History of Nemaha County, Kansas, Part 33

Author: Tennal, Ralph 1872-
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Lawrence, Kan., Standard Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 964

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Frank L. Geary, assistant cashier of the National Bank of Seneca, Kans., was born March 29, 1880, in the city of Buffalo, New York, and is a son of William C. and Nellie R. (Rademacher) Geary, the former of whom was a native of Ohio, and the latter was a native of Holland. William C. Geary was born and reared in the Buckeye State and be- came a farmer in his younger days. Later he abandoned this vocation, and engaged in commercial business in Buffalo, N. Y., until 1882, at which time he returned to Ohio, and farmed until 1887, when he mi- grated to Illinois, where he engaged in the live stock business with headquarters at Mattoon, Ill. He removed to Seneca, Kans., in 1890, and continued his live stock operations with considerable success, until his retirement from active business in 1900. He now resides in Frederick, Okla. William C. and Nellie R. Geary reared three children, as fol- lows: Charles W. and Tina A., of Los Angeles, Cal., and Frank L., with whose career this review is directly concerned. The mother of the foregoing children was born in Amsterdam, Holland, January II, 1846, and immigrated with her parents to New York.

Frank L. Geary was educated in the graded and high schools of Seneca, Kans., and studied law in the office of Judge R. M. Emery. He was admitted to the practice of law in 1901, and for five years, had a lucrative practice in partnership with Judge Emery. For the two years following he served as bookkeeper for the Seneca State Savings Bank

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until 1907. He spent the following seven months in Los Angeles, doing abstract work, and then returned to Seneca to accept the position of assistant cashier of the National Bank of Seneca. Mr. Geary is emi- nently fitted by his legal and financial training to perform the duties of his position, and has a fine reputation as a banking man. He was the first title examiner in the office of the Los Angeles Abstract and Trust Company, a very large concern doing business in the Pacific Coast city.

Mr. Geary was married, in 1903, to Miss Blanche Magill of Seneca, a daughter of J. D. Magill, former clerk of the Nemaha county district Court who died in 1900, his daughter, Blanche, being appointed to fill out Mr. Magill's unexpired term. She was twice re-elected to the of- fice, first in 1900, and again in 1902, and served until 1905.

Mr. Geary is a progressive Republican who believes that reform and purification of the party can best be accomplished by working within the rank and file of the Republican organization, a belief which is generally shared by a majority of the party at the present time. He served as city attorney of Seneca, while filling his duties in connection with the Seneca State Savings Bank, and resigned the office when he went to California. Mr. Geary is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, the Eastern Star, Knights and Ladies of Security, and the Knights of Pythias.

Charles F. Schrempp, lawyer, Seneca, Kans., was born in Harting- ton, Neb., January 17, 1887, and is a son of Adolph and Sophia (Schweker) Schrempp, natives of Baden, Germany, and Schenectady, New York, respectively. Adolph Schrempp was born in 1847, and em- igrated from the fatherland to America in 1853 with his parents. The Schrempp family settled in Wisconsin where Adolph Schrempp was reared to manhood. He there married Sophia Schweker, whose par- ents emigrated from Schenectady, N. Y., to Madison, Wis. After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Schrempp settled in Cedar county, Nebraska, and were pioneer settlers of that county, where they homesteaded a claim and developed it, later removing to Yankton, S. D., and operating a hotel. Mr. Schrempp here met the famous General Custer with whom he struck up a warm friendship which lasted until the lamenta- ble death of the general at the Big Horn Indian massacre. After the massacre, Mr. and Mrs. Schrempp returned to Cedar county, Nebraska, and again took up farming pursuits. The Schrempps lived in Cedar county until the town of Hartington, Neb., was started, and they built · the first house in that city. Mr. Schrempp became a contractor and builder in Hartington until his removal to Seneca in the spring of 1914. Mr. and Mrs. Schrempp are the parents of seven children. William, employed on the staff of the Sioux City, Iowa, "Journal;" Albert A., in insurance business in the office of Charles F., Seneca ; Charles F .. with whom this review is directly concerned, are the three sons of the family. The daughters are as follows: Anna Ottele, Sioux City, Iowa ;

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Teresa Smith, Sanborn, Iowa; Minnie K. Schrempp, Seneca, Kans .; Frances Schrempp, Seneca, Kans.

