Biography of Frank Snow Crane

Frank Snow Crane, who had been a citizen of Kansas all his life, represents a family that had left its impress on Kansas affairs for fully sixty years, and is a son of one of Topeka’s most prominent business men, the late George W. Crane, whose life was a part of Topeka history, and is sketched on other pages. Since the death of his honored father Frank S. Crans had been at the head of Crane & Company, one of the largest publishing and printing concerns in the Middle West. A son of George W. and Ella (Rain) Crane, Frank … 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

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 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

Biography of Howard Dwight Pinkham

Howard Dwight Pinkham. Following is the record of a very successful Kansas business man and farmer. A citizen of New England antecedents and training, he was for many years a resident of Kansas, and toward the close of his life a farmer in Walnut Township of Saline County near Mentor. Born January 4, 1847, at North Chelsea, Massachusetts, Howard Dwight Pinkham was a son of Vincent and Lois (Low) Pinkham, both of whom were New Englanders. He was one of twelve children, the only survivor of whom is Herbert L., who lives at Salina. The other children were named James, … Read more

Biography of Ernest Fritchof Swanson

Ernest Fritchof Swanson. While Kansas gave its approval by liberal majority to the national administration in the election of 1916, it is noteworthy that the normally republican counties retained their political complexion and with few exceptions returned republicans to local offices. One of these exceptions occurred in Saline County, where with a normal republican majority of 500, Ernest Fritchof Swanson, the democratic candidate, was elected sheriff by a majority of 1,243 over his republican opponent. Long experience in the sheriff’s office, unusual qualifications for his official duties, and strong personal popularity were no doubt the principal factors in Mr. Swanson’s … Read more

Biographical Sketch of A. N. Keeler

Keeler Brothers, Perhaps no more attractive town in Mitchell County, Kansas, can be found than the one that bears the name of Scottsville, which might now celebrate its thirty-eighth birthday, although it was not incorporated for a number of years afterward. It had made wonderful progress since first laid out in 1878, and from then on down to the present great credit must be given for the same to the Keeler family, for it had been continuously identified with all the substantial development here. Ira B. and A. N. Keeler, under the firm style of Keeler Brothers, are the leading … Read more

Biography of Herman H. Sudendorf

Herman H. Sudendorf was born in Hanover, Germany, October 10, 1832, and came to the United States in 1848, locating at Cincinnati, Ohio, where he learned and followed the carpenter trade. In 1859 he removed with his family to Kansas and continued to work at his trade for ten more years. In 1868 he embarked in the lumber business at Salina with Mr. C. Eberhardt, they having opened one of the first lumber yards in the town. The partnership was dissolved in 1891, Mr. Sudendorf afterward continuing the enterprise alone, and the business is yet carried on in his name. … Read more

Biography of Fred N. Adam

Fred N. Adam. The popular and energetic postmaster of Longton, Kansas, Fred N. Adam, who was appointed to this office in April, 1916, had been a resident of Longton since 1911, and had been well known in mercantile circles as one of the proprietors of the establishment conducted under the style of Adam Brothers. Almost immediately upon his arrival here he became known as a live and energetic citizen, capable of handling official duties, and his appointment as postmaster was preceded by several terms of good work as a member of the local council. Mr. Adam is a native son … Read more

Biography of Hugh Carlin

Hugh Carlin. From their quiet firesided in their comfortable homes at Salina, Kansas, there are men now retired from active life who can recall without an effort of memory the days when this busy city was little more than an Indian camping ground and pioneer conditions existed for miles adjacent. The hardy men who have been the upbuilders of Saline County have known both stirring times and hardships. They have lived in dugouts, have pursued and killed game for sustenance and have suffered from the depredations and offenses of hostile Indians. In counting the years they do not seem so … Read more

Biography of Scyrenous F. Lewis

Scyrenous F. Lewis represents a pioneer family in Saline County, where the Lewises located in 1871, when he was only eleven years of age. Most of his mature career had been spent within the boundaries of that county, though he also identified himself with the pioneer opening of Oklahoma and was a homesteader in that country for five or six years. Mr. Lewis had been a practical farmer and also a merchant at Bavaria, and is still in business at that town and is new serving as postmaster. His grandfather Lewis came from Wales. His father, Enoch Lewis, was born … Read more

