Biographies for Rush County, Kansas

ATHERTON, WENDELL PHILLIPS

Wendell Phillips Atherton, editor and publisher of the LaCrosse Chieftain, was born in Salina, Kansas, June 3, 1902, son of Hezekiah Martin and Olive (Phillips) Atherton. The father, who is a native of Illinois, participated in the opening of the Cherokee strip. He is a retired photographer, of English ancestry.

Olive Atherton was born in Salina, Kansas, June 16, 1869, and before her marriage was a bookkeeper for the Lee Mercantile Company. Her family came from Paisley, Scotland, her uncle, Colonel William Phillips, being one of the founders of Salina. Her father homesteaded within the city limits, Avhich homestead has been occupied by the family for about 70 years. Upon his graduation from public school at Salina in
1916, Wendell Phillips Atherton attended Lincoln Junior and Washington High School at Salina. He was a carrier boy for the Salina Journal for about two years, and at 18 became assistant to the advertising manager of that paper. This position he held four years, and in 1924 left to become advertising manager of the Russell Record, at Russell, Kansas. He continued in this position until 1928, end in the following year became editor - and part owner of the Ellis Review Headlight, at Ellis, Kansas.

On September 12, 1929, he purchased the LaCrosse Chieftain, at LaCrosse.

On June 30, 1925, Mr. Atherton was married to Alma Elizabeth Fose, the daughter of Henry and Anna (Boxberger) Fose, at Russell. Mrs. Atherton is of German descent, and was born in Russell, December 27, 1903. There is one daughter, Patricia Ann, born July 25, 1930.

Mr. Atherton is a Republican. He is a member of the state Chamber of Commerce, the LaCrosse Chamber of Commerce, the Lions Club, the Masons, Eastern Star, the Red Cross and Salvation Army. He is a member of the Golf Club. He enjoys golf and swimming, while his hobby is mechanics. Residence: LaCrosse. (Illustriana Kansas, by Sara Mullin Baldwin & Robert Morton Baldwin, 1933, page 47)

BAKER, JOSEPH HARRISON

Joseph Harrison Baker, physician and surgeon, was born at Montreal, Missouri, February 21, 1889, son of Joseph Prigmore and Marinda Isabelle (Carlton) Baker. The father, a retired farmer, was born in Camden County, Missouri, in 1853, and died in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1924. During the last few years of his life he was a general merchant. His wife, Marinda, who was born in Miller County, Missouri, is descended from early settlers in America, coming from Wales. She lives at Tulsa.

Joseph Harrison Baker attended the public and high schools of Linn Creek, Missouri, and in 1910 was a student at State Teachers College at Springfield. He received his Medical degree from the Eclectic Medical University at Kansas City on May 7, 1915. In 1927 he took post-graduate work at Berlin and London. His fraternity is Tau Alpha Epsilon. Dr. Baker has been in active practice since his admission in 1915.

On April 6, 1911, he was married to Lottie Lee Find-ley at Independence, Missouri. Mrs. Baker was born at Versailles, Missouri, September 25, 1884. She is a member of the Sunflower Club, the American Legion Auxiliary, the Order of Eastern Star and the Rebekahs. To them were born two children, Hermia, February 14, 1914, who died February 16, 1914; and Wilma Dell, April 19, 1915, a student at Ward-Belmont.

For nine years after his admission to practice Dr. Baker was engaged in general practice at La Crosse and in 1924 he built the Baker Hospital there, which he has operated since, doing a general practice of medicine and surgery.

He is a Republican, and has been county health officer of Rush County for a number of years.

Dr. Baker is a member of the American and Kansas State Eclectic Medical Association, the Masons, the Odd Fellows, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Lions Club. He served two years in the World War with the rank of first lieutenant in the medical department, and at the present time holds the rank of captain in the Medical Reserve Corps. His religious affiliation is with La Crosse Christian Church. Residence: La Crosse. (Illustriana Kansas, by Sara Mullin Baldwin & Robert Morton Baldwin, 1933, pages 60-62)