Portrait and biographical album of Washington, Clay and Riley counties, Kansas, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent citizens together with portraits and biographies of all the governors of the state, Part 86

Author:
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman Brothers
Number of Pages: 1258

USA > Kansas > Clay County > Portrait and biographical album of Washington, Clay and Riley counties, Kansas, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent citizens together with portraits and biographies of all the governors of the state > Part 86
USA > Kansas > Riley County > Portrait and biographical album of Washington, Clay and Riley counties, Kansas, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent citizens together with portraits and biographies of all the governors of the state > Part 86
USA > Kansas > Washington County > Portrait and biographical album of Washington, Clay and Riley counties, Kansas, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent citizens together with portraits and biographies of all the governors of the state > Part 86

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

After vainly seeking employment, people sup- posing that because he was a weaver by trade he could do nothing else, Mr. Christensen went to an intelligence office, paying his last fifty cents to get a situation which was not found him. He then went to a free ottice where he sat all day and thought of the slaves in Uncle Tom's Cabin. The next day about four o'clock he secured a position with a baker at Port Chester and was to receive $5 per month. After his arrival there and having break- fast. the baker gave him fifty cents to return to the city as he had succeeded in retaining his former employe. Mr. Christensen then walked half way back to the metropolis looking for work and finally found it in an oil factory on Grand street, where he was employed as a rough cooper until June, 1865. Then going to Delaware he worked on the New Castle and Chesapeake Railroad, wintering in Blackbird. The following spring, in partnership with one of his own countrymen, he commenced operating a little farm, but after harvest set out for the West, going through Chicago and on to Wood- stock, Ill.

In the meantime Mr. Christensen called on the foreman of his former employer, a Mr. Hansen,

and told him he was going to Illinois. Hansen gave him his card and directed him to Woodstock, where he had a brother-in-law whom he thought would assist him in getting work. He wrote on the back of the card " use this man as you would me" and with it handed our subject $5. Years after- ward when Mr. Christensen had placed himself on a solid footing, financially, learning that his friend was in Chicago in straightened circumstances he sent him a check for $10.

Upon arriving at Woodstock, Ill., Mr. Christen- sen was well treated and worked on a farm until the fall of the year. He then returned to Chicago with the intention of going to New Orleans, but upon obtaining work there, changed his mind and re- mained in the city working on the streets and later on learned engineering at which he was engaged until the river went dry. He was paid off with a $100-note and $60 in cash and afterward spent $50 trying to collect the note. He put $50 of his money in a bank which broke and thus again we find him without means. He was thereafter var- iously employed until the spring of 1858 and then set out for Kansas, going by boat from Peoria to St. Louis, taking deck passage for $1 and sawed wood for his board. He worked his way in this manner to Leavenworth, and thence made his way on foot to Junction City, not being able to pro- cure work, and thence came to Manhattan.

In the above-mentioned place Mr. Christensen worked for a time in a sawmill, then footed it to Randolph, stopping with C. J. Dalilberg. Soon afterward he took up a claim of 100 acres in part- nership with a Mr. Pearson, and later was employed as a cook in the Agricultural College to pay for his first sixty acres of land. He located upon this in 1860, but on account of the drouth did not raise anything that year beyond a bushel of corn to the acre, and had to eat corn bread and drink corn coffee. Ile only made $5 that year, and he gave $2 of this toward buying the forty acres including the present site of the Lutheran Church at Maria- dahl.

In 1861 Mr. Christensen started out as a freigh- ter, driving a team for $10 per month across the plains. Arriving in Denver he obtained employ- ment in a feed store, mines and general work, and

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slaid there until the spring of 1862. He then pur- chased an ox team and hauled goods until the fol- lowing August, then returned to Riley County, Kan., the possesser of three yoke of oxen, a wagon, two cows and a pony. In the meantime he had mined near Central City a few weeks. He now com- menced teaming again to Ft. Larued. Hitherto he had had no trouble with the Indians, but on the re- turn trip while encamped on Caw Creek and while his partners were out hunting, eight Indians came up and wanted him to give them some of his goods. The white man naturally objected to this, when one of them drew his knife and the others leveled their guns at him. Mr. Christensen says he thought the " game was up," but he jumped off his wagon and patted the Indian who held the knife on the shoul- der, saying "good Cheyenne " and they finally left, taking with them his best kettle.

