Edgar Owen Henshall, M. D., the present mayor of Osborne, Kan., was born at Council Bluffs, Iowa, October 12, 1858. He is a son of Thomas and Margaret Ann (Owens) Henshall. Thomas Henshall was a Virginian, born at Richmond December 13, 1832, of English parents, who immigrated to America in 1825. For a time young Henshall, the father of our subject, was a clerk in the postoffice in Richmond, Va., and when about twenty-one years of age went to Louisville, where he worked as clerk in a clothing store until 1850, when he went to Council Bluffs, Iowa. There was no railroad there at that time and the town was new. He engaged in the mercantile business there and was in business across the river in Omaha, Neb. He was a pioneer merchant in both of these cities, remaining and prospering until 1864. He then removed to St. Joseph, Mo., established an overland freight transportation line to Denver, Col., and Pike's Peak, and hauled a great deal of Government supplies. He continued in this line of work until his trains were attacked by hostile Indians, who killed his oxen and burned the wagons. He then abandoned the enterprise, went to Doniphan county, Kansas, and bought land. This was in 1869, and he farmed there until 1887, when he sold out, went to Kansas City, Kan., and engaged in newspaper work with George W. Martin on the Kansas City "Gazette." After a few years as an editorial writer he engaged in the insurance business, which he followed until the time of his death, at Kansas City, Kan., December 13, 1911. His wife, Margaret Ann Owens, was a native of Baltimore, Md., born in 1838. She was a daughter of Benjamin Owens, who before the Civil war was a prosperous planter and slave owner in the South. After the war he came west to Kansas, and died in Doniphan county in 1875. Dr. Henshall was one of a family of two daughters and four sons, as follows: Mary Clara, born in 1857, died in infancy; Edgar Owen, of this record; Howard, born in 1862, killed by a falling horse August 20, 1869; Charles Thomas, born in 1864, now an oil operator in California; James B., born in 1866, died August 26, 1904, from injuries received in a wreck and falling bridge while a commercial traveler in Georgia, and Lizzie May, born in 868, now the wife of W. C. Walker, a farmer in Colorado.

Dr. Henshall was educated in the public schools of Doniphan county, and when eighteen years of age began teaching school, and followed that vocation six years. He then attended medical college at the Keokuk Medical College, Keokuk, Iowa, and Rush Medical College, Chicago, Ill., graduating at the latter institution in 1885. He immediately located at Portis, Kan., where he built up an extensive practice and also conducted a large drug store until 1897, when he disposed of his interests there and removed to Osborne. He has made an extensive study of diseases of the eye, ear, nose and throat, and since coming to Osborne has made a specialty of that branch of medicine and surgery, in which he has been eminently successful. While Dr. Henshall has first of all been occupied by his profession he has made a great many judicious investments in Osborne and Smith counties, which have proved very valuable. He was married May 1, 1887, to Miss Emma Silverwood, of Oldham, England. She was born February 22, 1864, and while on a visit to the United States met and married Dr. Henshall, at Portis, Kan. They have three children as follows: James Edgar, born April 4, 1888, a graduate of the Osborne High School, class of 1908, and Kansas University, class of 1912; Ethel Silverwood, born August 20, 1890, graduated in the Nazareth Academy, Concordia, Kan., in 1910, was killed in an automobile accident near Osborne on November 12, 1910; and Lizzie Irene, born February 20, 1895, graduated from the Osborne High School, class of 1912. Dr. Henshall takes an active part in public affairs and the advancement and welfare of his city and county. He has served as coroner of Osborne county ten years and has served on the Osborne city council, is a member of the school board, and in 1911 was elected mayor, which office he still holds. As a public officer he is progressive and it was largely through his efforts that the municipal ownership of the city electric plant was carried through to a successful culmination. He was also instrumental in securing for the city of Osborne the six thousand-dollar Carnegie library. Politically he is a stanch Republican.