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 38
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are members of the Christian Church, of which they have been members for over fourteen years.
Branson William Parker, manager of the Harvard Mills Com- pany, of Mt. Hope, Sedgwick county, Kansas, was born in 1875 in the Sunflower state. His father, Joshua M., was born in Indiana and was one of the early homesteaders in the state of Kansas, where he now resides. He was the father of ten chil- dren, nine of whom are living. Branson William is the oldest boy. His education was acquired in the common schools of Kansas, after which he attended the State Normal School at Emporia for two years, after which he taught four years. He then farmed on land he owned in Ellsworth county, Kansas, for two years and then moved to Harvey county, where he bought eighty acres. Mr. Parker sold both pieces and went to Okla- homa, where he bought land. He was there three years and then moved back to Kansas and operated the Clearwater, Kan., mills for J. E. Howard, of Wichita, for fourteen months, and was trans- ferred by Mr. Howard to conduct the same business in Mt. Hope, where he is now engaged. While in Oklahoma Mr. Parker served as justice of the peace for three years. Mr. Parker is a Democrat in politics and a public-spirited citizen. He is active in church work, a member of the Baptist faith, in which he was a deacon for seven years and superintendent of the Sunday School for eight years. He was married in April, 1900, to Miss Cynthia Row, a daughter of Rev. D. P. Row, of Missouri. Four children have been born of this union, three of whom are living, viz .: Otto, Austin and Harry. Otto is attending school at Mt. Норе.
Frederick Parker, of Sedgwick county, Kansas, was born in Brown county, Illinois, on September 5, 1871. He is a son of William B. and Margaret (Haley) Parker. Frederick Parker went with his father to Missouri in 1875, and from there to Sedg- wick county, Kansas, in 1885, and being the youngest son, remained with his father on the farm. On June 26, 1895, Mr. Parker married Miss Addie B. Carson, who was born in Sedg- wick county, Kansas, on August 1, 1877, a daughter of Jonathan S. and Mary (Tomlin) Carson. Jonathan Carson came to Sedg- wick county in 1872 and pre-empted 160 acres of land in Salem township. He was born in Ohio on April 2, 1849, and his wife was born in Illinois on December 17, 1858. They were married in Sedgwick county, Kansas, on August 31, 1875. Of this union
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eleven children were born, ten of whom are now living. The children were: Addie B. Parker, of Ohio township; Mrs. Carrie L. Filson, of Scott county, Kansas; Mrs. Anna Roddis, of Denver, Colo .; Miss Eva Pearl, of Salida, Colo .; Mrs. Hattie M. Means, of Sargent, Colo .; Howard J., of Salida, Colo .; Miss Frankie F., Miss Inez, Miss Jeannette and Robert, all of Salida, Colo. Clar- ence B. died when sixteen years old. The father and mother are now living at Salida, Colo. Mr. and Mrs. Parker have three children, viz .: William E., born February 12, 1897; Ray C., born March 21, 1898; Edith May, born August 13, 1902. Mr. Parker has devoted his entire time to farming. In 1900 he bought 240 acres in Section 16, Ohio township, and here he built his present home in the fall of 1909. He has a well improved farm, with horses, cattle and hogs. He is a stockholder in the Clearwater Telephone Company and a liberal in politics.
William B. Parker, of Sedgwick county, Kansas, was born in Kentucky on February 7, 1830. His parents were Alexander and Eliza (Parker) Parker. Alexander Parker was born in Virginia in 1796 and his future wife was born in Kentucky about the same time. They moved to Illinois in the spring of 1835. Both of them died in Brown county, Illinois, the mother in 1861 and the father in 1873. William B. Parker went to Missouri in 1875, where he remained until 1885, when he came to Sedgwick county, Kansas, and bought 240 acres in Section 17, Ohio township. It was partially improved. Mr. Parker erected buildings and lived on this place until the fall of 1909, when he sold it, and now resides with his son Fred. On February 20, 1851, Mr. Parker was married to Miss Margaret Haley, who was a native of Kentucky. Fourteen children were born of this marriage, four of whom are living, viz .: Alexander, of Oklahoma; Mrs. Belle Frakes, of Ohio township; Frederick, of Ohio township, and Mrs. Maggie Wright, of Oklahoma. The mother of this family died on September 27, 1879, and February 22, 1880, Mr. Parker married Mrs. Mary Thomas, who was born in Indiana. Two children were born of this second marriage, both of whom are deceased. The mother of these children died on January 18, 1909. Mr. Parker has followed farming all his life. The last fifteen years he has been in poor health. In politics he is a liberal in local affairs, but in national affairs he is a Republican. He is a member of the Baptist Church.
