USA > Missouri > Buchanan County > St Joseph > History of Buchanan County and St. Joseph, Mo. : from the time of the Platte purchase to the end of the year 1915 biographical sketches of noted citizens, living and dead > Part 32
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He received his early training in the district school and graduated from the Memphis high school in 1898. During his high school course he not only carried his regular work, but taught two terms of school and grad-
where he practiced nearly three years. He removed to St. Joseph in 1905, where he entered a general practice of Osteopathy. He took the regular medical course in the Ensworth Medi- cal College of St. Joseph, Mo., from which he received his degree of M. D., afterward passing the examination of the state medical board of Missouri. Doctor Walker spent two summers in Chicago, taking special work in opera- tive surgery in the Post Graduate
re
DR. FRANK PERRY WALKER
-Photo by Mulvane.
uated with his class. After gradua- tion he continued in the teaching pro- fession in Scotland County, and later in North Dakota, where he also proved up on a claim. During his work as a teacher he attended various teachers' training schools and took special work in Iowa City, Iowa.
In 1901 he entered the American School of Osteopathy at Kirksville, Mo., completing the course in 1903 and receiving his degree of D. O. He then located in Cando, North Dakota,
Medical School of Chicago and at West Side Hospital.
Dr. Walker served two successive terms as president of the Missouri Osteopathic Association, and during his two years' tenure in office suc- ceeded in organizing the state into districts. He also served as president of the Northwest Missouri Osteopath- ic Association and has served on the Legislative Committee of the state for several years. He was president of the Christian Endeavor Union of St
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Joseph for three years, and during that time was a delegate to the Internation- al Christian Endeavor Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota. He also attended the Y. M. C. A. Conference at Lake Geneva while in the American School of Osteopathy, representing that Col- lege as a delegate.
business, and after working in the plant for ten years, attended the American Brewing Academy in 1893- 95, receiving two diplomas. When the present company was formed to han- dle the business which Mr. M. K. Goetz had established, William L. was elected president and he has shown
WILLIAM L. GOETZ
He is a member of the First Congre- gational Church of St. Joseph, a Ro- tarian, a member of the American Os- teopathic Association, belongs to the Masonic Lodge No. 78, is a member of the Country Club and also of the Com- merce Club.
WILLIAM L. GOETZ, President of the M. K. Goetz Brewing Company, claims St. Joseph as the city of his nativity, having been born here June 17, 1867. He was educated in the pub- lic 'schools of the city and in Bryant's Business College. He served a thor- ough apprenticeship in the brewing
remarkable ability as an executive. He is recognized as one of the most progressive and successful business men in the city.
Mr. Goetz was married to Miss .Anna B. Pape, October 19, 1898. They have two children, Wilford Lawson, aged eight, and Horace Raymond, aged seven years. Mr. Goetz is a member of the Elks, Red Men, the Country Club, the Turners, and the St. Joseph Schwabin-Verein. He is a member of the American Society of Brewing Technology, alumni association Wahl- Heninus Institute.
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297
JACK D. ROBINSON, representa- tive in the state legislature from the Fourth Buchanan County District, was born in Decatur, Adams County, Indi- ana, March 7, 1880. He was educated in the school of Decatur, graduating from the high school in 1898. The same year he entered the Indiana Law School at Indianapolis, where he stud-
in November, 1914. He introduced one- eighth of the bills that were passed by the general assembly in 1915, the most important being the school bond bill which provided adequate schools for the children of St. Joseph; also the general bond issue bill, which pro- vided for parks, sewers, city hospital for the poor, new workhouse, improve-
JACK D. ROBINSON
-Photo by Mulvane.
ied law for two years. He was admit- ted to the bar at Decatur the day he was twenty-one years old, and com- menced the practice of law at once. He remained in Decatur three years, and came to St. Joseph in 1907. He first engaged in the insurance busi- ness, but in 1912 returned to the prac- tice of law, opening an office in the Corby-Forsee building. He was elect- ed to the legislature as a Democrat
ment of electric light plant, repairing of streets, remodeling of city hall, equipping fire department with motor trucks, thereby reducing fire insur- ance rates, etc.
He was married to Miss Daisy Mc- Cully of St. Joseph December 12, 1907. They have one son, Calvin, five years old. Mr. Robinson is a member of the Loyal Order of Moose.
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LAWRENCE BOTHWELL was born in southern Illinois, May 12, 1879, where he lived until the age of seven- teen, when he went to Sedalia, Mo. He is of the Scotch and English stock, his ancestors having come from Scot-
the active practice of law ever since.
