William Kurtz Mathis.—In each of the professions he who wins distinction must do so through individual merit. They all require the keenest mental faculties, in which respect medicine demands an endowment equal to any of the professions and also requires the personal qualities of gentleness, sympathy and painstaking care. It has an advantage over every other profession in that the exploration of its field of research and discovery have, comparatively, but begun, and the student, for such the successful physician remains to the end of his career, has before him a wealth of opportunity to advance himself and his profession. Such is the calling which William Kurtz Mathis has chosen as his life work.

Dr. Mathis was born in Coffey county, Kansas, Feb. 5, 1880, a son of Dr. William H. Mathis and his wife, nee Emma K. Glass. Dr. William H. Mathis is a native of Spencer county, Kentucky, and after completing a professional course at the St. Louis Medical College he associated with his brother in practice one year at Taylorsville, Ky. In 1869 he came to Osage county, Kansas, where he proved up a homestead and practiced his profession until 1882, when he removed to Waverly, then a newly organized town in Coffey county. There he has since devoted thirty years to the profession in which he is still an active practitioner. (For more detailed mention of Dr. Mathis, Sr., see sketch of Rev. Harvey G. Mathis.) Dr. William Kurtz Mathis was educated at the College of Emporia, at Emporia, Kan., and received his professional training at the University Medical College, Kansas City, Mo., where he graduated in 1903. While pursuing his medical studies he served three years as interne in the Kansas City Hospital. Upon completing his training in Kansas City he located at Chanute, Kan., for the practice of his profession and began alone, being at that time but twenty-three years of age. From the first he was successful and now has a large and lucrative practice which is constantly growing. He makes a specialty of surgery, in which line his success has been such that he has gained a foremost place among the practitioners of Chanute and the surrounding territory. He is a member of the Neosho County Medical Society, the Kansas State Medical Society, and the American Medical Association.

In 1905 Dr. Mathis married Miss Aldeen, daughter of Col. J. B. Lynch, formerly a well known citizen of this state, where he at one time served as warden of the state penitentiary and was once a candidate for the office of state treasurer. He is now live stock agent for the Santa Fe Railway Company and resides in Pueblo, Col. Dr. and Mrs. Mathis have one son, William Kurtz, Jr. Dr. Mathis is a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and both he and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church.