Charles F. Schrempp was educated in the Hartington public schools and the parochial schools, graduating from the high school of his native city in 1905. He taught school for two years, and then clerked in a general store for some years and became manager of a general store until 1909. He then went to Omaha, Neb., and worked his way through Creighton University for a period of three years during which he took the night course in law and was then enabled to take the full day course for one year. He graduated from Creighton University with the degree of Bachelor of Laws in 1913. During his period of study, he was employed in the Brandeis department store, and worked his way upward from shoe salesman to floor walker on the main floor in this great establishment, from 1909 to 1912. In the spring of that year he obtained the post of assistant librarian in the Creighton law depart- ment, and was enabled to finish his collegiate course in a more satis- factory manner.

Mr. Schrempp's original intention had been to begin the practice of his profession at Eugene, Ore., but having occasion to stop off at Seneca, he was impressed with the appearance of the city and the possi- bilities it presented for the practice of law, and he decided to cast his lot in this city. He was first associated with Charles Herold as deputy county attorney until March, 1915, and has built up an excellent law prac- tice. He was a candidate for county attorney on the Democratic ticket in 1914. Mr. Schrempp has built up considerable practice in outside courts, and is fast making a reputation for himself as an able attorney, besides taking a prominent part in Democratic politics. He was re- tained as attorney in the Helser land case, the biggest partition suit ever filed in Nemaha county, and an incident to the settlement of an estate valued at $200,000, at this writing (1915) has completed the forc- ing of distribution in the secondary case in Pennsylvania, involving the personal property included in the estate.

Mr. Schrempp is a member of the Sts. Peter and Paul's Catholic Church, and is president of the county federation of Catholic societies. He is affiliated with the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Mutual Benefit Association. He is the secretary of the Literary and Lyceum course committee, and is at present secretary of the Seneca Commer- cial Club. He is a member of the Delta Theta Phi, the National legal fraternity and was instrumental in building up the Omaha chapter.

Joseph P. Koelzer, lumber merchant of Seneca, Kans., is one of the native born Kansas pioneers who has lived his whole life within the borders of Nemaha county. The lumber concern of which he is the proprietor is one of the oldest established business concerns of Seneca, and was first started in 1872. J. H. Hatch was the second owner and managed the business until 1897, when it was purchased by the Holton Lumber Company, who operated it for ten years. Mr. Koelzer became

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sole proprietor in 1905. The lumber yards cover five city lots and the stock of lumber, builders' material, concrete, etc., is compactly and conveniently arranged so that the extensive trade which the establish- ment enjoys can be taken care of expeditiously. A concrete building at the front on the main street of Seneca houses the office and three men are employed in the conduct of the business.

J. P. Koelzer was born on a farm at St. Benedict's, three miles northwest of Seneca, April 25, 1871, and is a son of Peter Joseph (born in 1827, and died in December, 1893) and Sophia (Koblitz) Koelzer, born in 1839, natives of German and Austria-Hungary, respectively. Peter Joseph Koelzer emigrated from Germany to America in 1852, and made a settlement in Wisconsin, where he remained until 1859, and then came westward to Kansas and became one of the earliest pioneer sttlers in Nemaha county. In the spring of 1859, he made a settlement in the St. Benedict neighborhood, where he homesteaded eighty acres of land, which is still owned by the Koelzer family. The following year was the noted "dry year," when many settlers left Kansas never to return. The Koelzer family was too poor to leave and had to bear the hardships incidental to the crop failure. Time proved that the "dry year" but taught the settlers a lesson, and those who were forced to stay became the prosperous citizens of a great and rich county as the years passed. Peter J. Koelzer learned how best to till the Kansas soil and how to get around the vagaries of Kansas climate and managed to raise good crops as well as to rear a fine family of children. The first home of the Koelzers was a small log cabin built of logs hewn from trees along Wild Cat creek, and consisted of one room. Later another room was added, and in 1870 the family fortunes were such that a neat frame house was built. J. P. Koelzer, the subject of this review, was the first child born in the frame house. Peter Joseph Koelzer became quite well-to-do be- fore his demise, and with the assistance of his faithful wife and his sons to help him till his acreage he became the owner of 280 acres of excel- lent farm land. As he became old he decided to build a home in Seneca, where he and Mrs. Koelzer could spend their last years in comfortable enjoyment of their good fortune; but, sad to relate, this sturdy old pioneer died on the eve of his removal to the new home. Peter Joseph and Sophia (Koblitz) Koelzer were the parents of thirteen children, as follows: John, lives in Texas; Louis, died in Idaho; Antone, died in Seneca, at the age of twenty-three years; four children died in infancy ; Joseph P., with whom this review is directly concerned; Peter, living . at Stockton, Kans .; Edward, farming the .old home place ; Michael, of Electra, Texas; Mrs. Mary Flushe, Muenster, Texas; Mrs. Elizabeth Hoenig, Muenster, Texas. The mother of these children resides with her son, Peter, at Stockton, Kans.