In 1913 he was nominated on the Republican ticket for prosecuting at- torney of Buchanan County, but was defeated, along with the rest of the Republican ticket. He is an active
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LAWRENCE BOTHWELL
land and England and settling in Pennsylvania and Ohio. While at Se- dalia he lived with his uncle, the Hon- orable John H. Bothwell, and during his nine years' residence there he completed his high school education and then his university courses at Columbia, Mo., both the academic and law. From Sedalia he came directly to St. Joseph, where he has been in
member of the Knights of Pythias order and is one of the high officers.
On April 29, 1915, he was married to Miss Frances L. Fox, a popular young lady of St. Joseph, and whose parents formerly lived at Sedalia. Mr. Bothwell has made a pronounced suc- cess of the practice of the law, and is considered one of the leading attor- neys of the Buchanan County bar.
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AND ST. JOSEPH
299
HENRY E. GROSSER, Councilman, is a native of Illinois, having been born in Chicago, Ill. At the age of eight years he moved with his parents to Dickinson County, Kansas, where he was educated. At the age of eigh-
ness, the Warner & Grosser Lumber Company, at 1614 Commercial street.
Early in 1908 he was appointed a member of the city council by Wil- liam E. Spratt, then mayor, to fill the
HENRY E. GROSSER
-Photo by Mulvane.
teen years he became a school teacher in Dickinson County, and after a time engaged in the lumber business with his father at Enterprise, in the same county. He remained there ten years, and in 1901 went to Horton, Kans., where he again became a retail dealer in lumber and kindred articles of mer- chandise.
Mr. Grosser came to St. Joseph in 1903 and established his present busi-
unexpired term of Dr. P. I. Leonard, who resigned. A few months later, or in April of that year, Mr. Grosser was elected to the municipal aldermanic body by a handsome majority. He served two years, and in 1914 was again elected for a four-year term.
Fraternally he holds membership in the Masons, Odd Fellows, Fraternal Aid, Woodmen of the World and Knights and Ladies of Security.
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DR. A. S. J. SMITH, with offices at 7101/2 Felix street, was born on a farm in Vernon County, Missouri, November 5th, 1871, where he re- mained until 18 years of age when he entered the Christian University at
began the study of medicine, after taking a scientific course at the War- rensburg State Normal. He was graduated from the Ensworth Medical College in 1905 and practiced in St. Joseph for one year before going to
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DR. A. S. J. SMITH
Nevada, Missouri. Dr. Smith later spent two years in the State Normal Schools at Kirksville and Warrens- burg, afterwards teaching in the pub- lic schools of Holt and Nodaway coun- ties for eight years. The last two years of which, he was superintendent of the Skidmore schools. In 1901 he
Dearborn where he remained for nine years, returning to St. Joseph in 1915. A part of the year 1911 was spent in the Post Graduate Medical School and Hospital of New York City. Dr. Smith was a popular candidate for represen- tative of Platte County at the Demo- cratic primary in 1914.
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301
CHARLES F. ENRIGHT, banker, financier and managing director of the Kansas City, Clay County & St. Joseph Interurban Railway, was born in St. Joseph, Missouri, October 23, 1866, near Third and Sylvanie streets; the home place was after- wards sold by his parents to the Bur- lington Railway, and the south part of the present Burlington Railway General Offices in St. Joseph stands on the lot of his birth-place.
pany, becoming its vice-president and treasurer. This banking company 18 located on the southeast corner of Fourth and Felix streets, and is to- day one of St. Joseph's solid, pros- perous banking institutions.
In 1908 Mr. Enright retired from the banking business in order to be able to devote all of his time and energies to the construction of the Kansas City, Clay County & St. Jo- seph Interurban Ry., of which com-
CHARLES F. ENRIGHT
In 1881 he obtained a position as collector for the National Bank of St. Joseph, known as the Burnes Bank, of which bank Col. Calvin F. Burnes was president and Hon. James N. Burnes, afterwards member of Congress, was vice-president. After various promo- tions he was appointed assistant cash- ier of the bank, and in 1894 was elected cashier, serving in that capac- ity until 1899.
In 1899, in connection with John J. and Milton Tootle and others, he or- ganized the Missouri Valley Trust Com-
pany he is now the managing director.
In January, 1893, he was married to Miss Jennie Fairleigh of St. Joseph, and to this union was born one son, William Fairleigh Enright, who at- tained his majority in February, 1915. His son, Fairleigh, has been a student at Harvard College for the past three years, and will graduate with the class of 1916.
