USA > Missouri > Jackson County > Kansas City > A memorial and biographical record of Kansas City and Jackson County Mo. > Part 47
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OBERT L. GREENE, M. D., is one of the prominent rising physi- cians of Kansas City, whose ac -. knowledged ability commands for him a leading place in professional and social circles.
He is a native of Kentucky, born at Mt. Sterling, September 27, 1863, and is a son of Beal and Corine (Ratliff) Greene, both natives of the Blue Grass state. Mr. Greene dealt largely in stock and was engaged in farming. In 1840 he removed to Jackson county, Missouri, where he is now living and one of the oldest inhabitants of the county. Our subject is the youngest of fourteen chil- dren born to his parents, of whom ten are living at the present time. He was reared on a farm, and in the common schools he received instructions in the elementary branches until his sixteenth year. Subse- quently he attended high school in Kansas City, and during 1882-3 attended William
Jewell College, at Liberty, this state, which completed his literary education. He then took up the study of medicine, matriculating at the University of Kansas City in 1883, and graduated two years later. Following his graduation he proceeded to New York city, where, during the summer of 1885, he took a post-graduate course at the Polyclinic; and during the succeeding years was on the surgical staff at Mt. Sinai Hospital. 'In the fall of 1886 he entered Bellevue Hospital Medical College, and received its diploma of graduation in 1887. Immediately there- after he returned to Kansas City, where he has since been actively engaged in taking care of his large and increasing practice.
In 1888 Dr. Greene was elected a trus- tee and demonstrator of anatomy of Uni- versity Medical College and adjunct profes- sor of anatomy in the spring of 1890; and in 1891 he was elected to the professorship of surgical anatomy. In the spring of 1890 he was still further recognized and elected to the chair of orthopedic surgery, which position he now ably fills. He is also con- nected with the Western Dental College in the capacity of professor of anatomy. Of all the principal medical societies he is a highly valued member, being connected with the Academy of Medicine, Jackson County Medical, State Medical, and American Anatomical Association, and surgeon for All Saints Hospital and Home for the Aged.
During the summer of 1892 he made a tour of Europe, visiting London and a nuin- ber of important cities on the continent, in all of which places he carefully examined into the methods and principles in vogue in the management of hospitals, etc. His spe- cialty is orthoepedic surgery, in which par- ticular branch he is without a rival. The preparation for the work he now has in
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hand was thoroughly made under the most learned men in this country, and in the application of the knowledge thus gleaned he brings to its aid the knowledge of a prac- tical experience which is wide in scope and varied in character.
Dr. Greene is a member of the orders of Knights of Pythias, Knights of Honor, Home Palladium and Escalapium, and is examining physican for the Bankers' Life Association, Central Life of Cincinnati, Ohio, and the National Union, of which latter he is a mem- ber.
His marriage to Miss Sallie Smith, of Lexington, Kentucky, was consummated in 1889. She is a member of the Presby- terian church.
ILLIAM A. JOHNSON is exten- sively engaged in farming and stock-raising. He started out in life for himself when twenty years of age and entirely through his own efforts has worked his way upward to a leading po- sition among the agriculturists of Jackson county. Success in any calling is an indi- cation of close application, industry and faithfulness, qualities which are numbered among the leading characteristics of our sub- ject, and the greatest reward of the succss- ful man is his consciousness of having acted well his part. This Mr. Johnson has ever done, and to-day he stands among the high- ly respected citizens of community.
A native of Ohio, he was born in Picka- way county, December 12, 1850, and is a son of Henry and Susan (Ridgeway) John- son, the former a native of Russell county, Virginia, the latter of Ross county, Ohio. The mother died in Pickaway county, Ohio, in 1860, and Mr. Johnson afterward married
Sarah Ater, and removed to Madison county, Ohio, whence he came to Jackson county, Missouri, in March, 1869. For four years he lived in Fort Osage township, and then re- moved to southern Missouri, where he died in 1876.
William A. Johnson was the third in the family of seven children, five sons and two daughters, born of his father's first marriage. He acquired his education in the public schools of his native state, and 1869 came with the family to Jackson county, where he has since made his home. The following year he started out in life for himself and has always carried on agricultural pursuits. In the spring of 1874 he located on his pres- ent farm, which he purchased in 1879. He first bought the Buckner Hill farm, just south of Buckner, in 1878, and to-day he is the owner of Soo acres of valuable land. He is now extensively engaged in stock deal- ing, and through his own efforts has accu- mulated a handsome fortune. In addition to his other interests he is one of the direct- ors and stockholders in the Bank of Buckner.
