USA > Kansas > Marshall County > History of Marshall County, Kansas : its people, industries, and institutions > Part 19
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other nationalities, like to congregate together and speak their sentiments in their native language. But they are not clannish; on the contrary they are pretty good mixers. There are various societies. lodges, corporations and clubs in Marshall county and Bohemians may be found in all. Religiously, they are largely Catholic, although not exclusively so.
FRATERNAL ORGANIZATION.
The organization known as the Bohemian Roman Catholic First Central Union of the United States had its origin in St. Louis, Missouri, in August, 1877. It is a fraternal order securing to its members sick benefits as well as life insurance. The object of this order is to foster the practice of religious duties and to promote Catholic interests, also to unite Bohemian Catholic societies in works of charity and benevolence. Also, to cultivate and perpetu- ate the mother tongue and many other good objects of social, moral and spiritual life.
There are three hundred and one local unions in the United States with a membership of seven thousand. The local lodge located in Hanover, Kan- sas, is called Spolek Sv. Vaclava cis 23. This union had at one time thirty members. At present there are eleven male and three female members. The president is John Pecenka, of Bremen; secretary, Frank Jedlicka, Washing- ton ; treasurer, A. Pejsa, Hanover.
THE BOHEMIAN CEMETERY.
Following the Pikes Peak Ocean to Ocean Highway, west from Marys- ville, to where it joins the county line of Washington county, the traveler comes upon this quiet little cemetery by the side of the road.
There are not many graves within the enclosure, but an inspection shows that many of those sleeping there came from Bohemia, far away in the heart of Europe, leaving the rule of monarchy, to become citizens of this republic and pioneers of Marshall county.
They made homes in what was then the Great American Desert, far removed from the estates of their ancestors and scenes of their childhood days and shared the hardships of their adopted country with her native-born children. No grave is neglected or forgotten in this quiet little cemetery, with its velvet grass and whispering pines. The inscription over the arch- way causes the thoughtful passer by to pause and reflect :
"Byli Jsme Co Vy Ste : Co My Jsme Vy Budete."
"We were what you are; what we are you will be."
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Two pioneers of Marshall county who rest here are John Pecenka, born June 14, 1825; died on November 17, 1902, and Anna Pecenka, his wife, born on October 31, 1830; died on January 5, 1897.
Here also sleep Wesley and Anna Dosedel, Mathias Swoboda and wife, and Jan Machal, who saw ninety summers and winters.
Jan Alexa served eight years in the Austrian army and took part in the revolution of Mayence in 1848. On Christmas Day last he met the Conqueror and was laid to rest beside his loved ones. And here sleeps Joseph Koles, born on October 26, 1848. He fought with the boys in blue in 1862, for liberty and the flag.
DANES OF MARSHALL COUNTY.
Undoubtedly, the first Dane who settled in Marshall county was a Cali- fornia gold-miner-a "forty-niner"-John Nelson. He was probably the only pioneer in the county who came from the West. He settled on Upper Spring creek in 1855. Two years later he went to Denmark and on his return brought his mother, a brother, Soren Johnson, and a widowed sister, Elnora Johnson, and her two children. James and Dorothea. The party traveled from St. Joseph in a wagon: Mr. Nelson's aged mother died on the way and was buried near Seneca, Kansas.
Mr. Nelson again lived on his farm until 1874 when he left for Placer- ville, California, and remained there. In 1912 he fell ill and the niece whom he had brought from Denmark, now Mrs. Dr. E. L. Wilson. Sr., went to California cared for him and at his death brought the remains here and made interment in the Marysville cemetery. His nephew. James Johnson, farmed Nelson's land for many years until he. too, left for the West and settled in Arizona.
No other Danes settled around them, but a small settlement sprang up in Walnut township, centering around five pioneers who came in 1869. They were J. P. Lund, H. M. Johnson, N. H. White. Chr. Johnson and N. P. Christiansen, all well-known citizens of the county. Christiansen is the only one of the five now living.
Enough settlers soon came to that section to organize and build a church. which for some years was served by Danish-speaking ministers, but when the influx from the older country slackened and the ranks of the old settlers were thinned by death, the congregation discarded the mother tongue and adopted the English language. These Danes and their descendants are
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recognized as industrious, frugal and loyal citizens. They have won places of dignity in the public affairs of the county and are always law-abiding and upright citizens.
