Thomas Francis Hogan.—There came to Geary county, Kansas, in 1867, Rev. John Fogarty, the pioneer Catholic priest of Western Kansas, who began there a life of usefulness in his administrations to the spiritual and material needs of the frontier settlers. During that service, which continued about twenty-five years, Father Fogarty endured untold misery and hardships in his mission duties done entirely on horseback from one wretched cabin to another, through driving snows, scorching winds, and pitiless rain storms. Mass was said in the log cabin, the dugout, or on the open green with the same dignity and fervor as if in the most finely appointed cathedral. Father Fogarty was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, and came to America, in 1857, when about twenty years of age. He was prepared for the priesthood at Montreal, Canada, Cape Girardeau, Mo., and at Baltimore, Md. He was ordained a priest by Bishop Ness at Leavenworth, in 1867, and immediately thereafter began his mission work in Western Kansas, which continued until he was incapacitated for active service through injuries received in a wild flight from attacking Indians. He died at Excelsior Springs, Mo., Sept. 6, 1907, loved and mourned by practically all who knew him. While stationed at Junction City his brother, Cornelius Fogarty, came to visit him and later brought to him their nephew, Thomas Hogan, then a lad of about eleven years, who was to remain with his uncle, Cornelius Fogarty, under whose care he was to receive his education. Cornelius Fogarty, born in Nenagh, County Tipperary, Ireland, in 1844, had gone to Australia in early youth and there became a miner and sheep rancher. He came to California, in 1865, and from there he went to Texas, in 1871, where he engaged in the cattle business. In 1872 he drove a bunch of his cattle to Kansas and after disposing of them at Minneapolis, he went to Junction City to visit his brother, Rev. John Fogarty. So impressed was he with the favorable business outlook for that place that he decided to locate there. In 1874 he purchased a 200-acre farm and also a water right on Smoky Hill river, one and one-fourth miles east of the town, where he built a dam and a mill, and engaged in farming, cattle raising and milling. It was the first mill in that locality. Mr. Fogarty became a wealthy and influential citizen of the town and, in 1886, he established the first electric light plant in Junction City, which remained in use until 1901, when he sold his equipment and franchise. Upon his death, in 1901, his nephew, Thomas F. Hogan, became a trustee of the estate and has continued to manage those business interests.

Mr. Fogarty was married, in 1892, to Kate Lee, a native of Ireland and a sister of Rev. Father John Lee, Armourdale, Kan. The widow and four children survive him: Marie, born Sept. 23, 1893, a graduate of Junction City High School in 1911; John, born Feb. 9, 1895, a student in Junction City schools; Catherine, born March 5, 1896, and Angela, born Sept. 10, 1898.

Thomas Francis Hogan was born in Nenagh, County Tipperary, Ireland, Feb. 2, 1869, a son of Patrick and Margaret (Fogarty) Hogan, both of whom were natives of the Emerald Isle, where they spent their entire lives. As stated Mr. Hogan was brought to America in July, 1880, when but a lad, by his uncle, Cornelius Fogarty, and was educated in the common schools and high schools of Junction City. He began his business career in the employ of his uncle in the milling business and subsequently became traveling salesman, in which capacity he visited nearly every state in the Union. Upon the death of his uncle he took charge of the business as trustee and, in 1906, organized the Hogan Milling Company, of which he is president and general manager. This mill has a capacity of 600 barrels of wheat flour and 150 barrels of corn products per day, and its elevator has a storage of 60,000 bushels of grain. They have twenty men in their employ, two of whom are road representatives. The mill is thoroughly modern in all its machinery and appliances. This company was the first to discover the use of sealed tin cases in shipping flour and was the first to use that means to ship flour to the Philippine Islands for the United States government. At present they ship flour to twenty-three states, Europe, Cuba, and the Philippine Islands. Mr. Hogan is also a large stockholder in a Texas land company, which owns 90,000 acres, which is now being sold for farm purposes.

On July 28, 1898, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Hogan and Miss J. Abbie Clark, the daughter of Sanborn W. and Harriett (Smith) Clark, both natives of Conneaut, Ohio, where the former was born, Jan. 29, 1843. Mr. Clark came to Junction City, Kan., in 1869, and was for many years engaged in agricultural pursuits but, in 1905, became vice-president of the Hogan Milling Company and removed to Junction City, where he now resides. Mr. and Mrs. Hogan have two sons: Cornelius Clark, born June 5, 1899, and Theodore Thomas, born Jan. 18, 1903. Mr. Hogan is a member of the Junction City Commercial Club, and fraternally is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Lodge No. 1037, of Junction City. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus and of St. Xavier Roman Catholic Church. In 1905 Mr. and Mrs. Hogan paid a visit to the native land of the former and from there they extended their tour to England, Scotland and France. Again in December, 1910, he visited his old home in Ireland and spent two months with his mother, who was fatally ill and who died, Feb. 9, 1911, aged eighty-four years. Her death occurred about three weeks after Mr. Hogan's return to America. On his last trip business necessitated his visiting England and Scotland.