In the evening the partners returned to the camp accompanied by another man and during the night they all fired their guns many times, which had the desired effect of keeping the Indians away. The next day they all started homeward and came across the Indian who had appropriated the kettle and who was skinning a buffalo. Mr. Christensen induced the fellow to give him a large piece of meat for the kettle he had taken, and they parted friends. We will now pass over his subsequent adventures until the fall of 1862, when Mr. Christen- sen came to Swede Creek Township, and the follow- ing year homesteaded his present farm. He lived for a time in a log cabin and the following year joined Capt. Winkler's company to go out af- ter the Indians. He was also made a delegate to Marysville to arrange for equipments. These troubles soon ended and he was then at liberty to proceed with the improvement and cultivation of his land.

On the 2d of June, 1864, occurred the marriage of Nels Christensen with Miss Christina Johnson, the wedding taking place at N. P. Johnson's. Of this union there have been born seven children- Mary E., Amelia C., George L., John C., Frederick W., Florence C. and Esther E. George has offici- ated considerably as clerk in his father's store, but is now attending the Agricultural College at Man- hattan. The two eldest daughters completed their

studies in the above-mentioned institution and are teaching. John C. learned the art of printing him- self and has a fine job press upon which he does considerable work for himself and others. He is also the assistant of his father in the store.

Mr. Christensen has been a member of the School Board since his district was organized until two years since. Ile served as Township Trustee two years, was Justice of the Peace two terms and Township Clerk one year. lle is an active member of the Lutheran Church at Mariadahl, in which he has served as Trustee and assisted in putting up the building. Politically, he is a sound Republican, prominent in his party, and frequently officiates as a delegate to the county and State conventions.

Mr. Christensen is the owner of 493 acres of good land on the Big Blue. His improvements are first-class, including a stone residence located on section 32 and one of the finest structures of the kind in the northern part of Riley County. He has a good barn, a geared windmill, grinder, water works and all the other appurtenances of the first- class country estate. There are natural groves on the place and a goodly assortment of fruit trees. In Randolph, Mr. Christensen owns a block of building lots, and two lots, besides a store building in Mariadahl. In 1886 he put up a building and opened a shoe store in Randolph, but the following year removed it to Mariadahl, where he engaged in general merchandising and was Postmaster until the spring of 1889. He then moved his stock to his present store on his farm, at the flag station called Clarkson, and was subsequently appointed Postmaster there. He carries a full stock of gen- eral merchandise and farming implements, and en- joys a lucrative trade.

REDERICK A. WEIDENHEIMER. In ad- dition to being one of the most thorough and enterprising farmers of Strawberry Township. Washington County, this gentleman is a musician of more than ordinary talent, being a fine performer on the organ and a vocalist of rare merit. We find him pleasantly located on section 12. where he has a well regulated homestead, largely constructed by

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the labor of his own hands, and forming one of the most desirable estates in this part of the county. Active, industrious and enterprising, Mr. Weiden- heimer is also a liberal-minded and public-spirited citizen and is looked upon as one of the most useful men of his community.

The subject of this sketch was born in Carbon County, Pa .. Oct. 2, 1859, and is the son of Simon Weidenheimer, now deceased. The latter was a native of Germany and emigrated to the United States in 1844, settling in New York State, and worked thereafter in that State and in Philadelphia, Pa., at the butcher's trade about one year. Then going into Leighton, Pa., he engaged in the meat business for many years. He died in Leighton April 27, 1875. The maiden name of the mother of our subject was Elizabeth Schlamp. She was born in the Grand Duchy of Baden, Germany. To her and her husband there was born a family of ten children : Frederick A., Anna C., Matilda L., Charles S., Lewis O., Benjamin E., William A., Jennie M., Lizzie E., and Clara E. By a former marriage Simon Weidenheimer was the father of nine children, only two of whom are living; Mary E., and George S.

The mother of our subject after the death of her first husband was married to Adam Doser, and they became the parents of two children, only one of whom is living: Milton J. is dead; the daughter, Ursula, resides in Washington County, Kan .; Fred- erick, our subject, learned the butcher's trade of his father and received a fair education, attending the high school at Leighton and the Union Semin- ary at New Berlin, Pa. Ile started out for himself early in life, setting out for the West at the age of eighteen years, and coming to Kansas, located in Washington County, of which he has since been a resident. He employed himself mostly at farming for the following ten years and then settled upon the 160-acre farm to which he has since given the most of his attention. In addition to the tilling of the soil he makes a specialty of fine stock-graded Shorthorn cattle, full-blooded Poland-China swine -- and keeps several good horses. He has inherited in a marked degree the reliable and substantial traits of an excellent German ancestry and is bound to succeed in whatever he undertakes. Among his

father's countrymen especially, he is the " king bee" of this region.

