USA > Kansas > Wyandotte County > History of Wyandotte County, Kansas, and its people, Vol. II > Part 51
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significantly shown his civic loyalty, his independence and courage in following the dietates of his judgment as to matters of public polity, and his earnest desire to further the advancement of the eity by all legitimate means, deprecating a mawkish sentimentality that defeats its own objects and represents impractieability in municipal government and incidental exigencies. This was shown emphatically in a rather diverting experience which was his in endeavoring to serve as mayor of Kansas City in 1905, and mention of this will be more specifically made in later paragraphs. Suffice it to say at this juncture that Mr. Rose is one of the essentially representative business men of the metropolis of Wyandotte county and that his course, whose independence has created certain antagonisms at times, has been such as to insure to him the respect of all classes of citizens.
William W. Rose was born at Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York, on the 12th of March, 1864, and is a son of George B. and Charlotte N. (Warren) Rose, the former of whom was born in Jefferson county, New York, in 1823, and the latter of whom was born in St. Lawrence county, that state, in 1826, both families having been founded in the old empire commonwealth in the pioneer epoch of its history. The father passed away in 1883 and the mother was summoned to eternal rest in 1896, the subject of this review being the only one surviving of their three child- ren. Both were zealous church members and in politics the father was a staunch Republican from the time of the organization of the party until his death. He was boss miller of a flouring mill at Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence county, New York, for thirty-eight years, and was a citizen of prominence and influence in the community.
He whose name initiates this sketch was reared to adult age at Ogdensburg, New York, and after availing himself of the advantages of the public school he entered Ogdensburg Academy, one of the exeellent institutions of that section of the state, in which he was graduated as a member of the class of 1882. He then went to New York city, where he devoted himself earnestly to learning the science and art of architec ture, in which his discipline and natural talent were such as to bring to him special technical facility as a draftsman and designer. In 1885,
after gaining a thorough knowledge of his ehosen profession, Mr. Rose went to Birmingham, Alabama, where he won three contraets in com- petitions with leading architects of that state, but the city and business outlook did not satisfy his desires in the matter of securing a permanent location, and in December, 1886, he removed to Kansas City, Missouri, where he became associated in a professional partnership with James O. Hogg, under the firm name of Hogg & Rose. The firm established offices in both that city and Kansas City, Kansas, and it gained sub- stantial precedence as one of the leading firms engaged in this line of enterprise in this section. The alliance continued until 1896, when Mr. Rose withdrew from the firm and established his home and business headquarters in Kansas City, Kansas, where he had already done mueh important work and become most favorably known. Ile continued in the individual practice of his profession until December, 1909, when he admitted to partnership David B. Peterson, who is proving an able coadjutor, under the firm title of Rose & Peterson. Within the com- pass of an article of this cireumseribed order it is impossible to enter into details concerning the many buildings planned by and erected under
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the supervision of Mr. Rose, but it is but consistent that mention be made of a few of the more noteworthy. Ile designed the Armour Com- pany's fine office building in Kansas City, Kansas, and here also he was architect of the high school building and its two additions, the Carnegie library building, the Masonie Temple, the Bethany hospital, and the homes of Dr. C. M. Stemen, Ilarry Darby, Dr. E. D. Bennett and many others. IIe has designed and supervised the erection of many of the best school buildings in Kansas and Missouri, and among the more elaborate residences in Kansas City, Missouri, that stand as monuments to his artistie and technical ability may be mentioned those of Lewellyn James, George W. Tourtelott, John F. Downing, S. E. Stranathon and E. O. Moffat, all buildings of the best modern type.
