Biography of Albert Julius Holzmark

Albert Julius Holzmark. The career of the late Albert Julius Holzmark in Kansas City, Kansas, left its impress upon many forms of business activity, upon institutions of a civic, social and religious nature, and upon the lives of a great many individuals. He was a man of the highest character, of unexampled business integrity, was successful and made his success count toward the forwarding of the good of a large community. His life was one of achievement from small beginnings. He was born in Koenigsburg, Germany, April 22, 1867, the oldest of the three children of Isidor and Theresa Holzmark. … Read more

Biography of Joseph Kennedy Hudson, General

Gen. Joseph Kennedy Hudson. One of the ablest soldiers of Kansas and most determined fighter for the free-state movement, the late General Hudson will have a lasting fame not only for what he did in the trying years of Kansas’ youth, but also as founder and for many years editor of the Topeka Capital. It was his resourcefulness as a practical newspaper man and his wonderful ability as an editor and molder of public opinion that gave the Capital its wide influence and standing as a journal, and the history of the Kansas Press had no more notable figure than … Read more

Biography of James H. De Coursey

James H. De Coursey. Many of the great commercial houses of the world have been built up from a small foundation, and a young law student’s enterprise in nourishing and developing a business idea of his own, is responsible for the most extensive ice cream and butter manufacturing plant in the State of Kansas. It is located at Kansas City and is the property of the De Coursey family, and its able manager, James H. De Coursey, was also its founder. The De Coursey name has been one held in high regard in Kansas for three generations. The first of … Read more

Biography of Eldred Lloyd Eaton

Eldred Lloyd Eaton has been engaged in practice as a lawyer for the past six years, and in many ways had justified his choice of a profession and calling. In attainments and ability he now ranks as the leading lawyer of Chase County, his home and offices being. in Cottonwood Falls. Mr. Eaton had had a very active career, and he entered the legal profession after considerable experience as a teacher and business man. He was born at Hillsboro, Iowa, November 23, 1876, a son of Eugene E. and Etta Charity (Fligg) Eaton. His grandfather, Ebenezer Ancel Eaton, was a … Read more

Biography of Theodore F. Ismert

Theodore F. Ismert, president of the Ismert-Hincke Milling Company of Kansas City, Kansas, is a director and controlling factor in the great milling industries of the Missouri Valley. He and his family have been prominently identified with flour milling in this and other states of the Middle West for over half a century. The Ismerts are of French lineage. Theodore F. Ismert was born at his father’s home in Lebanon, Illinois, February 10, 1866, the oldest of five children. Only two are now living, his sister being Mrs. Hincke. Their parents were John and Amelia (Berrard) Ismert, both natives of … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Otis B. Gunn

Otis B. Gunn was a native of Massachusetts, born at Montague, October 27, 1828, and before he came west as a railroad engineer, had served as rodman on the Hoosac Tunnel Railroad and superintendent of the construction work of the line between Rochester and Niagara Falls. In 1853 he was appointed division engineer in the building of the Toledo, Wabash and Western, and followed railroad construction westward until he settled at Wyandotte, Kansas, in 1857. He was a member of the 1861 State Senate, and while thus serving was appointed major of the Fourth Kansas, later the Tenth Kansas Infantry. … Read more

Biography of William Waddell Duke, M.D.

Dr. William Waddell Duke, physician of Kansas City, was born in Lexington, Missouri, a son of Henry Buford and Susan (Waddell) Duke, the former a native of Louisville, Kentucky, and the latter of Lexington, Missouri. The father, now retired, was a manufacturer of farm implements and harness of the firm of Buford & George Manufacturing Company. Dr. Duke attended the Kansas City schools until graduated from the high school with the class of 1901. He next entered Yale University and gained his Ph. B. degree in 1904, while in 1908 Johns Hopkins University conferred upon him the M. D. degree, … 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 Lawrence Pembroke Browne

Lawrence Pembroke Browne, father of Evan H., was born in Pennsylvania and his wife in Ohio. He came to Kansas City, Missouri, as a clerk for the firm of Northrop & Chick, one of the few business houses of any importance at that time, and later, in partnership with W. H. Chick, who yet survives, became the owner of the business. In 1884 this business, general merchandise, was incorporated by the Browne family, the Chick interests being then eliminated. Until the time of his death, in 1893, Lawrence Pembroke Browne continued at the head of this business, which was largely … Read more

Biography of Charles Snyder

Charles Snyder is the proprietor of the Juliaetta Hotel, and is practically one of the founders of the town, having secured the establishment of the post-office, and also promoted many of the leading enterprises of the place. His labors have been most effective in its upbuilding, and his name is therefore inseparably connected with its history. Mr. Snyder is of German birth. He first opened his eyes to the light of day on the 8th of November 1827, and is of honorable German ancestry. He was educated in his native land, learned the cabinet-maker’s trade, and in 1850 bade adieu … Read more

Biography of James A. Vaughan M. D.

