Daniels, Henry H.

The following data is extracted from A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans.

Henry H. Daniels has been a resident of Kansas City, Kansas, for over twenty years, and had risen from some of the minor responsibilities of business life to the presidency of the Armourdale State Bank at 514 Kansas Avenue. He is a Kansan by birth, and had always been loyal to the state where he grew up and where his carser had had its training and its successes.

He was born on a farm six miles west of Olathe in Johnson County, December 19, 1874. He was the seventh in a family of eight children born to Richard and Bridget (Comfort) Daniels. His parents were born natives of Ireland, where they grew up and married. On coming to America they first located at Urbana, Ohio, where Richard Daniels followed his trade as stone mason. In 1861 he came to Kansas, locating in Johnson County, though previously he spent some time in Kansas City, Missouri, where he built the first market house. As a contractor he did a great deal of masonry and general construction work, and handled a number of contracts for railroad building. He owned the farm in Johnson County largely as a place upon which to rear his sons, and the raising of stock, cattle, horses and mules and the cultivation of the fields, were largely left to the boys. All of them became well versed in agriculture as a practical proposition. The family maintained their home on the farm until 1891, when Riehard Daniels moved to a town home in Olathe, where he died in 1892. His widow subsequently came to Kansas City, Kansas, and died in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1912. Richard Daniels was a democrat without any aspirations for public office, and he and his wife were devout Catholics, were kindly and neighborly people and left an impress for good upon the communities wherever they lived.

An older brother of Henry H. Daniels was the late William H. Daniels, who died in 1912. He was an undertaker, and at one time was president of the Kaw Valley Drainage District.

Henry H. Daniels spent his early life on the old farm in Johnson County until he was nineteen. In the meantime he attended the district schools and for two years was a teacher in his native county. On leaving the farm he joined his mother in Kansas City, Kansas, and found his first employment as a bookkeeper. He also served a term as assistant postmaster under Doctor Fitzhugh during the second Cleveland administration, and for six years was deputy treasurer of Wyandotte County under Martin W. Stewart and treasnrer McLain.

Mr. Daniels had been actively identified with the Armourdale State Bank since 1901. His first office was that of assistant cashier, but in the following year be was made cashier, and performed those duties nntil 1913. Since that year he had been president. The Armourdale State Bank was organized in 1887, and is now the oldest bank in Kansas City, Kansas. Its original capital was $20,000, and in 1916 this was increased to $50,000. The deposits now aggregate almost a half million dollars. The success and standing of this bank and the remarkable growth of its deposits are due Mr. Daniols more than any other one personal factor.

Mr. Daniels is a director of the Mercantile Club of Kansas City, Kansas, and is a member of the Armourdale Improvement Association. Wherever possible he lends his aid and support to movements that will direetly benefit his city. He is a member of the Kansas State Bankers Association, is a democrat, had served on the Central Committee, but had never looked with favor upon any proposition to hold office himself. He and his family are members of the Catholic Church.

On December 7, 1905, Mr. Daniels married Minnie F. Ramp, of Kansas City, Missouri. Mrs. Damels was born in Kansas, a danghter of William F. and Mary L. (Brady) Ramp, who for many years lived on a farm near Ottawa. Mr. and Mrs. Daniels have one son. William Francis, new three years of age.

Source: A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans

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