Kansas

Treaty of September 27, 1836

In a convention held this twenty-seventh day of September 1836, between Henry Dodge Superintendent of Indian Affairs, and the chiefs, braves, and principal men of the Sac and Fox tribe of Indians, it has been represented, that according to the stipulations of the first article of the treaty of Prairie du Chien, of the 15th July 1830, the country thereby ceded, is “to be assigned and allotted under the direction of the President of the United States, to the tribes now living thereon, or to such other tribes as the President may locate thereon for hunting and other purposes.” And, … Read more

Treaty of May 18, 1854

Articles of agreement and convention made and concluded at the city of Washington this eighteenth day of May, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, by George W. Manypenny, commissioner on the part of the United States, and the following-named delegates of the Sacs and foxes of Missouri, viz: Pe-to-o-ke-mah, or Hard Fish; Mo-less or Wah-pe-nem-mah, or Sturgeon; Ne-son-quoit, or Bear; Mo-ko- ho-ko, or Jumping Fish; and No-ko-what, or Fox; they being thereto duly authorized by the said Sac and Fox Indians. Article 1. The Sacs and Foxes of Missouri hereby cede, relinquish and convey to the United States all their … Read more

Biography of W. Antoine Hall, M. D.

Dr. William Antoine Hall, whose connection with the St. Louis, Missouri State and American Medical Associations keeps him thoroughly informed concerning the progres that is being made by the medical profession, has for twenty-seven years engaged in practice in St. Louis. He was born in Clinton county, Missouri, October 3,1869, and is a son of Jeremiah S. Hall, a native of Clinton county, Missouri, and a presentative of one of the old families of this state that came from Tennessee, the grandfather, Elisha Hall, removing from the latter state to Missouri, where he took up the occupation of farming settling … Read more

Biography of A. P. Fonda

A. P. Fonda has made a most creditable record as a farmer, as a lawyer and particularly as a citizen whose devotion to the welfare of the great majority Is a recognized fact. A resident of Independence, he was born in Leavenworth, Kansas, March 30, 1878, his parents being Anthony Philip and Laura D. (Wier) Fonda, the former a native of the state of New York and the latter of New Jersey. His parents became acquainted and were married in Leavenworth, Kansas. The father conducted the first wholesale grocery in Kansas City, which place was then known as Port Fonda. … Read more

Biography of Herbert O. Caster

Herbert O. Caster, who, on February 2, 1914, qualified as attorney for the State Public Utilities Commission, and is now a resident of Topeka, had lived in Kansas for thirty-eight years, and is well known over the state, but particularly in his home County of Decatur, where before his admission to the bar he made a fine record for himself as an educator and an energetic factor in other affairs of public importance. When the Caster family came to Kansas in 1878 they took up a homestead in Decatur County. At that time the county was a sparsely settled regiMeigon, … Read more

Biography of Calvin Perry Bascom

Calvin Perry Bascom, general manager for the business conducted under the name of the Fayette R. Plumb Company, Incorporated, of St. Louis, was born in Ellsworth, Kansas, October 17, 1876. His father, Daniel Craig Bascom, a native of the state of New York, removed to Kansas in 1868 and there engaged in ranching for a number of years, contributing to the early development and progress of that district. He afterward returned to the Empire state, taking up his abode in Rochester, and has now passed away. In early manhood he wedded Agnes Johnson, a native of Vermont, their marriage, however, … Read more

Biography of Dandridge E. Kelsey

For thirty-six years Shawnee County was the home of Dandridge E. Kelsey, not only one of her pioneer settlers but unmistakably one of her most respected and valued men. He came to Kansas three years after the close of the great Civil war, in which struggle he had borne an honorable part, and in Shawnee County sought the opportunity of providing, through toil, patience and prudence, a comfortable home for his family and a competency for old age. All this he did but those early years were hard as the tragic days of Kansas had not all been lived through. … Read more

Biography of Sardins Mason Brewster

Sardins Mason Brewster was born in Irving Township, Brown County, Kansas, on June 19, 1870. When he was about four years of age his parents moved to White Cloud, Doniphan County, Kansas, where he resided for more than thirty years. His father was Arthur Seeley Brewster, a native of New York, who came with his parents to Ashtabuia County, Ohio, at an early age. His father was a practicing attorney at White Cloud and practiced in Doniphan, Brown and neighboring counties. He was for six years county attorney of Doniphan County, Kansas, and held many positions of public trust. He … Read more

Biography of Edward Thomas James

Among the veterans of the great Civil war who came in numbers to Kansas following the end of strife, was Edward Thomas James, whose useful and honorable life closed on December 6, 1915. For almost a half century he was one of the representative men of Shawnee County, an active force in the development of this section and one who will long be remembered for his sterling traits of character. Edward Thomas James was born in Talbot County, Maryland, August 27, 1830. At the time of his death he was the only survivor of his parents’ family of three children. … Read more

Biography of David Henry Edelblute

Among the old established families still numerously and worthily represented in Riley County, is that of Edelblute. Almost sixty years have passed since its founder selected a tract of virgin land in the valley of Wild Cat Creek, built his cabin there, reared his family and passed the rest of an industrious and contented life. The owner of the old Edelblute homestead is David Henry Edelblute, a highly respected citizen of this county and at present a resident of the Village of Keats. David Henry Edelblute was born in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, August 4, 1843. His parents were David and … Read more

