USA > Wyoming > History of Wyoming, Volume II > Part 13
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On the 30th of April, 1895. Mr. Krueger was united in marriage to Miss Katie Scultetus, a native of Cincinnati, Ohio. They have become parents of three children: Louis Tevis, who was born in Ohio; Karl Emil, born in Colo- rado; and Flora Belle, born in Wyoming.
Politically Mr. Krueger is a republican and while not an office seeker lie keeps in touch with the vital questions and issues of the day and is ever ready to support his position by intelligent argument or by his ballot. He belongs to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Independent Order of Odd Fel- lows and the Modern Woodmen of America and is a past exalted ruler of the Elks lodge in Rawlins. His religious faith is that of the Methodist church and its teachings guide his life in all of its relations. He has never deviated from what his judgment would indicate to be right and honorable between himself and his fellowmen and his success in life has been reached by his sterling qualities of mind and a heart true to every manly principle.
W. W. CROOK, M. D.
A notable career is that of Dr. W. W. Crook of Cheyenne, who is still actively engaged in the practice of medicine although he has now passed the eighty-first milestone on life's journey. His life has been one of great usefulness to his fellowmen through his professional activity and at all times he has kept in touch with the trend of modern thought and progress regarding the practice of medicine and surgery.
A native of Kentucky, he was born in the little country town called Spill- man's Store, in Madison county, on the 20th of October, 1836, and there resided until he reached the age of twelve years, when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Missouri. They traveled by team and wagon across the country to Buchanan county, Missouri, where they took up their abode upon a farm. Dr. Crook remained at home through the period of his youth, attending school whenever possible and aiding in the development of the old homestead. He was thus early trained to the work of the farm, becoming thoroughly familiar with the best methods of tilling the soil and caring for the crops. In 1855 he started out in business on his own account and from that time forward has been dependent entirely upon his own resources. In 1857 he taught school at Easton, Kansas, and later he returned to Missouri, taking the teachers' examination at Chillicothe, which he suc- cessfully passed, obtaining a first-class certificate. He then taught school in Livingston county, Missouri, but he believed that there was comparatively little future outlook for one in that profession and resolved to turn his atten- tion into other professional directions. He took up the study of medicine privately and in due time qualified for the active practice of medicine and sur-
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gery. In 1861 he returned to Kansas and in July of that year established his home and opened an office at Council Grove, Kansas, there entering upon active practice. Several years later, having carefully saved his earnings, he was able to enter the University of Iowa, in which he pursued the four years' course in medicine and thus became splendidly qualified for professional activity. He was graduated from that institution and during the succeeding ten years practiced in Doniphan, Kansas. In 1875 he removed with his family to Wyoming and in 1877 took up his abode in Cheyenne, where he has since made his home. Throughout the intervening period his broad reading and careful study have kept him in touch with the trend of advanced thought and investigation having to do with medical and surgical practice. He has been an earnest and dis- criminating student, and while he does not hastily discard the old and time- tried methods, he is always ready to take up any new idea which his judgment sanctions as of value in treating disease. He has ever been most careful in the diagnosis of his cases and has seldom been at error in foretelling the out- come of any case. In 1902 he was elected to the presidency of the Laramie County Medical Association. He also belongs to the Wyoming State Medical Association and is an earnest and zealous member of the American Medical Asso- ciation. Moreover, he is a clear and forcible writer on professional topics and has contributed many interesting and valuable articles to medical magazines and journals.
On the 25th of May, 1864, was celebrated the marriage of Dr. Crook and Miss Miranda H. Kirby, of Louisville, Kentucky. As the years have gone on they have become parents of six children, but all have passed away with the exception of the eldest daughter, Fannie, who is the wife of Dr. O. K. Snyder, of Cheyenne.
