YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

1944

POLITICAL HISTORY

OK

JACKSON COUNTY.

Biographical Sketches of Men Who Have
Helped to Make It.

PUBLISHED BY
MARSHALL & MORRISON.
1902.

Press of
Hudson-Kimberly Publishing Company.
1902.

PREFACE.

Kansas City, Mo., October 25, 1902.
In presenting this work to the public no attempt
is made, for obvious reasons, to go into exhaustive
details as to political campaigns which presented no
unusual questions of party principles. The object in
view is to give a general review of the political con
ditions of the county, together with a register of offi
cials which ouglit to be interesting and valuable for
reference. The biographical sketches have been confined to
men of the present day, also for obvious reasons.
Some have been omitted, through no fault of ours, who
will deserve to appear: On the other hand, not one
appeal^ in this book, who, in our sincere, belief, does
not deserve to. All of them are clean men, and good
citizens, who merit all the praise, without flattery,
that can be given them.
Asking indulgence for all errors and omissions, we
are v « Very respectfully,
MARSHALL & MORRISON, Publishers.

CHAPTER I.

Settlement of Jackson Co'UNTr.
It is saiid that the first white man who set foot in
the territory now embraced in Jackson County was
Colonel' Daniel Morgan Boone, third son of the cele
brated Daniel Boone, of Kentucky.
Leaving his home in Kentucky in 1787, when a
youth of eighteen, he made the journey alone through
the trackless wilderness to. the "Httle trading-post
called St. Louis. In the same year he continued his
journey west until he reached the Big and Little Blue
rivers, where he found a great abundance of beavers.
For twelve years thereafter he spent his summers in
St. Louis, and his winters on these rivers, trapping
beavers; the skins of which he sold oh his return to
St. Louis.
The first settlement of white men in Jackson-
County :was made on the Missouri River, at Fort
Osage, now Jmown as Sibley. The Government bought
a tract of land six miles square, from the Indians,, and
established a fort and factory. A limited number of
white settlers were permitted to 'locate on the tract
in order to raise supplies for the fort.
The next settlement was made by Francois Chou
teau in 1821, at a point on the Missouri River opposite
the Eandplph Bluffs, about three miles from what is
5

Judge JOHN W. HENRY.

JOHN W. HENRY,
Judge of the Circuit Court of Jackson -County, Division No. i,.
and Democratic nominee for re-election, was born January 27,
1825, at Cynthiana, Ky. In 1845 his parents moved to Boon-
ville, Mo., and thence, in 184S, to Independence. Judge Henry
began to study law at sixteen, completing it at Transylvania
University, graduating before he was twenty. He began th?
practice of law at Boonvi'le in 1845, and two years later formed
a partnership with Robert T. Brewitt, at Fayette. His ability
attracted attention and -in 1854 Governor ~ Sterling Price ap-,
pointed him State Superintendent of Schools, a position which
he filled with great credit to himself and the State. From 1857
to 1863" he resided at Independence, where his widowed
mo.ther lived. Then he returned to Fayette and two years later
moved to Macon City. In 1871 he was elected judge of the Cir-'
cuit Court, and his record there led to his elevation in 1876 to
the Supreme Bench of Missouri. His record on the Supreme
Bench stamps him as one of the ablest jurists Missouri ever.
had. Upon the expiration of his term Judge Henry moved to
Kansas City, and in 1889 was appointed Circuit Judge. In 1890
he was elected by the people and has been re-elected by in
creased majorities ever since.
Judge Henry was married in 1849 to Maria Williams,
daughter of Frank and Martha Williams. They have -four
children. Judge Henry, off the bench, is a Democrat, very democratic.
in his ways, cordial, frank and kind, especially to young men.
He is beloved by the people of Kansas City, and of the county
-and State, regardless of party. I

now Kansas City. Chouteau represented the Ameri
can Fur Company j of which John Jacob Astor, of New
York, was the head. Chouteau's followers, traders,'
trappers, laborers and voyageurs, brought their fam
ilies and settled at the trading-post thus established
about the mouth of che Kansas Eiver. These peo
ple were mostly half-breeds and Canadian French
men, and numbered1 fifteen or twenty families.
In 1825, by treaty with the Government, the In
dian titles to the land in Jackson County were extin
guished, and the country was thrown open to settlers.
Next came the settlement at Blue Mills, called the
''Hudspeth Settlement," eight or ten miles a little
northeast iof Independence on the iroad to Sibley.
William Hudspeth, William Franklin, Christopher,
Joel and Eichard Chiles, Thomas Potts, David Bit-
tie, Lynchburg Adams, Lewis Franklin, Jesse Morrow,
John Hambright, Michael Eice, and' many others
were among the early and prominent settlers of that
day. A mill was built and operated on the east side
of Little Blue, by Michael Eice. The first school was •
taught by George S. Parks. In this vicinity was built
the first church in the county, called the "Six-Mile
Baptist Church."
Settlements followed rapidly at Independence, then
at Westport, and successively at Lone Jack, Blue
Springs, Kansas City, and other points such as New
Santa Fe", Hickman's Mills, Stony Point, Wayne
City, Oak Grove, Pink Hill, Greenwood, Lee's Sum
mit,' Eaytown and Buckner. The early settlements
were all in or near the timber, 'or some spring of
water, the prairie land being regarded by the settlers
"8

as not only too difficult to open, but. as actually worth
less for agricultural purposes.
Jackson County, which at first embraced the coun
ties of Cass and Bates, was organized by an act' of
the Legislature approved December 15, 182G. David
Ward and Julius Emmons, of Lafayette County, and
John Bartleson, of Clay County, were appointed com
missioners to select the seat, of justice for the new
county, N and to exercise the other powers necessary-
for its organization. The commissioners failed to
comply with that part of the act under which they
were appointed, requiring them to locate the county-
seat within three miles of the center of the county.
They appeared to share the opinion that prevailed
among the settlers at that time that the prairie coun
try was useless for settlement, and so they chose a
site in the timber lands and .gave it the name of
Independence. On January 22, 1827, the Legislature appointed
Abraham McClelland, Eichard Fristoe and Henry Bur
ris as presiding judges of the county. Lilburn W.
Boggs, afterwards Governor, was appointed clerk of
the court. On May 21, 1827, these judges were sworn
"into office and held their first session. Their first
order was -that the county should be divided into
-three townships, Fort Osage on the east,. Kaw on the
west, and Blue in the center. JThey also ordered that
a plat of the county should be made, which was done
and approved by the court at its June session. At the
same session the following named persons were ap
pointed justices of the peace: Wm. J. Baugh, Jesse
Lewis and Joel P. Walker for Fort Osage; Wm.
9

Judge JAMES H.' SLOVER.

JAMES H. SLOVER
was born December 31, 1838, at Towanda, Bennsylvania. His
parents were New Yorkers, the family originally coming from
Holland. In 1848 hisr parents moved to Chicago, and in 1852
to- St. Louis, finally settling in Independence, Mo., in 1864.
That year he entered the Union College of La.w at Chicago. He
graduated in June, 186G, passed his1 examination, and was ad
mitted to practice Jaw in September, was elected justice of the
peace in November, and in December he married Miss Mary A.
Howe. In 1S68 he was elected, in ay or of Independence, and later was
a member and treasurer of the School Board. As. chairman of
Jackson County Democratic Committee, for years he served his
party faithfully and well, especially during the troublous. time3
after the Civil War. On account of his activity he was chosen
as one of the three -men to organize lodges of a State society
to oppose the prescriptive "Drake Constitution," which was re
pealed in 1875. From 1875 to 1885 Judge Slover- practiced law
under the firm name of Comings & Slover, and Inter of Philips
Comings & Slover, the firm ranking among the best in the
West. In 1885 he was appointed judge of the Circuit "Court'.of
Jackson County s Division No. 2. In 1886 he was nominatecUby
the -Democratic party and elected. 1892 he was re-elected
by a large majority and in 1898 he was elected for the third
time. Judge. Slover ranks as at least the equal of any jurist on-
the Missouri bench, in learning, purity .of character and impar
tiality. As a man he is extremely gentle and courteous in man
ner and polished and entertaining, in speech.

11

JUDGE EDWARD P. GATES.

EDWARD PAYSON GATES,
juuge of the Circuit Court of Jackson County, Division No. 3,
was born at.Lunnenburgh, Vermont, March 5, 1845. His fam
ily-came to America in 1638, settling in Massachusetts. His
forefathers were prominent among - the. pioneers of New
England and. later they were distinguished in the War of the
Revolution. Judge Gates' father, George W. Gates, after serv
ing as United States marshal of Vermont moved with his fam
ily in 1850 to Port Byron, Rock Island County, Illinois. 'In 1865
he moved to Independence, Missouri. In 1868 he was elected
presiding judge of the County Court. In 1871 he was elected
to the State Legislature. Judge Gates received a common school
education and graduated with high honors at Knox College,
Galesburg, Illinois, iri 1867. He entered the law office of
Comings & Slover at Independence, and was admitted to the
bar in 1868. In 1877 he formed a partnership with William
H. Wallace which lasted nearly twenty years. The firm had a
large practice and gained great distinction. Judge Gates was the
first County Counselor of Jackson County, and he was alsorCity
Attorney of Independence. In 1896 he was nominated by the
Democratic party and elected judge of the Circuit Court of
Jackson County. In 1886 he married Miss Pattie Field Embrey,
daughter of William and Mary Embrey, of Richmond, Ky. Iw
1902 he was. a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the
Supreme Court of Missouri, and, although defeated, he was ad
mitted to have a larger following on account of his eminent fit
ness and personal popularity than any man in the race. Judge
Gates is a man of great ability, polished in manner and speech,
modest and unassuming, and extremely kind to "young and
struggling men. He is a past master Mason and a Knight of
vPythias. He occupies the chair of common law pleadings in
the Kansas City School of Law.

13

Yates, Lewis Jones, James Chambers and William
Silvers for Blue; Samuel Johnson and Andrew P. Pat
terson for Kaw Township.
The first session of the Circuit Court was held in
Independence, March 29, 1827, and was presided over
by Judge David Todd, of Howard County.' The first
clerk of the Circuit Court was Eobert Wilson, of
Howard County, but he was so unfavorably impressed
with what he regarded as the roughness and uncul
tivated manners of the people that he resigned the
position in disgust. He was succeeded by Samuel C.
Owens, who held the office for many years.
The first settlers of Jackson County were •princi
pally from' other parts of the State, but they were
rapidly followed by many immigrants from Kentucky,
Tennessee, Virginia and a scattering from other
States. At the election held in the court-house at
Independence, August 4, 1828, there were 231 votes
cast for John Miller for Governor. In the fall of
1834, however, a census was taken which showed that
Independence contained a total of 250 inhabitants.
Among these were: John O. Agnew, Solomon Flour-
noy, Robert Biclcman, William Lawrence, Leonard H.
Eemick, Henry Baker, Samuel C. Owens, John E.
Swearinge-n, Eussell Hicks, John W.- Hoodie, Eeuben
Wallace, Joseph H. Eeynolds, Samuel Weston, Rob
ert Weston, John Lewis, Richard McCarty, Lewis
Franklin, Allen Chandler, S. D. Lucas, Eichard Fris-
coe, John McCoy, ,William McCoy, Alexander Todd,
Henry Ruby and Eeuben Euby.
Part of the electoral returns from Jackson County
at the presidential election on November 4, 1828, were
14

lost, but an interesting indication of the then political
complexion of the county is afforded by the returns
in -Blue and Fort Osage townships. In the former,
Andrew Jackson received 161 votes to 3 cast for- his
opponent Adams, while Fort Osage Township gave
Jackson 49 votes and John Quincy Adanns none.
The Santa Fe" trade, which was enormously- prof
itable, and which first gave Independence its im-
- portance, as its starting-point, was gradually trans
ferred to Westport within the next few years. West-
port "was laid out by John C. McCoy. Other early set
tlers were Eobert Johnson, James McGee and sons,
John Harris, Jacob Eagan, Walliam Matney, and
Johnston Xykens.
Lone Jack in the southeastern part of the county,
the next settlement, had for its pioneers, Warham
Easley, Galen Cabe, John Snow, Stephen Easley and
John Daniel.
New Santa Fe" in the southwestern corner of the
county on the direct route from Independence to
Santa Fe", New Mexico, was first settled by John Bar-
tleson, William Gray, John Whitsett, Edward Gray,
Eichard Kirby, John Fitzhugh, George Fitzhugh,
John B. Lucas, John Self and Linzey Lewis.
Near Blue Springs lived the Smiths, Clarks, Bur-
rises, Daileys, Judge E, D. Stanley and others. The
first prairie- land cultivated in Jackson. County was
broken by, David Dailey near the east fork of the Lit
tle Blue. He used a "barshear plow," whieh consisted
of. a beam to which was fastened the coulter or
"shear," as it was called, to, cut the tough sod with
wooden mould-boards. When Mr. Dailey undertook
15

Judge JOHN W. WOFFORD.

JOHN W. WOFFORD,
judge of the Criminal Court of Jackson County, was ,born
August 14, 1837, in the State of Georgia. He served in the
House and Senate of Georgia and was- presidential elector in
1876. He fought iu the Confederate army from the beginning ta-
i the end of the war. He was appointed judge of the Jackson
County Criminal Court in July 1892' by Governor Francis, and
was elected to that position in November, 1892, and re-elected
in 1898. Judge Wofford is one of the unique figures in Kansas
City. . He is like no one else. A just and inflexible judge,
strict in his construction and enforcement of the law, feared
and respected by attorneys, he is yet as tender hearted as a
child and- more like a father than a judge of criminals. He
has inaugurated a system of paroling convicted criminals
which puts them on their honor, releasing them during good
behavior, which has done more to reform them than- all the
prisons in Christendorn could do.
Judge Wofford is a most genial companion, an able jurist,
and a loyal Democrat..

17

Judge J. E. GUINOTTE.

JULES EDGAR GUINOTTE
was born at the Guinotte homestead, Fourth St. and Troost Ave.,
in Kansas City, Mo., August 20, 1855. After a course in the_
private schools of Kansas City he completed his education at
the St. Louis University. On his return to Kansas City he en
gaged in clerical work for a time and then studied law in the
office of Tichenor & Warner. In the practice of his profession
he was not only remarkably successful but healso made, warm
friends -of- all who came in contact with him, and so, when he
received the Democratic nomination for probate judge in 1886,
he was elected by an overwhelming rnajority of Republican as
-well as Democratic votes. He was re-elected in 1890, in 1894,
again- in 1898, and this year he received the Democratic nomi
nation for the fifth time. And no wonder. The Probate Court
under his administration is a model.with probably fewer losses
through blunders of administrators and executors than in any
similar court in the land. By his kindness and devotion to the
interests of _the widows and orphans whose property has passed
through his hands he has endeared himself to all classes of the
community. Judge Guinotte is as modest as a woman and, in
his manners, as simple as a child. Withal, he is called by many,
the brainiesl man in Jackson County politics.

19

to cultivate or cross plow his field, the prairie sod
collected in a huge pile in front of the plow, and he .
was compelled to abandon the work until the turf
died and decayed. After awhile when he found that
the sod would not mellow, he took his axe and cut
holes in it, dropped his corn and covered it with an
other stroke of his axe. In this way he planted and-
raised a good crop the "first year. Afterwards those
who plowed the prairies attached to the plow six or
eight yoke of oxen and opened a much deeper and
wider furrow than is customary nowadays. David
Dailey was a man of iron constitution, the father of
twenty-seven children, and he lived long" and pros
pered greatly.
Of such rugged stuff were the pioneers of Jackson
County, brave, hardy men, and devoted, faithful
women, a God-fearing law-abiding people. Men,
women and children worked incessantly, the men re
claiming the virgin wilderness, the women spinning,
weaving and making the clothing and almost , every
thing that was used about the home, and the children
helping their parents in numberless ways.
The settlers in those days mostly went to Inde
pendence and Westport for supplies: They usually
lived in the timber and ale hominy and potatoes, fre
quently-having no bread,

20.

CHAPTER II.

Organization: of Townships.
When Jackson County was first organized it was
divided into three civil or political townships, as
contradistinguished from the geographical townships,
which are established by "government surveys. These
civil townships, already mentioned, were Fort Osage,
Blue and Kaw. The boundaries of these townships
have undergone many and material changes since they •
were established in 1827. At that time Fort Osage
contained its present territory, together with Sni-a-
bar and Van Buren townships, and the whole east
ern portion of Cass and Bates counties,
, Blue Township contained what is now Blue, Brook
ing, Prairie and part of Washington Township, and
more than half of Cass and Bates counties. Kaw Town
ship contained its present dimensions — Westport and
a" part of Washington.
Before the first general election, in 1828, Harmony
Township, named for the mission to the Indians, was
formed from the south part of Fort Osage Township.
It included about one-half of Bates County. This was
done by the county court at its May term, 1828.
The " next township formed in May, 1830, was
Boone. It too was carved out of Fort Osage Town
ship. Its boundaries were defined in the order of the
21

A. F. EVANS.

ANDREW F. EVANS,
Democratic nominee for Circuit Judge, is a native Kentuckian
and was born in September, 1862. After a course in the public
schools he graduated at Senter College, Danville, Ky., with the
degrees of A.B. and A.M. He taught school two years, study
ing law meanwhile, and was admitted to the bar in 1884. He
then took the law course at Harvard University and afterwards
at the University of Virginia. In 1887 he came to Kansas City
and has enjoyed a good practice ever since, being now senior
member of the firm of Evans & Findley. In June, 1902 Mr.
Evans received the Democratic nomination for Circuit Judge.
He is a charter member of the Jackson County Democratic Club
and has been a consistent and earnest supporter of the Demo
cratic party from his youth. Besides being a speaker of unusual
ability Mr. Evans is a well-read lawyer with the judicial tem-
perament-which will eminently suit his work on the bench. :

23

W. S. PONTIUS.

WINFRED S. PONTIUS,
f.heriff of Jackson County, was born December 15, 1859, in Ful
ton, Indiana. His family have been Americans for 150 years.
He came, to Kansas City 18 years ago and embarked in the grain
business, in which he achieved a competency. Although taking
a lively interest in politics he was in no sense a politician, much
less an office-seeker, and^his nomination for sheriff on the' Re
publican ticket in 1900 was a great surprise to him. He was
elected, the first Republican sheriff in Jackson County since
the State went Democratic after the war.
Mr. Pontius has discharged the important and responsible
duties of his office most admirably. He has especially won the
praise of the bench and bar, the' very men who have had the
best opportunities to see .and judge his work. He has kept poli
tics in the background, and his personal attention has been
given to his office, with the result that his deputies have been
diligent and faithful. To meet Sheriff Pontius one would never
know whether he was a Democrat or a Republican. In meet
ing him outside of his office one only remembers that he is
A whole-souled gentleman. Mr. Pontius was renominated for
sheriff on the Republican t'icket, September 20, 1902.

25

county court as follows: "Beginning east of the
county line between townships No. 47 and 48, thence
running due west until it intersects the line of Blue
Township, thence south to the main channel of Grand
Eiver, thence down Grand River to the county line,
thence north to the beginning."
Sni-a-bar Township was defined and named May 5,
1834. It also was carved out of Fort Osage Township
as follows: "Commencing on Little, Blue Creek, at
Benjamin Mayor's mill, on the upper road leading
from Independence to Lexington, thence on a line
with said road east to the line of Lafayette County,
and that all that section of territory lying north of
the aforesaid road, and within the boundaries of Fort
Osage Township, be, and the same is, hereby enacted -
into a separate township, to be known and designated
by the name of Shne-bar (Shnee:a-bar, or Sni-a-bar)
Township." On July 23, 1836, the fractional part of
Boone Township, which still remained within the lim
its of Jackson County, after the organization of Van
Buren — now Cass County, was attached to Sni-a-bar
Township. Washington Township was formed largely from
Blue Township, February 9, 1836. Van Buren Town
ship was laid off by order of court, May 3, 1837. It
was taken from Sni-a-bar Township. Prairie Town
ship was made up out of the west part of Van Buren
Township June 4, 1860. Westport Township was es
tablished out of a part of Kaw Township May 17,
1869. Brooking Township was organized by order of
the county court March 13, 1872. It was formed out
of portions of Washington and Blue townships.
26

CHAPTER III.

Political Episodes.
From its organization to the present time, with
few exceptions, Jackson County has been overwhelm
ingly Democratic, so much so that there is little to
chronicle except the almost unbroken succession of
Democratic victories. Three epochs statad out as land
marks in the political history of the county, and two
of these perhaps should properly be regarded, as so
cial rather than political. They were, the settlement
and expulsion of the Mormons in 1831 and 1833, the
Civil War in 1861-1865, and the split in the Democratic
party in -1900, which resulted in the election of the
Republican county ticket in a county with a normal
Democratic majority of 2,500.
In 1831, Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mor
mon faith, came to Missouri Rooking for a location for
his people, then in Kirtland, Ohio, who had become
so obnoxious to the citizens of that vicinity that they
had been notified to leave. After prospecting in sev
eral counties he arrived at Independence in July of
that year, and announced that a revelation to him
from God fixed it as the "New Jerusalem," the seat
of the new Mormon kingdom. Accordingly he and
his disciples entered several thousand acres of land
embraced in a tract west of Independence, extending
- ; 27

Judge G. L. CHRISMAN.

GEORGE LEE CHRISMAN,
presiding judge of the County Court of Jackson County, was
born in Independence in I80I, and he has lived here all his life.
His father was a celebrated lawyer, banker and successful
business man. Judge Chrisman was educated in the Jackson
County schools and devoted himself to farming and banking
until six years ago when he was elected as a "Democrat, asso
ciate judge of the County Court from the Eastern District. Al
the next election he was elected presiding judge of the same
court. In June, 1902. he was renominated by the Democratic
party for presiding judge by acclamation. He has devoted hi?
attention since his elevation to ihe County Bench, to the expan
sion and improvement of the road system of Jackson County,
and the results will be a monument to his energy and far
sightedness for generations to come. Under his administration
Jackson County has gained the proud eminence of having more
mijes of rock roads than any county in the United States.
Judge Chrisman is a warm-hearted man and exceedingly loyal
to his friends. He became favorably known throughout the
State in 1 900 by his candidacy for delegate-at-large to the Dem
ocratic National Convention,

29

R. S. STONE.

ROBERT S. STONE,
Democratic nominee for county collector, was born August
12, 1857, at Independence, Mo. Receiving a common school
education he moved on a farm when he was fourteen years
old and lived there until 1885, when he removed to Indepen
dence and went into the grocery business.- ' In 1889 he rer
ceived an appointment as deputy sheriff under W. S. Sitlington
and was reappointed as chief deputy in 1893 by Sheriff O'Neill.
In 1896 he was elected sheriff of Jackson County and was re
elected in 1898; Retiring from that office in 1900, Mr. Stone
engaged in the real estate and insurance business in Kansas
City. In June, 1902 he was nominated on the Democratic ticket
for collector of Jackson County. Mr. Stone's fourteen years of
hard; work on a farm laid the foundation for. the fidelity and
careful-attention which he gave to the discharge of his public
duties and qualified him for any office, or position demanding
honesty-, and patient industry for its proper conduct. Besides
these, Mr. Stone has a well-earned reputation fer fairness, just
ness, and kindness to the. unfortunate and afflicted. He is a
man of very winning personality and is justly considered one
of the most popular men in Jackson County.

31

FRED, C. ADAMS.

FRED C. ADAMS, -
Republican nominee for re-election as collector of Jackson
County, was born October 30, 1862, in Hartford- County, Con
necticut. His ancestry was purely American for 250 yearsf
After receiving a sound education at his home he came West
seeking his fortune and located in Kansas City twenty-one
years ago. He engaged in the banking business and was cash-a
ier of the Kansas City State Bank when he was nominated by
the Republican party and elected collector of Jackson County
in ^November, 1900. He was renominated by acclamation in
September, 1902.
Mr. Adams is "a quiet man, with great force of character
and an equally great power of application to business. He has
administered the office, of county collector as a business man
and not as a politician, and its a result, has won the esteem ann
approval of the people, irrespective of politics. If any Repub
lican can be elected in a county having a Democratic majority
of 2,500, he can. Personally Mr. Adams is one of the kindest ot
men, modest, genial and unassuming, faithful to his friends
and faithful to his duty.

twelve miles south from the Missouri River and
twelve miles west to the State line. Another revela
tion assured him that the site of the great temple, in
imitation of King Solomon's temple, was about 300
yards west of the court-house at Independence, and
on August 3, 1831, the spot was dedicated to that
purpose, Joseph Smith declaring it to be "the Zio'n
that should never be moved," and that the whole land
was "solemnly dedicated to the Lord and His saints."
A weekly newspaper, called The Morning and Even
ing Star, was established at Independence as the offi
cial organ of the Mormon Church, and each week it
was filled with "revelations" predicting blessings for
the Church and woes innumerable for the Gentiles.
Their followers poured in rapidly and at a general
conference held that year Smith revealed that the
whole land should be theirs "by purchase or by blood."
Emissaries were sent among the Indians inviting
them to join the Mormon Church, and claiming them
-as the lost tribes of Israel. The elders of the Church
claimed to hold intercourse With God and His angels.
to heal the sick by laying on the hands, to raise the dead,
to walk on water, and, in short, to perform miracles
of all kinds. At their meetings men, women and chil
dren spoke in unknown tongues — the Gentiles called
it gibberish— claiming that they were inspired.
The Mormon colony greAV rapidly and in the spring
, of 1833 numbered 1,500 souls. By this time the Chris
tian settlers had become alarmed and aroused over
the incendiary teachings and arrogant acts of the
Mormons who preached and wrote in their newspaper"
declaring that the land was given to them as a spoil,
34

and that no Gentile should inhabit it. Resentment
against them grew that summer when abolitionist
articles were printed on "Free People of Color," in
tended to incite the negroes to revolt against slavery,
and the climax of indignation was reached when the
Mormons prepared to place a ticket for the county
offices in the field.
On July 20, 1833, an anti-Mormon mass-meeting was
held at Independence with Colonel Richard Simpson
as chairman, and James H. Flournoy and Colonel
Samuel D. Lucas, secretaries. Resolutions were
adopted declaring that "in future no Mormon shall
settle in this county." That "{hose now here, who
shall give a definite pledge of their intention, within
a reasonable time, to move out of the county, shall be
allowed to remain unmolested until they shall have
tim'e to sell their property and close their business
without material sacrifice." The Star was ordered to
be discontinued forthwith.
These resolutions were drafted by a committee con
sisting of Russell Hicks, Robert Johnson, Henry
Chiles, Thomas Hudspeth, Joel F. Chiles, James M.
Hunter and Colonel James Hambriglet.
A committee appointed to present the resolutions
to the Mormon leaders reported that the latter would
not. give any answer until they had communicated
¦with Joseph Smith, who was at Kirtland, O. It was
then resolved that the Star office should be immedi
ately destroyed, which was done and the printing
materials thrown into "the Missouri River. Bishop
Partridge and Storekeeper Allen, the Mormon lead
ers, who had demanded a delay, were stripped naked,
35

HARRY G. HENLEY.