Mr. Johnson has taken considerable in- terest in local political affairs and is a stanch democrat. He belongs to the Methodist church, south, and contributes liberally to its support, while to all enterprises calcu- lated to benefit the community he gives a hearty support.
On the 22d of November, 1877, Mr. Johnson was united in marriage, in Buck- ner, to Miss Mina Alderman, who was born in Sibley, Missouri, April 18, 1855, and is a daughter of Charles and Mary (Pryor) Al- derman, both deceased. She was educated at Camden Point, Platte county, Missouri, and afterward was employed in teaching school. She is a cultured and educated
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lady, and both Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are highly esteemed in the community where they reside.
J R. SECHREST has for nearly twenty years had his abiding place on his present farm on section 25, Washington township, Jackson coun- ty, Missouri, and is classed among the sub- stantial farmers and respected citizens of his community.
Mr. Sechrest's father, John Sechrest, was born in Fayette county, Kentucky, De- ceniber 29, 1811, son of Jacob Sechrest, a Virginian by birth and an early pioneer of Kentucky. The mother of our subject, whose maiden name was Lydia Vaughn, was born in Kentucky, July 15, 1808, daughter of Mashack Vaughn, a native of Virginia and a Kentucky pioneer. In Kentucky, August 1, 1833, the parents of Mr. Sechrest were united in marriage, and in Fayette county, that state, they estab- lished their home. She died there April 23, 1844, leaving three children, J. R., Shadrack and David C. Shadrack married Miss Melinda Rucker and lives in Leaven- worth county, Kansas, their children being Robert, Ivan, Estella (deceased), Furman, Loren, and Hubbard. David C. died April 29, 1856, at the age of fourteen years. For his second wife, the father married Miss Catharine Vaughn, a sister of his former companion. She was born March 19, 1824, and died July 11, 1848, leaving three chil- dren, a record of whom is as follows: Lydia Gallino, a resident of Colorado; Mary I. Taylor, Leavenworth county, Kansas; and Jacob, Shawnee county, Kansas, is married and has two children. For his third wife the father wedded Mrs. Sarah Vaughn, nee
Woolsey, who died without issue. Again he married, this last tinie Lorena Chapman, who survives him. The children of this union are Fannie and Alonzo. He moved to Missouri in 1854, landing in Jackson county October 26. His first settlement was in Blue township; then he moved to a tract of wild land on section 17 of Blue township, which he improved and on which he resided until 1860, when he went back to Kentucky. In Grant county, Kentucky, the residue of his life was passed and there he died April 7, 1888. His religious creed was that of the Methodist church, south, in which he was for many years an active worker. His political views were in early life those of the whig party, and later he allied himself with the democrats.
Coming now to the life of our immediate subject, J. R. Sechrest, we record that he is the eldest of his father's family and was born and reared in Fayette county, Ken- tucky, the date of his birth being May 8, 1834. His early education was received in the district schools, and later he was for a time a student in the city schools of Lexing- ton. When a young man he learned the trade of blacksmith and also that of butcher. He came to Missouri with his father in 1854, and remained a member of the home circle until 1857, when he married and settled on land near his father's, in Blue township, and a year later he removed to Washington township. His first settlement here was on section 29, two years later he located on section 30, and finally, in 1876, he moved to his present property on section 25, and here he has since resided. It was partially improved then, and under his good manage- ment it has been still further developed. Now he owns one hundred and sixty acres, all improved except twenty-five, which are
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covered with timber. Mr. Sechrest gives his attention exclusively to agricultural pur- suits. He is one of the few men in Mis- souri who never has to buy corn in the spring of the year.
