Washington Kansas

Biography of James Blair Lower

James Blair Lower, president of the First National Bank of Washington, is a banker of long and active experience, and represents a family in which the financial ability had been highly developed, two of his brothers being also well known western bankers. Mr. Lower had spent most of his life in Kansas, but was born at Lenark in Carroll County, Illinois, July 30, 1860. A number of generations back his first American ancestors came out of Europe and settled in Pennsylvania. His father was of German descent and his mother of Irish-Scotch descent, her father being Irish and her mother … Read more

Biography of August Soller

August Soller. With all the wealth of opportunity America presents to young men of ambition it required exceptional ability, long perseverance and character to attain such an enviable position as August Soller now enjoys as a banker and business man at Washington. Even a brief outline of his career is an object lesson in American achievement. He was born in Switzerland, August 27, 1857. Left an orphan at an early age, having only the bare fundamentals of an education, he determined to come to America. As a boy he worked in factories and in other lines of employment and finally … Read more

Biography of David E. Ballard

David E. Ballard is living retired at Washington, Kansas, at the age of eighty-one. Most of his active contemporaries in the strenuous achievements of his earlier years have long since passed away. Mr. Ballard is one of the few survivors of the prominent Kansans who actually laid the foundation of the state. His name is especially associated with the organization of Washington County and the establishment of Washington as its county seat. It was only a few years ago that he disposed of many of his extensive interests, and is now devoting his life to rest and travel. He had … Read more

Biography of Walter E. Wilson

Walter E. Wilson, banker and business man at Washington, is the present bank commissioner of Kansas. His appointment had brought additional credit upon Governor Capper’s administration as one of those that reflect thorough business administration of state affairs. A native of Kansas and of a pioneer family, Mr. Wilson was born at Manhattan August 21, 1871. He is of an old Virginia family, the Wilsons having come from England and first settled at Jamestown in Colonial times and afterwards moving to the western portion of the state in what is now West Virginia. Their affiliations were all with the North … Read more

Biography of A. W. Matthews

A. W. Matthews, former county official, had been active in business affairs at Washington for upwards of twenty years, and had a well established business in real estate and loans. He individually owned considerable farming property and had made all he had by close attention to business and honorable and straight-forward relations. Mr. Matthews was born on his father’s homestead in Cloud County, Kansas, November 23, 1874. His father, W. T. Matthews, who now lives at Miltonvale, Kansas, was born in Iowa in 1848. When he was a boy his parents moved to Kirksville, Missouri. Grand-father Matthews was in business … Read more

Biographical Sketch of David E. Ballard

A native of Franklin County, Vermont, David E. Ballard is a leading citizen and a prosperous farmer of Washington, and looks back with still keen interest to the days of nearly sixty years ago, when he assisted in the civil organization of his county and his state. He was born March 20, 1837, of English and Revolutionary ancestors. When he was a boy his father, Appleton Ballard, moved to Morrow County, Ohio, not to cultivate the land, but to provide his family with a home while he fared forth on the high seas of the East. While thus engaged, he … Read more

Biography of Robert Algie, M. D.

Robert Algie, M. D. A physician and surgeon of exceptional attainments, Doctor Algie had been engaged in a large and growing practice at Linn for the past fourteen years. His home had been in Kansas since early youth. Doctor Algie was born in Glasgow Scotland, March 22, 1874. His grandfather, James Algie, was born at Paisley, where the famous shawls come from, and spent his life there as a carpenter, his death occurring at Paisley before Doctor Algie was born. He married Margaret McCallum, who likewise spent her life in Scotland. Of their children only one is now living, Margaret, … Read more

Biography of Paul C. Swan

Paul C. Swan, of Washington, is an all around and thorough business man, and had demonstrated his ability to handle many varied enterprises successfully. He is a native of Kansas and had spent most of his active business career in the northern part of the state. His birth occurred in Republic County, August 5, 1868. His grandfather Swan was a Scotchman who immigrated from his native land to Canada. His father, J. W. Swan, was born at Toronto, Ontario, in 1843, and when a boy went with his parents to Wisconsin, where he grew up and married at Stevens Point. … Read more

Biography of S. T. Yoder

S. T. Yoder, vice president of the Farmers State Bank of Washington, had been a Kansas business man for over thirty years and had acquired many important interests to identify him with Washington County. Mr. Yoder is of the old Pennsylvania stock of Yoders, a family that originated in Switzerland and was planted in Pennsylvania during the very early colonial period in that state. Mr. Yoder himself is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Somerset County May 3, 1851. His father, Benedict Yoder, who was born in the same county, spent his life in that county as an active farmer, … Read more

Biography of William James Phillips M. D.

William James Phillips, M. D. The community of Beaumont, Kansas, esteems Dr. William J. Phillips as its pioneer physician and surgeon and as a man whose capable efforts have been directed through a long period of years largely to the service of his fellow men. Doctor Phillips had gained his best recognition in a comparatively limited community, and had been well satisfied to do his work there and to merit the esteem and respect of those closest to him. Many men more widely known have not accomplished so much in that work which is so vitally necessary to human welfare. … Read more