Sumner County KS

Biography of Hon. Charles P. Hangen

Hon. Charles P. Hangen, who has recently finished his second term as member of the State Legislature, is one of the prominent bankers of Sumner County, being cashier of the National Bank of Commerce at Wellington. He was born in Darke County, Ohio, November 9, 1877, but has lived in Kansas since 1882. In that year his parents, Christian and Sarah Hangen, came to Kansas and located six miles southwest of Wellington on the farm still owned by Mrs. Hangen. Christian Hangen was a native of Germany and his wife of Ohio. He was successfully identified with general farming and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Sutton, M.W.

M. W. Sutton, attorney at law, of the firm of Sutton & Wenie. Mr. Sutton first came to Wellington, Sumner Co., Kan., in May, 1872, and practiced law until December of same year, when he went to Medicine Lodge, Barber County, and continued his profession until June 1,1876, thence located permanently in Dodge City, where he has since practiced law. He was County Attorney for Barber County two years and resigned; County Attorney for Ford County from November 1, 1876 until March 1882. He was born in Orange County, N. Y., 1848, and was raised in Tompkins County, living there … Read more

Biography of Peter J. Ringler

Peter J. Ringler, who is manager and part owner of the Parsons Bottling Works, one of the largest concerns of its kind in the state, has had a very active and successful business career. He was born in Livingston County, Illinois, December 14, 1868. His grandfather Peter Ringler was born in Kurhessen, Germany, came to the United States about 1876 after his wife had died in Germany, and lived on a farm in Livingston County, Illinois, until his death. In Germany he was a contractor for the building of railroads, and he also served his regular term in the German … Read more

Biography of Abraham Lincoln Barner

Some of the most substantial people of Kansas today, well able to ride about over the improved highways in their automobiles, came into the state in the early days with the slow and tedious method of the prairie schooner or the mover’s wagon. Such an emigrant party arrived in Sumner County in 1873. They had come overland from Central Illinois, being twenty-six days on route. Three wagons comprised the train, and the driver of one of those wagons, then thirteen years of age, was Abrabam Lincoln Barner, who is now living retired at Belle Plaine in Sumner County, and for … Read more

Old German Lutheran Churchyard Cemetery, Argonia, Sumner, Kansas

(6 miles north, ¾ mile west of Argonia, Sumner, Kansas) This cemetery was on June 17, 1961 grown up in brush and back from the road. Most bodies had been removed to other burial places when the church was dismantled several years ago. There are no buildings at the site at this time, and like many other old cemeteries may not be in existence for many years. FITZ Herman C., b. 20 Dec. 1912, d. 27 Dec. 1912. Son of August and Anna Fits. MULLER Ralph F., b. 15 Mar. 1923, d. 9 June 1923. Son of F. and E. … Read more

Biography of Ray Broomfield

Ray Broomfield is one of the youngest bank officials in Kansas. He went with the Neal State Bank as cashier upon its organization in October, 1915, and his thorough knowledge of banking and his genial personality were a decided factor in the success of that institution. Mr. Broomfield is now cashier of the Home State Bank, Clearwater, Kansas. The Neal State Bank was started as a state bank and had a capital of $10,000. The officers are: A. N. McQuown of Wichita, president; C. W. Boone of Neal, vice president. Mr. Broomfield was born at Milton, Kansas, April 21, 1891, … Read more

Biography of Owen Jason Wood

Owen Jason Wood is a lawyer by profession, had been a resident of Topeka since 1890, and for many years had been assistant solicitor for Kansas of The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company. He gained his first knowledge of life in the world in the northwest corner of Indiana, in Lake County. He was born at Crown Point, the county seat, August 10, 1853. His parents were Martin and Susan G. (Taylor) Wood. His father owned a farm and represented one of the early pioneer families of Northwestern Indians and he was a lawyer by profession, and was … Read more

Biography of George H. Hunter

George H. Hunter, a resident of Wellington almost forty years, is one of the leading millers of the state, is president of the oldest bank in Wellington, and has also given much of his time and energies to public affairs, being the present mayor of Wellington. He was born on a farm near Circleville, Ohio, December 1, 1849, one of the five children of Alexander M. and Sophia (Zepp) Hunter, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Pennsylvania. Sophia Zepp was of Pennsylvania Dutch extraction, and when a child was brought to Ohio by her uncle and … Read more

Biography of Grant Elwood Kelsey

Grant Elwood Kelsey. General farming and the raising of live stock are engaging the attention of many foresighted men in Kansas. Many of these have additional interests as had Grant Elwood Kelsey, a well known citizen and prosperons agriculturist of Menoken Township, Shawnee County, but their land and its rich yielding occupies the first place in their affections. Grant Elwood Kelsey was born on a farm in Dearborn County, Indiana, March 14, 1867. His parents were Scott and Mahala (Allen) Kelsey, who are mentioned elsewhere in this work. He attended the country schools in Indiana and later near Topeka, Kansas, … Read more

Morris Center Cemetery, Sumner County, Kansas

(Loc. 7 miles south, 1 mile east of Argonia, Sumner, Kansas) ALTON Solomon, b. 19 June 1849, d. 13 Apr. 1886. ANTHONY Adams, d. 5 May 1881, ae. 19 yrs., 6 mos., 6 days. Child of N. and A. Anthony. Jare Lee, no dates. Child of John N. and Leona Anthony. ASHER Henry P., d. 27 May 1881, ae. 10 days. Child of J. I. and Mary F. Asher. Mary F., d. 21 May 1881, ae. 38 yrs., 1 mo., 21 days. BAGGITT Nancy, d. 26 Mar. 1882, ae. 57 yrs., 11 mos., 9 days. BEAM Gean, d. 6 Aug. … Read more

Biography of Clifford C. Nesselrode, M. D.

