These two images show James Richard Mead, (1836-1910), businessman, Kansas politician and civic leader of Wichita, Kansas. He migrated to the Kansas Territory in 1859 where he established trading posts in the pioneer towns of Towanda and Wichita. During his lifetime he was also involved in several business ventures from real estate to the cattle trade. Mead was instrumental in overseeing the cattle drives along the Chrisholm Trail to Wichita, Kansas. His interest turned to Kansas politics when he was first elected in 1864 to represent Butler County in the Kansas House of Representatives. A few years later in 1868 Mead was elected to the Kansas Senate as a Republican, representing the Fifteenth District. His committee assignments consisted of Chairman of the Ways and Meads Committee of the Kansas Senate. During his term as a senator, Mead worked with Kansas Governor Samuel Crawford and others to incorporate Wichita into a town. Mead insisted on the name Wichita as the Wichita people had occupied the town site for several years. He also saw the need for transportation in the growing town and in 1871 organized the Wichita & Southwestern Railroad Company. Later in life Mead wrote articles for the Kansas State Historical Society and for the Kansas Academy of Science on topics regrading pioneer annals, biology and ethnology. In addition, he served as president of the Kansas State Historical Society. On March 31, 1910 Jamer Richard Mead passed away at the age of seventy three.

Creator: Rogers, W. S. (William S.)
Date: Bewteen 1870s and 1880s