Mr. Weidenheimer found his bride in Washington Township. Kan., being married Jan. 29, 1884, to Miss Mary, daughter of James Thomas, now a resi- dent of Holton, this State, and one of the most prominent farmers of Jackson County. Of this union there have been born three children, only one of whom is living, a daughter, Lola E. The de- ceased are Mamie A., and Maude. Mr. Weiden- leimer is a steadfast supporter of Republican prin- ciples, but seemingly has no desire for the spoils of office. His musical talent was developed at an early age, and has been of great service in church and Sabbath-school circles, where his voice is fre- quently heard with his own accompaniment on the organ. He is interested otherwise in church affairs, and officiates as Superintendent of the Union Sunday- school which convenes at Reiter School-house in Linn Township. He holds membership in the Evangelical Association, while his estimable wife is connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church. They have a pleasant home and are blest with the esteem of many friends.

RED WEEKE, grain merchant and owner of a half interest in the grain elevator at Linn, Washington County, is one of the most promising young men of that thriving town. Kansas is indebted to Germany for this citizen, as she is for many another among her best residents. Mr. Weeke is a man of more than ordinary ability and intelligence, and during his residence here lias frequently been called upon to hold offices of trust. He is very popular, not only with his countrymen, but with Americans as well.

The parents of our subject are Henry and Cath- erine (Stroeker) Weeke, now of Franklin County, Mo. They emigrated to the United States in 1865, and settled on a farm which Mr. Weeke bought in that State. They had a family of six children, four of whom are now living. The survivors are named respectively, Henry. William, Fred and Wilhelmina.

The gentleman of whom we write was born in Westphalia, Germany, Dec. 2, 1852, being about

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thirteen years of age when his parents came to America; he had obtained a good education in his native language. He has, since coming here, by hard study and observation, acquired a fair knowl- edge of English branches, and is quite proficient in the use of the language. He remained with his parents upon the farm until he reached the years of maturity. He then found employment in Kiel. Franklin Co., Mo., where he remained until 1885, in the fall of which year he came to this place. During nine years of his residence in Kiel, he was engaged in mercantile business. For two years after his settlement in Linn he was in the same business. Ile then changed to that in which he is at present occupied and which he is successfully conducting.

Mr. Weeke celebrated his marriage in June, 1874, the bride being Miss Mary Freie, daughter of Henry Freie. This worthy lady departed this life in 1877, leaving two children, Emma and Louise Our subject subsequently married again, the second wife being Miss Louise Kappelmann, daughter of Frank Kappelmann, of Franklin County, Mo. She is a lady well fitted for the position of companion and helpmate. Her nnion has been blessed by the birth of three children, Martha, Lydia and Rosa.

During his residence in Missouri, Mr. Weeke served as Postmaster in Franklin County for sev- eral years, and also as Notary Public. He was elected Trustee of Linn Township in the fall of 1888, and is now serving in that capacity. He and his wife are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church.

ILLIAM WORREL. In noting the lead- ing citizens of Zeandale Township, Riley County, the list would be wholly incom- plete without the name of this gentleman, who has been efficient in promoting its agricultural interests and who has a well-regulated home on section 16. lle is of Southern birth and parentage, having first opened his eyes to the light in Harrison County, Ky., Sept. 12, 1825. His parents, Richard and Jane (Snodgrass) Worrel, were likewise natives of that county, where they were reared and married

and where they lived until 1840. Then when Will- iam was a youth of about fifteen years they left the Blue Grass State and emigrated to Hendricks County, Ind., where the mother departed this life in 1870. Richard Worrel subsequently came to Kansas and died at the residence of his son, our subject, in 1885.

