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1913 Who's Who in Arizona

This book by Jo Conners was published in 1913. A small sampling of extractions are provided below.
Charles B. Keppler [Page 448]

Charles B. Keppler, Chief Deputy to Sheriff John Patty of Greenlee County, was born in San Angelo, Texas, July 2, 1877. He was reared and educated in New Mexico, however, as the family removed there when Charles was but a small boy. His first occupation was mining and prospecting, which he followed in both New Mexico and Arizona, and in this State he has also been interested in ranching. Mr. Keppler came to Arizona and located in what is now Greenlee County, in 1893. In 1902 Sheriff Parks appointed him one of his deputies, and until 1908 he was thus employed, having during this time made a record that can scarcely be excelled for ability, keenness and perseverance. During the term of Sheriff English, Mr. Keppler returned to ranching, but when John D. Patty was elected Sheriff of the County, he appointed Mr. Keppler his chief deputy, despite the fact that Sheriff Patty was elected on the Republican ticket, and Mr. Keppler is a consistent Democrat. The appointment was made February 15, Statehood Day. One of the feats which has been notable in Deputy Sheriff Keppler's career is the trailing of the men who killed two deputies, the chase having included a large part of New Mexico before he succeeded in capturing them. He has practically been in charge of the field work In the county during this administration. Mr. Keppler is a member of the Eagles and the W. O. W. He was married April 14, 1913, to Miss Dona C. George, of Carlsbad, New Mexico, and they make their home in Clifton.

Joseph Wiley Aker [Page 451]

Joseph Wiley Aker, Superintendent of the Schools of Greenlee County, was born in Grant County, Va., July 7, 1881. His father, A. D. Aker, died the next year, leaving five children who were soon forced to support and educate themselves with the aid of a devoted mother. Their efforts in this respect have been well rewarded, as two of his brothers are successful ministers and the remaining one a teacher. Their only sister died at an early age. When but 17 years old, Wiley Aker joined the 4th Tennessee Volunteers and spent four months in active service in Cuba. Having been mustered out he returned to his home, and proceeded to the coal fields of West Virginia, where he was employed until in 1901 in a wreck he lost his right hand and right foot. The following September he began attending school at Princeton, W. Va., continued studying and in 1906 was graduated with a B. S. degree from Emory & Henry College. He next went to Lordsburg, N. M., where he served three years as minister of the M. E. Church, and was married to Rae Miller, a music teacher of that town. In 1909 he took charge of the M. E. Church at Clifton, Arizona, and when Greenlee County was organized in 1910, he was elected to the position he now holds, when he resigned his work in the ministry. For the present term he was elected by a large majority. Mr. Aker helped make the first school law of the State, and at a meeting of school officials at Tucson in 1912 was made a member of the committee to get up a course in moral instruction for the pupils of the State. Mr. Aker is deeply interested in school work. He is also author of several short stories, and one book of fiction, which is now in course of publication in New York City. His family consists of three sons, Malcome M., Cecil E. and Greenlee M. Mr. and Mrs. Aker are interested workers in all church and educational affairs.

Frank Bray Laine [Page 505]

Frank Bray Laine, Judge of the Superior Court of Greenlee County, came of a line of distinguished jurists. His father, Thomas Henry Laine, was one of the ablest attorneys in California. He was a member of the Constitutional Convention of California in 1879, and the Constitution of the State was drafted largely from one written by him and submitted to the Convention. He was also a member of the State Senate in the 20th and 21st Legislatures and was active in behalf of progressive legislation. An orator of much ability, he was a potent factor in the Democratic party and an influence in the national politics of that day. He was also prominent in the Masonic order, and his son, Judge Laine, has kept the family name on the records of this order in a most commendable manner. The Laine family has long been connected with the development of the country. Judge Laine's grandfather having been a pioneer bear hunter of Missouri. Judge Laine is a native of California, having been born in San Jose in 1861. He was educated in the public schools of the State and at Franklin Academy, a private school named in his honor. He studied law in the office of his father, the first classical graduate in the State, who was graduated from the University of the Pacific in 1858. Judge Laine has attained high honors in Masonry in both the York and Scottish Rites, having taken the 32nd degree. He is also a member of the Knights Templar; is Past Master of the Coronado Lodge No. 8 of Clifton, and in 1910 was appointed Grand Orator for the State Lodge. He is also interested in other fraternal organizations and is Past Exalted Ruler of the Clifton Lodge of Elks No. 1174. In his manner of dispensing justice, which has been highly commended for fairness and depth of knowledge, Judge Laine has shown the benefits derived from his thorough training in law. His eldest son, Thomas Henry Laine, is now a student in the office of Charles S. Wheeler, one of San Francisco's well known attorneys, and his other son, Harry Nicholas Laine, is taking a special course at Stanford University.