The senior Koelzer assisted in the building of St. Benedict's Church and gave liberally to the building of the magnificent new church, but death called him before the new structure was finished.

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Joseph P. Koelzer, the subject of this review, was educated in school district No. 33, at St. Benedict's, and remained on the home farm until he was twenty-four years of age. He then married, and one year later moved to Seneca, where he engaged in the buying and shipping of live stock for a year. He then operated a lumber yard at St. Benedict's for one year and a half. Returning to Seneca, he was employed by the Hol- ton Lumber Company for eight years, and then purchased the yards and stock, in 1905. In addition to his business and property interests, Mr. Koelzer is a shareholder in the Seneca State Savings Bank.

J. P. Koelzer was married in 1894 to Miss Elizabeth Schneider, born in Nebraska, and a daughter of Mathias Schneider, who moved with his family from Missouri to Nemaha county, Kansas. (See sketch). Four children were born to this union, as follows: Albert L., a hustling young business man of Seneca, and owner of the photograph gallery and moving picture show; Fred, a student of electrical engineering in Kansas City, Mo .; Urban and Florence, attending high school in Seneca.

Mr. Koelzer is a Democrat, who has taken an active part in political and civic affairs, having served as city councilman and treasurer of Richmond township. He and the members of his family are affiliated with Sts. Peter and Paul's Catholic church in Seneca, and Mr. Koelzer is a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Catholic Mutual Benefit Association.

Hon. Rufus M. Emery .- History is a record of human events in the concrete and the historical annals of any section of the great common- wealth of Kansas is an assembling together in a systematic form an ac- count of what the men and women of that section have accomplished in the way of creating and building up a community of souls working with one accord to a common end. The history of Nemaha county tells the wondrous story of what has been done during sixty-one years of struggle, striving and working toward the creation of a great county. It must likewise tell of the individual accomplishments of the men who have taken part actively in the development of the county-and it is meet. therefore, that a review of the life of Judge Rufus M. Emery, of Seneca, be told, inasmuch as he is a leading citizen of Nemaha county, a success- ful attorney, widely known jurist and an able financier, who, during the forty years of his residence in Kansas, has won a high place in the com- munity of which he is a very important part. The life story of Rufus M. Emery is a record of the doings of a successful man of affairs, who has won his place in the citizenship of Seneca by virtue of decided ability of a high order.

Rufus M. Emery was born on a farm near Loveland, Clermont county, Ohio, April 23, 1854, and comes of that sturdy American stock who for generations have been tillers of the soil and have assisted in pushing the path of empire ever westward. He is a son of Elisha J. Emery, born in Hunterdon county, New Jersey, September 1, 1814, and a son of Judge John Emery, born and reared in the same county, and

JUDGE RUFUS M. EMERY.

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who removed to a farm near Cincinnati, Ohio, when Elisha J. Emery was one year old.

Elisha J. Emery was reared to young manhood on the pioncer farm in Ohio, and took up agricultural pursuits in Clermont county, Ohio, where he married Miss Eliza V. Johnson, born in 1818 in Hunterdon county, New Jersey, and who accompanied her parents to Ohio in 1832, when she was married. Her father in a later day migrated to Cook county, Illinois, where he farmed until his demise. Ten children were born to this marriage of Elisha and Eliza V. Emery, as follows: Al- mira, who died at the age of eighteen ; William A., Samuel A., George J .. Edwin D., Jabez N., Eliza C., who married W. H. Fitzwater ; Charles F., Rufus M., the subject of this review, and Mary M. Of these children, Almira, William A., George J., Edwin D. and Rev. Jabez N. are de- ceased. Four of the above sons, William A., Samuel A., George J. and Edwin D., served in behalf of the Union during the Civil war, and two of them, George J. and Edwin D., lost their lives while in the service ; George J. was drowned in the Ohio river, and Edwin D. lost his life by drowning off the coast of North Carolina, when the transport, which was carrying him in company with other troops northward after Lee's surrender, is thought to have been wrecked in a storm and sank with all on board. Elisha J. Emery continued his farming operations on an ex- tensive scale and with marked success until 1873, when he disposed of his large realty holdings in Clermont county, Ohio, and located in Seneca, Kans. Having arrived here with a competency, he devoted his remaining years to his investments and was occupied in the capacity of private banker and later as president and one of the largest stockholders of the Bank of Nemaha County, which he was instrumental in estab- lishing in 1882, and served as its president for many years. For several years he became a teacher in the district schools. When still a youth, Eliza V. Emery was born in New Jersey, August 28, 1818; married, December 18, 1836, and died March 8, 1894.

