John Hall, Nathan Harburg, John Scott Harrison, Alvin J. Hatch

Edwin R. Heath, Bernice L. Hickmon, Albert F. Hinshaw,

 Nancy Tyler Holmes, Numan R. Horton,

John Hall
Of all the famous and historic hotels that have faded from Kansas City’s landscape, one still remains to this day! John was the builder, owner, and proprietor of the Pacific House Hotel that still stands at Fourth and Delaware in Kansas City, MO. It was during John’s ownership of the Pacific House in Room 20 that General Thomas Ewing made his “headquarters, District of the Border” and later wrote the now infamous Order No. 11 that banished all southern sympathizers out of Jackson, Bates, Cass and Vernon County lying within the district of the border. When renowned artist, George Caleb Bingham got wind of Order No. 11, he was in Jefferson City, MO and he immediately came back to Kansas City to confront Ewing on it. Bingham arrived and checked into the Pacific House. He confronted Ewing in Room 20 and demanded that he rescind the order. When Ewing scoffed at Bingham, Bingham made the now famous threat of “I shall make you infamous with my pen and brush so far as I am able!" And that threat became the heralded Bingham painting, “Order No. 11.” The Pacific House guest list included Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant and it’s bar and billiard room became immensely popular.

Nathan Harburg
August 14^th, 1872 and the great P.T. Barnum’s Circus had just hit town! The circus wagons and carriages pulled by white horses neared Sixteenth Street and seven year old Nathan was running along with the long procession through Kansas City. In his excitement, little Nathan got too close to one of the horses and he was knocked down to the ground. Before he could get up, a wagon rolled over his head and killed him instantly. Samuel Hurd, Barnum’s son-in-law and treasurer left town the next day with the circus and soon returned to investigate the matter. It was concluded a horrible accident and Barnum reimbursed the Harburg family for all reasonable damages.

John Scott Harrison
Brother of President Benjamin Harrison, grandson of President William Henry Harrison, and great-grandson of Declaration of Independence Signer, Benjamin Harrison. John Scott is also the namesake of his father who is the only man in American history to be the son of one president (William Henry) and the father of another (Benjamin). Harrison was on the Board of Education in Kansas City. John and his wife came to Kansas City in 1872 on their wedding trip.

Alvin J. Hatch
Perhaps the "best saloon keeper to the stars" outside of New York City as far as the stage and entertainment world was concerned. Hatch had many, many friends in the entertainment and sports world. Among his friends were renowned comedian, Joseph Jefferson and legendary boxers, the great John L. Sullivan and James Corbett. Hatch died from gunshot wounds obtained by a robbery gone wrong. He was held up by four boys, at gunpoint, while walking home from his saloon. He lived approximately one week after the incident.

Edwin R. Heath
The Heath River, Heath Wildlife Center and Puerto Heath on South America's Peru-Bolivia border are all named after him. Dr. Heath's work in Bolivia included much geological exploration that resulted in the greater part of the Madre de Dios river being found, exploring the Beni river 1,200 miles in a canoe with the Bolivian govt. consent while mapping his journey the entire way (that map has remained unaltered to this day), yellow fever being wiped out while he nursed railroad workers back to health over 7 months and Heath was also a contributor to the Smithsonian Institute. His magnificent work gained him an honor as being one of seven honorary American members in the Royal Geographical Society of London. Theodore Roosevelt was also one of those seven. He became the ONLY American to receive the Nat'l Order of the Condor of the Andes as well as many more prestigious positions, honors and acclaim. At 10 years old, his father moved the family to the gold land around Sacramento, CA. It was here Edwin met the legendary Kit Carson and Jim Bridger.

Bernice L. Hickmon
Bernice’s fame is quite unique. An urn containing her cremated remains was left behind by relatives when they moved from their residence, only for the new resident to find her. The Kansas City police secured the remains and kept Bernice’s urn in the property department on a shelf among confiscated property, drugs and items for 20 years in hoping and wondering if relatives would ever claim her. No one would or has come forward to do so. KMBZ Radio’s news reporter, Dan Verbeck knew of Bernice’s story and thought that a final resting place should be in order. Because of Dan, along with the donations of services provided by the Kansas City Police, Lawrence A. Jones Funerals, Kevin Horton, Wilbert Vaults, and Elmwood Cemetery, Bernice now and forever has peace and a final place to call home. 

Albert F. Hinshaw
A “widely known sports official” was Al’s title in the May 24, 1963 Kansas City Times. Throughout his career, Albert officiated in many college basketball games in different conferences. He worked the Big Eight and Missouri Valley Conferences respectfully and his career allowed him to become great friends with three of the legendary coaches of basketball, Oklahoma State’s Henry Iba, Kansas’ “Phog” Allen and the founder and owner of the world famous Harlem Globetrotters, Abe Saperstein! His son, Albert Edmund, recalled him and his father being invited to games as the guest of the coaches and how they would visit in their home. During his officiating career, he also got to work Kentucky Wildcat games where the Wildcat coach was none other that the great Adolph Rupp! His brother, Stephen, was a football coach at the University of Kansas and his son, Albert Edmund is the current mayor of Duncan, Oklahoma. The Hinshaw family isn’t just linked into sports, they found themselves as in-laws to a famous politician! His nephew Robert married the daughter of John Foster Dulles. Dulles was the secretary of State under Eisenhower and the namesake of the Washington D.C. airport, Dulles International! 

Nancy Tyler Holmes
Great-grandmother of President Harry S. Truman. There are stories that Nancy was scalped by Indians and survived by lying still. She carried her late husband's tall beaver hat in the original box believing that any woman, "once a widow...always a widow." On Friday, June 14th, 1929 Harry and Bess Truman's daughter, Margaret visited Elmwood to strewn flowers upon Nancy's grave in a ceremony by the Daughters of the American Revolution. Nancy was the daughter of American Revolutionary soldier, Captain Robert Tyler.

Numan N. Horton
Inventor and Civil War surgeon, Numan, although Caucasian, has a place of honor in Washington D.C. with a plaque (plaque number C-60) on the African American Civil War Memorial serving as a surgeon with the 47^th U.S. Colored Infantry. His invention of the Horton Reclining Chair for railroad passenger travel brought him national attention and acclaim! His chair, that resembled a dentist chair of today, brought great comfort and many restful journeys to thousands of passengers. The chair’s popularity was so immense that Chicago & Alton Railroad had passenger cars equipped with only Horton’s chairs! THOSE cars became so big that the Chicago & Alton built SIX more of them. In the 1880 Kansas City, Missouri city directory, Horton’s Reclining Chair Works had an office in the old Union Station.