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Note: 1870 Census, City of Girard, Crawford County, Kansas enumerated June 15, 1870 Dwelling #46, Family #39 = resident of Hotel WASSER, Elias A., 22, m/w, Printer, $0/$1500, born in Pennsylvania 1880 Census, City of Girard, Crawford County, Kansas, Roll 378, Pg. 9, enumerated June 3-4, 1880 Dwelling #85, Family #86 - Buffalo Street Wasser, Elias A., w/m, 32, PA PA PA, Editor & Printer of Girard Press ______, Mary O., wife, w/f, 27, wife, IA OH IL ______, Albert M., son, w/m, 5, son, KS PA IA ______, Ida M., daughter, w/f, 3, daughter, KS PA IA ______, Claude, son, w/m, 2/12, son, KS PA IA 1900 Census, City of Girard, Crawford County, Kansas enumerated June 9, 1900 Dwelling #372, Family #372 WASSER, Elias A., head, w/m, May 1848, age 52, PA PA PA, Editor-newspaper _______, Mary O., wife, w/f, Feb 1852, age 48, IA IA IA, married 26 years, mother of 4, 4 living _______, Ida M., daughter, w/f, Feb 1877, age 23, KS PA IA, clerk-Post Office, single _______, Claud E., son, w/m, May 1880, age 20, KS PA IA, clerk-Post Office, single _______, Louise, daughter, w/f, June 1882, age 17, KS PA IA, single 1910 Census, City of Girard, Crawford County, Kansas enumerated April 25, 1910 Dwelling #285, Family #287 - 103 West Buffalo WASSER, Elias A., head, m/w, 61, PA PA PA, Editor-newspaper _______, Olive M., wife, f/w, 58, IA OH IL, married 36 years, mother of 4, 4 living _______, Ida M., daughter, f/w, 32, KS PA IA, clerk-post office, single _______, Louise, daughter, f/w, 27, KS PA IA, single _______, Vernon E., grandson, m/w, 8, KS KS IL 1920 Census, City of Girard, Crawford County, Kansas enumerated January 27, 1920 Dwelling #309, Family #321 - 103 West Buffalo WASSER, Olive, head, f/w, 67, IA OH IL, widow ________, Ida M., daughter, f/w, 43, KS PA IA, general delivery clerk-post office, single ________, Louise, daughter, f/w, 35, KS PA IA, single ________, Vernon, grandson, f/w, 18, KS KS KS, apprentice-newspaper, single From: William G. Cutler's "History of the State of Kansas" [first published, 1883, A. T. Andreas, Chicago, IL], Crawford County, Part 8: E. A. WASSER, one of the editors of the Girard Press, was born in Pennsylvania in 1848. He lived on a farm until the age of thirteen, and received a common school education, and entered a printing office in Pennsylvania in 1861, in which he continued for three years. He was then at school and in a printing office until 1868, at which time he came to Crawford County, but subsequently went to Fort Scott and remained until 1869, at which time he became a partner with Warner & Winter in the publication of the paper under the firm name of Warner, Winter & Wasser. In 1869, Warner and Wasser purchased the interest of Winter and moved the establishment to Girard, giving it the name of the Girard Press. It is the pioneer paper of Girard, it being the first in the county, and has been published since that time continuously, with the exception of three weeks in 1871, when the office was destroyed by a mob. The paper took the position that the railroads had title to the lands, and the demagogues excited the people to mob violence. The office was burned and everything lost. In June, 1873, Mr. Riddle bought out Mr. Warner, and the paper has since been published by Wasser & Riddle. Mr. Wasser is an Odd Fellow and Good Templar, and belongs to the Lutheran Church. He was married to Miss Olive Poole, of Iowa, in 1874. They have four children - Albert Monroe, Ida May, Claude Poole and Louisa. He was appointed Postmaster at Girard February 5, 1883, by President Arthur. OBITUARY-- March 1, 1917, Girard Press E. A. Wasser, for Nearly Fifty Years in Charge of this Paper, Succumbs to the Last Great Enemy. E. A. Wasser, senior editor of the Girard PRESS, who was said to be the oldest man in-length of service on one paper of any Kansas Editor, died at his home on West Buffalo street, last Saturday, February 24, 1917. He lacked only one year of having been editor of the PRESS for half a century. Mr. Wasser had been confined to his home for thirteen months, but his condition became serious only about two weeks before his death. By a strange coincidence, the end came on the fourth anniversary of the death of his son Claude. On Monday, the day of the funeral, business houses of Girard were closed and the body, lying in state in the family home, was visited by many. The funeral occurred from the M. E. church, whose large auditorium was filled, there being an unusual gathering of elderly people, old time friends of the deceased. The sermon, mostly a biography of the deceased, was by Rev. J.H. Paul, pastor of the church, and was founded on a test from Numbers: Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his." The honorary pall bearers were: J. E. Raymond, P. B. Bricker, F. O. Mason, A. S. Johnson, D. C. Flint and W. L. Eddy. The active pall bearers were: Harry Bouck, Judge John Dowd, Dana Barker, R. L. Sullivan, Louis Grubb and H. W. Shideler. Interment was made in the family plot in the Girard cemetery. SKETCH OF MR. WASSER'S LIFE. Elias Albert Wasser was born in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, May 12, 1848. He was therefore, 68 years, 9 months and 12 days of age at the time of his death. His parents, Elias C., and Catherine (Moser) Wasser, were natives of Pennsylvania, and of German parentage. To them were born three other children. Of