H. L. Songer, city assessor of El Dorado, is a native son of Butler county and belongs to one of the pioneer families of Rosalia. Mr. Songer was born October 19, 1881, and is a son of M. L. and Sophronia (Goodnight) Songer. M. L. Songer, the father, settled in Butler county, near Rosalia, in 1871, and his widow now resides at Rosalia. M. L. and Sophronia (Goodnight) Songer were the parents of the following children: H. A., farmer, Rosalia, Kans.; Mrs. J. M. Withrow, Englewood, Kans.; Mrs. Harry Dilts, El Dorado, Kans.; Frank, student in the El Dorado High School; and H. L., the subject of this sketch.

H. L. Songer was reared in Butler county, and received a good common school education, after which he taught school for three years in South District, No. 35. and was one of Butler county's successful teachers. He then engaged in the mercantile business at Pontiac where he was postmaster and for two years, was station agent for the Missouri Pacific Railroad at that place. In 1913 he removed to El Dorado, in order that his children might have better educational facilities. Here he engaged in the real estate business, and was also interested in the wholesale hay business. On January 13, 1916, he was appointed assessor for the city of E Dorado,[sic] by the county commissioners, and at the present time is serving in that capacity.

Mr. Songer was married April 19, 1903, to Miss Jennie Bishop, of Pontiac, a daughter of Elias and Charlotte (Childers) Bishop, the former a native of Iowa, and the latter of Illinois. Elias Bishop was one of the very early pioneers of Butler County. He came here in 1868, at the age of sixteen years, and clerked in the first store in El Dorado. That was at a time when all the goods for his section of the country were hauled overland, with teams from Emporia. Mr. and Mrs. Songer are the parents of the following children: Karl, Merle, and Marvin.

Mr. Songer is one of the progressive young men of Butler county, and has always proven himself efficient and thoroughly reliable in any trust that has been imposed in him. His genial and courteous manner and straightforward methods, have won for him many friends, and his popularity over a broad scope of Butler county is justly merited.

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