Crowell, Willard (1885-1963). Webster County farmer. Born in Indiana, Willard Crowell came to Webster County after 1900, probably to join his elder brothers Henry and Omer; he lived and farmed in the Batin area from 1910 into the 1930s. He and his wife, Adelma (known as Lulu), had four children, Clarence, Robert, Howard, and Geraldine. Crowell was elected sheriff in the 1930s. He also helped Cather manage Webster County properties she owned or had mortgages on; they sometimes had differences of opinion on these business matters, but she was concerned when he had suffered a disabling fall in August 1943.

Eliot, George Fielding (1894-1971). Military officer and author. Born in Brooklyn, NY, George Fielding Eliot move to Australia with his parents as a child. At the University of Melbourne, he joined the cadet corps and then served in the Australian infantry during World War I. He joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police after the war and then, on his return to the U.S., the U.S. Army reserve in military intelligence from 1922 to 1933. Simultaneously, he worked as an accountant and started writing in multiple genres, including pulp fiction. During World War II, he wrote books and articles on the war and military strategy, including a syndicated newspaper column. Cather read and appreciated his commentary on the war.