Shawnee-Marion County KS Archives Biographies.....Aye, Edward Wallis Hoch 1849 - 
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Author: James L. King (1905)

HON. EDWARD WALLIS HOCH.

    HON. EDWARD WALLIS HOCH, Governor of the State of Kansas, elected to the
Office in November, 1904, stands to-day as one of the leading public men of the
United States. Through the years of greatest storm and stress, Kansas became
acquainted with this fearless and uncompromising defender of the people's
rights, and when the time was ripe conferred on him the highest honor in the
commonwealth he had served so well.

    Born in Kentucky on March 17, 1849, and educated in the schools of his
native place, Danville, and at Center College, Kentucky, Edward Wallis Hoch came
to Kansas at the age of 23, little dreaming of the future awaiting him.
Completing his apprenticeship to the printer's trade, he turned his attention
for a time to farming in Marion County, but in a shore time he purchased a
newspaper, the Marion Record, and entered upon a career in the field of
journalism. Overcoming the obstacles and discouragements which swept many a
brave man off his feet in those days, Mr. Hoch by 1876 had firmly established
himself, and since that time the Marion Record has been not only a financial
success, but has been the exponent of what is the greatest and best as regards
public interests in this State.

    In 1888 he became prominent in public life as the member from Marion County
to the State House of Representatives, where his voice was raised in support of
those reforms for which he had so long battled with his pen. His eloquence and
convincing arguments always claimed attention. In 1892 he was reelected and was
made Speaker pro tern and in this position, a difficult one at the time, his
discretion and judgment brought about the success of the Republican contingent
and peaceful adjustment of all difficulties. On two ?occasions he has been urged
for Congress by his party, and the trend of public opinion was shown as early as
1894, when he was actively supported by the Republican State Convention for
Governor.

    At the Republican State Convention, at Wichita, Kansas, Mr. Hoch was
nominated for the office of Governor by acclamation on March 8, 1904. His
Democratic opponent at the polls in November, 1904, was David M. Dale, of
Wichita, Kansas. Mr. Hoch was elected by the large plurality of 69,740. His
election to this high office justifies the judgment and prediction of his
friends for many years. Not for one moment do the people doubt what his.
administration will be. With a determined devotion to principle, with high,
ideals of public duty, he will pursue his fearless way, with disinterested
patriotism, doing his full obligation in every way, independent of favor or
criticism. At the very outset of his term of office, he has been identified with
the movement to oust the Standard Oil Company and its branches from the. State
of Kansas. The war on this hydra-headed monopoly is being viewed with intense
interest by other commonwealths of this country, many of which hope to follow
the leadership of Kansas in this struggle, if the fight proves successful.

    In May, 1876, Governor Hoch was married to Sarah Lou Dickerson, of Marion,
Kansas, and they have four children, namely: Edna, Homer W., Anna and Wallis,
who is named after his father. In Matters of religion Mr. Hoch is a member of
the Methodist Episcopal Church and has long been an active worker in the church
and Sunday-school.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF SHAWNEE COUNTY, KANSAS
AND
REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

EDITED AND COMPILED BY
JAMES L. KING
TOPEKA, KANSAS 

"History is Philosophy Teaching by Examples"

PUBLISHED BY
RICHMOND & ARNOLD,
GEORGE RICHMOND; C. R. ARNOLD.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,
1905.

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