Wichita Kansas

Biography of W. S. Mourning

The successful contractor is not only a skilled mechanic but must also possess the qualifications of sound business judgment and above all a thorough integrity and honesty in carrying out every detail of his work. Those are the qualities at the basis of W. S. Mourning’s success as a contraetor of Wichita. While one of the younger men in the business in Kansas, he had a record of many contracts successfully carried out and his business is still growing. He was born at Quincy, Illinois, May 22, 1883. In 1884 his parents moved to Northwestern Kansas, his father taking up … Read more

Biography of Joseph Newton Allen

Extensively interested in farming and also identified with the oil industry of the southwest, Joseph Newton Allen has made for himself an enviable place as a business man in Muskogee. Born on the 7th of February, 1868, in Greencastle, Indiana, he comes of Scotch-Irish ancestry, through a line of Virginia and Kentucky pioneers, being the eighth son of a seventh son and the seventeenth child in a family of eighteen children. His early education was acquired in the public schools of Greencastle, which is the seat of DePauw University, formerly known as Asbury University. When his public school course was … Read more

Herndon, Marchieta L. Blank – Obituary

Marchieta L. Blank Herndon, 76, died at home in Wichita, Kans., with her husband at her side, after a battle with cancer. Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Monday at the Cove Cemetery. Loveland Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Mrs. Herndon was born in February 1930 at Personia, Okla., to Roy and Agnes Sheppard. In 1962 she married Robert L. Blank, who preceded her in death in 1981. She then married Robert Herndon in 1984. She is survived by her husband, Robert Herndon of Wichita; children and their spouses, Terrine and Chuck Warriner of Salt Lake City, Zane and … Read more

Biography of Raymond C. Clapp, M. D.

Raymond C. Clapp, M. D. A young man who availed himself of the best of modern facilities and scientific advantages in preparing himself for his exacting profession, Doctor Clapp has won assured status as one of the representative physicians and surgeons engaged in practice in the City of Wichita, where his success has been on a parity with his unqualified personal popularity. Doctor Clapp was born at Lebanon, Virginia, on the 26th of September, 1880, and in the schools of his native place he continued his studies until his graduation in the high school. He then had the privilege of … Read more

Biography of Herbert K. Lindsley

Herbert K. Lindsley. Recognized as one of the leading commercial centers of the West, the City of Wichita has advanced rapidly in recent years along particular lines. Its geographical location and railroad facilities have made it the largest market in the world for broom corn. In the handling of broom corn, an important figure is Herbert K. Lindsley, president of the American Warehouse Company, whose career is typical of modern progress and advancement. It is not necessary to seek far for the reason for his success, or his indefatigable energy, close application and progressive methods have not only laid the … Read more

Biography of Robert E. Lawrence

Robert E. Lawrence was one of the pioneers and one of the important upbuilders of the City of Wichita. The land he pre-empted from the Government and used for farming and stock raising purposes many years is now included within the city limits, and much of it is built over with residences, business houses and institutions. By strenuous effort and much self denial in early days, he acquired a liberal prosperity, but dispensed it liberally and left his impress on much of the city’s progress. He was of New England birth and ancestry, and was born at Canaan, Connecticut, December … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Harry A. Lawrence

Harry A. Lawrence, who for a number of years has been a factor in the business life of Wichita and in other parts of the Southwest, was born at Wichita December 5, 1884. He attended the city schools and in 1903 graduated from Lewis Academy of Wichita, and in 1906 finished the course at Hanover College in Indiana. On leaving college he entered the employ of Davidson & Case Lumber Company as auditor for their Oklahoma business. In May, 1913, Mr. Lawrence and his brother Charles S. bought the Orient Lumber Company, immediately reorganizing it as the King-Lawrence Lumber Company, … Read more

Biography of J. M. Massey

J. M. Massey. One of the live and prosperous communities of Southeastern Kansas which is offering unsurpassed opportunities for the development of men and large business interests is the growing City of Chanute. In this locality may be found many of the raw materials, or they can be easily obtained through railroad shipments. Here is an immense local market, and here are the men, solid, reliable and aggressive, ready and willing to push ahead to the ultimate end whatever enterprise they connect themselves with. Once an individual establishes himself in the line for which he is best fitted, if he … Read more

DeMoss, Dorothy “Dot” Mrs. – Obituary

Oxbow, Oregon Dorothy “Dot” DeMoss, 57, of Oxbow died April 13, 2002, of injuries from an automobile accident. There was a Celebration of Life memorial service for her on Friday at the Oxbow Community Building. “Dot” was born on Jan. 3, 1945, at Wichita, Kan. “Dot” and Max initially met each other through mutual friends. She had, according to “Dot,” found the love of her life and married Max DeMoss in the spring of 1993. “Dot”enjoyed being with her friends as well as being a friend to so many. She loved the beauty of the Snake River Country. “Dot” enjoyed … Read more

Biography of Henry Carl Alwes

Henry Carl Alwes is manager of the Western Typesetting Company and president of the Gate City Directory Company of Kansas City, Missouri. He organized the latter company in 1911 and from the beginning had been its manager. Mr. Alwes had conquered obstacles in the path to success as he had met them. He is a man of versatile talents. He is a practical printer, is a pharmacist by profession, had filled offices of responsibility as editor and newspaper manager, linotype operator, and in other ways in connection with some of the best known newspapers of Kansas, Chicago and the Middle … Read more

