Shawnee County KS

Biography of Harry A. Mendenhall

Harry A. Mendenhall. Though his home is in the largest city of Kansas, Harry A. Mendenhall’s business and civic activities have been such as to constitute him one of the best known men of Kansas City, Kansas. For nearly thirty years he had given his best time and energy to the building up of an organization and equipment for the efficient handling of local traffic and freight in the transfer line, he is a former sheriff of Wyandotte County, and is also prominent as a banker. He was born January 11, 1865, on a farm at the edge of the … Read more

Biography of George N. Holmes

George N. Holmes. For thirty-two years an employe of the legal department of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, at the general offices at Topeka, few men are better known or more highly respected than is George N. Holmes. Prior to the time he entered the employ of this line, Mr. Holmes had many interesting and remarkable experiences, and his career is one which exemplifies the value of perseverance, fidelity and integrity in gaining position and fortune. George N. Holmes was born at Stamford, Lincolnshire, England, January 11, 1853. His father, George Holmes, was a native of Norfolk, in … Read more

Biography of Frank M. Stahl

If all the events, circumstances and movements with which Frank M. Stahl had been identified since he came to Kansas should be written out in detail the result would be a Kansas history perhaps as complete and certainly as interesting and instructive as could be written with one life as the central feature. To do full justice to such a career is manifestly impossible within brief limits, and the following must be in the nature of a suggestive outline of the career of one of the noted pioneer Kansans still alive, and an honored resident of Topeka. Born in Darke … Read more

Biography of Mahlon F. Stout

Mahlon F. Stout. Many of the finest citizens of Kansas were never heard of outside of their home state. Their names in fact have not been generally known outside of their home communities and counties. They led quiet, unostentatious lives. They did the duties which lay nearest them, they were honest, straightforward, beloved and idolized in their home, upheld all the moral virtues and practically everything which their lives touched was benefited thereby. Such a citizen was the late Mahlon F. Stout of Williamsport Township in Shawnee County. He did not live to a great age, but he filled his … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Allen A. Alderfer

Allen A. Alderfer had been a merchant and connected with different enterprises in Topeka for many years, and is one of the well known citizens. He came to Kansas when he was about twenty-one years of age. He was born at Sterling, Illinois, August 16, 1865, a son of Philip and Matilda (Siegfried) Alderfer. Both parents were natives of Pennsylvania, his father of Laneaster, and from that state he moved to Akron, Ohio, and later to Sterling, Illinois, where he is now living retired. He spent his active business career as a cigar maker and farmer. The mother died in … Read more

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 George Hughes

George Hughes. Since coming to the United States, in 1882, George Hughes had been connected with the management of vast farming and ranching enterprises. For years he took care of the interests of others, in both Texas and Kansas, but during the past five years had been carrying on operations on his own account, and is now the owner of a handsome property on Rochester Road, north of North Topeka, which is known as the Stanley farm. George Hughes was born at Brighton, England, in 1865, and is a son of Thomas H. and Frances (Ford) Hughes. His father was … Read more

Biography of Abraham Buckles Jetmore

Abraham Buckles Jetmore. The late Abraham Buckles Jetmore was one of the most forceful figures of the Kansas bar from the year 1878 until his death, March 1, 1908. During that period he gave his strength, mind, heart and talents to the upbuilding of his adopted city and state, and while engaged in discharging the duties related to a large and important practice, gave his best efforts to the cause of prohibition and toward the establishment of an honest public administration. Mr. Jetmore was born at Muncie, Delaware County, Indiana, May 25, 1837, the seventh son of John Isaac and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Frank Adgate Quail

Quail, Frank Adgate; Henderson, Quail & Siddall; lawyers; born, Canonsburg, Pa., June 18, 1865; educated, public schools, and graduated Washburn College, Topeka, Kas., 1887, degree A. B.; University of Michigan, 1889, degree LL. B.; began practice in Cleveland the same year; January, 1895, entered the firm of Henderson & Quail; firm changed to Henderson, Quail & Siddall, in 1904, G. B. Siddall being added; director in a number of corporations doing business in Northern Ohio; member Union, Euclid, University, and Colonial Clubs, and Chamber of Commerce; Democrat.