April 23, 1857, he was united in marriage to Miss Louisa Sechrest, a native of Grant county, Kentucky, born January 21, 1842, daughter of Charles and Catharine Sechrest, both deceased. She died February 7, 1876. Of the children born to them, the record is as follows : George W., born January 30, 1859, married Miss Mary Hudson, and lives in Brooking township, this county, their children being Floyd, Leroy and Ola; Cath- arine, born July 30, 1861, died October 3, 1867; Lee, born April 28, 1863, died De- cember 30, 1869; Lewis W., born January 12, 1865, married Lizzie Grogger, and has one child, Susan, their home being near his father; John R., Jr., born May 29, 1867, married Miss Anna Tuell, and lives in Wash- ington township, section 26; Everett, born September 7, 1870, married Miss Eva Vaughn, and resides on section 30 of this township; and Preston P., born November 24, 1873, lives at home. Mr. Sechrest married Mrs. Martha McQueary, his pres- ent companion, June 8, 1876. She was born in Indiana, October 4, 1835, and her maiden name was Pierce, her parents being Colville and Roxana (Tubbs) Pierce, both natives of the Empire State. Her parents settled in Shelby county, Indiana, at an early day and her father figured prominent- ly there for many years, at one time filling the important office of county judge. Both are deceased. By her former marriage Mrs. Sechrest had the following named children : Samantha, deceased wife of Thomas Arnett, left two children; Colville, deceased, was born July 23, 1854, and was the father of
two children; Mary A., wife of Charles H. Talley, was born August 25, 1857, and lives in Washington township; Gilber M., born September 3, 1859, is married and has one child; Martha E., born January 3, 1860, is the wife of John Flannery, this township, and has four children; and Willis L., born May 16, 1861, is married and has two chil- dren, and lives in Kansas City. By Mr. Sechrest she has two children : Meade W., born August 28, 1877; and Otta Pearl, born September 18, 1879.
Mr. and Mrs. Sechrest are members of the Christian church. Politically he has all his life harmonized with the democratic party, and has taken an active interest in affairs, especially those of a local nature. Four years he served as justice of the peace and for twenty-five years he has been a school director. During the war he served as one of the "Tadpole" militia, and was orderly sergeant of his company.
J OHN S. PRYOR, postmaster and merchant of Buckner, Missouri, is one of the prominent and influential men of the town. He is a native of this state, born in Crawford county, May 5, 1832. When very young he was taken by his par- ents to Franklin county, where he was reared to manhood, his youthful days being spent in attendance at the common schools and in farm work. Lindsey W. Pryor, his father, was a native of Virginia, a saddler by trade, and in 1850, being a victim of the California gold "fever," started overland for that state, but he died before reaching his destination.
In 1853 John S. came to Jackson county, locating first at Sibley, where he was vari- ously employed until the fall of 1855. At
/. Baird.
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that time he secured a clerkship in a store there. He continued clerking at Sibley until the outbreak of the great civil war, and during the war he clerked in Independ- ence. Returning to Sibley in the spring of 1866, he engaged in mercantile business there on his own account, which he con- ducted until the spring of 1878. In the meantime, in the spring of 1876, he became interested in business in Buckner, and in 1878 removed to this place, where he has since resided and done a successful business. During these years he has frequently been honored with official position, filling one office after another with credit to himself and his constituents. In 1858 he was ap- pointed postmaster of Sibley, under Presi- dent Buchanan's administration, and filled the office until his removal to Independence. On his return to Sibley he was again ap- pointed its postmaster, this time under President Grant, and served as such until he came to Buckner. Here in 1884 he was appointed by President Cleveland to the position of postmaster, acceptably filled the place four years, and in 1893 was again appointed, and is still serving as such. Also he has occupied other positions of trust. In Buckner he was four years a notary pub- lic, is now a notary public, re-appointed for four years; and he has served a number of years as school director. In all local affairs he has taken an active and commendable interest, voting with the democratic party. He is a member of both the F. & A. M. and the I. O. O. F., and has been for forty years, having been initiated into their mys- teries in 1855. His church relation is with the Cumberland Presbyterians.
Mr. Pryor was first married at Sibley, Missouri, December 6, 1856, to Miss Matilda McMillin, a native of this county. To them
were born ten children, three of whom died young. Those living are John H., James S., Lindsey W., Wallace, Charles, Abbie, and Mabelle. Abbie is the wife of Mr. Charles Johnson. His first wife having died January 16, 1876, Mr. Pryor was married to his present companion in January, 1882. Mrs. Pryor was formerly Miss Miriam Doug- lass and is a native of Jackson county. They have one child, Rena.
RANK J. BAIRD, deceased .- A native of Ohio, a veteran of the late war, a graduate of one of the leading universities of the United States, for thirty years a prominent figure in Kansas City business circles, a career un- tarnished, a true Christian, -such was the life of Frank J. Baird. A memoir of him is a fitting adornment of the pages of this work.