In public affairs and political interests Dr. Crook has manifested consid- erable activity. In 1870 he was elected mayor of Doniphan, Kansas, and gave to the town an excellent administration that took cognizance of its needs and its opportunities. He has not held office since coming to Wyoming, pre- ferring to concentrate his time and attention upon his professional duties, yet he has stood by all of those interests which are substantial elements in public progress and improvement in city, county and state. He is still actively engaged in the practice of his profession, although he has now reached the age of eighty- one years. While he has long since passed the Psalmist's allotted span of three score years and ten, he nevertheless remains active and alert. Old age need not necessarily suggest idleness nor want of occupation. There is an old age which grows stronger and brighter morally and mentally as the years go on and gives out of its rich stores of wisdom and experience for the benefit of others. Such is the record of Dr. W. W. Crook, of whom it may well be said, in the words of Victor Hugo, that though
"The snows of winter are on his head,
The flowers of spring are in his heart."
JOSEPH WILLIAM TODD.
Joseph William Todd, a prominent figure in city and state, makes his home in Buffalo, where he has filled the office of mayor, and he has also been repre- sentative of his district in both the house of representatives and the senate. He has thus had much to do with shaping public thought and action and promoting useful legislation.
He was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, a son of Sherman P. and Clarisse J. (Compton) Todd. The father was born in Michigan, while the mother's birth occurred in Ohio. Removing westward during the early boyhood of their son, Joseph W. Todd, he pursued his education in the schools of Buffalo and after putting aside his textbooks became interested in ranching and the raising of live
IS. Told
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stock and his business affairs in that connection have been of growing extent and importance. His affairs have been most carefully and wisely directed, his investments judiciously placed, and his success is the direct outcome of his close application and indefatigable energy. Aside from his ranching interests he is the vice president of the Stock Growers' Bank of Buffalo and is well known in financial circles in his section of the state.
In Buffalo, on the 30th of June, 1902, Mr. Todd was united in marriage to Miss Hildah E. Anderson, who at one time was county clerk of Johnson county. They have become the parents of four children: Sherman Avery, Carrie Marie, Martha Anna and Josephine Emmeretta.
The religious faith of Mr. and Mrs. Todd is that of the Congregational church and he is identified with various fraternal organizations. In Masonry he has attained high rank and is a member of the Mystic Shrine. He is also connected with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He belongs to the Shrine and to the Elks lodge of Sheridan, while his other connections are with the orders in Buffalo. Since attaining man's estate Mr. Todd has given unfaltering allegiance to the republican party and its principles, and has labored earnestly to advance its interests. In 1907 he was elected to represent his district in the Wyoming house of representatives and filled that position for two terms. In May, 1913, he became mayor of Buffalo and for four years served as chief executive of the city, to which he gave a businesslike and progressive administration characterized by various needed reforms and improvements. He avoided useless expenditure and also equally useless retrenchment, which so often hampers progress, and steering his course evenly between the one and the other, he accomplished much for the city. In 1914 he was elected to represent his district in the state senate and in 1917 was chosen president of the senate, where he presided with dignity, his rulings being strictly fair and impartial.
He is a close and discriminating student of public problems having to do with the welfare of state and nation and his position upon any vital question is never an equivocal one. He stands firmly for what he believes to be right and his efforts in behalf of Wyoming's welfare have been far reaching and effective.
B. J. STEFFEN.
B. J. Steffen, who is engaged in the drug business at Douglas, ranks with the wide-awake, alert and enterprising merchants of the town, recognizing the fact that efficient and satisfactory service must be the basis of his success. He is a comparatively young man, his birth having occurred on the 20th of Septem- ber, 1883, in Atalissa, Iowa, his parents being John J. and Louisa E. (Ireland) Steffen. The family came to Wyoming in 1885, when he was but two years of age, settling at Silver Cliff, where the father engaged in the drug business. After some years he removed to Douglas and purchased the drug store of C. D. Broadbeck, which he continued to conduct with growing success until his demise, when his son, B. J. Steffen, took over the business, which he has since owned and conducted.
To the public school system of Wyoming, B. J. Steffen is indebted for the early educational advantages he enjoyed. He attended the Lusk school and in 1891 he came with the family to Douglas, being at that time a lad of eight years. He has since been identified with the city and its interests. He re- ceived his business training under the direction of his father and in 1914 won a certificate as a registered pharmacist. At his father's death he succeeded to the business and is now proprietor of the oldest drug store of Douglas, the business having been established and conducted at the same location since 1891. He has a well appointed store, carrying a large and carefully selected line of drugs and druggists' sundries, and his business methods, which are based upon thorough
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reliability and earnest effort to please his patrons, have won for him a very liberal and well deserved patronage.
