USA > Missouri > Centennial history of Missouri (the center state) one hundred years in the Union, 1820-1921, Volume V > Part 67
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.P. E.U. 64
JUDGE KARL KIMMEL
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habit to such municipal farm, and a plan to aid innocent dependents of persons sent to the workhouse. Judge Kimmel, in 1913, proposed a social evil law, having as its purpose the arrest of women afflicted with a social disease and the commitment of such women to a detention ward for treatment and cure. This proposed law aroused such a protest that the idea was temporarily abandoned. Later, in 1918, acting in response to an appeal from the National Council of Defense at Washington, the mayor, police board, health commissioner, judges of the city and criminal courts, decided in conference to cause the arrest of all immoral women for physical examination and medical treatment. It took a World war to bring this important reform into opera- tion. He performed many other voluntary services for the benefit of the city and public service. In all he disposed of over thirty-six thousand cases while judge of this court, his decisions being just, impartial and consistent.
Judge Kimmel was married in Denver, Colorado, in 1913, to Irene Critchfield Dobyne, by the chief justice of the supreme court of Colorado, and has one child, Gretchen, born of the marriage, and one stepson James B. Dobyne. Mrs. Kimmel is a gifted talented singer possessed of a dramatic soprano voice which critics say is exquisite and easily ranks foremost among our noted artists. She has given freely of her talents singing for many worthy charities, and was untiring in her patriotic singing during the great war.
In 1914 Judge Kimmel resigned the judgeship of the city court to run for the cir- cuit bench on the republican ticket. He beat three former circuit judges in this race, running second on the primary ticket, with three candidates to be chosen. Among the important things which he did while judge of the circuit court was the strenuous oppo- sition he made to the parole of automobile thieves, holding that the automobile and its accessories have become the favorite prey of the modern thief, that it was being used as an accessory to the criminal in every form of crime and when so in use is more dangerous to the peace and safety of the public than any agency with which the law has yet had to deal. He made a record as judge of the equity division of the circuit court in the amount of business disposed of in a year. He upheld the validity of the "pullers" ordinance, which was designed in its operation to put a stop to cloth- ing store solicitors going to the department stores and soliciting patrons, holding that such a practice was against the rules of fair dealing, which no self-respecting and law-abiding community should tolerate. While judge of the juvenile division of the court he broke up the practice of confining boys in the city jail with hardened criminals, protesting that the object of bringing a bad boy into the juvenile court was to reform him and that contact with hardened criminals would accomplish just the opposite.
During the great war he proposed and was active in fathering the noble patriotic plan for a permanent St. Louis Roll of Honor in the rotunda of the city hall. He was active chairman of the Legal Advisory Board Selective Service System, Third Division, giving free legal advice to soldiers. He went "over the top" on all the bond issues and war charities and was known throughout the war as a one hundred per cent patriotic American. He has few, if any, enemies and a host of friends.
He has been judge of the circuit court for five years where he has made an enviable record, giving to the court broad, faithful and diligent service.
REV. F. A. PUDLOWSKI.
Rev. F. A. Pudlowski is the pastor of St. Adalbert's church and chaplain of St. Mary's Orphan Asylum. He has a large field for his labors in these connections and is doing much not only to promote the spiritual welfare of the people under his guidance but in his efforts to spread among them the highest standards of American citizen- ship. He is a native son of St. Louis, his birth having here occurred on the 15th of July, 1886, his parents being Frank F. and Angela (Legmanowski) Pudlowski, both of whom were natives of West Prussia, now a part of the republic of Poland. In that country they were reared and married and about 1880 the father came to the United States, bringing his family to the new world two years later. He is still living in St. Louis but the mother passed away on the 15th of October, 1919.