Frank J. Baird was born in Brown coun- ty, Ohio, May 14, 1838, the son of a well- to-do farmer. In 1843 the family removed to Illinois and took up their abode in Put- nam county, where he passed his boyhood days. At the age of twenty he returned to his native state and spent one year in school at South Salem. The following year he at- tended school in Mendota, Illinois, and from there went to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and entered the university, taking up the study of law. While he was occupied with college work, like thousands of students in both the north and the south, he dropped his studies and enlisted in the army. It was as a lieutenant in the one hundred and thirty-eighth Illinois volunteers that he en- tered the union ranks, and a truer, braver soldier never fought for the preservation of
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the old flag. At the close of that sanguinary struggle he returned to Michigan and re- sumed his studies in the university, and graduated in 1865.
That year, having been admitted to the bar, he went to Chicago and entered the of- fice of Cook & Glover, attorneys at law, but finding the climate too severe he came to Kansas City and established himself in the practice of his profession; and to all appear- ances a brilliant career in this line was open before him. But after two years closely devoted to the law, his health failed him, and on the advice of his physician, who told him to take outdoor exercise and recom- mended horseback riding, he turned his attention to the real-estate business in con- nection with the law, in which he had to some extent engaged on first locating here. At first he did business under the firm name of Ransom, Moore & Baird, and later under the style of F. J. Baird & Company. He was a conservative man, deliberate in his speech and actions, was thoroughly honest in all his dealings, and his name was never associated with a shady transaction. Early in his career he became both prominent and popular, worked himself into an immense
business, which continued to increase up to the time of his death, and his firm was re- garded as the oldest of its kind in the city. From a Kansas City paper, published a day or two after his death, we clip the following, referring to his extensive business opera- tions :
" The construction of the Union Pacific road, the building of the Hannibal bridge, and other. movements of the kind, the first named particularly, began to attract the attention of the elder Adams and his asso- ciates, and Mr. Baird was created their real- estate agent here. He was holding. that
position at the time of his death, though the elder Adams died some years ago. During the 'boom,' and subsequently, he was very actively engaged in this business, serving both his own interests and those of the Bos- ton syndicate he represented. He negotiated the sales of some of the largest and most valuable properties, among them being Armourdale, Goodrich addition, Broadway park, Hyde park, the old Times building and others. His business sagacity led him to see that the site of Armourdale was to become of great value commercially, and he bought large tracts there in the interest of the Adamses, and also in his own interest. In 1887 he admitted Hal C. Brent, now of Cleveland, Ohio, to the firm, the style becoming F. J. Baird & Company. It was about this time or earlier that he built an addition to the large office building at Sixth and Wyandotte streets which bears his name. In connection with the Boston syn- dicate, he became a prime mover in the formation of the Armourdale Townsite Com- pany and the Kaw Valley Townsite & Bridge Company. He negotiated the sales of most of the sites of the Armourdale packing-houses, notably those of Swift & Company, Kingan & Company, Schwartz- schild & Sulzberger, Allcutt Packing Com- pany, and others. He was the agent through whom the switching facilities now owned by the Union Terminal road were acquired, also the Belt Line Railroad. At the time of his death he was engaged in negotiating the sale of more property of the same description to the Kansas City, Pitts- burg & Gulf road."
Mr. Baird's faith in the future of Kansas City never wavered. Both his energies and his means were devoted to the development of its resources without a question as to the
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outcome, and the many monuments to his eeaseless efforts to forward the growth of the eity are to be seen in its best buildings on both sides of the state line; and in the part he performed in the building of this eity there was no ostentation; indeed, his modest nature shrank from anything like display.
