Centennial history of Arkansas, Part 95

Author: Herndon, Dallas T. (Dallas Tabor), b. 1878
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Chicago, Little Rock, The S. J. Clarke publishing company
Number of Pages: 1172

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Mr. Boatright was united in marriage to Miss Nell Penn and to them have been born two children. Mr. Boatright has membership in the Business Men's Club of Van Buren. His political endorsement has always been given to the democratic party and he served as deputy sheriff under James Pitcock and also as county clerk, being elected on the democratic ticket, but has never been an aspirant for further public favors, preferring to concentrate his efforts and attention along other lines. He is a member of the Baptist church and was formerly very active in Sunday school work. He still makes his home in Van Buren, while giving his attention to business interests in Fort Smith. Opportunity has ever been to him a call to action and his position as one of the representative citizens and leading business men of his section of the state stands unchallenged.

A. H. TRIBBLE, M. D.

Dr. A. H. Tribble has during the past fourteen years engaged in practice at Hot Springs, specializing in surgery, in which branch of the profession he has manifested marked skill and efficiency. He was born in Franklin, Kentucky, December 17, 1876. His public school education was supplemented by a course of study in Bethel College and in 1901 he began preparation for the practice of medicine, completing the four years' course as a member of the class of 1905, at which time the degree of M. D. was conferred upon him. He then went to Berlin, Germany, for postgraduate work and in 1907 located for practice at Hot Springs, Arkansas, where he has remained throughout the intervening period of fourteen years and has met with most gratifying success as a specialist in surgery. He is a member of the staff of the Hot Springs Infirmary and keeps thoroughly informed concerning the latest researches and discoveries of the profession through his membership in the Garland County Medical Society, the Arkansas State Medical Society, the Southern Medical Association, the American Medical Association and the American College of Surgeons.

On the 7th of December, 1910, Dr. Tribble was united in marriage to Miss Martha E. Schaefer and they have become parents of a daughter, Mary Nell. Fraternally the Doctor is identified with the Knights of Pythias and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. In October, 1918, he entered the medical department of the United States army for service in the World war, was commissioned captain and acted as assistant chief surgeon at Camp Beauregard, Louisiana, until February, 1919. In social as well as pro- fessional circles of Hot Springs he is highly esteemed and popular, his genuine personal worth and professional ability being widely recognized.

WALTER AXTELL.

One of the largest commercial enterprises in the state of Arkansas is the Benton County Hardware Company, of which Walter Axtell has been manager since 1914, and the fact that he has been chosen to fill this important position is in itself proof of his executive ability, business acumen and enterprise. He was born in Janesville, Iowa, in

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1884, a son of F. M. and Flora B. (Lehman) Axtell, the former a native of Illinois, while the latter was born in Indiana. They were married in Janesville, Iowa, where the father followed the occupation of farming until 1889, when he came to Arkansas, taking up his residence in Siloam Springs. Here he continued his farming operations and for twelve years was assistant cashier of the Bank of Siloam Springs, but is now living in Los Angeles, California. He is an honored veteran of the Civil war, enlisting in the Union army. He participated in Sherman's march to the sea and received a wound in the leg, also suffering from sunstroke. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church and a republican in his political views. Mr. and Mrs. Axtell became the parents of nine children, of whom six survive: Everett, who is connected with an oil company at Whittier, California; Fred, a prominent dentist of South Bend, Indiana; Frank, who follows farm- ing in North Dakota; Walter, of this review; Harry, a prominent farmer and lumberman of Carter, Montana, and Ned, who is engaged in farming in South Dakota. The paternal grandfather, Thomas W. Axtell, was a native of Illinois and later removed to Iowa, where his demise occurred. The maternal grandfather, Daniel Lehman, was born in Pennsyl- vania, whence he removed to Iowa and subsequently came to Arkansas, where he spent his remaining years.

