Eli S. Bertram, deceased, was born in Sandusky county, Ohio, Nov. 4, 1846, and received his education in the public schools of his native state and Wisconsin. At the outbreak of the Civil war he enlisted at St. Joseph, Mo., on Aug. 16, 1861, and was mustered in at Kansas City, Mo. On September 20 of that year he, with his command, was taken prisoner at Lexington, Mo., but was paroled on the field and received an honorable discharge on Jan. 31, 1862, when the regiment was mustered out of the service. After leaving the army he taught school and at the same time read law and was admitted to the bar at Darlington, Wis., on June 27, 1870. On August 15 of that year he came to Kansas and opened a law office at Council Grove. Within a short time he formed a partnership with Isaac Sharp, and later became the attorney for J. S. Watkins of Lawrence, Kan., who established the first extensive land and loan business in the state. Mr. Bertram traveled extensively over the State of Kansas, examining land titles and securing and foreclosing defaulted mortgages. He became an expert in the law of real estate and, if a lawyer may be said to have a specialty, his was the unraveling of tangled and complicated land titles. All his life he was a student. He collected a large library of the best literature, which he used as only a lover of books can. Early in life he became a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and devoted much of his time to the interests of that order. He was made grand master of the Kansas Grand Lodge, grand patriarch of the Grand Encampment, and was a delegate to both of the supreme bodies of the order. He was a member of the committee which had charge of the investigation of the affairs of the Odd Fellows' Home at Manhattan. He is a charter member of Council Grove Camp, No. 345, of the Modern Woodmen of America, and was a delegate to three sessions of the head camp of that order.

Mr. Bertram married Mrs. Mary E. Dunn on Jan. 21, 1871. She died on April 4, 1894, and Mr. Bertram married Clara E. Stallard of South Bend, Ind., at Council Grove on Aug. 23, 1898. One child came to bless this union, Eli S., born Nov. 18, 1902. After the birth of this son Mr. Bertram divided his time between his office and home. He was a most devoted husband and father, and spent much time planning the future of his son. Mr. Bertram was an honest man, careful and conscientious in his dealings with his clients and a citizen of high standing, who believed every man should consider the privilege of suffrage a duty and vote for the best men in office. While he was not a member of any church he believed in the Bible and principles of Christianity, and lived a Christ-like life, ever striving to make the pathway of life easier for his fellow men. He was a member of the Masonic fraternity and the Knights of Pythias and several times represented the latter order in its grand councils. He believed in the ideas of these lodges, the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man, and was ever ready to assist the needy and help the weak in fighting life's battles. Mr. Bertram died at Council Grove, Kan., Dec. 10, 1909. Mrs. Bertram was born at Bourbon, Ind., April 12, 1865, the second daughter of William Stallard, a native of Ohio, who was a lawyer by profession. He came to Kansas and located at Thayer, where he died, in 1874. He was a lineal descendant of Sir William Pitt and Mr. Bertram was a relative of Bishop Simpson. Mrs. Bertram now lives in retirement at Council Grove and devotes her life to the care and education of her son.