REMINISCENCES.
The following reminiscences of H. M. Johnson, as told in the history of "Danske i Amerika." form an interesting narrative. He writes :
The reason why J. P. Lund and I came to Kansas was a rumor about a Dane named Hanson, who had selected a site for a colony somewhere near Irving. This plan was never realized. I had previously enrolled in the Scandinavian colony, organized in Chicago, which had in that spring ( 1869) platted the town of Scandia in Republic county. I lost my membership fee of twenty dollars, which I paid into that fund. We came then to Irving by rail; the St. Joe and Denver railroad had not then entered the county. I was not married, but Lund had a family and we rented a small shanty. We needed fuel and through this need received an invitation to pioneer life by a literal baptism-an immersion in the Blue river. Friendly neighbors told us we could take all the wood we wanted at the river, free, and we bought a yoke of oxen and a wagon (which we had to have any way). Neither of us had any experience with this kind of "horses." but we managed to get them hitched up and headed for the river. It was a hot day in June and we both rode in the wagon,-who should walk when they had a wagon of their own-but when the oxen came in sight of the water, they struck out in a wild run and would not mind the least what we said (perhaps they did not understand Danish). We could not get off the wagon, they went so fast. The oxen plumped right down into the river and then we got out. The water lifted the wagon bed off and we capsized. With great exertion we got the hind wheels to the land. The oxen brought the front gear, but the box went with the current, and a new box cost us fifteen dollars.
TWO "REAL" HORSES.
We had several undesirable baths that summer, but they were happily not so costly as this one, but more disagreeable.
Soon after our wood expedition we, with two Swedes, went on a twenty- five-mile trip to look at land. We had to cross a creek that was swollen by rain and were taken across in some kind of boat by a man who lived some- where in the neighborhood. By the time we returned, he had got tired of waiting and we did not know where to look for him. The boat was there,
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but we did not know any more about a boat than we did about oxen, and the consequence was we got across alive but soaking wet, and had to camp over night, without anything to eat, in a little old, abandoned mill, where we had left the team when we went across. We were traveling in style this time-had a hired rig, consisting of an old spring wagon and two real horses. One of the horses would not pull loads, so we had to get off and walk up hill; but down hill nothing but an upset could have stopped us.
When we finally got back to Irving one of these horse-beasts was the cause of my not, literally speaking, taking land. It kicked me when we unhitched, on one leg, so I was not able to walk for several days, and I had to leave it to others, who went on the expedition to select land on Upper Walnut creek, to pick the quarter for me that became my homestead for so many years.
I filed on the southeast quarter of section 4, township 3. range 6, east. and Lund filed on the adjoining west quarter, and we became quite busy about making a temporary shelter. This was only an excavation into a ravine bank, with a thatched roof of slough grass, but it was "home." and when we got ready to move into it, we went to Irving, loaded our worldly movables-they were not many-to take them to the claim and get straight- ened up some, before Lund's housekeeper came with his children ( Mrs. Lund (lied at Irving, leaving a babe). The girl, who had accompanied them from the old country, volunteered to remain and care for the little baby and keep liouse for us while we were getting things in some kind of shape.
There had been heavy rains and the river was high and there were no wagon bridges over the rivers, except at Marysville, where there was a gov- ernment bridge, but to get to it. we had first to cross the river, Irving being on the west side. We were ready to postpone the trip until a friend of ours, P. S. Lundgren, got a bright idea.
PRIMITIVE LOCOMOTION.
Hle was a shoemaker and had put up his shingle as such in Irving. He proposed that we should buy four planks, which we had good use for any- how, and drive to the railroad bridge . then by laying the planks on the ties and by carrying them forward, two could push the wagon over and one could guide the oxen from the bridge with ropes and let them swim over. And, to show his good will, he would go along and help us across. The plan was a capital one and it worked-but it must have been by the "angels guarding the innocents." None of us knew we had no right to do this.
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or knew at what hours trains were expected, but it gave us a shock when a train thundered by just as we got the wagon safely across and down the embankment.
