Orlan D. Sharpe.—In this practical age men are measured by their accomplishments, and efficiency in any calling always receives recognition sooner or later. The successful physician named above located in Neodesha sixteen years ago. Those were trying days at first and practice came slowly, but each opportunity that came to him firmly established his ability, and today he is recognized as one of the leading and most capable members of the medical fraternity of Wilson county. He is a native of Iowa, born Nov. 21, 1868, his parents being William and Sarah E. (McAninch) Sharpe. William Sharpe was a native of Hendricks county, Indiana, and was one of that state's brave defenders of the Union during the Civil war. He enlisted in Company C, Seventieth Indiana infantry, of which Benjamin Harrison was colonel, and was mustered in Aug. 12, 1862. From that time until the close of the war this regiment saw hard and active service and was in a number of the hard fought battles of that conflict. The Seventieth Indiana joined General Sherman on his Georgia campaign, took part at Atlanta and at Resaca, and at the latter place captured a fort and four Napoleon guns, and continued with Sherman on his march to the sea. This regiment also participated in the Carolina campaign and then marched to Richmond, thence to Washington, D. C., where it was mustered out June 8, 1865. At the close of the war William Sharpe returned to Indiana, but two years later, in 1867, removed to Iowa and from there to Neosho county, Kansas, in 1870. For a short time after coming to Kansas he hauled ties for the construction of the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston railroad, at Chanute, but in 1871 took up a claim, proved it up and resided on it until his removal to Neodesha, in 1904. He continued to own the farm, however, until his death, in 1909. Ever a worthy and enterprising citizen he became well known in Wilson and Neosho counties and died rich in the esteem of his fellow men. In politics he was a stanch adherent of the tenets of the Republican party. His father, William Sharpe, was a native of East Tennessee and became an early settler in Indiana. Joseph McAninch, maternal grandfather of Dr. Sharpe, was born in Ohio, but removed in an early day to Indiana and from thence to Iowa, where he died in 1908, at the ripe old age of eighty-four; he, too, was a farmer.

Dr. Orlan D. Sharpe was educated at Lincoln Center, Kan., where he completed two years of the literary course at Lincoln College in 1890 and graduated in the business course there. After teaching three terms of school he entered the Kansas City Medical College, in 1892, and graduated in 1895. That same year he located at Neodesha for the practice of his profession. He had a long and hard struggle to get a start, but his success of subsequent years was most creditable and he is now firmly established as one of the ablest men of his profession in Wilson county. His practice, which is general in character, is both extensive and remunerative, and prosperity has rewarded his efforts, for he now owns considerable property of value. Dr. Sharpe was president of the Wilson County Medical Society, in 1909, and is a member of the Kansas State Medical Society.

In April, 1906, Dr. Sharpe was united in marriage to Miss Emma Williams of Nevada, Mo. Her father, Hugh Williams, was a native of Missouri and was a farmer and later a merchant in that state. Dr. and Mrs. Sharpe have three sons living—Emil W., Olin D., and Robert Q. Dr. Sharpe is president of the Neodesha school board and fraternally is a member of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. He and his wife are members of the Baptist church.