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Edgar Willard Phillips, of Mulvane, Kan., was born in Addi- son county, Vermont, on March 28, 1847, and with his parents moved to and settled in Knox county, Illinois, in 1855. Here he was brought up on a farm and attended school until March 28, 1864, when he enlisted in Company B, Eleventh Illinois Cavalry, serving until the close of the war and being honorably discharged on September 30, 1865. Returning to his home he resumed his occupation as a farmer until the fall of 1870, when he emigrated to southern Kansas, driving the entire distance with a team. Mr. Phillips settled in Sedgwick county, where he was instrumental in organizing Salem township. He always took a prominent part in political affairs, being a staunch Republican and serving many times as a delegate to state, congressional and county conventions, also being chairman of the township central com- mittee several times. In 1885 Mr. Phillips was elected trustee of Salem township and served in that capacity two years with sat- isfaction to all concerned and credit to himself. He was elected and served eleven years as school officer in District No. 40. In the fall of 1888 he was elected representative to the state legis- lature from the Eighty-third district, which then comprised all the territory west of the Arkansas river in Sedgwick county except the Fifth ward of Wichita. In 1890 he was unanimously renominated by his party in the same district. That being the year in which the Populist party figured so extensively in politics, he was defeated with the rest of his ticket. The next year Mr. Phillips purchased the Warren property and removed to Mulvane, where he still resides. In 1908 he was nominated without oppo- sition by the Republican party as representative of the Seventy- fourth district in Sumner county and was elected by a large majority. He served with credit to himself and satisfaction of his constituents and refused the renomination in 1910. On March 24, 1868, Mr. Phillips was married to Miss Jennie E. Adams, who was born in Harrison county, Ohio, on April 7, 1850. Mrs. Phil- lips was a daughter of William L. and Nancy (Simmons) Adams, who were natives of the Buckeye state. They moved to Knox county, Illinois, where Mrs. Adams died in 1861, and Mr. Adams about 1900. Mr. and Mrs. Phillips have been the parents of seven children, five of whom are living. They are: Mrs. W. H. Duncan, born January 3, 1869, of Allamoosa, Colo .; Mrs. Lewis B. Price, born September 25, 1870, of Wichita, Kan .; Arthur L., born April 7, 1874, of Washington, Pa .. The latter was a mem-
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ber of Company H. Tenth Pennsylvania Infantry, in the Philip- pine Islands, and was in the battle of Malate on July 31 and Au- gust 1, 1898, and at the bombardment and capture of Manila on August 13 of the same year. He remained with his company until mustered out on August 22, 1899; Willard R., born August 20, 1880, lives at Alpine, Tex., where he is a prominent ranchman; Edgar W., born June 30, 1885, and died in January, 1910; Joseph, born August 16, 1891, lives in Wichita; their third child, Leslie L., born February 24, 1873, died in infancy. Mr. Phillips, on January 7, 1871, laid claim to 160 acres of Osage Indian trust lands in Section 25, Salem township. He bought this land at $1.25 per acre and lived on it until 1881, when he bought eighty acres in Section 35, on which he lived until 1891, when he moved into Mulvane. When on the farm he made a specialty of stock raising and wheat. In 1888 he raised forty bushels to the acre. After coming to Mulvane Mr. Phillips was interested in real estate and in 1900 operated a grocery and meat market for about two years, when he retired from business. Fraternally Mr. Phil- lips is a member of Mulvane Lodge, No. 221, A. F. & A. M., the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, No. 174, of which he has passed the chairs and has the Veteran Jewel; of Mulvane Camp, No. 74, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; of Mulvane Post, No. 203, G. A. R., of which he has been twice commander. In politics Mr. Phillips has always been a Republican. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church, of which he is one of the elders.
Frank L. Porter is a native Kansan, having been born at Burlingame on December 30, 1876. His parents are E. J. and Martha (Ely) Porter, natives of Harrisburg, Pa., and Lexington, Ky., respectively. They made the trip to Kansas early in the history of the state and with difficulties besetting them on every side. It was the time when the Civil War strife had begun to subside and feuds were on every hand. They both came to Kan- sas before their marriage and now reside at Lawrence, Kan. Frank L. Porter was educated at the Emporia High School and began his business career in the employ of D. W. Morris, of Emporia. He afterward took charge of the drug store at the Osawatomie Insane Asylum, and then went to Paola, Kan., where he was engaged in the retail drug trade until 1904, when he came to Wichita. He was with Henry Ozanne as drug clerk for two years and a half, afterward taking charge of the store, which was owned by the Lavander Drug Company. In the fall of 1905
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he entered the employ of Gehring & Higginson, and continued with the change to the Higginson Drug Company, and up to the time he became one of the proprietors in May, 1910. He is a member of the Knights of Pythias. Mr. Porter was married on June 27, 1905, to Miss Frances Parker, daughter of John and Mary A. Parker, of Wichita.
