USA > Kansas > Wyandotte County > History of Wyandotte County, Kansas, and its people, Vol. II > Part 59
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The happy marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Timothy J. Enright was blessed by the birth of six children, all of whom reside beneath the home roof. the names of the same being: Erwin .T., Francis, Paul Dewey, Robert Emmet. Timothy James and IIelen. Mrs. Enright, one of whose most cherished ambitions is to carry out her beloved husband's wishes, is a graduate of Saint Mary's Institute at Quincy, Illinois, and she taught five years in Dickinson county, Kansas. She is a very accomplished as well as very charming woman and devoted to her promising famliy.
Both Mrs. Enright and her late husband were Catholics, holding membership in St. John's Catholic church, Argentine. Mr. Enright was a stanch Republican and was twice mayor of Argentine, giving an excellent administration. He was, in fact, very active in politics, being one of the leaders of the local party. He belonged to a number of fraternal orders-the Modern Woodmen of America; the Ancient Order of United Workmen; the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks ; and the Knights of Columbus. In all these orders he stood high in the esteem of his brothers. His personality was such that he won the respect and liking of all who knew him and his loss was felt most deeply.
CHARLES J. SIMILER .- Whether it is that the pick of the Canadians leave their native country and come to the States or whether the
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C'aneks really do possess more sterling qualities than the men of United States birth is a mooted question. but it is a fact that there have been many men who have erossed the border and have made their mark not only in Kansas City but all over the United States. Charles J. Sihler belongs to this class.
Charles Sihler, father of Charles J., came to Canada from Germany when he was a young man, as did also his mother. They were blessed with ten children, five sons and five daughters. The father of this large family was a dealer in livestock up to the year 1901, when he retired from active business and settled down in Simcoe, Ontario, to a life of quiet and ease among the friends he had known practically all his life. He is living now (1911) in Simcoe, with his wife, where their golden wedding was celebrated August 6, 1911, and the couple are well known and respected.
Charles J. Sihler was the second son of his parents. He was born March 31, 1864, at Simeoe, Norfolk eounty, Ontario. His preliminary general education was received in the public schools of Simcoe and he then attended a Veterinary College in Canada, graduating in the class of 1888 at the age of twenty-four. Soon after his graduation he came west to Atchison, Kansas, and in September, 1891. he removed to Kansas City. Kansas, having received the appointment of inspector of meat and stock with the United States Department of Agriculture. This posi- tion he held up to the year 1900, when he invested in a livery and under- taking business, the firm name being Whisner & Sihler. Mr. Sihler also practiced as a veterinary surgeon. Not caring for the livery and undertaking trade, he sold his share in the firm, after which he engaged in the manufacture of Hog Cholera Serun.
While Mr. Sihler was living in Atchison he married Miss Angusta Oswald on September 18. 1889. Miss Oswald was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and was the daughter of August and Catherine Oswald. both of whom were born in Germany. They had come to this country soon after they were married, and both died while their children were young. Mr. and Mrs. Charles J. Sihler have two children. Albert C., born in Atchison, Kansas, now attending the Kansas University at Lawrence ; and Dorothy, born in Kansas City. is now in a Kansas City high school.
Mr. Sihler is a member of the Kansas City Blue Lodge, No. 272. Ancient. Free and Accepted Masons, and of the Caswell Consistory, being a thirty-second degree Mason. Ile is also a member of the Wyandotte Lodge. No. 440, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Mr. Sihler's interests are varied, being divided between his family, his business, his fraternal orders and politics. ITe is a Republican. He is very well known and liked by the Masons and Elks, and his business experiences have been so varied that he has a wide acquaintance among the Imsiness men of Kansas City and indeed all over the county.
JOHN B. HurenisoN .- Ideas backed with indefatigable energy-the desire and power to accomplish big things-these qualities make of sule- cess not an accident but a logical result. The man of initiative is he who combines a capacity for hard work and indomitable will. Such a man recognizes no such thing as failure and his final success is on a parity with his well directed endeavors. John B. Hutchison has maintained his home in Kansas City. Kansas, since 1899 and since Feb-
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ruary, 1907, he has been engaged in the live stock commission business, in which line of enterprise he is achieving marked success. He has ever shown a deep and sincere interest in community affairs and on the 8th of November, 1909, he was honored by his fellow citizens with elec- tion to membership in the state legislature, in which he represented his distriet during the session of 1909-10.