Mr. Enright is one of St. Joseph's most prominent citizens. He is & forceful man, of ambitious effort and tireless energy, a man of high charac-
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ter and strong personality, of sterling . urer and dispenser of the funds of the integrity, wide experience and keen Charity Board of St. Joseph, and gave much of his time to the successful conduct of its affairs. knowledge of human nature. Being of a courteous and extremely obliging disposition, coupled with unusual abil- ity, he has won many strong friends in the Missouri valley, in St. Joseph, Kansas City and St. Louis and farther away in Chicago, New York, Boston and other eastern cities.
The firm of C. F. Enright & Co. has its offices in the Corby-Forsee Build- ing, a twelve-story modern office building, the largest and best ap-
DR. EDWARD A. LOGAN, bacter- iologist and chemist for the Board of Health, was born in Manhattan, Kas., March 13, 1881. He received his education in the schools of Manhat- tan and in 1901 entered. the Kansas State Agricultural College in that city. He received his diploma in 1905, being the recipient of a degree of Bachelor of Sciences. In 1906 he
DR. EDWARD A. LOGAN -Photo by Mulvane.
pointed office building in St. Joseph, and is one of the important enter- prises successfully promoted by Mr. Enright for St. Joseph.
Always ready to contribute his time and money for the welfare of St. Jo- seph, one gracious word should be mentioned here that will ever stand to his credit, namely-for about twenty years Mr. Enright was treas-
re-entered the school, this time taking the veterinary course, from which de- partment he was graduated in 1909. He came to St. Joseph in 1912 and was appointed to the position he now holds. He was married to Miss Prudie Morgan of Harrisonville, Kas., in 1906. Their family consists of two daughters. Dr. Logan is a Mason and a Woodman.
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DR. GEORGE T. NETHERTON was born in Daviess County, Missouri, August 23, 1841. He received his first education in his native county. He taught school and read medical books at home, and in the office of Dr. Wil- liam L. Brosius at Gallatin, Missouri. He entered the Kansas City Medical College in 1894 and graduated from that school in 1897. He first located in Gallatin, Mo., where he did a gen- eral practice for four years. In 1901
Directors of The St. Joseph Sanator- ium for Rectal Diseases, now located on third floor Ballinger Building, St. Joseph, Mo., with full suite of rooms and office No. 39B. Dr. Netherton was married to Miss Hannah Everly of Daviess County, Mo., August 2, 1866. His family consists of himself and wife, and two sons and their families, towit: Dr. C. O. Netherton of Gallatin, Mo., and Dr. E. J. Netherton of St. Joseph, Mo.
DR. GEORGE T. NETHERTON
he moved to Archer County, Texas, and did a general practice in both Archer and Wichita counties for seven years. In 1908, he returned to Gallatin, Mo., and opened an office in the same building he had occupied seven years previous, but limited his practice principally to orificial dis- eases, where he vigorously prosecuted his specialty, until July, 1915, when he was elected physician in charge and general manager by the Board of
JOSEPH J. WYATT was one of the pioneers of St. Joseph, and one of the most worthy of our citizens during his career. He was a native of Illi- nois, born in St. Clair County, July 13, 1819. When two years of age his mother died and his father moved to Kentucky, where our subject spent his youth. He enjoyed good educational advantages and was a diligent student. He read law with John Cavan, a lead- ing attorney in those days and was.
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admitted to the bar. March 28, .1844 he married Miss Emily Gooding. Our subject came to St. Joseph in 1845. He was town clerk, probate judge, judge of the court of common pleas, postmaster, and held other positions of public trust and honor and he discharged every obligation with scru- pulous care and fidelity. In No- vember of 1850 he identified him- self with the Christian Church and
nues, was born in St. Joseph April 27, 1888. He was educated in the schools of the city and graduated from Cen- tral High School in 1903. A year later he graduated from Gard's Busi- ness College. He began the study of medicine in the Ensworth Medical College in 1906 and was graduated from that institution in May, 1910. After receiving his diploma he was
DR. CLARENCE S. BRANSON -- Photo by Mulvane.
was in time called to the pulpit, which he filled with zeal and distinction. In fact Elder Wyatt, as he was bet- ter known, was the leader of the struggling congregation and had the satisfaction of beholding the good fruits of his earnest work before he died. His was an active life and he left a record that is without tarnish. He died suddenly April 9, 1881.
DR. CLARENCE S. BRANSON, whose office is at the northwest cor- ner of King Hill and Missouri ave-
appointed surgeon for Swift & Co., which position he filled for a period of nine months. In May, 1911, he was appointed physician and surgeon for the Hammond and Nelson Morris packing plants and he is still serving these concerns to their satisfaction. In addition to this work he has a large private practice. He was married to Miss Cloe Manning of St. Joseph June 18, 1909. They have one child, a son. Dr. Branson is a Mason and a mem- ber of the St. Joseph Buchanan Medi- cal Society and State Medical Society.
