1905 History of Crawford County Kansas

Ira Clemens, a prominent coal operator and very enterprising young man in the industrial circles of Crawford and Cherokee counties, is now permanently located at Pittsburg, from which point he carries on his extensive mining and prospecting ventures. His active business career of a little more than a decade has been crowded full of work in various lines, and his industry and business acumen have resulted in a very desirable degree of success and gained him in large measure the esteem and high regard of his fellow citizens and associates.

Mr. Clemens was born among the Ray county hills of Missouri, in 1873, being a son of John H. and Julia (Pollard) Clemens, the latter being of Tennessee ancestry and a native of Missouri. The paternal side of the family is Kentuckian by virtue of the residence and birth in that state of Mr. Clemens's father, grandfather and great-grandfather. After the war his father moved to Ray county, Missouri, and in 1882 came to Kansas, settling in Weir, Cherokee county, where he still resides. He too has been engaged in mining operations since taking up his abode in this state, and has coal mining interests in Cherokee county in connection with his son Ira. He has taken an active interest in the politics of that county, and once held the office of deputy sheriff.

Mr. Ira Clemens was reared and received most of his education at the city of Weir. At the conclusion of his school days he turned his attention to railroading, and for three years was a trainman on the Frisco System. He also spent a short time in Kentucky, and after that began his connection with the coal industry, working with his father. His interests have rapidly extended in this business, and as an operator he has a share in two mines in the vicinity of Pittsburg and in others in Cherokee county. One of the Pittsburg mines is a mile and a quarter west of town, being operated by Clemens and Son, and the other is a mile and a half north of the city, and operated by the Clemens-Sclanger Coal Company, Mr. Clemens being the managing partner of both these firms. In addition to the operation of the mines Mr. Clemens conducts a very important and valuable enterprise in running three drilling outfits for the purpose of prospecting for coal in this district. With these he not only does prospecting on a large scale for himself and his associates, but also for other companies searching out locations for mines.

Mr. Clemens is a member of the Southwestern Interstate Coal Operators' Association, and is otherwise prominent in business and social circles in Pittsburg and vicinity. He and his family have lived in Pittsburg since January 27, 1904, and this is now his permanent home. His wife is Julia (Ryne) Clemens, and they have four children, Mary Mabel, John Ira, William Leander, Marguerite.