Biography of Solon O.Thachek

Solon O. Thachek, of Lawrence, able lawyer, judge and public man of Kansas, achieved a wider fame as one of the pioneers in the great work of promoting friendly relations with the republics of South America. He came of a distinguished English and Revolutionary ancestry and was born in Stenben County, New York, August 31, 1830. His father was a county judge. After graduating from Union College of Schenectady, New York, and from the Albany Law School, he married, and in 1858 located at Lawrence, where he became one of the proprietors of the Journal. He was a member of … Read more

Biography of Asahel Strawn

The year 1860 saw the arrival of the Strawn family in Kansas and their settlement in Crawford County. They had come a long distance, traveling from Illinois in a covered wagon and one can well believe that the new home, although a primitive one, presented a pleasant sight to the weary travelers. Asahel Strawn and his wife, Bridget (Murphey) Strawn, with their five children, George W., William A., Betsey Ann, Mahala and Julia, made up the party. Asahel Strawn was born in Canada, a son of Joab Strawn, who was a descendant of William Penn and a Quaker. He went … Read more

Biography of James Harvey Stewart

James Harvey Stewart of Wichita,who had been identified with Kansas for thirty years, is a lawyer by profession, is vice president of the National Bank of Commerce, is former state senator, and for twenty years or more had played a very infiuential part both in business and civic affairs at Wichita. He is now chairman of the Commerce Committee of the Wichita Commercial Club, had served as vice president of the Chamber of Commerce and is vice president of the Wichita Business Men’s Association, and is chairman of the Eighth District Congressional Republican Committee. At one time he was chairman … Read more

Biography of Leslie V. Johnson

With all the progressiveness and enterprise of the native Kansan, Leslie V. Johnson had made his years in this state count chiefly as a banker, and for many years had found a large opportunity to serve the public through his post as cashier of the State Bank of Randolph in Riley County. As in the case with many successful business men and financiers, he had the atmosphere of a farm during his youth. He was born on his father’s farm in Pottawatomie County, October 8, 1872, and his earliest recollections are associated with that rural district. As a boy he … Read more

Biography of Harry Jiencke

For about a quarter of a century Harry Jiencke traveled about over the State of Kansas as a salesman, building up a large acquaintance and business relationship, but for the past twelve years had been prominently identified with the oil and gas and various other industrial affairs of Independence, where he is one of the well known citizens. Of an old German family of Mecklenburg, he came to America when only a youth. He was born May 27, 1858. His father, Joachim Jiencke, was born in Mecklenburg in 1806 and died there in 1869. He was a man of more … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Edmund G. Ross

Edmund G. Ross, one of the leaders in favor of a free Kansas, a pioneer editor of Topeka, afterward United States senator to succeed Gen. James H. Lane. He was born at Ashland, Ohio, December 7, 1826; mustered the printer’s trade, spent several years as a journeyman, and was engaged in newspaper work at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, when Lawrence was sacked in 1856. He started overland in charge of a party of free-state men, who upon their arrival at Topeka, took the field with the anti-slavery forces. After the invaders had been driven out, Mr. Ross entered into partnership with his … Read more

Biography of George W. Deitzler, Gen.

Gen. George W. Deitzler, one of the famous “treason prisoners” to be taken from Lawrence to Lecompton, afterward prominent in the public affairs of the Territory and State of Kansas and prominent in the Civil war, was born at Pine Grove, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, November 30, 1826. He received a common school edncation and removed to Kansas, where he became one of the prominent figures of the free-state party. He was a delegate to the Topeka convention, and in May, 1856, was one of the seven men who were arrested at Lawrence and taken to Lecompton under guard of Federal … Read more

Biography of William David Ayars

No single township in Riley County, Kansas, is so favored as to have within its bounds all the county’s solid, dependable men, but that Wild Cat Township had its full share cannot be questioned. One of these is William David Ayars, a prosperous farmer and stockraiser and a large landowner, and additionally one of the township’s most popular citizens. William David Ayars was born August 17, 1850, in Grant County, Wisconsin, a son of Jeptha and Margaret (Thomas) Ayars. His father was born in New Jersey, perhaps of Holland ancestry, and remained in his native state until he was twenty … Read more

Biography of William A. Harris, Gen.

Gen. William A. Harris was a brave officer of the Confederacy, a pioneer railroad engineer, a successful and leading stock raiser of improved breeds and, both in state and national bodies (including the Congress of the United States), an untiring and effective promoter of agricultural interests. Born in Loudoun County, Virginia, October 29, 1841, as a boy he was educated in his native state and at Buenos Aires, Argentina, whither his father had been sent as United States minister. In June, 1859, he graduated from Columbia College, Washington, District of Columbia. Immediately afterward he went to Central America and spent … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Richard W. Blue

Richard W. Blue, a Union veteran of Virginia and a leading lawyer and judge of Kansas, finally advanced to the halis of Congress as a representative of his adopted state. He was born in Wood County, Virginia, September 8, 1841, and was raised on a mountain farm near the present city of Grafton. In 1859 he entered Monongalia Academy at Morgantown, Va., and remained at that institution several years, first as pupil and later as teacher, Subsequently he entered Washington College, Pennsylvania, and remained there until he enlisted in the Third West Virginia Infantry, at the opening of the Civil … Read more