JAMES WESLEY HART, Abilene JAMES WESLEY, son of Philip and Fanny (Bishop) Hart, was born at Conneaut, Ashtabula county, Ohio, March 31, 1852. His father is an intelligent mechanic and successful business man in Conneaut; his mother, who died when he was two years old, was a well educated, Christian lady, and with her husband, a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. His paternal grandfather was a soldier in the war of 1812, and his great-grandfather in that of the Revolution. James W. Hart commenced work in a printing office, in his native State, at fifteen years of age, and soon became a capable, practical printer. At seventeen years of age, he made his first visit to Kansas, and remained one year, working in the office of the "Eldorado Times," Hon. T. B. Murdock, editor, after which he returned to his native State and attended school for two years. In 1873 he was married and immediately came to Kansas, purchasing, in July of that year, the "Solomon City Newspaper," which he conducted until October, 1874, when he became editor and manager of the "Chronicle," at Abilene; removed to that place and consolidated the two papers under the title of the "Dickinson County Chronicle," which he still conducts, taking a hand at the case as well as a seat in the editorial chair, being a practical printer and thoroughly acquainted with all the mechanical work of the office. Mr. Hart has always been a Republican, straight out; received his political education in the Joshua R. Giddings' school, and, being a resident of the same county, pursued his studies at the fountain head. He is a member of the benevolent order of Odd Fellows; joined the Methodist Episcopal church when a youth fourteen years of age, and still remains a member of her communion. January 7, 1873, he was married, at Conneaut, Ohio, to Miss Anna Hayne a well educated young lady, an occasional contributor to the press, and a writer of considerable ability. They have one child, Ruth Elizabeth, aged four years. Though quite a young man, Mr. Hart evinces fine editorial abilities and gives promise of future success in his chosen profession. The United States Biographical Dictionary and Portrait Gallery of Eminent and Self-Made Men. Chicago and Kansas City, USA: S. Lewis, 1879. Page 54 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ EDWARD EVERETT HAZLETT, M.D. From 1880 until his death on June 17, 1915, Doctor Hazlett practiced medicine and surgery at Abilene, Kansas. That was a period of thirty-five years. He was one of the pioneers in his profession at Abilene, and began practice there when the city to some extent still retained the prestige and the somewhat unenviable prominence it derived as a center of the great cattle industry. Without disparaging the merits and attainments of his contemporaries it can be state that Doctor Hazelett was always the leader of his profession that city, not only in point of time and in the extent of his practice, but in personal character and individual ability. He came to Abilene after a splendid training and experience which had given him almost unlimited opportunities to perfect himself in the complicated science of which he was always a student and close observer. Doctor Hazlett was born January 10, 1852, at Cincinnati, Ohio, son of Robert and Sarah A. (Leader) Hazlett, and he was sixty-three years of age when he was taken away in death. After being educated in the public schools of Zanesville, Ohio, he graduated from the College of Pharmacy and was also a graduate of the medical department of the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia. He further enjoyed a special course in New York City in the car, eye, nose and throat diseases under the eminent Professor Knapp. Besides all this training he had the advantages of practical experience during his association with the Philadelphia Hospital. In 1880 Doctor Hazelett came to Abilene. He had all the practice he could attend to in a few yeas, and more and more as the years went on he gave his influence and energies to those movements which were for the benefit of the entire local profession and for the good of the community. He was one of the prime factors in the organization of the Golden Bell Medical Association. The first hospital at Abilene was owned and operated by Doctor Hazlett. He enjoyed the esteem and admiration of his contemporaries in practice in Kansas, and was frequently a prominent figure in the meetings of the American Medical Association. Doctor Hazlett was one of the leading members of the Episcopal Church of Abilene, and for many years was junior warden; he was a thirty-second degree Scottish Rite Mason, and was three times eminent commander of the Knights