Biography of Bryce Muir

Bryce Muir is one of the prominent pioneers of Saline County, Kansas. He had lived in that locality more than fifty years, and if any man can be accounted an authority on the early history and development of that section of the state it is this genial and well known old timer. Prosperity had come to him in large measure during these long years, but he still prefers to keep his home on his fine farm near Salina, on rural route No. 2. He was born September 9, 1840, in Scotland. He had many of the characteristics that have made … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Felix Broeker

Felix Broeker. The astonishing growth of the Globe Life Insurance Company within the brief period of its existence is excellent evidence of the progresaive spirit of the Kansas people when they have been assured of the benefits derivable from an enterprise. This Salina organization, founded in December, 1915, had grown by leaps and bounds, and if its past success may be taken as a criterion for the future the company is due within a comparatively short space of time to take its position among the leading insurance institutions of the Middle West. Much of the success of this concern must … Read more

Biography of Cleveland D. Miller

Cleveland D. Miller is one of the progressive and substantial younger farmers of Saline County. His home is Smolan Township and as the owner of 560 acres of land, devoted to alfalfa and other staple crops, he stands in the forefront of Saline County agriculturists. His far has all the improvements, and he had naturally allied himself with every movement for the betterment of his home community. He was born in the same locality where he now resided April 14, 1886. His parents were Valentine W. and Sarah (Barley) Miller. Valentine Miller was born in 1836 at Limestone, Tennessee, and … Read more

Biography of Edward A. Hood

Edward A. Hood, cashier of the Greenleaf State Bank, had had an active career in Kansas for a number of years, at first in the lumber business and leter as a banker. Mr. Hood did not begin life as the son of a wealthy family, but had gained his opportanities by hard work and constant vigilance. He was born at Salem, Arkansas, October 5, 1878. His ancestors in the paternal line were Scotch people. His grandfather, Graham W. Hood, was born in Scotland, came to this country when a young man and settled in Missouri among the pioneers, and for … Read more

Biography of John Henry Prescott

John Henry Prescott. At the close of the Civil war, in which he had played a gallant role as a Union soldier and had attained the rank of captain, Mr. Prescott came out to Kansas and from that time until his death on July 5, 1891, was a notable figure in the life and affairs of Salina and that part of the state. He attained high rank as a lawyer and as a jurist, and was also remarkably successful in business affairs. His name and memory may well be cherished by his descendants and by the people of the entire … Read more

Biography of Claus J. Sjogren

Claus J. Sjogren is not only one of the pioneers in the agricultural district of Saline County, but as much as any other citizen had had a part in the progress and upbuilding of that flourishing little Town of Smolan, a name that reflects and preserves the native district in Sweden from which many of the early colonists here came. Mr. Sjogren had at different times been a figure in the commercial life of Smolan, and is now well to do and influential though at one time he was dependent entirely upon his manual labor and had come to America … Read more

Biography of August Bondi

August Bondi was a splendid figure in the annals of Kansas for fully half a century, and had been fitly described as soldier and patriot and one of the immortal followers of John Brown. From the city of culture and of old world civilization, Vienna, Austria, it is a far cry to the plains of Kansas where were performed those deeds which will ring down through history. August Bondi was born at Vienna July 21, 1833, a son of Hart Emanuel and Martha (Frankl) Bondi, who were also natives of Vienna. His father was a Jewish manufacturer of cotton goods. … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Joseph A. Muir

One of the farms that gives a character of progressiveness to Saline County is owned and occupied by Joseph A. Muir, one of the younger representatives of the agricultural industry in this state. This farm is near Mentor in Walnut Township. It is a farm that Mr. Muir had known all his life and he was born there. He had 200 acres of land, and well adapted for the raising of alfalfa, which is one of his principal crops. In every point it is modern in equipment and facilities. He had substantial buildings, including barns and silos for the care … Read more

Biography Of Alden C. Hillman, A. M.

Alden C. Hillman, A. M. One of the venerable educators of Kansas was Alden C. Hillman, of Salina, whose death occurred on the 24th of January, 1917. Mr. Hillman was the first man selected for a position in the faculty of the Kansas Wesleyan University. He began his work as an educator before the war, was very prominent in the State of Illinois in school work for many years, and for more than thirty years was a resident of Kansas. He was born May 23, 1832, at Charleston, New York, a son of Ezra and Permelia (Horton) Hillman. Both parents … Read more