USA > Kansas > Sedgwick County > History of Wichita and Sedgwick County, Kansas, past and present, including an account of the cities, towns and villages of the county, Vol. II > Part 36
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Fred W. Martin, manager of the Martin Metal Manufacturing Company, of Wichita, Kan., is a native of Kansas, in which state he was born on October 19, 1874. His parents were W. J. and C. C. (Martin) Martin. His education was acquired in Leon High School and he came to Wichita in 1899. When the Hocka- day Hardware Company was organized in Wichita eleven years ago Mr. Martin was the assistant manager and made good. When the Hockaday Company sold out to the Morton-Simmons Hardware Company Mr. Martin went along as an indispensable factor in the upbuilding of the new organization. Mr. Martin was secretary of that concern for one and a half years, and then resigned to become treasurer and manager of his present con- cern, which he was a prime factor in organizing. The Martin Metal Manufacturing Company has a capital of $75,000, and in the first year of business outgrew its big plant at 130 North
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Mosley avenue, and in the spring of 1909 began the erection of its immense factory and warehouse at Nos. 300 to 310 Mosley avenue, which is 140 by 160 feet and two stories and basement. The company is organized as follows: Ed. Hockaday, King -. fisher, Okla., president; E. T. Battin, vice-president; I. N. Hocka- day, secretary; Fred W. Martin, treasurer and manager. The company employs at all times at least thirty men, with three travelers on the road. It converts from raw material into fin- ished products from 250 to 300 of metal of various shapes per month. Its principal lines are roofing of all sorts, galvanized tanks, corrugated culverts, metal roofing and siding. Mr. Martin is a member of the Wichita Commercial Club and Chamber of Commerce, Masonic Arch Consistory and Shriners. Mr. Martin was married in 1894 to Miss Irene May Sullivan, of Salina, Kan. Three children were born to them : Lillian May, Hazel Carroll and Fred W., Jr.
Ola Martinson, of Wichita, Kan., is one of those American citizens of Scandianavian birth whose labors have done so much for the upbuilding and development of the great West. Mr. Martinson was born September 20, 1844, in Gustav Adolph's parish, Kristianstad, Sweden, being a son of Hokan Martin Håkanson and Kjirsti Olson. He came to America in 1866 and for a short time lived in Chicago, Ill., where he obtained a busi- ness education. While in Chicago he obtained work in the estab- lishment of S. B. Chase & Co. In June, 1869, Mr. Martinson moved to Emporia, Kan., and the following year came to Wichita, where he embarked in the bakery and confectionery business, which business he conducted for three years. In 1871 he pre- empted a government claim of 160 acres in section 29 of Delano township, Sedgwick county, and after living as a bachelor on the same for three years was married April 4, 1876, to Miss Sarah Kroffloch, daughter of John Kroffloch. Three children were born of this union: Ola E., William C. and Charles G. Mr. Martinson remained on his claim for seven years after his marriage, when he and his family moved to Wichita. His farm, to which he moved then was contiguous to the city, being only one mile from Main and Douglas streets. For the past six years Mr. Martinson has been actively engaged in the real estate busi- ness, operating for himself and for others on a commission basis. He has recently laid out a beautiful subdivision in West Wichita in valuable town lots, and is rapidly disposing of the same. Mr.
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Martinson is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, the Fraternal Aid Society and the West Wichita League. He is a public-spirited citizen, an independent in politics and was brought up in the Lutheran faith.
William E. Matteson, assistant cashier of the Farmers' Bank, Mt. Hope, Sedgwick county, Kansas, was born September 28, 1869, in Germany, of which his parents were both natives. His parents came to the United States in 1872 and located at Moline, Ill., where the father farmed for eight years. In 1880 the family removed from Illinois to Sedgwick county, Kansas, where the father bought an eighty-acre tract, which he farmed up to the time of his death, which occurred on December 5, 1904. His widow is now living with her son, William E. At the time of the father's death he was the owner of 240 acres of improved land in Sedgwick county. William E. Matteson is one of a family of seven children, of whom six are now living. Their names are: John P., deceased; William E .; Tenna, now Mrs. D. C. Howe; Emma, now Mrs. Elmer Howe; George, living in Holy, Colo .; Sophia, at home, and Henry, also at home. During the life of the father he was a Democrat. The early education of William E. Matteson was acquired in the common schools of Kansas (fall 1890 and 1891). After leaving school he took a course in the Southwestern Business College, of Wichita, Kan., after which he attended the opening of the Cherokee Strip and resided there from September 16, 1893, until June, 1898, when he proved up, after which he came back to Mt. Hope, Sedgwick county, Kansas, and farmed until in 1899 he went with the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company as traveling salesman and after- wards became connected with the Champion Harvester Com- pany. He afterwards returned to the old home place in Sedg- wick county and looked after the interests of his folks. In 1909 he sold all of his personal effects in the farm and organized the Farmers' State Bank, of Mt. Hope, Kan., with a capital of $12,000, and was afterwards appointed its assistant cashier, which position he now holds. Mr. Matteson is a bachelor. He is a member of the Masonic Order, Mt. Hope Lodge, No. 238, of Mt. Hope, and its present secretary, and of Wichita Consistory No. 2. Politically he is a Democrat and takes an active part in the affairs of his party. He is now the county committeeman of Greeley township. He was turnkey at the jail for three years
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under Cogswell's official time, and has been a delegate often in county and state conventions.