Templar. On June 16, 1885, at Glens Falls, New York, Doctor Hazlett married Miss Alice Elizabeth Mott, member of an old and prominent family and daughter of Judge Isaac and Mary A. (Cox) Mott. Mrs. Hazlett was born in Glens Falls, New York, October 23, 1857, and since her husband's death has continued to live in her old home at Abilene. She is the mother of two children. Helen is a graduate of Bethany College at Topeka, Kansas. Edward Everett, Jr., who was born at Abilene February 22, 1892, was graduated from the United States Naval Academy with the class of 1915, and is now a young officer in the United States navy. A Standard History Of Kansas and Kansans, by William Elsey Connelley, page 2556 O O O O GEORGE W. HURD In 1869, a few years after the close of the war in which he had fought for the Union with an Illinois regiment, George W. Hurd pioneered into Dickinson County, Kansas, and established himself on a homestead. However, during his long residence in the county and at the City of Abilene, he has been best known and distinguished as a lawyer. He was one of the pioneer members of the bar, and has long held a place of leadership in the profession and in public affairs. Born at Lafayette, Illinois, June 20, 1846, he has recently passed the mark of three score and ten, and to some degree is lightening the professional burdens on his own shoulders and shifting them to his sons, two of whom are active lawyers. His own parents were Theodore F. and Catherine M. (Driscoll) Hurd. Theodore F. Hurd was born in 1814 at Sparta, New Jersey, a son of Stephen and Nancy (Hinchman) Hurd, natives of the same state. Theodore Hurd, who died at Galva, Illinois, in 1899, spent his active career as a merchant. It is noteworthy that he was elected a member of the Illinois Legislature from Stark County in 1860, his name as a candidate being on the same ticket as that of Abraham Lincoln, who at that time headed the republican ticket as candidate for president. Catherine M. Driscoll was born in 1824 in Connecticut and died at Galva, Illinois, in 1904. She was the mother of five children, three sons and two daughters. George W. Hurd spent his boyhood at Galva, Illinois, attended the public schools there, and his education was still incomplete when he enlisted in Company G of the One Hundred and Thirty-second Illinois Infantry and went away to fight the battles of his country. From the homestead which he took up when he came to Dickinson County in 1869, Mr. Hurd removed to Abilene in 1877, and opened a law office, beginning the active practice of law which he has continued ever since. In 1880 he was elected county attorney of Dickinson County, an office he held six consecutive years, by repeated elections. As a republican he has long been a forceful leader in his party in that part of the state. He has been a delegate to state conventions and otherwise has rendered yeoman's service for the republican cause. Fraternally he is a member of Abilene Post No. 63, Grand Army of the Republic. On April 4, 1869, the year he came to Kansas, he was married at Davenport, Iowa to Miss Ella Frances Comstock. Mrs. Hurd was born at Little Falls, New York. April 4, 1850, and after an ideally happy married life of more than forty-five years she passed away at her home in Abilene June 3, 1915. She was a daughter of Francis A. and Anna M. (Boothroy) Comstock, who were also natives of New York. Mrs. Hurd was a very religious woman, active in church, and also long prominent in clubs and literary circles at Abilene. As a member of the Federation of Women's Clubs she was a delegate to both state and national conventions. Mr. and Mrs. Hurd had four children, all sons, Theo W., born May 20, 1872, died May 20, 1878. Paul, born May 20, 1875, died May 20, 1904, just at the entrance to a promising career as a lawyer, having begun practice after graduating from the law department of the University of Michigan. Arthur Hurd, who was born February 10, 1878, is also a graduate of the law department of the University of Michigan, and is now actively associated with his father in the firm of Hurd & Hurd; in 1909 he married Miss Maud Rogers, and they have two children, George Arthur and Janet. Bruce Comstock, the youngest son of Mr. Hurd, was born January 1, 1890, was graduated from the Abilene High School in 1909, and from the law department of the University of Kansas with the class of 1914, and since his admission to the bar has practiced as a junior member of Hurd & Hurd. He was married November 20, 1913, to Miss Madeline Nachtman, a daughter of Andrew Nachtman, of Junction City, Kansas, where she was born July 23, 1893. A Standard History Of Kansas and Kansans, by William Elsey Connelley Pages 2557 - 2558