USA > Missouri > Jackson County > Kansas City > A memorial and biographical record of Kansas City and Jackson County Mo. > Part 15
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When the war ended, Major Woodson was paroled and returned to his home. There he immediately began a review of his law studies at Fincastle, Virginia, and re- mained in that locality until 1868, when he was elected a member of the Virginia legis- lature as the representative from Craig and Alleghany counties. This was a memorable assembly. It was the first legislative as- sembly that convened after the war, and in consequence the lawmakers had an arduous task upon their hands. It was a necessity to change the statute law of the state to conformn with Virginia's new constitution, which had been framed at a constitutional convention held in 1867. Those who took their seats as members of this assembly
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continued in an uninterrupted session until 1871.
In July of the same year, Major Wood- son left his native state and emigrating westward took up his residence in Kansas City, Missouri, where he entered into a law partnership with Hon. Robert E. Cowan, which connection continued until the latter's election to the bench. They won a fore- most place among the leading law firms of the city and from the public received a liberal and extended patronage. In 1884 the major was elected prosecuting attorney, and so capably did he fill the position that he was again called to that office in 1886, serving two terms of two years each. He was for some time judge of the criminal court of Jackson county, and has held many other positions of an important nature in civil life. He has been and is to-day a prominent man of the city, and his legal skill and ability are widely recognized. He has been retained as counsel on many his- torical cases, and his arguments are often eloquent, always telling and seldom fail to convince.
Judge Woodson has been twice married. In 1870 he was joined in wedlock with Miss Leila Word, of Fincastle, Virginia, daugh- ter of Colonel William E. M. Word. She died in August, 1871, after a short but happy married life, and after remaining single for a number of years the Major was again married, in the fall of 1880, his second union being with Miss Nora Delany, of Kansas City, by whom he has three chil- dren, -Constance D., Mary B. and Nora G.
Judge Woodson is an esteemed member of the order of Knights of Pythias, with which he has been connected since 1877. He also belongs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He has always
taken an active interest in charitable and benevolent work, giving freely of his means to those less fortunate in life than he with the true spirit of kindness and generosity for which Virginia's sons are noted. He also contributes liberally for the advance- ment of public enterprises calculated to benefit the city. He possesses to the fullest extent those qualities which go to make up the successful advocate. As an energetic, upright and conscientious lawyer he is des- tined for still higher successes at the bar of his adopted city.
Major Woodson is of fine physique, standing five feet ten and one-half inches in height, and weighing about 200 pounds, having had always remarkable health; he is strong and active. While a man who would not be considered handsome, he is a gentleman of fine address and appearance, always greeting strangers and friends with a hearty welcome. He is courteous to all, and the first impression one obtains of him is a lasting one.
RUMMELL JONES, physician and surgeon, is one of the distin- guished practitioners of the med- ical profession in Kansas City. He is a gentleman so well known in profes- sional, social and literary circles that a brief review of his life will be of exceptional inter- est. Of marked personality in his youth, he early evinced talents of an uncommon order, and although his early educational advan- tages were somewhat interfered with by the influence of the late war upon his early life, it in no wise materially checked his rise and progress in the world. He was an indomi- table spirit in youth, obstacles he overcame, persistency and courage were strong charaç-
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teristics in his nature and he always arose equal to the occasion. The qualities here indicated were undoubtedly inherited by him from his sturdy English and Welsh ances- tors.
He is a native of North Carolina, born in Davidson county, May 23, 1845, and is a son of Thomas and Lucy (Brummell) Jones, natives of the same state. It is a matter of record that the Brummell family are of English descent, and settled in Virginia about 1750; the Jones family came from Wales in the seventeenth century and lo- cated in North Carolina. Members of both . these families bore a prominent part in the war of the Revolution and the later contests of our country with foreign powers. Charles Lannier, a grand uncle, was a gallant soldier in the war of 1812; Randall Brummell, an uncle, participated in the Mexican war, and died of cholera at Camargo, Mexico, in 1847. Charles Brummell, a lawyer of fine attainments, and the friend of education, was a pioneer in the establishment of the public-school system in North Carolina.
