Transcribed from volume II of Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc. ... / with a supplementary volume devoted to selected personal history and reminiscence. Standard Pub. Co. Chicago : 1912. 3 v. in 4. : front., ill., ports.; 28 cm. Vols. I-II edited by Frank W. Blackmar.

Worrall, Henry, Kansas' first artist and pioneer decorator, was born at Liverpool, England, April 14, 1825. His father was an editor, who came to America in 1835 and settled in Canada, but Henry soon went to Buffalo, N. Y., where he sold newspapers on the streets. Later he went to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he followed the trade of glass cutter and studied music. He showed marked musical ability and while in Cincinnati composed a guitar piece entitled, "Sevastopol," which became famous. The sale of the piece made a fortune for the publishers, though Worrall received only a small price for it. He came to Kansas in 1869 on account of his health; located at Topeka and interested himself in the welfare of the city and state; devoted himself for some time to the cultivation of grapes, and planted one of the finest vineyards in Shawnee county, on the grounds now occupied by the insane asylum. In 1869 Mr. Worrall became well known by his picture "Droughty Kansas," which depicts the state's crops in an exaggerated manner and was one of the best advertisements Kansas ever had, copies of it being printed and distributed all over the country. He became noted as a musician, artist, composer and wood carver; was organist for years in one of the churches at Topeka; played on more than twenty different instruments, and invented several wind instruments made of wood and straw. Mr. Worrall made the large wood carving of the seal of Kansas surrounded by products of the state, which was exhibited at the Centennial exposition at Philadelphia in 1876 and which was on view at Mount Vernon until 1910, when it was returned to Kansas and placed in the museum of the Kansas State Historical Society at Topeka. During the Centennial exposition Mr. Worrall was employed by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad company to write articles which would draw immigration to Kansas. He was always active in representing Kansas at state fairs and industrial expositions. He made crayon portraits of members of the supreme court and an oil portrait of Gov. Osborn, which hangs in the museum of the State Historical Society. He died at his home in Topeka, June 20, 1902.

Page 945 from volume II of Kansas: a cyclopedia of state history, embracing events, institutions, industries, counties, cities, towns, prominent persons, etc. ... / with a supplementary volume devoted to selected personal history and reminiscence. Standard Pub. Co. Chicago : 1912. 3 v. in 4. : front., ill., ports.; 28 cm. Vols. I-II edited by Frank W. Blackmar. Transcribed July 2002 by Carolyn Ward.