Ralph E. Page, of Ottawa, county attorney of Franklin county, though a young man, is one of the strong and able members of the Franklin county bar whose qualifications as a lawyer fit him for the office to which he was elected in 1910. He was born in Edgerton, Wis., Nov. 22, 1877, his parents being J. Lee and Elizabeth (Smart) Page, the former of whom was born Nov. 11, 1831, at Lake George, N. Y., but in 1845 removed with his father and family to Edgerton, Wis., where he and his wife now reside on a farm near the old homestead of Lemuel A. Page, grandfather of Ralph E., and are highly respected citizens of their community. They are consistent and worthy members of the Congregational church, and for a number of years he has been a member of the local school board. During the gold fever in California J. Lee Page became one of the seekers and moved to California in 1853, remaining there eight years, but then returned to Wisconsin. He made the trip west overland by wagon, returning by way of the Isthmus of Panama. Lemuel A. Page was a native of Hague, N. Y., and was the son of Edmond Page, one of eight brothers who fought in the Revolution and six of whom were sacrificed to the making of our Nation. The paternal and maternal ancestors of Mr. Page were respectively of French and Scotch descent. The maternal grandparents of Mr. Page were Robert and Euphemia (McArthur) Smart, both natives of Scotland, who came to America in 1849 and settled in Janesville, Wis. They had nine children, two of whom—Mr. Page's mother and Judge C. A. Smartreside in Ottawa.

Mr. Page received his literary education in the common schools of Rock county, Wisconsin, in the high school at Milton Junction and at the Albion Academy, Albion, Wis. Having determined upon the profession of law, he began reading in the office of John M. Whitehead of Janesville, Wis., under whose able preceptorship he was prepared for his admission to the bar, which took place in 1903. He began his practice in Seattle, Wash., where he remained two years, and then came to Ottawa, Kan., where he soon gained prominence in his profession. Politically he is a stanch adherent of the tenets of the Republican party and was its candidate for the office to which he now holds. His fraternal relations are with the Knights of Pythias, in which order he has served as chancellor commander. He is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America, and the Knights and Ladies of Security.

On Sept. 1, 1909, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Page and Marian Stratton, daughter of J. L. Stratton, a prominent retired farmer of Franklin county who now resides in Ottawa. Mr. Stratton, who is a Republican, has served two terms as county treasurer of Franklin county. He is an active worker in the Congregational church and has served as president of the County Sunday School Association. To Mr. and Mrs. Page has been born a daughter, Florence Althea.