Rufus M. Emery was reared on his father's farm in Clermont county, Ohio, and received his early education in the district schools of his native county. Honest, ambitious and clear headed, he applied himself with so much intelligence and diligence that at the age of seventeen years he became a teacher in the district schools. When still a youth, he mastered the art of telegraphy, and spent two and a half years as a telegraph operator in the employ of the Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis railroad. He then resigned and came directly to Seneca, Kans., arriving here June 15, 1875. Soon after his arrival he began reading law in the office of Simon Conwell, of Seneca, and by hard ap- plication and self study, he qualified for admission to the Nemaha county bar in April, 1877. He at once began the practice of his chosen profession in Seneca, and soon won a high place for himself in the legal fraternity of Kansas. Being a young man of fine tact and address, as well as being a forceful and eloquent speaker and a logical thinker, his (22)

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rise in the ranks of the legal profession was marked and rapid. During the many years in which Judge Emery has practiced law in Nemaha county and northern Kansas, he has maintained an unsullied reputation for fairness and a strict and abiding respect for the highest principles of his profession. He has adhered closely to professional ethics wherever and whenever he has been called upon to exercise his legal ability and knowledge of the law. Associated with Judge Emery in the law firm of Emery & Emery at present is his son, Rufus M., Jr.

The political and judicial career of Judge Emery has been a note- worthy one, and begins with his election to the office of city attorney, serving also as police judge, councilman and president of the board of education, following which he filled the office of county attorney for three consecutive terms, from 1881 to 1887. Although he had been reared a Democrat, he chose to ally himself with the Republican party, and for many years he has been one of the influential leaders of his - party in Nemaha county and Kansas. He was elected a member of the State Senate in 1888, to represent Nemaha and Pottawatomie counties, and held this position for one term of four years. During his senatorial service he served on some of the most important committees of the senate, being a member of the judiciary committee and chairman of the committee of county seats and county lines, as well a a member of the committee on cities of the second class. In 1894, he was elected judge of the Twenty-second Judicial district, comprising the counties of Doni- phan, Brown and Nemaha, and gave universal satisfaction while on the bench for four years, from January, 1895, to January, 1899. After the expiration of his judicial term, he again resumed the practice of law.

This esteemed Kansan has not only made an enviable record as a legal practitioner and jurist, but he has succeeded as a financier, whose land holdings and financial interests in Kansas are considerable. When the National Bank of Seneca was organized in 1897, Judge Emery was made president of this concern, which is conceded to be the strongest in Nemaha county, and one of the best managed and safest financial institutions in northern Kansas. He has made finance the subject of dili- gent study, and to his untiring labor and watchfulness, his genial man- ners, cool judgment and thorough understanding of finance, the subse- quent success of the bank has been largely due.

Judge Emery was married at Corwin, Warren county, Ohio, Sep- tember 19, 1877, to M. Lou Thompson, daughter of Samuel B. and Mar- tha J. Thompson. The father of Mrs. Emery died in Seneca in 1911 in his ninetieth year. To Judge and Mrs. Emery have been born six chil- dren, as follows: Marie, Rufus M., Jr., George B., engaged in the optical business in Seneca, Kans .; Helen M., wife of Eugene Hill, of Seneca ; Alice, wife of Roy Voorhees, of Seneca, Kans .; John R., bookkeeper in the National Bank of Seneca.

