Biographies of Shawnee County, Kansas

SHAWNEE COUNTY, KANSAS

BIOGRAPHIES

ABRAHAMS, JOHN VANNEMAN

John Vanneman Abrahams, lawyer, and fraternal insurance executive, was born in Woodlawn, Maryland, October 28, 1867, son of Cornelius Smith and Clarissa Dickinson (Vanneman) Abrahams. The father, a merchant, was born at Port Deposit, Maryland, and died at Woodlawn. The mother, also born at Port Deposit, died at Woodlawn.

John Vanneman Abrahams attended public school and West Nottingham Academy. He received his Bachelor of Laws degree from the law department of Union University, where he was a member of Delta Chi.

For about 15 years, he was engaged in the practice of law, and since June, 1908, has been secretary for the Security Benefit Association. He is secretary-treasurer of the Security Trust Company, secretary of the Johnson Serum Company, and of the Kaw valley Livestock Company. He is a director of the Central National Bank, the Central Trust Company and vice president of the Capitol Building and Loan Association.

A Republican, Mr. Abrahams served as a member of the Kansas legislature in 1927 and 1928, and from April 1927, until October 1, 1930, was a member of the state highway commission.

On October 16, 1912, he was married to Meliora Clarkson Hambleton at Topeka. There are two children, John H., born August 10, 1913, and Elizabeth V. August 31, 1918. Mrs. Abrahams was born in San Francisco.

Among Mr. Abrahams' memberships are the First Methodist Episcopal Church, the Young Men's Christian Association, the Red Cross, the Chamber of Commerce, the Rotary Club, the State Historical Society, and the Shawnee Bar Association. He is fond of golf, and is a member of the Topeka Country Club. His hobby is flowers. Residence: Topeka. (Illustriana Kansas, by Sara Mullin Baldwin & Robert Morton Baldwin, 1933, page 5)

AGARD, ROLLIN FREDERICK

Rollin Frederick Agard, city auditor of Topeka, was born in Kirwin, Kansas, March 19, 1902, son of Frederick May and Effie May (Freeman) Agard. The father, a carpenter, was born in Kirwin, October 22, 1874, of French ancestry. Effie May Freeman was born in Ludlow, Ohio, May 30, 1872, and is of Irish descent.

Educated in the public and high school of Beloit, until 1921, Mr. Agard has since completed his education as a student of the Alexander Hamilton Institute. He became cashier of the United Telephone Company at Beloit in August 1921, holding that position for the period of a year. He became a bank clerk in January, 1923, which position he held until April 1927 when he became assistant cashier of the water and light department of Topeka. Since 1919 he has held his present position. He is a Republican.

His marriage to Lela Ferrill Walters was solemnized at Topeka, on November 10, 1926. Mrs. Agard was born in Burlingame, Kansas on September 13, 1902.

Mr. Agard is a member of Lowman Methodist Church at Topeka, Orient Lodge No. 51 of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Topeka Consistory, Arab Temple of the Shrine and Media Grotto. His club is the Washbugn Golf Club, and his hobby is music. Residence: Topeka. (Illustriana Kansas, by Sara Mullin Baldwin & Robert Morton Baldwin, 1933, page 13)

ALLARD, HARRIET WRIGHT

Harriet Wright Allard, home economist, was born in Chicago, Illinois, April 24, 1880, and for 15 years has resided in Kansas.

Her father, Henry Talcott Wright, was born in Lisbon, Illinois, September 3, 1844, and in 1866 was graduated from Beloit College and in 1868 was graduated from Michigan Law school. He was an expert accountant. His family were among 17th century settlers in Connecticut, founding settlements both in that colony and in Massachusetts. Henry Talcott Wright died at Pueblo, Colorado, May 6, 1922.

Emma Schofield, his wife, an artist and musician, and a graduate of Baker University, was born in England, December 15, 1845, and died at Manhattan, Kansas, August 20, 1922. Her father, William H. Schofield, was first financial agent of Baker University and a member of one of the first Kansas legislatures. He settled in Kansas with his family about 1858.

Upon her graduation from elementary schools in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1895, Harriet Wright attended Central High School there, graduating in 1899. She attended Chicago University from 1899 until 1901, and was graduated from Stout Institute School of Home Economics in 1917. In 1923 she received the degree of Bachelor of Science from Kansas State College of Agriculture and Applied Science. She has one brother, William R. of Denver, and one sister, Mrs. John W. Macauley of Menominee, Wisconsin. Another sister, Mrs. Lewis Barnum, died at Pueblo, Colorado in 1919.

