John William Waldron

REV. JOHN WILLIAM WALDRON is well known in a number of towns and cities of Kansas through his active ministerial labors in behalf of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and is now living at Great Bend, where he is pastor of the local church of his denomination. He has spent most of his life in Kansas, and by unusual talents as a preacher and unselfish devotion to his church has become a recognized leader in Methodism in this city.

Both he and his people for many generations back are English. His grandfather, John Waldron, spent his life in England and was a registered pharmacist. His father is Mr. Thomas Waldron, who now lives at Scranton, Kansas. Thomas was born July 5, 1840, in Worcestershire, England, was reared and married there, and became foreman and superintendent in some of the mines of his native country. In October, 1880, he emigrated to the United States, first locating at Bloomington, Illinois, and in 1882 coming to Scranton, Kansas, where he was identified with the coal mining industry until he retired in 1896. As an American citizen he aligns himself with the republican party, and he has always been active in the Methodist Church and is a local preacher. Thomas Waldron married Martha Sales, who was born in Staffordshire, England, April 19, 1844.

The only child of his parents, Rev. John William Waldron was born at Pilsley, England, January 19, 1874, and was six years of age when his parents came to America. His first schooling was at Bloomington, Illinois, and he afterwards attended the public schools at Scranton. He took up his theological studies and qualified for the ministry in 1903, but afterwards attended Campbell College at Holton, Kansas, from which he received his degree A. B. in 1914, also the honorary degree Doctor of Divinity, and in 1915, for further work, was given the degree Master of Arts.

When he entered the Methodist ministry in 1901 his first preaching was done at Centropolis, Kansas. After two years there he spent four years at Auburn, four years at Topeka, three years at Holton, one year at Galena, and in 1917 went to Larned, from which place he went to France in Y. M. C. A. work, and upon Governor Allen's return to Kansas was appointed divisional director of the Y work for the Thirty-fifth Division. In March, 1919, he was appointed to Great Bend. For many years Rev. Mr. Waldron has been actively interested and identified with the Masonic Order. He is a member of Golden Rule Lodge No. 90, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, at North Topeka, Topeka Chapter, No. 5, Royal Arch Masons, Topeka Commandery of the Knights Templar, Topeka Consistory No. 1 of the thirty-second degree Scottish Rite, Abdullah Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Leavenworth, Golden Sheaf, No. 226, Order of Eastern Star, at Great Bend, and is past grand patron of the Eastern Star for the State of Kansas. He also belongs to the Toltecs at Topeka, the Knights and Ladies of Security at Topeka, to Star Lodge No. 20 of the Ancient Order of United Workmen, Topeka, and was formerly a member of the Knights of Pythias. Politically he is a republican.

At Scranton in 1895 he married Miss Mamie Linn, daughter of Robert and Margaret Linn. Her father, who was a miner and a national organizer for the Knights of Labor, is now deceased, while her mother lives at 821 Lincoln Street in Topeka. Mr. and Mrs. Waldron have three children: Alice Estella, who was born January 14, 1897, is now Mrs. Guy Black, 1261 Polk Street, Topeka. Martha Cornelia, who was born at Topeka June 24, 1902, and died there April 12, 1910; and Thomas Reed, who was born at Auburn, Kansas, February 25, 1906, and is now in the eighth grade of the public schools.

From the day our nation entered the World war Mr. Waldron was in the front ranks in helping mobilize sentiment favorable to the winning of the war, and for many months all his time outside of Sunday was given in patriotic work, under the supervision of the State Council of Defense.

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