A native of the fine old Buckeye state of the Union, John B. ITutchi- son was born in Harrison county, Ohio, on the 26th of March, 1863. Ile is a son of James L. and Rachel E. (Foster) Hutchison, the former of whom was born in Pennsylvania, in 1830, and the latter of whom claimed Ilarrison county, Ohio, as the place of her birth, which occurred in 1829. The mother was summoned to the life eternal in 1901, at the age of seventy-one years, and she was survived by five children-four sons and one daughter, all of whom are living, in 1911, and of whom the subject of this review was the second in order of birth. The father removed to Ohio as a young man and he was identified with farming operations in that state until October, 1863, at which time he established the family home in Grundy county, Missouri, where he was engaged in stock raising up to the year 1883. At that time removal was made to Wilson county, Kansas, where he continued to devote the major portion of his time and attention to stock raising and farming until 1900, when he retired from active participation in business affairs. In politics he is an uncompromising advocate of the principles and policies for which the Democratie party stands sponsor and in his religious faith he is a consistent member of the Christian church.
John B. Hutchison was a mere infant at the time of his parents' removal to Grundy county, Missouri, where he was reared to adult age on the old home farm and in the district schools of which place he re- ceived his preliminary educational training. Ile resided at home until he had reached the age of nineteen years, at which time he engaged in the buying and shipping of live stock. In 1899 he came to Kansas City, Kansas, where he entered the employ of James Brothers as salesman, continuing to serve in that eapaeity until February, 1907. IIe then en- gaged in the live stoek commission business on his own account and dur- ing the intervening years to the present time he has achieved marked success in that line of enterprise. As a youth he was intimately asso- viated with his father in the raising of stock and his elose identification with the stock business during practically his entire active career has made him particularly fit for his present work.
On the 3rd of October, 1899, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. . Hutchison to Miss Lillie J. Price, who was born in Polk county, Missouri, and who is a daughter of Captain Thomas and May (MeReynolds) Price, the former of whom is deceased and the latter of whom is now residing at Bolivar, Missouri. The father was a native of Polk county, Missouri, where he passed the major portion of his life and where he was called to eternal rest on the 3rd of Angust, 1909, at the venerable age of seventy-three years. Captain Thomas Price was a farmer and stock grower by occupation and was engaged extensively in the shipping of stoek. He was a captain of a company during the Civil war and in his political convictions he accorded a stalwart allegiance to the cause of the Republican party. Of the five children born to Captain and Mrs. Price, three sons and two daughters. all are living at the present time.
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Mr. and Mrs. Hutchison have no children of their own but they are raising the children of Mr. Hutchison's brother James, whose wife is deceased. These children are Lillie, who is eighteen months old (1911), and Verne, who is four years old. Mrs. Hutchison is a woman of rare charm and most attractive personality and she is deeply beloved by all who have come within the sphere of her gentle influence.
In politics Mr. Hutchison is a stanch supporter of the principles and policies promulgated by the Democratic party, in the local councils of which he has long been a most active factor. In the fall of 1909 he was elected to represent his district in the Kansas state legislature and in that connection he served with efficiency on a number of important committees. Fraternally, he is a valued and appreciative member of Temple Lodge, No. 199, Aneient, Free and Accepted Masons. Mr. Hutchison is a man of intrinsic loyalty and public spirit and as a citizen he is broad minded and liberal in his views, contributing generously of his time and means to all matters affecting the progress and prosperity of his home city and state.
EMMETT F. ANDERSON .- Among the representative citizens of Wyandotte county, Kansas, is Emmett F. Anderson, who is one of the most prominent of those engaged in Kansas City's important industry, the live stock business. In the legitimate channels of trade he has won the success which always crowns well directed labor, sound judgment and untiring perseverance and at the same time he has concerned himself with the affairs of the community in an admirably public spirited way.
