William Edward Ziegler, a representative citizen and prominent attorney-at-law of Coffeyville, Kan., was born in Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, June 29, 1858, and is a son of Philip and Martha (Bender) Ziegler, both of whom were also born in Pennsylvania. The father was a farmer by occupation, and he died in his native state at the age of seventy-four years. The paternal grandfather was John Ziegler, and the family is of German descent, as is also the ancestors of Mr. Ziegler on the maternal side. The maternal grandfather was Samuel Bender, a native of Pennsylvania. Mrs. Ziegler, the mother of William Edward Ziegler, lived to the advanced age of eighty-five years, having become the mother of four sons and four daughters, all of whom grew to maturity. William Edward Ziegler is the youngest of these eight children, and his boyhood days were spent in Pennsylvania, where he received good educational advantages in the common and normal schools, and his professional career has been one of marked success. He first came to Kansas in 1876, at the age of eighteen years, and in January, 1877, started in school here. Later, he went back to Pennsylvania, but on March 1, 1879, he returned to Kansas and located at Independence. He was admitted to the bar in 1880, engaging in the practice of his profession at Independence, and he has resided in Montgomery county ever since, at Independence until 1897 and since that year at Coffeyville. He stands high in the professional and social circles of the county, was city attorney for Independence five years, and served four years as county attorney. He is a stanch Republican in his political allegance, and in addition to the offices mentioned, served as judge of the city court at Coffeyville two terms, he is a member of the Masonic order, having taken the Knights Templar degrees, and during the years of 1896-97 served as eminent commander of St. Bernard Commandery; and he has membership in the Ancient Arabic Order, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He is also a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America.

In 1889, Mr. Ziegler was united in marriage to Miss Jessie Raison, daughter of Mrs. A. C. Stich, of Independence, and they have four children: Marie K. has been in Berlin, Germany, for the past two years studying music, German and French; Carl is a student in the Coffeyville High School, and Robert Leland and W. E., Jr., are in the grades.