Lundgren went back to town and we set out for our claims. Our travel- ing on the railroad had not, in this case, hurried matters any, and darkness overtook us in conjunction with a thunder shower, so we could not see our guide post -- a long pole with a rag on it, set up at the southeast corner of my claim. The shower was heavy and we had to unhitch the oxen and seek shelter under the wagon, but we got wet through. After the shower was over we scon discovered we had lost the faint wagon trail and became more and more bewildered, so we concluded it best to unhitch again and await daylight.
We were chilled in our wet clothes, so we took them off and wrung them as dry as we could and did the same to a woollen blanket, we luckily had along, and, after dividing a pint of whiskey, we rolled up in the blanket as tight as we could. I shall always believe here was a case where whiskey was a blessing. I think it saved me from a congestive chill or pneumonia. We had bought it to counteract "snake bites" and for a handy house medi- cine, as we were not well enough off to indulge a taste for liquor.
When morning broke I went to look for the oxen which had strayed during the night and on topping a raise of ground made the discovery that we were within a scant mile of our dugout.
AN ERRATIC MUSKET.
All settlers of the same vintage as ours, remember the lean years that followed-drought and grasshoppers-but we lived through it. The larger game had gone further west beyond the Republican river, where parties sometimes would go to get buffalo meat and hides, provided their own were not left out there. Of a party of seven who went out from Waterville, only one returned, six having been killed by Indians.
The country swarmed with prairie chickens and Lund shot several from the house door, and could have shot many more if we had owned a reliable gun. We had bought an old musket in order to show we were armed and not at the mercy of marauders, but we could never be sure the hammer would wait for us to pull the trigger and when it did, that it would hit the percussion cap with sufficient force.
Lurd's two little boys proved to be better gamesters than their father. as they learned to set traps, and I have known them to catch as many as
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six at one setting. We had prairie chickens fried, boiled and stewed and lost our appetite for them
We then took the breasts and salted and smoked them, and in that way secured a splendid meat for our cold lunches. Such would now be a "delicatessen," but is not the only thing that is missed from pioneer life. Trust and contentment abode with us then more than ever since.
PREFERRED EXILE TO ARMS.
We undoubtedly had more trials than the majority of new settlers lccause we were pioneers in a two-fold sense, in short, "greenhorns." as all emigrants were then called. Lund and I both came from the Duchy of Schleswig, which the Prussians and Austrians wrested from Denmark in 1864. I had the choice in 1866 of joining the Prussian colors or going into exile. I chose the latter and went over into Denmark and worked there on well-regulated farms until 1868, when I came to Chicago, where Lund joined me the year after, when we then went to Kansas to start an agrarian life from the grass roots, with a very meager stock of knowledge to draw on.
I had picked up some English and we could both speak some German. so we got along fairly well in regard to language.
Several Germans came out later from Illinois and all were neighbors in those days. We had reason to think we had found the choicest spot on earth. The grass (blue stem) grew thick and tall and there were any num- l'er of ponds of crystal clear water, which we supposed to be from springs, lut afterwards learned were only buffalo wallows that would go dry, which they did the following year. Then in order to get a little hay we had to hent for spots of grass long enough to mow.
We came too late in the season to raise any kind of crop and I went up to the Otoe reservation and bought a load of potatoes and cabbage. On the way back I got lost again, of course, when it became dark and had to stop and unhitch and then my trouble commenced in carnest. The Indians had burned the grass and my oxen were hungry and smelled the cabbage. 1 gave them the smallest heads and that only made them more insistent, and I had to walk guard around my wagon all night to save my cabbage. Never has cofee tasted so delicious as it did that morning when I reached home again.
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G. H. HOLLENBERG.
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TIIE GERMANS OF MARSHALL COUNTY.
In the early fifties, when Kansas was in a stage of formation, Germans in the Eastern states took a great interest in the contest as to whether Kansas and Nebraska should be slave or free.
Democracy in 1848 led many Germans from the Fatherland to America and their attention turned to Kansas as the battle-ground where freedom must prevail.
Some German newspapers were established very early in Kansas. The Kansas Zeitung, issued in Atchison in 1857, bore boldly on the front page the title: "An organ for free speech, free soil and free men."
