Henry Lee Jost

After his mother died around 1879, Henry Lee Jost was temporarily placed by his father in the Five Points Mission. When his family failed to pay the orphanage boarding fees, he became a ward of the facility and in 1881, at seven years old, was placed out by the Children’s Aid Society. He lived in multiple homes during his youth, spending most of that time with Judge Dale, head of the placing out committee, and later with the Lasswell family. Although he thought highly of the Lasswells, he left at age 15 to work as a farm hand. At 22, he began studying law under S.E. Brown and, before attending law school, was elected Justice of the Peace of Hopkins Township. He attended Kansas City Law School in 1898, then worked for Jackson County as Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney and practiced law in Kansas City for 46 years. While many children hid their orphan train past, Jost used his background to his advantage in running for public office. He was elected mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, in 1912 and 1914, and during his time in office he was credited with establishing an efficient city government and dedicating Union Station among other accomplishments. In 1922, he ran for U.S. Representative of Missouri’s 5th District under the headline “The Orphan Boy Mayor.” He served one term in Congress before returning home to his farm and law practice. When writing about his life, he did not mention his accomplishments, but instead praised the rural life and kind people he always cherished.

Concordia, Kansas · United States