There were born to the parents of Mr. Worrel, ten children, of whom William was the third in order of birth, eight of these are living and resi- dents of Kansas, Kentucky and Indiana. William accompanied the family to Indiana in 1840, but when reaching his majority returned to the old homestead in Harrison County. Ky., and lived there for a period of thirty years longer. In March, 1870. he retraced his steps to Indiana, then pushed on further Westward. crossing the Mississippi into Riley County, Kan., and took up his abode in Zeandale Township of which he has since been a resident. For seven or eight years in Kentucky he occupied himself in a saw and grist mill, but with the exception of that time, has been a life-long agriculturist, and like some of liis compeers, he was fairly well provided with means when coming to Kansas, and in due time became the owner of 1.700 acres of land. the most of which, however, he has since disposed of, having now only 260 acres. This, however, is sufficient to engage his time and atten- tion and his carefully cultivated fields are the source of handsome returns.

In Harrison County, Ky., on the 20th of Decem- ber, 1854, William Worrel was united in marriage with Miss Susan Moore. This lady was born in Bracken County, that State, where she was reared to an interesting womanhood and remained under the home roof until her marriage. Of her union with our subject there were born five children, viz: Richard, Alfred, Sallie, Alice and Charles. The youngest child died at the age of three years. Mrs. Susan Worrel departed this life at her home in Zeandale Township July 6, 1886. She was a lady of many estimable qualities, of kind and affectionate disposition, and was greatly mourned by her family and friends. She proved a most worthy belpmate to her husband who holds her name in tender remembrance.

Mr. Worrel, politically. is an independent voter 1

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but has no aspirations for office, being content to give his attention to his farming interests and his influence to the cause of morality and good order.

OSEPH ABLER, a well-to-do German citi- zen of Independence Township, Washington County, operates a thoroughly cultivated farm of forty acres on section 22, and op- erates with the usual perseverance and industry characteristic of his nationality. Ile is a great lover of fine horses and is the owner of an im- ported Clydesdale stallion, "King Charles," a beau- tiful dark bay weighing 1,700 pounds, and in all points a splendid specimen of the equine race. In addition to his farming and breeding operations Mr. Abler has a good stone quarry on his farm, which he is developing and which promises in the near future to yield handsome returns. He keeps usually a half dozen head of cattle, two work horses and nineteen head of swine.

The subject of this sketch was born in Milwaukee, Wis., Nov. 20, 1855, and was the youngest child of his father, Peter Abler, who was a native of Germany, and emigrated with his family to America in 1851. They lived in Illinois a short time, then removed to Milwaukee, and finally to Dodge County, Wis., where Mr. Abler died in 1857. The mother was subsequently married, buried the sec. ond husband and is now married to the third, mak- ing her home at Farmersville, Wis. Of her first marriage there were born four children, only two of whom are living. Joseph received a very limited education and at an early age was taught those habits of industry and self-reliance which have heen of use to him in later years. He started out for himself at the age of eighteen and has always been engaged in the pursuits common to farm life.

Upon reaching his majority Mr. Abler was mar- ried in 1876, to Miss Frances, daughter of Andrew Legel. The parents of Mrs. Abler were natives of Germany and are now living upon a farm in Dodge County, Wis. Their family consisted of five chil- dren, of whom Frances was the eldest. She was born Nov. 19, 1855, in Dodge County, Wis., and

lived there until her marriage. Soon afterward the newly wedded pair settled upon a farm in that county where they lived two years, then in 1879 came to Washington County, Kan. Mr. Abler pur- chased his present farm in 1888. He takes an active interest in politics and votes the straight Democratic ticket. To Mr. and Mrs. Abler there have been born three children, only two of whom are living, a son and daughter, Andrew and Anna.

ARON H. YOEY, junior member of the firm of Barker & Yoey, which is elsewhere represented in this volume, deals with his partner in all kinds of flour, seeds and grain at Clifton, Washington County, conducting successfully a business which was organized in Feb- ruary. 1886. The present partnership was formed in February, 1889, Mr. Barker having been asso. ciated in the business some time previous. Mr. Yoey in former years occupied himself as a farmer in Bradford Township, Washington County, where he has 120 acres of well-improved land with good buildings. He homesteaded this farm in 1869, and at the same time he employed himself as a me- chanic until 1885, during which year he left the farm and removed to Clifton, where he has since resided.

Mr. Yoey first came to Kansas from Indiana. He was born in Summit County, Ohio, April 24, 1847, and was the son of Isaac Yoey, also a native of that county, and of German ancestry, who upon coming to America located in Pennsylvania. Isaac Yoey was a carpenter by trade and a general me- chanic.of no mean skill. He was reared in his na- tive county, and was there married to Miss Polly Hollinger, who was likewise born there. After marriage they began life in Summit County, where their three eldest children, Joseph, Jacob and Aaron H., were born.