In the grammar and high schools of Siloam Springs Walter Axtell acquired his education and assisted his father in the cultivation of the home farm for some time, later becoming bookkeeper for the firm of Alfrey & Alfrey of Siloam Springs, with whom he remained for a year and a half. For six months thereafter he was with the Gamble Company and then entered the employ of the government, serving for one year as a rural mail carrier. On the 1st of January, 1905, he took charge of the books of the Benton County Hardware Company, being thus occupied until 1907, when he went to Kansas, opening a hardware store at La Cygne. This he conducted until March, 1908, when he returned to Siloam Springs, where he established an insurance business. In the same year he entered the Farmers Bank as bookkeeper, later winning promotion to the posi- tion of assistant cashier. In 1914 he reentered the employ of the Benton County Hard- ware Company as manager, in which capacity he has since served, also becoming a stock- holder in the concern. He gives his close personal attention to the details of the busi- ness, also has the ability to see clearly its larger aspects, and under his able direction the trade has shown a steady growth. This has become one of the leading mercantile enterprises of the state, fourteen stores now being operated by the company. Mr. Axtell also has financial interests, being a director of the First National Bank of Siloam Springs.

On the 22d of June, 1905, was solemnized the marriage of Walter Axtell and Miss Carrie L. Jones of Hampton, Iowa. She is a native of lowa and a daughter of M. B. and Carrie L. Jones, the former of whom successfully followed farming in that state for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Axtell have become the parents of three children: Marion and Margaret, both of whom are attending school; and Maurice, aged four years.

Mr. and Mrs. Axtell are members of the Methodist Episcopal church and fraternally he is identified with the Knights of Pythias, of which he is a past chancellor comman- der. He is a stanch republican in his political views and is deeply interested in the cause of education, serving as president of the local school board. Success has come to him as the reward of earnest and untiring effort and in all of his business career he has held closely to the rules which govern strict and unswerving integrity, winning the confidence and respect of all with whom he has come into contact.

WILLIAM SUMNER PEEL.

One of the successful business men of Lake Village is William Sumner Peel, gen- eral manager and a member of the firm of J. M. Peel & Brother Manufacturing Com- pany, manufacturers of slack barrel hoops. A native of Indiana, he was born in Adams county, on the 2d of April, 1874, of English parentage. His father, William Peel, who is now living retired in Geneva, Indiana, at the advanced age of eighty-four years, was born in Ohio, where he engaged in farming for some years. Upon the outbreak of the Civil war, his sympathies being with the Union, he enlisted for service and participated in many of the most strategic battles of that conflict. At Columbus, Ohio, in 1860, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Peel to Miss Elizabeth Mitchell, likewise a native of Ohio. Her demise occurred in Indiana in 1888, in her forty-ninth year. To their union ten children were born, three boys and seven girls, William Sumner, whose name initiates this review, being the fifth in order of birth. Three boys and four girls are living.

In the acquirement of an education William Sumner Peel attended the common schools of Geneva, Indiana, receiving the equivalent of a high school education. He re- mained on the home farm until he was seventeen years of age, at which time he started

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out into the world on his own account, making his way to the oil fields in Adams county, where he secured a job as tool dresser. Later he also became overseer in the drilling of oil wells and remained in that capacity for eighteen months. Subsequently he went to work in a hoop mill at Rockford, Ohio, and was foreman there for two years, or until 1895, when he removed to Berne, Arkansas, obtaining a position there as foreman of a hoop mill owned by a Mr. Stewart. Six months later he returned to Ohio, and locating at Richwood became general superintendent of a hoop mill, the owner being a Mr. Marks. He remained in the employ of Mr. Marks for nine months and then went to New Weston, Ohio, hecoming associated in business with a brother, J. M. Peel, in the conduct of a hoop manufacturing business, which association has since been maintained. For some time they were located in Arlington, Ohio, but in August, 1917, the plant was removed to Lake Village. Mr. Peel is part owner in the business and holds the position of general manager, his innate business ability well fitting him to discharge the many duties de- volving upon him in that capacity. The business has become one of the representative industries of the county and Mr. Peel has been a dominant factor in its continued success.

It was at New Weston, Ohio, on the 30th of April, 1899, that Mr. Peel was united in marriage to Miss Martha E. Krutzschman, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Krutz- schman, prominent residents of that community. Mr. and Mrs. Peel have one son, Clar- ence M., seventeen years of age. He is now a senior in the Lake Village high school and expects to enter college next year.

