S. A. Hanlin

S.A. Hanlin came to Newton with his young wife, formerly Inez Butler and their baby daughter from Dysart, Iowa, April 1,1890, and established their home here. Mr. Hanlin, a telegraph operator, saw the possibilities in the mercantile business here, and formed a partnership with E. F. Sult of Emporia, and opened "The Racket" in the Claassen building in the 500 block on Main street. By 1905 he occupied the corner now known as the Hanlin building, occupied by the J. c. Penney store. In 1898 he was joined by John Oliger and C. M. Beachy, and they opened mercantile stores in a half dozen of the better cities of this section. In 1901, Mr. Hanlin took over the interest of his partners, sold the stores outside of Newton and confined himself to building here one of the most substantial general stores in Kansas.
In the spring of 1905, the Santa Fe railroad was useing extra track gangs, and there arose the need for housing and feeding the workmen. Charles C. Mack, employed by the Santa Fe was placed in charge of a commissary car. The plan worked so well, and the railroad company not wishing to engage in merchandising, when Mack laid the matter before Mr. Hanlin, he saw the possibilities and financed the starting of what developed into the present, Hanlin Supply Company, the first and always the largest railroad extra gang commissary business in the world.
Mr. Hanlin disposed of his store holdings here to S. V. Shelp in 1921.
In 1912 he began the erection of the present home of the Hanlin Supply Co. at Fifth and Oak streets. His son-in-law Oliver Moorshead took over running the company when Mr. Hanlin retired.
Mr. Hanlin was one of the original directors of the Kansas State Bank, and served in that capacity for 31 years, retiring from the board in 1933, after he had retired from active business and established his residence in California.