Their son, Rev. F. A. Pudlowski, began his education in the St. Stanislaus parochial school and afterward attended the St. Louis University from 1900 until 1902, there
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pursuing his classical studies. He afterward became a student in St. Cyril Methodius' College at Detroit, Michigan, where he continued his classical work from 1902 until 1905. In the latter year he was enrolled in Kenrick Seminary of St. Louis, where he pursued his theological studies through a period of five years. He was ordained from this institution on the 17th of December, 1910, Archbishop Glennon officiating at the ordination ceremony. Father Pudlowski was then appointed assistant at Desloge, Mis- souri, where he remained for three months, after which he was sent as administrator to Old Mines, Missouri, where he labored for a half year. He next started upon a tour of inspection to Ripley county, looking over the Polish settlement, and in December, 1911, was sent as assistant to the pastor of the church of the Nativity, there laboring until 1912, when he was appointed to organize St. Adalbert's parish. The church is situated at the corner of Wren street and Woodlawn avenue and was built through the efforts and under the supervision of Father Pudlowski. At the time he received his appointment to St. Adalbert's parish he was also appointed chaplain of St. Mary's Or- phanage, with residence at the orphanage, but plans to build a rectory for St. Adal- bert's at an early date.
In his political views Father Pudlowski is a democrat and fraternally he is con- nected with the Knights of Columbus. He has spent his entire life in Missouri, is well known to the people of his native city, especially to those among whom he has labored, and the church acknowledges the effectiveness of his efforts in organizing, developing and upbuilding the parish of which he remains the head.
BENJAMIN F. HARGIS.
Benjamin Finley Hargis of the B. F. Hargis Grain Company of Kansas City, was born in Howard county, May 29, 1852, and is a son of Josiah N. and Mary (Finley) Hargis. The father, Josiah N. Hargis, was born in Howard county, Missouri, March 12, 1820, and his life record covered the intervening years to February, 1881. His wife was born in Alabama, December 31, 1829, and her death occurred in 1915. Josiah N. Hargis' parents removed to Howard county, Missouri, casting their lot with the pioneer settlers of that section of the state. His sister, Mrs. Maria Hargis Cleeton, was one of the organizers of the first Christian church in Howard county. In 1850 he went to California attracted by the discovery of gold in that state. His wife was also a representaive of one of the pioneer families of Missouri and was named in the first census taken in Howard county in 1850. In 1851 Josiah N. Hargis returned to Howard county where he conducted a store and also became well known as a live stock dealer. In 1855 he removed to Kansas, settling near Lawrence, but on account of his political views concerning the slavery question he left the Sunflower state with a great many others and returned to Missouri. He took up his abode on a farm near the present site of Lees Summit, where he remained until about 1863, when he was compelled to leave on account of what was known as "General Order No. 11" and subse- quently resided for a short time in Westport, Missouri. During the last two years of the war he made his home in Clay county, this state. After the cessation of hos- tilities between the north and the south he returned to his home near Lees Summit, Missouri, where he engaged in farming and later turned his attention to the banking business in association with W. H. Colbern at Lees Summit, theirs being the first bank established in that town. In 1874 Mr. Hargis removed to Belton, Cass county, Missouri, where he again became identified with banking interests as senior member in the firm of J. N. Hargis & Son. Thus in various localities he contributed to the business development and progress of the community. He was a man of unusual energy and of notable moral courage. His persistency of purpose and capable management brought him success in business, while his strength of character gained for him the respect and confidence of all who knew him. In politics he was a democrat while his religious faith was that of the Baptist church. He died at Belton, Missouri, in 1881 and the community mourned the loss of one of its representative business men.
Benjamin F. Hargis of this review obtained a common school education at Lees Summit and also attended the private school conducted by George Bryant at Independ- ence. In 1874 after the removal of his parents to Belton, Missouri, he became the junior member of the banking firm of J. N. Hargis & Son and about 1884 opened a grain office in Belton which he has maintained to the present time. In 1880 Mr. Hargis
BENJAMIN F. HARGIS
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was united in marriage to Miss Pet L. Lillard, a daughter of Thomas M. and Mary Lillard of Boyle county, Kentucky. To Mr. and Mrs. Hargis three children were born, namely: Benjamin Lillard, Mary and William Henry Hargis. Mrs. Pet Lillard Hargis, the mother of this family, passed away March 27th, 1890, and later Mr. Hargis wedded her sister, Henrietta Lillard. In 1886 Mr. Hargis entered the Bank of Belton as cashier and remained in that capacity for several years and was one of the directors and stockholders in the bank until about 1900 when the Citizens Bank of Belton, Missouri, was organized. He was one of the leaders in that organization and is still a director of it. Since 1890 he has been a member of the firm of Hargis & Dunlap and a few years later the firm name became B. F. Hargis Grain Company of which ·he still is the responsible head. In 1896 his family moved to Kansas City, Missourl, and since that time Mr. Hargis has been active in the financial and civic activities of the city. For more than ten years he was president of the Westport Avenue Bank of which he was one of the organizers and he has also served as director in a number of other banks of Kansas City and vicinity. In 1901 he served as president of the Kansas City Board of Trade and was the dominating spirit in securing to that market clean and accurate weights on grain handled there.
