William H. Haskell

HON. WILLIAM H. HASKELL, former state senator and a business man of prominence in Kansas City, Kansas, was the organizer of the substantial institution known as the Haskell Investment Company, of which he is president. Mr. Haskell was born in Cortland county, New York, on the 2nd of November, 1853, and he is a son of Moses and Hannah (Edmonds) Haskell, both of whom were likewise born in the old Empire state of the Union and both of whom are now deceased. The father was a farmer by vocation, was a devout member of the Baptist church and he was summoned to the life eternal in 1856, at the early age of thirty-two years. His cherished and devoted wife passed away in 1865, at the age of thirty-six years. The maternal and paternal grandparents of him whose name forms the caption for this review were natives of Connecticut.

The only child of his parents, William H. Haskell was but three years of age at the time of his father's death. He was reared to adult age in his native place and after completing the curriculum of the public schools was matriculated as a student in the State Normal School at Cortland, New York. He attended the latter institution for a period of four years, at the expiration of which he secured a position as professor of mathematics therein. He was engaged in teaching school for a number of years in the state of New York and in 1872 he removed to Toledo, Ohio, where he entered the employ of the Wabash Railway Company in the capacity of bookkeeper. Subsequently he worked for a time in the bookkeeping department of the First National Bank of Toledo and still later he was appointed assistant county treasurer at Toledo. In the fall of 1879 he removed to Gaylord, Smith county, Kansas, where he turned his attention to the general merchandise business. With the passage of time he became interested in cattle feeding, banking and milling enterprises and he achieved success as an able business man. In 1904 he was honored with election to the office of state senator, serving therein for one term. In 1901 he was appointed by former Governor E. W. Stanley as a member of the state prison board and later he was re-appointed to the same office by Governor J. W. Bailey. In 1905 he was appointed, by Governor Edward W. Hoch, as prison warden of the state penitentiary at Lansing, Kansas, and he retained that incumbency for a period of four years. In 1909 he located in Kansas City, Kansas, where he became instrumental in the organization of the Haskell Investment Company, which concern is incorporated under the laws of the state with a capital stock of twenty-five thousand dollars and which is officered as follows, W. H. Haskell, president; T. T. Kelley, vice president; and R. R. Russell, secretary.

On the 6th of September, 1877, Mr. Haskell was united in marriage to Miss Antoinette L. Coy, of Toledo, Ohio, and they have two sons, concerning whom the following brief data is here incorporated: Frank C., is in the employ of the Armour Packing Company at Kansas City, Kansas; and Mason L., a salesman of cattle at the Kansas City Stock Yards.

In his political proclivities Mr. Haskell is a stanch supporter of the Republican party, in the local councils of which he is a prominent and active factor. In a fraternal way he is affiliated with the time-honored Masonic order, holding membership in Gaylord Lodge, Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons, and Smith City Chapter, Royal Arch Masons, in addition to which he is also a valued and appreciative member of the Kansas City, Kansas, Lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.