Russell Jump
Encyclopedia
Frank Russell Jump was the 56th Mayor
of Wichita, Kansas
, serving from 1952–1953. Born in Illinois
, Jump's family moved to Kansas
, the state where he would spend most of his life, when he was a child. After briefly attending Kansas State University, Jump decided to join the war effort and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley's School of Military Aeronautics. Although he never flew any combat missions, aviation would become a significant part of the rest of his life.
After marrying and returning to Kansas, Jump started a uniform manufacturing company with his wife Florence, and had a daughter, Marjorie. He served as city commissioner of Wichita, Kansas for several years, before becoming the city's mayor. During his brief stint, his most noted achievement was the sale of the city's airport to the United States
Air Force, which later became McConnell Air Force Base. After his one-year term as mayor, Jump retired from politics and continued operating his company until the 1960s. At the time of his death, he was recognized as one of the longest lived individuals ever to have held public office.
, a city in Knox County
, and was a Methodist
his entire life. His family moved to Anthony, Kansas
in 1902, and, at the onset of the first World War I, he was attending Kansas State University
. Wanting to join the war effort, Jump headed to California
.
Jump signed up to serve during World War I
, enlisting on December 22, 1917. He finished his studies at the University of California, Berkley's School of Military Aeronautics, graduating on July 8, 1918, and proceeded to train for the war effort. He was among the first flight class to train at March Air Reserve Base
in Riverside, California
. Jump was prepared to serve as an Army Air Corps
pilot, having received his Reserve Military Aviator rating, but the war ended before he was able to engage in any dogfights against Germany
. On November 2, 1918, days before the armistice
, he had been made a Second Lieutenant. He was able, however, to fly over Los Angeles
for a war bond
drive in 1918, along with classmate and future aviation pioneer Walter Varney
. Afterwards, Jump spent two months as an instructor at the base, before being discharged on January 4, 1919.
Several weeks after the armistice, on November 28, 1918, Jump married Florence Regnier. After his military career, in 1921, he and his wife returned to Kansas, and settled in Wichita, where they had a daughter, Marjorie. In 1924, the couple formed a uniform manufacturing company, Arotex Co.
. Upon acquiring the city's airport in 1951, the Air Force converted it into McConnell Air Force Base
. He also helped the city expand as mayor, overseeing a bond issue
that would help future development by funding water and sewer extensions. He was succeeded as mayor by Walter M. Keeler
, his wife having died four months prior at 101, 18 days after their 81st wedding anniversary. At the time of his death, he had two grandsons Donald II and Russell, five great-grandchildren Mark, Craig, Kerry, Daniel, Jenna and one great-great grandson Cole, and was recognized as one of the longest lived people to have ever held public office.
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Wichita, Kansas
Wichita, Kansas
Wichita is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kansas.As of the 2010 census, the city population was 382,368. Located in south-central Kansas on the Arkansas River, Wichita is the county seat of Sedgwick County and the principal city of the Wichita metropolitan area...
, serving from 1952–1953. Born in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Jump's family moved to Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, the state where he would spend most of his life, when he was a child. After briefly attending Kansas State University, Jump decided to join the war effort and graduated from the University of California, Berkeley's School of Military Aeronautics. Although he never flew any combat missions, aviation would become a significant part of the rest of his life.
After marrying and returning to Kansas, Jump started a uniform manufacturing company with his wife Florence, and had a daughter, Marjorie. He served as city commissioner of Wichita, Kansas for several years, before becoming the city's mayor. During his brief stint, his most noted achievement was the sale of the city's airport to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Air Force, which later became McConnell Air Force Base. After his one-year term as mayor, Jump retired from politics and continued operating his company until the 1960s. At the time of his death, he was recognized as one of the longest lived individuals ever to have held public office.
Early life
Jump was born on March 16, 1895 to a family in Galesburg, IllinoisGalesburg, Illinois
Galesburg is a city in Knox County, Illinois, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 32,195. It is the county seat of Knox County....
, a city in Knox County
Knox County, Illinois
Knox County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 52,919, which is a decrease of 5.2% from 55,836 in 2000...