The father of our subject was a prom- inent Methodist minister, notable for zeal and courage in his calling. His whole work was done in his native state; he died in 1856. His wife, a lady possessing many of the graces of ideal womanhood, and a de- vout Christian, is also dead. They were parents of four children, two living: Mrs. W. H. Picher, of Joplin, Missouri; and Brummell, the subject of this memoir.
He was educated at Trinity College, where he was in 1861, when the war broke out between the states. Although only six- teen years old he enlisted in company L, twenty-second North Carolina infantry, the gallant Colonel J. Johnston Pettigrew com- manding. This regiment belonged to Gen-
eral A. P. Hill's division of " Stonewall" Jackson's corps. With his command he participated in many of the most sanguinary battles of the war, second Manassas, Seven Pines, Yorktown, Fredericksburg, Hatcher's Run, and the incessant long-drawn-out struggle of the Wilderness, where he was wounded by a gunshot, having his left hip broken and being shot through the abdomen.
He was sent to Charlotteville and sub- sequently to Lynchburg for treatment, re- maining in both places about six weeks. The wounds were severe and he was fur- loughed home, remaining six months. When convalescence was established and he re- gained his strength, he rejoined his com- mand. On the memorable second day of April, 1865, when Richmond and Petersburg fell, he belonged to the rear guard that covered Lee's retreat. After some narrow escapes he reached Greensboro, North Caro- lina, and reported for duty. Upon one oc- casion he stood in the waters of the Appo- mattox up to his chin, for ten hours, to escape capture at the hands of a colored cavalry patrol! The Doctor admits the water was a little chilly, it being in April, but thinks he could have endured it a week rather than capture.
After the close of hostilities he returned to Lexington, North Carolina, where he took up the study of medicine under the preceptorship of Dr. Robert L. Payne. In 1866 he entered Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia. Two years later, in 1868, he graduated, and came immediately to Missouri, first locating in Pettis county, and later in Sedalia, where he successfully prac- ticed fifteen years. While here he was health officer of Sedalia and coroner of Pettis county. He was the nominee of his party for re-election to these positions when
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he took his departure from Scdalia in 1882, to come to Kansas City, where he has built up an extensive and lucrative practice, mak- ing a specialty of diseases of the brain and nervous system. For six years he was con- nected with University Medical College of Kansas City, filling the chair of materia medica and therapeutics and later that of physical diagnosis and clinical medicine.
In 1895 he was elected to the chair of diseases of the brain and nervous system in the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Kansas City. He is chairman of the com- mittee on practice of medicine of the Mis- souri Medical Association and chairman of the committee on fceble-minded children, Missouri State Teachers' Association, of which latter he is an honorary member. Dr. Jones has long becn interested in securing a home for the carc and training of feeble- minded children. He lately appcared be- fore the state legislature, which he addressed on this important subject, and awakened so much interest that it is confidently expected that a bill will be passed in the next session authorizing the founding of such a home and school. Dr. Jones has acknowledged literary ability, and is widely and favorably known in literary circles, devoting the most of his spare moments to Shakespeare and Goethe.
During the cxistence of the Scribblers' Club, he was its president, and he is now president of the Shakespeare Club, one of the most popular in the city, its membership extending to several states and comprising some of the ablest men in the country. He is a forceful, pleasing speaker. He is also a writer of notable ability, having contrib- uted largely to leading magazines and news- papers. Of all the prominent medical so- cieties he is an honored and valued member,
and is the medical examiner at the gym- nasium of the Young Men's Christian Asso- ciation.
In 1882 he married Miss Miriam Vickars, of Lafayette county, Missouri, a woman of rare attainments. The Doctor has two promising boys, -- Paul and Frank.
OHN R. LEWIS, M. D., was born in Albemarle county, Virginia, Oc- tober 28, 1831, and is a representa- tive of one of the old families of that state. His grandfather, Thomas Walker Lewis, was a native of Virginia, and was of Scotch and Welsh descent. He made farming his life work and alwayslived in the Old Dominion, his death occurring there at an advanced age. His wife survived him for a number of years and died in Missouri.
