Harry Ward Magruder, the president and manager of the Liberal Light, Ice & Power Company, is an example of the young business men of Kansas who are materially assisting in the upbuilding of this great commonwealth. He was born on a farm in Knox county, Missouri, October 12, 1880, the son of Amos C. and Katharine Albertson Magruder. His father was the son of William and Frances Kidd Magruder, both natives of Virginia, who had seven children, the others being Justine, Duda, Anna, Charles, Dora Maud, and William, who was engaged in farming early in life. In 1883 Amos Magruder removed with his family to Pratt county, Kansas, where he followed farming, which was the vocation of his early life, until 1898, when he sold out and located in Knox county, Missouri, and opened a mercantile establishment at Hurdland. He was engaged in its management until 1912, when he retired from active business and now lives at Barton, Mo. Mrs. Magruder was born at Nashville, Tenn., November 23, 1860, the daughter of Harry B. and Jennie Brown Albertson, both natives of Pennsylvania. There were eight children in the Magruder family: Harry, of this record; Jennie, born September 18, 1882, the wife of Homer Little, a farmer of Knox county, Missouri; William Francis, born December 14, 1884, a merchant of Hurdland, Mo.; Joseph M., born in April, 1886, died in Hurdland in 1901; Alice, born August 22, 1893, is a teacher at Hurdland; Charles, born in June, 1859, lives with his parents; Minnie, born in 1897, lives at home; Vernon, born in 1899, died in 1902.

Harry Magruder, the subject of this review, was educated in the public schools of Pratt, Kan., and upon graduating began to teach in 1899. He followed this profession for three years, but in 1901 took the government civil service examination for the United States mail service, and in March, 1902, became a mail clerk on the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific railway, running between Pratt and Kansas City, Mo., a position he filled six years, being promoted four times until he was in charge of the car. In 1908 Mr. Magruder came to Liberal to promote and organize the Light, Ice & Power Company, with a capital of $45,000. He was at once elected president and manager of the concern, which has a modern plant with all the latest equipment. The electric department furnishes light and power for domestic use, the local mills, elevators, railway shops and city pumping station. Mr. Magruder is recognized as one of the progressive and prosperous business men in one of the most progressive sections of the State, which is being developed by the enthusiastic men who have capital and business enterprise. In politics Mr. Magruder is a Democrat, but does not aspire to public office, as he is too busy with his commercial enterprises. He is a member of the Masonic order, being a Knight Templar. On April 23, 1904, Mr. Magruder married Myrtle, the daughter of Scott and Esther Layton Rezeau, of Cullison, Kan. Mrs. Magruder was born at Emporia, Kan., April 10, 1882. She graduated from the high school at Pratt, Kan., in 1902, and taught in Pratt county before her marriage. Mr. Rezeau was a native of New Jersey, his wife of Pennsylvania; they came to Kansas in 1873 and located in Brown county, but now live at Cullison. There were eight children in the family: Elsie, Myrtle, Charles, William, Erice, Harvey, Mary and Pearl. Mr. and Mrs. Magruder have three children: Harriet, born June 14, 1906; Marion, born April 26, 1908, and Samuel Henry, born October 23, 1911.