The political allegiance of Mr. Peel has always been given to the republican party, he having firm belief in the principles of that party as factors in good government. He is now serving as alderman of Lake Village and for many years has been a member of the school board. His religious faith is that of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, and he is president of the board of stewards and superintendent of the Sunday school. Fraternally Mr. Peel is identified with the Masons, holding membership in B. H. Reynolds Lodge, No. 563, A. F. & A. M. of Lake Village; Marysville Chapter, No. 99, of Marysville, Ohio; and Jewel Council, No. 89, of Marysville. Although the greater part of Mr. Peel's time is devoted to his business, he is never too busy to give his aid in the furtherance of any movement for the improvement of the general welfare, and Lake Village is proud to number him among her representative citizens.

WARREN KELLEY, M. D.

Dr. Warren Kelley, engaged in the active practice of medicine and surgery in Ben- ton, was born in Pulaski county, Arkansas, August 17, 1865. He is a son of William A. Kelley and a grandson of James A. Kelley, the latter a native of Tennessee, whence he came to Arkansas in 1849, settling in Saline county. William A. Kelley served with the Confederate army during the Civil war for a period of two and a half years under General Morgan. He afterward returned to Arkansas and devoted his life to agricultural pursuits in this state to the time of his death, which occurred in 1895, when he was sixty-four years of age. He married Rebecca Moran, a native of Arkansas, and they became parents of six children, five sons and one daughter; James M., who devoted his life to farming and died in 1893; George R. and William C., twins, the latter now de- veased, while the former resides in Benton, where for twelve years he has served as sheriff and at one time was county judge but is now devoting his attention to farming; John W., who was a merchant of Benton and died at the age of forty-three years; Clark, who also followed merchandising; Mary, the deceased wife of J. H. Bumgardner, her death occurring when she was fifty-six years of age; and Warren, of this review.

The last named spent his youthful days upon the old home farm on which he was born. He attended the common schools and afterward spent two years as a student in Ouachita College. He next entered the University of Arkansas, from which he was graduated with the class of 1897, there completing his medical course. For two years he maintained an office and engaged in the practice of his profession at Antoine, Pike county, and for six years was located at Texarkana. In 1907 he came to Benton, where he has practiced medicine through a period of fourteen years. His ability is pronounced. He carefully diagnoses his cases and has been most successful in caring for his patients. His judgment is sound and his capability is attested by all who know him.

In 1896 Dr. Kelley was united in marriage to Miss Helen Smith, a daughter of William Smith, now deceased, who was a sawmill man. Dr. and Mrs. Kelley had one child, William Roy, who was a graduate of Ouachita College and is a merchant at Arkadelphia. In 1907 Dr. Kelley married Mrs. Bammer V. Post, and to them have been born five children, namely: James Fay, now fourteen years of age; Annilese Rebecca, eight years; Johnny Eloise, six years; and Edward Warren and Eveline Earl, twins, three years of age.

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Dr. Kelley is a member of the Saline County Medical Society and the Arkansas State Medical Society and through the proceedings of these bodies keeps in touch with the trend of general professional thought and progress. Fraternally he is connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and his political allegiance is given to the demo- cratic party. He has held the office of county coroner and is the present mayor of Ben- ton, exercising his official prerogatives in support of many plans and measures for the general good. He closely studies the public situation and lends his aid and influence to every plan that is seeking civic hetterment and improvement.

