William Wallace Kengle was born in Weatherly, Pennsylvania. He was a shoemaker by trade. He married Hellen Loomis Stinson of Waller, Ohio on January 23, 1883 in Huntington, Ross County, Ohio.
He and Hellen lived in Oswego, Kansas and had several children while there. From there, his daughter Vera wrote that he made a run into Indian Territory and got as far as Vinita. In this town the two main railroad lines, the San Fransisco ran east and west, and the Kansas City Southern ran North to South. This is where he stayed, as he thought he could get a lot of business at this location.
Will opened a shop in Vinita making cowboy boots and shoes for cripples. Among his records of customers are such names as: Clem Rogers, his son Will Rogers from Laremore, the McSpaddends and Clarks, Will Halsell, Marshall Stevens, Dr. Griffith and Chief Buffington. One of his most colorful customers was Captain Billy Simms of the Roosevelt Rough Riders. Captain Billy required a 6 inch lift in his right shoes because of an injury incurred at San Juan Hill. Captain Simmers would swagger proudly down Main Street and brag that he got around because Bill Kengle made his shoes. Cowboys came from all over the territory spending two and three months wages for fancy boots. Mr. Kengle stitched birds and exquisite swords or cattle brands in the kid tops of these custom made boots. He was busy from sun up until hours after other shop keepers had called it a day.
Three children of Mr. and Mrs. Kengle, Helen Beatrice, Richard Enbody and John Lewis were born in Oswego, Kansas, but did not live to move with the rest of the family to Vinita, Oklahoma. They are buried in the Oswego Cemetery.
The Kengle lot in the cemetery is very large and rimmed with a neat cement border. William Wallace Kengle was buried in this same cemetery on a windy day in January in 1938. The lot number is 1 and the block number is 47.