USA > Missouri > Jackson County > Kansas City > A memorial and biographical record of Kansas City and Jackson County Mo. > Part 28
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On the 24th of January, 1876, the Doc- tor married Miss Amy U. Humphrey, a native of Springfield, Illinois. Both he and his wife are inembers of the Methodist Episcopal church, and are most highly esteemed people.
e DWARD A. BURNETT, an attor- ney at law of Kansas City, was born in Brattleboro, Vermont, March 25, 1862, and is a son of John F. and Mary A. (Thurber) Burnett, also natives of the Green Mountain state. His father was a wool manufacturer, and owned extensive mills in Troy, New Hamp- shire, which he conducted until 1858, when, laying aside business cares, he retired to pri- vate life and the enjoyment of the compe- tency that his own labor had secured. His
death occurred in 1863, at the age of thirty- three years, but his wife is still living, in Brattleboro, Vermont. They were mem- bers of the Baptist church, taking an active part in its work, and for twelve years Mr. Burnett served as superintendent of the Sun- day-school. When the war was precipi- tated upon the country he entered the serv- ice as a member of the sixteenth Vermont infantry, and his death was occasioned by injuries sustained at the battle of Gettys- burg. He was honored in his resident com- munity with several offices, and was a man of prominence and genuine worth.
The niaternal grandfather of our sub- ject, John Burnett, was a native of Ver- mont, and was born and reared on the farm where occurred the birth of his grandson. He served as a captain in the state militia, reared a family of five children, and passed away on Christmas day of 1887, at the age of eighty-six years. The family has long been connected with New England history and interests, the original American ances- tors having located in Massachusetts at a very early day. The great-grandfather, John Burnett, resides near Warwick, Mas- sachusetts, whence he removed to the Green Mountain state about 1765. The maternal grandfather of our subject, Edward Thur- ber, was a native of Guilford, Vermont, and a farmer by occupation. He is still living, at the age of eighty-eight years. His wife died in 1894, at the age of eighty years. The family was of Welsh origin.
Mr. Burnett, of this review, spent his childhood days in his parents' home and is indebted to the public schools for his pre- liminary educational privileges. He com- pleted the high-school course in Brattle- boro, Vermont, and subsequently attended Dartmouth College, at which institution he
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was graduated with the class of 1887. His tastes led him to enter professional life, and he took up the study of law under the pre- ceptorship of the firm of Martin, Waterman & Hitt, attorneys, of Brattleboro. He afterward continued his studies with Colonel Hugh Henry, of Chester, Vermont, and was admitted to the bar in 1890. Immediately afterward he came to Kansas City, where he has since continued in active practice. A liberal patronage has come to him for his care over his clients' interests, and his pains- taking efforts to secure success to their causes has won him the approval and sup- port of the general public. In politics he is a stalwart republican, and was delegate to the state republican conventions while living in Vermont.
On the 22d of November, 1887, Mr. Burnett was united in marriage with Miss Mary Howard, a daughter of William Wal- lace Howard, a prominent lawyer and bank- er of Windsor, Vermont. Her mother bore the maiden name of Mary Howard. Mr. Burnett belongs to the Baptist church, and his wife is a member of the Congregational church. Socially, he is connected with Sum- mundowat lodge , No. 3, I. O. O. F., of Kan- sas City.
J AMES W. MCCURDY is numbered among Jackson county's officers, serving at this writing as the efficient county collector. His entire life has been passed in this county, his birth having occurred in Independence, Missouri, on the 6th of September, 1855. The fam- ily is of Irish lineage and was founded in America by the grandfather of our subject, who, crossing the Atlantic to the new world,
became a farmer of Virginia and there reared a large family, his death occurring at an advanced age.
