1901 Missouri Club Women Warrensburg (Missouri)

Mrs. Thomas E. Cheatham, Mrs. Frank Deerwester, Mrs. James C. Thornton, Mrs. Charles H. Howes,  Dr. Frances Coleman Smith, Mrs. Kate Ellis Reed Warrensburg, Missouri

Special Correspondence of the Sunday Republic

March 31, 1901

Warrensburg, Missouri March 30--Club women are prominent in Warrensburg, and add a charm to the social and intellectual life of this city.  Mrs. Kate Ellis Reed is the head of the School of Oratory and of the Conversational Church.  She is the wife of Captain Henry A. Reed of Company C, Thirty-second United States Infantry, whom President McKinley appointed last week to the position of Internal Revenue Collector of Bolanga, Philippine Islands.

Mrs. James C. Thornton is a member of both social and literary clubs.  She has done work in the Press Club and has been editor-in-chief of the Normal Review. In her the members of the San Souci and Columbian club meet. 

Mrs. Frank Deerwester is a member of the leading social clubs, a worker in the Musical Club, and often writes papers for the Press Club.  

Mrs. Thomas E. Cheatham is an accomplished young matron and is prominent in the social and club life of the city.  Mrs. Charles H. Howes is a member of the Columbia and Modern Novel clubs.

Doctor Frances Coleman Smith is one of the prominent physicians of Warrensburg.  She is president of the Woman's Press Club, the strongest woman's organization in the county. It was organized in April 1897. 

Biographical Sketch of Thomas E. Cheatham, Johnson County, Missouri, Warrensburg
From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918.
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Thomas E. Cheatham, vice president of the Citizens Bank of Warrensburg, is a progressive, public-spirited citizen, a native of Johnson county. He was born in Warrensburg in 1870, a son of John T. and Gussie M.(Chadwick) Cheatham, the former, a native of Virginia and the latter, of Missouri.  John T. Cheatham came to Johnson county, Missouri from Ray county in 1870 and was located in Warrensburg on Gay street.  Mr. Cheatham was engaged in the stock business and in supervising the management of his farms in Ray and Johnson counties.  At the time of his death, he was the owner of more than three thousand acres of land in these two counties.  In 1888, he and Marcus Youngs and Oscar Wadell organized the Citizens Bank of Warrensburg, of which financial institution John T. Cheatham was president for the remainder of his life.  To John T. and Gussie M. (Chadwick) Cheatham were born four children, who are now living: Thomas E., the subject of this review; William H., of Warrensburg, Missouri; Frank C., Three Lakes, Wisconsin; and Mrs. Erma Crossley, Warrensburg, Missouri.  The father died in 1901.  Interment was made in the cemetery at Warrensburg.  The widowed mother still makes her home in Warrensburg.  John T. Cheatham was one of the city's best and most substantial citizens and his loss to the good citizenship of Johnson county has been deeply deplored.  Mr. Cheatham was keenly interested in all movements which had for their object the betterment and uplift of the community and he was always an earnest supporter and liberal contributor to every worthy enterprise.  The Cheatham name is indelibly connected with the financial interests of Warrensburg and the commercial growth of Johnson county.  In 1897, Thomas E. Cheatham was united in marriage with Anna Jackson, daughter of R. L. Jackson, a prominent pioneer of Holden, Missouri.  To this union have been born two children:  Vivian, who is now a student in the Warrensburg State Normal School; and John T., Jr., who is in the Training school of the Warrensburg State Normal School.  The Cheatham residence is in Warrensburg at 414 South Holden street.  Mr. Cheatham is affiliated with the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of Warrensburg.  Besides his banking interests, he supervises his various farms in the county.  The Cheatham's have all been prosperous and extensive landowners and Thomas E. Cheatham is admirably maintaining the good name and reputation,  established by his father many years ago in this section of Missouri.

Frank Deerwester, 1906-1907
Frank Deerwester was the first president of Northwest Missouri State University in 1906-07.

Frank Deerwester was educated at Butler College, the Second District Normal School in Warrensburg, New York University, the University of Chicago and Harvard. He also spent a year in Germany studying at universities in Jena and Berlin.

Though president for only one year, Deerwester had an important impact on the fledgling Fifth District Normal School. He designed the first curriculum and implemented high academic standards in accordance with state requirements for teacher training. In addition, Deerwester fought early funding battles with regard to the construction of the Administration Building and other issues.

Deerwester was relieved by the Board of Regents after a single year. His fall from grace came as the result of a town squabble in which one faction campaigned for his removal, possibly due to his insistence on academic performance and accountability. But much of his original program - including fiscal responsibility, sound administrative procedures and classroom rigor - was soon reinstated.


Acting Principal, Frank Deerwester
Western Washington University


July 1st-31st, 1914

Degrees: AB Butler College; B.Div State Normal School (Warrensburg, Missouri); M Div New York University; Graduate work Harvard University, University of Jena and University of Berlin; PhD New York University.
Came to Western in 1907.
Taught psychology and education
Served as acting principal in July 1914.

December 30, 1965



Railroad Man, 100 Today, Recalled by Firm Wichita (AP)-^-On his 100th birthday anniversary today, Charles H. Howes will be remembered by the Missouri Pacific railroad, a company he served for 51 years before he retired in 1936. Railroad officials will present the centenarian a letter from tee president of the railroad congratulating him on the birthday and complimenting him for his years of service. Howes began working for Missouri Pacific in 1885 and retired as traveling auditor March 1, 1936. He has been blind since 1952. He lives with a niece in Wichita.

May 28, 1966

Charles H. Howes of Wichita, Kansas, formerly of Peru, who observed his 100th birthday last December, died at 3:55 a.m. Friday in the home of his niece, Miss Hazel Howes of Wichita. He was born Dec. 30, 1865, in Miami county, near Santa Fe. His marriage on Dec. 5.1888. was to Ella Bappert, who died July 19,1952. Mr. Howes was a retired traveling auditor for the Missouri Pacific Railroad. He lived in Peru until 1954 when he moved to Wichita to make his home with his niece. He was a member of the Peru Methodist Church, a life-member of the Corinthian Masonic Lodge, Warrensburg, Mo.; life-member of the Shrines Abdallah Temple in Kansas City, and the Kiwanis Club. Survivors include the abovementioned niece and four cousins, Mrs. Edward Stevens, Mrs. William Russell, Mrs. John Mitchner, and Miss Zora Guyer, all of Peru. Funeral services will be in the Eikenberry Funeral Home at 2 p.m. Wednesday and the interment will be in the Westlawn Cemetery, Denver. Friends may call at the funeral home after 7 p.m. Tuesday.