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305
BENJAMIN W. TRUNK, Architect, 8-9-10 Donnell Court Building, corner Fifth and Francis streets, St. Joseph, is a native of Missouri, born in Wes- ton, Platte County, December 2, 1872. He was educated in the schools of St. Joseph. At the age of 14, he started to study architecture with the firm of Eckel & Mann and was in their employ for eighteen years. In 1890
his design. Mr. Trunk is a member of the Academy of Designers and In- ventors of Paris and holds a diploma and gold medal from that society. He is also a member of the St. Louis Architectural Club and Secretary
and Treasurer of the Architects
Society of this city. Mr. Trunk has been in business for himself since 1904 and is one of the leading archi- tects of the city.
Y
BENJAMIN W. TRUNK
the firm sent him to St. Louis, Mo., and he worked in the office of George R. Mann for ten years at the time the St. Louis City Hall was built. In 1900 he was sent to Little Rock, Ark., and remained there for about a year, at which time he helped Mr. Mann plan the State Capitol building at Little Rock. In 1893, at the time of Chicago-Columbian Exposition, Mr. Trunk entered an architectural com- petition open to all the draftsmen in the United States under the age of thirty, and was awarded a medal for
SIMEON KEMPER, a pioneer, and one of the first surveyors, was born in Montgomery County, Kentucky, February 5, 1799 and came to Black- snake Hills in 1840. He made a plan of Robidoux's prospective town, but it was rejected because the streets were too wide. The people of St. Jo- seph today sincerely regret this. Mr. Kemper was one of the original sur- veyors of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad, and held the office of county surveyor. He died March 11, 1882.
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BUCHANAN COUNTY AND ST. JOSEPH
MORTE H. CRAIG, JR., son of Morte H. Craig and grand-son of Enos Craig, was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, February 22, 1880. He came to St. Joseph in 1882 and made his home with his grandfather, until the time of his marriage. He at- tended the schools of the city until June 15, 1898, when he quit and en- listed in Co. G. Fourth Regiment Mo. Vol. Inf. He was mustered out at
St. Joseph at this time and held the office of justice of the peace four years. In 1910, at the expiration of his term of office he began the prac- tice of his profession in South St. Joseph. Mayor Pfeiffer appointed
Mr. Craig to membership on the Li- brary Board in 1912. He is Past Chancellor Knights of Pythias and a member of Georgetown Lodge I. O. O. F.
MORTE H. CRAIG
Greenville, S. C., February 10, 1899. In the fall of that year he entered the Highland Park Law School of Des Moines, Iowa and in February, 1901, was admitted to the bar. He was married to Miss Calphurnia M. Reese of St. Joseph September 12, 1901. Mr. Craig ran for justice of the peace on the Republican ticket in 1902, but was defeated. He ran again in 1906 and was elected. He moved to South
FREDERICK W. SMITH .- Second only to Joseph Robidoux, the founder of the city of St. Joseph, in the early history of the city, and who lived to see it expand and spread out over the large body of land he preempted adja- cent to the original town site, was Frederick W. Smith. Capt. Smith was born October 3, 1815, in Prussia. Ile received his early education in his native town and afterward entered
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307
a military academy, where he was educated as a civil engineer. When eighteen years of age he sailed for America. Landing in New York in 1833, he remained there almost a year, and then removed to New Or- leans, where he was employed in a cotton press. Owing to the breaking out of yellow fever in that city, he embarked on the Mississippi River, and came to St. Louis, where soon
appointed the first postmaster of the village of St. Joseph; in 1861 he was elected mayor of the city; his last of- fice was that of Judge of the Buch- anan County Court, his term ending in 1876. He married Miss Jane Tolin, of Daviess County, Mo., in 1843. Capt. Smith died May 7, 1883. He was a public spirited man and Smith Park, which he gave to the city, perpetuates his name.