Politically Mr. Hargis is an earnest democrat, having always supported the party since attaining the right of franchise. He belongs to the Hyde Park Christian church, takes a very active part in its work and does everything in his power to promote the growth of the church and extend its influence. In his life he has ever exemplified the highest standards and his business integrity measures up fully to the business enterprise that has gained him a position among the leading grain merchants of Kansas City. To those who know him best Mr. Hargis is held in greatest esteem because of his uuusual faculty for the discernment of right; his unswering and almost stoical devotion to duty; his unpublished personal charities; his simplicity and directness in speech and thought; his distaste for show and pomp; and his unflagging faith in the judgment, honesty and rights of the American people as a whole.
Benjamin Lillard Hargis, the eldest son, born May 13, 1881, is associated with his father in the grain business and is now serving as president of the Kansas City Board of Trade, being elected to that position in 1921. This is the second instance where father and son have served as president of the board. Both are natives of Missouri. Benjamin L. Hargis was connected with all the various war drives and supported every project to uphold the interests of the government in the World war and promote the welfare of the soldiers in camp and field. He married Miss Jane Stoddard, of Bay City, Michigan, and they are the parents of two children: Benjamin Stoddard and Nancy Jane.
Mary, the only daughter of the family, is now the wife of F. E. Georgia of Okla- homa City, who is manager of the Crane Company in Oklahoma; William Henry, born November 12, 1885, is a farmer and stock raiser of Johnson county, Kansas, engaging largely in the raising of Hereford cattle. He wedded Miss Myrtle Jackson.
ERNEST DOUGLAS MARTIN.
Ernest Douglas Martin, engaged in law practice in Kansas City and at Marshall, was born June 28, 1865, in Versailles, Woodford county, Kentucky. The Martin family is one of great antiquity in Ireland and Scotland, this branch being able to trace their ancestral line back to St. Martin of Gaul. In Scotland they intermarried with the Douglas family, that heroic race of which a noted historian and poet has said:
"So many, so good as of Douglas blood, have been,
Of one surname, in one Kingrick, never yet were seen."
The father of Ernest D. Martin was Dr. Solon Douglas Martin, who settled in Saline county, Missouri, in 1856, near Grand Pass, and there engaged in the practice of medi- cine. In 1861, at the call of Governor Jackson he enlisted in the Missouri State Guards and on the 10th of August of the same year participated in the battle of Wilson Creek, where he had his horse shot from under him while in a charge on a federal battery but received no wounds himself. From the 13th to the 20th of September, 1861, he was in the siege and battle of Lexington, Missouri, and in October of the same year was with General Joe Shelby at Waverly, Missouri, at the time of the capture of the federal gunboat "Sunshine." Acting under commission from General Sterling Price
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he assisted in organizing a company at Grand Pass, Saline county, using his own horses and property in equipping the men, after which they joined the regiment of Colonel Frank Robinson. Of that command Dr. Martin was elected surgeon. On the 17th of December, 1861, he participated in the battle of Blackwater, Missouri, where his command, on its way south to meet Price's army, was surrounded and surrendered to Colonel Pope and the troops were sent to St. Louis and confined in McDowell's College. Later they were transferred to Alton, Illinois, and from there Dr. Martin was released in March, 1862. After the war, when he returned to Missouri from Kentucky, Dr. Martin continued the practice of medicine at Marshall, Missouri, and passed away on the 10th of August, 1908, having followed his profession successfully for more than a half century.
Ernest D. Martin, whose name introduces this review, enjoyed educational oppor- tunities afforded- by the University of Missouri at Columbia and since preparing for the bar has made the practice of his profession his life work. His devotion to his clients' interests is proverbial and at all times he has prepared his cases with the utmost thoroughness and care. In the passing years his name has been associated with much of the important litigation tried in the courts of this section, nor have his efforts been confined alone to law practice. On the contrary he has been active in making the laws, serving for four years as a member of the state senate, repre- senting the fifteenth senatorial district. For two terms he filled the office of mayor of Marshall and for more than two decades has represented his party in the county and state conventions.
