William Weber

William Weber was born in Gross-Gerau, Germany, in 1865. His parents moved to the United States soon after and lived in both Kansas City, Missouri, and in llinois. They noticed William’s potential as an artist and sent him to the Royal Academy in Berlin to study art. William returned to Kansas City after his education, and in 1892 became one of the earliest faculty members at the Kansas City Art Association and School of Design, now known as the Kansas City Art Institute.  

William Weber founded the Western Art League with colleagues George Van Millet, Adolph Doring, Mrs. Louis Koehler and Edith Whitehead Sheridan. The League was known at one time as The Paint Club. The Western Art League was eventually absorbed by the Kansas City Art Association and School of Design. Weber also served as the drawing instructor at Central High School in Kansas City for seven years. 

Being of German descent, Weber designed floats for the local German Day Parade. He also designed floats for the Priests of Pallas Parade in Kansas City, a wild affair that has been compared to Mardi Gras. One of his floats is said to have been displayed at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893.