Missouri

Biography of Raymond Griffin Barnett

Raymond Griffin Barnett, who had the well earned title of captain of the American army in the World war and who is now engaged in the practice of law in Kansas City, was born at Carthage, Hancock county, Illinois, October 8, 1882, and is a son of Fred P. and Adele (Griffin) Barnett, the former a native of Missouri and the latter of Illinois. The father went from this state to Iowa and afterward returned to Kansas City. He is by profession a court reporter and is now the vice president of the Shorthand Reporting Company, with offices in the … Read more

Biography of H. J. Westhues

H. J. Westhues, filling the office of prosecuting attorney of Cole county and a well known resident of Jefferson City, was born in Westphalia, Germany, June 6, 1889, but in 1892, when only four years of age, was brought to America by his parents William and Teresa Westhues, who settled in Howard county. The father was a farmer, living a most active and useful life and becoming recognized as one of the prominent agriculturists of his community. H. J. Westhues obtained his education in the Catholic school of Glasgow and when his textbooks were put aside assisted his father on … Read more

Biography of Reinhard E. Wobus, M.D.

Dr. Reinhard E. Wobus confines his attention to surgery and obstetrics and is recognized as a surgeon of ability. He was born in Fort Madison, Iowa, July 20, 1879, a son of Gottlieb D. and Anna M. (Nollau) Wobus. His father is a native of Switzerland and came to America in 1869. He became a divine of the Evangelical church and devoted his life to the active work of the ministry until 1920, since which time he has lived retired, making his home with his son, Dr. Wobus, in St. Louis. The mother of Dr. Wobus was born in this … Read more

Biography of Charles Kurlander

Charles Kurlander is the president of the firm of Kurlander Brothers & Harfield, manufacturers of cloaks, suits and dresses at St. Louis and in this connection has built up a business of most satisfactory proportions. He was born in the province of Ponewiecz, state of Kovno, Russia, December 14, 1873, and is a son of the late Joseph Kurlander, who was also a native of that country and a successful clothing manufacturer. The father died in his native land in 1887, at the age of eighty-five years, nd the mother came with her son Charles to America in 1890. By … Read more

Biography of Barney W. Frauenthal

Barney W. Frauenthal, general traffic agent of the United Railways Company of St. Louis, was born in White Haven, Pennsylvania, February 27, 1869. He attended the public schools at White Haven and completed his education at the Central State Normal School at Lock Haven, Pennsylvania. In May, 1883, Mr. Frauenthal entered the service of the Union Depot Company in the telegraph department of the old Union depot at Twelfth and Poplar streets, where he was steadily promoted to higher responsibilities in the telegraph and ticket departments. In 1893 he accepted a position with the Wabash Western Railway Company in a … Read more

Biography of John Joseph Horan

John Joseph Horan, manufacturers’ agent of St. Louis, was born in New York city, September 10, 1859. His father, Patrick Horan, who departed this life in 1890, was born in Ireland and came to America in 1840.He was an engineer, connected with the United States navy. He married Ann Flynn, also a native of the Emerald isle, their wedding being celebrated in New York. They became the parents of two sons and a daughter: John J.; Thomas H., who died in 1906; and Mary, who died at the age of fourteen years. John J. Horan is therefore the only surviving … Read more

Biography of Andrew Charles Maroney

Andrew Charles Maroney, whose high professional standing is indicated in the fact. that he is a lawyer for lawyers, or in other words his counsel is again and again sought by fellow members of the bar, comes to St. Louis from Illinois, his birth having occurred in Decatur, September 23. 1862, his parents being John J. and Ellen (Godfrey) Maroney. He obtained his early education in the public schools of his native city and prepared for the bar as a student in the St.. Louis Law School (Washington University), from which he was graduated in 1894 with the LL. B. … Read more

Biography of James H. Grover

James H. Grover, vice president of the St. Louis Union Trust Company, brings to his present position broad experience that enables him to solve readily the business problems which come before him. He has, too, comprehensive knowledge of the law, and this is a valuable asset in the conduct of his affairs at the present time. Mr. Grover was born October 24, 1873. His father, Hiram Justus Grover, a native of New Orleans, was one of the most prominent sugar planters in the south. He was attending Yale University when the war broke out. The northern troops destroyed all of his … Read more

Biography of Albert C. Blood

Albert C. Blood, who in 1904, organized the Maplewood Planing Mill Company, of which he has since been the president, has thus been connected with the manufacturing interests of St. Louis for seventeen years. He was born in Fulton county, Illinois, February 26, 1852. His father, Joseph P. Blood, was a native of New Hampshire and about 1850 removed to Illinois, settling in Fulton county, near Lewistown, where he engaged in the operation of a grist and saw-mill and also in stock raising. He married Elizabeth A. Ogden, a native of Indiana, who removed with her parents to Illinois, where … Read more

Biography of J. F. Otto Reller

J. F. Otto Reller, a representative of real estate interests in St. Louis, has the unique distinction of carrying on business in the same house in which he was born, his natal day being July 7, 1864. His father, August F. Reller, was a native of Hanover, Germany, and came to America in 1839 in company with his parents, when he was but three years of age. After attaining adult years he was engaged in the grocery and feed business and long remained an active factor in the commercial circles of this city, in which he passed away in 1907. … Read more

Biography of John C. Settle

John C. Settle, who conducted a contracting and building business under the firm style of John C. Settle & Company, was a resident of St. Louis from 1897 until his death, which occurred April 17, 1921. He was born in Monroe City, this state, October 3, 1865, his parents being John B. and Mildred A. (Bannister) Settle. The Settle family is of English origin and was founded in America in 1770 by three brothers, one of whom took up his abode in New York and nothing is known about his descendants. The second went to North Carolina and was the … Read more

Biography of Eugene R. Van Meter, M. D.