Clifford C. Nesselrode, M. D. In 1906 there came to Kansas City, a young graduate in medicine who entered St. Margaret’s Hospital as an interne. Very modest was this young man as to his acquirements but not much time elapsed before his medical knowledge and his surgical skill were noted and approved, and at the present time no practitioner enjoys more public confidence or personal esteem than does Dr. Clifford C. Nesselrode. In addition to attending to a large and constantly increasing private practice, he is on the staffs of St. Margaret and Bethany hospitals and on the surgical staff … Read more

Biography of Frank McClellan

Frank McClellan. After many years employed as an educator in Kansas, Frank McClellan turned his attention to business affairs at Coffeyville, and now has one of the leading offices there for insurance and loans. His birthplace was Bedford, Pennsylvania, where he was born January 21, 1860. His grandfather, Abraham McClellan, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1798, came to the United States when a young man, becoming a farmer and stock raiser in Pennsylvania. He died at Rainsburg, Pennsylvania, in 1883. On account of his service in the state militia he was familiarly known as Captain McClellan. Captain McClellan married … Read more

Biography of John B. Favor

John B. Favor, present sheriff of Sumner County, has been a resident of Western Kansas for over forty-five years, and though he was a small boy when the family moved here he knows both by recollection and personal experience all the vicissitudes and trials that beset the early pioneers. This story of a pioneer Kansas family begins with the removal of Gaines and Susan (Lavender) Favor from their native state of Tennessee to a farm near Cairo, Illinois, in 1855. On that farm in the southern part of Illinois was born on January 22, 1860, John B. Favor, first mentioned … Read more

Biography of Henry Knight Brooks

Henry Knight Brooks of Topeka is a Kansas man by adoption, and is as loyal to the state as any native citizen. The state may properly congratulate itself that Mr. Brooks has found a congenial home here. As an inventor, manufacturer and practical all around mechanic he has a genius which has made his name familiar in industrial circles, not alone in Kansas but in many parts of the United States. For one thing he deserves credit for building up and developing the Capital Iron Works at Topeka, one of the cornerstones of that city’s industrial prosperity. However, that has … Read more

Biography of John C. Hoyt

John C. Hoyt became identified with the real estate, loan and insurance business at El Dorado over thirty years ago. He is the dean in that line of business in Butler County, and the reputation for honesty and integrity which had become associated with his name through many long years had brought him all the business that his firm could attend to during the rapid development of Butler County’s resources in recent years. Mr. Hoyt was born near Bellevue, Ohio, September 3, 1860. His people have been identified with Northern Ohio since pioneer times. His grandfather, John Hoyt, was born … Read more

Biography of P. J. Concannon

P. J. Concannon. A well known business man of Emporia, Mr. Concannon had done much in recent years to keep that city up to date in the matter of theatrical and entertainment enterprises, but in earlier years he was variously identified with lumber manufacture, farming and had been a resident of the state almost continuously since early boyhood. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, May 7, 1863, a son of Martin and Anna (Walsh) Concannon. Both his parents were natives of County Mayo, Ireland, where the paternal grandfather spent his life. Anna Walsh’s mother, Julia Walsh, came to America … Read more

Biography of Ralph Chester Dixon

Ralph Chester Dixon. While many of the successful men represented in this publication have found their work as farmers, eattle men, merchants, bankers and in the professions, Ralph Chester Dixon had directed his energies practically along one line since leaving college and had made a notable success as a fruit grower and horticulturist in the vicinity of Arkansas City. He had a splendid fruit farm three miles northwest of the city, and is one of the leading commercial apple growers of the state. Mr. Dixon is a native of Kansas, born at Caldwell August 5, 1875. His people have lived … Read more

Biography of William H. Smith

William H. Smith. It is almost a half century that had crept around on the world’s clock since William H. Smith, one of Chanute’s substantial and respected citizens, came to Kansas, locating in Neosho County, where at present he is held in high esteem with the Old Settlers’ Association, of which he is president. With interest he had watched this section develop and had assisted very materially, ever lending his influence to law and order, encouraging the investment of capital, and setting an industrious example that might very profitably be emulated. William H. Smith was born January 25, 1846, in … Read more

Biography of Emil B. Roser

Emil B. Roser is one of those quiet and resourceful business men who accomplishes a great deal and makes very little fuss about it and only comes in for a share of public attention when faithful performance of duty requires it. Mr. Roser has been in the jewelry business at Wellington since January 10, 1883. He was born in the City of St. Louis January 27, 1867, one of the five children of Henry and Maria Theresa (Seyler) Roser. His father was a native of Germany and his mother of France, both lived for some years in Nancy, France, and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of J.C. O.Morse

J. C. O. Morse, who was the first superintendent of the State Reformatory at Hutchison, a former member of the State Board of Railroad Commissioners and now president of the Kansas Casualty and Surety Company of Wichita, had had a long and prominent career in Kansas. He is an able business man and the efficiency of business characterized all his public work. His name is widely known among financial and business circles, and he had attained that position after beginning life as a Kansas farmer. His home had been in Kansas since he was about thirteen years of age. He … Read more