ADELL, JOSEPH REYNOLD
Joseph Reynold Adell, superintendent of schools
at Marquette, was born there on September 9, 1893, son of Charlie Gustaf and Augusta Olivia (Anderson) Adell. The
father, who was born in Smalan, Sweden, March 14, 1852, came to the United States in 1872. He was a retired farmer
at the time of his death in Marquette, May 6, 1930. Augusta Oliva Adell was born in Smalan, June 9, 1862 and resides
at Marquette.
Educated first in the rural schools of Lindsborg, Joseph Reynold Adell attended public school at Marquette, and
in 1913 was graduated from high school there. He became a student at Bethany College and in 1917 received the degree
of Bachelor of Arts. He was active in debate and music, secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association, secretary
of the student council and business manager of the college paper in 1917. In the same year he received a basketball
letter. During the summer of 1929-30, 1930-31 he attended the summer sessions of Kansas University.
From 1917 until 1918 Mr. Adell was
a teacher at Buffalo, Kansas. He taught in France during the early months of 1919, and alter in the year became
principal of the Marquette High School. He taught at Dodge city from 1921 until 1923, and the following three years
was superintendent at Ford. He was supervisor in the training school at Las Vegas from 1926 until 1928, and since
that time has held his present position.
On December 24, 1920, he was married to Mildred Hannah Thorson at McPherson. Mrs. Adell was born in Topeka, July
31, 1897 and died at Las Vegas, August 2, 1928. There is one daughter of this marriage, Jo Ann, born October 6,
1922. Mr. Adell's second marriage was to Ellda Ruth Gustafson.
Mr. Adell is a Republican. He is a member of Covenant Mission Church, the Young Men's Christian Association, the
Red Cross, the National Education Association, and the Parent Teachers Association. He served with the American
Expeditionary Forces in Frances during 1918-19 with the rank of corporal, participating in the engagement at Metz
and in Alsace-Lorraine. He is fond of golf and tennis, while his hobbies are school and church activities. Residence:
Marquette. (Illustriana Kansas, by Sara Mullin Baldwin & Robert Morton Baldwin, 1933, page 12)
ANDERSON, CARL MAGNUS
Carl Magnus Anderson, druggist, and insurance executive,
was born in Stockholm, Sweden, August 11, 1877, son of Carl Johann and Charlotte Gustava (Johannson) Anderson.
The father, born in Stockholm in 1849, was the son of Anders and Margaret Anderson. He was a physician and surgeon,
who received his degree from the University of Stockholm, and whose death occurred at McPherson in 1893. _
Charlotte Gustava, his wife, was born in Stockholm, November 11, 1837, and died at McPherson, August 8, 1913. Carl
Magnus Anderson attended McPherson public schools, and was admitted to the practice of pharmacy in Kansas. He was
a druggist and a salesman for a drug company for fifteen years, and for the past twenty years has been the proprietor
of the Carl M. Anderson Insurance Agency.
His marriage to Kathryn Frances White Baugh, was solemnized at Garden City, August 22, 1909. She was born at Appleton
City, Missouri, February 25, 1890, daughter of George M. and Attillia (Arbuckle) Baugh. Her ancestry traces to
Captain Matthew Arbuckle and Thomas Witten of the Revolution, and in 1930 she was regent of the Daughters of the
American Revolution. She is a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, and the American Order of Pioneers.
There is one daughter, Attillia Charlotte, born December 27, 1910, who received her Bachelor of Science degree
from McPherson College in 1932, and is a graduate student in bacteriology at the University of Kansas.
Mr. Anderson is a Republican, and is serving as chairman of a local committee. He has been a member of the McPherson
Band forty years and is chairman of its board. He is past exalted ruler of the Elks, past commander of the Knights
Templar, past noble grand of the Odd Fellows, and past patron of the Order of Eastern Star.
His other memberships include the Lions Club (secretary 1928-29; vice president 1932; personnel representative
of district governor 1932-33; president 1933-34), the Chamber of Commerce, the McPherson Retailers Association,
the Red Cross, the National Insurance Association, the Kansas Insurance Association, the Young Men's Christian
Association, and the First Presbyterian Church. He is a member of the Senior Golf Association of Kansas, and served
as president of the McPherson Country Club in 1928. His favorite sports are hunting and golf. His hobby is the
McPherson band. Residence: McPherson. (Illustriana Kansas, by Sara Mullin Baldwin & Robert Morton Baldwin,
1933, page 34)
GRONDAL, BROR G.
At the very head of the profession of photography
in Kansas stands Bror G. Grondal, who for thirty consecutive years has conducted the
leading studio at Lindsorg. Mr. Grondal both in his profession and in other lines of activity is a man of widely
diversified experience. His career is an interesting one since he came to America in childhood years and has fought
continuously a brave and unremitting struggle until he placed himself in a position where he is master of a congenial
profession. Mr. Grondal is a former president of the Kansas State Photographers Association.
