My Genealogy Hound

SAMUEL R. SANKEY is a member of the firm of S. R. Sankey & Bro., of Holden, and is a well known insurance, loan and real-estate business man. In December, 1889, he bought out Bradley Brothers, his predecessors, and has since given his entire attention to his present occupation. He owns a number of pieces of valuable town property, and one hundred and thirty acres of farm land. He is in every respect a self-made man, as he was obliged to start out in his active career without capital, other than his determination to succeed.

Mr. Sankey was born in Harrison County, Ohio, October 14, 1862, and is a son of Samuel Farmer and Eliza J. (McGee) Sankey, whose history appears at length in the sketch of our subject’ s brother, A. M. Sankey, which is found elsewhere in this volume. In February, 1869, Samuel R. emigrated with his parents to Johnson County, Mo., and passed the intervening years between that and his majority on his father’s farm. He received a good education in the public schools, and was a student in Holden for two years. He was but twenty years of age when he began to teach, following this vocation for two winters. During the vacation he went out on the plains as a cow boy, and traveled through southwestern Kansas, the Cherokee Strip and into Texas. In 1885 he went to California and worked on a large grain ranch, thus paying his way while seeing the country. In the spring of 1886 he returned, and entering Spaulding’s Commercial College at Kansas City, graduated from that institution in April, 1887.

On being offered a position on the Missouri Pacific Railroad as baggage master, night ticket and express agent, Mr. Sankey accepted the place and served faithfully in that capacity for two years. In the spring of 1889 he went to Colorado, and for some months was in the employ of the Denver & Rio Grande Express Company. In the last month of that year he came to Holden, and has since given his attention to his present business. Fraternally he is a Knight of Pythias, being Past Chancellor, and having filled various other offices. In his political convictions he is a Democrat of the most unswerving order. Personally he is held in high respect by his fellow-citizens, for he is uniformly courteous, and, above all, his business methods are above reproach.