Kester Winfield Staib (1865-1915), Kester Ulm Snyder (1891-1961)

Portrait from the Middletown Daily Times

   Hailing from the small town of Hancock in Delaware County, New York, Kester Winfield Staib's career on the New York political stage was quite brief, lasting all of a few months. His placement here on the site rests on his short tenure as Mayor of the city of Middletown, New York in 1903, after which he removed to New York City to begin a new career as an architectural draughtsman.

   Born in Peakville, New York in 1865, Kester Winfield Staib was one of two sons born to Henry and Adaline Fuller Staib. Kester and his family moved to New York City shortly after his birth and it was here that he attended school. Staib later studied at the Hancock Union School and went on to graduate from the Lowell Business School in Binghamton.

   On October 17, 1892, Staib married in New York to Ms. Mary Kane, and they later became the parents of one daughter, Virginia Fuller Staib (born 1901). The Staib family moved to Middletown, New York sometime in the mid-1890s, where Kester became employed as a roadmaster's clerk in the chief engineer's office of the Ontario and Western Railroad. Staib later left this employ and was elected as a Democratic alderman for Middletown, later becoming President of the Common Council of that city in the early 1900s.

  In February 1903 then Mayor of Middletown George W. O'Neil (1851-1936) resigned after serving only three months in office. As president of the Common Council, Kester Staib assumed the position of Mayor and served out the remainder of O'Neil's term, which concluded at the end of 1903. Staib did not run for his own term as Mayor in 1904 and Aaron J. Hornbeck won that year's election. Staib returned to life as a private citizen and underwent a career change of sorts when he removed back to New York City in 1904. Here he began the study of architecture and later designed houses in both New York and New Jersey, while also being engaged in the manufacture of a "leading window device" with his father. Staib's obituary also lists him as being a member of the "police force of the Croton aqueduct"  as well as being a foreman at the Monhagen Hose Company.

  Kester Winfield Staib died at his home in Brooklyn on July 20, 1915, at age 49. The cause of death was listed in his Middletown Daily Times obituary as a result of "acute indigestion", and his remains were later removed to his native town of Hancock for burial in the St. Paul's Cemetery. Staib's wife Mary and daughter Virginia both survived him.

 From the 1915 Middletown Times.

                      An obituary for Staib appeared in the Middletown Daily Times on July 22, 1915.

Portrait from the Kansas Government Journal.

   A lifelong resident of Kansas, Kester Ulm "K.U." Snyder represented Johnson County in the Kansas State Senate for two terms beginning in the late 1940s. Born on September 9, 1891, in Ashland, Kansas, Kester U. Snyder was the son of William Kester and Della Amanda Snyder. Known by the nickname "Kess", Snyder would study at the Kansas State Agricultural College until 1914, whereafter he left to join the U.S. Navy. He would serve in the Navy during the First World War and upon returning to Kansas engaged in farm work.

  In the early 1930s Snyder enrolled at the Kansas City School of Law and following his graduation practiced law in both Kansas and Missouri. In 1948 he was elected to the Kansas State Senate from that state's 6th district and would serve two terms, the last concluding in 1953. He would later run an unsuccessful candidacy for Probate Judge of Johnson County and died at Bucyrus, Kansas on March 30, 1961, at age 69. He was survived by his second wife Mina (1898-1997) and was interred at the Mount Moriah Cemetery in Kansas City, Kansas.

Oramandal Smith (1842-1915)

  Following yesterday's profile on Pennsylvania native Wooda N. Carr, we journey further north to Maine and Ormandal Smith. This oddly named figure served in several public offices in his native state, including stints as clerk of the House, state representative, state insurance commissioner, state treasurer, and Secretary of State. A surprising amount of information on Mr. Smith can be found in the right places online, but one inconsistency that has arisen out of this is the spelling of his first name. Most sources list it as being spelled "Oramandal", while others give more variations, including "Oramandel", "Ormandel" and "Ormandal".
   Smith was born on December 2, 1842, in Aroostook County, Maine, the son of Daniel and Lucy Williams Smith. He received his education in the public school of Masardis, Maine, and after the death of his mother moved with his father to the town of Litchfield. After settling here, Smith began attending the Litchfield Academy and later studied at the Waterville Classical Institute. 
  After completing his education Smith became a principal in the Litchfield and Richmond school systems from 1864-1877. During this time Smith also worked at farming, and in 1870 was elected to his first political office, that of a Representative in the Maine State Legislature. In 1874 he was named as assistant clerk of the Maine State House of Representatives and continued in this post until 1876 when he was elected clerk. Smith's tenure as clerk of the House extended from 1876-78 and again from 1880-85. Earlier in 1875, Smith married Ms. Jennie Smith and it is unknown at this time if any children were born to them.
  During his last term as clerk Smith was named as Maine State Insurance Commissioner, serving in this post from 1883-1885. In the latter year, he was elected as Secretary of the State of Maine and served a total of three terms in this office, from 1885 to 1891. After his last term as Secretary in 1891, Smith began a lengthy tenure on the Maine Governor's Council. During his service (which concluded in 1902) he served in the administrations of 3 successive Republican Governors: Edwin C. Burleigh (1889-93), Henry Bradstreet Cleaves (1893-97), and Llewellyn Powers (1897-1901).

                                      This roster of Maine Treasurers was published in 1913.

   In 1901 Smith was elected as the State Treasurer of Maine, and like his previous tenure as Secretary of State served three terms in office. In addition to his numerous political activities, Smith was active in the civic affairs of his native town of Litchfield, serving as the chairman of the executive committee of his alma mater (the Litchfield Academy) for over 25 years. He also was a trustee of the Maine School for the Feeble Minded for an indeterminate period. Ormandal Smith died in Maine on May 21, 1915, and was presumably buried in his hometown of Litchfield. In a newspaper write-up concerning his estate, Smith left the sum of $5,000 to Bates College, and substantial sums to several other institutions in the Litchfield vicinity. He was subsequently memorialized by the Kennebec Journal as a "walking encyclopedia of Maine affairs", and:

"He was ever available and approachable to those seeking information. He loved the State's business and held no earthly affair more sacred. His wisdom was only equalled by his integrity and loyalty."

                             From the History of Litchfield and the Account of its Centennial Celebrations, 1897.

From the Kennebec Journal, May 24, 1915.