Edward Bunyar

EDWARD BUNYAR. - Flowers seem intended for the solace of ordinary humanity. Children love them. Quiet, tender, contented, ordinary people love them as they grow, and luxurious and disorderly people rejoice in them gathered. They are the cottager's treasure and in the crowded town they mark the windows of the workers in whose heart rests the covenant of peace. To the child and the girl, the lover and the poet they are precious always. Mr. Bunyar was a natural lover of flowers; it was a joy to him to watch them grow, not because of the money they would bring, but even as a mother watches the growth of her babe and sees new developments each day. It is because of his great love for flowers that he made such a great success of his business.

He was born in London, England, March 28, 1849, and attended the board schools in London. From a child he took great pleasure in visiting Battersea Park, Kensington Gardens, and the other parks nearer the city. He spent his money in seeking pleasures of this sort rather than in other more harmful pursuits. After he left school he went to work in a factory where they bottled sodas, and he continued in this work until he came to America in 1875. His brother-in-law, Richard Jarret, had come to the States several years before and had engaged in the florist business. He was very successful and the growing trade required more attention than he could devote to all its branches. Knowing of Edward's love for floriculture he asked him to come out and join him. The request was complied with and Edward came direct to Kansas City and worked for his brother-in-law, who had his greenhouse on Twelfth street at that time. Mr. Jarret took him in as his partner and they carried on the business together for nine years. At the expiration of that time Mr. Bunyar came to Rosedale, bought a lot of one hundred feet front and one hundred and twenty-five feet wide. On this he built two greenhouses, one a hundred by twenty feet and the other a hundred by eighteen feet. He raised flowers of all kinds and had a large trade in both potted and cut flowers. He made up floral pieces for funerals and other purposes, and he succeeded in building up a most prosperous business. He died June 2, 1905.

Before he came to America he had married and three sons had been born to him, Ted, Robert and Edgar. In June, 1886, his wife died, and on November 6, 1889, he married Emily Taylor, daughter of Joseph Taylor, the noted hunter and taxidermist. He came to Kansas City when it was simply a frontier town through which the Indians often came and pillaged. He has seen it grow to its present magnitude. His object in coming to Kansas City was to mount four hundred head of bull buffalo, and since that time he has mounted animals and reptiles of all kinds. He has stuffed animals for various public institutions and for many American and foreign notables. He was a very successful hunter and has hunted with William Cody, Kit Carson and many other noted sportsmen. One of the reasons why he was such a successful mounter of animals was because he was so familiar with them in their natural living conditions and he could therefore make them look almost life like. Mr. and Mrs. Bunyar had one son, Frank, born in Rosedale, August 10, 1890. He grew up with the plants and understands the business thoroughly. He and his mother have carried on the business since the death of Mr, Bunyar. People who trade with them feel sure of receiving not only beautiful flowers, but the most courteous of treatment and fair prices. The family is greatly respected in Rosedale.