June 26, 1895, his life work ended, Mr. Baird quietly passed away at his home on the corner of Eighteenth and Jefferson streets. For years he had been a sufferer at times, having eontraeted dysentery while in the Federal army, and his last siekness was of appendicitis and of a week's duration. At his bedside when he died were his wife; his two daughters, Mrs. Seymour, of Chi- cago, and Miss Myrtle Baird; his brothers, W. G. Baird and A. E. Baird; his sisters, Emma L. Baird and Mrs. M. A. Hastings; and his nephew, Leslie E. Baird. The funeral services at his late residence were eondueted by the Rev. Dr. S. M. Neel, of the Central Presbyterian church, the ehureh in which Mr. Baird had been a prominent member for many years. At the time of his death he was an elder in the Second Pres- byterian church. The pall-bearers were Wiley O. Cox, Milton Welsh, R. H. Hunt, C. W. Whitehead, M. W. St. Clair, Robert Keith, John Doggett and C. C. Treadway. He was an honored member of many of the leading organizations of the city, and mem- bers from these bodies were in attendance at the funeral, not, however, as organiza- tions but as individuals. There were mem- bers of the Southwestern Alumni Association of Michigan University ; comrades of George H. Thomas Post, G. A. R .; the directors of the Kansas City State Bank, members of the Loyal Legion and the Second Presby- terian church, and associates of the Real Estate and Stock Exchange. At special
meetings of these various organizations held previous to the funeral, many tributes were paid to his memory and resolutions were adopted. The following is from the board of directors of the Kansas City State Bank:
" In the death of Mr. Frank J. Baird the Kansas City State Bank has lost a val- ued and faithful offieer, and the direetors and his associates a warm and highly-respected friend. Mr. Baird was one of the founders of this banking institution. For a long time prior to his sad demise he had been its vice president. He was always a direetor, and prompt and faithful in attendance on the meetings and deliberations of the board. A man of large business experienee, eonserva- tive and just in thought and action, he was wise in counsel and fearless in the diseharge of duty, and leaves behind him a memory which will ever be revered by his assoei- ates. '
The Real Estate and Stoek Exehange gave expression in the following eulogy :
"So modest was Mr. Baird that his ability as a schoolar and a speaker was little known outside of the eirele of his most intimate friends. Possessing one of the finest libraries in the eity, and having en- joyed the experience of extended travel, his mind was enriehed with an extensive knowl- edge of art, seienee and literature. He was a tireless reader and a wonderfully industri- ous student. Mr. Baird was one of the charter members of the Kansas City Real Estate and Stock Exchange, and his adviee and co-operation were of material serviee to this body."
Before a meeting of the Michigan Alumni President Henry J. Woolman presented a most appropriate eulogy, from which we take the following extraet:
"Frank J. Baird was one of the truest
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and most loyal of all of Michigan's alumni. His career was the typical and ideal career of a successful American. He began at the foot of the ladder; he climbed, with no one to aid or push him, and when he was cut off he was still ascending. He owed his advancement to his brain and brawn, and not to fortuitous surroundings or environ- ments, except such as he created for him- self. He owed his success not to the ac- cident of birth, but what he was and what he accomplished was due to his own efforts and exertions. * Frank J. Baird was a religious man. He belonged to a church of a pronounced creed and dogma. He belonged to an orthodox church, and yet he was liberal in the sense that he con- ceded to every one else the right to believe or not to believe as his own conscience dic- tated. He was a man without bigotry. He was a man who knew no religious hatred and no religious intolerance. Frank J. Baird was a kind and loving father and a devoted husband. He often spoke to me of his family, and when he did a light from heaven seemed to shed the luster of love upon his eyes. Frank J. Baird was one of the founders of this association, and he was one of its most liberal supporters. He was one of the most faithful and devoted of its members. Whenever it was necessary to raise any money his gifts or contributions were almost prodigal. His subscriptions were always of the very highest amount. He not only gave this association his money, but he gave it his time. He was its ardent and devoted friend, and when I was elected president of this association I considered it my pleasure as well as my duty, knowing what Mr. Baird had done for us, to make him chairman of our executive committee; and there never was any work that belonged
to that committee that he did not do with gratifying promptness and thoroughness."
As above stated, Mr. Baird was a stu- dent all his life. Among his latest studies was the Napoleon period. In his library is found everything pertaining to General Grant's history. For forty years he made a collection of Harper's Magazines, collect- ing two sets, one of which he presented to a friend. Also he was a great lover of art, and doubtless was the most advanced con- noisseur of fine arts in Kansas City. While visiting in Italy he secured some famous and valuable masterpieces, both in painting and statuary. Among others the famous paint- ing, the Raphael Transfiguration, and a beautiful and classic marble statuary from the chisel of Randolph Rogers, both selected in Rome, were bequeathed by him to the library for the use and benefit of the chil- dren of the town in whom he ever felt the deepest interest. He left a large amount of property.
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