Russell A. Algire

RUSSELL A. ALGIRE. - As state agent for Kansas of the National Surety Company of New York, with headquarters in Kansas City, Kansas, Mr. Algire holds an office of marked importance and responsibility and his incumbency of the same affords the best evidence of his executive ability and sterling personal characteristics.

Mr. Algire finds a due mede of satisfaction in reverting to the Sunflower state as the place of his nativity and to the fact that he is a representative of a family whose name has been linked with its history since the pioneer days. He was born at Wellington, Sumner county, Kansas, on the 24th of November, 1879, and is a son of Willard and Lillian (Topping) Algire, the former of whom was born in Sangamon county, Illinois, and the latter in the city of Baltimore, Maryland. The parents now reside in Kansas City, this state, and of their two children Russell A., is the elder; the younger son, George W., is now engaged in contracting in Kansas City, Missouri. Willard Algire was reared and educated in Illinois, whence he came to Kansas in 1877 and numbered himself among the pioneers of Sumner county, where he secured from the government a homestead claim of one hundred and sixty acres of land, near the present village of Belleplaine. He gave his attention to the development and improvement of his farm for a period of five years, at the expiration of which he sold the property and removed to Van Buren county, Iowa, where he continued to be identified with agriculture pursuits until 1884, when he removed to Fayetteville, Washington county, Arkansas, in which state he continued to maintain his residence until 1909, when he came to Kansas City, Kansas, where he has since lived virtually retired. He is aligned as a stanch supporter of the principles and policies for which the Republican party stands sponsor, is affiliated with the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and both he and his wife hold membership in the Christian church.

Russell A. Algire is indebted to the public schools of Fayetteville, Arkansas, for his early educational privileges, which were supplemented by a course of higher academic study in the University of Arkansas. In 1898 he located in Kansas City, Missouri, and for the following year he was there employed as a representative of the National Surety Company, of New York city. He then assumed the responsible position of traveling passenger agent for the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, with headquarters in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio. After retaining this position three years he again entered the employ of the National Surety Company, with headquarters at St. Louis, Missouri. In 1907 he established his residence in Kansas City, Kansas, as state agent for the same company, of which office he has since remained incumbent and in which he has built up a substantial business for the concern. He has shown marked executive and administrative ability and has enlisted the co-operation of sub-agents of the highest order. He is recognized as one of the representative insurance men of the state and is held in high esteem in both business and social circles in his home city. He is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity and the order of Moose, and his political allegiance is given without reservation to the Republican party.

On the 9th of June, 1909, Mr. Algie was united in marriage to Miss Cecilia McEvilley, who was born and reared in Cincinnati, Ohio, and who is a daughter of Peter and Mary McEvilley, who still reside in that city and both of whom were born in Ireland.