In politics Mr. Rose is aligned as a staunch supporter of the cause of the Democratic party, and in his home eity he has been prominent and influential in public affairs, as a citizen of broad views and well fortified opinions. In 1897 he was the Democratie nominee for the office of mayor of Kansas City, Kansas, and his opponent was Robert L. Marsh- man, one of the city's prominent men. The opposition urged with all of insistency that Mr. Rose was too young a man to be entrusted with the important office, but, notwithstanding this and other forces brought to bear against him, he was defeated by only six hundred votes. Iu
the spring of 1905 he was elected mayor of the city by a majority of more than eight hundred votes, defeating Thomas B. Gilbert, a very strong opponent. As a matter of practical governmental poliey, with ineiden- tal realization of the absolute inefficiency of the prohibition law of the state in enforcing the cessation of the liquor traffie in the larger cities, the new mayor refused to attempt the enforcement of the law, as it would entail the loss of more than one hundred thousand dollars a year to the city in fees from liquor licenses, with practically no restriction of the business, save that more or less surreptitions methods would be adopted in its pursuance. The case was carried to the supreme court of the state, and this tribunal issued an injunction prohibiting Mr. Rose from serving as mayor. Three days prior to the serving of ouster papers upon him, Mr. Rose sent in his resignation. HIe then announced his candidacy for re-election to the office in the election specially called to fill the vacancy. The attitude of the citizens was significantly shown in the rolling up to his credit the remarkable majority of sixteen hun- dred votes. Another injunction was promptly secured and he was thus unable to exercise the prerogatives of his office without violating this injunction. He, however, presided in due form over the city council and for this action he was subjected to a fine of one thousand dollars, assessed by the supreme court of the state. On the 7th of September, 1905, after serving eighteen months, he resigned his office, and shortly afterward Michael J. Phelan, a railroad engineer, was made the Demo- eratie nominee for mayor, with the understanding that Mr. Rose should be the power behind the throne and virtually serve as chief executive. The opposing candidate was Dr. George M. Grey, one of the leading physicians of the city, and the latter was elected by a majority of only two hundred and sixty votes. He served about three months and then, on the 1st of December, 1905, another election was held in the per- turbed municipality, and Mr. Rose again "bobhed up serenely" as the Democratic candidate for mayor, against Dudley E. Cornell. His defeat
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was compassed by less than six sundred votes, and thus ended one of the most noteworthy and distinctively, serious as well as amusing, municipal contests ever eompassed in the period of a single administration in the state.
In the time honored Masonic fraternity Mr. Rose has received the thirty-second degree of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite, in which he is affiliated with Caswell Consistory, No. 5, and he is past master of Wyandotte Lodge, No. 3, Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons. He also holds membership in Kansas City Lodge, No. 440 Benevolent and Pro- tective Order of Elks, and is identified with other civic organizations of representative order.
On the 14th of November, 1887, Mr. Rose was united in marriage to Miss Clara D. Grandy, who was born at IIermon, St. Lawrence county, New York, and who is a daughter of John L. and Arvilla (Gibbs) Grandy, both of whom were likewise natives of that county and both of whom are now deceased. The father was one of the prominent farmers and honored citizens of St. Lawrence county, where both he and his wife passed their entire lives. Of their eight children Mrs. Rose was the seventh in order of birth. Mr. and Mrs. Rose have two children, Spencer G. and Pauline, both of whom are students in the Central High School of Kansas City. The family home is located at 415 Everett street, and is a center of generous hospitality and of a social activity that indicates the distinctive popularity of Mr. and Mrs. Rose and their son and daughter.
SAMUEL CLINTON MARTY .- Standing conspicuous among the pro- gressive young business men of Wyandotte county is Samuel Clinton Marty, president and sole owner of the Rosedale Lumber Company, the largest concern of its kind in the place. A native of this section, he is particularly loyal to its interests and is ever found aligned with all those causes likely to contribute to the advancement and prosperity of the community. Mr. Marty was born in Kansas City, Missouri, Decem- ber 22, 1878, and is the son of Albert and Nellie (Gates) Marty, the former of whom was born in Wisconsin, January 15, 1852, and removed to Kansas City in 1871. This highly respected gentleman was for a number of years successfully engaged in the real estate business and is now retired and makes his home in Kansas City, Missouri. He was married in 1875, in Kansas City, Missouri, the lady to become his wife and the mistress of his household being a native of Illinois. Mr. Albert Marty has ever given heart and hand to the men and measures of the Republican party, and he is a member of the First Congregational church.
