Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 673 - 674 

T. M. LANE, proprietor of the Douglas Avenue House, located on the southwest corner of Water and Douglas avenue, Wichita, is one of the large landed proprietors of this portion of Kansas. By his enterprise and business ability he has greatly assisted in the development of Wichita. He was born in Monroe County, N. Y., Sept. 1, 1834, and was the son of John L. and Aurilla (Hicks) Lane, natives respectively of Massachusetts and Vermont. The former, when a boy, removed with his parents, Timothy and Rebecca (Abbott) Lane, to New York, where his father took up Government land on the site of the present city of Rochester. He built a log house, and made his home there for many years, his death occurring at the age of eighty-nine in Victor, near Rochester. He came of a very long-lived race, and his brother's son, a Revolutionary soldier, attained the remarkable age of one hundred and thirteen years.

            John L. Lane, father of the subject, was an extensive farmer and dairyman. Many years after marriage he moved with his family from New York to Michigan, and settling in Clinton County in 1855, there made his home until death. To him and his wife were born thirteen children, four of whom are now living, namely: James H., T. M., John M. and Vanrensler H. James H. resides in Cattaraugus County, N. Y.

            T. M. Lane, of this sketch, when four years of age went to live with a distant relative, with whom he remained until ten years of age. One of the souvenirs of this period of his life is a silver dollar given him by James K. Polk, President of the United States. After leaving the home of his relative our subject went to Cattaraugus County, and there attended school and worked out until he was twenty-one years of age, when he went to Ovid, Mich. There he was engaged for some time in the various occupations of trading, speculating and farming. Our subject had studied law and been admitted to the bar in New York, where he practiced a short time prior to going to Michigan. He afterward resumed the practice of his profession in the latter State. He went to Chicago and pursued his career as a lawyer in that city for five years. From there he went to Champaign, Ill., still continuing the pursuit of his profession. Since coming to Kansas he has not practiced law, but has confined his attention to other business. He arrived in this State July 16, 1872. He immediately selected 640 acres of land in Attica Township, Sedgwick County, and there he made his home for a time in a board shanty, built without floors. After that he returned to Wichita, and purchased a house and lot in the first block on Emporia street, and lived in it until July, 1882, when he removed to his hotel, and has since made his home here. In 1873 he purchased 480 acres of school land on section 36 of Gypsum Township, paying therefor $1,820. In the same fall he built a small house and broke eighty acres of the land, which he sowed to wheat. It yielded twenty-eight and one-half bushels of wheat per acre, and he sold it for $1.16 per bushel. He also cut from his land 200 tons of blue joint grass, which he sold in the city for about $4 a ton. The next year he broke eighty acres more land and sowed 160 acres to wheat. Before his grain was ripe for harvest he sold the 160 acres for $2,500, and sold two other quarters for $4,100. He then purchased the hotel property where he now resides, Oct. 11, 1873, and rented it until he took charge of it himself. Since buying it he has expended $8,000, half the cost price, in fitting it up. It is a fine property, is very conveniently arranged and well furnished, and is in all its appointments, under its present excellent management, a first-class hotel, and is well patronized.

            Since coming to this city Mr. Lane has made a specialty of loaning money on chattel mortgages for thirty, sixty and ninety days, and was the only one so engaged at that time. Though commanding fabulous rates of interest the most of the time, he has never lost a dollar, which speaks well both for his shrewd management and for the honesty of the people with whom he has dealt. He has 2,480 acres of land in Sedgwick and adjoining counties, which he rents.

            No enterprise is too great for Mr. Lane to take hold of when he and his fellowmen are to be benefited thereby. When the citizens of Wichita were endeavoring to raise the sum of $6,500 to purchase the bridge that now spans the Arkansas River at Douglas avenue, he generously contributed $883 out of his own pocket, and the city was thus enabled to purchase the bridge, making it forever free to all; and he has contributed in like measure to other enterprises. He is quite influential in public affairs; he is a prominent member of the Democratic party, and has held the office of Assessor of the city.

            Mr. Lane was married, on the 22d of January, 1867, to Miss Mary A. Cross, daughter of John Cross, of Ovid, Mich. Mr. Lane had three children by two former marriages -- Helen L., Mary and Frank M. Helen married Mr. J. B. Miller, of Cheney, Sedgwick County, and two children have been born to them -- Jerome and Augusta; Mary is the wife of Thomas J. Holmes, proprietor of the job office in the Beacon Publishing House; they have two children -- Veta and Charlie. Frank is engaged in mining in Grand Junction, Col.

  Mr. and Mrs. Lane are prominent in social circles in this city, and their pleasant and courteous manners have attracted to them many warm friends.

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