W. D. STEWART.

W. D. Stewart, banker and merchant, whose business activity has constituted an important element in the growth, progress and prosperity of Lewisville, was born in Chicot county, Arkansas, on the 20th of December, 1873. The family home was after- ward established in Monticello, this state, and in 1883 a removal was made to Magnolia, in Columbia county, where W. D. Stewart was reared to manhood, acquiring his early education in the public schools and later attending a literary and commercial college in Little Rock, where he was graduated. He was thus qualified hy liberal educational training for the practical and responsible duties of life and he received thorough training as well in business matters through actual experience in his father's store, in which he worked at intervals from the time that he was fifteen years of age. When his college course was completed he joined his father in merchandising and the asso- ciation was continued, so that W. D. Stewart has heen closely identified with com- mercial activity in Lewisville since 1898. He is now owner of a well equipped dry goods store, carrying a large and carefully selected line of goods, while his reliable methods and earnest efforts to please his patrons have been a potent force in winning his success. He has also extended his efforts into another field by becoming one of the organizers of the People's Bank & Loan Company, of which he was elected president. He has since continued as the chief executive officer of this institution, which has enjoyed steady growth from the beginning hy reason of the fact that its progressiveness has ever been tempered hy a safe conservatism. Mr. Stewart is also a stockholder in the ware- house of Lewisville and is the owner of a general store at Bradley, Arkansas, while his property holdings include several excellent farms in this section of the state. What he attempts he accomplishes. His plans are carefully formulated and promptly executed and he never stops short of the attainment of his ohjective.

Mr. Stewart has also wielded a wide influence over public thought and action. He has served as a member of the city council, is a member of the state central committee of the democratic party and chairman of the county central committee. He helongs to the Chamber of Commerce, of which he was at one time vice chairman, and during the World war he was chairman of the County Council of Defense Organizing Committee. He also served as county chairman of the Red Cross drive and was chairman of publicity in connection with all the Liberty loans. He stands ready to meet every obligation that devolves upon him as a citizen and has heen most prompt and capable in the execution of every public duty. He manifests a commendable pride in Lewisville and her fair reputation and has lahored consistently and earnestly to advance her interests. At the same time his record as a business man is most enviable, for through individual effort intelligently directed he has gained a place of prominence in commercial and financial circles. Fraternally he is identified with the Knights of Pythias, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Woodmen of the World.

ROBERT M. LA GRONE.

Robert M. La Grone is a well known representative of banking intersts at Hope, being connected with the Citizens National Bank, of which he is the president. He was formerly identified with mercantile interests and had in that way hecome well estab- lished in commercial circles of the city. His worth as a factor in the material upbuild- ing and progress of Hope is widely acknowledged.

Mr. La Grone comes to Arkansas from Alabama, his birth having occurred near Marion on the 10th of December, 1858. There he was born and reared upon a farm, early hecoming familiar with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops. He obtained a common school education and in 1878, when a young man of twenty years, came to Hope, where he has since lived. He was first employed as a clerk in a dry goods store and thus gained intimate knowledge of commercial methods. He closely applied

ROBERT M. LA GRONE

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himself to the tasks assigned him, becoming more and more efficient along mercantile lines. After eight years spent in the store he purchased the business from his employer, thus becoming proprietor of a general mercantile establishment, He continued in the business alone until 1909, when he admitted two young men as partners in the under- taking. He still retained his interests in the business, however, but wished to give his attention to other pursuits. In July, 1901, he organized the Citizens National Bank, of which he has since been the president. This bank was founded with a capital stock of thirty-five thousand dollars, and something of the continned growth and success of the business is indicated in the fact that the capital stock has heen increased to two hundred and fifty thousand dollars and the surplus now amounts to fifty thousand dollars, while the deposits have reached seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The bank has never sustained a serions loss in the twenty-one years of its existence. The policy inaugurated at the beginning awakened public confidence and support, and throughout the entire period Mr. La Grone has put forth every effort to safeguard the interests of depositors and keep the bank upon a thorough and substantial foundation. He is also the vice president of the Hope Hardware Company, which he organized more than a quarter of a century ago. In business affairs he has manifested the soundest judgment and keen discrimination. His labors and activities have at all times been wisely directed and year by year he has advanced toward the goal of success.

Mr. La Grone has been married twice. In 1886 he wedded Miss Alta Wood and they became parents of a daughter, Edna, who is now the wife of W. L. Clark of Tennessee. The wife and mother died in July, 1888, and in 1904 Mr. La Grone was again married, his second union being with Miss Gertrude Marshall. They have two children, Marie and Robert.

Mr. La Grone gives his political allegiance to the democratic party and is now serving as a member of the town council of Hope. He belongs to the Methodist church and is actively interested in all that pertains to the welfare and progress of his com- munity, supporting all those activities and interests which are a matter of civic virtue and of civic pride. He deserves much credit for what he has accomplished, starting out in life without special advantages, his determined purpose and highly honorable effort enabling him to wrest fortune from the hands of fate.