HARRY HENLEY
was born in Independence, Jackson County, Missouri, a little
over thirty years ago. Inheriting indomitable pluck and. cour
age from his father and mother/ the former of whom was born
in Kentucky, and the latter in Missouri, he has surmounted
many obstacles and steadily risen. He belongs to that type or
men who are self-made^ As a. mere boy he started in to earn
what he cciild. Working at whatever presented itself, he sold .
newspapers, worked, in a woolen mill, blacksmith shop, painted
and finally became an expert turner.
Studying of nights be. acquired such an education as made
him amply qualified and competent to hold the responsible
position of division clerk of the Independence Division of the1
Circuit Court. Still studying of nights he graduated fromthe
Kansas City School of Law and has been licensed to practice in
the several courts of the State.
He has ever been an active and energetic man, filling his
official position with credit to himself and the office. In ad
dition he has found time to take an active interest in religion-
and politics. He takes an interest in all civic and public af-\
fairs and is a member of the Knights of Pythias and Woodmen.
Recently the Democratic party in convention assembled,
recognizing his especial fitness and qualifications for the: office
gave, him the nomination for clerk of the Circuit Court. This
is the principalship of the office in which he has been a deputy;
-until he recently resigned. ^ •
Although young, Harry Henley is recognized throughout!
the community in which he lives as a solid and substantial j
man. . ..¦;' !<-. ,;

37

Dk. CHARLES H. LESTER.

DR: CHARLES H. LESTER.
Dr. Lester was born May 10, 1857, in Kansas City, Mo.,
where he has lived all his life. His parentage is English and
Scotch, although his forefathers have lived in America for
several generations. Dr Lester is a tall, strong man. strong
mentally and physically, with the gentle, kindly manners that
are derived partly from his' great strength and partly through
his training as a physician in ministering to the weak and
aiilieted. He is regarded as -one of the ablest physicians in
Kansas City and enjoys a large private practice. Dr. Lester
held the office of coroner of Jackson County from 1898 to 1900,
and was only defeated for re-election by the split in the Demo
cratic party in Jackson County in 1900. He -is the Democratic
nominee for coroner on the County ticket this fall. ¦

39

JAMES L. PHELPS.

JAMES D. PHELPS,
-Democratic nominee for county clerk, was born January 1, 1855,
at Ottawa, Illinois. He comes of good, old Democratic stock,
his mother being a Kentuckian, and his father a Virginian.
wh.o cast his first vote for Andrew Jackson.-^
Mr. Phelps graduated from the Ottawa High Schools in
3871, and 187.8 he was admitted to the bar before the Supreme
Court of Illinois. Removing to Arkansas his health failed two
years after, and he changed his residence to Atchison, Kansas.
Four years later he came to Independence, Missouri, where hs
has lived ever since. In 1889 Mr. Phelps was appointed marshal
of the Kansas City Court of Appeals. In 1895 he was appointed
chief. deputy county clerk by T. T. Crittenden, Jr., which posi
tion he has held ever since.
In 1893" Mr. Phelps married, at Independence, Miss Nellie
Gregg, the daughter Of Samuel and Maria Bryant Gregg. The
Gregg and Bryant families moved to Jackson County from
Kentucky fifty-five years ago.
Prior to his nomination for county clerk this year, Mr.
Phelps-has never been a candidate for office although he has
always voted the Democratic ticket and has. always worked
earnestly and faithfully for the success -of his party. Mr.
Phelps' record socially, in business life, and in the appointive
offices he has held is above reproach.

41

tarred and feathered and ordered to leave the coun
try at once. On July 23, several hundred citizens as
sembled for the purpose of expelling the Mormons by
force. The Mormons were pretty thoroughly cowed
and they agreed to leave by the following April. v
In the meantime they appealed for protection to
Governor Dunklin, who, upon the advice of Attorney-
General R. W. Wells, advised them to stay and ap
peal to the courts for redress. Legal action was com
menced against the ring-leaders of the anti-Mormon
mob and eminent lawyers were employed to prose
cute them.
On October 30 the citizens . were again assembled
in arms and commenced the work of removing thi-
Mormons by force. Ten Mormon houses on the Big
Blue, five at Westport and numbers at other points
were burned and their inhabitants , driven ' away.
At the Whitmer Settlement two miles southeast of
Kansas City, Mormons resisted and several citizens
were killed or wounded. The militia were called out,
but refused to protect the Mormons. On November
7, the thoroughly frightened Mormons began cross
ing the Missouri River into Clay County. This ended
the Mormon occupation as a body of the "New Jerusa
lem," Jackson County.
Within the next twelve months their leaders' ap
pealed to the Governor, State Legislature, and the
courts of Missouri, as well as to the President of the
United States, to reinstate them in their homes, but
their efforts proved fruitless. The seized Mormon
lands were paid for, but no Mormon was allowed to
set foot in Jackson County. 42

The Mormon settlements in Ray, Carroll, Cald
well and Daviess counties led to the "Mormon war"
a few years later, which resulted in the Mormons be
ing driven from the State.
There is now in Jackson County a body of Mor
mons calling themselves, "Latter Day Saints." They
are a~ branch of the Reorganized Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter Day Saints, of which Joseph Smith,
Jr., eldest son of Joseph Smith, was the president.
The headquarters of this Church is at Piano, Kendall
County, Illinois. This Church has over 400 congre
gations in the principal cities of the country. They
-are opposed to polygamy and keep missionaries active
ly at work in Utah, seeking to convert the Brigham
Young Mormons from that doctrine.

43

O. H. GENTRY, Jr.

O. H. GENTRY, JR.,
Democratic candidate for treasurer of -Jackson County, was
horn May 9, 1859, in Jackson County, Mo., and has lived here
all his life.. He was raised on a farm until he was-18 when he
entered u.pon(the drug business, in the employ of J. C. Pendle
ton, of whom he is now a partner, at .Independence, Mo.
Mr. Gentry was nominated for treasurer of Jackson County
on the Democratic ticket in 1900, but went down to defeat with
the rest of the ticket on account of the split in the party that
year. He was renominated for the same office in June, 1902.
Mr. Gentry has never been a factional man in the troubles
that have existed in his party in Jackson County. . It is no
'flattery to say that he enjoys the respect and'esteem of men
of all -factions and parties. He is a man of winning personality.
With a rare faculty. for making friends of everyone he meets.
His strongest claim upon the regard of those who know him
is his devotion to his family, including his -mother, -whom he
jias cared for since his father's death when he was only five
years old." Mr. Gentry married Miss Emma Robinson of .May-
view, Jackson County, and has three lovely children.

45

T. J. PENDERGAST,

THOMAS J. PENDERGAST,
Democratic nominee for marshal of Jackson County, was born
July 22, 1872, at St. Joseph, Mo. After receiving an education
at his native town Mr. Pendergast removed to Kansas City in
1890 and was associated in business with his brother, James
Pendergast, until he received an appointment as deputy county ,
marshal. Upon Mayor Reed's election he was appointed super
intendent of streets for Kansas City, and he. has retained that
position ever since. The position has been a difficult and thank-
loss one, owing to the lack of sufficient funds to do the work,
but. Mr. Rendefgast's record has been highly satisfactory, es
pecially to the business men of Kansas City. He has given
his entire time and attention to the work, and his figure is a
familiar one on the streets, standing in a snow storm in
winter, or in the broiling sun of summer, superintending the
work of his men. As deputy county marshal he became fa
miliar with the duties cf the office and his election will find
him S thoroughly qualified official.

47

CHARLES V/RENICK.

CHARLES V. RENICK,
clerk of the Criminal Court of Jackson County, and Democratic
nominee for re-election, was born May 5, 1867, in Jackson
County, Mo. His father, John T. Renick, was bom in Indepen
dence in 1832, and his grandparents came to Lafayette County
from Kentucky in 1818. His early school life was spent in Jack
son County and after a two years' course at Odessa College,
Mo., in 1887 he entered the employ of A. J. Bundschu, the dry
goods merchant, at Independence. In 1890 he went as travel
ing salesman for Burnham, Hanna & Munger, and afterward?
worked in the same capacity for Swofford Bros. In 1895 he
went into the general mercantile business for himself at Oak
9 rove, Mo. In 1899 he was elected on the Democratic ticket
as clerk of the Criminal Court and in June, 1902, he was renom
inated by acclamation. He was married December 25, 1900, to
Miss Almeda K. Humphrey, daughter of Dr. Willis P. King.
Mr. Renick was a charter member of the Jackson County
Democratic Club and has been an active worker at every elec
tion for his party's success. He is one of the best known men
iu Jackson County and is extremely popular, His record as
criminal clerk has been without a blemish and his re-election
will be a well-deserved endorsement by the people who have
known him all his life.

49

CHAPTER IV.

Jackson County During the Civil War.
No part of the country was the scene of fiercer
fighting during the Civil War than Jackson County.
For several years prior to the war Jackson County
was the storm center of. the border troubles which
arose between Kansas and Missouri over the slavery
question. Numerous acts of violence and bloodshed
were committed on both sides, and the seeds were
sown which bore fruit in the terrible guerrilla war
fare which arrayed' families and neighbors against
each other throughout the war.
A large majority of the citizens of the county were
Southern sympathizers, but the Federal authorities
sent troops and took possession of Kansas City and
Independence at an early date, and from that time
the struggle raged for possession of the county.
Quantrell and his men held possession of the fast
nesses of the county aud although the roads swarmed
with Union soldiers, they were never able to oust him.
Men were shot down on the public highways and
hanged on the public squares, without trial or cause;
skirmishes were of daily and nightly 'occurrence and
desperate battles were fought at various times over
almost every inch of ground jn the county. On the
Big and Little Blue rivers, Rock Creek, at Independ-
50

ence, Lone Jack, Westport and other points, bloody
battles were fought, and by the wayside, lonely roads,
farm houses, homes, and even churches were bathed
in blood as Confederate scout and Union Jayhawker
settled accounts with each other.
During this period the Confederates were generally
victorious on the battle-field, while the Union side
prevailed at the elections. Kansas City was a Union
town from the beginning of the war, and the county
had little opportunity for a free expression of opinion.
After the war the Southern men were disfranchised
until the repeal of the infamous Drake Constitution,
which was only accomplished after long and persist
ent efforts on the part of the Southerners. In these
post-bellum political struggles Judge James H. Slover
and others took the lead, and, when other means
failed, they formed secret societies in which to agitate
and form plans for the accomplishment of their ob
ject,, to place all citizens on an equal footing before
the law. As. soon as this was done Jackson County
again became safely Democratic and remained so for
thirty years, until the disastrous split in the fall of
1900.

51

COL, JOSEPH W. MERCER,

* COLONEL JOSEPH W. MERCER
was born February 25, 1845, in Platte City, Mo., but he has re
sided in Jackson County for a period of fifty years. His life
has been, eventful and successful, both in politics and in busi
ness. _ He has been a member of the City Council and mayor
of Independence, treasurer of Jackson County in 1872 and 1873,
and was elected treasurer of the State of Missouri in 1874. J.n
business life Colonel Mercer has -for twenty years been inter
ested in ' the 'Kansas City Wholesale Grocery Company, of
which he is now .vice-president. He is also vice-president of
the First -National Bank of Independence and president of the
Mize Hardware' Company. Colonel Mercer entered the. Con
federate Army at the age of 16, and fought four years until the
surrender. He was wounded at the battles of Lexington and'.
Pea Ridge, and lost an arm at Pine Bluff. He came out qf-,|h*
Army penniless and taught school near Independence, Mo. He
married Miss Laura Green of Jackson County in 1870, and has
four children living. Colonel Mercer is an Elk', Odd-fellow,
and Knight of Pythias. .
In June, 1902, he was nominated for county judge .of the
Eastern District of Jackson County on the Democratic ticket.

53

JAMES A. REED.

JAMES A. REED,
mayor of Kansas City, was born on a farm in Richmond
County, Ohio, November 9, 1861. When he was three years
old his parents moved to a farm near Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and
when he was eight his father died, leaving to him the "care of
his mother and young brothers. He worked on the farm in
the day' and studied at night until he was able to attend Coe
College at Cedar Rapids, where he won the State Oratorial- Con
test for his alma mater. In 1882 he began the study of law and
in 1885. was admitted to the bar. After serving as chairman of
his Democratic County Committee and winning a reputation as
. a stump' speaker, he came to Kansas City in 1888. His debut in
politics here was as candidate for the Democratic nomination
for prosecuting attorney, which he lost, and then he stumped
the county in a remarkable campaign making more speeches
for his successful rival than he did for himself. In 1896 he
became county counselor and won every case that came to
trial. In 1898 he was elected prosecuting attorney of Jackson
County and in the next two years his name became a terror
to evil doers. Qut of 242 cases he lost but one, and there were
PUiy two nut'trials.
In 1900 the Democrats of Kansas City, who had been in a
minority for years, centered on the brilliant young prosecuting
attorney to lead their forlorn hope, He accepted the call of
his party, resigned his far more profitable office, made a whirl
wind campaign which fairly swept the opposition off its feet,
and was elected mayor by over 2,000 majority. Then began his
memorable struggle to compel the public corporations to pay
their just share of the burdens of the city and to fulfill their
long-ignored obligations to the people. With a City'Council
against him, and fighting almost singly and alone, Mayor Reed
effected reforms which saved the city over a million of dollars
and brought the corporations to their knees. In 1902 he was re
nominated and elected mayor after a bitter fight in which cor
poration money was lavishly used against him. He is probably
the most effective campaigner in Missouri, and with his abso
lute honesty, fearless courage and devotion to the people's in
terests the future undoubtedly has higher honors in store for
him. 55

J. G. L. HARVEY.

JACQUE G. L. HARVEY
was horn January 26, 1875, in Saline County, Mo. Twelve years
ago he came to. Kansas City and entered the law office of James
A. Reed as office boy and subsequently as stenographer. When
Mr. Roed was, elected mayor of Kansas City in April, 1900, he
selected Mr. Harvey as his private secretary, a post he has
held ever since. In June, 1900, Mr. Harvey graduated from
the Kansas City Law Schocl with the highest honors of his
class. He has discharged the delicate and difficult duties of
his position as secretary to the mayor with conspicuous ability,
and an enthusiastic loyalty to the interests of his chief that
seems to characterize his every act where the interests of hia
friends are at stake.

57

CHAPTER V.

The Democrat Split in 1900.
But little can be said within the limits of this
work, as to the merits or details of the controversy
which led to the split in the Democratic party in
Jackson County in the fall- of 1900. The trouble may
be said to have originated in Kansas City, where the
•Democratic party had split in the city election -in 1894,
and thereafter had been divided into two factions who
hated each other worse than they did their common
enemy, the Republicans. The bitterness between these
factions gradually extended into the county, and cul
minated in August, 1900, when two Democratic county
conventions were held simultaneously under the same
tent in Independence, two Democratic county tickets
were nominated, and two Democratic county commit
tees were selected.
All efforts to effect a compromise having failed,
the services of the Democratic State Central Commit
tee were invoked and a committee from that body-
came to Kansas City and spent several days trying to
heal the breach. After hearing the case as presented
by both sides, the committee decided to order a new
primary and convention, which was held at Independ
ence the following month, and a new Democratic ticket
was nominated. The Shannon faction, as it was called,
58

denied the authority of the State Committee to inter
fere, refused to take part in the new primaries, and
afterwards kept its ticket in the field. The controversy '
was finally brought before the Supreme Court, which
decided in favor of the Shannon faction's ticket. This
decision, which was based^on a legal technicality and
did not enter into the merits of the case, was repudi
ated by the Democrats at the polls in the general elec
tion in November, and, although W. S. Cowherd, Dem
ocratic nominee for Congress, carried the county by
a large majority, the entire Republican county ticket
was elected by equally large majorities.
Since then the opposing Democratic factions ap
pear to have learned and digested the bitter , lesson of
defeat. In the spring of 1902, in Kansas City, most of
the leaders of both factions gave hearty support to
Mayor James A. Reecf in his splendid campaign for
re-election, and those who did not, sulked in their
tents, but essayed no open warfare. After Mayor
Reed's election these latter found that they were in
danger of losing their political prestige and they, too,
hastened to get in the regular Democratic band-wagon
rather than be run over and crushed. New align:
ments, based on fresh issues, and the advent of new
leaders, were made and the solidarity of the two fac
tions was considerably shaken. At all events, harm
ony prevailed at the ensuing county primaries and the
county convention held in June at Independence nom
inated a ticket which represented the extreme ele
ments of both factions. The personnel of the ticket is
without exception excellent and under ordinary cir
cumstances its election would be a foregone conclu-
59

H. C. BRADY.

HUGH C. BRADY
was born in 1870, in Kansas City, Mo., of Irish parentage. He
attended school at the St.. Francis Institute, Osage -Mission,
Kansas, and worked at the printing trade for twelve years,
studying law while setting type on the Kansas City Journal.
In 1894 he, entered the law office of Frank P. Walsh who took
a warm interest in the modest, hardworking boy, and who has
been his warm friend ever since. In 1896 young Brady was ad
mitted to the bar, and retained his office with Mr. Walsh. In
1900 Mr. Brady, although not a candidate, came within a few
votes of being nominated for police judge of Kansas City, and
in 1902 receiving the nomination he led the Democratic ticket
and was elected by over 3,000 majority. A short and simple;
history, but full of hard work and self-denial, of energy and
pluck in the face of apparently insurmountable obstacles. With
such an earnest as a beginning who shall place a limitation on
what the, fruition may be at last?
Mr. Brady is himself respected for his' sound sense and
-popular because cf his manliness, but his chief title to the
esteem of his fellow men is his devotion to his friend and guide,
Frank Walsh. His speech at St. Joseph, nominating Mr. Walsh
for State committeeman, was a model of terseness and manly
eloquence, but it was no less a credit to the subject, than to
the speaker in the feeling he displayed.

61

JOHN P. LYNCH.

JOHN P. LYNCH
was born November 7, 1862, in Kansas City, Mo. He has lived
all his life in the sixth ward, where he is the unquestioned
Democratic leader. Mr. Lynch has the manner and tastes Of a
business man, rather than a politician, and he has made a
great success in the lime and cement business. But when he
was elected to the lower house of the City Council in 1900 he
was quickly recognized as a leader by his associates, who
elected him speaker of the house. In 1902 he was re-elected
to the Council and again chosen as speaker. As a man and as
a politician, Mr. Lynch's distinguishing characteristic is his
rugged honesty and absolute incorruptibility. Blunt and
straightforward in manner and speech, no piece of extrava
gance, or suspicion of jobbery' has escaped his watchful eye
as speaker of the lower house, and he has shown the courage
of his convictions by coming down on the floor and opposing
measures that he considered harmful to the city's interests,
whether they were fathered by political friend or foe. And
yet he is so fair and impartial in his rulings, and so free from
reproach in his personal conduct, that he commands -the respect
and esteem of all his political associates, as well as of the peo
ple of Kansas. City.
Speaker Lynch has often acted as mayor during Mayor
Roed's absence from the city, and has filled the position with,
such dignity and tact that many persons have come to regard
him as a .logical and worthy successor to Mayor Reed.

63

A. E. GALLAGHER.

ANDREW E. GALLAGHER
was born March 29, 1860, at Oswego, New York. Twenty years
ago he came to Kansas City and embarked in the real estate
business. Taking an active interest in politics, as a Democrat,
but never a candidate for office, he soon became a leader in
his ward, and a prominent figure in his party's councils and
conventions. In the spring of 1902, Mr. Gallagher was appointed
city comptroller by Mayor Reed and was confirmed by the City
Council as ajnan who was acceptable to Democrats and Repub
licans alike. In June, 1902, Mr. Gallagher was elected chairman
of the Democratic; County Committee, a rare compliment to his
integrity and political acumen in view of the existing, condi
tions in Jackson County politics. The best testimonial, how
ever, to Mr. Gallagher's character is the fact that he is best
liked where he is best known, among his own neighbors.

65

sion. On the other hand, the Republican county offi
cials have given the people an efficient, non-partisan
and economical administration, and these officials are
confidently asking the people to endorse their good
work. Moreover, it is the history of politics that
when a bolt has once occurred in a party, at least a
residuum of the bolters never return to their party's
camp. Party ties are weakened and party dicipline is
destroyed. Whatever the outcome, although almost
certainly Democratic, it is safe to say that Democratic
majorities will never again be as certain in Jackson
County as they have been in the past.
And yet, the Republican party in Jackson County
is ' hardly in a condition to profit by the dissensions
that have left their marks on their political oppo
nents. It, too, is split into factions, local and State,
which, although not proceeding to the extreme of
putting up rival Republican tickets, still are carried
away by the bitter undercurrents of jealousy, selfish
ness and personal enmities. Owing to their inability
to obtain a share of the spoils of office the 4,000 negro
voters of Kansas City threatened to bolt the Republi
can party, and many a white brother who lacks the
courage to threaten, carries a knife in his boot and
will insert it on occasion where it will do the most
good. Personally, the Republican leaders, and, indeed,
the rank and file of Jackson County are among the
est and ablest men in the county, but their party is
handicapped by the same causes that prevail through
out Missouri in making it a minority party.

66

CHAPTER VI.

County^Opficials.
Following is the list of officials of Jackson County
from its organization to the present time:
Judges of the County Court.
1827. — Henry Burris, Abraham McClelland, Rich
ard Fristoe. August, 1829, Samuel Weston.
' 1831. — Richard Fristoe, Lewis Jones, Samuel D.
Lucas. August 7, 1832, Richard B. Chiles; February,
13, 1833, John Smith.
1834. — Moses Q-. Wilson, Lawrence Flournoy, Dan
iel P. Lewis.
1838. — John Davis, Lawrence Flournoy, Jno. Smith.
1842. — James B. Yager, Alvin Brooking, Richard
Stanley. 1844, Richard Fristoe; 1846, James Smart,
~ 1846. — Alvin Brooking, Richard D. Stanley, James
Gray. 1848, Walter Bales.
1850. — Richard D. Stanley, Walter Bales, Richard
Still. 1854. — Richard D. Stanley, James Porter, James B.
Yager. 185&T — Richard D. Stanley, Jamtes McClelland,'
Thomas A. Smart.
1862.— Jacob Leader, Nathaniel H. Scruggs, Oscar
H. Cogswell. 1864, Lucius Carey.
67

BAXTER BROWN.

BAXTER BROWN
Was born on a farm in Johnson County, Mo., about forty-three
;years ago. He was educated in the common schools of that
county and at McGee College in Macon County, Mo. After leav
ing school when a mere boy he was appointed clerk of the Pro
bate Court of Johnson County, which position he held for two
years, resigning to engage in the drug business at Warrens
burg, ,Mo., which he followed for a number of years. He was
elected assistant secretary of the Missouri Senate at its Revis
ing session in 1889. At the same session of the legislature the
Missouri grain inspection law was enacted largely through his
efforts, and at the close of the session he was appointed, by
Chief Grain Inspector Jasper N. Burks, chief clerk of the Kan
sas City department, holding that position until 1892.
When the Cherokee Strip was opened, for settlement in
in 1893, Mr. Brown made the run into the new country,
settling at Newkirk, the county seat of Kay County, Okla
homa, engaging in the grain business at that place. With
in a month after his arrival in Oklahoma he was elected
chairman of the Democratic County Central Committee, and
appointed by Governor Renfro chairman of the board of coun
ty commissioners of Kay County, which position he held until
.swept out of office by the Republican landslide of 1894.
Returning to Missouri in January, 1-895, he bought a ha'f
interest in the Johnson County Daily and Weekly Star, which
paper he edited for one year strenuously advocating the ne
cessity of holding the famous Pertle Springs convention, and
-was largely instrumental in haying the convention held at that
[place, within one and a half miles of his town. In December,
1895, he sold his interest in the paper and came to Kansas City,
where he has since resided. He was. chief clerk of the board of
election commissioners during the campaign in which James A.
Reed was first elected mayor, and was a candidate tor the nomi
nation for railroad commissioner before the State convention"
held in Kansas City in June, 1900. He was appointed secretary
of the board of public works in May of this year. Mr. Brown
is a member of Orient Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of
Kansas City, and a charter member of the Jackson County
Democratic Club. He has been active in City and State poli
tics for years, _and is said to have the distinction of knowing
more Missouri Democrats than any man in the State. __
69

O. G. YOUNG.

O. G. YOUNG
wag born January 20, 1858, in Ray County, Mo. His parent",
had moved to Missouri from- Kentucky a few years before.
When barely twenty-one he was elected mayor of Carrolitnn.
Mc, and his administration was so satisfactory to the people
that, at the close of his term, he was re-elected, an honor that
had never been bestowed on any other mayor of that town. He
was a delegate, to the National Democratic Convention at St.
Louis in 1888. In 1889 he came to Kansas City, seeking a wider
field for the practice of his profession as a lawyer. He took
an active part in politics in his new home, and in 1S96 was
elected to the State Senate from the Fifth Senatorial district.
Senator Young is a Democrat who never took much part in the
¦factional controversies which have divided the Democratic
party in Jackson County in recent years,..and he was one of the
first men to give his active support to tfie Jackson County
Democratic Club when that organization was effected in 1900
in. view of promoting harmony in the partyC . Senator Young
is a speaker of unusual ability and as a lawyer he stands high
in his profession, enjoying a lucrative practice.

71

CHARLES H. CLARK.

CHARLES H. CLARK.
Mr. Clark was born in 1866 in Mercer County, Pennsylvania,
the same county that gave a birthplace to Senator Clark of
Montana. He does not claim relationship with his noted name
sake, but he is proud of the fact that his people have been for
generations honest, loyal, hardworking Americans. When a
poor boy of 16, young Clark came to Kansas City, and obtained
employment with William Huttig in the lumber business. Af
ter eight years of hard work he was appointed a member of the
Kansas City Fire Department, where he remained until his
recent appointment as deputy license inspector for Kansas City.
As a fireman Charley Clark made a record for bravery, cool
ness and devotion to duty, which commanded the highest ap
proval of Chief Trickett. How his comrades regarded him is
illustrated by the fact that he is the first man, outside of a
chief of the department, who was ever elected president of
the Martin's Fireman's Relief Association.
In politics Mr. Clark has done yeoman service for the
Democratic party. He has been for several years chairman of
the second ward delegation in conventions, where his ready
wit and cool judgment made his services particularly valua
ble. The manly qualities that served him so well as a work-
ingman and as a fireman, are sure to stand him in good stead
in advancing his "political fortunes.

73

1865.— M. T. Graham, Jas. D. Allen, A. G. Newgent.
1866. — A. G. Newgent, M. T. Graham, Jacob Leader.
1867. — G. W. Gates, Lucius Carey, Joshua Petty.
1869. — Jas. B, Yager, Lucius Carey, Joshua Petty.
1871. — Jas. B. Yager, Lucius Carey, Joshua Petty.
1873. — Jas. B. Yager, Lucius Carey, Luther Mason.
May 6, 1873, A. L. Harris, W. R. Bernard.
1875. — A. G. Williams, Jas. B. Yager, A. M. Allen,
T. H. Brougham, Thomas McNamara.
1S77. — Josiah Collins, Jas. B. Yager, A. M. Allen,
T. H. Brougham, Thomas McNamara. August, 1877,
W. E. Hall, Josiah Collins, Jas. B. Yager.
1879.— Jas. B. Yager, D. A: Frink, Charles E.
Strode. 1881.— Jas. B. Yager, W. 0. Shouse, Charles E.
Strode. 1882.— R. S. Adkins, F. R. Allen, J. P. Jones.
1884.— R. S. Adkins, W. F. Chiles, Hugh Lynch.
1886.— J. A. McDonald, Hugh Lynch, Wm. Chiles.
1888.— J. A. McDonald, John N. Smith, S. W.
Hudson. 1890.— Daniel Murphy, S. W. Hudson, P. J. Henn.
1892. — Daniel Murphy, P. J. Henn, James Latimer.
1894. — John B. Stone, James Latimer.
1896. — John B. Stone, James Latimer, John N.
Smith, 1898.— G. L. Chrisman, S. L. Luttrell, E. R. Hunter.
1900.— G. L. Chrisman, .S. L. Luttrell, John M.
Surface.