Samuel Clinton Marty was reared in Kansas City, Missouri, and received his early education in private schools, subsequently becoming a student at Yale, from which famous university he was graduated with the class of 1900. After finishing his education he made the "grand tour," and travelled for a number of months in Europe, visiting the great European capitals. Upon taking his place as an active factor in the world of business, Mr. Marty first engaged with the Currant River Lumber Company and for a number of years maintained that association, in the meantime becoming thoroughly familiar with the various phases of the lumber business. In 1904 he organized the Rose-
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dale Lumber Company and was elected president by the stockholders, and he is at the present time sole owner. This is the largest lumber company in Rosedale and its earer of seven years has been one of the greatest success and prosperity. Like his father, Mr. Marty is in harmony with the policies and principles of the "Grand Old Party," as its adherents are pleased to call it, and he and his wife afford sympathy and support to the First Congregational church.
On November 18, 1903, Mr. Marty established a household of his own by his marriage to Miss Edith Gillhan, daughter of the late Robert Gillhan, of Kansas City, Missouri, a railroad consulting engineer. The demise of that well known gentleman occurred in 1899, but his widow survives and makes her home in Kansas City, Missouri. Mr. Marty and his wife are identified with the best social life of the place. The former has two brothers, both citizens of Kansas City, Missouri. Jemuel G., is seeretary and treasurer of the Riley-Wilson Company; and Arthur M., is engaged in the real estate business.
BENJAMIN L. STINE, live stock inspector in the Bureau of Animal Industry, is a pioneer of Rosedale and has played an active and valuable part in the development of the growing community. Previous to his assumption to his present office he engaged in the real estate business, and as a member of the Kansas Legislature of 1881-85, he won many friends and mueh laudation for his good statesmanship and his loyalty to the interests of his constituents. In addition to his other claims to distinction he is a veteran of the Civil war, his patriotism having bade him don the blue of the Union when very young in years.
Mr. Stine was born in Juniata county, Pennsylvania, on the 29th day of February, 1848. His birthplace was on the banks of the Juniata river, near the town of Mifflin. His father, B. H. Stine, was born in 1766, in Berks county, Pennsylvania, and he lived to within two years of the century mark, his demise occurring in Mifflin in 1864, at the age of ninety-eight years. He witnessed many of the crucial events of our national history, including all the great wars. Only two days before he passed on to the Undiscovered Country he walked to the post office to get word from his two sons who were in the army. He was a Intheran in religious conviction and was widely known in the section in which his long life was passed. The subject's mother's name was Elizabeth Iite previous to her marriage, and she was reared in Pennsyl- vania. Five children were born to them, as follows: John M., who died at the age of twenty-four years; Mrs. Elizabeth Kirk, of Pasadena, California; Robert L., who died in 1879; David, who is connected with the Pennsylvania Central Railroad; and Benjamin L.
The Hon. Mr. Stine was reared in Juniata county, Pennsylvania, and passed a boyhood in which the habits of industry were firmly im- planted. Ile had time for only three months of school each year, but this period was well improved. On the farm the task to which he fell heir was leading the horses while tramping out the grain. Meantime the long lowering Civil war cloud broke in all its fury and the high spirited boy ran away from home and went to Harrisburg, where he enlisted in Company F. of the Sixteenth Pennsylvania Cavalry, Second Brigade, Second Division of Cavalry Corps, under Genera! Sheridan.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTON, LEHOX TILDEN FOUNDATIONE
Simon B Bell
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HISTORY OF WYANDOTTE COUNTY
Ilis service was of two years' duration and included the famous battle of Mine Run, as well as participation in several minor engagements.
Mr. Stine moved to Kansas in 1872, in what were pioneer days in Wyandotte county, and his abilities are such that he has been identified with public affairs and served well in many public trusts since that time. He became a member of the Kansas State Assembly in 1881 and served until 1885, and other public capacities in which he has proved both faithful and efficient have been those of police judge, justice of the peace and councilman of Rosedale. Under Harrison's first administra- tion he was appointed live stock inspector in the Bureau of Animal Industry, and he has now served for sixteen years in the Kansas City Stock Yards. He holds a high place in popular confidence and esteem and has been distinctively one of the builders of Rosedale.
JOHN MANK .- Three decades of honest, earnest perseverance at one line of work in one place is sure to bring its reward. To John Mank, blacksmith of Rosedale, Kansas, it has bronght a comfortable living, a competency laid by for a rainy day, and a respected position in the community.
