Commissioner B. BUCHLI. Mr. Buchli was born in Switzerland. He came to Wabaunsee County in 1876, was County Clerk from 1898 to 1903. Mr. Buchli lives on his farm near Sunbeam and is one of the stock-raisers of this county. At the present time he is County Commissioner.

Commissioner W. K. BEACH. Mr. Beach is an "Old Timer." He located at Keene in 1856. Wouldn't tell us anything about himself, hated awfully to have this picture taken. He doesn't seem to believe in making: "Graven images."

Commissioner J. J. MAILS. The writer has lost the notes on this man, but sees by the memorandum that he is the only man from Wabaunsee who "signed up."

Oscar Schmitz County Attorney Mr. Schmitz was born at Alma, December 26, 1875. He is a graduate of Dickinson County High School at Chapman, Kansas, and of the law course of the Kansas State University. He is serving his second term as County Attorney.

C. C. Stotler County Clerk Mr. Stotler was one of the men who knew it was no use to try and get away when we came after him for a contract to support this book.

L. B. Burt, County Surveyor. Mr. Burt is the County Surveyor, also Instructor in the Alma High Schools. He lives at Wabaunsee, but is not a historic character, except for the history he made in hiding out to avoid being put in this book.

F. M. Patterson Superintendent Mr. Patterson is Superintendent of Alma Public Schools. He hasn't missed a year from the school-room since he was a child. His ability, together with his forty-five years of experience makes him a valuable man in his profession.

C. E. Carroll Carey E. Carroll, one of the prominent younger citizens of Alma, was born at Maplewood, Ohio, September 15th, 1868. He was appointed Court Reporter of the Thirty-first Judicial District of Kansas, under Judge Wm. Thomson, where he remained eight years. During this time he read law and was admitted to the bar in 1895. In November, 1896, he was elected County Attorney of Wabaunsee County. Between 1898 and 1907 Mr. Carroll served several terms as reporter in the Appellate and Supreme Court at Topeka. For two years he was U. S. Marshal at Wichita. He has been a newspaper man of considerable merit and until recently was interested in several papers. Mr. Carroll is an extensive property owner in Alma, an active member of the Board of Education and of the City Council.

The Electric Light Company was organized in the fall of 1905 and the plant established. On December 21st everything was in readiness and the lights were officially turned on by Mayor Cassidy. The equipment was a fifty-horsepower simple automatic engine, a fifty-horsepower boiler and a fifty-kilowatt altimeter.

In October, 1906, Mr. W. B. Wilson bought out the other members of the company and took over the business. At that time the number of subscribers did not reach forty. In June, 1907, there were sixty-three subscribers.

The business is now growing beyond expectation, and Mr. Wilson will be obliged to rebuild at once. New machinery of greater capacity will be installed.

H. C. Stitcher H. C. Stitcher, editor of the Alma Signal, is one of the enterprising young men on which the future depends. He has been in Alma only two years, but has demonstrated clearly his ability as a newspaperman. He has lately been joined in his business by his brother, C. H. Stitcher.

S. H. Fairfield is one of the men who have been identified with the history-making of Wabaunsee County since he came to Kansas in 1856. He took part in the Civil War and Border Wars, serving in Company K of the Eleventh Kansas with honor and distinction. He has held many offices with credit, among them Postmaster in charge of the military mail for Missouri, Kansas, and Colorado in 1863; he was doorkeeper of the Senate and High Courts of Impeachment of Kansas in 1861-2, County Clerk in 1856, County Treasurer from 1867-81, Register of Deeds for several years. For two years he was editor and proprietor of the Alma Union and Trustee of Washburn College twenty-five years. The writer acknowledges a debt to him in compiling historical facts for this book.

W. G. Weaver Mr. W. G. Weaver, who is of New England birth, came to Wabaunsee with his parents in 1868, before pioneer days were over. This was his place of residence until 1895, when he was elected Clerk of the District Court and moved to Alma. At the close of his four years' official term, Mr. Weaver went into the real estate and abstract business. His residence of thirty-eight years in the county renders him particularly competent in both these lines of business - in the real estate business, because he knows every piece of land in the county and is able to meet the individual wants and needs of his customers; in the abstract business, because he knows the history of every piece of land. The four years spent as Clerk of the District Court also gives him valuable knowledge on this point. Mr. Weaver has the only established abstract business in the county. He also handles a loan and insurance business.

The Alma Enterprise, Sage & Little, editors and owners, is the oldest paper now in the county, being established in 1884, and since absorbing the News, established in 1868, and the Altavista Record. It has a list of 1,600 subscribers, by far the largest in the county. It put in the first power press, also the first gas engine in the country and was first to own its own home. Frank I. Sage, the senior partner, is a printer of thirty-five years' experience, and the fame of his excellent work is known over several adjacent counties. 0. W. Little, the junior member, is a native born son of the county, and for nearly four years was Deputy County Clerk. He was largely instrumental in establishing the Wabaunsee County Historical Society, the first county society in the State, and is its present secretary.