Mr. Martin is a Mason of high degree, belonging to the Consistory of Western Missouri, No. 2, at Kansas City, and also to Ararat Temple of the Mystic Shrine. Also, he was Colonel of the Second Regiment Uniform Rank of the Knights of Pythias. He is a frank, fearless and forceful speaker, presenting clearly any subject which he wishes to discuss before the public; and at all times he keeps in close touch with the trend of modern thought and progress, the expression of his ideas constituting an influencing factor in molding public thought and action.
WILLIAM ALFRED KENNEDY.
Since 1900 William Alfred Kennedy has lived in Farmington, having at that time retired from agricultural pursuits, and he is now prominent in the real estate circles of that place, being one of the heaviest dealers in farm land in his section of the state. He was born near Elkton, Todd county, Kentucky, September 29, 1846, a son of Urban Ewing and Axie (Knight) Kennedy. The father was born in County Killarney, Ireland, and came to the United States with his parents when but six years of age. He settled in Kentucky, where he became a successful farmer and slave owner but during the Civil war he was a strong supporter of the Union, giving three of his sons to the service. As a prominent man of the community in which he had chosen to make his home, he was elected to the state senate in 1860 on the whig ticket. This was at the same time that Abraham Lincoln was elected to the presidency of the United States. The father of Urban Ewing Kennedy was Michael Kennedy, a native of County Killarney, Ireland, who came to the United States in 1810 and settled in Todd county, Kentucky. The mother of William A. Kennedy, Axie Harris, died in 1886, ten years after the death of her husband. She was born in Logan county, Kentucky, a daughter of Robert Knight, who was a successful and progressive farmer of that state. The Knights were of Scotch- Irish ancestry.
The education of William Alfred Kennedy was obtained in a log school- house three months out of the year, in Todd county, until he reached the age of sixteen years when he entered the Union army. With his two brothers, Michael and Clay, he joined the Twenty-fifth Kentucky Regiment, commanded by J. M. Shackelford, with the rank of private. At the battle of Fort Donnelson Clay Kennedy was badly wounded and at Shiloh Michael lost his right arm. After the latter battle this regiment was so badly disabled that it was merged with the Seventeenth Kentucky, becoming the Eighth Kentucky Cavalry under command of Colonel Shackelford wih the Hon. Benjamin H. Bristow as lieutenant colonel. William A. Kennedy was bugler of Hatch's Brigade, Wilson's Division of the
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Seventeenth Corps, Army of Tennessee. At the battle of Chickamauga Mr. Ken- nedy was wounded but continued to serve until the end of the war. He tells many interesting incidents of the conflict and was with Colonel Shackelford when Morgan after his Ohio raid, surrendered to him. Mr. Kennedy was discharged from the army with the rank of captain. For the next five or six years he led an adventur- ous life and then resumed his studies, entering Shelby College at Shelbyville, Ken- tucky. Completing his education he taught school in Kentucky for a period of ten years, at the end of which time he purchased a farm in Ballard county, suc- cessfully cultivating it for eighteen years. Selling this farm he purchased another piece of land in the northern part of St. Francois county, and on this land resided until 1900 when he again sold out and removed to Farmington. Mr. Kennedy then established a real estate business, dealing for the most part in farm lands in Missouri, Illinois, and Arkansas. His farm land business is one of the largest along that line in his section of the state. Of late years he had traveled extensively and has visited all of the large cities and places of interest in the United States. He has spent three winters in New York at the home of his son, William A. Kennedy, Jr.