Judge Emery is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and has attained the Royal Arch and Knights Templar degrees. He has

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served as high priest of the chapter and as eminent commander of Seneca Commandery, No. 41. He is also a member of Abdallah Temple, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, of Leavenworth. He is affiliated with the Ancient Order of United Workmen, and, in 1900, was the grand master workman of the State of Kansas. He has been associated with the Kansas national guard and has held commissions as captain and major in his military organization. Judge Emery has always taken an active and influential part in the civic and social life of Seneca, and has ever been found in the forefront of all movements tending to the ad- vancement of his home city and county ; he has served as president of the Seneca Commercial Club, and is universally recognized as a leader among the citizenship of the city.

F. J. Holthaus, cashier of the Citizens State Bank of Seneca, Kans. was born in Muhlen, Oldenburg, Germany, Nov. 16, 1876, and is a son of Franz and Josephine Holthaus. His father was a mariner who en- tered the services of the North German Lloyd Steamship Company, when said company only had two steamers. He retired from this company in 1892, and was pensioned.

After F. J. Holthaus graduated from the schools in his native town, he came to America in 1891, and completed his studies in Denver, Colo., in 1892. He then went to St. Benedict, Kans., and entered the employ of the firm of Blocker & Hoeffler, dealers in general merchandise. In 1893. he went back to Denver, and entered the employ of the "Colorado Journal" (a German daily) and learned the printing trade. In the fall of 1895, he went to Chicago and worked in a print shop which did all the printing for Marshall Field. In the spring of 1896, he went to Cincinnati, and worked at his trade up to July I, and then went on a European trip. He traveled eight months on the continent in the in- terest of his coin and stamp business, and also visited his old home. In April of 1897, he came back to America, and went to San Francisco, and entered the firm of Henry Wolking & Co., importers and dealers in fancy groceries. He was with said firm until 1903.

Mr. F. J. Holthaus' marriage was in 1903, to Miss Mary Haver- kamp, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry Haverkamp, Sr. They have four children: Regina Elizabeth, aged eleven; Clara Josephine, eight ; John Francis, five, and Alma Bernardine, two. Ever since his marriage he has lived in Nemaha county, the first year on his father-in-law's farm, five miles north of Seneca. In 1904, he moved to Seneca and en- tered the employ of the First National Bank as bookkeeper. He was elected assistant cashier of the Seneca State Savings Bank in 1906, when J. H. Cohen bought the controlling interest of said bank and moved it into the First National Bank building. In 1907 he was elected cashier of the Citizens State Bank of Seneca, Kans., and is filling this position in a satisfactory and able manner.

F. J. Holthaus is a dealer and collector of rare coins and stamps. He became acquainted with this hobby when a school boy through

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coming across all kinds of foreign coins which his father brought home from his trips to foreign countries. He saw that the coins are serious historical monuments, that they contain in a nutshell the whole history of the countries which issued them, and that by an intensive and comparative study of them ancient history can be made real and living. It is a great asset for a banker to have a numismatic knowledge. His collection at first comprised all classes of coins. In recent years he has specialized in United States and early Colonials, Oldenburg, Munster, Bremen and Papal State, with special emphasis laid upon gold and silver coins. In 1896, on his European trip, he picked up a good many dupli- cates of rare coins and stamps, and ever since that time he has been a dealer as well as collector. He is an extensive buyer at coin auction sales held in this and foreign countries.

Besides his banking interests, Mr. Holthaus is the owner of a fine farm of 148 acres adjoining the city of Seneca, on which an attractive home is located. He maintains a herd of Holstein cattle.

Mr. Holthaus is a Republican in politics and he and Mrs. Holthaus are members of Sts. Peter and Paul's Church. He is affiliated with the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Mutual Benefit Association and the American Numismatic Association.

John Fuller .- The historian or reviewer of this volume of Nemaha county historical annals can think of no more apt term with which to designate John Fuller, pioneer tinsmith, coppersmith and merchant of Seneca, Kans., than to give him the well deserved title of "Sage of Seneca." His has been a life well rounded and useful beyond that of ordinary men ; although four score and one years have passed since John Fuller first saw the light of day, his mental vigor is still unimpaired, and of late years he has added to the long list of his accomplishments that of lecturer. A man of broad vision and inherent capabilities, he has become a scientist and teacher and author of more than ordinary renown.

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History of Nemaha County, Kansas, Part 33

Author: Tennal, Ralph 1872- Publication date: 1916 Publisher: Lawrence, Kan., Standard Publishing Company Number of Pages: 964

Author: Tennal, Ralph 1872-
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Lawrence, Kan., Standard Publishing Company
Number of Pages: 964