Charles T. Lewis, the father of the Doc- tor, was born on the old family homestead, and became a large plantation farmer and the owner of about fifty slaves. He was joined in wedlock with Mary Quarles, also a native of Virginia, as was her father, Will- iam Quarles, an old-time planter of that state descended from Welsh anccstry. In 1835 Charles T. Lewis brought his family to Missouri and first located in Cooper county, near Booneville. His death occurred in 1854, at the age of fifty-four years, and his wife passed away at the ripe old age of eighty-six. Hc served in the war of 1812, where his meritorious service won him pro- motion to the rank of colonel. In religious belief he was a Universalist, while his wife was connected with the Baptist church. Their family numbercd twelve children, -- five sons and seven daughters, -of whom five are now living, namely: Eliza, widow of John R. William; Charles Quarles; John
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R. ; Emma, wife of Thomas W. Davis; and Helen, wife of J. R. Mills.
The Doctor was a child of only five years when his parents came to Missouri, and his residence in this state covers a period of fifty-nine years. He began his education in one of the old-time district schools of Cooper county, but is now a man of broad general information. He prepared himself for the practice of medicine, by a course in the St. Louis Medical College, where he was graduated in 1855. He began practice in Cooper, but after a short time removed to Ridge Prairie in Saline county, where he practiced for twenty-five years. On the expiration of that period he took up his residence in St. Joseph, where he remained for five years, when on account of failing health he came to Kansas City and opened a drug store in this place in January, 1893. He also to some extent engaged in general practice. He has a well appointed store, and has secured from the public a well merited patronage.
On the 30th of September, 1857, the Doctor was united in marriage with Miss Texanna O. Johnson, daughter of Captain Colin Johnson, who served as a soldier in the war of 1812. Her mother was Mary Ellis Johnson. Eight children were born of this union, -six sons and two daughters, -- but Colin and Meriweather are now de- ceased. Charles Thornton, the eldest, mar- ried Miss Rebecca B. Wallace and resides in Kansas City. They have four children, - Blanche, Texanna, Mamie and Charles T. John R. married Miss Louise Quarles, and resides in Kansas City. He is associated with his father in the drug business, and his family numbers two children, -Ruth, John R., Jr. (3d). James E. married Miss Mary Horton, and is living in Decatur, Texas,
where he is operating a cotton-seed-oil mill and also engaged in agricultural pursuits. Emslie is a traveling salesman, representing a wholesale dry-goods house. Marie is en- gaged in teaching instrumental and vocal music. In this art the young lady is very highly accomplished. She is a pupil of Prof. Philip B. Perry, a composer of some note. Annie, also studying vocal and instrumental music, completes the family. They have a pleasant residence located at No. 2207 East Eighth street, and the drug store is situated at No. 1920 East Tenth street.
The Doctor and his wife are members of the Olive Street Baptist church. In politics he has always been a democrat, and though deeply interested in the success and growth of his party he has never been an office- seeker.
EORGE HALLEY, M. D .- This is pre-eminently an age of progress and advancement, and there has been no greater improvement in any line than that of medicine. A leader in this advancement Dr. Halley is especially well known as a surgeon, and to-day ranks among the foremost members of the profes- sion in Kansas City. He was born in Aurora, York county, Ontario, Canada, Sep- tember 10, 1839, and is a son of George and Jane Halley. His paternal grandfather was a lineal descendant of Sir Edmund Halley, the renowned English astronomer. The grandfather died of typhoid fever when a young inan, leaving only two children, - George and Mrs. Jeannette. The maternal grandfather of the Doctor was James Baird, a native of Scotland and an engineer. He lived to an advanced age, and had a family of three sons and two daughters.
