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Herbert Franklin Sheldon

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Herbert Franklin Sheldon (c. 1831–1917) was an American politician and real estate businessman in Ottawa, Kansas. He served as Ottawa's mayor and was a state senator.[1]

Sheldon arrived in Ottawa in 1864. He was elected mayor of Ottawa in 1872.[2] He also served as county clerk and register of deeds.[3]

Panoramic map of Ottawa, Kansas from 1872 with image of Ludington House inset

Sheldon rescued the hotel project that became Henry Hutchins Ludington's Ludington House Hotel in Ottawa[4] and funded the building's completion. He built his residence next to it.[5] It is now known as Gillette House and is part of Ottawa University.[6] Built as a residence for Sheldon,[6] it was used as a dormitory by the university and called Sheldon Hall.[7] It is at 718 South Cedar Street.[6]

Ludington House housed the First National Bank and a post office.[8]

Sheldon was president of the Temperance League and was an advocate for prohibition, helping lead the effort that made the county "dry" in his lifetime.[2]

The H. F. Sheldon building in Ottawa is 2-story Italianate brick building at 324 South Main Street was built in 1887. It is a contributing property to a historic district.[9]

Sheldon wrote Reminiscences of My Dealings with Criminals in the Early History of Franklin County, Kansas in 1916.[10]

He was a member of the Kansas State Senate in 1899.[11] He was a Republican.

His first two wives and several children died. He was a trustee of Ottawa University.[12] His brother Dwin M. Sheldon was a prominent businessman in Ottawa.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Portrait and Biographical Record of Leavenworth, Douglas and Franklin Counties, Kansas: Containing Portraits, Biographies and Genealogies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present. Chapman publishing Company. July 8, 1899. p. 309 – via Internet Archive. herbert franklin sheldon.
  2. ^ a b "Senator H.F. Sheldon came to Ottawa, Kansas in 1864. He was elected Mayor of Ottawa in 1872". The Ottawa Guardian. 28 December 1917. p. 1.
  3. ^ "Franklin County, Part 5". www.kancoll.org. Archived from the original on 2003-01-16.
  4. ^ "The United States Biographical Dictionary: Kansas Volume : Containing Accurately Compiled Biographical Sketches, Into which is Woven the History of the State and Its Leading Interests". S. Lewis & Company. July 7, 1879 – via Google Books.
  5. ^ A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans, written and compiled by William E. Connelley, Chicago : Lewis, 1918. 5 v. (lvi, 2731 page 228)
  6. ^ a b c "New Life Given to Former Sheldon Hall at OUKS – Ottawa University".
  7. ^ Barker, Deborah (July 8, 2014). Ottawa. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 9781467112697 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ "Ludington House, Ottawa, Kansas – Kansas Memory – Kansas Historical Society". www.kshs.org.
  9. ^ "H. F. Sheldon Building - Ottawa, Kansas - Victorian Style Architecture on Waymarking.com". www.waymarking.com.
  10. ^ "Franklin County History Bibliography – Kansas Historical Society". www.kshs.org.
  11. ^ Senate, Kansas Legislature (July 8, 1899). Senate Journal. State printer – via Internet Archive. kansas state senate h.f. sheldon.
  12. ^ "The United States Biographical Dictionary: Kansas Volume : Containing Accurately Compiled Biographical Sketches, into which is Woven the History of the State and Its Leading Interests". 1879.