George L. Pratt, president of the Pratt Lumber Company, of Wichita, Kan., was born in New York state. He came to Wichita in 1876 and established the Chicago Lumber Company, Mr. Pratt being the president and managing partner. The business con- tinued under this title until 1896, when it was sold to the Pratt Lumber Company, which was headed by Mr. Pratt as president and treasurer and T. J. House as secretary. The yards of the company are located at No. 158 North Lawrence avenue. Mr. Pratt is a thirty-third degree Mason. He was the first master of Albert Pike Lodge, No. 303, A. F. & A. M., and is a pastmaster of Wichita Lodge, No. 99, A. F. & A. M.
Will G. Price, president of the Wichita Business College, is a native of Ohio, having been born at Cleveland in 1878. His parents were Edwin F. and Sophia L. (Carnegie) Price. The early education of Mr. Price was obtained at Wichita, Kan., his people moving here in 1879 and settling in Wichita.
The house into which they moved was on the old Indian trail now called Washington avenue, and there were but two habita- tions east of it, Buffalo Bill's and one on Chisholm creek.
After finishing his education Mr. Price taught for a number of years in the county, graded and high schools of Kansas. In 1901 he, with F. A. Hibarger, acquired an interest in the Wichita Business College, then conducted by Fazel & Adams. In a few years Mr. Fazel's interest was purchased. A little later Mr. Adams sold his one-third, and January 5, 1909, Mr. Price became sole owner. Under his management it has become known as the most thorough, practical business training school in the West, and its enrollment has increased until it is now the largest busi- ness college in Kansas and Oklahoma.
This great institution differs widely from the ordinary busi- ness college, as its complete diploma courses are arranged so as to graduate better prepared business assistants than any other school in the West. During the year of 1909-10 students from the following states were enrolled: Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, New Mexico, Colorado, California, Nebraska, Missouri, Indiana,
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Illinois, Kentucky, Idaho, Washington, Wisconsin, Michigan and Kansas. Many of these young people held diplomas from other commercial colleges, but desired to benefit by the higher instruc- tion offered in the advanced departments of the Wichita institu- tion. Mr. Price's policy in looking after the interests of his students may be inferred when it is known that all time lost on account of sickness and work is extended; that all tuition is promptly and pleasantly refunded at the end of the first month if the student finds he is not fitted for the work or that the standards of scholarship or deportment are too high for him; and that owing to the splendid reputation enjoyed by the school no difficulty is experienced in finding good positions for its graduates.
Mr. Price's activities have not been confined to his school, as he has devoted considerable time to educational and fraternal organizations in the city. After having been elected as an inde- pendent candidate to the board of education, he was compelled to resign before the expiration of his term, when he became sole owner of the Wichita Business College, as the management of the school demanded all of his attention.
In Masonic circles he takes an active part, being the youngest past master of Wichita Lodge, No. 99, A. F. & A. M. He is also a member of the Scottish Rite Consistory, the Eastern Star, Knights of Pythias, and the Chamber of Commerce.
In November, 1910, he was married to Miss Eva M. Price, daughter of S. R. Price, of Belle Plaine, Kan. While the family name of bride and groom is the same, each belongs to a different branch, the bride being a descendant of the southern Prices of Colonial days, while the groom had three ancestors from the New England states who fought in the Revolutionary War.