ALVIN WHIT IRVING, D. D. S.

Dr. Alvin Whit Irving, engaged in the practice of dentistry with office in the First National Bank building at Fort Smith, was born at French Camps, Mississippi, in 1860, and is a son of R. J. and E. Virginia (Seward) Irving. The father was a captain in the frontier service of the Confederate army on the Texas border during the Civil war. The family numbered seven children, of whom two brothers of Dr. Irving are living in Texas, while one is a resident of Mississippi. One of the brothers in Texas is the Rev. R. L. Irving, a minister of the Presbyterian church. Two sisters are living in Texas and one died in Mississippi.

Liberal educational opportunities prepared Dr. Irving for his professional career. He pursued an academic course in the University of Mississippi and afterward went to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he entered the Philadelphia Dental College and gained his D. D. S. degree upon graduation with the class of 1895. He then located for practice in Kerrville, Texas, where he remained for five years On the expiration of that period he removed to Cuero, Texas, where he followed his profession for two years. In 1904 he came to Fort Smith and here found a favorable field of labor. Year by year his practice has increased and his patrons have ever been willing to speak a good word for him in recognition of the skill and ability which he displays in the care of the teeth. He keeps in touch with the advanced scientific methods of the profession and there is no profession which has made more rapid and steady progress than that of dentistry. During his college days Dr. Irving became a member of the Delta Psi, a fraternity of the Univer- sity of Mississippi. He belongs to the Fort Smith Dental Association and to the Associa- tion of Dentists of West Arkansas.

Dr. Irving was married in 1899 to Miss Willie Beverly Scott, a native of Texas and a daughter of Captain Winfield Scott, representative of one of the distinguished and prominent American families, founded on the soil of the new world in early colonial days. That the family was represented in the war for American independence is manifest in the fact that Mrs. Irving is now identified with the Daughters of the American Revolu- tion, and again patriotic loyalty was shown by the family in the second war with England for she is a daughter of the War of 1812. She likewise belongs to the National Society of Colonial Dames of America of the state of Virginia and to the Sons and Daughters of the Pilgrims. Dr. and Mrs. Irving have become parents of one child, Alvin Cooper Scott, now

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thirteen years of age. The family occupies an enviable social position, the hospitality of the best homes of Fort Smith being freely accorded them, while good cheer reigns in their own home.

MOSES GREEN DALY, M. D.

Dr. Moses Green Daly, an active representative of the medical profession of Little Rock, was born September 20, 1875, in Bodcaw, Nevada county, Arkansas. His parents, John W. and Maria (Munn) Daly, were natives of Missouri and Tennessee respectively, the former born in 1835 and the latter in 1846. They were married in Arkansas in 1863 and for a considerable period Mr. Daly maintained the family home at Bodcaw, this state, there devoting his life to the practice of medicine and surgery. He held military rank- probably that of major-during the four years of his service in the Civil war as a mem- ber of the Confederate army. His political support was always given to the democratic party. He died in 1910, having for about nine years survived his wife, whose death occurred in 1901. They were parents of five sons and three daughters and all are yet living with the exception of two sons.

Having acquired his early education in the schools of Bodcaw, Dr. Moses G. Daly afterward took special courses of study in the University of Arkansas and eventually be- came a medical student there, being graduated in 1912. He has since devoted his attention to professional duties and has made his home in Little Rock since 1907. His course has been marked by steady and consistent progress resulting from a thorough understanding of the most advanced principles of medical science. He is very careful and painstaking in the diagnosis of his cases and is seldom, if ever, at fault in foretelling the outcome of disease.

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Centennial history of Arkansas, Part 95

Author: Herndon, Dallas T. (Dallas Tabor), b. 1878 Publication date: 1922 Publisher: Chicago, Little Rock, The S. J. Clarke publishing company Number of Pages: 1172

Author: Herndon, Dallas T. (Dallas Tabor), b. 1878
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Chicago, Little Rock, The S. J. Clarke publishing company
Number of Pages: 1172