at Salina, had not merely found but had made for himself a distinctive place in educational history of the Sunflower State. He came to Kansas more than forty years ago. His name is closely associated with several progressive movements in Kansas educational affairs. He was the pioneer worker for the consolidation of country school districts. He also did the first practical work toward procuring uniformity of text books throughout the state. But even more important than all this he will … Read more