My Genealogy Hound

COL. WILDER STEVENS METCALF.
Col. Wilder Stevens Metcalf, United States pension agent at Topeka, has been prominent in both military and professional life for a number of years. He was born at Milo, Maine, September 10, 1855, and is a son of Isaac Stevens and Antoinette B. (Putnam) Metcalf.

The family is of New England ancestry, the father a native of Massachusetts and the mother of New Hampshire, and their forebears were colonial settlers prior to the Revolutionary War, in which they bore prominent parts. The father of Colonel Metcalf graduated as a civil engineer from Bowdoin College in 1848, and became identified with the Illinois Central Railroad as chief of division. In 1855 he removed to Elyria, Ohio.

Wilder Stevens Metcalf completed the public school course at Elyria in 1872, and then entered Oberlin College, where he was graduated an A. B. in 1878. In 1887 he came to Kansas, locating at Lawrence, where he entered into partnership with Edward Russell, in the farm mortgage business. Since the death of Mr. Russell, in 1898, our subject has continued alone, still retaining his residence in Douglas County. After coming to Kansas he completed his law studies and was graduated in 1897 at the Kansas University and in the same year was admitted to the Kansas bar.

Prior to coming to this State, Colonel Metcalf had been identified for years with the Ohio National Guard, military life always having attractions for him. When the Spanish-American War came on, he enlisted in the 20th Regiment, Kansas Infantry, U. S. Volunteers under Colonel (now General) Funston and succeeded the latter in command. During the two years this regiment served in the Philippines, its members and commanders brought it into prominence through line training as well as gallant action. Colonel Metcalf was breveted brigadier general by President McKinley for gallant and meritorious action in the Philippines. For the past 18 years Colonel Metcalf has been a member of the Kansas National Guard and a large part of his fine library is filled with text-books on military matters.

Colonel Metcalf has always been an ardent Republican and in 1899 he was sent as a delegate-at-large to the Republican National Convention held at Philadelphia. On March 1, 1902, he was appointed United State pension agent at Topeka, his offices being in the Federal Building in this city. He has held civic positions at Lawrence and is a member of the Board of Education of Douglas County.

Colonel Metcalf was married at Wellington, Ohio, July 30, 1878, to Mary E. Crosier, who was born in Ohio. They attend the Congregational Church. His fraternal associations include the higher branches of Masonry, the Society of the Army of the Philippines and the Military Order of Foreign Wars, and he is eligible to membership in the Sons of the American Revolution.