Everett Victor Horton [Page 536]

Everett Victor Horton, first County Attorney of Greenlee, has also the distinction of having been the first District Attorney of Greenlee County, upon its formation. He was elected to his present office by a large majority, principally because of the fine record he made while serving under the Territorial laws. He was born in Maxwell, Tennessee, in 1880, finished the common school course in that State, and then attended Burritt College, where he took the degree of B. S. He then taught school for several years, until he came to Arizona, in 1903. Here he was first connected with the Arizona Copper Company in a clerical position for three years, after which he returned to Tennessee and took a course in law in Vanderbilt University, Nashville. He received his diploma in 1907 and at once returned to Arizona, was admitted to practice, and, until he was elected one of the last officials of the Territory, was engaged in building up a substantial practice. Mr. Horton is a Democrat of the Progressive type, and has become well known over the State as an able attorney and a strong prosecutor. Among the notable cases he has handled are the famous cattle thieves' conviction, and the securing of a life sentence for the murderer who recently killed two Deputy Sheriffs of the County. Mr. Horton married Miss Katherine Jean Anderson, a native of Waverly, Tennessee, and to the union has been born one son, Edward. Mrs. Horton is a descendant of one of the old southern families, and with her husband takes a prominent part in the social life of their home town. Mr. Horton is a member of the Odd Fellows and Moose lodges.

John D. Patty [Page 542]

John D. Patty, Sheriff of Greenlee County, was born in Columbia, S. C., in 1868. His parents were both natives of South Carolina, his father, Mark Patty, having been owner of a large flour mill for many years, and his mother was Hannah Cable Patty. Mr. Patty was educated in his native State and lived there until 1889, when he came to Arizona. Here he at once became associated with Wade Hampton in the cattle business and is still in partnership with him, being a member of the well-known Patty-Hampton Cattle Company. Before the organization of Greenlee County, while a resident of Graham County, Mr. Patty was appointed deputy to Sheriff Anderson, and was in charge of the eastern end of the county, and when division was made, he was elected Constable and made Deputy Sheriff, in which capacity he served in all five years. His record as peace officer was so high and his experience so broad that he had no difficulty whatever in securing the election to his present position, having been much in the lead of his ticket, and elected by a large majority over the incumbent at that time. Not only in a business and political way is Mr. Patty well known and popular, but in a fraternal way also, as he is a member of the Scottish Rite Masons, the Shrine, and the Elks. He was married December 22, 1912, to Mrs. Grace Kreuder, a native of Kansas.

James H. Kerby [Page 566]

