Biographical Sketches
JEROME TWICHELL
Treasurer of the Builders & Traders' Exchange, and president and general manager of the Kansas City Metal, Roofing & Corrugating Company, is one of the leading business men of Kansas City. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky, August 13, 1844, and is a son of Sophronius and Julia (Spencer) Twichell, the former a native of New York and the latter of Virginia. The father was a soldier in the Mexican War, serving in the commissary department. During the 30's he removed with his parents to Cincinnati, Ohio, and thence to Louisville, Kentucky. During the early part of his business career he began steamboating on the Kentucky river, and ran one of the first boats on that water, called Blue Wing No. 1. For some years he was in command of that vessel. While thus engaged, in Frankfort, Kentucky, he formed the acquaintance of the lady who afterward became his wife. On abandoning the river, he located in New Orleans and was engaged in the western produce commission business. The mother of our subject died in 1845, and in 1849 Mr. Twichell married Mary L. White, of St. Louis, daughter of Captain Joseph White, who ran one of the first boats up the Missouri river. Mr. Twichell carried on business in New Orleans, under the firm name of T. C. Twichell & Company, until the war broke out, when he removed to a cotton plantation he had purchased in Woodruff county, Arkansas, in 1860. He remained on this plantation until 1868, when he and his son Jerome went to California by way of the Isthmus of Panama to join the former's brother-in-law, who had crossed the plains in 1849, and was operating a gold mine on the Pacific slope. The father had previously accumulated considerable capital, but during the war had lost most of this. In 1869 he was called upon to mourn the death of his second wife, and soon afterward returned to New Orleans, where he lived retired until 1878. In that year he moved to Florida, where his remaining days were passed, his death occurring in 1889, at the age of 76 years.
By his first marriage Mr. Twichell had 3 children, 2 of whom are now living, namely: Mrs. Jacob N. Feaster, of Florida and Jerome. There is also one surviving child of the second marriage - Mrs. Aaron Cleveland, who also is living in Florida.
The subject of this review spent the greater part of his childhood in the Crescent City, and began his education in its public schools. He went to Arkansas with his father, whom he assisted in carrying on a cotton plantation there until after the breaking out of the civil war, when, in May, 1862, although only 17 years of age, he enlisted in Company E, 8th Arkansas infantry, in which he served as a private until the cessation of hostilities. He was captured at the battle of Peach Tree creek, near Atlanta, but was exchanged on the battleground. Later he was captured at the battle of Franklin, Tennessee, and was sent as a prisoner to Camp Douglas, Chicago, where he was held until the close of the war, covering a period of about 1 year. He suffered many of the hardships and trials incident to army life, but was always faithful to the cause under whose banner he fought, and was a brave and fearless soldier.
The war having ended Mr. Twichell at once returned to the old plantation, and some time afterward sought a home in his native city, where he secured employment as a salesman in a seed and implement house, remaining there until 1868. In that year he accompanied his father on a trip to California, where he engaged in mining for 6 months, but the work proved to him very unprofitable. He continued his residence in that state, however, until 1871, and aided in building the snow sheds on the Central Pacific railroad. In the early spring of 1870 he shipped aboard a merchant vessel, bound for Hong Kong, China, and remained in that interesting city of the orient for about 6 months, when the vessel was ordered to Manila, on the Phillippine islands. There they took on a cargo of sugar, and by way of the Cape of Good Hope sailed for New York, touching at Anjer Point, Java, and the island of St. Helena. The voyage of the vessel at this time continued for 16 months.
On arriving at New York City, Mr. Twichell left the sea and went to New Orleans, where for a short time he clerked in a grocery store. In the Fall of 1871 he returned to Louisville, Kentucky, and traveled for his old firm as a salesman until 1879, the year of his arrival in Kansas City. He has since been a prominent promoter of Jackson county's interests, and has been especially active in commercial circles. He first embarked in the grocery brokerage business, making a specialty of handling dried fruits and honey. Subsequently he consolidated his business with that of the firm of Clements, Cloon & Company, with which he was associated from 1884 until 1886, when he sold out and began his present line of business under the firm name of Jerome Twichell & Company. An incorporation was effected in 1890 under the present style of the Kansas City Metal, Roofing & Corrugating Company, of which our subject is president and general manager. They deal in corrugated iron, steel, brick, wire fencing, metal shingles, conductor pipe, eaves troughs, building paper, fancy ceilings, metal laths and prepared roofing. The business of the concern has now become extensive, owing to the capable management, executive ability and enterprise of the president. In December, 1893, Mr. Twichell was elected treasurer of the Builders & Traders' Exchange, and re-elected in December, 1894.
In 1885 was celebrated the marriage of our subject and Miss Cora L. Norman, daughter of Dr. J. W. Norman, of Kansas City. They have 2 children - Jerome and Norman D., aged respectively 4 years and 4 months.
In his political associations, Mr. Twichell is a democrat, and religiously is connected with the Episcopal church.
Portrayal of character is one of the most difficult tasks which falls to the lot of the historian, but in the life of such a man as Mr. Twichell many characteristics stand forth with startling clearness and his career furnishes many valuable and useful lessons, demonstrating what can be accomplished through the honest pursuit of a persistent purpose. In his success we read of his sound judgment and executive ability; the difficulties that he has overcome show us that he is perservering, while in the high regard in which he is universally held we learn of a straightforward, honorable life.
This page was last updated August 2, 2006.