74

County Clerics.
1827. — L. W. Boggs, circuit and county clerk, and
ex-officio recorder. '* "
1828.— Samuel C. Owens, circuit and county clerk,
and ex-officio recorder. ¦
1842,-^Samuel D. Lucas, circuit and county clerk,
and ex-officio recorder.
1848. — John R. Swearinger, county clerk.
1867. — Ezra R. Hickman, county clerk.
1882.— M. S"; Burr. 1886, M. S. Burr. 1890, M. S.
Burr. 1892, M. S. Burr. 1894, T. T. Crittenden, Jr.
1898, T. H. Crittenden, Jr. .
Cireuit Clerics:
1848.— Samuel D. Lucas, circuit clerk and ex-officio
recorder. 1865. — W. C. Rans„om, circuit clerk and ex-officio
recorder. 1867. — Reuben Wallace, circuit clerk. .
1871.— Wallace Laws, circuit clerk. 1882, L. F.
McCoy. 1886, L. F. McCoy. 1890\ Hinton H. Noland.
1894, Henry M. Stonestreet. 1898, Henry M Stone-
street. Recorder.
1867.— A. Comings. 1871, Charles D. Lucas. 1882,'
C. D. Lucas. 1886, R._ T, Hinde. 1890, J. W. Hinde.
1894, 0. H. Queal. 1898, M. R. Gossett.
Treasurers.
1827.— Samuel C. Owens, Russell Hicks. 1858, O.
P. W. Bailey. 1860, Dr. John Montgomery. 1861, J.
B. Glover. 1862, Reuben Wallace. 1866, John T. Pen-
75

A. L. COOPER.

A. L. COOPER
was born November 15, 1870, on a farm near the village of Wil
low Grove, Kent County, Delaware. His father, Thomas B.
Cooper, was an active Delaware Democrat, a compatriot of
Senator Bayard.
Mr. Cooper came to Kansas City about ten years ago, an. J
after studying law was admitted to the bar in 1895. Since then
his rise has been rapid. By hard study and close attention to
his clients' interests, Mr. Cooper has won his way until prob
a'bly no young lawyer at the Jackson County bar enjoys a bettor
reputation. As .an advocate he is clear, incisive, with a dry wit
which pleases most in a speaker. Mr; Cooper is frequently
chosen by the circuit judges as referee in complicated casss
on account of his judicial cast of mind, and it was this same
fine quality that caused his friends to urge, him for the Demo
cratic nomination for the circuit bench in June, 1902.
Mr. Cooper is an active Democrat, who pulls off his coat
and works for Sis party at election times without any thought
of reward. He is a charter member of the Jackson County
Democratic Club and has been one of its most active
supporters.

77

E. E. PORTERFIELD,

EDWARD EVERETT PORTERFIELD
was born March 29, 1861, in Berkeley County, Va. His parents
were William Rush and Helen O'Neill Porterfield. He gradu-
. ated in 1883 at Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Md ,
and afterwards was principal of the public schools of Han--
, cock, Md. "After studying law with Colonel Henry Kidd Doug
lass at Hagerstown, Maryland, Mr. Porterfield came to Kansas
City in 1886, and began the practice, of his profession. In 1896
he received the Democratic nomination for police judge of
Kansas City and led his ticket in the election but was defeated
by the Republican, landslide. Since then he has devoted him
self to his profession, and. his firm, Porterfield, Sawyer & Con
rad, enjoys a lucrative practice. Mr. Porterfield was one of
the organizers of the Jackson County Democratic Cliib, and
lias been an active worker for its success ever since. He is
an excellent lawyer, a splendid gentleman, and very popular'
among a wide, circle of acquaintances. He married Miss Julia
L. Chick, daughter of Joseph S. Chick, and they have been
blessed w,ith three children, two of whom are now living.

79,

HUGH C. WARD.

HUGH C. WARD
was born March 10, 1864, at Westport, Mo., now a part of Kan
sas City, and he has lived here all his life. His parents were
Seth E.and Mary F. Ward. Mr. Ward was educated in the
public schools and later attended Harvard University. He
was admitted to the bar in 1889 and in 1899 became the senior
member of the law firm of Ward & Hadley. In 1893 he was
elected to the State legislature, where he became conspicuous
for his integrity, ability and earnest advocacy of Democratic
principles. In 1898 he was appointed by Governor Stephens a
member .of the Board of Police Commissioners for Kansas City
and served in that capacity until the spring of 1902, when he
resigned. As police commissioner he was the unswerving
friend of the homes and property interests of all classes in the
community. This was particularly manifest in the granting of
saloon licenses where no political pull or personal friendship
could influence him a feather-weight against the appeals of
wives and mothers or of the home-owners of a neighborhood.
Mr. Ward is a man of reserved manners, uncompromising
in his denunciation of shams and political trickery, and like
most men of force, a good hater and a warm friend. As a law
yer he is. scholarly, and a lover of his profession for its own
sake. 'He is most esteemed and respected by those whose, re
spect and esteem are worth having.

81

dleton. 1870, J. B. Glover. 1872, Joseph W. Mercer.
1874, John Murray. 1878, Benjamin Holmes. 1882,
Benjamin Holmes. 1886, John Murray. 1890, David
W. Wallace. 1894, J. 0. Capelle. 1896, Thomas F.
Brady. 1900, A. C. Warner.
Assessors.
1848.— Geo. Hedges. 1852, Elliott Cariger. 1854,
George Anderson. 1856, B. T. Thompson. 1861, Dan
iel O'Flaherty. 1865,, James Lee. 1866, R. A. Ball
(died after one month). 1866, James K. Sheley. 1868,
W.Z.Hickman. 1870, C. A. Moor. 1874, Leander De-
honey. 1878, Russell Noland. 1882, J. H. Corlew.
1884, Thos. H. Edwards. 1886, W. H. Moore. 1888,
Thos. M. Edwards. 1890, Geo. N. Petty. 1894, C. S.
Campbell. 1898, George Holmes. 1900, F. B. Nof-
singer.
Sheriffs.
1827-1840. — Joseph Walker, Joseph Brown, Jacob
Gregg, John King. 1840, Joseph R. Reynolds. 1844,
Thomas Pitcher. 1846, Benjamin F. Thompson. 1848,
George W. Buchanan. 1852, Benjamin F. Thompson.
1854, William Botts. 1858, John W. Burrus. 1861,
O. P. W. Bailey. 1862, John G. Hayden. 1864, H. H.
Williams. 1866, Charles Dougherty. 1870, James
Gray. 1872, C. B. L. Boothe. 1876, O. P. W. Bailey.
1880, John C. Hope. 1882, Jno. G. Hope. 1884, W. T.
Hickman.. 1886, W. T. Hickman. 1888, W. S. Sitling
ton. 1890, W. S. Sitlington. 1892, John P. O'Neill.
1894, John P. O'Neill. 1896, R. S. Stone. 1898, R. S,
Stone. 1900, W. S. Pontius. 82

Surveyors.
1836.— John C. McCoy. 1840, George W. Rhodes.
1844, G. W. Buchanan. 1848, Lot Coffman, Edmund
O'Flaherty. 1873, Martin 0. Jones. 1876, Thpmas C.
Lee. 1880, Daniel O'Flaherty. 1884, P. H. Grinter.
1888, F. J. O'Flaherty. 1896, Thos. F. Callahan. 1900,
A. M. Stahlnaker. - Marshals.
1872.— George D. Page. 1873, Jeremiah Dowd.
1874, Patrick Coriaiers. 1876, James W. Liggett.
1880, Cornelius Murphy. 1882, C. Murphy. 188*, W.
J. Phillips. 1886, Hugh J. McGowan. 1888, Hugh J.
McGowan. 1S90, Henry P. Stewart. 1892, Henry P.
Stewart. ' 1894, Henry P. Stewart. 1898, S. H. Chiles.
1900, John P. Maxwell. Collectors.
1872. — M. W. Anderson. 1876, Daniel Murphy.
1880; Joseph M. Green. 1882, R. G. Wilson.. 1884, R. ,
G. Wilson. 1886, Frank C. Wyatt. 1888, Frank C.
Wyatt. 1890, Elihu W. Hayes. 1892, E. W. Hayes.
1894, Jas. W. McCurdy. 1898, Chris. S. Gottlieb.
1900, Fred C. Adams. /
Senators.
Jackson County, with Clay, Ray and Lafayette
counties, compr-ised the thirteenth senatorial district
in 1828, which was authorized to elect one State _
senator. 1828.— L. W. Boggs.
In December, 1828, Jackson_and Lafayette counties
were constituted the fourteenth senatorial district,
83

W. B. C. BROWN.

WILLIAM B. C. BROWN
was born during the Civil War at Sibley, Jackson County, Mo.,
of Scotch-Huguenot parentage. He took his degree of bachelor
of arts at Westminster College, Fulton; Mo., and the full three-
years law course at Harvard. He was admitted to the bar at
Kansas City, Mo., in 1888.
~ Mr. Brown was originally a Democrat, but he left his party,
as many others did, on account of its' position on the question
cf free silver and expansion, and after the Spanish War he be
came an ardent Republican. His speeches in the city cam
paign of 1900 attracted, a great deal of attention, and that sum
mer he was nominated by acclamation by the Republicans for
Congress against W. S. Cowherd, the Democratic nominee. " In "
face of a Democratic majority of over 4,600, it was of course
9 forlorn .hope, but Mr. Brown made the race with as much '
wal and courage as^if the odds had been in his favor. He
stumped the district, often in joint debate with his eloquent
opponent, and made friends and votes wherever he went. Al
though defeated in the contest he came out of it stronger than
when he entered it, having won the admiration and respect of
Democrats as well as Republicans by .his plucky fight.
. Mr. Brown is a close student of political economy and his
tory, as well as of law, and his friends believe a future full of
distinction is in store for him. He answers the criticism as to-
his change of party as Gladstone did: "Wise men change their
minds: fools never do."
As a lawyer Mr. Brown is as energetic and aggressive as he
has proved himself to be in politics, and with the exception of
-his congressional race, which he' considered it his duty to
make as the chosen standard-bearer of his party, he has never
allowed politics to interfere with his practice.

85

W. S. COWHERD.

WILLIAM STROTHER COWHERD,
Democrat, of Kansas City, was born September 1, 1860, in
Jaekson County, Mo.; educated at the public schools in the
town of Lee's Summit, and the University of Missouri; was
appointed assistant prosecuting attorney of Jackson County in
1885, and served four years in that capacity; was appointed
first assistant city counselor of Kansas City in 1890; was elect
ed mayor of Kansas City in 1892; was elected to the Fifty-fifth
and Fifty-sixth Congresses, and re-elected to the Fifty-seventh
Congress, and this year was renominated for Congress by ac
clamation. Mr. Cowherd made a great reputation in the fight
for municipal ownership of the waterworks of Kansas City,
and as mayor of Kansas City his record is an "enduring monu
ment to his honesty, ability and fearlessness in the discharge
of his duty. There has been much quiet talk of him as the
Democratic nominee for Governor of Missouri in 1904. Be
longing to the minority party in Congress, Mr. Cowherd, like
every other Democrat, has suffered from the arbitrary gag
rules which the Republican speaker employs to choke off Dem
ocratic legislation, but still he stands high in Congress with
Democrats and Republicans alike. He is as orator of rare
ability, with a voice like a silver trumpet, that charms his
audiences as much as his straightforward sincerity and earn
estness. Without a trace of the demagogue he is yet beloved
by the plain people. Mr. Cowherd is a lawyer of the highest ,
class and probably loses more than he gains by being in
polities.

87

JAMES T. WARE.

JAMES T. WARE.
was born April 4, 1858, in Bourbon County, Kentucky. His an
cestors have been Americans since this country was discovered
and his great grandfather was an officer in the Revolutionary
War. Mr. Ware came to Kansas City fourteen years ago, and
began life here as bookkeeper for a smelter company. Al
though taking an active interest in politics, Mr. Ware was
never a candidate for office until 1900, when he was nominated
for county assessor on tho Democratic ticket which was de
feated by an unfortunate split in the party. Although defeated,
Mr. Ware made so many friends by his genial manners and em-
eigetic personality as well as his graceful acceptance of defeat,
that he emerged from the campaign stronger than before. He
has been repeatedly urged since then for important appoint
ments at the hands qf the Governor, but has invariably de
clined, saying that he did not wish to become a chronic office-
seeker. Mr. Ware has a host of friends, is universally re
spected, and will doubtless be heard of in the future as a
standard-bearer in Jackson County politics.

80

1830, L. W. Boggs. 1832, Julius Emmons. 1834,
Abraham McClelland. 1836, Abraham McClelland.
By a new apportionment Jackson and Van Buren
(now Cass), became the twenty-sixth senatorial dis
trict. 1838.— Smallwood V. No-land. 1840, L. Franklin.
By a new apportionment Jackson, Van Buren and
Bates were made the fourteenth senatorial district.
1842.— L. W. Boggs. 1844, L. W. Boggs.
A new apportionment threw Jackson, Johnson,
Van Buren and Lafayette in the twenty-fifth district,
with two senators.
1841. — James Chiles, William Calhoun. 1848, Jas.
Chiles, John J. Burtis.
Another apportionment constituted Jackson and
Van Buren the twenty-third district.
1850. — Alvin Brooking. , 1852, Alvin Brooking.
1854, W. J. Mayo. 1856, W. J. Mayo. "
A new apportionment made Jackson, Cass and
Bates the fourteenth district.
1858.— R. L. Y. Peyton. 1860, R. L. Y. Peyton.
1862, R. T. Van Horn. 1864, R. T. Van Horn. 1867,
Minor T. Graham. 1869, Minor T. Graham. 1871,
John B. Wornall. 1873, John B. Wornall. 1875, J.
B. Newbury. By the constitution of 1875, Jackson County- was
constituted the thirteenth senatorial district.
1877.— George F. Ballingal. 1879, George F. Bal-
lingal. 1881, T. V. Bryant. 1884, Arthur M. Allen.
1888, W. B. Teasdale. 1890, W. B. Teasdale. 1892,
R. A. Love, A. S. Lyman. 1894, R. A. Love, A. S. Ly-
90

man. 1898, O. G. Young, W. F. Lyons. 1900, J. S.
Jewell, C. W. Clarke.
.Representatives.
1828, Smallwood V. Nolan. 1830, Robert John
ston. 1832, S. V. Nolan. 1834, S. V. Nolan, Richard
Fristoe. 1836, S. V. Nolan, Thomas Jeffries. .1838,
Thdmas Jeffries, J. Chiles. 1840, John King, C. C.
Kavanaugh. 1842, George F. Tate, Robert G. Smart.
1844, Joseph H. Reynolds, William Patterson. 1846,
Frank Smith. 1848, Frank Smith. 1850 Benj. F.
Thompson, Jacob Gregg. 1852, Samuel H. Woodson,
Joseph H. Reynolds. 1854, E. C. McCarty, John W.
Reid. 1856, John W. Reid, Jas. Childs. 1858, George
W. Tate, Jas. B. Yager. 1860, N. C. Claiborne, James
Porter. 1862, M. J. Payne, E. M. McGee. 1864, M .J.
Payne. 1867, Jesse P. Alexander, John C. Gage. 1869,
Jacob C. Boardman, S. S. Neely.' 1871, G. W,' Tate,
Henry J. Latshaw. 1873, Stephen P. Twiss, Jas. Mc-
Daniels, James R. Sheley. 1875, A. B. Spurill, S. P.
Twiss, A. H. Powell. 1877, Benj. F. Wallace, George
W. Nolan, S. P. Twiss, H. H. Craig. 1879, W. C. Adams,
S. C. Ragan, N. M. Gwynne, P. H. Tiernan. 1881, A. W.
Randall, A: M. Allen, D. P. Bigger, Harmon Bell. 1882, .
H. A. Porter, S. C. Ragan, John C. Gage, W. G. Ferry.
1884, J. M. Adams, G. H. Noel, Henry Smith, N. B.
Childs. 1886, G. H. Noel, Joseph Feld, Henry Smith,
W. H. Miller. 1888, W. L. Webb, Ed. P. Garnett, J. G.
Smith, T. F. Clohesey. 1890, W. L. Webb, J. C. Patrick,
Henry S. Julian, A. S. Lyman. 1892, John D. Strother,
J. C. Patrick, Chas. A. Millman, Hugh C. Ward, Joseph
91

GARLAND M. JONES.

GARLAND M. JONES
was born June 14, 1873, at Abingdon, Washington County, Va.
Removing to Mississippi at an early age, he took his degree, of
bachelor of arts in 1893, and of bachelor of law in 1894, at thy
University of Mississippi. He enjoys the unique distinction
of being the only student in that university who ever won the
fivshman, sophomore, junior and senior medals, for oratory.
He completed his legal education under John Randolph Tucker
at Washington a.nd Lee .University, Va., and entered on the
practice of his profession at West Point, Miss. He rose rapidly
in his profession, but, like most lawyers in the South who pos
sess oratorical ability, he was soon called upon to take an ac
tive part in politics. He did splendid service for the Democrat
ic party in the campaign of 1896, and the press of Mississippi
.reported that he divided the applause of his audiences with
William Jennings 'Bryan. In 1898 Mr. Jones received an ad
vantageous offer to come to Kansas City and sinoe then he
has' practiced his profession here with pronounced ability.
When Mr. Jones came to Missouri he. declared to his friends
that he was going to devote his entire time to the law — which
is a jealous mistress— and let politics alone, but when James
A. Reed led the forlorn hope of Democracy in the city cam
paign of 1900, Mr. Jones took the stump for him, and with rare
modesty, volunteered for the not showy but difficult assign
ments, speaking in obscure halls and from street wagons. He
did Bis part well, and, when the campaign was over, returned
to the practice of his profession with the proud consciousness
Of having helped to win a victory for good government in his
adopted city.

93

WILLIAM BUCHHOLZ,

WILLIAM BUCHHOLZ
.was born January 28, 1877, in Kansas City, Mo. His parents
were Germans, his father and mother coming here in the latter
sixties. He graduated from the University of Missouri in 1896,
and was a member of the foot-ball team which won the inter
state championship in 1895. The pluck and physical and men ¦
tal alertness that had made him famous on the foot-ball field
sson brought him into favorable notice in his profession of the
law, as well as in politics. He had barely reached his majority
when he was elected secretary of the Fourth- Ward club and
when the Republican League was organized he was chosen as
its first secretary. His services to his party in the County cam
paign in 1900 were recognized by Republicans and Democrats
alike, and upon Mr. Hadleys election as prosecuting attorney
Mr. Buchholz was appointed as one of his assistants in that
important office, a position he has filled with dignity and
ability.

95

Judge CHARLE.SLE. BURNHAM.

\ JUDGE CHARLES EDGAR BURNHAM
was born July 27, 1867, in Randolph County, Mo. His parent
age on his father's side was English, the family coming to-
America in 1635. His mother belonged to the well-known Vir
ginia Huguenot family of Flournoy, who came to this country
in 1717. In 1888 Mr. Burnham came to Kansas City, and the
next year began the practice of law. KIn 1894 he was'elected
city attorney on the Republican ticket, to which office he was
re-elected in 1896. In 1898 he was. elected police judge. His
remarkable race for the Republican nomination for mayor In
1900, is still fresh in the memories of our citizens. Appointed
assistant prosecuting attorney in 1900, he has contributed no,
little, by his energy and ability, to the splendid success of
Prosecuting Attorney Hadley's administration.
A good speaker, Judge Burnham is also an earnest, pains
taking, hard worker, in the preparation of his cases. He is
knowff as one of the men who burn midnight oil in the study
of his profession. As a man Judge Burnham is modest, unas
suming and reticent. Loyal to his friends he has the faculty
of attaching them warmly to him, while his enemies — for, like
all men of force, he has some, in politics at, least— bate him
quite as cordially. In politics his chief strength lies in his pop
ularity with the plain people.

97

S. Rust, D. 0. Smart. 1894, Jno. T. Crisp, Ira F. Ham
mond H. H. Hinde, Henry S. Julian, E. E. Phipps, H.
W. Jones. 1898, Geo. H. Noel, Homer B. Mann, J. H.
Hawthorne, John M. Cleary, Frank Phillips, W. O.
Cardwell, 1900, J. A. McLane, J. H. Hawthorne, Ed
ward McKenney, M. E. Getchell, M. L. Sullivan.

98

CHAPTER VII.

Kansas City's Early Development.
The political history of Kansas City, while more
ckequered than that of Jackson County, presents
fewer striking episodes than that of m'ost American
cities. Politics, for the most part, has been from the
very beginning subordinated to commercial activity.
Of late years it has been claimed that Kansas City is
normally a Republican city, the claim being based on
the fact that in presidential years the city has given the
Republican candidate a majority, ranging from 1,000
to 2,000 votes. But in the city elections since the organ
ization of the municipality, the Democrats have won for
the most part, and independent movements have beeu
successful often enough to prove that party ties have
little. weight when the citizens consider that the mate-;
rial interests of the city are at stake.
As has been staled, the first white settlement on
the present site of Kansas City was in 1821 by French-
Canadian fur-hunters, headed by the Chouteau broth
ers. In 1833 John C. McCoy laid off the town of West-
port now incorporated as a part of Kansas City. The
merchants of Westport received their goods by steam
boats which landed al the present site of Kansas City,
which was then known as "Westport Landing." The
99

RUSH C. LAKE.

RUSH C. LAKE,
deputy collector of Internal Revenues, was born April 13, 1862,
in Buchanan County, Iowa. He came to Kansai City about
fifteen years ago, and engaged in the practice of law. It was
not long, however, before his fondness for politics "manifested
itself, and in a very short time thereafter his remarkable, ability
as an organizer became recognized and appreciated among the
Republicans throughout the State. He found himself in a State
and County which were overwhelmingly Democratic, and in
which the Republican leaders were at bitter war among them
selves. Realizing the hopelessness of Republican success as
long as this condition of affair? prevailed, Mr. Lake undertook
tu organize the young Republicans of Missouri Who were not
identified with the internecine strife which was dividing the
old leaders. The result of his efforts was the organization of
the Young Men's Republican League of Missouri, of which he
was the first secretary. To this organization as much as to
any other cause is due the credit for the decadence in factional
fighting among the Missouri Republicans, and the prevalence
of a better feeling of > harmony.
Mr. Lake was appointed deputy collector of Internal Rev
enue in 1 898, and was reappointed in 1902; by Frank D. Roberts,
the present collector, who, himself a master hand . in politics,
was quick to recognize Mr. Lake's abilities,

101

ALBERT M. OTT.

ALBERT M. OTT
was born January 4, 1865, at Independence, Mo., where he has
lived all his life. He graduated, as a lawyer at the University
of Pennsylvania in 1887, and was admitted' to the bar at Phila
delphia in June of that year. In October, 1887, he was admitted
to the Jackson County bar by Judge Gill, and at once entered
upon the successful practice of his profession. He was success
ively city, attorney of Independence, and assistant prosecuting
attorney of Jackson County. In 1896 he was elected a member
of the Democratic County Committee and in 1900 he became its
secretary. . Mr. Ott has the reputation of having filled these
various positions with tact, ability and integrity, and he has
succeeded in establishing himself prominently alike in politics
and; as a sound lawyer. Personally Mr. Ott is a man of strong
personality, intense in his convictions and extremely loyal to
1;L friends.

103

O. H. SWEARINGEN.

0. H. SWEARINGEN
was born July 29, 1871, in Simpson County, Kentucky. At the
age of ten his parents brought him to Missouri: From the
public schools of Clarence he entered the Macon District -High
school; a Methodist College, graduating in 1892, when ne came
to Kansas City. Entering the employ of the Schmelzer Arms
Company, he saved enough money in three yeaj;s to enable' him
to take the law course at the Missouri State University, where
he graduated in 1897. A noted athlete and foot-ball player at
^the University, and trained to hard work, Mr. Swearingen de
voted himself with equal energy to his chosen profession, and
a successful practice quickly crowned his efforts. He is the
legal representative of the I. O. F. for Missouri and Kansas, as
well as for the Bankers' Security Company for the Western
district of Missouri. He was also president, of the Missouri
State Association of his college fraternity, the Kappa Alpha,
iu 1897 and 1898.
In 1899 he was elected as a Democrat from the Fifth Ward
to the lower house of the City Council of Kansas City. His
course while a member of Council, in advocating a franchise
for the Enoch Telephone Company, was criticised severely in
some quarters, but his vindication rests in the fact that a sub
sequent council has granted a similar franchise to Mr. Enoch
and his associates.
Mr. Swearingen is an earnest, hardworking lawyer, and as
a man he has many warm friends. He has won his way up
ward by his own exertions since his boyhood, and his way now
seems assured to an honorable and useful life.

105

first warehouse on the bank of the river was kept by
W. B. Evans, who was succeeded in thevbusiness by
W. M. Chick and P. M. Chouteau. In 1838 Gabriel
Prudhomme, who owned the land at the landing, died,
and at the settlement of his estate the land, 256 acres,
was bought by a company composed of W. L. Sublette,
Moses G. Wilson, John C. McCoy, William Gillis, Fry
P. McGee, Abraham Fonda, W. M. Chick, Oliver Cald
well, George W. Tate, Jacob Ragan, William Collins,
James Smart, Sam C. Owen and Russell Hicks. The
consideration for the laud, which now includes most
of Kansas City, was $4,220.
This company laid it off into a town and named
it "Kansas," but owing to dissensions among the own
ers no progress was made until 1846, when the com
pany was reorganized with the following stockhold
ers: H. M. Northrup, Jacob Ragan, Henry Jobe, Will.
iam Gillis, Robert Campbell, Fry P. McGee, W. B.
Evans, W. M. Chick and^John C. McCoy. __Under this
company the land was platted and in April, 1846, one
hundred and fifty lots were sold at an average price
of $55.65 per lot. After this the town began to grow
rapidly and in a few months had a population of
about 600 inhabitants. The faith of the founders was
fortified by the prophesy of Senator Thomas H. Ben
ton that this was to be the site of "a great commer
cial and manufacturing community." John C. Fre
mont, the great explorer said: "This is the key to the
immense territory to the west of us."
In 1853 Kansas City was organized as a municipal
ity under a special charter obtained from the State
106

Legislature. In April, 1853, William S. Gregory was
elected as its first mayor, defeating Dr. Benoist
Troost. After. the election it was discovered that Mr.
Gregory was ineligible by reason of not having been
a resident, of the city the length of time required by
the charter. Dr. Johnston Lykins, the -president of
the council, "filled his place, and the next "-year, was
elected to the office.
Politics in the new city ran on an even keel, with
out 'special incident, until 1861, when the lines were
drawn between the Union and Confederate voters
and a very exciting campaign resulted in the election
of the Union candidate R. T. Van Horn over Dr. G.
M. B. Maugh, the Confederate candidate by a major
ity of 109. Dr. Maughs went south and joined the
' Confederate Army. Colonel Van Horn raised a bat
talion of volunteers for the Union Army, and subse
quently became lieutenant-colonel of the Twenty -fifth
Missouri Infantry.
The town languished during the war and its pop
ulation, fell off. In 1864 when Colonel Van Horn was
again elected mayor, the total vote was 349, and in
1865 when Patrick Shannon was elected mayor, the
vote was 573. During the next year, however, the
city grew rapidly and not less than six hundred new
houses were built. In 1867 a census showed a popu
lation of 15,064 and trade for the year amounted to
$33,006,827. From that time the city's growth was
steady and substantial.
Politically the first serious struggle after the war
arose over the waterworks franchise and plant built
107

Dr. H. A. LONGAN.