Biography of J. H. Spines

J. H. Spines. The men who establish, organize and develop successful commercial establishments must possess many qualities out of the ordinary. Their insight into business conditions must be keen and far-reaching, their knowledge of values profound, and their ability to grasp opportunities unlimited. Without industrial and commercial interests no locality progresses, for such enterprises are the very life of a community. The investment and attraction of capital, the employment of labor and the consequent opening of new avenues of endeavor to meet newly created demands, all infuse blood into the veins of a section and endow it with new vigor … Read more

Biographical Sketch of H. A. McKee

H. A. McKee of Santa Ana, was born in Friendship, Allegany County, New York. At the age of seventeen years he entered the army, enlisting in the Twenty-third New York Volunteer Infantry, and served two years; then for several years he was engaged in the live-stock business in Kansas, and for a few years in merchandising at Wichita; married in Junction City, Kansas, in 1869, to Miss Jennie Paxton, a native of the Buckeye State. She has been a school-teacher; taught her first term in her native State and subsequently in West Virginia, Illinois, Kansas and Texas. Mr. McKee moved … Read more

Biography of Frank R. Glascock

After many years of activity in real estate circles of Haskell, Frank R. Glascock is now living retired at the age of seventy, having through industry, ability and perseverance accumulated a substantial competence which enables him to rest from further labor. He is a native of Ohio, his birth having occurred in Highland County on the 22d of February, 1851, and his parents were Joseph and Alcinda (Stone) Glascock, the former of whom was born in Culpeper County, Virginia. On starting out in life for himself Frank R. Glascock engaged in farming and merchandising at Hillsboro, Ohio, for a number … Read more

Biography of William Henry Craddock

William Henry Craddock. As the greatest calamity ever suffered by Kansas City, Kansas, was probably the flood of 1903, that year will always be memorable in the city’s history. Another event associated with that year was the death of William Henry Craddock, who had just completed a service of two years in the office of mayor. Mr. Craddock was stricken on March 2, 1903, and his death occurred on the 4th of the same month at the Savoy Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri. He was mourned by the entire city, and never any similar occasion in the city had brought … Read more

Biography of Martin S. Rochelle

A resident of Wichita for nearly forty years, the late Martin S. Rochelle here achieved distinctive success in connection with business affairs and was a citizen who commanded unequivocal esteem in the community. He was a native of the old Buckeye State and represented the same as a gallant soldier in the Civil war. Mr. Rochelle was born near Columbus, the capital city of Ohio, on the 25th of November, 1842, and at his home in the City of Wichita, Kansas, his death occurred February 25, 1908. He acquired his youthful education in the public schools of Columbus, and was … Read more

Biography of I. F. Sarver

I. F. Sarver. It was due to his personal popularity and his high business standing that I. F. Sarver was elected sheriff of Sedgwick County in 1914. It was the first and only office for which he was ever a candidate, and he was elected by a large majority by his wide circle of friends in both parties, and reelected in 1916 by a large majority. Sheriff Sarver is almost a native son of Kansas, having been brought to the state when two years of age, and is thoroughly typical of the splendid spirit of this commonwealth. He was born … Read more

Biography of Rev. James J. Barry

Rev. James J. Barry since his ordination as a priest of the Catholic Church had been identified with various Kansas missions and pastorates, and in the fall of 1915 became pastor of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church at Humboldt. Organized Catholic services were first held in Humboldt in 1866. The first church was begun in that year, though not completed in detail until 1868. The old church was replaced by the present substantial brick edifice in 1911. This is situated on the large grounds owned by the parish at Fifth and Central avenues. There is also a substantial rectory. The parish … Read more

Biography of George F. Zerzan, M. D.

George F. Zerzan, M. D. With his home and practice at Holyrood since 1905, Doctor Zerzan is a man of conspicuous success not only in his profession but by the rapidity with which he had accumalated important business interests. Doctor Zerzan is not yet forty and it would seem that his substantial achiovements to date predieate a splendid success as the form of his life’s activities. Doctor Zerzan was born at Schuyler, Nebraska, August 23, 1878. He is of Bohemian parentage and ancestry. His grandfather, Joseph Zerzan, was born in Bohemia in 1818, served his time in the Bohemian army, … Read more

Biography of Charles W. Harvey

Charles W. Harvey is one of the veteran business men and residents of El Dorado, and in recent years had been a leader in the oil development work of Butler County and that vicinity, and had shared in the prosperity that had attended the development of these resources. Mr. Harvey was born in Appanoose County, Iowa, May 10, 1868. His father, Elijah E. Harvey, was a pioneer Kansan and a man of great usefulness both as a minister of the Gospel and citizen. He was of English descent, and some of his forefathers fought in the Revolutionary war. A distant … Read more

Biography of O. F. Walke

O. F. Walke who has spent most of his life in Kansas has developed a very substantial business career, and for several years has been proprietor of the Independent Laundry, one of the best equipped establishments of its kind in the southern section of the state. He is of Scotch-Irish ancestry, and his great-grandfather came from the North of Ireland, and was an early farmer in Ohio. Mr. Walke’s grandfather, William Walke, was born in Ohio in 1840, came to Kansas about a quarter of a century ago, and was an active farmer until he retired and died at Columbus, … Read more