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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