James H. Kerby, first Assessor of Greenlee County, was born in Huntsville, Mo., April 30, 1881. He is the youngest son of Cliff T. and Cassie Rutherford Kerby, whose parents were among the most prominent and influential residents of Missouri. His father died when James was but three years old, leaving a widow and five children, four boys and one girl. Mr. Kerby was reared upon a farm, and received only the advantage of a graded public school education. Not being satisfied with this, through his own efforts he completed a commercial course in one of the best schools of Quincy, Ill., after which he located in the City of St. Louis, where he was associated with William Seely, Circulation Manager of "The St. Louis Star," for about a year. Mr. Seely then left this position and became interested in the Seely-Van Dyke Drug Company, East Orange, N. J., took Mr. Kerby with him, and for more than a year he was in the employ of this company. Then, through correspondence with an old schoolmate who was located there, he came to Arizona and made his home in Clifton, arriving there in May, 1903. He first worked in the drug department of the A. C. Co., and then took a position as bookkeeper of the Cromb & Shannon meat market. In 1905 he returned to Missouri and was married to Miss Cora Gibson, daughter of George D. and Emilio Gibson, one of the prominent families of Howard County, of which her father served as Sheriff for twelve years. On his return, however, he became dissatisfied with working for a salary, and started for himself in the real estate business. He was deputy to Assessor John J. Birdno from 1907 to 1911 in Graham County, and because of his fair, impartial and fearless manner of assessing, and his knowledge of taxation, he earned the reputation of being one of the best officers who ever served the county in that capacity. In January, 1911, Greenlee County was organized from Graham, making necessary the appointment of an assessor for the new county. Certain interests fought the appointment of Mr. Kerby, but he secured the appointment. He started out with a valuation of $5,762,447.66, and at the end of the first year, though having worked at a disadvantage on account of not having maps or plats, the result w r as remarkable, as after the equalization was made it was found that the county's taxable wealth showed an increase of $1,409,421.92. In the fall of 1911, when county officers were elected, Mr. Kerby led his ticket in amount of votes received by any candidate having an opponent. His assessment for the year 1912 showed a more remarkable increase, for after the equalization was made it was found that the taxable wealth of the county amounted to more than $12,726,000.00, an increase over that of 1911 of more than $5,503,000.00, or a total increase of $6,993,562.34 for two years. Mr. Kerby became a member of the Arizona County Assessors' Association in 1911, when it was organized, and has done some wonderful work in having this association recommend tax measures to the legislature, among which is the repeal of the bullion tax law. It was his draft of the measure creating the Tax Commission that was adopted by the Attorney General, and at the time of the appointment of this commission Mr. Kerby was offered the position of Secretary, and after the resignation of one of the members was offered a place on the commission, which he refused because he was offered the short term instead of the one made vacant by the resignation. Mr. Kerby has the reputation of being one of the best informed men in the State on the subject of taxation, always interested in the equalization of assessments. He is a progressive Democrat, interested in working for the best interests of Democracy. He organized the first Democratic club in Greenlee County, and the fruits of its labors are to be noted at each election. Mr. Kerby is a member of Elks' Lodge No. 1174, and Coronado Masonic Lodge No. 8, F. & A. M., both of Clifton.

William E. Kelly [Page 575]

William E. Kelly, Recorder of Greenlee County, is the youngest county officer in Arizona, and one of the youngest in the United States, having been but twenty-two years of age when he assumed the duties of his present position. He is a native of Arizona, having been born in 1889 in Tombstone, where his parents, Michael and Julia Sullivan Kelly, were among the early settlers. He was educated in the public schools and at St. Michael's College, Santa Fe. Mr. Kelly has been thoroughly trained, and before election to his present position was chief book-keeper at the Shannon Copper Company's store, where he showed marked ability as an executive and accountant. His ability to capably fill the position of Recorder of Greenlee County w r as evidently recognized during the campaign, as he led the ticket and was elected by a very large majority. Mr. Kelly is a brother of J. J. Kelly, Assistant Cashier of the First National Bank of Clifton, and, like him, is a strong member of the progressive Democratic party in the State. Genial, courteous and popular, the people who have dealings with the Recorder's office speak in highest terms of the manner in which the records of the county are being kept, and of the treatment accorded them by the youngest county official in Arizona. Mr. Kelly is also well known in the social life of Greenlee County, and is popular in fraternal circles, being a member of the Knights of Columbus and Elks, and actively interested in the affairs of both orders.

George H. Chase [Page 712]