Emmett F. Anderson was born in Belleville, Illinois, July 15, 1867. and was the third child in a family of nine, three of whom are deceased. The parents of this large and interesting family were William M. Ander- son and his wife Rachel, whose maiden name was Ramsey. When Emmett was quite young his father moved to St. Louis and there en- gaged in the live stock commission business. In 1885 he removed to Kansas City, Kansas, and accepted a position as buyer for the Kansas City Packing Company, with which he continued until his demise, in 1911. He was a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen and also of the National Union. Hle was heartily in sympathy with Republican principles but did not take any very active part in polities.
Emmett F. Anderson attended the publie school of Belleville, but before he was graduated his father removed to Kansas City. Rather than finish his course in a new school, with new surroundings and new associates, he decided not to go to school any more, but such deficiency as his education may have presented he has more than made up by subsequent study. £ At the age of eighteen he began to work for the Kansas City Packing Company and was with them for a year and a half. Ile was very happy to realize his ambition to follow in the footsteps of his father in the matter of an occupation and his subsequent success has proved his judgment in this to be of the best. He left the employ of the Kansas City Packing Company and has since been engaged inde- pendently in the live stock business, buying and selling stock on an ex- tensive scale. Mr. Anderson is also interested in the agricultural development .of the county and owns a valuable farmi some four miles west of the city, upon which he makes his home, coming into the city each day. He supervises the management of his farm and he is sue- cessful in this as well as in his operations in the Live Stock Exchange.
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On the 8th day of June, 1892, Mr. Anderson laid the foundation of an independent household by marriage, his chosen lady being Miss Edith Hall. Mrs. Anderson is a life long resident of Kansas City, which was the scene of her birth. She is the daughter of Edward and Marie (Cleveland) Hall, both of whom reside in Kansas City, Kansas, and she is their only surviving daughter. £ Mr. Hall is a carpenter by trade and his politics are Republican in tendency. Mr. and Mrs. Ander- son share their delightful home with two children, Edna, a high school student ; and Emmett, Jr.
Mr. Anderson is a member of Wyandotte Lodge, No. 3, Free and Accepted Masons, and Caswell Consistory, No. 5 and his are the ideals of moral and social justice and brotherly love for which the order stands. Ile belongs to the Knights of Pythias, Fellowship Lodge, No. 1; to the Horn and Hoof Club and to other societies. For a number of years he was treasurer of the Traders' Live Stock Exchange. He gives his sup- port to Republican principles and is the active friend of good government.
JAMES M. MEEK .- Prominent among Kansas City's young attorneys is James M. Meek, who is not alone one of the able representatives of the legal profession, but who is a leader in Democratie politics and holds the office of chief deputy county attorney. This capable and discriminat- ing lawyer and official was born at Avalon, Missouri, June 17, 1877, and is the son of William L. K. and Katherine ( Wagoner) Meek. The father, who was a native of Topeka, Indiana, is yet living, but the mother who was a native of the state of Missouri, passed on to the Undiscovered Country when he whose name inaugurates this review was a child but four years of age. By that lamentable event four children were left motherless, Mr. Meek being the youngest of the number. The father was at one time a clergyman of the Christian Union church and was also active in the mercantile field in Missouri and western Kansas. The Rev. Mr. Meek, who is today a citizen of Topeka, Indiana, is a trustee of the college at Trenton, Missouri, originally the Grand River College at Edenburg, Missouri. It has at different periods of its history been known as the William Jewell College and as the Christian Union College.
Mr. Meek enjoyed the advantage of a good education, pursuing his higher studies in the Grand River Union College and in the Kansas University, and was admitted to the bar of Kansas by examination in 1901. He subsequently matriculated in the Kansas City School of Law, and was graduated from that noted institution in 1902, being then ad- mitted to the bar of Missouri. Thus thoroughly reinforced in a theore- tical way, he proudly displayed his professional shingle and entered upon an active practice of the law. He was in association with T. A. Pollaek for a time and almost immediately gained recognition for attainments of high quality. He became first assistant county attorney in 1906 and was subsequently elected county attorney. Since 1909 he has held the office of chief deputy county attorney, to whose duties he has given faithful service.
Mr. Meek is a prominent member of the Kansas City (Kansas) Bar Association and is high in Masonry, having attained to the thirty-second degree and being a member of Wyandotte Lodge, No. 3. Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons, and of Caswell Consistory, No. 5. At the present time he is chairman of the Democratic City Central Committee.