Le Roy Matson, president of the Bank of Kechi, Sedgwick county, Kansas, was born August 14, 1859, in Princeton, Ill. He is a son of Enos and Helen (Westbroke) Matson, his father being a native of Ohio and his mother of Pennsylvania. Mr. Matson received a limited education in the public schools of Illinois, and lived with his father, who was a prominent stock dealer in Illi- nois, until he was twenty-one. After leaving the home, he worked on a farm as renter up to the time he left his native state to finally make Kansas his home. He came to Kansas in 1896 and bought land in Payne township, then in Section 7. After a time spent in Wichita, he concluded to make Kansas his permanent home and went back to Illinois, where he married Miss Etta Schroeder, of Bureau county. Three children have been born of this union, viz. : Marie H., Enos and Paul. Fraternally Mr. Mat- son is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. . He is president and director of the Bank of Kechi. For ten years he has been a member of the school board of his township and is greatly interested in good schools. Mr. Matson is the owner of 640 acres of choice farm land in Payne township, Sedgwick county, Kansas. He was elected president of the Henderson Oil and Gas Company, but the market price of petroleum being so low it was thought best to suspend operations until it advanced in price. Mr. Matson for a long time was successful in raising hogs and cattle on the farm, but conceived the idea of breeding fast horses and is devoting much of his time to this business, find- ing it profitable. He commenced breeding from a single mare, which produced a colt afterwards known as Rushville, which sold for $1,000. Another colt of his breeding he sold for $500, and had offers of $1,000 for Sercher M. Some of the horses Mr. Mat- son has bred have made records of 2:201/4 and 2:25. Sercher Boy, which he disposed of to George Pulis, of Wichita, Kan., made the time of 2:171/4. Previous to his marriage to Miss Schroeder, Mr. Matson was married to her sister, who died January 30, 1896. To this union one child was born, Harry L.
Charles McCallum, president and manager of the Wichita Electric Construction Company, No. 119 North Market street, Wichita, Kan., is a native of Kansas, having been born in Cloud county in 1878. His parents were G. L. and Mary E. (McMickel) McCallum. The education of Mr. McCallum was obtained in the
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public schools of Kansas City, after which he was employed in the in the electrical business, Kansas City. It was not until 1905 that he came to Wichita, and the same year he organized the Wichita Electric Construction Company, of which he has been president and manager since May, 1909. The business of the concern is electrical engineering, and it operates one of the largest plants of its kind in Wichita. Fraternally Mr. McCallum is a member of the Masonic Order and of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He is also a member of the Chamber of Commerce and of the Christian Church. He was married in 1906 to Miss Anna Morris, daughter of Clark Morris, of Sheldon, Mo.
Charles C. McCollister, of Wichita, Kan., is a native of Kansas, having been born in the city of Wichita on July 20, 1879. His parents were Madison M. and Helen (Lester) McCollister, of Wichita. Mr. McCollister was educated in the public schools of Wichita and began his business life in the restaurant trade. He then took up the undertaking business, and enlisted in the Second Kansas Volunteer Infantry, Battery F, serving for three years and receiving his discharge February 19, 1903. After this Mr. McCollister entered the employ of the Wells-Fargo Express Com- pany, leaving this company to go with the Domestic Laundry, and for the past seven years he has been with the Peerless Laun- dry. He is also interested in the sale of electric pianos. Mr. McCollister was married on March 5, 1903, to Miss Neva Maude Raymor, daughter of John Raymor, of Junction City, Kan. Of this union two children have been born, Raymond C. and Helen M. McCollister.