From Ohio the Yoey family removed to DeKalb County, Ind., where the younger children-Amos, Isaac and John, were born. The father secured a tract of land and began farming, but died in !857 at the age of forty-seven years. He had become a prominent and highly respected citizen, and was a

Lopina Falhoefen

Respectfully yours William Kalhacker

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member of the German Reformed Church. Mrs. Yoey survived her husband, and in due time was married to Michael Bordner, and later removed with him to Wood County, Ohio, where she spent her last days. dying at the age of sixty-five years. She likewise was a member of the German Reformed Church, and a woman of many estimable qualities. Three of her six children are yet living, viz .: Jacob, Isaac, and the subject of this sketch. Jacob occu- pies the old homestead in Indiana; Isaac is farming in Syracuse County, Neb.

The subject of this notice spent his early years in DeKalb County, Ind., whence he came to Kan- sas a single man. Returning to Ohio, in 1855, he was there married in Williams County, to Miss Amanda Killinger. This lady was a native of Williams County, and born in 1858. Iler father died when she was quite young. and her mother, remaining a widow, is still living in Williams County, being sixty-one years old. She is a mem- ber of the Evangelical Asociation. Mrs. Yoey was well reared, receiving a good education and became a teacher, to which profession she devoted some years before her marriage. She is a Methodist in religious belief. Mr. Yoey supports the principles of the Republican party, but has no aspirations for office. and meddles very little with public affairs.

UDGE WILLIAM KALHOEFER. The extent and rapidity with which a section of country is developed, depends altogether up- on the men who have practically its destiny in their hands. If they are selfish and narrow minded, but little progress is discernable around them ; if liberal and public spirited, the town or township where they perhaps hold a large amount of property, will at once spring forward and quickly attract to its borders an intelligent and enterpris- ing people. Washington County, Kan., numbers among the men who have held its interests in their fostering care, the subject of this sketch who was one of its early settlers, coming within its limits in 1868. Ile had set foot upon the soil of Kansas as early as 1859, stopping first in Leavenworth where

he was engaged in trade and where he made his headquarters nine years, but in the pursuance of his business traveled all over the State.

As one of the pioneer settlers of Kansas, Judge Kalhoefer camped ont upon the present site of the city of Leavenworth when Indians and wild an- imals were plentiful. In company with August Jacdicke, he put up the first house erected within the town limits of Hanover, and erected the first store of general merchandise at the corner of the publie square when but a few people had settled in this vicinity. After two years they sold out and Mr. Kalhoefer became interested in real estate, in- elnding both town lots and farm lands. At the. same time also be turned his attention largely to agricultural pursuits, which he has followed to the present day. He is the owner of fully 1,000 acres of land, about 600 of which have been brought to a good state of cultivation. The Judge makes his home in town, but superintends the cultivation of his land. He has been honored with all of the of- fiees he would accept, being first made Justice of the Peace in 1869, Township Trustee in 1870 and Probate Jndge in 1871. In 1874 he was elected Mayor of the city which office he held for a period of eight years. During his administration there were effected most of the improvements which have given it importance as a well-regulated and enter- prising place. He was Assessor of a territory thir- teen miles square, in 1871, when the majority of the people lived in dugouts in deep ravines. In order to find them he had to go to a high hill and search for the smoke arising from their chimneys at breakfast time. Many of them were so dis- couraged that they intended leaving the country, but Judge Kalhoefer prevailed upon them to re- main and now many of them are wealthy men- thanking him that he had persuaded them to over- come the difficulties which at one time surrounded them.

For two years Judge Kalhoefer presided over the Probate Court, and he served as Justice of the Peace six years. He was instrumental in organiz- ing the Lutheran Church here, and himself framed the by-laws. He continued one of its most active members, leading the work of erecting the church edifice, was chairman of the building committee

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Portrait and biographical album of Washington, Clay and Riley counties, Kansas, containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent citizens together with portraits and biographies of all the governors of the state, Part 86

Author: Publication date: 1890 Publisher: Chicago, Chapman Brothers Number of Pages: 1258

Author:
Publication date: 1890
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman Brothers
Number of Pages: 1258