DR. HERBERT A. LONGAN
was born November 13, 1S54, in Cooper County, Mo., of Vir
ginia and Kentucky stock, his father; John B. Longan, a na
tive Missourian, now living in Sedalia. He graduated at the
State Normal College, at Warrensburg, in 1875, and at Spald
ing's Commercial College in 1877. He taught school for two
winters, and entered the Louisville Medical College in 187^,
graduating in 1880. He practiced medicine for three years at
New Lebanon, Cooper County, Mo., and also two years in
Holden, Mo., after which he moved to Sterling, Kansas. In
1890 and 1891 -he took a post-graduate course at the New York
Polyclinic College, and then came to Kansas City. In 1883
Dr. Longan married Miss Mattie May Walkef, a daughter of
P. G. Walker, of Cooper County, Mo^ They have two children
living, Walker B. and Marjorie May. Dr. Longan and Judge
Geo. F. Longan, of Sedalia, Mb., are brothers. They also mar
ried sisters.
From 1892 to 1895 Dr. Longan was demonstrator of anat
omy in the Kansas City Medical College. From 1895 to 1898
he occupied the chair of operative surgery and surgical dress
ings in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, which is the
Medical Department of the Kansas City University. , Since
1898 he has been local surgeon of the Missouri Pacific Rail
way Company, and consulting surgeon of the Kansas City
Southern Railway since 1899.
Dr. Longan was a member of the Board of Medical Exam
iners for the police commission from 1892 to 1894,' and was
examining surgeon for the Pension Board from 1894 to 1897.
In September, 1897, he was appointed police surgeon of Kan
sas City, a post he has held with distinguished ability and
fidelity ever since.

109

R. W. WADDELL.

ROBERT WILLIAM WADDELL,
city engineer of Kansas City, was born October 31, 1859, at
Port Hope, Ontario, Canada. His father, who was sheriff 'of
Northumberland and Durham Counties, was of Irish stock and
his mother .was an American, tracing her lineage as such back
for nine generations. After graduating in the high schools of
Cobourg, young Waddell took a course in engineering at Me
dia College, Montreal, graduating in 1881. The same year he
came to the United States, locating at Omaha, Nebraska. Mr.
¦Waddell devoted himself to his profession without a thought
of politics until May 15, 190Q, when he was appointed to his
piesent_position. And since then there has been no politics in
the department of which he is the head. When Mr. Waddell be
came city engineer he found Kansas City had far outgrown
her sewer system, and typhoid and-other disseases were prev-
alenton that account. He at once . addressed himself to the
tremendous _task of reconstructing -the sewer system, for the
entire city, and through his efforts contracts were soon let for
almost three-quarters of a million dollars for new sewers and
for connections between old ones which formerly ran nowhere
or emptied into ditches in the heart of the city. The results
-,of his patient and untiring labors are not conspicuous but they
are of priceless benefit to the health and comfort of the city,
and many a child who grows up rosy-cheeked in Kansas City
will have reason to be thankful that Mr. Waddell is an engineer
and not a politician. In 1897 Mr. Waddell married Miss S. E.
Vair of Peterboro, Ontario, and they have two children to bless
the union.

Ill

FRANK P. SEBREE.

FRANK P. SEBREE
was born October 25, 1854, at Fayette, Mo. His father and
mother were Missourians and from them he inherited that
-sturdiness of character which Missourians are proud to claim
?£> a birthright. Mr. Sebree graduated as a lawyer and prac
ticed for awhile in the interior counties, coming to Kansas City
thirteen years ago. Since that time he has been successively
representative in the State Legislature, County counselor, chair
man of the Democratic County Committee, police commissioner
of Kansas City, and president of the Board of Election Com
missioners for Jackson County, a position he now holds. He
was also the nominee of his party for mayor of Kansas Citv
in 1898 and, although defeated, he won all hearts' by his gallant
-rare in that campaign.
Mr Sebree stands high as a lawyer and enjoys a large
practice, but his admitted talents have not contributed as much
to his success at the bar and in political life, as his fairness,
courage and unflinching integrity. These qualities so impress
all who come in contact with him, and are so manifest in his
every act and word, that in Kansas City he is affectionately
known as "Old Honesty." He is a living proof of the fact that
honor and success lie in right living rather than in talents
no matter how great, if not grounded in truth and courage.
Mr. Sebree married Miss Russie Boyd, daughter of the late
Colonel Samuel Boyd of Marshall, Mo. They have one son,
Sam Sebree, who, although only 15 years of age, is now in his
third_year in the Kansas City High School.

113

by the National Waterworks Company, composed of
Lawson & Co., bankers; Amos R. Green, owner of the
Kansas City Times; Thomas Corrigan and others. At
the city election in 1875 the issue was raised that the
waterworks plant, just completed had not been built
in good faith, according to the terms of the franchise.
A hot campaign on this issue between John R. Lock-
ridge regular Democratic nominee, E. S. Jewett, Re
publican nominee, »'and Turner A. Gill, Citizens' can
didate for mayor, resulted in Judge Gill's election, and
the defeat of the Waterworks Company in its effort
to control the politics of the city. In this election
Judge Gill was supported by such men as George M.
Shelley, John C. Gage, Wash Adams, D. B. Holmes,
J. V. C. Karnes, and last biit not least, Major William
Warner, who, with the best men in the city, rose
superior to partisan politics in the contest. After the
election City Counselor John C. Gage went to New
York and instituted proceedings to have the charter
of the Waterworks Company forfeited. This, to
gether with the refusal of the city to pay water rents,
brought the company to terms, -and a compromise was
effected upon advantageous terms to the city. This
was the bitterest political fight in the history of the
city, and out of it grew enmities and political align
ments which have lasted until the present time.

114

CHAPTER VIII.

Kansas City Since 1875.
After the contest over the waterworks question
in 1875 Kansas City's politics ran along without spe
cial incident except that it may be remarked that
when George M. Shelley was elected mayor in 1878,
he gave his salary to the poor and devoted all his time
to the duties of his office. Democratic and Republi
can successes alternated at the polls and the town '
was too busy growing to take much stock in partisan
political struggles. No absorbing question arose until
the election of W. S. Cowherd as mayor in 1892.
In that election the waterworks question which had
been simmering during all the years since the build
ing of the plant in 1874, came to the front again on
the proposition contained in the original franchise,
that the city should have the option to purchase the
plant at a fa^r valuation at the expiration of the
twenty years franchise. The Waterworks Company
wanted a renewal of the franchise for another term of
twenty years, and Mayor Cowherd planted himself on
the side of municipal ownership. A relentless strug
gle was waged on both sides, and money was used
lavishly, but again the people of Kansas City won
their second battle against a public corporation, and
115

GEORGE HOLMES.

GEORGE HOLMES,
city assessor, was born December 29, 1834, at Shrewsbury, Eng
land. At the age of 16 he came to New York, and thence to
Independence, Mo. In 1851 Mr. Holmes crossed the Great
American Desert with an ox team, going to Santa Fe, New
Mexico. Returning to Jackson County the same year he worked
on a. farm and taught school during the winter. In 1852 he
went with Alexander Majors' ox train to El Paso, Texas, and
that fall he returned to Westport, where tie ke.pt i books for
Simpson & Winchester.. In 1857 Mr. Holmes went into the cat
tle business, and, after the war, in 1866 he opened-a grain store
on the market square. In 1867 he became assistant cashier- of
the Mechanics' Bank, and the following year went into the
commission business at the Stock Yards, continuing in that
business for about twenty-five years.
Mr. Holmes was anointed a member of the Board of Pub
lic Works by Mayor Holmes and was re-appointed by Mayor
Cowherd. In 1899 he was appointed by Governor Stephens as
county assessor to succeed Charles Bowers, deceased. In 1901
he was appointed city assessor by Mayor Reed, which position
he now holds. In 1856 Mr. Holmes married Miss Susan Stone
and to them have been borp six children, four of whom are
new living.
- In his long and honorable career in business and in poli
tics Mr. .Holmes has been faithful to every trust and in the
evening of life he enjoys, the respect and regard of the whole
¦ community.

;ii7

JOHN F. LUMPKIN.

JOHN F. LUMPKIN
was born in 1858 at Baltimore, Maryland, of an old and honor
able family. His father, Robert G. Lumpkin, was in the whole
sale hat business for fifty years in Baltimore. His grandfather
was- from Lumpkin County, Georgia, a county that wag named
in honor of his great grandfather, who was a celebrated judge
whose decisions are now of daily reference. Mr Lumpkin
graduated at Baltimore, Md., and remained there in business
wi.h his father until the latter's retirement in 1886, when he
entered the employ of a New York wholesale hat firm as
a traveling salesman. In 1889 he came to Kansas City to
travel for a wholesale hat firm. Since 1891 he has been man
ager for Nicoll, the tailor.
In April 1902 Mr. Lumpkin was elected on the Democratic .
ticket as alderman from the Third Ward of Kansas City, a Re
publican ward, by 300 majority. The nomination oame to ,
him without his solicitation. It was a tribute to his wide ac
quaintance and equally wide popularity. Mr. Lumpkin was
recognized throughout Kansas City as a leader of fashion, but
as a politician — his political enemies laughed at the idea of a
social exquisite leading such a forlorn hope as the situation in
-the Third Ward presented. But Mr. Lumpkin proved himself
as clear-headed, energetic and resourceful in politics as he had
been in business and the result was his triumphant election.
His record in the City Council has proved him to be a man
of unusual practical sense, clean in morals as in his dress, and
courageous in his stand for the welfare of the city. He is very
popular with the working classes, for at heart he is a real, old-
, fashioned Demdcrat.

119

WILLIAM J. KNEPP,

WILLIAM J. KNEPP
was born November 11, 1858, in McVeytown, Mifflin County,
Pennsylvania, of German parentage. Educated in the common
schools and academy of his home county, he began his busi
ness career as a telegraph operator with the Pennsylvania Rail
way. Company in 1876. Coining to Kansas City in the fall of
1879, he held positions of trust with the Santa Fe Railway Co.,
Union Depot Co., and Western Union Telegraph Co., until eight
years age when he purchased a seat in the Board of Trade of
Kansas Cjty, of which organization he is still a member. In
Aprirof this year he connected himself with Willard E. Winner
iu the promotion of suburban electric railways.
Mr. Knepp has been a resident of Kansas City for twenty-
three years. He has a comfortable home in No. 100 East 34th
_Sireet, located in the Eleventh Ward of this city, which com
prised the suburb til Westport prior to extension of Kansas
City's limits.
Mr. Knepp served, one term as alderman in Westport
Council in 1895-96. In the spring of 1896 he was elected a mem
ber of the Board of Education of the Westport school- district,
serving as secretary of the Board until that district was merged
into a Kansas City school district. In 1900, Mr. Knepp was
elected a member of the upper house of Kansas City's Common
Council for a term of four years. There he soon won an en
viable reputation as one of the four men, the others being Rood,
Sawyer and Strode, who stood by Mayor Reed in his mem
orable fight for good government. These four men, although.
in a minority, never wavered^ or became discouraged for a_mo-
ment, and in 1902~their steadfast efforts were endorsed by the
people in the election of an upper house which was in accord
with them. . . ,

121

the first great step was taken in the direction of
municipal ownership. The city bought a gold brick
when it purchased the waterworks plant at a cost of
$3,100,000, but it was more than compensated in the
acquisition of the franchise.
Mayor Cowherd's administration was also signal
ized by his fight for dollar gas, in which he was finally
victorious, • and by the vitalizing of the public park
and boulevard system, the magnificent proportions of
which is just beginning to be realized.
In the city campaign of 1894, the Democrats split
and two Democratic tickets were placed in the field,
one headed by Frank G. Johnson, and the other by
Frank Cooper. The former represented the regulars
and the latter the silk-stocking. No question of prin
ciple was at stake, unless such a question underlay
the leadership in local politics of Marcy K. Brown,
except that the question of the renewal of the Metro
politan Street Railway franchise was beginning to
loom up. The result of the split was the election of
the Republican candidate, Webster Davis, and the be
ginning of a feud in the Democratic ranks which has
lasted ever since. In 1896 and 1898 the Republicans
were victorious at the polls largely through the influ
ence of the A. P. A. craze that swept over the country.
In 1900 the fight for municipal ownership was re
newed by the Democrats under the brilliant leader
ship of James A. Reed. The principal question at
stake was the street, railway service and .the renewal
of the franchise of the Metropolitan Street Railway
Company, although the telephone and electric light
122

propositions were also involved. In this, the third
struggle between the people and the public service
corporations, the people again won the victory and
James A. Reed was elected mayor, by a large major
ity. Three days before he assumed the office of mayor,
'however, the retiring mayor and City Council con
firmed the renewal of the street railway company's
franchise. Mayor Reed kept up the agitation for pub
lie ownership, but his efforts were blocked in a meas
ure by the opposition of the upper house of the City
Council, which refused to confirm his appointment of
a city counselor and other officials. In 1902 Mayor
Reed's policies were triumphantly vindicated at the
polls, he and the entire Democratic ticket being re
elected, while those who had opposed him were rele
gated to private life. With- a friendly City Council
and a city counselor who shared his views; Mayor Reed
immediately took steps to test the validity of the re
newal of the street railway franchise, and this led to
a compromise between the city and the street railway
company in which the city reaped many substantial
benefits. Under Mayor Reed's admistrations the cause of
municipal ownership — the success of which has been
demonstrated in over 250 of the principal cities of the
world — if not actually realized in fact, has received
such a splendid impetus that ultimate success is be
yond dispute.

123

A. N. GOSSETT.

ALFRED N. GOSSETT,
lawyer, was born. November 13, 1861, at Sharpsburg, Bath
County, Kentucky. His forefathers were English, although his
family has been prominent in America for generations. His
parents removing to Jackson County in 1867, his youth was
passed on a farm near Independence. After graduating from
Woodland College at Independence, he took a law course at
Washington University at St. Louis; Mo., obtaining his degree
,in 1883. Since then he has been a member of the law firm of
Cook & Gossett of Kansas City. Mr. Gossett is essentially a
ripe lawyer and has won an enviable place at the Kansas City
bar, but still he has found leisure to do good work for the Dem
ocratic party and he would have no trouble in winning politi
cal honors if he desired-fhem. He has been an earnest sup
porter of the Jackson County Democratic Club and is one of
its most respected members.

125

JOHN HAYES.

JOHN HAYES
was born July 4, 1855, at Rockford, Illinois, of Irish parentage.
He removed to Kansas City in 1872, and in 1880 was appointed
a patrolmen on the police force of Kansas City. In 1889 he was
made a. detective of meritorious service, and in April, 1897,
after eight years of brilliant service, was promoted to the post
of chief of detectives. In October, 1897, he was appointed act
ing chief of police, and in May, 1898, he was appointed chief
of police. In May, 1901, he was re-appointed chief of police,
which position he now holds. As patrolman, detective, chief
of defectives and chief of police Mr. Hayes has made a splendid
record, for ability, honesty, courage and fidelity to duty. He
'is a broad-minded man, with a great fund of strong common
sense, just the kind of man who is always needed but so seldom
found at the head of the police department of a great city. In
times of public excitment his judgment and firmness have re
peatedly prevented bloodshed, while in dealing with law-break
ers he is prompt and uncompromising. His management of
the crowds, and his control of the criminal classes, during the
Democratic National Convention in 1900 excited the unbounded
admiration of visitors from all parts of •the United States.

127

JOHN L. PEAK.

JOHN L. PEAK
was born in. Scott County, Kentucky, in April, 1839. His family
came from England to Virginia in the Seventeenth Century
and Mr. Peak's grandfather moved to Kentucky in 1780. Mr.
Peak was educated at private schools and graduated at the age
of nineteen at Georgetown University. He won the prize as
a debater at college and, entering the Louisville Law School in
1860, he was elected Washingten Birthday orator. In 1862 he
began the practice of law at Georgetown, Ky., and in 1868 he
moved to Kansas City. Mr. Peak was always a lawyer rather
than a politician, but in 1876 the condition of affairs in Jackson
County led to his election as prosecuting attorney without his
seeking it. He did his duty so well that he was re-elected in
1878. After the expiration of his term he resumed his private
practice until 1895 when he was appointed Minister to Switzer
land by President Cleveland. He resigned this office in June,
1897, in the conviction that President McKinley's administra
tion should be represented by a Republican. Returning to
Kansas City he has since practiced law with distinguished
ability. Mr. Peak is a Democrat, an active member of the Baptist
Church, and a Mason of high rank. He is a charter member
of the Jackson County Democratic Club and was active in its
organization. Mr. Peak's distinguishing characteristic is his
public-spiritedne"S: As prosecuting attorney he found many
defects in the criminal law of Missouri, and he never rested
until the legislature remedied them. He has always shown
himself a champion of law and order, and he stands for all
that is best and purest in society. As an orator, Mr. Peak has
few equals in the West.

129

CHAPTER IX.

City Officials.
1853. — W. S. Gregory, Johnston Lykins; treas
urer, P. M. Chouteau; assessor, G. W. Wol£; register,
S. W. Bouton; marshal, M. B. Hedges; attorney, 
Nelson; councilmen, Wm. G. Barkley, Thompson Mc-
Daniel, William J. Jarboe, T. H. West, T. S. Wright,
M. J. Payne and Johnson Lykins.
1854. — Mayor, Johnson Lykins; treasurer, H. M.
Northrup; assessor, Hallom Rice; register, William
G. Barkley; marshal. J. P. Howe; city attorneys, John
Curtis, Asa Bartlett; councilmen, Benoist Troost, J.
C. McNees, Daniel Edgerton, Caleb Kerr, M. J. Payne,
T. II. West.
1855. — Mayors, John Johnson and M. J. Payne;
treasurer, E. R. Tlirelkeld; assessor, J. W. Summers;
registers, M. J. Payne, S. W. Bouton; city engineers,
C. C. Spaulding, Fred Breckenridge; marshal, J. P.
Howe; city attorney, Asa Bartlett; councilmen, Caleb
Kerr, A. T. Gilham, J. W. Amnions, John S. Camp*
bell, John C. McNees and T. J. Wilson.
1856. — Mayor, M. J. Payne; treasurer, E. R. Threl
keld; assessor, J. P. Howe; register, S. W. Bouton;
city engineer, Robert J. Lawrence; marshal, J. P.
Howe; city attorney, S. W. Bouton; councilmen, T. J.
130

Wilson, Johu Johnson, Caleb Kerr, John S. Campbell,
A. T. Gilliam, M. B. Hedges, William J. Jarboe.
1857. — Mayor, M. J. Payne; treasurer, E. R. Threl-
keld; collector, F. M. Barnes; assessor, S. W. Bouton;
registers, S. W. Bouton, John S. Hough; engineers, C.
P. Wiggins, Ed. O'Flaherty; marshal, J. P. Howe;
city attorney, William A.. Strong; councilmen, R. J.
Lawrence, William J. Jarboe, A. T. Gillham, R. T. Van
Horn, I. M. Ridge, Michael Smith, D. J. Williams.
On August 17th, this council resigned, and the fol
lowing named persons were elected: William J. Jar
boe, John Johnson, James A. Frame, T. B. Lester, 1.
M. Ridge, John A. Boarman.
1858. — Mayor, M. J. Payne; treasurer, E. R. Threl-
keld; collector, D. L. Shouse; assessors, Lot Coffman,
James A. Gregory; register, L. B. Scott; attorney, J.
W. Robinson; engineer, J. Q. Anderson; wharf master,
S. M. Gilham; marshal, F. M. Barnes; city attorney,
J. W. Robinson; councilmen, T. B. Lester, John W.
Ammons, John S. Hough, Michael Smith, Charles
Long, George W. See.
1859. — Mayor, M. J. Payne; treasurer, John A.
Boarman; collector, D. L. Shouse; assesor, S. W. Bou
ton; register, Daniel Geary; engineer, J. Q. Ander
son; wharfmaster, S. M. Gilham; wharfregister, W. A.
Pollard; marshal, Jonathan Richardson; city attor
ney, John W. Robinson; recorder, J. W. Summers;
councilmen, J. B. Higgins, E. M. McGee, L. A. Schoen,
E. B. Cravens, Theo. S. Case, N. C. Claiborne.
I860. — Mayor, G. M. B. Maughs; treasurer, John
A. Boarman; collector, S. D. Vaughn; assesor, J. K.
131

N. F. HEITMAN.

N. F. HEITMAN
was born September 11, 1860, on a farm in North Carolina.
A farmer boy, he worked his way up until now he ranks as
one of the best lawyers and most influential men in Kansas
City. He graduated from the University of North Carolina
at the head of his class and won the orator's medal in a com
petitive contest. He afterwards graduated in law at the Uni
versity of Virginia.
Coming to Kansas City, he devoted himself to his pro
fession with such fidelity and ability that he soon became
one of the foremost lawyers at the bar. He is a Democrat
and a charter member of the Jackson County Democratic
Club. He has always been a strong advocate of high political
standards in the councils of his party. His hand is seen in
the party's platforms — notably in the declarations against all
forms of private monopoly and those declaring for public
ownership of public utilities, and for a stricter regulation of
public corporations. These propositions he has vigorously
championed. Mr. Heitman made a remarkable race for the Democratic
nomination for circuit judge in 1902. He had no clique, com
bination, faction or organization to back him, but his per
sonal merit and popularity kept him in the lead until next
to the last ballot. He has no political ambition except in the
line of his profession, and his purity of character, party ser
vice and eminent fairness and fitness entitle him to be hon
ored by his party. Aside from politics, he is a sound and suc
cessful lawyer.

133

SCHUYLER C. KELLY.

SCHUYLER C. KELLY
was born Augu~t 9, 1868, at Delavan, Illinois. His father was
born in New York City and came West in 1858 during the gold
boom in Colorado. His mother was born and reared in Ray
County, Mo. Her parents come from Tennessee. Seventeen
years ago Schuyler Kelly came to Kansas City to earn his liv
ing, and as a lad he first sold newspapers and then became con
nected with the Kansas City Star, remaining in that employ
ment for ten years until he was appointed clerk of the police
court in 1900, which position he still occupies and fills with
great tact and fidelity. In 1888 he joined the Third Regiment
of Missouri National Guards and served as a private during
the strike riots at Bevier, Macon County, Mo., for twenty-thrae
days during the winter of 1888-89. He was recently elected
Lieutenant-Colonel of the regiment and is now the oldest man
in it in point of service. He has attended every camp and every
trip in which the r.egiment has participated for fourteen years.
Colonel ^fielly served in the Spanish-American War, as
captain of Company G, Third Missouri Infantry, U. S. V. He
was at Jefferson Barracks, Mo.,' Camp Alger, Va., and Camp
Meade, Pa.
Colonel Kelly is a charter member of the Jackson County
Democratic Club, and has always given it his generous and
active support. He is one of the most popular Democrats in the
Fourteenth Ward, and, in fact, in Kansas City.

135

LEWIS B. SAWYER.

LEWIS B. SAWYER
was born August 25, 1869 at Austin, Cass County, Mo. His
father was born in Maine and his mother was a native of Indi
ana. Receiving his education in the public schools and at
Butler Academy, he graduated at the Kansas City Medical Col
lege in 1892. He served as assistant city physician in 1892 and
practiced medicine successfully eight years in Kansas City.
Taking up the study of law he began the practice in 1899 with
Teasdale, Ingraham and Cowherd. He is now a member of the
flourishing law firm of Porterfield, Sawyer & Conrad, and is
also professor of medical jurisprudence in the University Medi
cal College and also in the Woman's Medical College of Kansas
City. In 1898 Dr. Sawyer was elected to the lower house of the
City Council from the Seventh Ward. His record in the Coun
cil won him such a name that he was nominated on the Demo
cratic ticket in 1900 and elected to the upper house of the City
Council. His record in the upper house has been a synonym
for honesty, fairness and devotion to duty. Sawyer, Knepp,
Rood and Strode, this quartette have been the people's cham
pions in the upper house. When the Jackson County Demo
cratic Club was organized in August 1900 Dr. Sawyer was
elected its first president, and he watched over it and carried
it through the trying times of its infancy like a father. He
has been prominently mentioned as the next Democratic nom
inee for mayor of Kansas City.

137

Starr; register, Dan Geary; city engineer, C. L. De-
Ham; wharf master, W. V. Pulliam; city attorney, J.
Richardson; wharf register, Thos. Oliver; recorder, J.
W. Summers; councilmen, Lot Coffman, W. V. Pul
liam, W. W. Ford, A. L. Harris, John Campbell, D.
A. N. Grover, W. J. Jarboe, D. M. Jarboe, Dennis
O'Brien. 1861. — Mayor, R. T. Van Horn; treasurer, John A.
Boarman; collector, S. D. Vaughn; _ assessor, E.
O'Flaherty; register, Michael Smith; city engineer,
Ed. O'Flaherty; wharf register, Thomas Oliver; city
marshal, George E. Irwin; city attorney, J. S. Bore-
man; city recorder, George W. Toler; councilmen, D.
A. N. Grover, Charles Long, Patrick Shannon, A. L.
Harris, J. E. Snyder, M..J. Payne, B. M. Jewett, N.
Vincent, J. Lykins.
1862. — Mayor, M. J. Payne; treasurer, J. A. Bach
man; collector, S. D. Vaughn; assessor, E. O'Flaherty;
register, Michael Smith; engineer, Ed. O'Flaherty;
wharfmaster, F. R. Lord; marshal, William Holden;
wharfmaster, John Joyce; city attorney, William
Quarles; recorder, George W. Toler ; councilmen, J.
Thorne, M. Dively, E. M. Sloan, J. R. Ham, John
Kaney, Lewis Deardorf, Thomas Burke, P. Switzgabel.
1863. — Mayor, William Bonnefield; treasurer, A. B.
Cross; collector, C. F. Smith; assessor, I). M. Jarboe;
register, B. Donnelly; engineer, R. B. Whitney; wharf
master, F. McMillan; marshal, Dennis O'Brien; wharf-
register, Alphonso Hughes; city attorney, William
Quarles; recorder, A. Ellenberger; councilmen, C. W.
Fairman, P. Switzgabel, W. C. Holmes, F. Timmer-
138

man, F. P. Flagler, Lewis Deardorf, Thomas Burke,
and Charles Dwyer.
1864.— Mayor R. T. Van Horn; treasurer, S. D.
Vaughn; collector, R. Salisbury; assessor, E. O'Fla
herty; register, B. Donelly; engineer, Wm. Millar;
wharfmaster, F. R. Lord; marshal, Dennis O'Brien;
wharfregister, John Joyce; attorney C. Carpenter; re
corder, A. Ellenberger; councilmen, C. A. Carpenter,
James Mansfield, Charles Dwyer, Theo. S. Case, Thos.
Burke, R. L. Riggins, Aaron Raub, P. C. Causey, P.
Shannon, P. S. Brown.
1865. — Maj-or, P. Shannon; treasurer, S. D. Vaughn;
collector, E. B. Cravens; assesor, E. O'Flaherty; Reg
ister, B. Donnelly; engineers, William Millar, Ed.
O'Flaherty; wharfmaster, Thomas Fox; wharfregister,
Samuel Quest; marshal, Jeremiah Dowd; attorney, T.
B. Rummel; recorder, C. A. Carpenter; councilmen, P.
S. Brown, H. L. Huhn, J. G. Watkins, E. F. Rogers,
John Taylor, Gerhart Zucker, Thomas Burke, William
Kolb. 1866. — A. L. Harris, mayor; S. D. Vaughn, treas
urer; Charles Long, collector; B. Donelly, assessor;
D. O'Brien, register; Edmund O'Flaherty, engineer;
H. G. Toler, wharfmaster; Philip Ott, wharfregister;
Jeremiah Dowd, marshal; Charles Carpenter, attor
ney; C. A. Carpenter, recorder; councilmen, Charles
Dwyer, John Bauerlein, Robert Salisbury, F. A. Mitch
ell, N. Vincent, Henry Tobener, Thomas Burke, David
Slater, John R. Balis.
1867. — E. H. Allen, mayor; J. W. L. Slavans, treas
urer; James Lee, assessor; Dennis O'Brien, auditor;
139

Dr. GEORGE HALLEY.