John Mank is a German-American. He was born in Germany in 1859, a son of John and Elizabeth (Roeder) Mank, both natives of the same province in which he was born. His parents passed their lives and died in Germany. the father dying in 1868, the mother in 1900. They were farmers, and in their family were seven children. Of this number two died in infancy. Four of the sons came to this country : Peter, a retired cigar manufacturer of Terre Haute, Indiana : Henry. the first, who died in New York state in 1876; Henry, the second, a cabinet maker of Rosedale, Kansas; and John.
John Mank learned the trade of blacksmith in Prussia, Germany, and remained there until he was nineteen. Then he went to England, where he worked at his trade for three years and a half. In 1881 he came to this country. Ile traveled around for about a year, visiting various towns and cities, and in 1882 took up his residence in Rosedale, Kansas, where he at once opened a blacksmith shop, which he has since conducted. Here he soon gained a footing as a substantial and re- spected citizen, which he has maintained throughout the nearly thirty years of residence here. He affiliates with the Republican party, and has been honored by local official preference. He has served as city councilman and as a member of the Board of Education, at present being treasurer of the board, a position he has filled for four years. His religious training was in the Lutheran church, of which his parents were members, and to which he still adheres.
In 1885 Mr. Mank married Miss Sallie Beatty, who was born in Westport, Kansas, in 1859, a daughter of early pioneers of that place, her mother having settled there in 1830 and her father in 1842. Of the four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Mank, two died in infancy. Those living are: Edith, at home; and Iva, a stenographer at Swift's Packing plant.
SIMEON B. BELL, M. D .- One of the most prominent old pioneer settlers of the state of Kansas is Dr. Simeon B. Bell, who came hither in 1856, five years prior to the admission of the state to the Union. He
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has now attained to the patriarchal age of ninety-one years, and while he retired from the active practice of his profession in 1865, he is still remarkably energetic for one of his age. The world instinctively pays deference to the man whose success has been worthily achieved and whose prominence is not the less the result of an irreproachable life than of natural talents and acquired ability in the line of his chosen labor. Dr. Bell, after having his diploma and books burned during the Civil war, along with his home, reshaped his life into that of a farmer, which work he pursued with both pleasure and profit. It is a well known faet that a great percentage of those who enter business life meet with suc- eess or only a limited measure of success. This is usually dne to one or more of several causes-superficial preparation, lack of elose applica- tion or an unwise choice in selecting a vocation for which one is not fitted. In connection with and aside from his life work, Dr. Bell aided materially in advancing the progress and development of this section of the state. He has been particularly generous in connection with philanthropieal work and has given immense sums to various charitable institutions. Ile contributed in money and property no less than one hundred and sixty thousand dollars for the establishment of a medical school at Rosedale. It was long Dr. Bell's cherished ambition and de- sire to locate upon his property in Rosedale a medical institution. About sixteen years ago, when Dr. Snow was chancellor of the Univer- sity, the subject offered the state, through him, one hundred and one lots of land, valued at one hundred thousand dollars, on condition that there would be located upon his College Park a medical hospital and school for the teaching of the last two years of the medical course. This offer was accepted by Chancellor Snow and the members of the board of regents and Dr. Bell gave them ten years to begin the work of building, at the expiration of that time the necessary law being passed accepting the gift and locating the school and hospital at Rosedale. It is the hope of this community to make, with the aid of state appropriations, this department of the University the greatest medical school west of the Mississippi river. Dr. Bell intends this munificent gift as a monu- ment to his beloved wife, Eleanor Taylor Bell, and it is the universal hope that he be spared to such time as shall enable him to see the full fruitions of his noble and altruistie dreams and ambitions.
