Wichita Kansas

Biography of Marshall M. Murdock

Marshall M. Murdock, a pioneer journalist of Kansas, the founder of the Wichita Eagle and one of the marked men of the commonwealth, was born in the Pierpont settlement of what is now West Virginia, in 1837. He was of Scotch-Irish ancestry, and his father married into the Governor Pierpont family. Soon after his marriage the family moved to Ironton, Southern Ohio, and there Marshall Murdock attended the public schools and commenced to learn the printer’s trade. Thomas Murdock, the father, was unsuccessful in his business venture, and, as he had an abhorrence of slavery and Kansas was then the … Read more

Biography of J. Edward Cook

J. Edward Cook. Judicious and legitimate has been the advertising policy that has been utilized in the exploitation of the King Ni-Ko system for the cure of the tobacco habit, and the basis of this advertising has been proved efficacy and definite results. The system of treatment accomplishes all that is claimed for it and this fact constitutes the best of the commercial assets on which has been developed the extensive and beneficent business enterprise of which the popular and progressive proprietor is the well known citizen of Wichita whose name initiates this paragraph. Mr. Cook was born in Keokuk … Read more

Biography of Henry Justin Allen

Henry Justin Allen of Wichita had achieved a position among Kansas’ leading newspaper editors and publishers. He began as a newspaper reporter, was editor and owner at different times of various papers in the state, and is now proprietor of the Wichita Beacon. Mr. Allen was born at Warren, Pennsylvania, September 12, 1869, and his parents John and Rebecca Elizabeth (Goodin) Allen were natives of the same section. John Allen served four years in the Ninth New York Cavalry, and a few years after the close of the war came west to Kansas, where he went through the pioneer hardships … 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

Biography of Edward Staton Hymer M. D.

Edward Staton Hymer, M. D. A physician and surgeon of most thorough qualifications, whose work had brought a large practice and a rising reputation, Doctor Hymer had spent his professional career chiefly at Sedgwick. A resident of Kansas most of his life, Doctor Hymer was born at Albany, Missouri, November 6, 1883. His remote ancestors came from Germany. His father is E. R. Hymer, who was born in Illinois in 1852, grew up in that state, and at an early day came to Kansas and located at Centralia. After several years he removed to Missouri, but in 1884 was back … Read more

Biography of Mrs. Kate M. Dilley

Mrs. Kate M. Dilley. The able and honored proprietor of the Dilley Sanitarium, in the City of Wichita, has proved herself one of the vigorous and resourceful business women of the Sunflower State and by the establishing and maintaining of her excellent sanitarium she has made a noble contribution to the list of valuable medical institutions in the City of Wichita. Mrs. Dilley was born in Manchester, England. When she was a child of two years her parents removed to Cape Town, South Africa, and in that far distant land Mrs. Dilley passed the period of her girlhood and early … Read more

Biography of William T. Buckner, Hon.

Hon. William T. Buckner of Wichita was born at Washington Court House, Ohio, January 2, 1846, and secured his early education in the public schools. He was still a lad in his early ‘teens when the Civil war came on, but succeeded in enlisting as a private in Company I, Seventy-third Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, with which he was in almost constant service at the front. His enlistment had been for three years, but the hard life of the army broke down the young soldier’s health and after two years he was given his honorable discharge because of disability and … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Charles A. Baker

Charles A. Baker of Wichita lacked only three or four months of being a native son of Kansas. He has spent practically his entire career in this state, and by close attention to his business as a plumber has built up one of the leading establishments at Wichita, and his business is registered under the state laws. He was born at Rio, Wisconsin, June 30, 1870, and it was in September of the same year that his parents moved to Arkansas City, Kansas. After a public school education, gained in Wichita, he began an apprenticeship at the plumbing trade, and … Read more

Biography of Fred W. Martin

A well known Wichita manufacturer and business man, Fred W. Martin possessed the qualities which enabled him to grow and adapt himself in proportion to his opportunities. As a youth he learned the tinner’s trade and also clerked in a bardware store. It was on that narrow footing that he began to build himself into the larger affairs of business. He is now treasurer and manager of the Martin Metal Manufacturing Company, one of the growing and flourishing industries of Wichita. Besides the interest that attaches to his own successful career, it is also a matter of note that Mr. … 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 David Franklin Shirk

David Franklin Shirk, a prominent Kansas educator and a worker in behalf of child welfare, had been a resident of this state thirty years. Born at Shannon, Carroll County, Illinois, July 10, 1859, he was reared and educated in his native state, and as a young man began teaching school in Illinois. In 1886 he came to Abilene, Dickinson County, Kansas, and followed educational work in this state actively for twenty-four years. In 1906 Mr. Shirk was graduated from Friends University at Wichita. Much distinction attaches to his work as a school man. He assisted in organizing the first county … Read more

Biography of Roy G. Williams

Roy G. Williams, editor and proprietor of the Burrton Graphic, is one of the younger newspaper men of Kansas, but since entering that field had proved a master of the difficult art of conducting a country journal with usefulness and influence and with a fair share of profit on the credit side of the business ledger. The Burrton Graphic is a continuation of the old Burrton Monitor, which was founded in 1881 by George Vandeveer and published by the Burrton Publishing Company. This was later succeeded by the Burrton Graphic, with M. L. Sherpy editor. In 1904 the Kansas Grit … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Benjamin Parmely

Parmely, Benjamin; lawyer; born, Ashland, O., Oct. 9, 1869; son of M. B. and Elizabeth Porter Parmley; early education in the public schools of Dayton; two years in Garfield University, Wichita, Kan., LL. B. University of Michigan, 1892; married, Columbus, O., Nov. 16, 1904, Miss Mary E. Tolford; issue, one daughter, Elizabeth; admitted to the bar in 1893, one and one-half years atty. for the Fidelity & Casualty Co., then practiced in the firm of Estep, Dickey, Carr & Goff; later with Kline, Carr, Tolles & Goff; in 1896, organized the law firm of Wilcox, Collister, Hogan & Parmely; in … Read more