Cretcher, Mack P. (1868-1946)

Evening Kansan-Republican obituary: 1946 Jun 20 p. 1

Birth date: 1868 Dec 9

Text of obituary:

MACK CRETCHER CALLED BY DEATH

Prominent Citizen Passed On This Morning at Age of 77 Years

Mack P. Cretcher, pioneer of Harvey county, widely known editor and author, died this morning about 6:30, at the Bethel Deaconess hospital here, where he had been the past two or three years, bedfast most of the time with a lingering illness and debility that refused to yield to the utmost care and treatment.

Mr. Cretcher was born in Spring Hill, O., Dec. 9, 1868, son of Mrs. and Mrs. John Curtis Cretcher. They came to Kansas in February, 1871, settling on a farm near Putnam, later moving to the farm now owned by C. J. Cox and sons, two miles northeast of Sedgwick. Harvey county has been Mack's home ever since. He was educated in the Sedgwick schools, and after trying farming a few years, he purchased the Sedgwick Pantagraph in May, 1892, from Cash M. Taylor, and published the paper until 1913. He then went to the Philippine islands as assistant director of agriculture, serving there eight years, being a member of the Philippine commission at the London International Exposition. Returning to the states in 1922, he served the two years of Governor Jonathan Davis' administration as his private secretary. In 1925 he became editor of the Newton Journal, continuing that work until his retirement in March, 1940.