Robert P. McColloch.—The McColloch family is of Scotch origin and is mentioned in the early annals of Scotland and in the writings of Sir Walter Scott. It is identified with the early history of the Virginia colony, with the American war of Revolution, with the Indian wars, succeeding the revolution, with the history of the territory of Ohio—a member of the family being the first white child born in that territory—and with the early history of the State of Ohio.

Robert P. McColloch was born at Bellefontaine, Logan county, Ohio, and is a son of William McColloch and Nancy (Robb) McColloch, both now deceased. The father was, during his lifetime, a merchant, and was one of the first of the merchants of Bellefontaine. He held many positions of trust and honor in the city and county and was for many years, and until his death, a ruling elder in the Presbyterian church of Bellefontaine. He was educated in the schools of the town, graduated from the high school and continued his studies at Wittenberg College, Springfield, Ohio, where he was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. He read law in the office of McLaughlin & Dow, at Bellefontaine, and having passed the examinations before the committee of the supreme court of the state, was offered and accepted a partnership in that firm. One of his preceptors was the Hon. Duncan Dow, author of the Dow liquor law of Ohio, and a man eminent in his profession. While reading law he was elected a clerk of Bellefontaine and served in that capacity two terms.

In June, 1887, Mr. McColloch removed from Ohio to Anthony, Harper county, Kansas. There he practiced his profession and was very successful, doing a large business and appearing in many of the important cases tried in the district court of Harper county and having business in sixty-five of the other judicial districts of the state and in the courts of appeal and the supreme court of the state. His residence has been at Anthony continuously, except for two years in Wichita, where he was editor and part owner of the "Wichita Star." In 1896 Mr. McColloch was the Republican presidential elector for the Seventh Congressional district, Kansas. In 1898 he was elected county attorney of Harper county, and held that office for two terms, being the only Republican in office in the county for a greater part of that time. He has always been an active worker in the Republican party. Before reaching his majority he was making speeches, in Ohio, under the direction of the state Republican committee, and since locating in Kansas has taken an active part in the speaking campaigns in the county and state. Since coming to Kansas he has delivered an address on Decoration Day at some point in the state, every year, except five. He is regarded as one of the best of the Kansas orators and is in demand for addresses on Decoration Day, at high school and college commencements, and other occasions. During all the time that he has practiced law in Ohio and in Kansas, Mr. McColloch has been a contributor to the local press and to many of the Eastern and Middle West dailies, besides writing for some of the periodicals and magazines of the East and West. So strong was the desire to enter the field of journalism that he finally determined to give more of his time to that and less to the practice of the law. Since 1907 he has been associated with the "Anthony Bulletin." In September, 1909, he purchased a half interest in the Bulletin Printing House, owned then by W. L. Hutchinson, and he and Mr. Hutchinson now carry on the job printing business and publish the "Anthony Bulletin," under the firm name of "The Bulletin Printing House." Mr. McColloch recently erected a brick and stone building in the center of the business section of the city of Anthony for the exclusive use of the printing plant.

Mr. McColloch is happily married, his wife being a graduate of Glendale College, Cincinnati, Ohio. Mrs. McColloch's father was the late James Walker, many years mayor of Bellefontaine, Ohio, United States district collector of revenue under Abraham Lincoln, a lawyer of marked ability, a partner for more than forty years, and until his death, of Judge William H. West, "the blind man eloquent," of Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. McColloch have one son, James Walker, a graduate of the Kansas State Agricultural College, at Manhattan, with the degree of Bachelor of Science, and is employed by that institution as an instructor, and also as an assistant in the department of entomology.