James A. Vaughan, M. D. During his long and active career as a physician Doctor Vaughan had spent his most useful and profitable years in the State of Kansas. For more than ten years he had practiced successfully in Mound Valley in Labette County. Though most of his early years were spent in Southwest Missouri, Doctor Vaughan was born in Benton County, Arkansas, October 21, 1868. He is of English stock, and his great-grandfather came over from England and settled in Tennessee in the early days. His father, G. W. Vaughan, was born in Illinois in 1843, was reared in … Read more

Biography of Benjamin Richmond

Benjamin Richmond is head of the B. Richmond Department Store at 635-637 Osage Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas. One of the leading merchants of this city since 1901, his is a record of success in every way unusual and most creditable. He came to America without capital and at one time worked for very low wages. He comes of a high class and cultured Jewish family. He was born in Russia September 15, 1874, one of the four children still living whose parents were Rev. Moses and Bessie Richmond, who were also natives of Russia. Rev. Moses Richmond was a … Read more

Biography of Wylie White Cook

Wylie White Cook. During a period of more than thirty years, Hon. Wylie White Cook has been almost constantly before the people of Kansas as the incumbent of public positions, and that he still retains in marked degree the confidence and respect of Kansans is evidence of his worth, fidelity and integrity, for the duties of the various offices which he has held have in nearly every case directly affected the welfare of the community. In Mr. Cook’s case it has almost invariably been a case of the office seeking the man, for with but one exception in his long … Read more

Biography of J. Edgar Buffington

J. Edgar Buffington, a representative of an honored pioneer family of Oklahoma, figures prominently in financial circles of northeastern Oklahoma as President of the Vinita National Bank, in which connection he is controlling one of the most substantial moneyed institutions in this part of the state. He was born in that portion of Indian Territory known as the Cherokee Nation, on the 13th of March, 1881, of the union of Ezekiel and Anna (Scarcewater) Buffington and when but an infant lost both of his parents. His boyhood was spent as an inmate of the Cherokee Orphans’ Home at Salina, in … Read more

Biography of Thomas Jefferson Barker

Thomas Jefferson Barker. The history of Kansas is a generalization of the histories of thousands of individuals whose character and activities made the state what it is. Hardly one of those individuals came into closer touch with the adventures and exciting realities of pioneer times than the late Thomas Jefferson Barker, who was a pioneer of old Wyandotte and for many years one of the leading business men of Kansas City, Kansas. Mr. Barker died at his home in Kansas City, Kansas, August 4, 1913, and was then nearly eighty-five years of age. He was born in Bedford County, Virginia, … Read more

Biography of Leonard V. McKee

Leonard V. McKee. The life, the personal character and the influence of Leonard V. McKee impressed themselves strongly upon the formative period of Marshall County’s history. He was founder and president of the Frankfort State Bank, was a large land owner and one of the leading business men and citizens of the community. He was born in Allen County, Ohio, August 18, 1845, and died at his home in Frankfort, Kansas, December 22, 1916, aged seventy-one years, four months and four days. His parents, Robert and Sarah (Dunlap) McKee, were both natives of Ohio. His father was a cabinet maker … Read more

Biographical Sketch of George W. Martin

George W. Martin, long secretary of the State Historical Society, an old newspaper man and state printer, was born in Blair County, Pennsylvania, June 30, 1841. He learned the printer’s trade in his native town and in Philadelphia, and in April, 1857, accompanied his parents to the Territory of Kansas, Young Martin worked in printing offices at Lecompton until the fall of 1859 and in 1861 became connected with the Junction City Union, which he edited for several years. Mr. Martin was postmaster at Junction City several months in 1865 and register of the land office in 1865-66; assessor of … Read more

Biography of Ira Puderbaugh, M.D.

Ira Puderbaugh, M. D. The second physician in practice at Ozawkis was Dr. Aaron Puderbaugh, and in that same locality his son Dr. Ira Puderbaugh had handled the bulk of the professional work for the past fifteen years. Ozawkie is the native town of Dr. Ira Puderbaugh, where he was born March 5, 1878. His ancestors were Germans who immigrated to Pennsylvania in very early times. His grandfather was born in Pennsylvania in 1810, afterwards moved to Western Ohio, from there to Indiana, and finally came to Kansas, where be lived retired until his death at Ozawkie in 1883. Dr. Aaron … Read more

Biography of Colonel Jacob H. Bartles

Time is the perspective which places the individual in his true position in relation to the history of the community with which he has been identified and time serves but to heighten the fame and brighten the good name of Colonel Jacob H. Bartles, in whose honor the town of Bartlesville was named and who was also the founder of Dewey. He was ever a man of most progressive spirit, of which many tangible evidences may be cited, including the fact that he was the first man to establish electric light and waterworks plants in the state. He was also … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Rufus E. Cable

Rufus E. Cable was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He came to Kansas City, Missouri, in 1856, and was employed as a clerk in the establishment of W. E. Proctor, who was the proprietor of a general store. The store of Mr. Proctor and all other business houses in Kansas City, Missouri, were at that time on the levee along the south bank of the Missouri River. The residences were scattered about on the hills back of the business houses. At that time M. J. Payne was mayor of Kansas City, Missouri. Mr. Cable in 1865 moved to Wyandotte, now Kansas … Read more