Who Was Myron Kent?
This article is reprinted in part from a story in the May 12, 1952 Kanabec County Times : “40 Years Ago A Man Dies.” With information from other articles found in the Newspaper archives at the History Center. Myron Kent was one of the most important men in Mora’s history. He platted the town of Mora, was it’s first postmaster, served as county attorney for a short time although he was not a lawyer, operated a store and carried on logging operations under the Firm name of Kent and Laird. His story is also a bizarre bit of early Mora history. It was the story of a highly respected businessman who wound up as a two-time embezzler, an impostor and finally a convicted wife murderer. From what we know the Kent story begins in Medina, Ohio where he was a respected citizen known by his real name of William Wilder Pancoast. In 1873 at the age of 23 he married Emma Terrell, daughter of a prominent resident, and the town was shocked when the young wife died suddenly a short time later. Kent (Panc