Madison M. McCollister, Coroner of Sedgwick county, Kansas, and a resident of Wichita, is now (1910) serving his twelfth year as Coroner. He was first elected in 1891, and served two years, again elected in 1899 and then served five years successively, again elected in 1903 and again in 1909. During the time he has been in office Mr. McCollister has empaneled over 200 juries. He was a deputy sheriff under Judge Reed. Mr. McCollister was born in Jamestown, Ohio, on October 27, 1846. His parents were Rev. John and Mary (Shook) McCollister, natives of Ohio and Kentucky, respectively. The parents spent their early married life in Ohio and Iowa, and then moved to Wichita, where the father was killed by an accident at the age of seventy-eight. His widow survived for six years and died at about the same age.
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Mr. McCollister was educated at the public schools of his native town and in Iowa. In 1873 he went to the range, and four years later moved to Wichita, locating on a farm in Waco township. Seven years later he received an injury which laid him up. In 1861 Mr. McCollister enlisted in Company A, Eighth Ohio Regi- ment, for three months' service. He re-enlisted with his father in the following June in Company K, Ninety-fourth Ohio Regi- ment, and served in the battles of Perryville and Stone River. He was injured at States Ferry, having his collarbone broken, and was taken prisoner by Morgan's Cavalry. This injury resulted in complications from which he has never recovered. The father was wounded at the battle of Stone River, the injury resulting in permanent deafness, which brought about his fatal accident. Mr. McCollister is a member of Garfield Post, G. A. R., No. 25. He was married in 1877 to Miss Helen Leiter, a daughter of Andy and Sarah Leiter. Of this union the following children have been born, viz .: Charles C., Grace M., Mary M., Nellie M., Eveline L., John A., Georgia M., Ralph W. and Sarah, the latter being deceased.
Fred G. McCune, of Wichita, did not begin his business life as an architect, but it must have been foreordained that he should become one. He is one of the high art architects of the city, whose tastes, training and temperament peculiarly fit him for his profession. Mr. McCune was born at Corydon, Wayne county, Iowa, his parents being W. E. and Mary Jane (Kirk) McCune. His early education was obtained in Corydon, Iowa, and he later graduated from Architecture College. After leav- ing school he was engaged in carpenter and steel construction work. Twenty-six years ago, in 1884, he came to Wichita, and for several years was employed in an executive capacity with the Rock Island and Santa Fe railroads, in the department of main- tenance and construction. Nine years later, in 1893, he took up his permanent residence in the city, having left the employ of corporations and entered the field of contracting and architecture on his own account. It was then a field of meager pickings, most of the buildings that men were putting up in those days being constructed with a jack knife, a hammer and a handsaw. Archi- tecture was then exceedingly primitive. But Mr. McCune stuck to it, and today some of the largest jobs in the city of Wichita and beyond its gates have been planned and the work of con- struction carried to successful culmination by him. Aside from
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architecture Mr. McCune's only hobby may be said to be fine horses, which he loves and usually owns. He is a member of the Order of Elks and the Knights of Pythias among the fraternal orders, and is also a member of the Chamber of Commerce. Mr. McCune was married in 1893 to Miss May Walter, of Kingman, Kan. From this union six children have been born, viz .: Nellie, Guy, Howard, James, Fred, Jr., and Dorothy May.
He has under construction the Grow Street School. He built the College of Music, also dormitory for girls for same building, Whitlock Block, South Emporia; the Ratcliffe Block, at Cunning- ham, Kan .; Thomas Kirse Block, Medford, Okla .; furnished plans for schoolhouses at Spivey, Kan .; Sawyer, Kan .; Hazelton, Kan., and Mays, Kan., and residences innumerable. He built the fine $25,000 residence of W. F. Kuhn, on University avenue, one of the finest in the state. He also built the Bolte Block, on South Lawrence, also the apartment house of A. W. Stoner, on Ninth and Market streets.
George F. McCurley, contractor and builder, of Wichita, Kan., is a native of Missouri, having been born in Benton county, that state, in 1872. His parents were Thomas J. and Priscilla L. (Boyett) McCurley, natives of Tennessee, where they lived until the time of the Civil War, when they moved to Missouri and there spent the remainder of their days. Young McCurley was edu- cated in the public schools of Missouri, and after leaving school learned the trade of a carpenter. At the age of twenty-two he moved to Springfield, Mo., where for the next five years he was employed on contract work, building railroad bridges, depots, etc. He next took up the building of elevators with P. H. Pelky, at Winfield, Kan., and continued at this for the next five years in Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Texas. In January, 1904, Mr. McCurley came to Wichita, continuing in the employment of Mr. Pelky until February, 1907, when he branched out in business for himself in the contracting and building line. Since that time he has erected several fine churches and schoolhouses, besides doing a large quantity of general work. August 1, 1909, Mr. McCurley took charge of the Peerless Construction Company offices, located at No. 509 Winne Building, East Douglas avenue, the officers of which are: G. F. McCurley, president and man- ager, and Charles H. Reed, secretary and treasurer. Mr. McCur- ley is a firm believer in a greater Wichita. In fraternal orders he is a Past Grand of Wichita Lodge, No. 93, Independent Order
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of Odd Fellows, a member of the Rebekahs, etc. He was married in November, 1904, to Miss Myrtle McBride, of Oklahoma, and is the father of two children, Alva Ray and Ruth Helen.