DR. GEORGE HALLEY
was born September 10, 1839 at Aurora, Ontario, Canada. His
mother, Jane Baird, a lineal descendant of Sir Isaac Newton,
was a niece of Dr. James Baird, who was surgeon-in-charge at
St. Helena, and who gave up his own cottage to Napoleon
during his exile there. Dr. Halley's father was a descendant of
Sir Edmond Halley, the astronomer.
Dr. Halley graduated in medicine at the University of Vic
toria, Toronto, Canada, attended a clinical course in New York,
and came to Kansas City in 1870, where he has -practiced his
profession ever since.
In 1871 Dr. Halley married Miss Florence Childs, a niece
of General Sterling Price, and four children were born of the
union, one of whom is now living. In 1889 he married Miss
Jessie Eggleston, of Olathe, Kansas, by whom he has had two
children. In 1892 Dr. Halley was commissioned as surgeon-
major of the Third Regiment of Missouri, and he organized the
hospital corps for the command. In 1899 he was commissioned
as chief surgeon of the First Brigade of Missouri, and still re
tains that position. He was also instrumental in promoting
the organization of the Association of the Military Surgeons c£
the United States.
Dr. Halley was a charter member of the Jackson County
Democratic Club a*nd was its first treasurer. His name was a
tower of strength to the club in the trying times of its inception
and early establishment. He is a Democrat of the old school,
standing for free trade and equal rights. As a physician and
surgeon Dr. Halley stands second to none in the West. As a
man, he is modest, scholarly, genial, polished and kind, but
outspoken in defense of the right as well as In denunciation of
tricks and shams of all kinds.

141

Dr. W. F. MORROW.

DR. W. F. MORROW
was born July 31, 1854, in Macon County, Mo. He comes from
that sturdy Scotch-Irish stock which has done so much for
America in peace and in war, for it is the stock from which
so many of her famous statesmen and great soldiers have
sprung. Dr. Morrow graduated at the Missouri Medical College at
St. Louis, and came to Kansas City in 1887 to practice his pro
fession. As a physician Dr. Morrow has been eminently suc
cessful not only in his treatment of his patients but in winning
the confidence and universal respect of his brother physicians
as well as of the public generally. He lives with his family in
a charming home, and men and women alike seek his friend
ship as much as his professional services.
Dr. Morrow has never been a politician in the sense of
seeking office, but he is noted for his strong convictions in re
gard to a citizen's duty to his country, and he is as conscien
tious in the discharge of his civic obligations as he is in obeying
the calls of his profession. He has particularly strong views in
regard to the ethics of his profession, and since his appoint
ment by Governor Dockery in April, 1901, as a member and
secretary of the Missouri State Board of Health, his efforts have
been marked in raising the standard of his profession in the
State. Dr. Morrow was one of the charter members of the Jackson
County Democratic Club, and he expressed himself with great
energy, at its earliest meetings, in favor of stamping out fac
tionalism within the party.

143

THOMAS S. RIDGE.

THOMAS S. RIDGE
was born November 26, 1859, in Kansas City, Mo. His parents
were Kentuckians, and his father, Dr. I. M. Ridge, was one of
the pioneers of Jackson County, and is to-day one of the best
known men in Kansas City.
Mr. Ridge is almost equally well-known, as a member of
the insurance firm of Hunter, Ridge & Bryant. Mr. Ridge is
interested in a number of other business enterprises in Kansas
City, as well as in Colorado and Texas. He is not only a first-
class business man, but is a student and a Writer of no mean
ability. Mr. Ridge has never been a candidate for public office, al
though his friends have urged him several times in this con
nection, but he is a man of active public spirit and has always
taken a deep interest in political affairs. He is, perhaps, a littl'u
too altruistic in his ideals, and too outspoken in' regard to
political methods to suit the average ward worker, whose motto
generally is, "The end. justifies the meanst" But Mr. Ridge's
clear, practical sense, and experience in business affairs could
not fail to be* valuable to the people in public life, and he will
undoubtedly make his mark in politics as he has in commercial
pursuits. As a charter member of the Jackson County Demo
cratic Club, he was indefatigable in his labors for its success,
and to him, as much as to any other man, is due its prosperity.
He was elected treasurer of the club in 1901, and was warmly
urged for president in 1902, but he declined to make the race
in opposition to his friend, John M. Rood. Mr. Ridge is a man
of quick and generous sympathies, kind and charitable to the
unfortunate, loyal and devoted to his friends.

145

Oscar Koehler, engineer; E. B. McDill, wharfmaster;
A. T. Hoover, wharfregister; J. T. Brougham, city
clerk, J. B. Brothers, marshal; William Warner, city
attorney; P. Lucas, C. A. Carpenter, recorders; Ed
mund Keller, marketmaster ; councilman, John Camp
bell, Herman Hucke; H. W. Cooper, E. A—Phillips, H.
L. Huhn, E. H. Spalding, J. W. Keeper, Henry Speers.
1868. — A. L. Harris, mayor; George Sweeney,
treasurer; J. B. Drinkard, assessor; Dennis O'Brien,
auditor ; John Donnelly, engineer ; A . T. Hoover, wharf
master; L. Dragon, wharfregister; D. E. Dickerson,
city physician; F. B. McLean, F. J. Brougham, Mel)
H. Hudson, city clerks; J. L. Keck, marshal; H. P.
White, attorney; C. A. Carpenter, recorder; Edward
Keller, marketmaster; councilmen, William Smith, M.
English, Junius Chaffee, J. W. Cook, H. Hucke, John
Campbell, H. W. Cooper, E. A. Phillips, A. H.
Waterman. 1869. — F. R. Long, mayor; George Sweeney, treas
urer; Dennis O'Brien, auditor; C. F. Smith, assessor;
John Donnelly, engineer; A. T. Hoover, wharfmaster;
Mell H. Hudson city clerk; J. L. Keck, marshal; D.
S. Twitchell, attorney; W. H. Sutton, recorder; D. E.
Dickerson, city physician; councilmen, Junius Chaf
fee, C. J. White, J. W. Cook, M. English, J. H. McGee,
A. H. Waterman, T. J. Woolf, R. W. Hilliker.
1870. — E. M. McGee, mayor; George Sweeney, treas
urer; P. M. Chouteau, collector; Robert Salisbury, as
sessor; John J. Tobin, auditor; John Donnelly, en
gineer; A. T. Hoover, wharfmaster; Daniel Greary,

146

city clerk; Thomas M. Speers, marshal; H. P. White,
attorney; C. A. Carpenter, recorder; H. F. Smith, mar
ket-master; D. E. Dickerson, city physician; council-
men, Junius Chaffee, John Campbell, C. J. White, P. J.
Heim, J. H. McGee, John W. Keefer, D. Ellison, J.
Lykins, T. J. Wolk, Thomas Burk, R. W. Hilliker,
James E. Marsh.
1871. — William Warner, mayor; Samuel Jarboe,
Treasurer; P. M. Chouteau, collector; O. Chanute, J.
J.' Moore, engineers; John J. Tobin, auditor; Robert
Salisbury, assessor; Daniel Greary, city clerk; J. W.
Dunlap, city attorney; D. A. N. Grover, recorder; T.
M. Speers, marshal; W. C. Evans, city physician; R.
C. Gould, market-master; John C. Gage, J. Brumback,
counselors; councilmen, Junius Chaffee, John Camp
bell, William Weston, IT. T. Hovelman, P. J. Heim,
J. W. Keefer, David Ellison, J. Lykins, Joab Toney.
Thomas Burke, James Hannon, James E. Marsh.
1872.^R, H. Hunt, mayor; H. C. Kumpf, auditor;
Samuel Jarboe, treasurer ; O. G. Long, recorder ; Will
iam Shepard, marshal; John C. Campbell, attorney;
H. B.' Toelle, supervisor of registration; Daniel
Greary, J. Enright, city clerks; J. M. Silvers, chief of
fire department; Sam Winram, inspector of weights
and measures; W. C. Evans, physician; H. L. Marvin,
engineer; P. M. Chouteau, collector; R. C. Gould, mar
ket-master; Robert Salisbury, assessor; J. Brumback.
counselor; W. A. N. Vaughn, wharmaster; J. T. Lever-
idge, wood inspector; Charles F. Quest, E. H. Russell,
superintendent of the work-house; councilmen, Michael
Flynn, William Weston, Lyman McCarty, M. Hoover,
147

J. L. LINDSAY.

J. L. LINDSAY
was born July 13, 1868, at. Arrow Rock, Mo. At the age of sev
enteen young Lindsay took up his residence in Kansas City.
where by strict attentipn to business and a rare faculty for
making friends he has risen to the responsible position of man
ager of Guernsey & Murray's large branch store.
In politics, Mr. Lindsay has never sought office, but he has
done effective work in the ranks of the Democratic party and
has contributed liberally to its success. >He was one of the
earliest members of the Jackson County Democratic Club, and
gave that organization his loyal support during the doubtful
days of its "early life.

149

REES TURPIN.

REES TURPIN
was born May 4, 1869, in Carroll County, Mo. He graduated at
the Carrollton High school and then took the academic and
law courses at Washington & Lee University at Lexington, Va,.,
graduating in law in 1892. While there he was president of tjie.
Graham Lee Literary Society, and vice-president and national
delegate of the Kappa Psi fraternity. He was admitted to the
bar in Virginia, and in Missouri in 1892, and came to Kansas
City that year to practice.
Mr. Turpin has never been a candidate for a political office,
although his friends have urged him for several, notably for
-if
member of the upper house of the City Council. As a member
cf the Jackson County Democratic Club, and especially as
chairman of its entertainment ^committee, he has won a repu
tation for sound judgment and unusual executive ability. Hs
devoted a great deal of time to the club when its fortunes were
at their lowest ebb, and it was largely due to his efforts that
the club's success was assured. Mr. Turpin is a sound lawyer
and a good citizen, one of the kind to be relied on in times-of
trouble or danger.

151

THOMAS J. SEEHORN.

THOMAS J. SEEHORN
was born April 19, 1863, at Fall Creek, Illinois. His parents
were Alfred and Martha Seehorn, highly respected citizens.
Mr. Seehorn graduated at Chaddock College, Quincy, 111., in
1886, and came to Kansas City that year to practice his pro
fession as a lawyer. In 1892 he was appointed public admin
istrator for Jackson County, which position he held until 1900.
During the eight years in which he held this delicate and re
sponsible office Mr. Seehorn grew greatly in the public's es
teem, especially in the eyes of the widows and orphans whose
interests were confided to his care. He proved himself a sound
lawyer arid a careful conservator of others' interests, and
above all, there was never a whisper of criticism or shadow of
reproach upon a single act of his.
Mr. Seehorn is more of a lawyer than a politician, but still
he takes a- lively interest in the affairs of his country, and dur
ing campaigns he is a hard worker and an effective adviser
in the councils of the Democratic party. Solid in character
and brains, courageous in his convictions, warm in his friend
ships and equally so in his political antagonisms, Mr. Seehorn
lias won a standing in the community which leaves him ripe
for honors, political, or otherwise.

153

E. L. Martin, H. T. Hovelman, M. English, D. H. Por
ter, D. Ellison, Patrick Kirby, Patrick Fay.
1.873. — E. L. Martin, mayor; D. H. Porter, record
er; H. C. Kumpf, auditor; William Weston, treas
urer; G. G. Neiswanger, marshal; M. H. Withers, at
torney; D. L. Hall, supervisor of registration; M. Mc
Cormick, superintendent of work-house; Webb With
ers, collector; H. L. Marvin, engineer; John Phillips,
market-master; John T. Blake, Robert Salisbury, as
sessors; E. H. Russell, sanitary sergeant; J. M. Sil
vers, chief of fire department; A. M. Crow, physician;
A. Mayer, city clerk; James Sweeney, inspector of
weights and measures; Thomas Clowdsley, T. McLean,
wood inspectors; J. Brumback, counselor.
1874. — S. D. Woods, mayor; James Farrow, re
corder; H. C. Kumpf, auditor, P. M. Chouteau, Treas
urer; J. C. Tarsney, attorney; J. M. Ekdahl, super
visor of registration; P. M. Black, J. W. Dunlap, coun
selors; E. O'Flaherty, engineer; J. O. O'Day, physi
cian; W. B. Napton, comptroller; M. E. Burnet, chief
of the fire department; F. Kitzpatrick, superintend
ent of the work-house; M. Ranahan, market-master;
Robert Salisbury, assessor; John Ryan, inspector of
weights and measures; A. Mayer, city clerk;-Thomas
Fox, license inspector; Thomas M. Speers, chief of
police; councilmen, John Campbell, Joseph M. Beach,
F. B. Nofsinger, A. C. Moffatt, D. A. N. Grover, Den
nis Levy, Charles A. Ebert, W. W. Payne, 0. H. Short
E. H. Webster, P. Kirby, Edward Kelley.
1875.— Turner A. Gill, mayor; P. M. Chouteau,
Ireasurer; H. C. Kumpf, auditor; W. H. Sutton, re-
154

corder; W. Adams, attorney; J. M. Ekdahl, super
visor of registration; I). A. N. Grover, comptroller;
.John C. Gage, J. Brumback, counselors; James Dow-
ling, superintendent of the work-house; aldermen, J.
M. Beach, John Campbell, A. C. Moffatt, B. A. Feine
man, Dennis Levy, G. W. Lovejoy, W. W. Payne, P.
McAnany, E. H. Webster, J. W. Reid, E. Kelley, H.
A. Simms.1876.— Turner A. Gill, mayor; P. M. Chouteau,
treasurer; T. J. Talbot, auditor; W. H. Sutton, H. R.
Nelson, recorders; W. Adams, attorney; J. M. Ekdahl
supervisor of registration; J. Brumback, counselor;
1). A. N. Grover; comptroller; Robert Salisbury, as
sessor; A1. A. Holmes, engineer; Patrick O'Reilly,
market-master; William C. Morris, physician; J. W.
; Wirth, superintendent of the work-house; John Kel
ley, inspector of weights and measures; A. Mayer, E.
R. Hunter, city clerks; F. Foster, chief of the fire, de
partment; Thomas M. Speers, chief of police; alder
men, John Campbell, W. S. Gregory, B. A. Feineman,
D. R. Porter, Edward Lynde, G. W. Lovejoy, Dennis
Levy, P. McAnany, James M. Buckley, J. W. Reid, Wm.
Holmes, A. Simms, David P. Bigger.
1877.— J: W. L. Slavens, mayor; L. J. Talbot, audi-
or; P. M. Chouteau, treasurer; D. Ellison, recorder;
James Gibson, attorney; John M. Ekdahl, super
visor of registration; J. M. Dews, comptroller; H. N.
Ess, counselor; Robert Salisbury, assessor; W. C.
Morris, physician; F. M. Furgason, inspector of
licenses, weights and measures; Joseph Porter, mar
ket-master; W. L. Shepard, superintendent of work-
155

E. B. SILKWOOD.

E. B. SILKWOOD,
chief "clerk of the city engineer's office, was born August 18,
1861, at Mulkeytown, Illinois/ Obtaining his education in the
common schools of his county, he graduated at the Carbondalp,
Illinois, University. Fourteen years ago he removed to Kan
sas City where he has lived ever since. 'Upon Mayor Reed's
election in 1900, Mr. Silkwood was appointed chief clerk in the
city engineer's office, which position -he has held and filled ad
mirably ever since. Mr. Silkwood is prominent and popular in
union labor circles, and has been for three years president of
the Retail Clerks' International ^Protective Association, Lo
cal No. 13. He is a charter member of the Jackson County
Democratic Club and has given freely in time and money to
make ft a success. He was a most faithful member of the
governing committee during the club's darkest days.

157

J. RAY SAMUEL.

J. RAY SAMUEL
was born March 21, 1861, at Jefferson City, Mo. His family is.
of Welsh and Scotch stock. His grandfather coming to Missouri
in 1820 from Tennessee, was a large planter and stock-grower.
His father was a merchant for thirty years and he platted and
founded Cedar City opposite Jefferson City in Calloway County.
Young Ray Samuel received a common school education and
later graduated with honors at Quincy, Illinois. From 1882 to
1885 he engaged in business with his father in Fulton, Mo.,
under the firm name of C. W. Samuel & Son. Removing to
Kansas City in 1885 he was engaged in the real estate business
until 1889. From 1889 to 1895 he was'chief clerk in the depart
ment of streets for Kansas City. In 1895 he was appointed
deputy county clerk under Thomas T. Crittenden, Jr., and he
has held that position ever since. Mr. Samuel is the author of
the present admirable system of bookkeeping in the county
clerk's office, , a system which has resulted in the saving of
thousands of dollars to the county.
In 1900 Mr. Samuel with others organized the Faultless
Laundry Company in Kansas City, at 1726-8 Walnut Street and
he has been its secretary ever since.
Mr. Samuel is one of the most active members of the
Jackson County Democratic Club, serving on all of its import
ant committees and doing his duty faithfully and well. A man
pf fine presence and genial manners, he makes friends readily,
and with his Scotch virtues he grows with acquaintance.
In November, 1901, Mr. Samuel married' Miss May Small of
Sedalia, a daughter of Dr. A. V. Small, who was a noted surgeon
in the Confederate Army. Mrs. Samuel is an active member
of the Daughters of the Confederacy.

159

B. F. BLACK.

B. FRANK BLACK
was born January 24, 1856, at Dayton, Ohio, but was brought
to Kansas City in 1859. Obtaining his education in the public
schools he entered the tobacco business and is now Kansas City
manager for the great Stickney Cigar Company. Mr. Black
has always been a strong champion of the public schools and
as president of the Ashland School Board for years he made a
great fight for the educational interests of the people. His zeal,
energy and integrity displayed in this capacity won him
the respect and esteem of all classes of people, and his unfailing-
courtesy and fairness turned esteem into friendship with those
who came into contact with him. Probably no man so modest
and retiring was ever more popular and universally respected.
Mr. Black is a charter member of the Jackson County Dem
ocratic Club, and has served on its governing committee almost
since its inception. He is an active Democrat and a man of
unflinching independence.

161

house; W. E. Benson, city clerk; A. A. Holmes, en
gineer; Thomas M. Speers, chief of police; F. Foster,
chief of fire department; Aldermen, W. S. Gregory,
Philip Casey, E. Lynde, R. H. Drennon, Dennis Levy,
C. C. Whitmeyer, James M. Buckley, W. B. Robinson,
William Holmes, W. H. Winants, David P. Bigger, H.
A. Simms. 1878. — Gerge M. Shelley, mayor; A. C. Walmsley,
treasurer; William Vincent, auditor; Hamilton Fin
ney, recorder; James Gibson, attorney; Erastus
Johns, supervisor of registration; Robert Salisbury,
assessor; W. E. Benson, city clerk; W. L. Shepard,
William Keiky, superintendents of work-house; Jos
eph Porter, market-master; J. M. Trowbridge, en
gineer; 11. C. Kumpf, comptroller; W. YV. Payne, in
spector of Mceuses, weights and measures; S. P.
Twiss, counsellor; A. M. Crow, physician; Thomas M.
Speers, chief of police, F. Foster, chief of fire depart-
ment; aldermen, Philip Casey, P. D. Eute, R. H. Dren
non, H. C. Morrison, C. C. Whitmeyer, T. W. Butler,
W. B. Robinson, L. A. Allen, W. H. Winants, Louis
Dragon, H. A. Siuuns, A. H. Glasner.
1X79.— George M. Shelley, mayor; A. C. Walmsley.
treasurer; William Vincent, auditor; Hamilton Fin
ney, recorder; Thomas King attorney; M. K. Kirk,
supervisor of registration; T. A. Gill, counselor; H.
C. Kumpf, comptroller; Robert Salisbury, assessor;
W. E. Benson, city clerk; C. H. Knickerbocker, en
gineer; John Donuelly, assistant engineer; D. R. Por
ter, physician; William Burk, market -master; Bene
dict Waibel, inspector of licenses, weights aud meas-
162

ures; F. R. Allen, superintendent of work-house;
Thomas M. Speers, chief of police; F. Foster, chief of
fire department; aldermen, P. D. Etue, George W. Mc
Clelland, H. C. Morrison, J. N. DuBois, T. W. Butler,
11. H. Maybury, L. A. Allen, John Salisbury, Louis
Dragon, T. B. Bullene, A. H. Glasner, Patrick Hickey.
1880.- -C. A. Chase, mayor; A. C. Walmsley, treas
urer; William Vincent, auditor; H. Finney, recorder;
Thomas King, attorney; N. Burk, supervisor of reg
istration; W. Adams, counselor; John Donnelly, en
gineer; Nathaniel Grant, comptroller; T. D. Callahan,
city clerk; Thomas M. Speers, chief of police; F. Fos
ter, chief of fire department; Robert Salisbury, as
sessor; C. J. Jenkins, physician; Adam Johns, in
spector of licenses; J. J^ Granfield, market-master; .'
F. R. Allen, superintendent of the work-house; alder- .
men, J. A. McDonald, T. B. Bullene, John Salisbury,
George W. McClelland, W. J. Ross, J. N. Dubois,
Patrick Hickey, J. N. Moore, R. H. Maybury, W. G.
Duncan, Louis Dragon.
1881. — Daniel A. Frink, mayor; A. C. Walmsley,
treasurer; M. L. Sullivan, auditor; J. W. Childs, re-
< -order ;"W. J. Strong, attorney; M. H. Bass, supervi
sor of registration; D. S. Twitchell, counselor; Nat.
Grant, comptroller; Robert Salisbury, assessor; T. D.
Callahan, city clerk; John Donnelly, engineer; A. A.
Holmes, assistant engineer; John Fee, physician;
John J. Granfield, market-master; B. Waibel, inspec
tor of. licenses, weights and measures; Thomas O.
Clary, superintendent of work-house; Thomas M.
Speers, chief of police; F. Foster, chief of fire depart-
163

ALEX. S. RANKIN,

ALEXANDER S. RANKIN-
was born May 20, 1868, in Scotland, the land of oatmeal and
Steady habits, where men grow sturdy and strong, with sterfi
Convictions of ditty and the courage of them. And the subject
ii this sketch, althSugii trioroiighiy Americanized in the best
sense of the term, does not belie his Scotch ancestry and train
ing. Coming to Kansas City sixteen years ago, young Rankin
worked his way up in the face of many obstacles until he now
runs his own business as a painting contractor. Notwith
standing the demands of his business he -has found the time to
make his life useful to others in many ways, serving two terms
as secretary and treasurer of the Master Builders' Exchange,
two terms as president of the Epworth League of Missouri, and
president of the Master Painters' Association.
Mr. Rankin was a charter member of the Jackson County
Democratic Club, and was elected secretary in 1901, and was re
elected in 1902.
Although never a politician, Mr. Rankin is as sturdy and
upright in his Democracy, and as energetic in advancing its
principles, as he is in his church work, or in his daily labors in
business. Unlike the traditions of the covenanting Scotch, Alex.
Rankin's marked characteristic is this toleration and charity
towards others. Himself a strict churchman and as blameless
and innocent as a young girl in thought and speech, he is re
markably liberal in his attitude towards his fellow-men, con
tenting himself by advancing his cause by example rather than
v>y profession. And so, no young man in Kansas City stands
higher in the esteem and love of those who know him than does
Alex. Rankin.

165

WILLIAM WARNER.

William Warner
was born, in Lafayette County, Wisconsin, June 11, 1839. His
parents dying he was thrown on his own resources and from
that time he worked at anything he .could do. At the age of
ten he secured employment in a store and for five years he laid
aside a portion of his meager earnings to enable himself to get
ar. education. He spent two years at college and then taught
school by day and studied Jaw at night. Just as he was ad
mitted to the bar the Civil War broke out. He enlisted as a
private and was successively promoted to lieutenant, adjutant,
captain, and major of the Forty-fourth Wisconsin. His war
record has been endorsed since then by his election to the high
est offices in the gift of his comrades. He has been twice com
mander of the Department of Missouri G. A. R., and in. 1888 wus
unanimously elected commander-in-chief of that organization.
Major Warner came to Kansas City in 1865. Although an
ardent Republican he was elected city attorney in 1837 and
circuit attorney in 1868. In 1870 he was elected mayor — the sole
successful candidate on his ticket. In 1875 he rose superior to
party and supported Turner A. Gill, a Democrat, in his mem
orable campaign for mayor. 1885 he was elected to Congress
and soon became one of the most influential members of that
body. In 1892 he ran for governor of Missouri on the. Republican
ticket. , In 1892 and 1896 he was delegate-at-large to the Na
tional Republican Convention. In 1898, although not a candi
date for the position, President McKinley appointed him United
States District Attorney for the Western District of Missouri.
In 1902 he was endorsed by the Republican Convention of Jack
son County for United States senator.
In- politics Major Warner has shown the courage of hia
convictions ' and his manly independence in many instances,
notably •in denouncing the A. P. A., which had control of hi--.
party in Kansas City, at the cost of certain defeat to himself.
Major Warner is a born leader of men, a man of generous and
noble impulses, and as an orator he is unsurpassed in the West.
167

HERBERT S. HADLEY.

HERBERT S. HADLEY
Was born twenty miles from Kansas City at Olathe, Kansas, on
the 20th of February,; 1872. Kansas City was to him the "big
city" of his boyhood experiences, and as soon as he com
pleted his college course at the University of Kansas and
his law course at the Northwestern University Law School at
Chicago, he came to Kansas City to begin the practice of the
law. His advancement in his profession has been rapid and
substantial. On January 1st, 1898, he was appointed first assist
ant city counselor, and as trial lawyer for the city had charge
of all its litigation in the courts for three years. At the time
he was appointed to this responsible position, the damage suit
verdicts that had been rendered against the city has become an
issue in. the approaching municipal campaign, but under Mr.
Hadley's conduct of the defense of these suits the city ceased
to be mulcted and during his entire term of office but six
verdicts of over $1,000.00 in amount were rendered against the
city, one of these being afterwards reversed on appeal and
two are still pending in the Supreme Court.
In 1900 he was nominated by the Republican party for
prosecuting attorney and at the election of that year he was
elected prosecuting attorney by about 2500 majority. His con
duct of the duties of the prosecuting attorney's office has been
conscientious and able, and of him it can be truthfully said on
the basis of actual record facts that he is the most success
ful prosecutor in the. history of the county. Twenty- one mur
der cases, have been disposed of during the twenty-one months
he has been in office and in only one case did the jury fail
to convict and in that case the jury disagreed. Of the 128
cases that he tried during his first twenty-one months in office
there were but six acquittals.
Mr. Hadley has always taken an active part in the literary
and social life of Kansas City and in public enterprises. He
is a member of the Commercial Club and ex-president of the
Knife and Fork Club of which organization he was the found
er. He is also prominent in Masonic and Knights of Pythias
circles. He was married on the 8th of October, 1901, to Miss
Agnes Lee of this city. He has one child, a boy, bom on the
23d of September, 1902. 169

GEORGE M. SHELLEY.

