Kansas History and Heritage Project-Reno County Biographies

Reno County Biographies
"The History of Reno County, Vol. 2," Sheridan Ploughe, 1917


WILLIAM A. LOE.

William A. Loe, an old newspaper man and for years the manager of the Home theater in Hutchinson, this county, is a Virginian by birth and has been a resident of Hutchinson since 1885, having arrived there on the crest of the "boom." He was born in Wheeling, Virginia, (now in West Virginia) on April 8, 1855, son of William and Jane (Lopman) Hornbrook Loe, both natives of Pennsylvania, the former of whom was the son of Welch parents and the latter of Irish parents, Mr. Loe's grandparents on both sides having been born on the other side of the Atlantic.

William Loe was a prominent contractor and builder in Wheeling and erected the largest brick building built in his day in that city. He was twice married, his first wife, who was a Thomas, having borne to him two children, Catherine and Thomas, both of whom are now deceased. He then married Mrs. Jane Hornbrook, widow of E. B. Hornbrook, who died leaving her with one child, a son, Francis B. Hornbrook, who died some years ago in Boston. To this second union there was born but one child, a son, William A., the immediate subject of this sketch, whose father died in 1856 when he was thirteen months old. Following the death of her husband, Mrs. Loe established herself in the milliner in Wheeling and was quite successful. In 1865 she moved to Athens, Ohio, with her children, in order that her elder son might have the advantage of attendance on the university at that place, and lived there for six years, at the end of which time she returned to Wheeling, where she remained for two years, at the end of which time she moved with her sons to Sistersville, West Virginia, where she spent the rest of her life, her death occurring there in 1875.

Upon the arrival of the family in Sistersville, William A. Loe worked for a time in a planing mill and then engaged in business for himself in the grocery and confectionery line. Later he engaged in the newspaper business and as editor and proprietor of the Sistersville Independent immediately began to exert a wide influence for good thereabout and it was not long until he was one of the best-known men in that section of the state. He was elected to the city council and also served as postmaster for four years, during the Garfield-Arthur administration. Through the columns of his newspaper he so vigorously and so insistently advocated the construction of the proposed Ohio River railroad between Wheeling and Parkersburg, West Virginia, that the road became a realty and the people and the railroad officials gave him, and yet give him full credit for making the road a success.

In 1885, attracted by the fine reports then being heard in the East concerning the amazing development of Hutchinson and of Reno county in general, Mr. Loe disposed of his interests in Sistersville and came to this county, locating in Hutchinson, arriving there on March i. of that year. He at once opened a job-printing establishment, his place of business being in the old Opera House block, and there he continued in business for seventeen years. In 1892, in connection with his printing establishment, he founded the weekly newspaper, The Clipper, which he published and edited for about twelve years, at the end of which time he sold it Sheridan Ploughe. In 1892, the same year in which he started The Clipper, Mr. Loe leased the Hutchinson opera house, at that time the only theater in the city, and considered at the time it was built as the best opera house in the state of Kansas. He managed that theater very successfully until 1904, in which year he became manager of the new Home theater, at the corner of B avenue and Main street and has ever since been in charge of the same. Mr. Loe is an active and energetic citizen and has been interested in various enterprises during his residence in Hutchinson. In 1887, in connection with his general printing business, he started the first newspaper in the town of Partridge, this county. The Cricket, which he owned but nine weeks, at the end of which time he had secured some very attractive contracts for public printing and accepted a proposition to sell at a handsome profit. In 1900 he bought out all the bill boards in the city of Hutchinson for advertising purposes and has operated the same ever since. He at once improved the general appearance of the bill boards and did this work so effectively that in 1915 he received the first prize of the National Billposters Association for the most attractive bill boards in the country.

On July 12, 1875, William A. Loe was united in marriage, at Sistersville, West Virginia, to Anna Eliza Totten, who was born at New Martinsville, same state, and to this union two children have been born, Josephine E., who died aged three years and six months; Cora, who married Charles R. Sterling, who owns an art store at Phoenix, Arizona, and has two children, daughters, Elizabeth and Dorothy. Mr. and Mrs. Loe reside in a very pleasant home at 222 First avenue, west, and take a proper interest in the social and cultural life of the city. Mr. Loe is a Republican and gives his intelligent attention to the political affairs of both the city and county. He is a member of the Woodmen of the World and for four years was recorder of the Ancient Order of United Workmen in Hutchinson.

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