The father of our subject, John G. Mc- Curdy, is numbered among the honored pio- neers of Jackson county. He was born in Virginia, and in his native state married Elizabeth Beal, whose father was born in Scotland, whence he came to the new world, spending his remaining days upon a farm in Virginia, where his daughter was born. Mr. and Mrs. McCurdy continued their residence in that state until 1848, when, hoping to benefit their financial con- dition and more quickly secure a home in the west, they removed to Independence, Missouri. The father, whose birth occurred in March, 1818, in Rockbridge county, is still living. He is a mechanic, and for many years followed the blacksmith's trade, each day finding him in his shop busy at his work, that he might supply his family with the necessities and comforts of life. His career has been a busy and useful one, and he has long been a faithful and consistent member of the Methodist church, serving as one of its officers during nearly his entire connection therewith. His wife died in 1877, at the age of fifty-five years, and like her husband was also a devout Christian. They were parents of four sons and one daughter, namely: John S., James W., Joseph A., Henry L., and Elizabeth B., widow of Wilson Powell.
Mr. McCurdy, whose name introduces this sketch; was reared and educated in Jackson county. He attended the public schools of Independence for some time, and then pursued a commercial course which well fitted him for the practice and respon- sible duties of business life. At the age of sixteen he began clerking in a grocery store
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in Independence, and was thus employed for three years as a trusted and efficient salesinan. On the expiration of that period he made his way to California, and re- mained six years on the Pacific slope, where he was engaged in clerking for the Central Pacific Railroad in Sacramento. He then returned to his native state, where he ar- rived in 1881, and since that time has been mostly connected with public office. In September, 1882, he was made chief deputy county collector, a position which he ac- ceptably and continuously filled for thirteen years, or until the spring of 1895. That proved an excellent preparatory school for his present official duties. In the fall of 1894 he was elected to the superior office, and on the Ist of March following entered upon his duties as county collector.
On the 25th of September, 1888, Mr. McCurdy was united in marriage with Alma L. Hays, daughter of William and Kate (Spinnate) Hays, and they now have two interesting children, a son and daughter, -- Elizabeth W. and James W. The mother is a member of the Presbyterian church, and they are highly esteemed people, having many warm friends in the community, while their home, located at No. 1408 Wabash avenue, is the abode of hospitality.
Mr. McCurdy is in his social relations connected with the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and in politics is a stalwart democrat who keeps himself well-informed on the issues of the day, and takes a deep interest in everything pertaining to the ad- vancement of his party. He has resided in Kansas City since 1882, and is a popu- lar, genial gentleman, while as an officer his public career is above reproach, and he well merits the high regard in which he is held.
3 W. CARTLICH, M. D .- The value to any community of a professional man is not marked merely by his learning and skill, his proficiency in medical and surgical practice, but also by his character, both private and professional, his honorable adherence to medical efforts and his personal integrity and benevolence of purpose. When a physician combines these characteristics it is with great pleasure that we record his life work, and such a man do we find in Dr. Cartlich.
This well-known physician of Kansas City was born in Jackson, Ohio, November 3, 1845, and is a son of Abraham and Lucinda (Will) Cartlich. The father was a native of Virginia, and was of English lineage, while the mother was of German descent. The paternal great-grandfather of the Doctor was a general in the English army. The grandfather was educated in France, under private tutorage, and came to this country at an early day, locating in Virginia. He was a physician, a minister and a farmer, and a man of high education and scholarly attainments. When only twelve years of age he could speak seven different languages and also possessed con- siderable poetical talent, being the author of many beautiful stanzas. The father of our subject was a Methodist Episcopal ıninister, and became very prominent in his church. He was self-educated in every respect and had to gain his knowledge by overcoming many difficulties, his own father being greatly opposed to educating his children, thinking it did them no good, as he him- self had made no use of his fine talent. For forty years Rev. Abraham Cartlich was connected with the Ohio Conference, and was especially noted as a revivalist, bring- ing more than three thousand people into
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the church. His wife came of a very wealthy family of merchants. Her death occurred in 1852, and he was called from this life in 1889. Their family numbered seven children, but only three are now liv- ing, namely: George W., a capitalist of Creston, Iowa; Dr. J. W., of this sketch; and Clarissa F., wife of Perry Tway, a prosperous farmer, near Mount Ayr, Iowa.
The Doctor was educated in Delaware, Ohio, and entered upon a collegiate course with the intention of devoting his life to the ministry, but his health failed and he was compelled to abandon this plan. During the war he was found among the faithful defenders of the union. In 1863 he en- listed as a member of company K, one hundred and eighteenth infantry, which was afterward changed to the first Ohio heavy artillery, in which he served until the close of the war. He participated in several skirmishes and met the enemy in battle at Knoxville, Nashville, Bull's Gap and Straw- berry Point.
