The father bought an unusually large farm for the reason that he wanted his boys to grow up on his own farm. He did not want to see them go out and work for strangers. His capital was limited but he and his sons were industrious, and they were able to go into debt to acquire more land, and the farm was paid for in due time and improvements were made as rapidly as possible. The father farmed his place until his death, in 1901. The mother of George Scholz was a daughter of Godfred and Rosanna (Schwartzer) Seidel, and was born in Schlesien, Germany, April 10, 1840, and is now living with her son, John. The father was a farmer in his native land.
George Scholz attended the Atchison county schools, finishing at the Rock district school. He remained at home until he was twenty-six years old, when he rented a farm which he operated in partnership with his brother, Charles A. In 1905, George bought the farm which he now owns, and which consists of 120 acres in section 24, Lancaster township. The place was comparatively unimproved, having only an old house and barn. Since then he has built a modern eight-room house, electric lighted and modern in all respects. In addition, he has erected a fine barn, 40×36 feet in size. It is electric lighted and equipped with up-to-date conveniences. Mr. Scholz keeps graded stock on his farm and is a progressive farmer and conducts his farm in an efficient manner. When he and his brother were farming together, ten or more years ago, they sold corn from the field as low as fourteen cents per bushel.
Mr. Scholz was married to Anna Buttron, February 10, 1909. She was born October 20, 1877, and is the daughter of Henry and Rosanna Buttron. Mr. and Mrs. Scholz have two children: Gilbert, born December 31, 1909, and Karl, born January 16, 1914. Mr. Scholz is an independent voter. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows lodge, of Lancaster, No. 355, and attends the Lutheran church, of which his wife is a member. Mr. Scholz made his first investment in 160 acres in Sheridan county, Kansas, for $1,100 in 1902, and sold it three years later for $2,400.
THOMAS E. HORNER, M. D.
Diligence in the pursuit of success is inevitably rewarded, be it in the marts of finance or in the ranks of the learned professions. The profession of medicine has from earliest times offered opportunity for honor and social prominence, as well as giving its members a chance for bettering the condition of mankind in general as well as physical. The physician is at once the friend in need who alleviates our ills and is often the family adviser. To him very frequently are intrusted the secret troubles which beset his patients many times and he thus becomes a benefactor to mankind in more ways than one. Thus, the needs of this noble profession require a high type of individual who is at once a learned and skilled practitioner and gentleman in whom the people can place their trust. Dr. Thomas E. Horner is of the type of physician in whom one can have confidence and whose ability in his life work is marked, the best evidence of which is his large practice in and near the city of Atchison.
He is a native born Kansan, born on a farm on Independence creek in Doniphan county August 8, 1875, a son of Isaac and Elizabeth (Farrell) Horner, natives of Ireland. His father was born in 1836 in the town of Coleriyne, Ireland, and his mother is a native of County Cavan, North Ireland, born in 1842. Isaac died in Atchison county in 1911. He immigrated to America with his father, James Horner, who bought a farm near New York City, returning to Ireland where he resided for twelve years, after which he located in western Pennsylvania. From there Isaac removed to Kansas in 1859 and became a freighter across the plains, operating his own outfit. He married in 1866 and settled on Independence creek. Isaac left the farm in 1880 and removed to Atchison where he engaged in buying and shipping live stock until his death. He became well-to-do and was the owner of over 1,000 acres of land in Doniphan and Atchison counties. He was an excellent business man and a keen trader who was honest in his dealings and enjoyed the respect and esteem of those with whom he came in contact during his long life. Coming of an excellent Irish family, he was a younger son and had a brother named Samuel who was educated in Oxford University, and was an early settler in Atchison county, dying in Jackson county, Kansas, in 1886. The children born to Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Horner are as follows: Mrs. Elizabeth McGurk, Frankfort, Kan.; Mrs. Ella St. Peters, Denver, Colo.; James, who married Nellie Deigan and resides in Parnell, Kan.; Rose, at home with her mother, and Dr. Thomas E. Horner, with whom this review is directly concerned; Mrs. Marie Farrell, widow of James Farrell, of Atchison; and Samuel, who married Mollie Butler, and resides at Jarbalo, Leavenworth county.
Dr. Horner was educated in the parochial schools and Christian Brothers College at St. Joseph, Mo., from which academic institution he graduated in 1893 with the highest honors of his class. He then pursued the study of medicine and graduated from the Kentucky College of Medicine in 1897. For two years he practiced medicine at Vliets, Marshall county; then at Severance, Doniphan county, for a period which ended in 1911, prior to his location in Atchison. He has built up an excellent practice and has a beautiful home at 1114 Santa Fe street.
In politics Dr. Horner is a Democrat; he is a member of the Catholic church, and is affiliated with the Knights and Ladies of Security, the Fraternal Aid Societies, the Mystic Workers, and the Knights of Columbus. He is likewise associated with the Atchison County, the Kansas State and the American Medical associations. He served as police surgeon of the city of Atchison.
Dr. Horner was married January 11, 1898, to Sadie E. Armstrong, and to them have been born three children: Elizabeth, aged fifteen years; Mary, fourteen years of age, and Thomas, aged seven years. The mother of these children is a daughter of Thomas T. and Mary J. (White) Armstrong. Thomas T. Armstrong was born in 1846 in Canada and came to Kansas when a young man and entered the employ of the Missouri Pacific railroad. He is now living a retired life in Atchison. His wife, Mary J., died January 9, 1902, leaving one son, Fred, a resident of Seattle, Wash.