During the past fifty years more than sixty German newspapers have been published in Kansas. The Kansas Staats Zeitung was published in Marysville in 1879 to 1881.
The federal census discloses that there has not been a county in the state since 1880 but contains German citizens. The first German citizen to locate in Marshall county was G. H. Hollenberg. He was followed by the Koppes, Raemer, Friedrichs and other families: Frank Schmidt and C. F. Koester also were among the pioneers. Settlements were made in Herkimer and in Herkimer township; on Horse Shoe creek and on Mission and Spring creeks. Also along the Blue rivers from Marietta to Walnut creek and a number set- tled in Marysville township.
In many families there was a fierce struggle for the very necessities of life and the older children had small chance for schooling. But even in the most strenuous times the Germans never lost their taste for music and art and appreciated keenly the need of education for their children. They were strangers in a strange land and had to exert every effort to maintain a standard of equality with the native-born and the English-speaking people of America.
The necessity of proper religious training for the young children soon led to the erection of churches and maintaining the schools in connection with them. With a family to provide for and the expense of carrying on the farm, they yet gave of the scant store to keep alive their mother tongue and to train their children in the faith of their fathers. As the years have passed the enrollment of children of German descent in all the schools has grown, the number of graduates has increased and the ranks of our teachers have been augmented and strengthened by the addition of those of German-speak- ing parents. Many children of parents who came directly to Marshall county
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from Germany, have been prominent among our educators. The generation of today is, of course. American.
PROMINENT IN BUSINESS LIFE.
Germans have been prominent in the business life of the county. They have engaged in mercantile pursuits and banking and are to be found in all business occupations.
The Germans who came to Marshall county were actuated by a desire to obtain land and to make homes. The well-watered, well-timbered county with its fine soil offered them the opportunity. The desire to own his own home is strong in the German. The farmer toiled early and late to acquire his own land. and if he borrowed money it was to buy more land. The build- ings he erected were substantial and more for endurance than for show. As times grew easier more comfort, and even elegance, was added to the home and surroundings. Their long residence on the farms has demonstrated their success as farmers.
The political status in Kansas suited the Germans. Here they were free to select that political party which most nearly represented their views, and while they have not clamored for political recognition, Marshall county has been ably represented by Germans in both branches of the Legislature. J. Weisbach. Frank Schmidt. G. H. Hollenberg. William Raemer, F. H. P'ralle and John Knoni have been members of that body and Hon. F. G. Bergen is the present state senator from the county.
When the new country was in the making, the Germans who came to Marshall county helped very materially in laying the foundations for the splendid county of today.
The German farmer possessed attributes that made him peculiarly adapted to pioneer life. Honesty, industry, patience, love of children and respect for his elders, were virtues characteristic of the German.
The pioneer German shared fully in the labor and struggle which was necessary in building up the various interests of the county and it is not too much to say that much of the advancement in all lines of progress-educa- tional and religious as well as in material prosperity-has been due to the steadfast character of the Germans who constitute a large part of its citizen- ship.
There was never any spirit of revolution or anarchy among the Germans of Marshall county. They are peaceable, law-abiding and, in the main. religious.
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During the War of the Rebellion they demonstrated beyond a doubt their unswerving loyalty to the United States. Some Germans from the county served in the War with Spain and some are at present in the regular army.
It is a truth well worth considering that a man who is disloyal to his native land will lack in loyalty to the land of his adoption. The lines of lineage of many of our citizens reach far across the sea, but the flag which has protected them for many years and which casts its folds over their homes and firesides, will receive their allegiance whenever endangered.
PROMINENT GERMAN AND SWISS FAMILIES.
Rudolph and Frank Yaussi, brothers, prominent farmers and business men of the county, take an active interest in furthering all efforts for better community life. They are earnest advocates of education and are Lutheran in religious faith. Rudolph still lives on the farm, but Frank long ago became a resident of Marysville. He erected the fine theatre corner of Sixth and Broadway, with store rooms beneath, and conducts a general clothing and men's furnishing establishment. He is also a stock owner in the Citizen's Bank of Marysville and the Winifred State Bank, of which latter bank his son, Albert, is cashier, and his daughter, Florence, is clerk. Mr. and Mrs. Rudolph and Frank Yaussi are musical and hospitable and the homes of each are centers of attraction for young and old.
