Charles William Trickett, a prominent lawyer of Kansas City and assistant attorney-general of the State of Kansas, has had a career that is an inspiring illustration of the reward that, in this country, invariably follows the exercise of industry, economy and unfaltering application to a chosen avocation or profession. Mr. Trickett is a native of Missouri, having been born in Scotland county, Feb. 2, 1861. He is a son of Charles Marshall Trickett, a farmer, born in Virginia, and a soldier in the Union army during the great Civil war. The family removed to Kansas in 1866 and located in Miami county, where the father died in 1879, when about fifty-four years of age. The Trickett family is of French descent, the American branch of the family having been founded by a member of the army of Cornwallis, who had removed from France to England and joined the British army under Lord Cornwallis. He was captured at Yorktown and later joined Washington's army. The mother of Mr. Trickett is still living and resides with a son at Fayetteville, Ark. Her maiden name was Mary Ann Walker.

Charles William Trickett was but five years old when the family located in Miami county, Kansas. In his boyhood he attended a country school, but his parents being poor, he quit school at a tender age and went to work on a neighboring farm, where he received nine dollars a month as wages. Thus began his start in life. After spending one year on a farm he entered the employ of David Wright, a wealthy citizen of Louisburg, Miami county, for whom he worked eight years in different capacities. Beginning as the driver of a horse on a horsepower corn sheller he was soon entrusted with more responsible duties; in fact, the characteristic that has dominated the whole life of Mr. Trickett has been that of giving to the duty at hand, whatever it may be, his most conscientious effort and the very best of his ability; and that characteristic has won him success. After being in Mr. Wright's employ for eight years he became his partner in an elevator, and was thus associated until 1880, when Mr. Wright died. In 1881 Mr. Trickett became a clerk in the Miami County Bank at Paola, Kan., and was soon promoted to be assistant cashier, which position he held six years. In 1887 he removed to Kansas City, Kan., where he became one of the organizers of the Wyandotte National Bank of that city and served as its cashier until 1896. Meanwhile he had been studying law during leisure hours for several years, and in 1896 he was admitted to the bar. Immediately after his admission he gave up his bank duties and entered upon the practice of law which he has continued to the present time. He is now the junior member of the law firm, Keplinger & Trickett, which firm was established in 1903, and which has won a large and lucrative practice.

Mr. Trickett was married Dec. 23, 1880, to Miss Lillie Belle Essex, of Paola, Kan., and to their union have been born four children: Nellie, the wife of John M. Stewart of Kansas City, Kan.; Pearl is the wife of John L. Juhlin of Nebraska; William Ewart; and Laurence Gray. Mr. Trickett has two grandchildren, Sylvia Stewart and Jean Juhlin.

Mr. Trickett is a Republican in his political views, and his church relations are as a member of the Congregational church. During the past five years Mr. Trickett has served as assistant attorney-general of the state and during his term he has enforced the prohibition laws of the state to the letter, having closed 256 "joints" in Kansas City alone. He is a member of the Wyandotte Bar Association and of the State Bar Association and is also a member of the Mercantile Club of Kansas City.