Mr. Steffen was united in marriage to Miss Ethel Cook, a daughter of A. D. Cook, and they have become the parents of three daughters. In politics Mr. Steffen is a republican. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity, in which he has taken the degrees of lodge and chapter, and in his life he exemplifies the beneficent spirit of the craft. which is based upon a recognition of the brother- hood of mankind and the obligations thereby imposed. He belongs to the Com- mercial Club and cooperates in all of its well defined plans and projects for the improvement and upbuilding of his city and the extension of its trade relations. When leisure permits he enjoys a hunting or a fishing trip, but he regards his business as his first interest and concentrates his energies upon its successful conduct.
HON. LAWRENCE R. BRESNAHEN.
For half a century Hon. Lawrence R. Bresnahen has been a resident of Cheyenne, having arrived upon the site of the city when there was scarcely a building to indicate that there was any thought of developing a town in this locality. Through all of the intervening period he has been closely associated with its growth and substantial development. His name is interwoven with its political records, with the establishment of its waterworks, with the framing of the city charter, with the erection of the capitol building and various other interests which are epochal in the records of Cheyenne. Five times he has been called upon to act as chief executive, and over the record of his public career there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil, for he has ever been actuated by the utmost fidelity to the public good and, moreover, his ability has enabled him to recognize the opportunities before the city in the way of sub- stantial improvement.
Mr. Bresnahen is a native of Ireland, his birth having occurred at Clummell in 1850. The father died in Ireland before his son Lawrence reached the age of seven years, at which time he and his mother crossed the Atlantic to the new world and established their home at Phelps, in Ontario county, New York, where he became a pupil in the public schools. He was sixteen years of age when he put aside his textbooks in order to start out in the world independently. He severed home ties and, turning his face to the west, traveled toward the setting sun in company with a youth of about his own age. They had resolved to seek their fortunes in the far west and made their way to Julesburg, Colorado, which was then a frontier town. His financial condition rendered it imperative that Mr. Bresnahen obtain immediate employment and he secured a situation in the meat market owned by the firm of Moore & Stanton. He proved capable and loyal to his employers, who in 1867 sold their business to him. In November of that year he removed his establishment to Cheyenne, Wyoming, erecting one of the first buildings in the city. Through all the intervening period, covering more than half a century, he has been closely associated with its active business enterprise and its financial development. His business interests have been wisely and carefully conducted and have brought to him a gratifying measure of success. Moreover, he has seen and utilized the chances for furthering the upbuilding of his adopted city and his work in this connection has been most farreaching and resultant. No man in Cheyenne has done more for the improvement of the city or to uphold the interests and stability of Wyoming. In 1876 he was elected mayor of Cheyenne, being called to the office in a most important year in the city's history-the year in which the patent for the town site was issued by the United States. The place was just beginning to outgrow its original boundaries and to put off its characteristics as a frontier town and it was largely through the able, farsighted and unremitting endeavor of Mayor Bresnahen that
HON. LAWRENCE R. BRESNAHEN
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the city waterworks plant was kept out of the hands of corporations and became the actual property of the municipality. In public affairs, as in his private business interests, he has readily discriminated between the essential and the non-essential and has been able to readily recognize the difference between the more important phases of any situation and its incidental or accidental cir- cumstances. He has therefore utilized what has seemed best to him for the development of the city and at all times his activities have upheld those interests which are a matter of civic virtue and of civic pride. He was selected as one of the able committee of twelve to prepare the new city charter for Cheyenne in 1878 and immediately after the adoption of the charter he was again elected to the office of mayor, being made the candidate of both the democratic and republican parties. In a word, his public course had been such as to win for him the endorsement of all fair-minded and progressive citizens. Five times he has been chosen to serve as chief executive of Cheyenne and his administra- tion in each instance has been characterized by many needed reforms and improvements. At the time of the construction of the state capitol building he was chairman of the second capitol building commission having charge of the matter and took upon himself the duties of superintendent of construction. He sacrificed his own personal interests in order to give his time and attention to the building commission. At a meeting held January 17, 1888, the following reso- lution was unanimously adopted: "Resolved, that the commission desires to place itself on record as being grateful in the highest degree to L. R. Bresnahen, the chairman and superintendent of construction, for his zeal, energy and skill manifested in behalf of the capitol; that to him the people are indebted in large measure for the thoroughness of the work performed on both the east wing and the west wing of said capitol. J. C. Baird, Secretary of the Second Capitol Building Commission."