GEORGE M. SHELLEY
was born in Kentucky and moved with his parents to Iowa in
1849. He was educated in the public and high schools of Keo
kuk, then took a course in the commercial college of Chicago
and completed his education at Princeton. Then he took a
trip overland to the Pacific coast and spent two years in China,
Japan and around the world. In 1869 he started a grocery
store in Kansas City, but changed to the dry goods business
in which he has remained continuously for thirty-four years.
In politics Mr. Shelley's life has been a busy, useful and
varied one. Three times a police commissioner of Kansas
City by appointment of Governors Crittenden, Marmaduke and
Stone; three times nominated for mayor by acclamation and
served twice; postmaster under President Cleveland; president
of the upper house of the City Council by the unanimous vote
of the Republicans, although himself a Demociat; delegate to
every city and county convention held in Kansas City for
thirty years.
A rock-ribbed Democrat, Mr. Shelley has never scratched
a ticket nor varied a hair's-breadth in his fidelity to the prin
ciples of his party, no matter what the provocation. As mayor
of Kansas City he gave his entire time to the duties of his
office, and gave his salary to the poor. As postmaster he was
appointed by President Cleveland who disregarded political
pull altogether and looked only to the personal fitness of the
man. Delegate to his party's convention for thirty years, a
splendid tribute from his neighbors to his personal worth and
capacity for political leadership.
Such men are a tower of strength to their party and to the
community in which they live.

171

ment; aldermen, W. J. Ross, J. M. Ford, J. A. McDon
ald, D. H. Porter, John W. Moore, James Anderson,
L. A. Allen, John Salisbury, L. Dragon, B. A. Sheid-
ley, W. G. Duncan, M. Gafney.
1882. — James Gibson, mayor; L. B. Eveland, treas
urer; M. L. Sullivan, auditor; Charles M. Ingraham,
recorder; W. J. Strong, attorney; Otto Salts, super
visor of registration; H. P. Langworthy, city clerk; W.
B. Knight, city engineer; D. H. Porter, president of
council; John Fee, physician; Nat. Grant, comptroller;
George C. Hale, chief of fire department; aldermen,
W. J. Ross, Charles Brooks, Sr., A. G. Kisler, Jeffer
son Brumback, S. M. Ford, C. A. Brockett; Thomas
M. Speers, chief of police.
1883.— T. B. Bullene, mayor; A. C. Walmsley,
treasurer; M. L. Sullivan, auditor; George R. Jones,
recorder; W. Adams, attorney; Otto Salts, supervisor
of registration; H. P. Langworthy, city clerk; Wil
liam B. Knight, city engineer; Jorn Free, city physi
cian; Nat. Grant, comptroller; Geo. C. Hale, -chief of
fire department; aldermen, W. J. Ross, Martin Regan,
Charles Brooks, Sr., A. R, Sweet, A. G. Kesler; H. T.
Hovelman, Jefferson Brumback, J. M. Patterson, S.
M. Ford, John H. Reid, William Duncan, M. Gafney;
Thomas M. Speers, chief of police.
1884. — L. J. Talbot, mayor; L. B. Eveland, treas
urer; Benjamin D. West, auditor; Charles M. Ingra
ham, recorder; John J. Campbell, attorney; George
Sellman, supervisor of registration; George C. Hale,
chief of fire department; W. Adams, attorney; alder
men, Martin Regan, Patrick O'Rouke, A. K. Sweet,
172

J. K. Davidson, H. T. Hovelman, A. G. Kesler, J. M.
Patterson, John Salisbury, John H. Reed, J. M. Ford,
Michael Gafney, John McClintock; Thomas M. Speers,
chief of police.
1885. — John W. Moore, mayor; George W. Jones,
treasurer; Benjamin D. West, auditor; J. H. Worth-
en, recorder; John J. Campbell, attorney; B. Waibel,
supervisor of registration; George C. Hale, chief of
fire department; H. P. Langworthy, city clerk; B. R.
Whitney, city engineer; John Fee, city physician;
Nat. Grant, comptroller; aldermen, James A. Finley,
Wiley O. Cox, C. C. Whitmeyer, George W. Tourte-
lotte, Charles E. Moss, John Granfield; Thomas M.
Speers, chief of police.
1886. — H. C. Kumpf, mayor; Benjamin Holmes,
treasurer; Benjamin West, auditor; Joseph J. Wil
liams, city attorney; Joseph H. Worthen, recorder;
W. L. Hendershot, supervisor of registration; H. P.
Langworthy, city clerk; George C. Hale, chief of fire
department; Thomas M. Speers, chief of police; alder
men, Maurice Hurley, John Keenan, Will J. Looney,
D. P. Thompson, J. M. Patterson, Wallace Love, John
H. Burke, Martin Regan, Cornelius Maloney, H. D.
Train, J. K. Davidson, E. W. Hayes, Will E. Ridge,
Frederick Howard; John Fee, city physician; John
Donnelly, city engineer; Nat. Grant, comptroller.
1887. — Henry C. Kumpf, mayor; Benjamin Holmes,
treasurer; Benjamin D. West, auditor; J. J. Daven
port, recorder; W. K. Hawkins, attorney; John Dolan,
supervisor of registration; aldermen, John Grady, Will
173

WALTER M. DAVIS.

WALTER M. DAVIS
was born of Welsh parentage in 1867 in Ebensburg, Pennsyl
vania. When he was five months old his parents moved to
Livingston County, Mo., and his early school life was spenl:
there. He served for eight years as deputy sheriff under T.
G. McCarty, then as sergeant of police, next as county jailer,
and finally as chief of police, the youngest chief in the United
States at that time.
In 1893 he left Colorado on account of sickness and came
to Kansas City, where he soon became active and prominent
in politics. He seirved one term as street commissioner during
Mayor Jones' administration and declined a second term. He
was assistant postmaster under Colonel Sam F. Scott.
In 1902 Mr. Davis was a candidate for the Republican
nomination for mayor of Kansas City and was only defeated
by a. very small vote after a vigorous fight on him by the
corporations. Mr. Davis began his career a poor boy without advantages
or influence and by his industry, perserverance, and integrity
has earned a comfortable position in the world, while as a
politician he is regarded as the shrewdest organizer in the
Republican party in Kansas City. Personally he is a loyal
and generous friend, and an aggressive fighter against hyproc-
risy and wrong-doing of any kind. He is very popular with
the masses of the people and has a political future in Kansas
City that will be worth watching.
In 1890 he married Miss Lillian Coats, a daughter of
George Coats of Pueblo, Colorado, they have two children,
Walter M., aged 11, and Hazel, aged 5. He has two brothers,
Webster and Harry.

175

JOHN HALPIN",

JOHN HALPIN,
chief of detectives, was born August 15, 1865, in the Province
of Quebec, Canada. His father was Patrick Halpin, now living
in Kansas City, and his mother was Miss Marguerite Corrigan,
a sister of Bernard Corrigan, also of Canadian birth. There
were six children born of the union, three girls and three
boys, of which the subject of this sketch was the third. He
came to Kansas City with his parents at the age of eight, and
obtained his education in the public schools and at Spalding's
College, graduating in 1882. At the age of eighteen he was
assistant cashier of the Corrigan Consolidated Street Railway
System of Kansas City. In 1890 he was appointed deputy
county marshal under Henry P. Stewart, and resigned in 189~2
to accept a position as city detective in Mayor Cowherd's
administration. On Optober 21, 1897, he was appointed chief
of detectives, which position he has held ever since.
Mr. Halpin mads a splendid record as a private in the
ranks, and as a chief he has earned the esteem and admira
tion of all classes of people by his skill, patience, earnestness,
and executive ability. He is one of the few men who know
how to.handle men, to obtain the best results without noise or
worry. In politics he. is a Democrat but in his official capacity
he knows no> politics.
He was married November 18, 1891, to Miss Mary J,
Cooney of Kansas City, daughter of, Edward Cooney, one of
the oldest and most efficient employees of the Missouri Pacific
Railway Company.

177

MARTIN R. GOSSETT.

MARTIN R. GOSSETT,
recorder of deeds for Jackson County, and Democratic nomi
nee for re-election, was born April 11, 1857, in Bath County,
Kentucky. His lineage is German on his father's side and
English on his mother's. His father, the Rev. J. D. Gossett,
was a Baptist minister, and so was his grandfather. In 1867
he settled with his parents in Jackson County, Mo., near Inde
pendence, where they have resided ever since. After obtain
ing his education in the Jackson County schools and in the
High School at Independence, he engaged in the clothing busi
ness at 512-14 Main Street, Kansas City, for eighteen years un
til he was elected to his present office. In 1898 he received the
Democratic nomination for recorder of deeds, and it is a suf
ficient testimonial to his. personal worth and popularity to say
that Mr. Gossett was elected - by the highest vote of any
one on his ticket, and for the same reason that Abuo Ben
Adhem's name led all the rest, because he loved his fellow-
men. Mr. Gossott is a man of engaging manners which spring
naturally from a warm heart, which is the. secret of his popu
larity. Mr. Gossett is a Knight Templar, Mason, Elk, Modern
Wobdman, and is active in all charities: On March 15, 1881,
he married Miss Mary D. Carter, daughter of E. C. Carter of
Kansas City, and they have three children, two girls and a
boy. He and his wife are members of the Twenty-second
and Prospect Avenue Christian Church.

179

HENRY P. STEWART,

HENRY P. STEWART,
Democrat and Police Commissioner of Kansas City, was born
in East Hartford, Connecticut, September 25, 1858. His father,
John F. Stewart, came from Ireland at the age of 21, and
settled at Hartford, Conn. His mother came from Ireland
when a child of eight and settled in New Haven, Conn. After
his father's death in 1883 his mother removed to Kansas City
" to reside. He was educated in the public schools of Hartford, and
graduted with honors at the Christian Brothers Academy at
that place. Coming to Kansas City 'in 1877 he engaged in the
coal business with J. H. Looney. In 1880 he went into the
sand business and in 1897, Frank C. Peck, who was sperintend-
emt of the Kansas City Cable" Company, joined him, the firm
becoming the Stewart & Peck' Sand Company. The company
does a large business, with three plants, one at First and
Grand Ave, one at Twenty-third and Kaw River, and one in
Argentine, Kansas. The company operates two steam dredgeis
and a line of barges with each plant.
Although essentially a business man Mr. Stewart has taken
an active part in politics and has done his part manfully and
well. In 1888 he was elected to the City Council from the
Seventh Ward. He resigned during his second term to run
for County Marshal and was elected in 1890 and re-elected in
1892 on the Democratic ticket. In J.902 he was selected by
Governor Dockery as police commissioner as the best man to
harmonize the troubles existing in the local Democratic party,,.
and it is sufficient to say that his appointment at once brought
peace in the party and restored . confidence in the police de
partment. In 1880 Mr. Stewart married Miss Minnie Duke, a daugh
ter- of John P. Duke of Independence, Mo. They have five
children, three boys and two girls.

181

JAMES PENDERGAST.

JAMES PENDERGAST,
Democratic alderman from the First Ward, was born in 1856
in Gallipolis, Ohio. In 1857 he came with his parents to
Buchanan County, Mo. His parents were of Irish stock, his
father being Michaiel Pendergast, now deceased, and his
mother, now living in St. Joseph, Mo.
His education was obtained in the public schools of St.
Joseph and at the Christian Brothers College at that place.
In 1876 he removed to Kansas City and cast his first vote in
the First Ward, where he now lives. He was employed at
various times in the Keystone Iron Works, the A. J. Kelly
Foundry, and the D. M. Jarboe Foundry. He commenced busi
ness for himself in 1881.
In 1892 he was elected to the city -council from the First
Ward and he has been re-elected practically without opposi
tion ever since. He is the oldest man in the city hall in point
of service, in fact elder than the city hall itself, the first meet
ing of the city council after he was elected being held in the
Board of Trade building.
Politically, Mr. Pendergast's prominence and influence is
much greater than any councilman's probably ever was. The
undisputed leader in his own ward, he is also the acknowl
edged leader of at least half of the Democrats of Kansas City
and Jackson County. His place is the resort of the most dis
tinguished men in the party and he is courted and flattered
enough to turn the head of any man of less rugged sense.
Jim Pendergast — as his friends love to call him — is a master y
organizer, a keea judge of men, a true friend and a generous
foe. -The secret cf his political influence is found in none of
these qualities, however, nor in the power of money, his own
or corporate, which is commonly the case in the politics of a
great city. Neither does it rest in his big heart, and he has
one of the biggest. His strength rests chiefly in the fact that
he keeps his word and never breaks a promise. It is a common
saying in Kansas City, "Jim Pendergast's word is as good as
his bond." A rare virtue in any man, politician or otherwise.

183

T. M. NOBLE.

T. M. NOBLE,
lawyer and Democrat, was born in 1853 in DuBois County
Indiana. His parents were Virginians of old English stock.
In 1860 he came with his parents to Nodaway County, Mo.
He graduated at college in Iowa and read law with E. W.
Thomas at Brownville, Neb. He was admitted to the bar in
Atchison County, Mo., by Judge Henry S. Kelly, and settled
at Belleville, Kansas, where he soon sprang into prominence.
For eighteen years, he enjoyed the largest practice in North
ern Kansas. In 1896 he came to Kansas City, seeking a
broader field for his talents, and has since confirmed his rep
utation as a successful and able lawyer.
He was interested as counsel in the celebrated breach of
promise case of Knight against Oscar Push, a $50,000 case for
the plaintiff, and as prosecuting attorney of Republic County,
he handled the famous Hubbell case against Sanford Sparks
Voorhees, who was sent to the penitentiary for fifty years.
Politically Mr. Noble is an ardent Democrat and was a
charter member of the Jackson county Democratic Club. In
1882, when there was no organized Democratic party in Re
public County, Kansas, he was elected county attorney on
the independent ticket by 400 plurality in a county having
1500 Republican majority. In 1884 he was endorsed for re
election by, all parties and did not even go before any con
vention. He refused the nomination for a third term. In
1893 he was elected mayor of Belleville, Kansas, and was in
strumental in the reorganization of the waterworks which are
now claimed to be the best in the State.
Mr. Noble married Miss Robertson of Belleville, Kansas,
and they have four children, two boys and two girls.

185

Dk. GEORGE OLIVER COFFIN.

DR. GEORGE OLIVER COFFIN
was born August 4, 1858, at Danielsville, Northampton County,
Pennsylvania. His parents were Samuel T. and -Lavina
Siegenfuss Coffin. His father was a lineal descendant of
Tristam Coffee, the founder of Nantuckett and New Bedford,
Mass., and the originator of the whaling industries of those
towns. His mother was a great granddaughter of John Boyer,
whose parents were among the earliest settlers of Pennsyl
vania, living in the Wyoming Valley at the time of the famous
massacre. The mother and three children found refuge in the
f_rt, the father being scalped by the Indians.
George 0. Coffin, the fifth in descent from him, was educated
in the common schools of his native town and at Williams
burg Academy. When nineteen years of age he entered the
Pennsylvania Medical College of Philadelphia, graduating n,
1879. He engaged in practice at Frankfort, Kansas, for five
years and then removed to El Paso, Texas., where he became
contract surgeon and quarantine officer for the U. S. Govern
ment. He spent two years in Mexico and then removed to
Silver Cliff, Colo., where he practiced medicine for two years.
In the fall of 1887 he located in Kansas City, where he is now
a successful praetitioneer. Here he took a post-graduate
csurse at the Kansas- City Medical College, receiving his de
gree of M.D., for the second time. In May, 1894, Mayor Web
ster Davis appointed bouse surgeon of the city hospital, and
in May, 1895, he was appointed city physician, and held, this
position with distinguished success until 1902.
In 1897 he was elected professor of surgery of the Medico-
Chirurgical College and he is also dean of the faculty. He is
also professor of clinical surgery in the Woman's Medical Col
lege; a member of the medical staff of the Frisco Railway
hospital; consulting surgeon of the Kansas City Southern
Railway; staff surgeon of the German hospital; consulting
surgeon of the. Douglas hospital of Kansas City, Kansas;
medical director of the Kansas City Life Insurance. Com
pany; member of the Kansas City Academy of Medicine, Jack
son County Medical Society, the Missouri State Medical
Society and the American Medical Association.
Dr. Coffin has been a consistent, life-long Republican,
an is a 32 degree Mason, a noble of the Mystic Shrine, past
chancellor of the Knights of Pythias and a member of the
order of Elks. 187

W. T. KEMPER.

W. T. KEMPER
was born Nov. 3, 1860 at Gallatin, Mo. His father, James M.
Kemper, was of German ancestry. The family settled in Vir
ginia about 1600 and later moved to Kentucky, where his father
was born. His father was for many years a member of the
firm of Noyes, Norman & Co., shoe manufacturers at St.
Joseph, Mo. His mother was a Paxton, of the Scotch descent,
one of the oldest and most prominent families of the South.
The subject of this sketch moved to Hamilton, Mo., where
he lived until he was fourteen, and then removed to St. Joseph.
where he lived until he was eighteen, completing his educa
tion there. At the age of eighteen he struck out for himself,
going to Valley Falls, Kansas, and engaging in the general
merchandise and banking business, which was very sucessful
for seven years. Coming to Kansas City in 1893 he organized
the Kemper Grain Company which he has sucessfully con
ducted ever since. He is also the head of the Kemper Loan
and Investment Co., in the Gibralter building, and owns three
department stores, respectively at Topeka, Leavenworth and
Valley Falls, Kansas. He is also the owner of considerable
real estate in Kansas City, including the Whitney building.
In 1900 Mr. Kemper was elected -president of the Kansas
City Board of Trade, the youngest man that ever filled that
place. He has served as a director in the Commercial Club
and is now a director in the Providence Association, director
in the National Bank of Commerce, director in the Board of
Trade, and now vice-president of its Clearing Company. He
is a Mason, Knight Templar and Shriner.
His first political work was in organizing the Democracy
in Jefferson County, Kansas. In 1895 be became interested in
politics in Kansas City and ever since he has been an active
and enthuiastic worker, contributing his time and money to the
success of his party. He was one of the most active supporters
180

of Mayor Reed from his first campaign in 1900, and was chair
man of one of the rival Democratic County Committees which
grew out of the split that fall. In 1901 he was unanimously
elected president of the Jackson County Democratic Club, and
under his administration the Club prospered greatly and be
came a powerful factor in the politics of Kansas City and
Jackson County. Although he had never asked for any polit
ical office he was appointed police commissioner of Kansas
City, February 12, 1902, by Governor Dockery. This unso ¦
licited honor was a high tribute to Mr. Kemper's standing in
the community, being made at a time when the unsettled and
feverish condition of affairs in the Democratic party in Kansas
City required, and the press demanded, the appointment of a
man, who would be politically, socially and in a business way,
absolutely beyond criticism and above reproach. The appoint
ment restored confidence in Democratic circles, and gave en
tire satisfaction to the press and the public.
Mr. Kemper is a man of the most charming manners and
engaging address, a thorough gentleman and a keen, successful
business man, but withal so democratic that he makes friends
at sight with rich and poor, high and low alike.
In 1890 he married Miss Lottie C. Crosby, daughter oC
Rufus H. Crosby, a banker of Valley Falls-, Kansas. They
have three children, all boys.

190

J. Looney, George W. Lee, M. Welsh, A. W. Love,
James A. Finlay, Cornelius Maloney, W. O. Cox, M. D.
Wood, Frederick Howard, Maurice Hurley, John Kee
nan, D. P. Thompson, J. M. Patterson, J. H. Burke,
Martin Regan, H. D. Train, J. K. Davidson, E. W.
Hayes, William E. Ridge; R. W. Quarles, counselor;
John Donnelly, engineer; A. E. Thomas, comptroller;
T. H. Edwards, assessor; H. P. Langworthy, city clerk;
Frank Sturdevant, city physician.
1888. — H. C. Kumpf, mayor; Benjamin Holmes,
treasurer; Joseph J. Davenport, recorder; S. B. Win-
ram, auditor; W. K. Hawkins, attorney; all Republi
cans except the treasurer, who was a Democrat, and
the recorder, who was an Independent. Aldermen:
In the first ward, Harry L. Payne (R); second ward,
John May (R), and W. J, Looney (D); third ward, John
McClintock (R); fourth ward, W. T. Payne (D); fifth
ward, Wallace Love (R), and D. H. Bowes (Ind) ; sixth
ward, Martin Regan (D); seventh ward, C. W. Keith
(R), and J. J. Green (R); eighth ward, Robert Cary (D);
ninth ward, F. A. Faxon (R); tenth ward, E. H. Phelps
(R), and J. H. Ingram (D). Six members of the old
council held over; they were James A. Finlay, M. D.
Wood and G. W. Lee, Republicans, and John Grady,
Milton Welsh and W. O. Cox, Democrats.
18S0.— Mayor, Joseph J. Davenport; treasurer,
Wm. Peake; auditor, S. B. Winram; police judge,
-Michael Boland; attorney, W. K. Hawkins; counselor,
L. C. Slavens; comptroller, A. E. Thomas; assessor,
T. H. Edwards; clerk, Albert Phenis; physician, C. D.
191

JAMES BLACK,

JAMES BLACK,
lawyer and Democratic leader, was born April 6, I860, at
Camden, Ray County, Mo. His father, Jas. W. Black, came
to Missouri in 1854 from Ohio, to which state he had moved
from Pennsylvania. He was a prominent member of the Mis
souri legislature. Both of his parents were of Scotch descent,
with the sturdy virtues for which that race is traditional.
James Black attended the public schools of Ray County,
Mo., and then one term at the Kirksville State Normal Col
lege. He then spent four years at ths Missouri State Uni
versity at Columbia, graduating . in 1881 with the degree of
Bachelor of Arts. After teaching school in the Richmond,
Mo., High School for two years he was elected assistant pro
fessor of modern language in the State University, and filled
this chair for four years. He studied law meanwhile and in
1887 entered the law office of W. S. Cowherd at Kansas City,
where he studied a year. During 1888 and 1889 he occupied
the chair of French and German in the Kansas City High
School, and then entered upon the practice of law. In 1891
he was appointed assistant city counselor, and in 1892
entered the law office of Pratt, Ferry & Hagerman, and in
189G the firm became Pratt, Dana & Black. In 1898 he was
appointed assistant attorney for the Kansas City, Fort Scott
& Memphis Railway and performed all the duties, of the office
until Gen. Blair's death in 1899, when he was appointed to
succeed him as general counsel.
Politically Mr. Black is a straight-out Democrat. He was
one of the organizers of the famous Aurora Club in 1892, which
entertained so many noted Democrats of the nation. In 1900
he was elected chairman of the County Committee and after
wards in 1902 he was chosen as chairman of the consolidated
County Committee, which paved the way for harmony in thi-
party. He is a scholarly lawyer, a citizen of the class that
have the courage of their convictions, and a Democrat from
highest principle. i -•
193

JESSE L. JEWELL.

JESSE L. JEWELL
was born August 11, 1869, on a farm in Crawford County,
Kansas. At the age of fcur he moved with his parents to
Kansas City, Mo., and his early school life was spent in the
public schools there. At the age of fourteen he secured em
ployment with the Armour Packing Company, and after five
years he became associated in business with the DeMoss
Brokerage Company. Later he was associated in the publica
tion of the Hotel Gazette, in which he was successful for four
years. In 1897 he was elected to the city council from the Third
Ward and there he made a most creditable record. In 1900 he
was further honored by being elected senator from Jackson
County to the Missouri legislature. His standing in the com
munity was illustrated by the fact that although a Republi
can he was elected by a handsome majority in a Democratic
Ward. In the senate he has ably represented his party and
his constituents. He has been for years an officer in the
Third Regiment of Missouri and is extremely popular among
his comrades. . He is now conducting a successful real estate
business. Senator Jewell's father, Edwin F. Jewell, was a native of
Massachusetts and came of good old English stock. He has
lived for nearly thirty years in the Third Ward of Kansas
City. His mother was a Lawton, a descendent of the blue-
blooded Revolutionary stock. The family tree shows relation
ship by blood to General Nathaniel Green and General Jona
than Haskell of Washington's staff. She was also related to
Major General Lawton, the famous Indian fighter and hero of
the Philippine War.
Senator Jewell is a bachelor, but the family ties are strong
in him and manifest themselves in his devotion to and popu
larity among his wide circle of friends. He is very loyal to
them and the feeling is reciprocated by them.

195

JOHN P. GILDAY.

JOHN P. GILDAY,
Democratic nominee for sheriff, was born in 1862 at Indepen
dence, Mo. When he was seven years old his family
moved to Kansas City, where he has since resided. At the
age of ten he began the battle of life as a messenger boy, earn
ing his living while he obtained his "education in the public
schools and graduating at the Central High School at the age
of sixteen. After some years spent in mercantile life he
learned stenography and became one' of- the most expert in
the city. In 1896 he was appointed Court Stenographer in
Division No. 3 of the Circuit Court and he has filled that posi
tion since with conspicuous ability.
Mr. Gilday is a straight, consistent Democrat, always sup
porting the party's standard bearers, and always doing hard
and effective work for the party's success. He has served as
secretary of the Democratic City, County and Congressional
Committees and his energy, tact and clear judgment have been
conspicuous in every campaign for years in Kansas City and
Jackson County. He is a man of singularly warm heart and
unselfish disposition, and these qualities win friends wherever
he goes. Mr. Gilday is a wide reader and has qualified himself for
admission . to the bar while performing the duties of Court
Stenographer. He may be truthfully said to unite brightness
of intellect with soundness in judgment.
He was married in December, 1901, to Mrs. jilaude Way-
land Dean, of Kansas City. %*'

197

WILLIAM H. WALLACE.

WILLIAM H. WALLACE
was born on a farm in Clark County, Kentucky. October 11,
1848. He of Scotch-Irish decent, his ancestors having emi
grated from Ireland to Pennsylvania just before the War of
the Revolution. His great grandfather served during the war
as a captain under George Washington, and after its close
settled in Virginia. His father, Rev. J. W. Wallace, an old-
Echool Presbyterian minister, moved with his family to a farm
near Lee's Summit, in Jackson County, in 1857, and the boy
grew up amid the awful scenes of carnage, robbery and rapine,
of which Jackson County was the theatre during the border
strife, the Civil War and the years of reconstruction. He
worked as a farm-hand and attended the neighborhood schools
until August, 1863, when, in compliance with order No. 11,
his father, who had been reduced to poverty by the ravages
of war, moved with the family to Fulton, Mo. There the sub
ject of . this sketch obtained his education, graduating with
honors at Westminister -College in 1871, teaching school in the
winter and working' as a farm-hand in the summer to pay his
college expenses. He studied law under ex-Attorney-General
John A. Hockaday, a relative, at Fulton, Ma., was admitted
to practice, and then taught school and supported himself" as
a newspaper writer for three years while waiting for clients.
His opportunity came in 1876, when he was engaged with
Comings Sc Slover to defend Henry Cathey, tried for the mur
der of Nicholas Crenshaw. Major William Warner and John
L. Peak were the lawyers for the prosecution. Little was
known or expected of young Wallace, but when he finished
his speech tears were in the eyes of the jury and the court
room rang with applause. Cathey was acquitted and Wal
lace's reputation as a lawyer and orator was established.
In 1880 Mr. Wallace, who had moved to Kansas City, be
came a candidate for prosecuting-attorney of Jackson County,
his opponent for the nomination being John C. Tarsney. "oth
' 199

claimed the nomination after the primary and Mr. Wallace
stumped the county denouncing the James band of out-laws
and pledging himself, if elected, to bring them to justice. His
life was repeatedly threatened but he never faltered and was
elected by 700 majority. Two months after he took office he
began to redeem his pledge and within twelve months the gang
was completely broken up. His speeches at the trial of Wil
liam Ryan, a member of the gang, at Independence in October,
1881 and at the trial of Frank James at Gallatin in October,
1883, were masterpieces of forensic oratory and have since been
used in schools as models of declamation. He was re-elected
prosecuting-attorney in 1882 after a hot . contest, and com
pleted his great task of establishing law and order in Jackson
County. Since then he has practiced his profession in Kansas
City with the distinguished success that attends courage, splen
did ability and absolute integrity. He is now a candidate for
the Democratic nomination for United States Senator, and
if lofty patriotism and preeminent ability were guarantees he
could not fail to get it.