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When the Doctor was only seven years of age, his parents removed to Peel town- ship, Wellington county, Ontario (the then " backwoods "), which was then a new and undeveloped region, where in the midst of the forest they made a farm. This was no easy task, involving arduous labor, which is almost unknown to young men of this day on account of the superior implements and means wherewith to work. In the early days there was no school in the neighbor- hood, but young George was taught to read at home, and the very fact that he was deprived of educational privileges probably caused him to peruse inore assiduously the books to which he had access. His father's library consisted mainly of Rollins' Ancient History, Hume's and Smollett's Histories of England, Addison's Spectator, Reid on the Human Understanding, the works of Shakes- peare and the Bible. With these he became very familiar, gaining noble thoughts, an excellent command of English, as well as the historical, philosophical and ethical facts contained therein. He was fifteen years of age before he entered school. A district school was then established in the locality, which he attended through the winter term from 1854 until 1857, inclusive. In 1858 he became a student in the county grammar school, and took up the studies of Latin, French, mathematics and the higher English branches, preparatory to entering the University of Victoria College. His studies were greatly interrupted by the ill- ness and death of his two brothers, but he studied under private instruction at home, in 1 865 passed the matriculation examination in the University of Victoria College,. and then entered upon the study of medicine in the city of Toronto.
This seemed to lead to the fulfillment of
his hope of becoming a physician. In 1867 he was appointed professor of the chair of anatomy, and devoted much of his time to ac- quiring a thorough knowledge of that branch. In March, 1868, he went to New York, took the spring course at Long Island Col- lege Hospital, and attended the clinical in- struction at the hospitals and dispensaries of New York city through the summer, returning home in time to enter Victoria College. In March, 1869, he passed the final examination, and in June of that year received his diploma with the degree of M. D. It was not possible for him, however, to en- gage at once in practice. His father had died, and it was necessary that he should superintend the cultivation of the farm and the settling up of the estate. He was thus occupied until January, 1870.
During this period Dr. Halley had been considering the question of a suitable loca- tion. He believed the new but rapidly developing west would furnish a good field of labor, and after traveling through Kansas and southern Missouri he identified his in- terests with those of Kansas City, and has since been numbered among the successful practitioners of that place. At that time the medical institutions of Kansas City were the College of Physicians and Surgeons, and the Kansas City Medical College. During the ensuing summer, however, these two were consolidated under the name of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, and Dr. Halley was offered and accepted the po- sition of assistant demonstrator of anatomy in the new faculty, thus serving until 1871, when he was elected to the chair of anatomy to succeed Dr. A. B. Taylor, who had been elected to the chair of surgery. For ten consecutive years he acceptably served in that position, and on the death of Dr. Tay-
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lor was elected to fill temporarily the chair of surgery, delivering his first course of lectures on that subject during the school year of 1880-1. When Dr. W. S. Tre- main removed from the city Dr. Halley was elected to succeed him as professor of sur- gery, and continued in that position until 1891. For the past three years he has been professor of surgery in the University Med- ical College. He performed the first ovari- otomy in Kansas City, in May, 1874, and was highly successful in the work, his pa- tient yet living.
The professional career of Dr. Halley has been one of arduous and almost unre- mitting labor, yet has brought its reward. He has carried his investigations far and wide into the science of medicine and sur- gery, taking up every department with pro- nounced thoroughness, and gaining for him- self a most enviable reputation for skill and ability. It is as a successful teacher of anatomy and surgery, however, more than by any other gauge, that his achievements will be measured. He is throughout the west recognized as the authority on surgical diagnosis, and its most popular and suc- cessful teacher, and has made the University Medical College to lead all western colleges, having built it from an attendance of sixty to two hundred and seventy-three matricu- lants. Dr. Halley is recognized in this col- lege as one of the foremost promoters and teachers of surgery in all the west. Promi- nence is accorded only to merit in this pro- fession, and the public is slow to bestow its favors, but when once given stands stanchly by those whom it supports. Such has been the case of Dr. Halley, and though he had much to overcome in his career, he is to-day recognized as a leader in his specialty. He now conducts a private hospital at the cor-
ner of Eighth and Lydia streets, and has a very large and lucrative patronage. In 1884 he became associated with Dr. A. L. Fulton in the publication of the Kansas City Med- ical Record, a valuable medical journal, which has won the same success that crowns every- thing with which he is connected.