During Mr. Bresnahen's last administration as mayor, in the years 1911 and 1912, Cheyenne's new and excellent water system was completed at a cost of one million dollars. During the same term when the city council passed a twenty- year franchise bill giving the telephone company largely increased rates for its service to the people, Mayor Bresnahen vetoed the bill and succeeded in having a new ordinance presented in which he secured such important concessions in rates as to make a saving to the citizens of Cheyenne of about thirty thousand dollars per year. In addition to this he required the company to take their poles from the streets and put their wires underground. The company also agreed to supply the city departments with the free service of twenty-five phones during the existence of their franchise.
Mr. Bresnahen is the owner of a fine stock ranch, comprising about two thousand acres of land, which is situated a short distance from Cheyenne and he is there extensively engaged in handling stall-fed cattle. In this undertaking he is associated with his nephew, John Smith, and the partners have met with marked success in this field of activity. Mr. Bresnahen has not only seen opportunities for judicious investment in real estate himself, but has also recog- nized the opportunities for the city in that direction. While he was mayor of Cheyenne he had Judge Mclaughlin draw up a bill to be forwarded to Hon. WV. R. Steele, then congressional delegate, authorizing the city to purchase six hundred and forty acres of land about a mile and a half north of Cheyenne. This tract is now very valuable and forms the base of the city's water supply. In 1876 he secured a large tract of land in the eastern part of Cheyenne which has since been developed into Lake Minnehaha Park. In a settlement with the railroad company in 1876 he obtained a deed to four blocks of land now con- verted into the beautiful city park in the heart of Cheyenne and also secured land for cemetery purposes without cost to the city. In 1891 and 1892 he built the Central Avenue viaduct and the Snyder Street subway and completed the water system. All of the lands which he thus acquired are now very valuable, adding much to the revenue and the wealth of the city. Mr. Bresnahen has displayed notable prescience and sagacity in dealing with public affairs, ever looking beyond
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the exigencies of the moment to the opportunities of the future. He has exerted an immeasurable influence on the city of his residence; in business life as a pro- gressive man and promoter of extensive commercial and agricultural enter- prises ; in social circles by reason of a charming personality and unfeigned cor- diality ; in politics by reason of his public spirit and devotion to the general good as well as his comprehensive understanding of the questions affecting munic- ipal, state and national welfare. A modern philosopher has said: "Not the good that comes to us, but the good that comes to the world through us, is the measure of our success." And judged by this standard alone, Mr. Bres- nahen has been a most successful man, for Cheyenne owes much to his efforts and his public spirit, and in the management of her municipal interests he has indeed contributed much to the world's good.
R. HOWARD EMBREE.
R. Howard Embree is a well known representative of commercial activity in Kemmerer, where he is associated with trade relations as the vice president of the Kemmerer Hardware & Furniture Company and president of the Up-to-Date Auto Company. The steps in his orderly progression are easily discernible and along the lines of consecutive effort he has reached his present creditable position.
He was born in Berea, Kentucky, September 20, 1889, a son of W. N. and Laura (Fee) Embree, the former a native of Pennsylvania, while the latter was born in Kentucky, in which state they were married. During the period of the Civil war W. N. Embree was in the telegraph service of the federal govern- ment and was connected with General Mcclellan's staff as scout and for a time was with McClellan's Third Army Corps in Virginia. He was twice taken prisoner while on active duty and for a period was confined in Libby prison. After the war he came to the west as telegraph operator for the Oregon Short Line and the Union Pacific Railroad Company. Later he turned his attention to merchandising at Devon, Pennsylvania, where he passed away in 1891. His widow survived him for more than a decade and spent her last days in Kentucky, where she departed this life in 1902. In their family were seven children: Mrs. Charles Rathbun, living in Kemmerer; Mrs. G. N. Miles, whose home is in Denver, Colorado; Hallie F., of Los Angeles ; W. D., who is assistant district attorney of New York city; R. B., who was killed in a railroad accident at Omaha; Edwin R., secre- tary of the Rockefeller Foundation in New York city; and R. Howard, who was the sixth in order of birth.