In 1867 he took up the study of med- icine and engaged in practice in various parts of Iowa and Minnesota, several years being thus passed. In the meantime he be- came convinced of the superiority of the homeopathic school over the old school, and in 1876 adopted its practice, while in 1883 he was graduated at Pulte Medical College, of Cincinnati. However, he had previously attended the Chicago Homeo- pathic College and the University homeo- pathic departinent, of Iowa City, Iowa. He practiced his profession in Cincinnati about one year, and in 1883 established an office in Carrollton, Missouri, where he remained for nine years. Since 1892 he has resided in Kansas City and is now established in a good practice. He is making a specialty of
hernia and hemorrhoids, for cases in which he charges nothing if they are not cured. He is very successful, having cured a num- ber. His treatment of hernia is by a hypo- dermic method, which does not inconven- ience one in his daily vocation.
The Doctor was married in May, 1873, to Virginia A. Laws, of Shenandoah, Iowa, and four children graced their union, -Alta J., Viola E., Jessie A. and George L.
The Doctor has taken a deep interest in politics as a supporter of the greenback party. He has been frequently offered a nomination for some office, but always re- fused, as he was wedded to his profession. He is a member of the church in which he was reared-the Methodist Episcopal-and socially is a Knight Templar Mason, and a member of the Mystic Shrine.
J OHN R. BURRUS, a prominent farmer who owes his success in life to his own well directed and enter- prising efforts, was born near Blue Springs, in Sniabar township, Jackson coun- ty, May 10, 1854. His father, William T. Burrus, was a native of Virginia, and dur- ing his boyhood days accompanied his par- ents to Missouri. His father, George Bur- rus, was one of the first pioneers of Jackson county, and from the government entered land on which the birth of our subject oc- curred. He married Nancy Harris, a daughter of Jerry Harris, and made his first settlement two miles west of Blue Springs, continuing his residence there until his death, which occurred about 1859. The family numbered eleven children, nine of whom reached maturity, and the youngest was only eleven days old at the time of the father's death. Three of this family are
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still living, namely: James M., of Grain Valley, Missouri; and Mary L., widow of Collins Bowlin, now residing near Blue Springs.
The father owned 120 acres of land at the time of his death, and upon this farm his widow resided until the troublesome times of the war, when she removed with her family to La Fayette county, Missouri, settling near Lexington. Her son James, however, then sixteen years of age, entered the Confederate service under General Jo Shelby. Mrs. Burrus and the smaller chil- dren returned to the farm in the spring of 1864. She then plowed a field and raised a crop of corn, but that fall, at the time of Price's raid, the federal troops following the southern army camped upon her land and thus destroyed her crop! In the fall she again went to La Fayette county, but in the spring of 1865 once more came to Jackson county. The war being over her son James returned home, but remained only a year. Our subject, then being the eldest at home, assumed the management of the forty-acre farm. His mother afterward married J. Smith, and after his death she made her home with her son John, her death occur- ring there on the 24th of April, 1886.
Our subject had continued to give his mother the benefit of his service until her second marriage, when at the age of twenty-four years he started out in life for himself. Having sold the ten acres of land which he inherited from his father he then rented land of his brother for one year.
On the 23d of September, 1880, Mr. Burrus was united in marriage with Nannie D. Ford, a lady of high culture, intelligence and refinement, and a daughter of Lewis A. and Martha A. (Holmes) Ford. She was born in Platte county, Missouri, but was
reared in Kansas City, and came to Blue Springs in April, 1876. Her father was a contractor and builder by trade and for some years followed that business in Kansas City, after which he turned his attention to farming. He lived for fifteen years in that city and vicinity. He was a native of Woodford county, Kentucky, but removed to Platte county and engaged in the milling business at Parkville, carrying on that enter- prise there during the war. He served as captain of a company of militia, and was captured and taken to St. Louis, where he was placed as a prisoner in McDonell Col- lege. Subsequently he was taken to Alton, where he was held in captivity for one year. He and sixteen of his company were then released, in 1864, but were not allowed to return to Missouri until the close of the war. He therefore continued in Illinois until the war ended, when he went to Kansas City, Missouri. He afterward became an exten- sive contractor of Kansas City at an early day, and among other important buildings erected the Gillis House. The firm of Ford & Waldron was well known, and many evidences of their handiwork stand to-day. Mr. Ford lost his wife in January, 1877, and for some years past he has resided in the home of Mr. Burrus.