200

McDonald; chief of fire department, George C. Hale;
chief of police, Thomas M. Speers.
Aldermen, Upper House.
J. M. Patterson, president; J. F. Devenney, L. E.
Wyne, D. P. Thompson, C. A. Rollert, S. M. Ford, F.
Muehlschuster, J. S. Cannon, J. N. Kimball, D. S.
Twichell; Chas. Waters, sergeant-at-arms.
Councilmen, Lower House.
John Grady, H. L. Payne, John May, A. P. Foley,
John McClintock, A. N. Church, W. T. Payne, John
Thomas, A. W. Love, D. H. Bowes, M. Regan, Con
O'Sullivan, H. P. Stewart, T. H. Walker, R. W. Cary,
D. Pullman, F. A. Faxon, F. M. Hayes, E. H. Phelps,
D. R. Ingraham; Joseph Glynn, seargent-at-arms.
Board of Public Works.
John M. Patterson, president; L. K. Thacher, P.
E. Chappell, Fred Howard.
1890. — Mayor, Benj. Holmes; treasurer, Wm.
Peake; auditor, John G. Bishop; police judge, J. L.
Wheeler; attorney, J. W. Fraker; counselor, R. L. Yea-
ger; comptroller, Stanley Hobbs; assessor, Geo. W.
Lee; clerk, F. G. Graham; physician, E. R. Lewis; .of
fire department, Geo. C. Hale;chief of police, Thomas
M. Speers. Aldermen, Upper House.
J. S. Cannon, president; J. F. Devenney, E. R.
Hunter, C. L. Dunham, F. Muehlschuster, J. N. Kim-
. bald, Carl Spengler, R. J. Johnston, W. C. Roberson,
L. M. Miller, E. W. Toler, E. S. Jewett, M. L. Sullivan,
J. T. Young; C. S. Curry, sergent-at-arms.
201

JOHN H. LUCAS.

JOHN H. LUCAS
was born February 6, 1852, at Danville Kentucky. As a boy he
clerked in his father's store but soon displayed a love for the
legal profession and he studied law by himself at nights until
he was nineteen, when he located at Osceola, Mo. He was
admitted to the bar in 1872, when Southwest Missouri was
in process of settlement, and his professional services were
in instant demand. In 1874 he formed a partnership with
Wm. T. Johnson and the firm was employed in nearly all of
the important cases in Southwestern Missouri. In 1879 the
firm opened an office in Kansas City and Mr. Johnson located
here to take charge of the business. In 1883 his brother,
William H. Lucas, was admitted to the firm, which, has grown
in practice and in professional prestige ever since.
Mr. Lucas is noted for his cordial manners and gentle,
kindly ways. But beneath the glove of silk there is a hand
of iron. As a lawyer his gentleness conceals a keen intellect
and relentless determination, as many an unwilling witness
and opposing counsel discover too late. He excels in thorough
analysis, not only of the facts, but of the law as applied tn
the facts. His firm still controls a large part of the lesal
business of St. Clair County as well as other portions of
Southwest Missouri. In Kansas City the firm represents
some of the largest corporations in the State, notably the
Metropolitan Street Railway Company.
As a Democrat. Mr. Lucas has been an active and enthusi
astic supporter of his party but his devotion to his profession
has hitherto kept him from accepting any but honorary polit
ical positions. He was presidential elector in 1888 and stumped
the State for the Democratic ticket.
In 1870 Mr. Lucas married Miss Nannie Cardwell of
Harrodsburg, Ky. They have four living children.

203

CLARENCE S. PALMER.

CLARENCE S. PALMER,
was born in Chatauqua County, New York, in 1857. He re
ceived his education at Maysville and Westfield, N. Y.r and
graduated with honors at Hamilton College in 1879. He was
admitted to the bar in 1881 and has practiced his profession.
in Kansas City since 1885. He makes a specialty of' munici
pal law, "corporation law and real estate law and is considered
one of, the safest counselors at, the Kansas City bar, his ser
vices being retained by some of the largest corporations in" the
country.' In 1894 he was appointed assistant city counselor by Frank
F. Rozelle, Democrat, and he was re-appointed by Judge H.
C. McDougal, Republican, on account of his special fitness'
and proved ability.
- In politics Mr. Palmer is a strong Democrat, but he has ,
never been a candidate for political office. He is regarded
among the members of his profession as having the judicial .
temperment and cool judgment which are particularly adapted
to the bench.
Personally is one of the kindest and most genial of men,
polished, courteous and gentle to a degree.

205

J. J. SWOFFORD.

J. J. SWOFFORD.
president of the Swofford Brothers Dry Goods Company, was
born August 25, 1852, on a farm near Benton, Illinois. His
father, J. J. Swofford, was a lineal descendant of one of three
brothers who came to this country from Wales in the early
part of the eighteenth century, settling in South Carolina. J.
J. Swofford, Sr., moved to Benton, 111., and engaged in the
milling business and was for a time sheriff of the county. He
was killed in an explosion in the mills when young Swofford
was eight years of age. At the age of twelve the boy was,
on account of the condition of family affairs, compelled
to quit school and help to support the family, he being the
eldest son in a family of five children, three boys and two
girls. He began working in a general retail store and con
tinued steadily until he was eighteen, when he left the family
at Benton and went to Shawneetown, 111., the second oldest
town in the State. There he worked in a retail store until he
was twenty-two, when he embarked in business for himself.
In a short time his brothers joined him and the firm of Swof
ford Brothers came into existence. The firm prospered and
ere long began to look for a larger field for operating. In 1888
when the opportunity came to purchase a share in the W. B.
Grimes Wholesale Dry Goods Company, of Kansas City, Mr.
Swofford embraced it, disposing of his retail business. In
1891 the Swofford brothers obtained a controlling interest and
incorporated under the present firm name.
In 1887 Mr. Swofford married Miss Fay R. Powell,
daughter of William Powell one of the oldest residents of
Shawneetown. They have three children living, Ralph Powell
Swofford, twenty-three years, who graduated at Central High
Schocl at the age of eighteen, and later at Princeton; Helen,
eighteen years, now at Mrs. Somer's school at Washington,
D. C; and J. J. Swofford, Jr., aged nine years.
Mr. Swofford is a Democrat and has always been a loyal,
earnest, hard party worker, although never a seeker after of
fice. He was chairman of the committee of prominent citi-
207

zens that went to Washington, in 1900 and secured the Demo
cratic National Convention for Kansas City. He also man
aged the local committee which had charge of the convention,
and the work was done so well that the convention was the
pleKsantest and most successful in the history of the party.
At present Mr, Swofford is president of the Kansas City
Park Board, having been appointed by Mayor Reed during his
first administration. He is a Mason of high degree, and also
president of the Manufacturers' Association.
He has been frequently suggested as the Democratic
nominee for Mayor in 1904, and with his affable manners, ex
ecutive abilty, clean record, and high business standing he
would be a formidable candidate and an ideal Mayor.

208

Councilmen, Lower House.
John Grady, A. P. Foley, A. N. Church, John
Thomas, Dennis Bowes, Con O'Sullivan, H. P. Stew
art, D. Pullman, F. M. Hayes, J. A. Brinkley, John
Tobin, Geo. Hoffman, C. E. Coblentz, J. W. Hum
phrey. Joseph Glynn, sergeant-at-arms.
Board of Public Works.
J. S. Cannon, president; Wm. Weston, J. H. Beck
ham, W. A. Kelly.
1892. — Mayor, W. S. Cowherd; treasurer, L. B.
Eveland; auditor, Henry Crawford; police judge,
Frank Johnson; attorney, J. W. Fraker; counselor,
F. F. Rozelle; comptroller, Benj. Holmes; assessor,
Jas. A. Keel; clerk, F. G. Graham; physician, E. R.
Lewis; chief of fire department, Geo. C. Hale; chief*:
of police, Thomas M. Speers.
Peter H. Tier nan, president; E. R. Hunter, Wm.
Huttig, F. Muehlschuster, J. IS'. Kimball, Carl Speng-
ler, R. J. Johnston, F. J. Shinnick, Oscar Dahl, J. H.
Butter, A. P. Schueman, sergeant-at-arms.
Councilmen, Lower House.
James Pendergast, A. P. Foley, F. C. Gunn, C. A.
Young, John Fitzpatrick, Martin Regan, Jas. A. Hays,
Frank Phillips, Geo. O. Warnecke, Jos. R. Brinkley.
Joseph Glynn, sergeant-at-arms.
Board of Public Works.
Peter H. Tiernan, president; Chas. A. Rollert, Geo.
Holmes, John Taylor. 209

WILLIAM S. GOODWIN.

WTILLIAM G. GOODWIN
was born October 10, 1861, at Pulaski, Tennessee. His parents
were both Tennesseeans. His father, W. J. Goodwin, being a
prominent miller. After attending the schools at Pulaski and
Nashville, Tenn., and later at Mansfield, Texas, he graduated
at the Smith R'agsdale College near Fort Worth. He learned
his trade in the machine shops of the Texas and Pacific and
Scuthern Pacific railroads and served as engineer and master
mechanic of a division on the latter road. He resigned this
position to accept tlje post of assistant engineer of the Houston
waterworks and after a year's service he was made chief.
During his term of office he reconstructed the entire works.
He resigned this position to become chief engineer of the Dal
las waterworks — a larger plant — and while there built new
works for the city consisting of engines, boilers, buildings and
two large reservoirs. After five years of service he accepted
the position of erecting engineer for the Edward P. Allis
Company, the largest engine company in the world. In 1892
he came to Kansas City and became chief engineer of the
Kansas City Cable Company. Upon the consolidation, eigh
teen months later, he resigned to become chief engineer of the
Hall building, where he installed the first independent electric
light and heating plant in the city. In July, 1900, he was ap
pointed by Mayor Reed to his present position as chief en
gineer of the. Water department of Kansas City. He was also
appointed superintendent -of the department, but was not con
firmed by the city council until several months later.
In politics Mr. Goodwin is a Democrat, and is a charter
member of the Jackson County Democratic Club. In his of
ficial position, however, he makes but one requirement, name
ly, efficiency. Mr. Goodwin married Miss Izora Cupp, daughter of James
Cupp, a prominent planter of Monroe, La. They have five
children.

211

W. B. CLARK.

WILLIAM BINGHAM CLARKE
was born in Cleveland Ohio, on the 15th day of April, 1848,
He is a son of the late Aaron Clarke, a native of Milford,
New Haven County, Conn., and Mrs. Caroline Bingham
Clarke, a native of Andover, Tolland County, Conn. Through
his ancestry on both sides of the family he is a member of
the Sons of the Revolution and also of the Society of Colonial
Wars. He is a prominent Episcopalian; is treasurer of the
Diocese of West Missouri, which office he has held since the
Diocese was organized, and has many times been elected a
delegate to the Episcopal General Trienniel Convention. He is
a 32 degree Scottish Rite Mason and Knight Templar. He has
twice been elected president of the Kansas City Club, and
once president of the Country Club. He has served as third
second and first vice-president of the Commercial Club, and
in 1891 was elected president of that organization, but on ac
count of his private business was obliged to decline the honor.
In 1896 the "free silver" agitation was spreading over the
county and Mr. Clarke saw the danger to the business inter
ests of the country which were threatened should the "free
silver" agitation succeed at the poll, and he threw heart and
soul into the campaign. He was elected president of the Sound
Money League, a body composed of a membership of over 17,-
000 registered voters (out of some 31,000 total registered
voters that year). This league was officered by .prominent
business men of Kansas City, both Democrats and Republi
cans. The vice-presidents of the league were the following
well-known Democrats and Republicans: J. K. Burnham, G.
F. Putman, J. M. Patterson, W. C. Glass, M. D. Scruggs, M.
V. Watson, W. R. Nelson, Ernest Stoeltzing, Frank Muehl
schuster and B. C. Christopher. The treasurer was Mr. John
Perry and the secretary Mr. W. A. Bunker.
The real hard work was done by the Executive Committee
pf which M. Clarke wag chairman and Messrs, J..K. Burnham,
213

G. F. Putman, P. H. Tiernan, F. S. Doggett, John Perry and
Gardiner Lathrop were members, with Mr. H. H. Cooke as
secretary of this committee. This committee joined in the
appointment of all other committees selecting men for the
especial work assigned with great care, irrespective of party
so long as they were for sound money. The success of all the
work done by the various committeees was remarkable in its
effectiveness and in the skill with which this committee chose
the right men for the right places. The Parade Committee
with Mr. Wm. H. Winants for chairman and Mr. Jno. F.
Eaton chief marshal with 100 aides carried out its work most
successfully, having in line of parade numbers variously esti
mated by the newspapers at from 12,000 to 20,000. The flags
used by the parades which were distributed to them on the.
morning of the parade numbered 19,000. Eighty speakers were
constantly addressing voters in all parts of the city and
western half of Missouri. Special trains covering this terri
tory with speakers assigned for advertised points, accompanied
by bands of music, were kept going for weeks prior to the
election. The result of this organization so well and thor
oughly perfected by Mr. Clarke and the men he called in to
his assistance, was the changing of ever 8,000 Democratic or
"Bryan" votes to McKinley, the representative of sound
money. The commercial advantage to Kansas City through
this work was very great. It showed to the business world
that notwithstanding the fact that the states of Missouri and
Kansas with their rural vote were in favor of "free silver,"
nevertheless the business men of Kansas City were right in
their views, and they maintained the integrity of the com
mercial supremancy of Kansas and its trade territory.
After the election, Mr. Clarke was besieged by political
officer seekers, but he declined the opportunity to make him
self a political boss and promptly withdrew from active polit
ical work, much to the gratification of professional politicians
who would have feared him had he continued in active
politics. Mr. Clarke is a member of the Advisory Board of the Na
tional Republican Committee, for Missouri, and is sought in
214

counsel by the various Committeees of the Republican party
of the National Committee as well as the State Congressional
and Local Committees.
While not seeking political preference for himself he is
always ready to assist— in work and money— the election of
suitable and proper men to office. This he considers a duty
all business men owe to their citizenship.
Mr. Clarke is a member of the bar, but has alwavs fol
lowed his chosen calling of banking. He is president of The
United States Trust Company of Kansas 'City, Missouri, and
while at times he has been active in politics as a Republican —
particularly in National politics — and though many times
tendered him — has never accepted a political office.
Before coming to Jackson County, Mr. Clarke (alwavs a
Republican) resided in Kansas for many years, most of which
time the State was largely Republican and although he was
at various times tendered nominations for offices of honor, he
never would accept, but confined his political work to being
a supporter of the party and aiding it in every way possible.

215

JOHN SULLIVAN,

JOHN SULLIVAN,
lawyer, Woodman and Democrat, was born February 10, 1864.
at Louisville, Kansas. His father, who was of Irish birth,
was a prominent farmer and stock-raiser in Central Kansas,
removing to that State from Connecticut in 1857. His moth
er, a native of Wisconsin, was of German parentage. His
education was obtained in the common schools of Pottawat
omie County, Kansas, and later at the State University at
Lawrence, where he graduated in law in June, 1887. He is
a member of the alumni of the Kansas State University.
In 1887 Mr. Sullivan came to Kansas City to practice law,
and he has occupied the same office for fourteen years, ten
years of that period being associated with the Hon. Thomas
M. Spofford. Mr. Sullivan has always taken a great inter
est in politics, having campaigned the State several times,
but he has never been a candidate for any political office.
He was appointed as a representative of the United States
Treasury Department in the construction of the Kansas City
Federal building, and ,he is proud of the distinction of hav
ing been the first man to be removed on the day following
the election of William McKinley in 1896. His offense in the
eyes of the Cleveland administration was too great activity
in campaigning in behalf of William J. Bryan.
Mr. Sullivan has always been a warm friend of educa
tion, and organized the University Extension Society, serv
ing as its secretary for four years, and lecturing in the West
ern States. Mr. Sullivan is a prominent Woodman, and has
toured the West in their behalf. He is a man of scholarly
attainments and great force of character, and a cogent
speaker and debater,

217

1894. — Mayor, Webster Davis; treasurer, John J.
Green; auditor, John G. Bishop; police judge, James
M. Jones; attorney, C. E. Burnham; counselors, F. F.
Rozzelle, H. C. McDougall; comptroller, John F. Shan
non; assessor, J. A. Reel, C. C. Yost; clerk, C. S. Cur
ry; physician, A. M. Crow, G. O. Coffin; chief of fire
department, Geo. C. Hale; chief of police, Thos. M.
Speers. Aldermen, Upper House.
Peter H. Tiernan, president; Wm. Hutty, R. J.
Johnston, F. J. Shinnick, Oscar Dahl, Frank Phillips,
H. C. Morrison, L. E. Wyne, W. W. Morgan, George
Eyssell. A. P. Schuerman, sergeant-at-arms.
Councilmen, Lower House.
James Pendergast, John Moran, John Reiger, A.
D. Craig, A. B. Olsen, Martin Regan, W. T. Jamison,
P. S. Brown, Jr., D. E. Stoner, J. W. Kidwell.
C. S. Curry, sergeant-at-arms.
Board of Public Works.
P. H. Tiernan, president; John C. Gage, L. H.
Thacher, L. C. Slavens.
1896. — Mayor, James M. Jones; treasurer, John
J. Green; auditor, John G. Bishop; police judge, F. W.
Griffin; attorney, C. E. Burnham; counselors, H. C.
McDougal, R. B. Middlebrook; comptroller, John F.
Shannon, Hans Lund; assessor, C. C. Yost; clerk, C.
S. Curry; physician, G. O. Coffin; chief of fire depart
ment, Geo.' C. Hale; chief of police, L. C. Irwin, John
Hayes. 218

Aldermen, Upper House.
George S. Graham, president; R. J. Johnston, W.
W. Morgan, George Eyssell, H. C. Morrison, C. K.
Munson, J. E. Jewell, Jno. T. Seddon, L. E. Wyne, P.
S. Brown, Jr.
Wm. Glough, sergeant-at-arms.
Councilmen, Lower House.
James Pendergast, J. J. Wolf, S. B. nough, R. D.
Craig, Jas. O. Beroth, John P. Lynch, N. P. Simonds,
Frank Brinkley, James G. Smith, A. D. Burrows.
W. D. Scoville, sergeant-at-arms.
Board of Public Works.
Geo. S. Graham, president; Geo. P. Hardesty, Geo.
J. Baer, Geo. W. Youmans.
1898. — Mayor, James M. Jones; secretary, E. Mont
Reily; treasurer, J. Scott Harrison, Jr.; auditor, T. C.
Bell; police judge, C. E. Burnham; attorney, D. A.
Brown; counselor, R. B. Middlebrook; comptroller,
Hans Lund; clerk, C. S. Curry; physician, G. O. Coffin;
chief of fire department, Geo. C. Hale; chief of police,
John Hayes. Aldermen, Upper Hquse.
George S. Graham, president; A. F. Batt, John E.
Lach, Frank C. Peck, H. M. Gerhart, S. B. Hough, W.
W. Harnden, E. S. Jewett, H. M. Beardsley, C. N.
Munson,"J. E. Jewell, Jno. T. Seddon, L. E. Wyne, P.
S. Brown, Jr.
Wm. Clough, sergeant-at-arms.
Councilmen, Lower House.
James Pendergast, Jno. Moran, J. L. Jewell, Claus
219

JAMES FAIR WEATHER,

JAMES FAIRWEATHER,
Democratic nominee for Justice of the Peace in the Fifth
District, comprising the Tenth, Eleventh arid Twelfth Wards,
was born in Lexington, Mo., in February, 1862. He worked
on a farm until he was seventeen. In 1879 he came to- Kan
sas City and secured an apprenticeship with the Grimes'
Wagon Mfg. Company as a blacksmith. He attended night-
school, and, graduating in shorthand, secured a position with
the abstract firm of Dean S. Kelly & Co., where he remained
seventeen years. While in their employ he attended the night
sessions of the Kansas City School of Law, from which he
graduated in 1898. Shortly after he began the practice of
law, and in 1900 was elected to the lower house of the City
Council from the Tenth Ward. In June, 1902, he was nom
inated at the Democratic County Convention for justice of
the peace for the Fifth District.
Surely an honorable record of patience, courage and in
flexible determination, not only to rise, but to do his duty
in each step in life. Mr. Fairweather is well equipped for
the office of justice of the peace, and he especially deserves
the hearty support of the Labor Unions, as he is in full sym
pathy with them!.

221

THOMAS M. SPOFFORD.

THOMAS MARTIN SPOFFORD
was born February 18, 1863, at New Orleans, La. He comes
of an pld English family. His father, Thomas Martin Spof-
ford, was chief justice of the Supreme Court of Louisiana,
and United States senator from that ' State. His mother was
a daughter of Thomas Martin, a member of President Polk's
cabinet. His uncle, A. R. Spofford, was for many years libra
rian of Congress.
His early education was obtained in New Orleans, after
which he graduated at Columbia College, New York, and also
obtained his degree at the Law Department of that univer
sity. Mr. Spofford settled in Kansas City, and made exten
sive investments in real estate, being a man of considerable
wealth. In 1896 he was elected to the State legislature of
Missouri, where he made an excellent record. In October,
1898, he was married at Lincoln, Neb., to Miss Bebe Wood.
a native of Kansas City and the daughter of the Hon. Ben
jamin F. Wood, one of the early and well-known citizens.
In 1900 he was elected president of the upper house of the
Common Council of Kansas City. Owing to broken health,
he resigned in October, 1901, and started with his family on
an extended trip around the world. Mr. Spofford's home at
Twenty-fifth Street and Lydia Avenue is one of the hand
somest in Kansas City.
Mr. Spofford is a charter member of the Jackson County
Democratic Club, and has always been prominent and active
in Democratic politics. Personally, he is a good speaker, a
sound scholar and a gentleman of most engaging manners.

223

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WASH ADAMS.
WASH ADAMS,
Democrat and lawyer, was born April 16, 1849, at Boonville,
Mo., of Scotch-Irish stock. His father, Andrew Adams, was
from Christian County, Kentucky. His mother was Miss
Sarah Flournoy, of Independence, Mo. His grandmother on
his father's side was a sister of Chief Justice Boyle, of Ken
tucky. He was named for his uncle, Washington Adams, who
was a judge of the Supreme Court of Missouri.
Wash Adams' early education was obtained at the Kem
per School at Boonville, after which he took a three-years
course at the University of Virginia. Returning to Boonville,
he studied law in the office of his uncle, Judge Washington
Adams, and was admitted to the bar in 1870. He began the
practice of his profession in Kansas City in July, 1870, and
soon won an enviable position among the fine lawyers who
graced the Jackson County bar at that period.
In 1874 Mr. Adams was elected city attorney of Kansas
City, and he was re-elected in 1875 at the exciting election
in which the citizens arose and named their best men for
public office. In 1880 he was appointed city counselor by
Mayor Talbott, and was re-appointed by Mayor Chace in 1884.
In 1892 he was appointed county counselor, and re-appointed
in 1'894. He has repeatedly served as chairman of the Dem
ocratic City Committee, and as chairman of the County Com
mittee he managed the Democratic forces during the mem
orable campaign in which D. R. Francis was elected governor.
Sound in judgment, a deep reasoner, a hard student and
a fine advocate, Mr. Adams stands in the front rank of the
Kansas City bar, ranking as a lawyer with such men as John
C. Gage, John L. Peak, W. H. Wallace and C. O. Tichenor. As
a man he is high-bred, frank, manly and democratic in his
manners. In June, 1877, he married Miss Ella Lincoln, daughter
of John K. Lincoln of Plattsburg, Mo. They have one child,
John W. Adams, who is now in his third year at Harvard.
225

WALTER S. DICKEY.

WALTER S. DICKEY,
president of the W. S. Dickey Clay Mfg. Co., and proprietor
of several large sewer-pipe and clay-working plants, has been
an active worker in Republican politics in Western Missouri
for ten years. He is one of the few business men who believe
it is the duty of every man interested in commercial affairs
to take active interest in local, State and national politics.
Raised in Toronto, Canada; educated in the provincial
"Model" school; located in Kansas City in January, 1885; took
out citizenship papers immediately; served on the Republi
can City Committee in 1886; removed to Independence, this
county, in 1887, and lived there until 1898. While there was
vice-president of the Harrison-Morton Campaign Club of 1888.
Was a delegate to both State conventions in 1896; was chair
man of the Blue Township delegation in the county conven
tion of 1896.
Mr. Dickey served one term as treasurer of the Republican
County Committee, and through his business administration
of the office reflected credit upon himself and the committee.
In 1900, having again established his residence in Kansas
City, he was elected as a delegate from the Fifth Congres
sional District to the Republican National Convention at Phil
adelphia, ' and was there honored by being selected as Mis
souri's member on the Vice-Presidential Notification Commit
tee. In July, 1900, in company with that committee, he vis
ited Mr. Roosevelt at his home in Oyster Bay, on Long Island,
New York State.
Mr. Dickey's well-known ideas of running politics along
business lines so appealed to the party that, in Septem
ber, 1900', he was selected chairman of the Republican County
Committee of Jackson County. He organized the party along
strict business lines, making a perfect poll of the city, and

227

a close check on registration. For the first time for over a
quarter of a century, every nominee on the Republican County
ticket was elected. The campaign of 1900 was notable for the
comparatively few public meetings, but these few were of the
highest order.
President Roosevelt was secured to deliver one of his mas
terly addresses before an audience of 25,000 people in Con
vention Hall, just before election. Senator Beveridge, of Indi
ana, and Governor Leslie M._ Shaw, of Iowa, were the princi
pal speakers at two of the largest meetings ever held in the
county. In July of 1902 he was elected as member-at-large of the
State Republican Committee, and was appointed as a member
of the Executive and Finance Committee.
Although Mr. Dickey has constantly taken active part in
politics, he has at the same time conducted one of the largest
commercial enterprises carried on in the West. The W. S.
Dickey Clay Manufacturing Company, of which he is presi
dent, has general office and one large plant in Kansas City.
Two manufacturing plants are located at Deepwater, Henry
County, Mo., and two in Illinois.
Mr. Dickey is a prominent charter member of the Com
mercial Club, and has served on the Board of Directors; he
was also the first president and one of the organizers of the
Manufacturers' Association of Kansas' City, U. S. A. Every
public-spirited enterprise, which is for the good .of Kansas
City and Jackson County, has his unqualified support.

228

Swanson, J. O. Beroth, Jno. P. Lynch, L. B. Sawyer,
Frank Brinkley, W. H. Otto, A. D. Burrows, Jno. F.
Wiedenmann, J. Q. Watkins, F. L. Middleton, F. K.
Johnson. John Thomas, sergeant-at-arms.
Board of Public Works.
Geo. S. Graham, president; Geo. P. Hardesty, M,
V. Watson, B. T. Whipple.
1900. — Mayor, James A. Reed; secretary, J. G. L.
Harvey; treasurer, James Cowgill; auditor, D. V".
Kent; police judge, T. B. McAuley, Hermann Brum
back; attorney, Frank Gordon; counselors, R. B. Mid
dlebrook, R. J. Ingraham ; comptroller, Hans Lund, A.
E. Gallagher; clerk, C. S. Curry, E. J. Becker; physi
cian, G. O. Coffin, J. M. Langsdale; chief of fire de
partment, Geo. C. Hale; chief of police, John Hayes.
Aldermen, Upper House.
Thos. M. Spofford,* Geo. M. Shelley, presidents; H.
M. Beardsley, L, E- Wyne, A. F. Batt, E. S. Jewett,
Frank C. Peck, S. B. Hough, W. W. Harnden, L. B.
Sawyer,' Jno. P. Strode, Jno. M. Rood, W. J. Knepp,
Wm. -Berry, W. A. Kelly,f Wm. M. Sloan.
Wm. Clough, sergeant-at-arms.
*Resigned. fDied. Councilmen, Lower House.
James Pendergast, John Conlon, Jno. P. O'Neill,
Geo. F. Berry, O. H. Swearingen, Jno. P. Lynch, C. A.
Adkins, Wm. J. Campbell, W. H. Otto, James Fair-
weather, Joseph Hopkins, F. W. Tuttle, Jno. W. Mul-
holland, E. L. Winn.
W. D. Scoville, gergeant-at-arms. 229

FRANK P. WALSH.