On August 8, 1904, she was married to Henry D. Allard, at Pueblo, Colorado. Mr. Allard was born in Monroe, Wisconsin, June 26, 1877. There is one son, Henry, born May 15, 1907, who is a graduate of Kansas State College and a second lieutenant in the Officers Reserve Corps.

Between the years 1917 and 1920 Mrs. Allard was extension home economics specialist at Kansas State College. The following five years she was household management specialist there, and in 1925 became director of the home economics department of the Glidden Company and the Sherwin-Williams Company. Since that time she has been director of the Household Searchlight, national testing service. She is the author of numerous magazine articles, bulletins and pamphlets on home economic subjects, and of department articles each month in the Household magazine.

Mrs. Allard is a Republican. She is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Grace Episcopal Cathedral, the Young Women's Christian Association, the American Home Economic Association, and the Red Cross. Her favorite sport is swimming.

Mrs. Allard died July 17, 1933. (Illustriana Kansas, by Sara Mullin Baldwin & Robert Morton Baldwin, 1933, Pages 20-21)

ALLEN, GEORGE AUGUSTUS JR.

Beginning as a teacher in the public schools of Kansas, in the 1890's, George Augustus Allen, Jr., was from 1927, until his death on December 7, 1932, state superintendent of public instruction for Kansas.

He was born at Rolla, Missouri, June 30, 1868, the son of George Augustus and Anna Maria (Ellis) Allen, Sr. The father, was born at Attleboro, Massachusetts, February 2, 1827, and died at Ontario, Kansas, December 10, 1916. He was a lawyer, an educator, and a farmer whose English ancestry traces through back eight generations to Massachusetts settlers in 1635. Anna Maria Ellis, his wife, was born in Attleboro, January 1, 1843, and died there on December 14, 1888. Before and after her marriage she was a teacher for several years. She also represents the eighth generation of her family in America. Her grandfather and several other members of the family served in the Revolutionary War.

Upon his graduation from the rural schools of Nemaha County, Kansas, in 1891, Mr. Allen completed his high school course by attending Campbell University at Holton, and the preparatory department of Emporia State Normal School. He received his degree of Bachelor of Science in Education from the State Teachers College at Emporia in 1916, and his Bachelor of Arts degree from Campbell University in 1916. During the summers of 193-14, he was a student at the University of Kansas.

Starting as a rural school teacher, Mr. Allen became village principal, city superintendent of schools, county superintendent of schools, and from 1927 until death was state superintendent. He was a Republican.

On July 3, 1897, he was married to Emma Maude McComas at Circleville, Kansas. Mrs. Allen was born at Circleville on June 20, 1876 and before her marriage taught in the public schools two years. Her father came from Missouri and her mother from Ohio. There are four children, Anna M., now Mrs. William R. Rickert; Charles M., who married Helen McKee; Fred A., who married Louise McKown; and Paul J., who married Dorothy Ralston. Mrs. Rickert now lives at Marysville, Kansas. Charles is associated with the Southwest Building and Load Association of Wichita, Kansas. Fred is in the mercantile business in Lexington, Kentucky and Paul is in the insurance field in Topeka.

Mr. Allen was affiliated with the First Methodist Episcopal Church, Frankfort, Kansas. He was a member of the Young Men's Christian Association, the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (honorary), and the Anti-Saloon League. A 32nd degree Mason, he was a member of the Scottish Rite and Shrine bodies, the Eastern Star, and Topeka Consistory. He was also a member of Toltec Rite and the Modern Woodmen of America.

Among other organizations in which Mr. Allen held membership are the Kansas State Board of Education (chairman); Kansas State Schoolbook Commission, the Kansas School Fund Commission (secretary); the Kansas State reading Circle Board (chairman); and the National Educational Association, of which he was vice president in 1929. He was also a member of the Kansas State Teachers Association, the Parent-Teachers Association, the State Historical Society, the Kansas Authors Club and the Argonauts of Topeka. He was the author of Allen's Complete Register (1905), Kansas Normal Training Examination Booklet (1915), Kansas Spelling Tablet (1929). Residence: Topeka. (Illustriana Kansas, by Sara Mullin Baldwin & Robert Morton Baldwin, 1933, pages 22-25)