Charles E. Rankin, carpenter and contractor, of Cheney, Sedg- wick county, Kansas, was born February 3, 1855, in Bloomington, Ill. He is a son of W. H. and Elizabeth (Goodheart) Rankin. The elder Rankin was a native of Tennessee and his wife a native of Ohio. On the paternal side the ancestry of the family is traced to Scotland and on the maternal to Scotland and Germany. The father of Mrs. Rankin was a soldier under the first Napoleon and participated in the battle of Waterloo. At an early day the father of Charles E. emigrated from Indiana to Illinois and became a prominent citizen of McLean county. He was a butcher by trade, and when the Civil War broke out he enlisted in the commissary
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department as a butcher, whose business it was to supply meat to the government, which he did for some time. He then enlisted in the Ninty-fourth Regiment, Illinois Infantry, Company E, and was detailed as a special wagonmaster, serving about two years. He recruited two companies for the service, in one of which, Company E, he served. He was relieved on account of disability. He then recruited another company and started to the front and remained with this company until 1865, when he was honorably discharged. He then returned to McLean county, where he farmed for about seven years. He then removed to Kansas, locating in Morton township, Sedgwick county, in 1880, and there died in 1883. Charles E. Rankin acquired his education in the public schools of McLean county, Illinois. After leaving school he worked on a farm until the age of twenty-two. Then he was married to Miss S. A. Barnett, of Seabroke, Ill., on Decem- ber 25, 1877. Four children were born of this union, viz .: William H., Myrtle Elizabeth, John A. and Burnice E. After his mar- riage Mr. Rankin took up a short residence in Sedgwick county, Kansas, and afterwards was for one and one-half years engaged in farming in Cowley county. He returned to Bloomington, Ill., in 1880, where he was a stationary engineer for three years. He then returned with his family to Kansas, locating at Cheney, where he followed his trade as a carpenter and contractor, after- wards engaging in the furniture business and conducting a store in Cheney for fourteen years. He then farmed for a short time on a farm near Cheney, which he cleared and improved, moving back to Cheney in 1907. Owing to poor health, Mr. Rankin is not engaged in any other but that of looking after his farming interests in Sedgwick county. Politically, he is a lifelong Republican.
Frank T. Ransom, cashier of the Union Stock Yards National Bank, of Wichita, Kan., is a native of Missouri, having been born at St. Joseph, that state, on June 25, 1874. His parents were A. Z. and Mary (Brenneman) Ransom, natives of Ohio and Penn- sylvania, respectively. A. Z. Ransom was the son of W. Z. Ran- som, who was an active figure in the upbuilding of St. Joseph, and had much to do with the building of the first bridge across the Missouri river at that point. He was also one of the first direc- tors of the St. Joseph & Grand Island railroad. The parents of Frank T. Ransom now reside in Denver, Colo. The latter was educated in the public schools of St. Joseph, and was first
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employed in 1893 by the firm of Tootle, Lemon & Co., bankers, of that city, as a messenger boy. Having prior to that time made a study of geology, he was a short time afterwards appointed assistant state geologist of Missouri, a position he retained for two and a half years, when he entered the banking house of the Union Trust Company, of St. Louis, as passbook clerk. One year later he accepted a position with the Mississippi Valley Trust Company, of St. Louis, where he remained three years. He then went to the National Stock Yards Bank, of East St. Louis, III., where he remained for five years, and up to the time he took charge of the Union Stock Yards National Bank in Wichita, as cashier, in the spring of 1910. Mr. Ransom is well qualified for his position, having had, as vice-president of the National Stock Yards Bank, charge of the country banking division. There were no accounts from banks when he began his work, but at the time he left the bank he had brought the accounts from country banks up to $2,000,000. His experience in stock yards business has brought him in touch with methods of bringing together the buy- ing and selling elements, an important feature he brings to the, Wichita yards. Mr. Ransom is a member of the Wichita Com- mercial Club. He was married on December 30, 1902, to Miss Rose Stephenson, of Linneus, Mo. One child has been born from this union, Mary Margaret Ransom.
Virgil A. Reece,* cashier of the Goddard State Bank, of Sedg- wick county, Kansas, is a native of the Sunflower state, having been born in Sedgwick county on June 24, 1884. His parents were Sylvester C. and Alice L. (Holcomb) Reece, both natives of the state of North Carolina. Sylvester C. Reece now resides in Attica township, Sedgwick county, where he is a large land owner and a pioneer resident of the county. The education of Virgil A. Reece was acquired in the public schools of Sedgwick county, in the Sevic Academy of Wichita, and in the Wichita Business Col- lege, where he took a business course. He then became book- keeper for a large mercantile establishment in Wichita, and in 1907 he was appointed by the board of directors cashier in the Goddard State Bank, the position he now holds. Mr. Reece was married on September 7, 1909, in Clearwater, Kan., to Miss Lila P. Yergler, a daughter of John C. Yergler, deceased. Fraternally he is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and a Repub- lican in politics.