Nicholas Koppes is a native-born resident of the county. His father served his country during the War of the Rebellion. He was a pioneer of the county and "Nick," as he is called by his friends, followed the plow when he was so small that the father had to place extra handles on the plow to make them low enough so the brave little plowman could reach them. He has broad acres of land today and is numbered among the substantial men of the county.
William Schwindaman numbers a large circle of friends and was for years the trustee of Marysville township. He manages the elevator at Hull and he and his wife are well known and greatly liked.
J. Dwerlkotte was one of the prosperous farmers who came direct from the farm to take charge of the Citizens State Bank. He is a man of fine presence and keen business acumen and is one of the representative men of the city. His brother, F. A. Dwerlkotte, manages one of the best farms in the vicinity of Marysville and is one of the men who progresses with the times.
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AUG. HOIN & SONS.
In March, 1876, Aug. Hohn. in partnership with Nicholas Kalenborn, began his business career in Marysville in a small frame building located on the lot where Herman Ackerman's jewelry store now stands, the firm name at that time being Hohn & Kalenborn.
In the fall of the same year Kalenborn's interest was purchased by a Mr. Rommel and the firm continued the business under the name of Hohn & Rommel, until Rommel's interest was acquired by E. G. Draheim in 1877, changing the title of the firm to Hohn & Draheim. The new firm later pur- chased the lot where the First National Bank now stands and built what was then termed a modern store building. In 1891 Mr. Draheim's interest was bought by Mr. Hohn, who conducted the business under the name of Ang. Hohn until May, 1895, when Arthur Hohn, a son, was made a member of the firm and the style of the firm was changed to Ang. Hohn & Son. The firm continued the business under this name until January, 1900, when George T. Mohrbacher was made a member of the firm and the name changed to Aug. Hohn & Sons (Mr. Mohrbacher being a son-in-law of Mr. Aug. Hohn. ) In 1901 the firm secured their present location in which they have continued their business up to the present time.
The business career of Mr. Aug. Holin, the senior member of the firm. with forty-one years of active business to his credit is worthy of notice and is a splendid example of what thrift, honesty and square dealing will accom- plish.
THE SWISS IN MARSHALL COUNTY.
Song and story have tokl of the love of the Swiss for his mountain home, yet many have left their mother country to find more remunerative returns for their labors in other places. Having been trained in industry and frugality, he has not looked for easy or favored positions and for that reason most of those who came to the United States to make homes have succeeded.
The first natives of Switzerland, the Alpine republic, to take up their abode in Marshall county were Joseph and Frank Thoman and their sister, Mrs. George Guittard, who settled on the Vermillion north of the present Beattie in 1856. While they came here from Alsace in France, the Thomans came from the canton of Basel in Switzerland, which borders on AAlsace, and where Thoman is an old and well-known name. AAfter the War of the Rebellion others came. H. Franhiger settled on Mountain creek in 1866.
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a few came to Waterville in 1868 with the new railroad. The Kuonis. Waelle, Bohner, Ruffner and Ryser came in 1870-71. During this decade many others followed to make homes near Marysville.
THE HELVETIA SOCIETY.
On December 29, 1883, the Helvetia Society of Marysville, was called into life by Samuel Forter. Following is a list of the first officers and men- bers of this organization : President. David Waelle, from Graubuenden ; secretary, Emil Forter, from St. Gallen; treasurer, Jacob Begert, from Bern ; director of singing, Samuel Forter, of St. Gallen. Members-Caspar Stauffacher, Jacob Kuoni, John Bohner, Christ Ruffner, John D. Walters, Rudolph and Gottlieb Blaser. Jacob and Jolin Seematter, Adolpli and Gott- fried Braeuchi, Jacob and Robert Wullschleger, Jacob and Gottlieb Ruetti, Fritz Zybach, John Bangerter, Fritz Moeri.
Of the first officers, Emil Forter is now living in Denver, Colorado, and Samuel Forter in Marysville. David Waelle has been called to rest after a long and useful life, and Jacob Begert, one of nature's noblemen met with a fatal accident years ago and the community lost a real man.
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