FRANK P. WALSH
was born in St. Louis July 20, 1864. A messenger boy at ten,
earning his own living and studying at night he graduated
from the Christian Brothers College in St. Louis. Then a rail
road clerk, next an expert stenographer he worked his way up
until he came to Kansas City and was admitted to, the bar in
1889. He has served three terms as first assistant city coun
selor of Kansas City and tried all damage suits against the
city during that time. He was so successful in this that he
was employed by the Metropolitan Street Railway Company
for years to defend its damage suits. He defended Jesse
James, Jr., on a charge of train robbery and secured his ac
quittal in March, 1899. He is also noted for having secured
the la/rgest verdict — $35.000 — in a personal damage, suit ever
given in Missouri. As a lawyer Mr. Walsh is not ' only\ a>
splendid advocate, 'but he shows' remarkable acumen and skill
in preparing his cases, not so much by piling up tomes of au
thorities as in picking oat the strongest points for his own
side and exposing the weak spots in his opponent's.
As a politician Mr. Walsh has never been a candidate for
office, although as a member of the Democratic State Central
Committee, and in the councils and conventions of the party
he has made himself acknowledged and felt as- a leader. His
recent determined fight against the practice of receiving cam
paign contributions from public corporation — which he final
ly won against powerful odds — has made him known and
admired throughout the State.
As a man he is lovable, generous to a fault, sympathetic
and- kind to all who are afflicted or unfortunate, but withal
an uncompromising, resourceful and aggressive fighter in any
cause he espouses. He can give and take sledge-hammer
blows with equal cheerfulness and neither success nor defeat
affects his equanimity. 

331

HARRY D. TRAIN.

HARRY D. TRAIN,
president of the Missouri Republican Club, was born April 5,
1860, at Winona, Minn. He is of Irish ancestry on his father's
side, while his mother is of old English stock, she being a
sister of T. B. Bullene and also of the wife of Major
William Warner. His father, H. C. Train, was a mechanic
and inventor of some genius, one of his inventions being the
copper cable lighting rod. Mr. Train started in life pushing
his father's inventions.
At the age of eight he came to Kansas City with his par
ents and was educated in the public schools of Kansas City.
At the age of fourteen he started out to earn his own living;
At the age of fifteen he entered the wholesale department of
Bullene, Moore, Emery & .Company, and was later with the
dry goods firm of Grimes, Woods, La Force & Company. Al
twenty-two he entered the employ of W. E. Winner, and dur
ing "the four years he was with him he acquired a taste for the
real estate business. which he has so sucessfully handled ever
since. During this period he laid out and platted the Pendle
ton Heights.
In 1 885 he was elected from the Seventh Ward to the City
Council and was re-elected in 1887. In 1888 he resigned to
take charge of the Ewart Charcoal Works of Fairplay, Mo.,,
which he had purchased. After conducting them sucessfully
for six years he returned to Kansas City in 1894. That fall he
purchased the famous Romero ranch near Las Vegas, N. M..
and two years later lie returned to Kansas City where he has
since resided.
He has been president of the Missouri Republican Club
for two terms. Mr Train is modest and unassuming to a
degree, and has never been a candidate for office. He only -
consented to take the presidency of the Missouri Republican
Club on account of the interest he feels in the advancement
of the principles of his party. The present success of the
club is almost wholly due to his energy, tact and liberality.
" At the ase of twenty-one Mr. Train married Miss Dora
Freeland, and of their happy union seven children were born,
three of whom are now living. 233

The Missouri Republican Club of Kansas City.

The Missouri Republican Club of Kansas City, the oldest
political club in Kansas City, was organized and incorporated
in the spring of 1897. Edwin B. Kratz circulated the member
ship list among the active workers of the different wards. The
first meeting was held at the Midland Hotel, and the officers
were chosen as follows: President, Edwin B. Kratz; secre
tary, Wm. Closgh; treasurer, Walter S. Dickey. These three
were named in the articles of incorporation and served for
one year. At that time the club numbered about fifty
members. After a few meetings at the Midland the Club moved to
Zahner & Battell's hall, at 12 West Tenth Street, and in the
latter part of that year moved again to 905 Baltimore Avenue,
where it fitted up its first club rooms. In 1898 P. S. Brown,
Jr., succeeded to the presidency and in 1S99 he was followed
by John H. Bovard, who was re-elected in 1900. In 1901 Harry
D. Train was elected president and that spring the club es
tablished itself in its present larger quarters in the Lyceum
building, which it fitted up with ail the appointments of social
club life, together with a large auditorium for political meet
ings. The club rooms are kept open from 9 a. m. to 11 p. m.
and are the daily resort of many of the most prominent Re
publicans in Kansas City. The organization was completed
on the plan of the N. Y. Club of New York city, and its laws
declare that it was organized to promote harmony' and univer
sal good fellowship in and for the party, and to furnish a
central home for all Republicans. It is also stipulated that
there shall be no dictation to ward clubs from central
headquarters, but that each ward organization shall govern
itself. , ;..,_,
234

Under President Train's energetic administration the
club's affairs have prospered greatly and its membership has
grown to about 600, including such men as Major William
Warner, Frank D. Roberts, Rush C. Lake, Wm. B. Clarke,
Henry M. Beardsley, Colonel Sam F. Scott, Frank C. Peck, W.
W. Harnden, Herman Brumback, Herbert S. Hadley, Chas.
E. Small, Wallace Love, Senator C. W. Clark, Senator J. L.
Jewell, W. B. C. Brown, E. L. Winn, W. H. Otto, Homer B.
Mann, W. S. Umbarger, Frank D. Tuttle, Francis L. Middle-
ton, Wm. M. Sloan, J. M. Patterson and others not less
prominent. The Club is the headquarters of the Republican City, and
County Committees during political campaigns. Between cam
paigns it keeps up the good fellowship for which it was pri
marily organized.

JOHN M. ROOD.

JOHN M. ROOD
was born May 14, 1858, on a farm near Quincy, Illinois of
Scotch-Irish parentage. He came to Kansas City about fifteen
years ago and began his life here as a lumber salesman. Dur
ing these years he has risen in business circles, until now he
is vice-president of a large lumber company.
In April, 1900, Mr. Rood was elected to the upper house of
the City Council and he soon became widely known as one of
the four men who supported Mayor Reed through thick and
thin in his efforts to bring the public service corporations to a
proper discharge of their obligations to the city and the public.
All four were men of unblemished reputations in private life,
and so, when the roll call showed Knepp, Rood, Sawyer and
Strode voting for a measure, the people felt sure, without fur
ther question, that it was right. Without their aid in the upper
house, Mayor Reed's efforts would have been sadly crippled.
Mr. Rood became a charter member of the Jackson County
Democratic Club in the fall of 1900, and ever since he has been
one of its staunchest supporters. In September, 1902, he was
elected president of the club without opposition. He, enjoys
the confidence and esteem of all factions of the Democratic
party, and, indeed, of all who know him, regardless of party.
He is especially popular with the iaboring classes and he de
serves to be, for he is their earnest champion and friend in
season and out of season. He is noted for fairness and liber
ality in all his dealings.

237

Jackson County Democratic Club.

The Jackson County Democratic Club was organized
August 29, 1900, by a dozen Democrats who met in the law
offices of L. B. Sawyer for that purpose. The organization
grew out of the split in the Democratic party at the County
Convention at Independence in August of that year.
The objects of the organization were stated in its consti
tution and by-laws to be: to promote harmony in the party,
to put down factionalism in whatever way necessary, and to
furnish a meeting place for good fellowship among Demo
crats of all shades of opinion and for the discussion and ad
vancement of Democratic principles.
Permanent organization was effected the following week
with 145 members present at the meeting at the Midland
Hotel. These officers were chosen: President, L. B. Sawyer;
vice-president, P. H. Slattery; treasurer, Dr. George Halley;
secretary, Thomas A. Marshall.
The Club grew rapidly in membership and a House Com
mittee^ or Governing Committeee as it was afterwards called,
was appointed to select and furnish permanent headquarters.
This committee was as follows: Chairman, C. B. Hayes; W. C.
Scarritt, Ben F. Paxton, Sam B. Strother, George H. English,
Jr.. Ben E. Sylvester, John C. McCoy, A. B. H. McGee, Jr., and
E. E. Porterfield.
The committee selected the Club's present quarters in the
Navajo building, at 716 Delaware street, and spent about
$4,000 in alterations and furnishings, including billard rooms,
bar, office and committee rooms, parlors, lunch rooms and
an auditorium. with a seating capacity of 1200. The Club took
possession of its new quarters and gave a house-warming
reception to the Democrats of Kansas City and Jackson Coun-
238

ty, October 17, 1900. About 3000 Democrats enjoyed its hos
pitality that evening and the success of the club was firmly
established at once. The membership increased within amonth
to over 750.
In view of the fact that the State Central Committee had
intervened in the local Democratic split, and that an appeal
had been taken to the Supreme Court of the State, the Club
found no opportunity at that time to heal the breach, but after
the Supreme Court's decision very earnest and efficient work
was done in the campaign in behalf of the ticket The defeat
of the party at the poll, however, had a very depressing effect
and the Club's affairs languished until the following March
when the Governing Committee was reconstituted as follows:
Chairman, S. J. Hayde; E. B. Silkwood, Rudolph Markgraf,
M. C. Byrne, B. F. Black, T. S. Ridge, B. E. Sylvester, J. Ray
Samuels, B. F. Paxton and Dr. H. A.. Longan. This committee,
together with the officers of the Club, carried it through the
trying period until the annual election in September, 1901,
when the following officers were chosen: President,' W. T.
Kemper; vice-president, Frank P. Sebree; treasurer, Thos. S.
Ridge; secretary, Alex. S. Rankin; sergeant-at-arms, George
M. Bamfield. Under this administration the Club's affairs
prospered, the approaching elections greatly stimulating in
terest, and the membership nearly doubled. The work of or
ganizing ward and precinct clubs was pushed, and in the
municipal campaign in the spring of 1902 the club did effective
work for the party ticket. The annual election in September,
1902, resulted as follows: President, John M. Rood; vice-
president, Thos. J. Seehorn; treasurer, Sam B. Strother; sec
retary, Alex. S. Rankin; seargent-at-arms, Patrick Sheehan.
The Club is now on a firm foundation and grows and in
creases as a powerful instrument for the good in the party.
It enjoys a national reputation for having entertained Wm. J.
Bryan, Wm. J. Stone, and other Democratic leaders who have
delivered important addresses in its hall.

239

C. C. YOST.

CHARLES C. YOST,
president of the Republican League of Kansas City, was born
December 29, 1860, at Rochester, Indiana, of German ancestry.
His great grandfather, John H. Yost, served under General
Washington in the War of the Revolution, and afterwards
settled in Pennsylvania on a farm that is now the site of
Fairmount Park, Philadelphia.
The subject of this sketch came to Kansas City when he
was ten years of age. He attended the city schools and gradu-
' ated from the High School at the age of sixteen. After two
years in the grocery business he entered into partnership with
L. M. Berkley in the wholesale and retail grocery business;
which was successfully conducted for ten years. In 1890 he
organized the Yost Grocery Company, which did a large busi
ness for four years until he sold out in 1894. In that year
he established a novelty market on a new and original plan,
which proved a great success.
In 1895 Mr. Yost was elected City Assessor and conducted
the affairs of the office with marked ability for six years. In
politics he proved himself one of the hardest and most effi
cient workers for the Republican party that his party ever had.
Mr. Yost was elected president of the Republican League
in 1901 when organization was effected and its success
is largely due to his efforts. He is also chairman of the
executive committee of the Missouri Republican Club.
He is now a member of the Smith-Yost Pie Company, one
of the model concerns of its kind in the West.
In 1893 Mr. Yost was married to Miss Hattie H. Beedle
of Johnson County, Kansas.

241

Republican League.

The Republican League was formed in the spring of 1901
for the purpose of giving the Republican party a complete
precinct and ward organization. The organizer was L. A.
Laughlin and the first meeting was held in the assembly room
at Turner Hall. Charles C. Yost was elected president and
Everett E. Elliott secretary. The executive committee is as
follows: C. C. Yost, Wallace Love, George Kumpf, Charles
Schattner, Everett E. Elliott, L. A. Laughlin, Homer B. Mann,
James Smith, George A. Neal.
The business is transacted by 144 precinct captains and
ward presidents in what is called an "asssembly meeting."
These meetings are held at the Missouri Republican Club
rooms. i : ¦ : t
The organization is entirely non-factional and has never
been active in nominating caucusses. In fact, the League sup
ports no candidates for the nominations, but does very effect
ive work in their behalf in campaigns and at the polls,
after they are chosen by the whole party. Its membership is
about 1300.

242

Board of Public Works.
Thos. M. Spofford, Geo. M. Shelley, presidents; S.
J. Hayde, Wm. Wright, Geo. Knmpf.
1902. — Mayor, James A. Reed; secretary, J. G. L.
Harvey; treasurer, James Cowgill; auditor, D. V.
Kent; police judge, Hugh C. Brady; attorney, J. L.
Morgan; counselor, R. J. Ingraham; clerk, E. J.
Becker; physician, J. M. Langsdale; chief of fire de
partment, Edward Trickett; chief of police, John
Hayes. Aldermen, Upper House.
Geo. M. Shelley, president ; L. B. Sawyer, John P.
Strode, John M. Rood, W. J. Knepp, Wm! Berry, W.
M. Sloan, S. C. Woodson, Jno. T. Murray, Wm. Abel,
Baylis Steele, E. S. Cromwell, W. C. Tyree, John W.
Meier. Geo. S. McClanahan, sergeant-at-arms.
Councilmen, Lower House.
James Pendergast, D. F. Martin, John F. Lumpkin,
W. S. Umbargef, John Scanlon, Jno. P. Lynch, C. A.
Adkins, R. P. Greenlee, W. H. Otto, Homer B. Mann,
C. L. V. Hedrick, F. W. Tuttle, F. L. Middleton, E. L.
Winn. W. D. Scoville, sergeant-at-arms.
Board of Public Works.
Geo. M. Shelley, president; S. H. Hayde, William
Wright, A. J. Mehl.

243

E. MONT. REILY.

E. MONT REILY,
assistant postmaster and president of the Roosevelt Club, No.
1, was born October 21, 1866, at Sedalia, Mo., of Scotch-Irish
parentage. His father, John G. Reily, was a cousin of Gov
ernor Gamble, the first Republican Governor of Missouri.
His mother was a Virginian. Mr. Reily's early education
was received in Calloway County, to which the family had
moved. When he was fifteen the family moved to Fort Worth,
Texas, where he attended the high school and Fort Worth
University. Afterward he engaged in the real-estate business
and was quite successful. He twice received the Republican
nomination for clerk of Tarrant County, Texas, once at the
age of twenty-one, and again at twenty-three. He was elected
chairman of the City and County Republican Committee
twice, and was a member of the State Committee when he
moved to Kansas City in 1892. He engaged in the newspaper
business for three years, and was chairman of the Campaign
Committee of the Lincoln Club during the Jones campaign
in 1896, after which he was appointed private secretary to
Mayor Jones and served two terms. In 1900 he purchased
an interest in the Hailman-Reily Printing Company, selling-
out in June, 1901, to accept the position of chief deputy
county assessor. In May, 1902, he was appointed assistant
postmaster of Kansas City.
The first Roosevelt Club in the United States was organ
ized by Mr. Reily in Kansas City, July 18, 1901. The club
grew like a green bay tree and now numbers 3,500 members,
the largest political club west of the Mississippi River. Mr.
Reily was an enthusiastic admirer of Mr. Roosevelt long be
fore the latter became President, and a warm friendship has
sprung up between them.
Mr. Reily is a man of unusual ability concealed under
modest and courteous manners. He is exceedingly loyal to
his friends and his party. In August, 1893, at Fort Worth,
Tex., he married Miss Minnie Mountfortt, a sister of Wade
Mountfortt, associate editor of the Kansas City Star. They
have one child, a girl. 245

Roosevelt Club.

The 1904 Roosevelt Club No. 1 was organized July 18, 1901,
the first Roosevelt Club in the United States, so said Mr.
Roosevelt who became president September 13, 1901.
The club was organized at the Midland hotel. The meet
ing was called to order by Gus Dose who stated its object,
after which E. Mont Reily was unanimously elected chairman.
A resolution was adopted instructing the committee on per
manent organization to report Mr. Reily's name for president
of the club. The officers chosen were: President, E. Mont
Reily; first vice-president, J. D. Wells; second vice-president,
J. Ed Jewell; secretary, M. E. Getchell; assistant secretary,
Guy W. Lodwick; treasurer, Dr. B. H. Wheeler.
In view of the fact the club was organized for the pur
pose of laying plans for the nomination and election of Mr.
Roosevelt in 1904, the platform declared that the club should
devote itself exclusively to that purpose, and the organiza
tion was declared permanent for four years. The executive
committee was named as follows: Chairman, J. H. Harris;
secretary, M. A. Pursley; Chas. E. Small, Dr. G. 0. Coffin,
Frank C. Peck, L. M. Cox, C. C. Anderson, Chas. R. Pence,
Benj. Spitz
Within two weeks after the organization the club num
bered 1100 members, which grew to over 2000 within a month.
At present the club has 3500 members, making it the largest
political organization west of the Mississippi River. Since
that time the club has been instrumental in organizing over
fifty Roosevelt Clubs in the State, and the work will be carried
on until the club has a branch in each of the 115 counties of
Missouri. It was through the influence of this movement that
the resolution endorsing Roosevelt for 1904 was carried in
246

the Republican state convention at Jefferson City, June 2«,
1902. Two of the club's members, George A. Neal and W. C.
Dunn, were elected members of the State Committee from
Jackson County. Chas. E. Small of the club's executive com
mittee was elected chairman of the Republican County Com
mittee. Endorsements of Mr. Roosevelt's candidacy in 1904
were secured in both the City and County Committees in the
teeth of a large opposition, controlled by Kerns, which is
secretly opposed to Roosevelt.
The club comprises in its membership nearly all of the
prominent Republicans of Kansas City, its membership being
especially strong among the business and professional men,
such as Frank A. Faxon, J. V. C. Karnes, Albert Marty, L. M.
Miller and others of that type.
When Mr. Roosevelt passed through Kansas City the club
met him at the train in a body and he was very much pleased
with the reception. He shook hands heartily with each mem
ber and invited E. Mont Reily, its president, to accompany"
him on the trip, which he did. A significant incident, illus
trating President Roosevelt's appreciation of the club, as well
as his own sturdy character, occurred at the White House
shortly after he became president. A party of Missouri poli
ticians calling on the President in regard to Federal appoint
ments in the State, attempted to belittle the club in the
President's eye. He stopped them at once, saying, "I don't
care to hear anything on that subject, Mr. Reily is my friend
and the members of that Club are all my friends."
The Club is working actively to arrange for a visit from
President Roosevelt to Kansas City as soon as his other en
gagements will permit.

247

UNITED STATES
TRUST COMPANY,
OF KANSAS CITY, MO.
Capital, ...- $250,000
Transacts a General Trust Company Business.
Acts as trustee, receiver or assignee ; also as executor or guardian. Acts as
trustee under mortgages or deeds of trust; and as agent for the registration and
transfer of stocks and bonds, and for the payment of coupons end dividends.

W. B. Clarke, President.
J. W. Babney, Secretary.

A. A. Tomlinson, Vice-President.
E. S. Bioblow, Treasurer,

MOUNT WASHINGTON CEMETERY
KANSAS CITY, MO.
February, 1901, Mount Washington Cemetery was incorporated
under the laws of Missouri by the following well-known gentlemen:
Frank Askew  .....Vice-President and Secretary Askew Saddlery Company
H. M. Beardsley  Beardsley, Gregory & Kirshner, Lawyers
J, K. Burnham  President Burnham, Hanna, Munger Dry Goods Company
Victor B. Bell  Retired
Alonzo Burt  Manager Missouri and Kansas Telephone Company
J. T. Bird  Vice-President Emery, Bird, Thayer Dry Goods Company
W. A. Bunker  Real Estate
Jefferson Brumback  -Lawyer
John H. Bovard  Vice-President Northwestern Coal and Mining Company
J. W. Barney  Secretary The United States Trust Company
Phil. E. Chappell  President and Manager Safe Deposit Company
Charles Campbell  President Campbell Glass and Paint Company
G. L. Chrisman  Chrisman & Sawyer, Bankers, Independence, Mo.
Bernard Corrigan  .....Railroad Contractor
William B. Clarke  President The United States Trust Company
E. M. Clendening  Secretary Commercial Club
'William H. Chapman  President Chapman-Dewey Lumber Company
L. S. Cady  Cady & Olmstead, Jewelers
Joseph S. Chick  J. S. Chick & Son, Real Estate
B. C. Christopher  ,B. C. Christopher & Co., Grain
Fred S. Doggett  Manager Blossom House

W. S. Dickey.  President Dickey Clay Manufacturing Company
H..F. Devol  President Eagle Manufacturing Company
U. S. Epperson  Manager George Fowler, Son & Co., Limited
C. C. English  President English Supply and Engine Company
H. W.Evans  President Evans Smith Drug Company, Wholesale
W. M. Fible.  Houston, Fible & Co., Financial Brokers
George W. Fuller  Secretary and Manager John Deere Plow Company
H. C. Flower.  President Fidelity Trust Company
F. A. Faxon  Faxon, Horton & Gallagher, Wholesale Drugs
J. C. Fennell. .Assistant Secretary and Treasurer Emery, Bird, Thayer Dry Goods Co.
John C. Gage  Gage, Ladd & Small, Lawyers
Frank L. Hall  Vice-President Abernathy Furniture Company
C. J. Hubbard  Financial Agent
FrankJHagerman  :  Lawyer
J. C. Horton  Faxon, Horton & Gallagher, Wholesale Drugs
Daniel B. Holmes  Holmes & Perry, Lawyers
H. L. Harmon  General Southwestern Agent C. B. & Q. Ry.
William Huttig   President Western Sash and Door Company
FordF. Harvey  General Manager Santa Fe Dining Car and Hotel Service
Joseph G. Heim  President Ferd. Heim Brewing Company
Michael G. Heim  Superintendent Ferd. Heim Brewing Company
Ferdinand Heim  Secretary Ferd. Heim Brewing Company
James T. Holmes  Capitalist
R.W. Jones, Jr  President American National Bank
J. C. James  T. M. James & Sons, (Jueensware
E. S. Jewett  Passenger and Ticket Agent Missouri Pacific Railway
J. Martin Jones  Vice-President American National Bank
Richard H. Keith  President Central Coal and Coke Company
J. V. C. Karnes  Karnes, New, Hall & Krauthoff , Lawyers
George E. Kessler  Landscape Architect
Stuart R. Knott  President Kansas City & Southern Railway
Gardiner Lathrop  Lathrop, Morrow, Fox & Moore, Lawyers
John Long  Retired
C. H. V. Lewis  Cashier Union National Bank
W. H. Lucas  Johnson & Lucas, Lawyers
G. W. Megeath  -.  General Manager Central Coal and Coke Company
C. F. Morse. .Vice-President and General Manager Kansas City Stock Yards Company
L.RMoore  Retired
J. R. Mercer  Jeweler
C. A. Murdock  President C. A. Murdock Manufacturing Company
R. Macmillan  Secretary Kansas City, Missouri Gas Company
John H. Murray  Manager Southwestern Chemical Company
A. R. Meyer  President Consolidated Kansas City Smelting and Refining Company
Alexander New  Karnes, New, Hall & Krauthoft, Lawyers
John Perry  Retired
W C Perry     Holmes & Perry, Lawyers
C. D Parker  '.  C. D. Parker & Co., Real Estate
George B Peck  President Doggett Dry Goods Company
Wallace Pratt .  Pratt, Dana & Black, Lawyers
J. G. Peppard '.....'.'.  Wholesale Seeds
William M. Reid  President Thayer-Moore Brokerage Company
John A. Ross  ¦•¦¦¦¦• •¦¦  .........Lawyer
B D Rowe  Secretary and Treasurer Meyer-Clarke-Rowe Mines Company
T 'f 'Richards President Richards & Conover Hardware Company, Wholesale
W A Rule  Cashier National Bank of Commerce
T D Robertson   President Inter-State National Bank
a BSumrfT  President Chrlsman-Sawyer Banking Company
i'r'«r«Tn   Vice-President City National Bank
t? t Scarritt  .'.'.'.'.  .'.'•'•'  Scarritt, Griffith & Jones, Lawyers
wr %7aYritt'  ..... "  Scarritt, Griffith & Jones, Lawyers
E ' F ' Swinnev  '¦-'-'•  President First National Bank
c't Schmelzer '. '.President and Treasurer J. F. Schmelzer & Sons' Arms Company
r T stnckham  Manager Grand Avenue Hotel Company
rSeorVe C Smiths '.'.'.'"  President Smith-McCord Dry Goods Company
J J Swofford ..  President Swofford Bros.' Dry Goods Company

A. L. O. Schueler  President Land Title Guarantee Company
W. B. Thayer  Secretary and Treasurer Emery, Bird; Thayer Dry Goods Company
Alfred Toll  President and General Manager Badger Lumber Company
A. A. Tomlinson  Vice-President The United States Trust Company
Norton Thayer  Vice-President Thayer-Moore Brokerage Company
J. H. Wiles  Secretary and Treasurer Mount Candy and Cracker Company
W. S. Woods.  President National Bank of Commerce
M. V. Watson  Secretary Kansas' City Paper House,
B. T. Whipple  ;  President B. T. Whipple Real Estate Company
H. P. Wright  H. P. Wright & Co., Brokers
W. H. Winants  Vice-President National Bank of Commerce
Benj. L. Winchell  President Kansas City, Fort Scott & Memphis Railroad
A. A. Whipple  Vice-President Whipple-Woods Realty Company
R. L- Yeager...   Yeager, Strother & Yeager, Lawyers
The Company purchased what is known as Washington Park, a
tract of ground adjoining the city on the east, containing about 400
acres. The title to the property and the plan of organization were
thoroughly investigated by the following eminent attorneys, who
joined in the opinion that the title to said tract of land was well vested
in fee simple in Mount Washington Cemetery, free of all incumbrances
attd that under the terms of the contract of purchase said land was
forever dedicated to cemetery purposes.
Under the direction of Mr. Geo. E. Kessler, the Landscape Archi
tect of Kansas City's Park and Boulevard system and the St. Louis
Exposition, the grounds are being laid out on a most elaborate and
extensive scale, and will undoubtedly take first rank among the beau
tiful cemeteries of the country.
OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS.
Wallace Pratt  President.
E. L. Scarritt  First Vice-President.
W. C. Perry  Second Vice-President.
W. B". Clarke  Third Vice-President.
E. S. Bigelow  Secretary and Treasurer.
J. K. Burnham. Frank Hagerman. Joseph J. Heim.
A. F. Sawyer. C. E. Small. W. S. Woods.
GEO. E. KESSLER, Lane" scape Architect.
City Office, Room 101 N. Y. Life Bldg.

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Tickets and Sleeping Car Reservations at Junction
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GEO. J. CHARLTON,
General Passenger Agent,
Chicago. Illinois.

1I

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For further particulars call at
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