In his boyhood days R. Howard Embree attended school in Wyoming and afterward became a student in Berea College at Berea, Kentucky, where he was graduated with the class of 1902. Later he became connected with the Thomas Edison exploring party in northern Canada in search of nickel mines. Two years were spent in exploration work, after which he returned to Wyoming and engaged in sheep raising in Lincoln county. He carried on ranching as a member of the firm of Rathbun & Embree for six years and then disposed of his interests in that connection and took up his abode in Kemmerer, where he became connected with the hardware and furniture trade as a partner of Albert P. Heitz. With the or- ganization of the Kemmerer Hardware & Furniture Company he was chosen vice president and has since served in that capacity. The business has been built up to extensive proportions and the firm is most careful in the personnel of the house, in the standard of goods carried and in the treatment rendered patrons. Its progressive business methods have brought a growing patronage that is most gratifying. Further developing their interests, the three partners in the firm organized the Up-to-Date Auto Company for the sale of Overland and Ford cars and they also maintain a garage. This branch of their business has also proven notably successful. The partners are young men of marked enterprise,
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resourcefulness and ability and their interests are most intelligently directed, so that success has come to them in gratifying measure.
On the 26th of February, 1911, Mr. Embree was united in marriage to Miss Mary Scott, of Kemmerer, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Scott and a graduate of the University of Wyoming. Two children have blessed this mar- riage: Norris, who was born November 25, 1911; and Ralph, born September 27, 1914.
In politics Mr. Embree is a republican and from 1912 until 1916 he served as coroner of Lincoln county. He deserves much credit for what he has accom- plished, for he has advanced steadily through the force of his own character and his close application and determination. He worked his way through school, providing for the expenses of his college course, and he chose as his alma mater Berea College, which was founded by his maternal grandfather, John G. Fee, who was one of the early abolitionists of the south and a member of one of the wealthy southern families, who became known as one of the most prominent edu- cators in all that section of the country. In the paternal line Mr. Embree comes of Quaker ancestry, the family having been founded in New England at an early period in the development of the new world. Back of him is an honorable ancestry and his lines of life have been cast in harmony therewith. He has made good use of his time, his talents and his opportunities, and has become an im- portant factor in those things which lead to the substantial development of the west, as he holds at all times to high standards of manhood and citizenship.
CHARLES H. WORLAND.
Charles H. Worland, a leading stockman of Washakie county, is the founder of the town of Worland and one of the most prominent business men of northern Wyoming. It is said that "Opportunity knocks but once." Whether this be true or not, Mr. Worland determined that opportunity would not have to knock but once with him; that he would utilize his chance when it came, and it is this readi- ness and alertness on his part that has constituted the basis of his growing fortune. He was born in Missouri, where his parents had located in pioneer times. There he was reared and educated and in early manhood he made his way to the Pacific coast by the way of Cape Horn, making the voyage on a sailing vessel. After reaching his destination he engaged in the live stock business in California until 1886 or 1887, when he removed to Nevada, where he continued in the same busi- ness until 1898. In that year he came to Wyoming. His entire active life has been passed in the west and he has been a typical frontiersman, bravely and resolutely meeting all the hardships and privations incident to the settlement of a new coun- try. After making his way to this state he took up his abode on a homestead across the river from the present town of Worland. He proved up on that home- stead in 1904. The previous year he established a half-way house between Basin and Thermopolis and there also conducted a livery barn. His roadhouse was known to and is spoken of by all the cattle and sheep men of this part of the state, being regarded as an oasis on the desert, as it was the only place where travelers could be entertained over night or procure a meal between the two towns.
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