A native of New Jersey, Dr. Simeon B. Bell was born in Sussex county, the date of his nativity being the 13th of May, 1820. He is a son of Jabez and Gertrude (Nichols) Bell, both of whom were likewise born and reared in the state of New Jersey. Of the fifteen children born to Mr. and Mrs. Jabez Bell, thirteen of whom lived to a very old age, four are living at the present time, in 1911. Dr. Bell. the immediate subject of this review ; Gertrude, who is the widow of Dr. William Wiley of Nebraska : Phoebe, who is the wife of Jacob Struble, of Ohio; and IInlda J., who is the widow of John Beeson, who was also a Kansas pioneer. . Jabez Bell was a mill-wright by trade and he built the old Over-Shot water-proof mills all through the east. In 1832 he removed with his family to Richland county, Ohio, where he was engaged in agricultural pursuits and the construction of mills for the remainder of his life. In politics he was an old-line Whig and he ever manifested an active interest in community affairs.
Dr. Simeon B. Bell was a lad of twelve years of age at the time of
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his parents' immigration to Ohio. He was reared and educated in Richland county, that state, and after completing the curriculum of the public schools he attended Norwalk Seminary, at Norwalk, Ohio. Sub- sequently he was matriculated as a student in Starling Medical College, at Columbus, Ohio, in which noted institution he was graduated as a member of the class of 1852, duly receiving his well earned degree of Doctor of Medicine. £ Immediately after graduation he located at Mansfield, Ohio, where he built up a large and lucrative patronage and where he continued to reside until the spring of 1856, at which time he went to Iowa, where he passed the winter and whence he removed to Kansas in the spring of 1857. At the time of his advent in the Sun- flower state of the Union, this now prosperous commonwealth was a territory and it was raeked with Civil war. It had been colonized by both free and slave-state settlers and a bloody factional war broke out a few years previous to the great Civil war. The Topeka Constitution, prohibiting slavery, was formed in 1855 and the Lecompton Constitution, sanctioning slavery, in 1857. In 1859 the Wyandotte Constitution forbidding slavery was adopted and two years later the state was ad- mitted to the Union. From the foregoing it will be seen that Dr. Bell came to Kansas at the most exciting period of its history. He located in Johnson county, near the present site of Stilwell, which is near Aubry, to which he afterward moved. The bitter strife and dissension to which only cases of conscience can give rise was everywhere pressing for solution and a manly. stanch, courageous eitizen, such as Dr. Bell, could not other than take an active part-it is needless to say for the cause of emancipation. In fact his life was continually endangered b.v his stand. He participated in the battle at Brush Creek growing ont of these troubles and he was post surgeon for a number of years at Aubry. In 1865 he severed the connections which bound him to Aubry and came to Rosedale, which progressive and attractive little city has since represented his home.
Dr. Bell has been twiee married, his first union having been with Miss Eleanor Taylor, who was born in Richland county, Ohio, in the year 1824, and who was summoned to the life eternal in 1866. Their marriage was celebrated in 1846, and the union was prolifie of ten ehil- dren, four of whom are living in 1911, namely: Frederiea E., widow of W. P. Brush, maintaining her home at Rosedale; Mary .J., also at Rose- dale, she being the widow of Alson Filkin ; Charles W., engaged in farm- ing at Desoto ; and Abbie, wife of L. II. Rose. This admirable woman, Eleanor Taylor Bell, the wife of his youth and the mother of ten of his children, is rightfully given credit for a large part in laying the founda- tion of the fortune that he has accumulated. In 1866 Dr. Bell was united in marriage to Mrs. Margaret Bellis, who was a native of Ireland. To this union were born two children .- Miranda, who is the wife of Marshall Haddock, of Kansas City, Missouri; and Simeon B., Jr., also of that place.
As previously intimated. Dr. Bell has been a very important factor in connection with all progressive movements projected for the general welfare of Rosedale and Kansas at large. It was through his efforts that the Southwest boulevard was laid out through his land. He donated a tract for that purpose and expended considerable money in the build- ing of the boulevard, it being the only one through from Kansas City,
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Missouri, to the southwest. In his youth he was one of the members of the Father Mathew Temperance Society in Ohio, an association that has been resultant in a tremendous amount of good. Ile has always been aligned as a stanch supporter of the Republican party in his political proelivities and it is interesting to note that at the time of his arrival in Kansas there were only five voters in the district. He also served with efficiency as a member of the school board. The greatest work of Dr. Bell. however, is that connected with the founding of the Eleanor Taylor Bell Memorial Hospital at Rosedale, by which his name will be preserved for future generations.
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