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Arthur B. Reed,* of Wichita, Kan., is manager of the James C. Smith Hide Company. The Smith company is incorporated, with headquarters in Chicago, Ill. Its officers are: W. H. Rich- ards, president, St. Joseph, Mo .; James C. Smith, vice-president ; H. L. Page, treasurer, Topeka, Kan .; George J. Barton, manager, Grand Island, Neb .; H. C. Lyons, manager, Wichita, Kan .; A. B. Reed, manager for wool, tallow, hides, furs and pelts. Mr. Reed became manager of the Wichita office September 1, 1909. The Wichita branch was established on June 1, 1904, and, starting with a weekly business of 500 pounds of hides, now has a business of three carloads per week. Mr. Reed was born in Bates county, Missouri, April 15, 1884. He was educated in the public schools of Missouri and Kansas, and began his business career with the Smith company in 1902 at St. Joseph, Mo., and in 1904 was trans- ferred to Wichita and employed as traveling salesman for the company, covering Kansas and Oklahoma until September, 1909, when he became local manager of the Wichita office. The Wichita branch is one of the best paying branches of the company. Mr. Reed was married on June 4, 1906, to Miss Elizabeth C. Fleming, of St. Joseph, Mo.
Harry Reeder, a prosperous farmer of Sedgwick county, Kan- sas, is a native of Quincy, Ill. He was born March 28, 1867, and is a son of Addison L. and Lucetta (Frazier) Reeder, who settled on a quarter section of land in Sedgwick county in 1885, but who returned to Missouri in 1890. Harry began his successful career by buying a flock of sheep and renting a section of land in Gypsum township, where he herded and cared for them. In 1904 he bought the southwest quarter of Section 23, in Gypsum township, and has been eminently successful, carrying on general farming and raising and feeding for the market cattle, hogs and horses. He is a Democrat in political belief and is a member of the Derby Lodge, No. 112, Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In 1890 he married Miss Edith Sealock, a native of Indiana, and a daughter of Mr. D. T. Sealock, who settled in Sedgwick county in 1879.
Of two children born to Mr. and Mrs. Reeder the elder, Lee, died in 1906, and Ray is now (1910) fourteen years of age.
Perry G. Rickard, of Wichita, Kan., is a native of New York state, where he was born on February 3, 1848. His parents were Lorenzo and Lucy (Parker) Rickard, the former a native of New York and the latter of Ireland. The elder Rickard was a black-
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smith by trade and moved to Wisconsin in 1850 with a family of three children, and died in that state in 1883. Perry G. Rickard attended the public schools of Wisconsin until his sixteenth year, and then worked as a laborer on the farm until 1870. He was then living in Neosha county, Kansas, and in the same year he came to Sedgwick county and homesteaded a farm in Section 4 of Kechi township. Mr. Rickard is a member of the G. A. R. He enlisted in the army in 1864 for 100 days' service in Company K, Thirty-ninth Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. The regiment was equipped at Madison, Wis., and did guard duty for its length of service. After Mr. Rickard's discharge he returned home to Wisconsin and re-enlisted in Company H, Fifty-first Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. This regiment did guard duty and pro- tected Government property. In 1865 the regiment was dis- charged at Madison. In 1873 Mr. Rickard was married to Miss Carrie L. Rhodes in Sedgwick county, Kansas. Mrs. Rickard came West with her parents to Sedgwick county in 1873. Four children have been born of this union, all of whom are now living. They are: Ralph L., born September 14, 1875; Charles W., born October 9, 1877 ; Bessie E., born September 19, 1885, and Ethel A., born June 29, 1888. Since the residence of Mr. Rickard in Sedg- wick county he has held all the minor official positions of his township. He is a Republican in politics and active in the inter- ests of his party.
True B. Richardson, superintendent of the Red Star Mill and Elevator Company, of Wichita, Kan., is a pioneer miller of Wichita and southern Kansas. Mr. Richardson is a native of Peoria, Ill., where he was born December 27, 1856. His parents were William and Mary (Dwyer) Richardson, natives of Hamil- ton, Ohio. Both moved to Illinois with their parents when young. William Richardson died at the close of the Civil War at the age of fifty-eight, and his widow died in 1900 at the age of seventy- four. True B. Richardson was the third child of a family of four, three of whom are living. Mr. Richardson was educated in the public schools of Peoria, Ill., and the Canton (Ill.) High School. He left school while in the senior class of 1875. During school vacations he obtained employment in the old Phoenix flour mill at Canton, and in this way began to learn the milling busi- ness. In 1877 he went to St. Louis, Mo., for the purpose of gain- ing a knowledge of milling machinery, and there learned to build the new process mill. Being fully versed in this line of the mill-
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