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On October 15, 1907, Mr. Meek became a recrnit to the ranks of the Benedicts, Miss Marie Dobbins becoming his wife. Mrs. Meek is a native of Kansas City, Kansas. This happy marriage has been blessed by the birth of a son and a daughter, named James IJ. and Katherine WV., and their home is one of the attractive spots of the city.
JAMES M. MCDONALD .- The march of improvement and progress is accelerated day by day and each successive moment seems to demand a man of broader intelligence and keener discernment than the preceeding. The successful men must be live men in this day, active, strong to plan and perform and with a recognition of opportunity that enables them to grasp and utilize the possibilities of the moment. Such a class finds a worthy representative in James M. McDonald, a prominent and in- finential resident of Kansas City, Kansas, and who is here interested in the banking business, being president of the well known institution called the Night and Day State Bank. In addition to his above connec- tion Mr. McDonald is one of the owners of the plants and manufactur- ing business of the MeDonald Brothers Pitless Scale Company, an enter- prising concern which has factories at Pleasant Hill, Missouri, and at Newcastle, Indiana. Mr. MeDonald is a progressive business man of the younger generation whose snecess in life has been the outcome of his own well directed endeavors and who as a citizen is decidedly loyal and publie spirited.
At Pleasant Hill, Missouri, on the 12th of August, 1881, occurred the birth of James M. MeDonald, who is a son of Benjamin T. and Nannie (Dunn) McDonald. The father was a native of Kentucky and the mother was born and reared in Cass county, Missouri. They are the parents of three sons: Benjamin T., Jr., James M., and Robert. Benjamin T. MeDonald, Sr., was engaged in the stock business and in banking in Missouri during the early years of his active eareer. In 1887 he was one of the organizers of the Pleasant Hill State Bank, at Pleasant Hill, Missouri, where he maintained the family home for a number of years. In 1904, however, he was forced, on account of poor health, to seek a more salubrions climate and he then located in Texas, where he and his wife are passing the evening of their lives.
Ile is still deeply interested in stock raising and banking, and in both those lines of enterprise has achieved marked success in the Lone Star state. Ile is an uncompromising advocate of the principles and policies for which the Democratic party stands sponsor in his political proclivities and while he has never manifested aught of desire for the honors or emohunents of public office of any description he is ever on the qui vive to do all in his power to advance general progress and improvement. He is a man of fine mental caliber and deep human sympathy and in all the avenues of life has so condneted himself that he commands the umalloyed confi- dence and regard of all with whom he has come in contact.
James M. McDonald received his primary education in the public schools of Pleasant IIill, Missouri, and subsequently he was matrien- lated as a student in Missouri Central College, at Fayette, Missouri, attending that excellent institution for a period of years. He also pursued a commercial course in a business college at Des Moines, Iowa. On the 15th of December. 1900, he became associated with his brother in the organization of the firm of MeDonald Brothers Pitless Seale Com-
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pany, the business headquarters of which concern are located at Pleasant ITill, Missouri. Here a plant turning out some ten scales daily is con- dueted and in August, 1907, a plant was established at Newcastle, Indi- ana, the latter having a capacity of four scales per day. In addition to his manufacturing interests Mr. McDonald of this review is interested in a number of banking projects in Texas and in Oklahoma. £ He is also president of the unique institution known as the Night and Day State Bank of Kansas City, Kansas.
On the 1st of March, 1903, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. MeDonald to Miss Maud S. Hoover, who was born at Independence, Missouri, and who is a daughter of Jacob and Mollie Hoover, both natives of Missouri and both now deceased. Mr. Hoover was engaged in the stoek business during his active career and in his political con- victions he was a stalwart Democrat. Mrs. MeDonald was the only child of her parents. She is a woman of rare charm and the utmost graciousness and is a popular factor in connection with the best social activities of her home community.
While Mr. McDonald, of this notice, is not an office seeker, he is deeply and sincerely interested in all matters affecting the general wel- fare and his political support is given to the Democratic party. He is affiliated with a number of representative fraternal and social organiza- tions.
