Biographies for Harper County, Kansas

BIOGRAPHIES FOR HARPER COUNTY, KANSAS

WILLIAM MOSES BARBER

William Moses Barber, for many years a prominent wholesale grocer of Anthony, was born near Cleveland, Ohio, May 18, 1858 and died June 5, 1932. He was the son of Benjamin and Eliza (Bowers) Barber. The father, a farmer, was born in Diss, Norfolk, England, June 20, 1820, and in 1854 came to the United States. His death occurred at Mahomet, Illinois, August 11, 1902. Eliza Bowers was born in Lakenheath, Suffolk, England, April2 6, 1823 and died at Staley, Illinois, April 15, 1903.
William Moses Barber attended public school and in 1878 came to Kansas, where he has since resided. At the time of his death he was president of the Anthony Wholesale Grocery Company.

Mr. Barber's marriage to Hattie Camp was solemnized near Winfield, Kansas, November 29, 1881. She was born in Abingdon, Illinois, December 21, 1862, the daughter of Jerimiah and Lucy (Merritt) Camp, her parents having been natives of Ohio. To Mr. and Mrs. Barber were born the following children, Oscar, September 14, 1882, who died April 12, 1893; Clyde Benjamin, January 17, 1885, who married Grace Manning; Charles July 6, 1886, who married Grace Beard; Florence May, April 30, 1888, who married Fred Dusenbury; Chester Ira, Novemer 13, 1893, who married Bertha Westling; and Grace Marie, December 19, 1901, who married Ray McMullin.

Mr. Barber was a member of the First Baptist Church of Anthony and at the time of his death was serving as chairman of the board of deacons of that church. He was a director of the Citizens National Bank until a short time prior to his death. Mr. barber was active in all civic and community enterprises. (Illustriana Kansas, by Sara Mullin Baldwin & Robert Morton Baldwin, 1933, page 69)

KIRKLAND A. BUSH

Kirkland A. Bush, osteopathic physician and surgeon, was born in Sedalia, Missouri, April 16, 1905, son of Milon Toney and Katherine (Threlkeld) Bush. The father is a native of Worth County, Missouri. The mother was born in Monroe, Missouri.
Educated in the public schools of St. Joseph, Missouri, until 1919, Kirkland A. Bush was graduated from Robidoux Polytechnic High School there in 1923. After leaving high school he was a student for one year at a junior college at St. Joseph and in 1927 was awarded the degree of Doctor of Osteopathy from Kansas City College of Osteopathy and Surgery.

On April 21, 1929, Dr. Bush was married to Mary Virginia Marshall at Wichita. Mrs. Bush was born in Garden City, Kansas, January 27, 1909. There is one son, Donald Milon, born January 27, 1930.

During his years of practice, Dr. Bush has written various professional papers for osteopathic journals. He is a member of the American Osteopathic Association, the Kansas State and Southern Kansas Osteopathic Associations now being secretary and treasurer of that last mentioned. He is president of the Chamber of Commerce and a member of Harper Christian church. During the world war, Dr. Bush held the rank of second lieutenant in the Reserve Officers Training Corps, and aided as a member of the Boy Scouts of America. Residence: Harper. (Illustriana Kansas, by Sara Mullin Baldwin & Robert Morton Baldwin, 1933, page 182)

MELVIN LEWIS HOLADAY

Melvin Lewis Holaday, postmaster of Anthony, was born near Neoga, Illinois, December 14, 1869, and since October, 1872, has resided in Kansas.

His father, David H. Holaday, was born in Clinton County, Ohio, March 16, 1844 and from 1877 until 1915 engaged in the mercantile business. He served in the Civil War as a private in the 88th Ohio volunteer Infantry, and from 1888 until 1894, was a member of the Hutchinson city council. His death occurred at Hutchinson, November 2, 1931. Of English ancestry, his family were pioneers in Ohio.

Evalyn De Maris Mills, wife of David H. Holaday, was born in Indiana, February 23, 1852 and pioneered with her husband in Kansas. She resides at Hutchinson at the present time. Her ancestry is Scotch and English.

Upon his graduation from high school at Hutchinson on May 18, 1888, Melvin Lewis Holaday read law one year and then taught school in Reno County for three years. He engaged in the bakery business at El Dorado from May 11, 1893, until March 17, 1897, when he accepted the position as traveling salesman. He worked for various firms until January 15, 1907 when he entered the farm loan and insurance business, continuing until March 10, 1926.

While in the farm loan business, Mr. Holaday served six years as justice of the peace. He was appointed post master on March 10, 1926, his term to expire in 1934. He is a Republican.

On January 29, 1901, he was married to Harriet May Smith at El Dorado, her birthplace. She was born September 6, 1877 of English parentage.

Mr. Holaday served five years in the second regiment band of the Kansas National Guard and during the World War was active on various committees. He is fond of golf, shooting and auction bridge, and is a member of the Anthony Country Club. He is a Mason, a member of the Lions Club, the Red Cross and Grace Episcopal Church of Anthony. Residence: Anthony. (Illustriana Kansas, by Sara Mullin Baldwin & Robert Morton Baldwin, 1933, page 540)