, and was a Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
his entire life. His family moved to Anthony, Kansas
Anthony, Kansas
Anthony is a city in and the county seat of Harper County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,269.-19th century:...
in 1902, and, at the onset of the first World War I, he was attending Kansas State University
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
. Wanting to join the war effort, Jump headed to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Jump signed up to serve during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, enlisting on December 22, 1917. He finished his studies at the University of California, Berkley's School of Military Aeronautics, graduating on July 8, 1918, and proceeded to train for the war effort. He was among the first flight class to train at March Air Reserve Base
March Air Reserve Base
March Joint Air Reserve Base is located in Riverside County, California between the cities of Riverside and Moreno Valley. It is the home to the Air Force Reserve Command's 4th Air Force Headquarters and the 452d Air Mobility Wing , the largest air mobility wing of the 4th Air Force...
in Riverside, California
Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
. Jump was prepared to serve as an Army Air Corps
Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps
The Aviation Section, Signal Corps, was the military aviation service of the United States Army from 1914 to 1918, and a direct ancestor of the United States Air Force. It replaced and absorbed the Aeronautical Division, Signal Corps, and was succeeded briefly by the Division of Military...
pilot, having received his Reserve Military Aviator rating, but the war ended before he was able to engage in any dogfights against Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. On November 2, 1918, days before the armistice
Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)
The armistice between the Allies and Germany was an agreement that ended the fighting in the First World War. It was signed in a railway carriage in Compiègne Forest on 11 November 1918 and marked a victory for the Allies and a complete defeat for Germany, although not technically a surrender...
, he had been made a Second Lieutenant. He was able, however, to fly over Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
for a war bond
War bond
War bonds are debt securities issued by a government for the purpose of financing military operations during times of war. War bonds generate capital for the government and make civilians feel involved in their national militaries...
drive in 1918, along with classmate and future aviation pioneer Walter Varney
Walter Varney
Walter Thomas Varney was an American aviation pioneer who founded forerunners of two major U.S. airlines United Airlines and Continental Airlines. Varney was also one of the most prominent airmail contractors of the early 20th Century.Varney served as a pilot in the Aviation Section, U.S...
. Afterwards, Jump spent two months as an instructor at the base, before being discharged on January 4, 1919.
Several weeks after the armistice, on November 28, 1918, Jump married Florence Regnier. After his military career, in 1921, he and his wife returned to Kansas, and settled in Wichita, where they had a daughter, Marjorie. In 1924, the couple formed a uniform manufacturing company, Arotex Co.
Political career
Jump served as city commissioner of Wichita from 1949 until 1952, when he became mayor, succeeding Floyd Throckmorton Amsden. During his time in political office, which lasted through 1953, he was instrumental in negotiating the sale of the local airport to the United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
. Upon acquiring the city's airport in 1951, the Air Force converted it into McConnell Air Force Base
McConnell Air Force Base
McConnell Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located four miles southeast of the central business district of Wichita, a city in Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States. The base was named in honor of Wichita brothers Fred and Thomas McConnell, both Air Force pilots and World War II...
. He also helped the city expand as mayor, overseeing a bond issue
Bond (finance)
In finance, a bond is a debt security, in which the authorized issuer owes the holders a debt and, depending on the terms of the bond, is obliged to pay interest to use and/or to repay the principal at a later date, termed maturity...
that would help future development by funding water and sewer extensions. He was succeeded as mayor by Walter M. Keeler
Later life
Jump retired from politics after his tenure as mayor and he and his wife continued to operate their business until the 1960s. He was a member of the Order of Daedalions, an organization for former military pilots, until his death. Jump died on April 18, 2000 a month and 2 days after his 105th birthday in Pratt, KansasPratt, Kansas
Pratt is a city in and the county seat of Pratt County in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 6,835. Pratt is home to Pratt Community College.-19th century:Pratt was founded in 1884 and named after Caleb S...
, his wife having died four months prior at 101, 18 days after their 81st wedding anniversary. At the time of his death, he had two grandsons Donald II and Russell, five great-grandchildren Mark, Craig, Kerry, Daniel, Jenna and one great-great grandson Cole, and was recognized as one of the longest lived people to have ever held public office.