T. J. LYONS .- He whose name forms the caption for this article has succeeded in winning a high place for himself in the business world of Kansas City, Kansas, where he is engaged in the real estate business at the present time, in 1911. Mr. Lyons himself built the ladder by which he has elimbed to affluence, and in view of that fact his splendid success is the more gratifying to contemplate. Success along any line of en- deavor would not be proporly appreciated if it came with a single effort and unaccompanied by some hardships. Persistency and a determina- tion to forge ahead have characterized all Mr. Lyons' efforts and his career but accentuates the fact that success is bound to come to those who join brains with ambition and are willing to work.
A native of the fair Emerald Isle, T. J. Lyons was born in Limerick county, Ireland, on the 14th of October, 1868, and he is a son of T. J. and Joe (Ford) Lyons, both of whom were likewise born in Limerick county, Ireland. The aged father is still living on the old homestead farm in Ireland and his cherished and devoted wife passed to the life eternal in 1910, at a venerable age. Of the eleven children born to Mr. and Mrs. T. J. Lyons nine are living at the present time and of the number the subject of this review was the first born. T. J. Lyons, Sr., has been engaged in farming operations during practically his entire active career and in his religions faith he is a devout communicant of the Roman Catholic church.
T. J. Lyons, Jr., was reared to the invigorating discipline of the old home farm in his native land, in the work and management of which he early became associated with his father. ITis preliminary educa- tional training consisted of such meager advantages as were afforded in the schools of the locality in which he lived. When seventeen years of age he became restless to see something of the world, and with that object in view he ran away from home and worked his passage to
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America on a cattle steamship, which had for its final destination the city of Baltimore, Maryland. For a time after his arrival in this coun- try he was in the employ of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company, working as a section hand. He then met Mr. John Kelly, superin- tendent of a division of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in Ohio and an old friend of Mr. Lyons' father. Mr. Kelly obtained a position for T. J. Lyons in a machine shop in Ohio, where he continued to work until he was finally made assistant time keeper. While holding this position Mr. Lyons attended night school, eontinning so to do for a period of three years, at the expiration of which he removed to Des Moines, Iowa, where he also attended night school and where he worked for the Chicago, Burl- ington & Quincy Railroad as a fireman up to the time of the engineers' and fireman's strike in 1888. Mr. Lyons then severed his connection in Des Moines and removed to Kansas City, Missouri, where he seenred a po- sition with the Kingman Packing Company, managing to thoroughly fa- miliarize himself with the various branches of the meat packing business. With the passage of time he was placed in charge of the retail and whole- sale market of the above company, retaining that position for four years, during which time he was also a studious attendant in night school. In 1892 he decided to launch out into business on his own account and in that year opened a retail meat market and grocery store, his place of business having been located on Summit street in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1893, however, he disposed of that business and opened a saloon in the same city, later conducting a saloon in Kansas City, Kansas. Ile never grew very enthusiastic about the saloon business, however, and eventually disposing of his establishment he turned his attention to real estate operations, in which line of enterprise he has since been engaged and in which he has achieved unusual success. In addition to his various transactions for outside people he is himself an extensive property owner and a great deal of his attention is devoted to his individual in- terests along this line.
In 1891 was recorded the marriage of Mr. Lyons to Miss Katherine Griffin, who was born and reared in the state of Kentucky and who is a daughter of Thomas and Johanna (Collins) Griffin, the former of whom was born in Limerick county, Ireland. and the latter of whom was a native of the old Blue Grass commonwealth. Mr. and Mrs. Griffin, are both deceased, he having been summoned to the life eternal in 1907, and she having passed away in 1904. They were the parents of ten children, seven of whom are now living. Thomas Griffin eame to the United States as a young man and he located in Kentucky, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits and where was solemnized his mar- riage. Subsequently he disposed of his farm in Kentucky and removed to Kansas, where he purchased a fine estate and where he passed the residue of his life. He was a communicant of the Roman Catholic church and in politics was an unswerving advocate of the eause of the Democratic party. Mr. and Mrs. Lyons became the parents of five children, one of whom, Irene, died at the age of two years. The others are Theodore J., Marie T., Genevieve and Rosie. They have also adopted a small boy whose name is Manns Donagon and whom they are rearing and educating as their own child.
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