James W. Catley

JAMES W. CATLEY. - An essentially representative and public spirited resident of Rosedale, Kansas, is James W. Catley, who is here engaged in the general grocery business and who is also interested in railroad construction. For a number of years he has lived in Wyandotte county and his influence and strength of character have always been wielded toward progressive lines and for the upbuilding of this great western commonwealth. His success in life is not attributable to any element of chance, but on the contrary to a persistent purpose and a marked determination to forge ahead.

A native of England, James W. Catley was born at Leeds, on the 15th of June, 1863, and is a son of Amos and Sophia (Pickard) Catley, the latter of whom is deceased. The Rev. Amos Catley is pastor of the First Episcopal church of Annapolis, Maryland. In 1869, when James W. was a child of but six years of age, the Catley family immigrated to America and located in Philadelphia, where until 1876 the father was pastor of an Episcopal church in that city. Immediately after the close of the Centennial Exposition of 1876 the family came west and located in the state of Kansas. However, residence was maintained here but a few months, the family then returning to their native land - England -where the mother passed on to the Undiscovered Country.

In the public schools of Philadelphia and in those of England James W. Catley, of this review, received his preliminary educational training, which was later supplemented very effectively by a goodly course of instruction in the school of experience. At the time of the Russian scare, young Catley entered the civil service branch of the British navy and gave service to that institution for a period of nine years. In that time he assisted in the construction of railroads between Jaffa and Damascus, Sydney and Melbourne, New South Wales, Adelaide, South Australia, and Malta, and Auckland, New Zealand. In 1891 he determined to return to America and in that same year came again to Kansas, bringing with him a bride. After his arrival in this state he entered the employ of the Rock Island Railroad Company as car inspector, and continued as such for a period of seven years, at the expiration of which he began to work for the Santa Fe Road, his headquarters being at La Junta, Colorado, where he was chief car inspecter and general car foreman. He served in the latter position for five years and then began to work for the Frisco system as car inspector and general car foreman. He served in the latter position for five years and then began to work for the Frisco system as car inspector at Memphis, Tennessee, where he was also assistant foreman for some three years. In 1905 he resigned his position with the Frisco Company in order to take charge of the Missouri Pacific Railroad yards on the East Bottoms of Kansas City, where he remained one year. He is now with the Missouri, Kansas & Topeka Railroad Company as car carpenter, his headquarters being at Rosedale. For a time he was deputy marshal in Phillips county, Kansas, and in that office he served with unusual ability and efficiency.

In 1908 Mr. Catley opened up a grocery store at Rosedale, this being located at 1143 Kansas City avenue. His present location is a leased property, but in a short time he will be upon more independent footing, the ground and building materials being already purchased for a new store and residence building at the corner of Merrian Boulevard and Argentine Road, a most desirable and advantageous location. The Catley store is one of the most select establishments in the city and caters to a very fastidious trade. In his political adherency Mr. Catley is aligned as a stalwart supporter of the cause of the Socialist party, in the ranks of which he is a most active and zealous worker. There is something fine about a man who thus allies his forces with the minority faction and manifests the courage to stand by the principles he believes to be just. He is a valued and appreciative member of the Triple Tie Benefit Association, and his religious affiliations are with the Baptist church, to whose charitable work he is a most liberal contributer. He is a strong advocate of labor rights and is president of Lodge No. 364, Railway Carmen, and vice president of the Joint Protective Board of Railway Carmen for the Missouri, Kansas & Topeka Railway Company. In January, 1907, Mr. Catley edited and published a pamphlet under the name of "Truth," in which he showed the workings of the Democrats and Republicans inside the Socialist party, said pamphlet being circulated in every state of the Union.

In April, 1891, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Catley to Miss Florence Hoyle, who was born and reared in England and who is a daughter of Joseph and Isabel (Adams) Hoyle. To this union have been born two children, Gertrude and Ernest, both of whom reside at the parental home. Mr. and Mrs. Catley adopted and reared to maturity two other children - Gladys and Evelyn, the former of whom is now working in the Meyers Manufacturing Company, jewelers, at Kansas City, Missouri, and the latter of whom is the widow of Albert Weaver and who is now the incumbent of a position in the First National Bank of Phillipsburg, Kansas.

Mr. Catley is a man of broad and generous mind and his fine executive ability has well fitted him for the various responsible railroad positions he has held during his career. His life has been one marked by varied and eventful experiences. Reared in England and coming to America with practically no capital, he has been dependent upon his own resources and not only has he achieved success, but he has been identified with labors resulting in the material upbuilding and improvement of his adopted state.