Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 531 - 532 

MIKE ZIMMERLY. The name of this gentleman, late a resident of Wichita and now deceased, is widely and favorably known throughout this county. He came to this city for the purpose of locating on the 12th of July, 1871. He brought with him by teams, from his former place of residence, Topeka, several wagon loads of hardware, and at once settled in business, engaging in this branch of trade until 1883. He then traded his stock for land west of the city and also purchased eighty acres within the city limits. This latter he laid out mostly in town lots, making three additions to the city, and was engaged in the sale of these and other real-estate transactions thereafter until resting from his earthly labors.

            Mr. Zimmerly was a native of Berne, Switzerland, where his birth took place Jan. 12, 1850. He was brought by his parents to this country when quite young, and they settled in Memphis, Tenn., where the parents spent the last years of their lives. Their son Mike pursued his early studies in Tennessee and completed his education in Topeka, this State, after which he served an apprenticeship at the tinner's trade, and thus gained a good insight into the hardware business. After a residence of sixteen years in the city of Wichita, he departed this life on the 19th of June, 1887, leaving to his amiable wife and children the rich legacy of an untarnished name. He was cut down in his prime, being still comparatively a young man at the time of his death. He had, and very naturally so, laid still greater plans for the future, and before his last illness had contracted for the erection of the well-known Zimmerly Block, which Mrs. Zimmerly, after the death of her husband, caused to be completed, and which is one of the most beautiful structures of the kind in the city. Upon it was expended nearly $80,000. The family residence was put up in 1876, and occupies No. 611 South Market street.

            A man always warmly interested in the affairs of the young and growing city of Wichita, Mr. Zimmerly was prominent both as a citizen and business man, was a member of the City Council for a period of twelve years, and also served as Mayor. In many of the enterprises that gave an impetus to the business of Wichita and served to attract a class of enterprising and intelligent men, he was the moving spirit. He constructed the street railroad from his addition to Main street, and it subsequently passed into the hands of the company. He was usually one of the first men approached whenever a new project was set on foot which was calculated to benefit the community and enable it to take a worthy position among the other communities of the great West.

            The marriage of Mr. Zimmerly and Miss Nettie Losh took place at the home of the bride in Butler County, Kan., Dec. 5, 1873. His wife was the daughter of John and Martha (Howard) Losh, natives of Virginia, where they were reared and married. They removed from the Old Dominion first to Ohio, then to Illinois, and from there to Kansas, settling in Butler County, where Mr. L. engaged in the real-estate business. They were the parents of three children, namely: Louisa, Mrs. Winters, of Augusta, Butler County; Nettie, Mrs. Zimmerly, and Stephen, who is engaged as a dealer in real estate at Augusta.

            To our subject and his wife there were born four children -- Nellie A., Harry, Pearl and Minnie. Mrs. Jerome is a lady of excellent business capacity, and has kept up the reputation of the estate left her by her husband in a most admirable and praiseworthy manner. On the 4th of April, 1888, Mrs. Zimmerly was married to Lee Jerome, a resident of this city and a native of Germany.

            In connection with this sketch we give the portrait of Mr. Zimmerly, as that of a man whose name will ever be associated with the business interests of Wichita.

[ Home ]