Shawnee County KS Archives Biographies.....Popenoe, E. A. 1853 - 
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Author: James L. King (1905)

E. A. POPENOE, A.M.

    E. A. POPENOE, A. M., professor of zoology and entomology at the State
Agricultural College, at Manhattan, Kansas, occupies a very prominent position
in the State as a scientist. Professor Popenoe was born at Centerville,
Montgomery County, Ohio, in 1853, and is a son of Willis P. and Marinda
(Holcomb) Popenoe.

    The parents of Professor Popenoe were born in Ohio and resided there until
1861, when they removed to a farm near Bloomington, Illinois. Four of their
family of six children grew to maturity, viz: E. A., of this sketch; Lucy, who
resides with her parents; Fred O., a business citizen of Topeka; and Willis P.,
Jr., who died of yellow fever in Mexico in 1894. The last named, who was a
well-known resident of Topeka, was superintendent of the State Agricultural Fair
one year and was secretary of the Kansas Horse Breeders' Association.

    The subject of this sketch grew up on his father's farm and possibly this
very fact explains the deep interest he has always evinced in everything
pertaining to agriculture and the success he has attained in his scientific
investigations. In 1869 he came to Topeka and in 1870 he entered Washburn
College, where he pursued his studies until he was graduated in 1876, and then
entered the educational field as a teacher and continued as such in Topeka,
being principal of the Quincy and later of the Harrison School, until September,
1879, when he was elected to the chair of botany and horticulture in the State
Agricultural College at Manhattan. Owing to the unprecedented -growth of the
school, he later divided his labors and had in charge horticulture and
entomology. In 1894 he took his present position. His work has been of the
greatest importance to the State and he, possibly more than any other man in
Kansas, has demonstrated that to be a true agriculturist one must also be
considerable of a scientist. He has been a member of the State Board of
Agriculture ever since 1876, with the exception of two years when he was not in
political sympathy with the State administration. Since 1888 he has been manager
of the State Experimental Station of entomology. For 10 years he has filled the
office of secretary of the Kansas Academy of Science, of which he was president
one year. He is a life member of the State Horticultural Association, a member
of the American Pomological Society, of the American Association of Economic
Entomologists, of Washington, D. C, and of the Entomological Society.

    Professor Popenoe is very well known through Kansas, having visited nearly
all the counties on lecturing and investigating tours. He is familiar with the
State's natural resources, climatic conditions and social features. During a
long season, when he served as State inspector of nurseries, his contributions
to the various agricultural and horticultural journals laid the foundation for
various legislative measures. He owns a fine farm of 187 acres in section 14,
township 12, range 15, in Topeka township, where he himself broke some of the
land and planted extensive orchards. He conducts the estate mainly as a dairy
farm. It is an ideal rural home and came into his possession in 1899. Here he
has a fine chance to carry on his experiments, watch the growth of his herd of
Jersey and Shorthorn cattle, and enjoy the treasures of a magnificent library of
more than 2,000 volumes, made up of all that is best in literature and in
science. He has probably the finest herbarium and choicest collection of insects
indigenous to Kansas, to be found in the: State.

    Professor Popenoe was married in 1883 to Carrie G. Holcomb, who-was born at
Decatur, Illinois, and is a daughter of Myron and Dorcas C. (Winchell) Holcomb.
Four sons have been born to them: Charles H., a student at the State
Agricultural College; Herbert L., a student at Washburn, Academy; Edwin A., Jr.,
preparing to enter Washburn; and Willis Parker, a lad of seven years.

    Politically, Prefossor [sic] Popenoe is identified with the Republican party
in, which he is as active as is consistent with his public duties. Fraternally,
he is a Mason and is master of Lafayette Lodge, of Manhattan, Kansas. He is an
enthusiast in his work and has brought honor upon his name and State through the
vast extent and the thorough accuracy of his scientific researches.


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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