Archibald E. McVicker, one of the well-known druggists of Wichita, Kan., is a native of the Dominion of Canada, having been born in Carleton county, Province of Ontario, on September 15, 1867. His parents were Archibald E. and Caroline (Sullivan) McVicker, natives of Carleton county, Ontario, who came to Kansas May 12, 1870, locating in Kechi township, Sedgwick county, where they resided for a period of seventeen years. Mr. Mc Vicker, Sr., died July 4, 1877, at the age of forty-three. His widow died March 9, 1909, at Cripple Creek, Colo., at the age of seventy-three. Archibald E. McVicker was the fifth child of a family of nine, four of whom are living, the others being Robert A., in Wichita, and Allen M. and John R. MeVicker, at Cripple Creek, Colo. Mr. Mc Vicker was educated in the public schools of Sedgwick county, studied while engaged in drug store and received his diploma from State Board, began in the drug busi- ness in Wichita June 26, 1884, with the firm of Swentzell & Douglas. He remained with this firm for three years, leaving them to enter the employment of George Van Werden, with whom he remained for the next nine years. In 1898 he embarked in business for himself with a stock of goods at No. 314 North Main street, continuing at this location until 1904, when he removed to No. 500 East Douglas avenue with a greatly enlarged stock, and has since continued as one of the most successful druggists of the city of Wichita. Fraternally Mr. McVicker is affiliated with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. He was married on December 25, 1895, to Miss Estella Cobb, daughter of Dr. Joseph Cobb, of Wichita. From this union there has been issue two children, Russell A., born June 9, 1897, and Kenneth, born March 16, 1903.
Hildreth C. Meeker, hardware merchant of Wichita, Kan., whose establishment is located at No. 822 West Douglas avenue, is a native of Iowa, where he was born at Eddyville on August 5, 1859. His parents were Isaac and Amelia C. (Jennings) Meeker, natives of Zanesville, Ohio, and Baltimore, Md., respectively. They reared a family of nine children, all of whom were born in Ohio, Hildreth C. Meeker being the sixth child. It was in the early '60s that the family removed to Iowa, and it was some ten years later that they came to Kansas, locating at Atchison,
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where the father of the family continued work at his trade of a carpenter. Both of Mr. Meeker's parents are now dead. Hil- dreth C. was educated in the public schools of Atchison, and in 1876, after leaving school, he came to Wichita in search of his fortune. He was first employed in a grocery store conducted by W. S. Corbitt. Seven years later he went to Pueblo, Colo., but after remaining there three years he returned to Wichita and entered the employ of D. J. Chatfield, who was engaged in the hardware business. Mr. Meeker was placed in charge of a branch store conducted by Mr. Chatfield in Cheney, Kan., as its man- ager, and this arrangement continued from 1882 to 1885. At the end of this time Mr. Meeker returned to Wichita and accepted a position as clerk in the postoffice mail service, a position which he held for eleven years consecutively. In 1905 he established himself in the hardware business on the West Side, a business which he has since conducted successfully. Mr. Meeker is a member of Sunflower Lodge, No. 86, A. F. and A. M., and also is a member of the Consistory, Fraternal Aid and the West Side Commercial League. He was married on December 25, 1883, to Miss Mattie A. Walker, only daughter of Judge W. F. Walker.
John F. W. Meyer, familiarly known in Wichita, his home city, as "Billy" Meyer, is a native of Bassum, Germany, and was born in 1862, the son of A. R. Meyer and Sophia Meyer. He attended school in his native place, and when nineteen years old, in 1881, came to the United States and settled at Wichita, Kan. He first found employment as a clerk in the dry goods store of Thomas Lynch and later with Messrs. Innes & Ross. From 1890 until 1896 he was employed as bookkeeper by Messrs. Mahan Bros., and resigned that position to accept the office of deputy sheriff. After one year's service he returned to the employ of Mahan Bros. In 1898 he was the candidate on the Democratic ticket for City Clerk, but failed of an election. When in 1902 the business of his former employers was incorporated as the Mahan Supply Company, Mr. Meyer became its vice-president and manager, and so continued until the company transferred its business to Kansas City in the spring of 1907, when he dis- continued connection with the company. In the fall of that year Mr. Meyer associated himself with and was made secretary of the Cox Bottling Company, located at No. 115 South Rock Island avenue, and still retains that relation. He is also financially interested in and treasurer of the Wichita Vinegar Works Com-
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pany, and besides has interests in several other commercial enter- prises of Wichita.
