Historical
society icon leaves legacy
Roger Wilson
was a storyteller, which made him a good fit for the top job at the Harvey
County Historical Society - a post he had for about six years before resigning
last year.
"He was
funny," volunteer Linda Koppes said. "He was always quite humorous.
He was very good with writing and helpful. He made sure we said just the right
words to convey the meaning we really wanted."
Wilson died
Thursday at Stormont Vail Regional Health Center in Topeka. He was 70 years
old.
A memorial
service was today in Topeka.
As leader of
the historical society, he was able to attract more attention to the museum and
it's holdings.
"He
took the society to a different level," said volunteer Jane Jones.
"His interest in belonging to the Chamber and other groups in town really
helped the society and put us out where we hadn't been before."
Though he
moved to Topeka after retiring from the society in June 2006, Wilson kept in
touch and was scheduled to give a program of "The Great Architectural
Scandal of the 1970's" in May.
During the
last six years, Wilson has researched and learned new stories - stories of the
past in Harvey County and Newton.
He's told
the story of the only governor from Newton to be elected and the strange way
Harvey County came into being and the borders drawn.
He's researched
the story of the Newton Massacre, one of his favorites.
"That's
straight out of the Old West," Wilson told the Kansan in June 2006.
"A gunfight in a saloon."
But his
favorite story from Harvey County's past involves characters many may have never
even heard of.
"I love
the story I call the 'Untimely demise of Clement Botthamly,'" Wilson said.
It's a name
many haven't heard - even stumping members of the museum staff.
Botthamly
moved to Newton from England with a pregnant wife in tow. His wife died, as did
the couple's child. Botthamly went looking for a new love and met a girl named
Nelly from Halstead.
Nelly,
unfortunately, married someone else. One night, Botthamly and Nelly decided to
leave Harvey County and head for Texas.
"Botthamly
died by a gunshot wound to the head somewhere around where Enid, Okla., is
now," Wilson said. "Nelly was arrested and charged. She was acquitted
of the charges by a jury in Wichita that deliberated for only five minutes. It
turns out she was a good-looking gal."
It's those
stories he loves to research and tell.
He also
loved trains.
"He'd
be sitting at his computer, and everytime there was a train whistle, his ears
would just perk up," Koppes said.
Historian
was his third career - he's been a journalist, communication specialist and a
historian.
He was born
on Dec. 16, 1936, in Kansas City, Kan., to Jesse James and Corda Marie Nevils
Wilson.
He was
raised and attended public schools in Kansas City and came to Topeka in 1964
from Wichita.
He had a
35-year career in broadcasting and journalism that began in 1953 as a high
school student who had a puppet show on a Kansas City TV station.
From there
he ventured into radio news, with spots at KCKN in Kansas City, KCLO in
Leavenworth, KTOP in Topeka, KLEO and KFH in Wichita and 15 years at WIBW in
Topeka.
He returned
to Wichita working at KFH, KWCH, and KSNW before retiring from the Wichita Area
Chamber of Commerce.
He then
moved to Newton, where he was the director of the Harvey County Historical
Society. He returned to Topeka in December 2006. He enjoyed numerous hobbies
including amateur ham radio operator, model trains and performing in Wichita
Cowtown and Gridiron productions.