these, Kate, formerly a teacher in Girard, died some years ago. Another daughter, Lucy R. Krape, lives in Lena, Ill., and a son, Philip H., is a citizen of Girard. The father died when his family was quite young, and they were thrown largely upon their own resources. The oldest residents of Girard remembers the mother, who made her home with her son in Girard until her death in the early seventies. Elias attended public school until his thirteenth year, when he entered Penn Hall Academy, at Penn Hall, Pa. While attending school he studied and worked at odd times to learn the printer's trade. He worked at this trade several years in Aaronsburg, Bellefonte, and Oil City, Pa. In 1868, at the age of twenty he came to Kansas, stopping a short time at Crawfordsville, a small town located about two miles northwest of Girard. The town long ago ceased to exist. A few months later he went to Ft. Scott, where he, Dr. Warner and M. Winters formed a partnership to publish the "Fort Scott Press." The next year Messrs. Wasser and Warner, bought the interest of Mr. Winters, and moved their paper to Girard. Here they published the first issue of the 'GIRARD PRESS" November 11, 1869. In 1871 the Land Leaguers, of this county, and the railroad company were in a biter quarrel about titles to land. the PRESS fearlessly published facts as its editors found them. Some of these articles were displeasing to certain irresponsible members of the Land League, and one night they burned the PRESS office with all its equipment. But the PRESS came out as usual that week, and not a fact was suppressed nor whitewashed. In 1873, Dr. Warner sold his interest to A. P. Riddle, who afterwards became lieutenant governor of Kansas. In 1885, Mr. Riddle sold out to D. C. Flint, who remained with the PRESS until 1896, when he sold his interest to Mr. Wasser. Then Mr. Wasser took his son Albert M., into partnership under the firm name of Wasser & Son, and as such the firm continued until the son's death in 1912. The son's widow then took up the work and continued in the firm until October, 1915, when she sold her interest to H. W. Shideler, who is still owner of that share. Throughout all these years, Mr. Wasser had been the director of the policies of the paper, and deserves great credit for the extensive circulation and splendid reputation it enjoys. Until his health and strength began to fail a few years ago, no paper in the land was edited any better than was the PRESS. In content and style, it was unexcelled. Mr. Wasser has always stood for prohibition, women's suffrage and clean government. In his general attitude toward public affairs he has been progressive but not radical, conservative, but not narrow. His paper has always been Republican in politics. Mr. Wasser has never aspired to any high political honors, but he has served as post master of Girard for twelve years. He has always taken a keen interest in politics and has had pronounced views upon all issues that have arisen. The life of Mr. Wasser looks like a career indeed. Beginning work as a printer at the age of thirteen, he mastered all phases of the work of a country newspaper, and rounded out a complete career extending through a period of fifty-six years. Had he been permitted to live another year, he would have achieved his ambition to edit the PRESS for a full half century. He was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and was the last of the charter members of the Girard Lodge. he was also a member of the Lutheran Church. On March 15, 1874, he was married in Girard, to Miss Mary Olive Pool who survives him. To them were born four children, two boys, Albert M. who dies April 30th, 1912, and Claude P. who lost his life in the performance of his duty as a member of the fire department in Oklahoma City, February 24, 1913, and two girls, Ida, general delivery clerk at the Girard Post Office and Louise, at home. a grandson, Vernon, is also a member of the family. MR. WASSER'S Character, as analyzed by Rev. Paul in his Sermon. In his public life Mr. Wasser was an example to the community. For forty-nine years he had been an editor, which is a most responsible, position to hold, because the influences of the press moulds public opinion and fashions character. He was fair-minded in his views, and championed the cause of public and civil good, as he saw it. Beside being an editor for so long Mr. Wasser served the people of Girard for twelve years. His public life was always exemplary, promoting the best interests of the community. In his business life Mr. Wasser's conduct was in keeping with the golden rule. "Do unto others as you would that they should do to you." He was scrupulously honest and abhorred the very appearance of crookedness in a business deal. Mr. Wasser's private life was right and noble. he kept the house in which he lived clean and "set in order". He had not a single bad habit and lived every day alike, dutiful to home, business and the public interests. During his failing health he was patience personified, appreciating every attention and kindness shown him by his loved ones and friends. Mr. Wasser's spiritual life was of the quiet type. He joined the Lutheran Church in his youth and remained so until his death. He showed sympathy for the churches of the city by contributing to the extent of his financial ability to their support.
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