George H. Chase, Senator from Greenlee County, is a veteran of the Civil War, an absolutely reliable business man, an all around booster, and one of the most gentlemanly and substantial citizens of Arizona. He \vas born in New York in 1843, and has been a resident of this State since 1898.. While Senator Chase can hardly be classified as a pioneer, he comes of a line of pioneers and statesmen. His father, Samuel P. Chase, was a well known pioneer of that section of New York in which the Senator was born, and like his distinguished relative Salmon P. Chase, of national reputation, was known as a progressive, wide-awake citizen whose word was as good as his bond. Since coming to Arizona, Senator Chase has been actively engaged in its upbuilding, and when Arizona was ready for admission to the Lnion, the people of his county united in choosing him their first representative in the State Senate, regardless of their political belief, for, although they knew him to be a progressive Democrat, they also knew what manner of man he is. George H. Chase is a fighter and builder, and he has aided in many of the important building enterprises of the State, especially mining buildings of Clifton-Morenci district, which bear the stamp of approval of competent judges. Senator Chase is a Blue Lodge Mason of more than forty years' standing, and is a member of Winnebago Lodge No. 33, of Portage, Wisconsin. During the Civil War he served three years as cavalryman and was wounded three times, and left the service a Sergeant-Major with two commissions in his pocket, neither of which he accepted. Like his military record, his record since has been without blemish, the credit for which he is perfectly willing to share with Mrs. Chase, who is known throughout the Gila Valley as "Aunt Maggie," where she numbers her friends by her acquaintances, and her delight is in doing good. Mr. and Mrs. Chase are a splendid and interesting old couple, though George H. denies being old. They have two daughters and one son. At the first session of the Legislature Senator Chase was Chairman of the Committee on Mines and Mining and member of five other committees, and at the special session was Chairman of the Committee on Education and Public Institutions and member of Enrolling and Engrossing, Labor, Mines and Mining, Constitutional Amendments and Referendum, and Corporations Committees. When the First Legislature of Arizona has completed its work, there is no man whose record as a member will more readilv prove up under the searchlight than the "Gentleman from Greenlee," one of the staunch sort, of whom the State may well be proud.

Matthew H. Kane [Page 736]

Matthew H. Kane, member of the First State Legislature from Greenlee County, was born in Wisconsin March 4, 1869, and is the son of James and Anna Martin Kane. In 1873 his parents removed to Nebraska, then very sparsely settled, and there his childhood was spent with only Sioux Indians for playmates. From them he thoroughly learned their language and the expert use of the bow and arrow. For several years, up to the time he was eleven years of age, his time was spent herding cattle. From the time he was eleven years until he was twenty-one, he was employed as clerk, railway mail clerk, and traveling salesman. About that time he removed to Butte, Montana, where he became engaged in mercantile business, and there he was married in the year 1900. In 1901 he came to Arizona to accept the management of the store department of the Shannon Copper Company, which position he retained until the time of the convening of the First State Legislature. During the regular session Mr. Kane was Chairman of the Committee on Counties and County Affairs, and member of several others, and at the special session he was member of the Committee on State Institutions and Expenditures, known as the "Ax" Committee; also of the Cornmittee on State Accounting and Methods of Business, and Banking and Insurance, and Chairman of the Committee on Counties and County Affairs. On the adjournment of the regular session Mr. Kane purchased a ranch in the vicinity of York, to which he is now devoting his time.

H. D. Keppler [Page 817]

H. D. Keppler, Deputy Sheriff of Greenlee County, was born July 12, 1859, in San Antonio, Texas. He is the son of Jacob Keppler and Anna Martha Ludwich, and a brother of Charles B. Keppler, Chief Deputy under Sheriff Patty of Greenlee County. His parents are both natives of Germany, but were married in San Antonio. Mr. Keppler was educated in the public schools of Texas, T vas first employed at farm work, and then drifted into mining in Dona Ana County, New Mexico. He came to Clifton, Arizona, February 18, 1885, and was first employed in the mines, but was shortly afterward appointed deputy sheriff, his first appointment having been under Billy Burchfield, of Graham County. He has now served more than twenty years in this capacity in Graham and Greenlee Counties. He was appointed for the present term by Sheriff John D. Patty, who places the question of party affiliation in a secondary position to that of fitness for the office, when one's ability and unusual qualifications have been proven beyond a doubt by years of service. Mr. Keppler has also served about eight years as Constable in Morenci. During all these years he has had some very exciting experinces while in the performance of his duty. He was in company with the deputies who were killed at Eagle Creek, twelve miles from Morenci, hut his horse fell crossing the river, causing Mr. Keppler to break his arm, and also to injure his leg. He was one of the participants in the fight in 1895 when two hold-up men were killed and one captured. Deputy Sheriff Keppler has taken part in all activities of peace officers since 1895. He was married April 13, 1907, to Mrs. Julia Smith, Their home is in Morenci.

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