In 1871 Dr. Halley was united in mar- riage with Miss Florence Chiles, and for many years theirs was a very happy home; but in March, 1887, at the age of fifty-one years, Mrs. Halley died. She was a con- sistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and had many warm friends. In November, 1889, the Doctor was again mar- ried, his second union being with Miss Jessie Egelston, daughter of Dr. J. Q. Egelston, of Olathe, Kansas. They now have two children, -George E. and Eleanor J. In the Methodist Episcopal church, south, they hold a membership, and take an active part in its work and upbuilding. Their home is pleasantly located at No. 2425 Tracy ave- nue.
OBERT W. QUARLES has for thirty-five years been a resident of Kansas City, and for more than a quarter of a century has been con- nected with the bar at this place. He was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, on the 15th of May, 1847, and is a son of William and Harriet ( Walpole ) Quarles. The family is of Welsh origin and was founded in America by the grandfather, William Quarles, a na- tive of Wales, who on emigrating to the new world took up his residence in Ken- tucky in pioneer days and became one of the extensive landowners of that state. Prominent and influential in public affairs,
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he served for twenty years as sheriff of Franklin county, discharging his duties with a fearlessness and fidelity that caused his long retention in office and won him the confidence and high regard of all. He made his home near Frankfort, the county seat, and was about seventy years of age at the time of his death. His family num- bered fourteen children.
The maternal grandfather of our subject, Luke Walpole, previous to the panic of 1821, carried on the most extensive mercan- tile business west of the Alleghanies, his store being located in Zanesville, Ohio; but in the financial depression that then swept the country he lost much of his property, his remaining possessions being valued at about $100,000. This was a very small amount compared with his princely fortune. In 1828 he removed to Indianapolis, In- diana, where his death occurred, in 1838, when he had attained the age of seventy years. He descended from the prominent Walpole family of England, and was a na- tive of that country. He was a graduate of Oxford, and when a young man came to America simply to visit the country, but was so pleased with the new world that he would not return. He started in business life here as a school-teacher, and steadily worked his way upward until he had become the most extensive merchant west of the Alleghanies. His wife descended from the Gillespie family to which James G. Blaine traced his ances- try, and the Ewings of Ohio were also members of the same family.
William Quarles, father of our subject, was a native of Kentucky and in his early life studied law. Establishing an office in Indianapolis, he attained considerable prom- inence as a legal practitioner, and was known as one of the finest criminal lawyers
in the state. He married Harriet Walpole, a native of Pennsylvania, and they became the parents of nine children, -five sons and four daughters, -of whom two are now liv- ing, namely: Robert W. ; and Ida, who lives with her brother. The father died in Indi- anapolis, in December, 1849, at the com- paratively early age of forty-four years. His wife survived him until 1870, her death occurring in Kansas City, which had become her home in 1860. Mr. and Mrs. Quarles were both consistent members of the Meth- odist Episcopal church.
Robert W. Quarles, whose name intro- duces this review, was a youth of thirteen years when he came with his mother to Kansas City. Here he began clerking, which pursuit he followed for many years, and then took up the study of law under the preceptorship of Messrs. Karnes & Ess, well known practitioners. He was admitted to the bar in 1869, and has since engaged in the prosecution of his profession here. He has met with good success in his under- takings, is a man of precision and keen percep- tion, and while strongly fortifying his own case often attacks with unanswerable argu- ment that of his opponent. He now has a large clientage and is doing a good business.
On the 18th of October, 1871, Mr. Quarles was united in marriage with Miss Augusta P. Williams, and they had four children, but Percy and Hattie are now de- ceased. The living are Robert and Ivan. Mrs. Quarles is a member of the Presby- terian church. Mr. Quarles is a prominent republican, and for three terms has served as city counselor of Kansas City, and at various times has been chairman of the re- publican city, county and congressional committees, and also a member of the state committee.
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J OHN W. KIDWELL .- There is no one in Kansas City who has taken a more active interest in the upbuild- ing, improvement and development of the city than this gentleman. He is always found on the side of progress, and to him the community is indebted for many of its progressive interests. The true meas- ure of one's success is what he has accom- plished, and he best fulfills his mission in life who best uses his abilities and oppor- tunities. When measured by these stand- ards John W. Kidwell must be classed with those successful men who have made the most and best of themselves.
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