K. J. T. (Karl John Theodore) Ekblaw

Born in Illinois in 1884, Karl John Theodore Ekblaw built his career around agricultural engineering and education. Records from the University of Illinois describe him as a student there and later as an assistant, instructor, and associate in agricultural engineering, before he went on to teach at Kansas State University and work in publishing and farm power education.

As an author, he wrote clearly for working readers. His books and manuals on farm structures, farm concrete, and implement sheds focused on useful design, construction, and maintenance, showing a strong interest in making rural work more efficient and durable.

Ekblaw is also remembered for his connection to Arctic exploration through the Crocker Land Expedition era. Archival and museum sources on the expedition help place him within a family deeply linked to polar research, while his own surviving papers show a life that ranged from university teaching to practical writing and public service. He died in 1947.