Owen S. Samuel, lawyer and county attorney of Lyon county, was born at Arvonia, Osage county, Kansas, Oct. 1, 1882, the son of William and Lillie (Williams) Samuel. His grandfather, Richard L. Samuel, was a native of Wales, who immigrated to America with his family and settled near Emporia, where he engaged in farming and also worked at his trade of stone mason. William Samuel was also born in Wales, where he was reared and received his early education. He came to America in the early '70s and went to Wisconsin. In 1875 he came to Kansas and took up land in Osage county, broke it up and soon had a fine farm. He was thrifty, made a comfortable fortune and has now retired from active life and is enjoying his declining years at his home in Topeka. Mr. Samuel is a Republican in politics, but never aspired to hold office. Owen Samuel's maternal grandfather was a Georgian, born and reared near Columbus. He came to Kansas at an early day and located on a prairie farm in Osage county where he lived until his death.

Owen Samuel received his early education in the public schools, attended the Emporia High School, Emporia College and the State Normal School at Emporia. He decided to become a professional man and to this end entered the Kansas City Law School, Kansas City, Mo., where he graduated in 1903. After receiving his degree he located in Emporia for the practice of his profession. He began to practice with Lambert & Huggins; later was associated with Dennis Madden, and in 1906 opened an office of his own. In 1908 he was elected county attorney on the Republican ticket and in 1910 was reëlected. Mr. Samuel is a young lawyer of great promise, highly respected in Emporia, and is regarded as one of the rising men of the Emporia bar. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of America and is a member of the Brotherhood of Railway Trainmen.

In 1906 Mr. Samuel married Ruth, daughter of G. W. Ellis, one of the faculty of the state normal school at Emporia. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel have one child, Owen G.