Dr. Eugene R. Van Meter, one of the medical graduates of Washington university, who since 1905 has engaged in practice, is now specializing in diseases of the ear, nose and throat and has developed a high degree of proficiency in that field. A native of Illinois, he was born in Elkhart, Logan county, September 19, 1884. His father, the late William H. Van Meter, was also born in Illinois and came of Dutch ancestry, the family having been founded in America by Just Jans Van Meteren, who came to the new world in 1662 and settled in Ulster county, New … Read more

Biography of Waller W. Graves

Waller W. Graves, of Jefferson City, judge of the supreme court and recognized as a peer of the ablest members who have sat upon the bench in the court of last resort in Missouri, was born in Lafayette county, this state, December 17, 1860. His parents, Abram L. and Martha Elizabeth (Pollard) Graves, were natives of Missouri and Kentucky, respectively. The father, a farmer by occupation, was also actively interested in public affairs, particularly in relation to the schools and for many years served as a member of the board of education. He was also a Justice of the peace … Read more

Biography of George W. Haverstick, M. D.

Dr. George W. Haverstick, a physician and surgeon of St. Louis, was born in De Soto, Missouri, January 8, 1866. His father, the late William J. Haverstick, also a native of this state, was a son of George Washington Haverstick, while the latter’s father was a native of Switzerland and became one of the pioneer settlers of Missouri, where he took up his abode ere the admission of the state into the union. He became a resident of Jefferson county, being among the first to locate in De Soto. William J. Haverstick was reared and educated in De Soto and … Read more

Biography of Walter A. Johnson

Walter A. Johnson, president of the Missouri Life & Accident Insurance Company, with offices in the Metropolitan building, was born on a farm near Murfreesboro, Tennessee, November 23, 1869. His father, B. P. Johnson, is a native of Tennessee and is now a farmer near Waco, Texas. An uncle, Willis Johnson, was killed while serving with the Confederate forces in the Civil war. The mother of Walter A. Johnson bore the maiden name of Ella Norman and was born in Tennessee. The family has been represented in America through several generations. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Johnson was celebrated … Read more

Biography of Ignatius Walthall Powell, M. D.

Dr. Ignatius Walthall Powell, representative of the medical profession in St. Louis, was born in New Bloomfield, Callaway county, Missouri, August 12, 1880. The ancestry of the Powell family can be traced back a number of generations in America and representatives of the family served in the Revolutionary war. One of the greatgrandmothers of Dr. Powell was Mary Washington, a first cousin of the immortal George Washington. His father, James Powell, wits a servedn educator and farmer of Callaway county, Missouri, and also as justice of the peace there. He was born in Halifax, Virginia, was a soldier of the … Read more

Biography of John W. Perkins, M. D.

Dr. John W. Perkins, division surgeon for the Kansas division of the union Pacific Railroad since 1887 and a physician ‘and surgeon of pronounced ability, was born in Boston, Massachusetts, July 1, 1860, a son of David and Hannah (Dunn) Perkins, who were natives of New Hampshire and of Maine, respectively. The father was contractor and builder who devoted his life to the business following his marriage, previous to which time he had been a sea captain, sailing out of Boston to the West Indies and in the coastwise trade. He came of a family of seagoing people, but after … Read more

Biography of William A. Kelsoe

William Austin Kelsoe was born in Greenville, Bond county, Illinois, February 1, 1851. Upon the death of his mother, a few weeks later, he was committed to the care of Mrs. Sarah Phelps, of Pocahontas, in the same county, and her daughters, one of whom is now Mrs. Kate L. Doubt, a resident of St. Louis. From the age of two years until he reached manhood he was a member of the family of William and Martha Greenwood Watkins and lived with them in Pocahontas, Greenville, Vandalia and East St. Louis, Illinois, also for three years on a farm a … Read more

Biography of Adam Wiest

Adam Wiest, vice president and treasurer of the Nu-Back Manufacturing Company of St. Louis, belongs to that class of substantial young business men who have recognized that business opportunities equal to those to be secured in any section of the country are here offered. Mr. Wiest was born September 7, 1882, a son of Adam and Florence A. (Wandell) Wiest. The father was for many years prominent in connection with the cotton trade of St. Louis. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland, March 20, 1854, and in 1877 came to St. Louis where he entered the employ of the Adler-Goldman … Read more

Biography of Charles Landon Martin

When Charles Landon Martin started out in the business world it was as an employe in a woodenware house, and throughout the intervening period to the present he has continued in the same line of business, being now the vice president of the Crunden-Martin Manufacturing Company. He was born in Maquoketa, Iowa, on the 11th of March, 1858, his parents being James W. and Lois (Weaver) Martin. His father was a veteran of the Civil war, serving for three years as captain of Company I of the Twenty-fourth Iowa Infantry. He participated in many hotly contested engagements, including the battle … Read more