Shawnee County KS Archives Biographies.....Hackney, Herbert 1850 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ks/ksfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com September 29, 2006, 2:24 am Author: James L. King (1905) HERBERT HACKNEY. HERBERT HACKNEY, president of The Topeka Milling Company, belongs to that body of progressive and far-sighted business men who have brought the great industries of the United States to almost absolute perfection. Mr. Hackney was born in England in 1850 and is a son of George and Martha (Jepson) Hackney. George Hackney, father of our subject, was born May 26, 1826, in Cheshire, England, and is a son of John and Hannah (Simm) Hackney. He is one of a family of 15 children and, as far as he has been able to trace, is the only survivor. He was educated in England as a mechancal engineer and was employed on the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway. In 1852 he came to America in the "Sarah Sands," which was the first screw steamer to cross the Atlantic. She was subsequently lost, burned while carrying troops to Australia. On April 5, 1848, George Hackney was married to Martha Jepson, who was born in Cheshire in 1827, and they had three children, the two survivors being Herbert, of this sketch, and Carrie Elizabeth, who is the wife of Clarence Skinner, of Topeka. Mr. and Mrs. Skinner have one daughter,—Addie. After coming to America, George Hackney lived for three years in New York City where he followed his trade, in 1855 removing to Milwaukee, and continuing to work as a mechanical engineer. From Wisconsin he moved to Topeka, Kansas, in 1877 and for 13 years had charge of the mechanical department of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway from Chicago to California. During his residence in Chicago, he was chairman of the committee of three members which was appointed by the mayor of that city to study the subject of elevated railroad terminals. The committee was composed of practical men and they traveled all through the East and studied the subject in all lights at different points. As a result, Chicago has one of the best elevated railroad terminal systems in the world. Mr. Hackney retired from active life in 1893 after years of work and responsibility. George Hackney has the distinction of having built the first three locomotives ever constructed in the State. The first one was named for Colonel Holliday, who was then president of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company; the second was named for C. C. Wheeler, general manager of the road, and the third for W. B. Strong, also at one time president of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company. In association with Levi Z. Leiter, P. G. Noel, George Lake and a fifth man, Mr. Hackney built the first roller mill in the State, which is now operated by our subject. Mr. Hackney is the only survivor of this body of business men. During the winter seasons Mr. Hackney resides in Topeka, but his summers are spent on his finely improved farm of 15 acres in Highland Park. In a remarkable degree he retains his faculties and is a most interesting and entertaining host. Among the many treasures which his home contains is a picture which was painted by his only daughter, of an old church of Cheshire, England. It possesses great interest for him as the original dates back to the time of Cromwell and in it his father and mother were married and in its shadow they lie buried. It is known as Asbury Church. Near it he first met his wife and they were married there and the baptismal rite was there administered to Herbert Hackney, our subject. In 1854 Mr. Hackney was admitted to membership in the Masonic fraternity in New York and ever since he has performed the duties and lived up to the obligations of a Master Mason. Herbert Hackney attended school in Wisconsin until he was 13 years old and was then apprenticed in a machine shop, where he remained until he had completed every detail of the work and was a finished machinist. In 1870, at the age of 28 years, he was manager of a large iron and steel plant at Youngstown, Ohio, of which Brown & Bonnell were proprietors. His practical knowledge of iron and steel includes every part of the business from the mining of the iron ore to the finished product. At this time he managed 3,500 men, a fact indicative of the reliance placed* in him by his employers. He has been connected with iron and steel manufacturing in Ohio, Illinois and Oregon and in Wisconsin. His experiences covered so wide a territory and his positions were of such responsibility that his knowledge of the business has been gained in the best and most complete way. In 1887 he became assistant superintendent of the machinery department of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway and continued until 1892, since which time he has devoted his time and close attention to his present business. This enterprise known as The Topeka Milling Company, is operated by Hackney & Company, the officials being: Herbert Hackney, president and treasurer and George W. Hackney, his son, secretary and manager. The business of the company is the manufacture of the famous "Ralston Health Flour," "Ralston Health Pancake Flour," "Ralston Health Buckwheat Flour," "Blue Cross Health Breakfast Food" and "H. H." patent flour, preparations that through excellence of quality have found a market all over the world. This mill was built in 1882 and it has a daily capacity of 650 barrels of flour, 1,000 barrels of corn meal and 18,000 packages of cereals. This institution employs eight travelling salesmen and the goods are shipped to all parts of the United States. In this line the products of The Topeka Milling Company are of the very highest class manufactured in the world, having absolutely no superior. Since Mr. Hackney and son have taken charge of this business, they have been vigorously pushing to the front as American manufacturers. Mr. Hackley was married, first, in Milwaukee to May L. Todd, and they had two children: George W. and one deceased. Mr. Hackney was married, second, in Chicago to Anna S. Norton. He is a member of the Commercial Club of Topeka and has always been active in furthering the city's interests since he has located here. George W. Hackney, junior member of the firm, was born in 1877 at Milwaukee. His education was received in the public schools and at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. After leaving school, he was employed by the World's Fair Company and then joined his father at Topeka. He is a practical business man, like his father and grandfather, and gives his undivided attention to the advancing of the interests of this large enterprise, thoroughly believing in the value of modern advertising. The offices of the company are situated on Jefferson street, while the mill property is on Adams street. It is thoroughly equipped with every kind of modern device and improved machinery that will contribute to the purity of the goods produced so that they may be just what they are claimed to be—health foods. 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. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/shawnee/bios/hackney126nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ksfiles/ File size: 7.7 Kb