Mr. Meyer is active in fraternal organizations, being a mem- ber of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Knights of Pythias, Eagles and Sons of Herman societies of the city and state. He also holds membership in the Commercial Club. He is one of the most prominent German-Americans of Wichita and widely known all over Kansas. In 1896 he was elected Grand President of the Sons of Herman (a strictly German lodge) for the state of Kansas and from 1901 to 1909 he was Grand Repre- sentative of the State Grand Lodge to the National Grand Lodge, in which body he held an office for four years. In 1893 he visited his early home in the Fatherland and in 1894 he married Miss Nellie Murphy, of Fulton, N. Y., and enjoys the comforts and pleasures of a happy home. Again in 1909, accompanied by his wife, he visited his old home and parents and at the same time made an extensive trip through Germany, Switzerland, France and Italy. Mr. Meyer, although proud of his native country and, a lover and defender of the German customs, is a true German- American, always ready to boost the country of his choice, and above all his home city, Wichita.
Charles M. Miles, of Goddard, Sedgwick county, Kan., was born March 8, 1835, at Goshen, Conn. His parents were William and Harriet (Collins) Miles, both natives of Connecticut. The grandfather of Charles M. on the paternal side was a soldier in the War of 1812. On the maternal side the ancestors were Scotch- Irish. The father of Charles M. died in 1849 and the mother in 1864. Charles M. Miles possesses an academic education and began his business career as a clerk in DeWitt, Iowa. In 1857 he went to Pike's Peak and spent two years prospecting for gold. After this he returned to Connecticut, where he was married on March 8, 1864, to Miss Mary A. Lyman, a daughter of William and Mary A. Lyman, of Goshen, Conn. Nine children were born of this union, of whom six are now living. The names of the children are: Mary L., deceased, born February 15, 1865; Nelson, who married Laura Shores, born November 23, 1866; John C., deceased, born February 11, 1868; Lucy S., deceased, born November 18, 1870; Charles W., born February 29, 1872, married Winnie Duncan; Edgar M., born June 1, 1874; Helen C., born November 23, 1876; Lucy S., born November 3, 1879; Frances A., born September 13, 1882; Helen C., married to Howard C. Shafer,
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mother of one child. After his marriage Mr. Miles came West again, settling at El Paso, Ill., where he was engaged in the milling business for seven years. In 1872 he came to Sedgwick county, Kansas, with a family of two children, and pre-empted 160 acres of land in what is now Attica township, Section 33. By hard work and frugality he has added to this farm fourteen other quarter sections and an eighty-acre tract, the land being in different townships but all in Sedgwick county. Mrs. Miles also owns two quarter sections in Illinois township and two in Garden Plain township. Her father was also an early settler in Sedgwick county, coming to Kansas in 1873. He owned land in Section 24, Afton township, and was a highly respected citizen. In his early days he was a Whig, but afterwards became a Republican. He cast his first vote for William Henry Harrison for President and his last for Benjamin Harrison. Mrs. Miles' father died on August 7, 1890, and her mother on April 10, 1907, at the age of ninety-four. At the time Mr. Miles came to Attica township there were three other men here, viz .: Ferd Holm, W. M. Shafer and Charles Setzer. All took up farms in the same section, where they all raised families, their children all being highly educated and some of them being efficient teachers and musicians. Mr. Miles is a Republican in politics. He was a trustee of Attica. township for four terms, and a member of the School Board for fifteen years.
Frank M. Mitchell, a prosperous farmer of Sedgwick county, Kansas, was born October 4, 1856, to Martin and Honorah (Gagin) Mitchell, who immigrated from Ireland at an early day and settled at Ottawa, Ill., and thence went to Dubuque, Iowa. In 1861 the family moved to Nebraska and from there to Missouri, where the father died in 1867. Six years later, in 1873, the mother moved with her family to Kansas, and pre-empted the southwest quarter of Section 14, in Illinois township, Sedgwick county, and there established the family home, where she passed the remainder of her life, her death occurring on January 12, 1883. Our subject grew up on the farm and in 1876 pre-empted a quarter section of land in Morton township, Sedgwick county, Kansas, and lived there till 1878, when he sold it and returned to the family homestead, where he has since made his home. He later bought the northwest quarter of Section 26, Illinois town- ship, and now owns 320 acres there, the quarter section last. named being farmed by his son.
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