After his marriage our subject rented a tract of land six miles south of Blue Springs, where he resided from the 5th of October, 1880, until the Ist of March, 1884. He then rented a farm of Willis Young for two years, and in 1886 removed to the farm owned by W. H. Montgall, two and a half miles south of Blue Springs. After a time he purchased his present farm, three miles southwest of Blue Springs on the Independ- ence road. This comprises sixty-five acres of land, valued at fifty dollars per acre.
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He has made extensive improvements upon the place, including the erection of a fine brick residence and good barns. He has also put up wire fences and devoted his en- ergies to the raising of grain and hogs.
Mr. and Mrs. Burrus have one child, Floyd F., born June 10, 1883. Our sub- ject belongs to the Cumberland Presbyte- rian church, in which he is now serving as deacon. His wife is a member of the Mis- sionary Baptist church, of Blue Springs. In February, 1894, he was appointed by the county commissioners as overseer of the roads in his district, is now serving in that capacity, and is earning the gratitude of the public by the extensive and excellent im- provements which he is making upon the system of roads and by the opening up of new roads. In his political views he is a democrat, and usually serves as a delegate to the county conventions. He takes great delight in hunting, and is a pleasant, genial gentleman, social and kindly in disposition. He wins friends wherever he goes, has the happy faculty of retaining them, and it would be difficult to find a more popular or higher esteem in this community.
YMAN W. FORD, M. D .- Among the worthy sons of the Empire State who have sought homes in Kansas City is Dr. Ford, who ranks among the best physicians of Jackson county. He was born in Saratoga, New York, May 25, 1846, and is a son of Lyman and Adelia (Vanderwalker) Ford, the former a native of Connecticut and the latter of Sara- toga. The maternal grandfather was in the war of 1812, and his father served in the same war, and was one of the heroes of the
Revolution. The grandfather was a native of England. The Ford family located in Connecticut at an early day, while the Van- derwalker family settled at New Amsterdam, now New York city. They were prominent people in England, and the great-grand- father was a surgeon in the English army. The members of both families were farming people and school-teachers.
The Doctor's father followed the sea during his early life. At the age of thirteen he ran away from home and shipped before the mast on a vessel bound for Liverpool. For many years he sailed on the Atlantic, but at length left the water and turned his attention to farming in Washington county, New York, where he remained for a year. Believing, however, that better advantages were offered in the west, he left the Empire state and took up his residence in Kendall county, Illinois, which was his home until after the close of the war. He then came to Carroll county, Missouri, and is now living in Texas, at about the age of eighty years. His family numbered six children, who grew to years of maturity, while five are now living, namely: Wyndette, Lyman W., Frank, Edgar and Amy. Martin, the second member of the family, is deceased.
Dr. Ford of this review was principally reared in New York, and acquired his edu- cation in the village school and academy, supplemented by a course in the Jennings Seminary, of Aurora, Illinois, after the re- inoval of the family to that state. On the breaking out of the civil war, although only fifteen years of age, he left school and joined the one hundred and fifth Illinois infantry, in which he served until the close of the great contest, participating in the memor- able march with Sherman to the sea and a number of important engagements. The
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Mm. . Jamison.
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soldier boy displayed the same loyalty and fidelity which was manifested by the older veterans, and the blue was worn by no more patriotic defender of the old flag.