In 1875 Mr. Kennedy was united in marriage to Miss Leonora Glasscock, the event taking place on the 27th of March at Clarksville, Tennessee. She was a daughter of James Glasscock, a harness maker and dealer of Clarksville, whose death occurred in 1895. He was born in Nelson county, Kentucky. The death of Mrs. Kennedy occurred in 1905 and was the occasion of deep grief in the com- munity where she had made her home. She was loved and respected by all and was a type of real southern womanhood. Five children were born to the union of Mr. and Mrs. Kennedy: William A .; Nina Harris; Sallie Lee; and Florence. William A. Kennedy, Jr., is living in New York where he is connected with the banking business at 35 Wall street. He married Aline Delisle, of French ancestry; Nina Harris, is now the wife of G. N. Baker, who is connected with the Standard Oil Company at Farmington. They are the parents of one son, Glenn Spencer, who has just graduated from the Farmington high school; Sallie Lee is the wife of Jeff D. Counts, a farmer of St. Francois county, and they are the parents of seven children: Lucille Jesseline; Minnie; Alva; Maggie Henry; Marie; Jeff D., Jr .; and Catherine; Florence is married to John Mason of Macomb, Illinois, who is engaged in the bakery business at that place. They have become the parents of four children: Kennedy, Edward, Leonora, and Urban Shackelford.
The political allegiance of Mr. Kennedy has been given to the republican party. He has neither sought nor desired public office, preferring rather to devote his entire time to his work. He was reared in the faith of the Presbyterian church, and is a member of that church in Farmington. His father, Urban Ewing Kennedy, had served the church as elder for many years during his lifetime and was well known among the members of that denomination. Mr. Kennedy has been affiliated with no secret organizations, but he is active in Grand Army of the Republic circles and has been commander of Pickett Post, No. 215, at Farmington. There have been few of the annual reunions of the Grand Army of the Republic that Mr. Kennedy has not attended and he is much beloved by his former com- rades of the battle field. During the twenty years in which he has resided in Farmington he has made many and true friends-friends who recognize his true personal worth and many sterling traits of character. He is a representative of one of the most important business interests in Farmington and his value as a citizen is readily acknowledged throughout the community.
WILLIAM F. HIGGINS.
William F. Higgins, secretary and treasurer of the Higgins Leather Company of St. Louis, was born in Bardstown, Nelson county, Kentucky, August 30, 1880, a son of Francis S. and B. M. Higgins who were also natives of the Blue Grass state. The father was a leather merchant of Louisville, Kentucky, for thirty years and in 1894 removed to St. Louis where he engaged in the leather business at Third and Locust streets, continuing there for five years. In 1900 he located at 1107 Franklin avenue and carried on the business up to the time of his death which occurred in
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1917. In the intervening years he had built up a business of extensive proportions, covering not only St. Louis but a large section of the southwest and he became one of the leading leather merchants, first of Kentucky and afterward of Missouri.
William F. Higgins is the eldest of a family of five children. He was educated in Christian Brothers College at Louisville, Kentucky, and at St. Mary's College of Kansas. His business training was received under his father's direction and follow- ing the demise of Mr. Higgins the son continued the business and is now the secre- tary and treasurer of the Higgins Leather Company. The firm handles several lines of leather and shoe machinery, also everything for shoe repair shops, and employs four traveling salesmen to cover the southwest and also sell largely to the St. Louis trade. The extent of the business makes it one of the profitable industries of St. Louis.
In 1902 in this city Mr. Higgins was married to Miss Clara Bouche, a daughter of Mrs. Mary Bouche of St. Louis, and they now reside at No. 4116 Botanical avenue. Mr. Higgins belongs to the Missouri Athletic Association and the Recreation Club. He is a member of the Catholic church and his political allegiance, is that of the democratic party. His time and attention, however, are largely concentrated upon his business affairs and for fifteen years he has been associated with the firm and and is now one of the officials. He was a traveling salesman for about twelve years and was then elected secretary and treasurer, in which capacity he has since con- tinued. His progress is due to his capability, progressiveness and industry. He has a wide acquaintance among the trade in the south and is recognized as a progres- sive business man whose future success is assured if one argues by what he has accomplished in the past.
CHARLES C. PETERSON.
St. Louis has many adopted citizens but none who are more ready to sing her praises nor more active in promoting her welfare than is Charles C. Peterson, owner of Peterson's Billiards and Bowling and the world's champion fancy shot billiardist. All who know him-and he has a very wide acquaintance-speak of him as a high- class man and one who has done much to maintain advanced standards in the sports which he manages through his establishment. Mr. Peterson was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, February 28, 1879, a son of Anthony and Anthonette Peterson, who are still residents of Milwaukee where the father was engaged in the shoe business for a num- ber of years but is now living retired.
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