Biographical Sketch of W. A. L. Thompson

More than ordinary interest always attaches to the man who builds up a business, whether it be a farm, a store is factory or whatsoever establishment that serves the peeple in its line and had the usefulness of an institution. Forty years of careful and painetaking merchandising have been behind the well known Topeka house of W. A. L. Thompson Hardware Company, one of the oldest and most standard mercantile firms of the state. Born near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, April 18, 1848, W. A. L. Thompson was reared in his native state, and lived in Philadelphia from 1866 until he came … Read more

Biography of Gilbert Leroy Jordan

Gilbert Leroy Jordan. Through persistent aspiration and unceasing labor, Gilbert LeRoy Jordan has won his way to the most satisfying and stable compensation of business life. Still a young man, with his best years before him, he is at the head of one of Topeka’s prominent business establishments, the College Hill Bakery, located at 1509 Lane Street, an enterprise which he has built up solely through his own efforts. Mr. Jordan commenced his business career without the aiding influences afforded by the possession of financial resources and has been the builder of his own fortune. He has kept persistently at … Read more

Biography of Freeman E. Nipps

Freeman E. Nipps is one of the veteran railroad men of Kansas. Like many who have found success in that army of industrial workers, he began at a country station and as a telegraph operator. For more than a quarter of a century he has been the agent of the Missouri Pacific Railway at Topeka. Unlike many railway men, he has at the same time identified himself closely with local affairs, and at the present time his name is familiarly known throughout Shawnee County as chairman of the board of commissioners. Though most of his life has been spent within … Read more

Biography of Albert W. Knowles

Albert W. Knowles. Topeka recently had cause to mourn the death of two pioneer citizens and able and successful business men, Albert W. Knowles and his brother Charles O. Knowles, both of whom passed away within a few days of each other. At the time of his death on October, 1916, Albert W. Knowles was vice president of the Bank of Topeka, with which he had been identified twenty-eight years, and he had been a resident of Topeka since the age of twenty. His father was Joshua Knowles, whose name also deserves the distinction of mention in any history of … Read more

Biography of James A. Paull

James A. Paull, present county treasurer of Ellsworth County, had long been identified with business, industrial and civic affairs in this section of Kansas. Mr. Paull had a very interesting ancestry. The family originated in Alsace Lorraine, immigrated to England, and from that county Richard Paull established the name in America. Richard Paull was born in 1615 and at the age of twenty, in June, 1635, embarked on the “True Love de London” for the Bermudas. He soon settled in Massachusetts and on November 7, 1638, married Margery Turner, of Cohasset, now Taunton, Massachusetts. There are several public records concerning … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Marcus J. Parrott

Marcus J. Parrott, the second delegate to Congress from Kansas Territory, was born at Hamburg, South Carolina, October 27, 1828. He received both a classical and a legal education and served two terms in the Ohio Legislature (having located for practice at Dayton) previous to becoming a resident of Leavenworth in 1855. At the first session of the Territorial Supreme Court, which commenced in July of that year, he was appointed reporter of the decisions, and in October was elected a delegate to the Topeka Constitutional Convention. He acted as a lawyer of the defense in the trial of Governor … Read more

Biography of Andrew Scott

Andrew Scott. A companion of the early days of Shawnee County and a sharer in the prosperity unfolded by the zeal and understanding of its tireless workers, Andrew Scott had spent his career in the pursuit of agriculture, and at the present time is the owner of 240 acres of finely developed land, located north of North Topeka. When he came to Kansas, in 1867, he was a young man without prospects, save as they were represented by a keen ambition, willing hands and a strong heart, but these were put to such good account that he had steadily advanced … Read more

Biography of Jeptha D. Vawter

Jeptha D. Vawter. In the task of giving credit to the men who made Kansas, it would be difficult to single out one who was more deserving of a place among those makers and builders than the late Jeptha D. Vawter of Shawnee County. He had much to do with the early history of that county, and what he accomplished, the ideals he lived for, and the influences that emanated from his life, are still vital and quickening. His was a long as well as a useful life. He was born in Todd County, Kentucky, July 18, 1809. By character … Read more

Biography of John Kiene

John Kiene is one of the younger men in the educational affairs of the state and is principal of the high school at Madison. Mr. Kiene is broadly and liberally educated, and had a practical knowledge that comes not from books alone. He was born on a farm at Valencia, Kansas, December 30, 1893. His father is Mr. F. A. Kiene, a well known citizen of Shawnee County now living on his farm near Topeka. He was born in 1834 in Alsace Lorraine, France, but in 1846, as a boy of twelve, was brought to America by his parents, who … Read more

Biography of Albert A. Robinson

There are any number of sufficient reasons why a sketch of Albert A. Robinson should have an important place in the history of Kansas. His home had been in the state for the greater part of half a century. The parent lines of the great Santa Fe system originated in Kansas, and arnong the builders of the Santa Fe Mr. Robinson had been pronounced “the greatest builder of them all.” In this case biography and history go hand in hand and the significant story of the upbuilding of a great railroad system and the development of a large part of … Read more

Biography of Dr. Louis Ostrom

Dr. Louis Ostrom, A. B. M. D., was born in Helsingland, Sweden, May 1, 1874, and came to America when six years old. His father is a pipe-organ builder, known among hundreds of churches all over the country. Young Ostrom attended public schools, and as soon as he was able to work, was at one time or another employed during vacations in nearly all the shops of Moline. After becoming a student of Augustana College, he worked during the different vacations as section hand on the street car line, printer in a job office, and pressman to the Moline Daily … Read more