LOUIS G. GENSLER
after his arrival he was appointed Deputy City Surveyor. In 1838, or 1839 he left St. Louis for the Platte Purchase, and settled at Blacksnake Hills (now St. Joseph). Here he en- gaged in farming and surveying. He made the original map of St. Joseph and named it after the founder of the city, Joseph Robidoux. Capt. Smith pre-empted land, upon which a por- tion of the city now stands, and which has been divided and subdivided and sold at different times. He was a captain of the militia for a number of years, and was afterwards made a Major of the State Volunteers; was
LOUIS G. GENSLER, manufacturer of carriages and wagons, at 1401 South Eleventh street, was born in Saxony, Germany, June 30, 1870. When he was 11 years old his parents brought him to America. They located first in Buffalo, N. Y., where they still reside. The subject of this sketch learned his trade in Buffalo. At the age of 21 he came west, locat- ing in St. Joseph. His first employ- ment was with Jacob Wickenhoffer, at Fourth and Charles streets, where he remained for ten years. In 1905 he purchased a half interest in the carriage works of John Raney, at 1401
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BUCHANAN COUNTY AND ST. JOSEPH
South Eleventh street. After the death of Mr. Raney in 1909 he bought
the entire business. He was married
to Miss Minnie Kerber, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Kerber of
Garretsburg, Mo., in 1902. They have
common schools. He came to St. Jo-
seph in 1885 and in 1887 was ap- pointed a member of the fire depart- ment, which position he held for eight years. In 1894 he entered the Ens- worth Medical College and graduated
DR. FREDERICK H. LADD -Photo by Mulvane.
two children, a son and daughter. Mr. Gensler is a member of the Odd Fellows, Moose, Fraternal Aid Asso- ciation, Woodmen of the World, Ger- man Aid Society and St. Joseph Tern- verein.
DR. FREDERICK H. LADD, whose offices are in the Odd Fellows Build- ing, at King Hill and Missouri ave- nues is a native Missourian. He was born in Marion County, January 31, 1870. When he was one year old his parents moved to Hamilton, Caldwell County, where he was educated in the
therefrom in 1898. He first located in Westboro, and was elected coronor of Atchison County soon after locat- ing there. In 1901 was returned to St. Joseph and was appointed assist- ant city physician and was given charge of the city hospital, where he remained one year. In 1902 he went to Blockow, but one year later re- turned to St. Joseph and opened his present offices. He was married to Miss Asbarin Richie, of St. Joseph December 10, 1900. They have two children, a son and a daughter.
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309
GEORGE F. LEAPER, manager of the Leaper Hardware Co., 817 Fred- erick avenue, is a native of Iowa; the date of his birth is October 1, 1876. At the age of five years he moved with his parents to Diller, Nebr., where he was educated. He entered the Beatrice Business College in 1891 and graduated the following year. He came to St. Joseph in 1901 and for a year was bookkeeper for Fred A. H.
ton County, Pennsylvania, February 28, 1817, went with his parents to Richland County, Ohio, when two years of age; in 1844 moved to Ore- gon, Mo., and began the practice of law; represented Holt County in the legislature in 1846; commanded a company in Powell's battalion in 1847; went to California in 1849, was suc- cessful and returned in 1850, locating in St. Joseph and opening a law
GEORGE F. LEAPER.
Garlichs. In 1902 he became assist- ant manager of the Parish-Errickson Hardware Co., which position he held for eight years. In the fall of 1910 he assumed the of
management the Hinckley Hardware Co., 817 Frederick avenue and on April 1, 1913, he pur- chased the stock and changed the name to the Leaper Hardware Co. Mr. Leaper is a single man.
JAMES CRAIG, better known as General Craig, was born in Washing-
office; was elected district attorney in 1851; in 1856 was elected to Con- gress, as a Democrat, and served two terms: soon after the breaking out of the war he was commissioned briga- dier general by President Lincoln; was prominent as a railroad builder and at one time president of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Company; in April, 1885, accepted the position of city comptroller and served two years. He died Oct. 21, 1888.
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BUCHANAN COUNTY AND ST. JOSEPH
MAURICE EDWIN CRANE, pro- prietor of the department store at 1006-1008 North Third street, is a native of Kansas and was born in Atchison County, April 25, 1886. At the age of 4 years he went with his parents to Goff, Kan. When he was fourteen the family moved to Cen-
JOHN PATEE, an active pioneer, whose name is prominently connected with the early history of St. Joseph, was a native of Otsego County, New York, born Aug. 1, 1814. In 1845 hè settled upon the site of the present city of St. Joseph, his holding em-
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MAURICE EDWIN CRANE
tralia. He was educated in the two towns mentioned. In 1902 he came to St. Joseph and entered the employ of the Tootle-Wheeler & Motter Dry Goods Co., where he remained for ten years. In 1912 he embarked in the retail business at 911 North Second street. In September, 1913, he pur- chased the stock and fixtures of S. Fayman, at the location at which he is still doing business. He is one of the successful business men of the northern part of the city and an en- terprising citizen. He was married to Miss Melvina Carlyle, of St. Joseph, February 2, 1907. Their family con- sists of a son, Marion, and two daugh- ters, Marjorie and Marine.
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