The Enterprise is Republican in politics and has always stood for what was best in the growth and upbuilding of the city and county.

Among the prominent breeders of Wabaunsee County are Arthur and Paul Schmitz, who are of Alma. They have been raising Poland-China hogs for the past four years. They have a herd of about one hundred and forty pigs. The young pigs are sold each year to farmers and stockmen for breeding purposes. They will have about eighty for sale this year.

The Schmitz Brothers are also getting a start in registered Hereford cattle. They have about a dozen head as a beginning and intend to increase their herd.

Among the new men who have come to Alma and established a business, of which the little city is proud, is Wm. Oetinger, President and Treasurer of the Oetinger Lumber Co. The Oetinger Lumber Co. owns yards at Harveyville and Alma. The yards were established April 15th, 1906. The above is a cut of the buildings put up at that time. The Harveyville yard was bought of the Harveyville Lumber Co. in 1906. These two yards are about equal in capacity, and a large business, running up to about $30,000, is transacted at each point.

All kinds of building material, including lumber, rough and dressed, shingles, lath, posts, lime and cement are dealt in. Coal and brick are also handled at the Alma yards. The different kinds of lumber handled are the yellow or Southern pine, the white pine, and redwood from California, fir from Oregon, cedar from Washington, cypress from Louisiana, and oak from Missouri. Mr. Oetinger is an experienced lumberman. He came to Alma from Riley, where he had been in the lumber business for fifteen years. He has energy and enterprise, and is doing his share to promote the interests of his city and county.

The Oetinger Lumber Co. is incorporated under the laws of the State of Kansas, and its officers are Wm. Oetinger, President and Treasurer; W. G. Means, Vice-President; J. E. Edgerton, Secretary.

J. B. Fields One man who has a system for keeping the boys on the farm, which beats all the "sage advice" ever printed, is Mr. J. B. Fields, real estate dealer in Alma. Mr. Fields realizes that one way to increase the demand for real estate is to make farmers. To this end he manages various contests - one of these the corn contest. Mr. Fields furnishes seedcorn to all boys of Wabaunsee County who care to go into the contest. Some of this corn of the new varieties costing $1.00 for three quarts. Twenty prizes will be given to the boys raising the best corn. The prizes are given by the business men of the county and are of an educational nature, such as a trip to Manhattan to inspect the live-stock and farming methods. The object is to teach the boys the very best kind of farming. Mr. Fields has been in Alma in the real estate business since 1892. He is an extensive real estate owner himself and pastures 1,800 head of cattle. He was the first Shawnee Insurance agent in Wabaunsee County, and is still in the insurance business.

Alma has three banks, the oldest of these The Alma National. It has a capital of $50,000, a surplus of $20,000 and is especially well backed by the following substantial directors: Fred Reuter, President, is a retired farmer, but still retains about 1,500 acres of choice real estate, besides his homestead. Mr. J. L. Shepp owns 4,000 acres of land in Farmer Township and in Lyons County. C. G. Willig, of Pavilion, who is considered one of the wealthiest, men of the county, owns a large area of valuable land. Mr. C. Thomson owns town real estate and a general store. Geo. Huber, manufacturer of hand-made boots and shoes. Mr. J. C. Goetzbach owns one of the largest stores in the county, also a fine farm. Philip F. Johnson, an old settler and retired farmer, has considerable money in property and stocks. Mr. J. R. Henderson is the cashier of the bank.

Dr. George W. B. Beverly U. S. Pension Examiner. County Health Officer. Coroner for the past two years. Offices fitted with latest equipment, including X-Ray Machine. Has an extensive practise over the entire county.

Mr. R. M. Buck, of near Eskridge, is one of the stock-raisers of great enterprise. He is making Poland-China hogs a specialty and his herd of one hundred head contains some very valuable animals, including some prize-winners.

Mr. Buck has a herd of fifty Shorthorn cattle, one of which was a prize-winner at the Kansas City Royal Stock Show.

Mr. Buck is also a breeder of Barred Plymouth Rock Chickens.

Knostman Clothing Co. MEN'S Ready-Made Clothing and Furnishings Shoe Emporium Latest Styles in all Goods.

G. H. Meier. Photographer. Mr. Meier is a Portrait and View Photographer permanently located at Alma, with branch galleries at Alta Vista and Paxico. He can be found - First Saturday of each month at Alta Vista. Third Saturday of each month at Paxico. Pictures copied and enlarged in India Ink, Crayon, Water Color and Pastel.

Transcribed from Business directory and history of Wabaunsee County pub. by The Kansas directory company of Topeka, Kansas, 1907. 104 p. illus. (incl. ports.) 21 cm. Advertising matter interspersed.

---

Name and Business Index
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z

---

Background and KSGenWeb logo were designed and are copyrighted by
Tom & Carolyn Ward
for the limited use of the KSGenWeb Project.
Permission is granted for use only on an official KSGenWeb page.

---

©1999 by Tom & Carolyn Ward

---

Home Page for Kansas

Search all of Blue Skyways including The KSGenWeb Project