He was born in the famous university City of Upsala,
Sweden, January 11, 1855. His parents, John G. and Sophia (Yack) Grondal, spent all
their lives in Sweden. He lived in his native country until he was fourteen and in the meantime attended the University
of Upsala. Bravely facing the world alone, he set out for America, and landed at Savannah, Georgia, without means
or influence. The first year he worked as clerk in a general merchandise store at Stanford, Florida. The next year
he was employed as a chainman with a surveying corps and also put in one year in a sawmill. Other experiences followed
and for a year he was a salesman in New York City and then enlisted as a sailor, and sailed for five years, tow
years in the United States Revenue Service and three years in the deep Water and Coastwise Service, going around
the world and seeing all the different foreign countries.
On leaving the sea he came inland and lived in
Chicago for a number of years. While there he was a grocery salesman five years and then took up the study of photography.
Mr. Grondal worked under the guidance of some of the experts and masters of the art in that city, and later he
was
employed for three years in some of the best studios of St. Paul, Minnesota. For four years he had studios of his
own at different cities in Texas, and in 1887 he came to Lindsborg and opened a studio which he has conducted now
for thirty years. His proficiency and the quality of his work have improved from year to year, and there is great
advantage derived from the fact that he has been so long situated in one community. He has had customers from all
over the state and his work has received unstinted praise both in and out of the profession. He knows all aspects
of practical photography and is also an expert in color work. Some years ago Mr. Grondal erected a brick building
especially designed and equipped for the purposes of a modern photographic studio. Besides his service as president
of the Kansas State Photographers Association he was its treasurer a number of years.
On October 21, 1886, at Round Rock, Texas, Mr.
Grondal married Miss Sarah M. Noyd. Mrs. Grondal is of Swedish parentage and was born in
Illinois February 4, 1859. Seven children have been born to their marriage. Edith, who graduated from Bethany
College at Lindsborg, is now the wife of Paul Carlson, of Seattle, Washington; Bror L., also a graduate of Bethany
College, is an instructor in the Washington University at Seattle; Ruth Sarah, who graduated from Bethany College,
is now a teacher; Eunice has graduated from Bethany College and is teaching in the State of Washington; the daughter
Rose is now deceased; Lillian and Elsie, the youngest daughters, were both educated in Bethany College. Mr. Grondal
and his family are popular members of social circles in Lindsborg and are active members of the Swedish Luther
Church. (A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans, By William Elsey Connelley, Page 2558, submitted by Lisa Smalley)
McCRAY, DAVID O.
David, O. McCray was born in Caldwell county, Missouri, March 10, 1855. His parents are William and Nancy (Carroll)
McCray. The father was a staunch Union man in the midst of a hot-bed of Missouri rebellion and bushwhacking. Both
parents are prominent members of the Christian church. They have had eleven children, three of whom are dead, and
the subject of this memoir is the eighth. Two of their sons were soldiers in the Union army.
Davis was educated in the common and high schools
of his native place, receiving a good business education. He served a regular apprenticeship to the printing business,
in the Caldwell “Citizen” office, and in 1877, commenced the publication of the Hartford “Enterprise,” in Lyon
county Kansas, and after about five months became connected with the Morris county “Enterprise,” at Parkerville,
and about July 1, 1878, established the McPherson county “Freeman,” a Republican paper, which he still conducts,
making it one of the firm, reliable Republican papers of the State. He is a member of Philoxenia Lodge No. 124,
Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He is a member of the Congregational church. In politics, he has always been
a Republican.
He was married at Hamilton, Caldwell county, Missouri,
May 1, 1878, to Miss Carrie L. Stevens, a lady of culture, especially distinguished in music. (The United States
Biographical Dictionary and Portrait Gallery of Eminent and Self-Made Men. Chicago and Kansas City, USA: S. Lewis,
1879. Page 274)
SPILMAN, JAMES ALEXANDER
James Alexander Spilman, the treasurer of McPherson county, was born at Salina, June 8, 1869, a son of Alexander
C. and Mary A. (Kennison) Spilman. (See sketch.) James. A. Spilman received his elementary education in the public
schools and then entered Lindsborg College, Lindsborg, Kan., where he graduated with the class of 1895. Mr. Spilman
had always loved the country and after leaving college invested in a farm near Roxbury, which he conducted until
I9o6. He was thrifty, industrious, introduced modern methods and demonstrated that they paid. From first locating
in the country Mr. Spilman took an active interest in local affairs and politics and, in 1906, was, elected treasurer
of McPherson county on the Republican ticket. He filled this important office so efficiently that in 1908 he was
reelected by a flattering majority. Mr. Spilman is a member of McPherson Lodge, No. 172, Ancient Free and Accepted
Masons; Chapter, No. 48, Royal Arch Masons, and Garfield Commandery, No. 18, Knights Templars.
On June 20, 1904, Mr. Spilman married Minnie M., the daughter of Charles J. Sheffer of Roxbury, Kan., and two children
have been born to the union: James Vivian, born Feb. 18, 1905, and Vernon Alexander, born Oct. 18, 1906. Mr. Spilman
is held in high esteem by the citizens of McPherson county and is regarded as one of the substantial and prosperous
men of the community. His name stands for integrity, uprightness and clean living. During his terms in public office
he has gained the confidence of the people who demonstrated their feelings when they elected him to an office of
trust a second time. (Kansas Biography, Vol. III, Part 2, Page 770, submitted by Millie Mowry)