After peace was declared Dr. Ford at once returned to the north and became a resident of Boone, Iowa, where he taught the first public school in that place. He had hardly passed his seventeenth birthday. For seven years he was connected with the edu- cational interests of that town, as a teacher of recognized ability, and continued to fol- low that profession until twenty-nine years of age, but in the meantime took up the study of medicine. He entered the old Northwestern University at Chicago, where he paid for his tuition by teaching. In 1875 he became a student in Rush Medical Col- lege, of that city, at which he was graduated with the class of 1878. He located at Nor- borne, Missouri, where he practiced for nine years, and in 1886 he came to Kansas City, where he has built up a very large business, which is constantly increasing.
Dr. Ford possesses a nature that could never content itself with mediocrity, and has continued his studies and the work of progress along the line of medical research until to-day he is ranked among the fore- most members of the profession in Jackson county. In the years 1894 and 1895 he filled the chair of genito-urinary diseases in the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Kansas City. He has been examiner of various prominent insurance companies for a number of years. Socially, he is con- nected with the Masonic fraternity and the Knights of Pythias order. His whole record has been an honorable and commendable one. As a soldier boy, a teacher, and a physician, his history is one deserving of emulation.
ILLIAM T. JAMISON .- The bar of Kansas City numbers many eminent members, and in almost every case inquiry would reveal that these are men who unaided worked their way upward. Thorough application, extensive research and persistent labor, in analyzation of character will be found as the elements which have entered into their success. These qualities are possessed in no small degree by the gentleman whose name introduces this biographical notice, and with a singleness of purpose he has de- voted himself to his chosen calling. He is yet a young man, but has already gained a high standing at the bar, and with a laud- able ambition will continue his progress while he remains a member of the pro- fession.
Mr. Jamison was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, November 16, 1858, and is a son of Robert and Elizabeth Jami- son, who still reside in that county. His grandparents were all of Scotch-Irish line- age, and were descendants of early settlers of Washington county, except the paternal grandmother, who was a Virginian. The bravery and indomitable will power charac- teristic of those who defended their country and their homes from devastation at the hand of the Indian was shared by them, as were the dangers and hardships.
William Jamison was reared upon his father's farm, remaining an inmate of the parental home until his twentieth year. He had during this time attended the common schools through the winter season and with this preparation now began teaching school, which profession he followed with excellent success for a number of terms. He after- ward attended Washington and Jefferson College and subsequently entered the Uni-
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versity of Michigan at Ann Arbor, at which institution he was graduated with the law class of 1884, having earned every dollar expended for his schooling.
On leaving the university Mr. Jamison resumed his former vocation of teaching, while determining upon a point at which to begin the practice of law. He continued his work as a successful educator for nearly two years and during that time was admitted to the bar in the city of Wheeling, West Virginia, but did not begin practice there. His attention being attracted toward Kan- sas City, Missouri, he became impressed with its advantages, and on the 6th of April, 1886, he took up his residence here and en- tered upon the practice of his chosen pro- fession, having an office with Judge L. C. Slavens until December, 1890, when he en- tered into a partnership for the practice of law with Judge Slavens and Wilbur F. Spotts- wood, Esq., under the firm name of Slavens, Spottswood & Jamison. Our subject attended strictly to his professional duties, refusing to take any active part in politics until the spring of 1894, when he was elected a member of the lower house of the common council of his city, upon the convening of which house he was unanimously chosen speaker. In Sep- tember of the same year he was made the nominee upon the republican ticket for the office of prosecuting attorney for Jackson county, to which office at the November election of that year he was elected, but by a most daring forgery of the election returns he was prevented from taking his office un- til February 8, 1895, when after a persistent fight in the courts he secured his rights and upon that date entered upon the duties of his office. At the same time he retired from the law firm and resigned his position in the council. When he entered upon his
duties as prosecuting attorney one of the first duties demanding his attention was the prosecution of offenders against the election laws in the recent election, and this work he carried forward fearlessly and without regard to party affiliations.
Mr. Jamison is a republican in politics, but not a strong partisan, and while a Meth- odist in religion is at all times tolerant to- ward those who do not agree with him. Shortly before coming to Kansas City, Mr. Jamison was married to Miss Annie M., daughter of the late Laken Whitely, a sub- stantial citizen of Washington county, Penn- sylvania. Mrs. Jamison accompanied her husband to his new field, where their future home was established. They have one child, Howard L., an interesting lad eight years old, of whom his parents are justly proud.
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