USA > Missouri > Cooper County > History of Cooper County, Missouri > Part 83
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Theodore Koonse, an extensive farmer and stockman of Cooper County, was born in Northumberland County, Pa., Aug. 30, 1870, son of George R. and Emma (Gerhardt) Koonse, both natives of that same state. George R. Koonse grew up in Pennsylvania, familiar with the building trades and in his later life became a successful carpenter and building contractor. During the Civil War he served as a soldier of the Union, serving first as a private in one of the Pennsylvania infantry regiments
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and later with the cavalry and in one of the battles in which he was engaged was seriously wounded and was taken prisoner and confined in Libby prison, from which he was exchanged on account of his wound. In 1877 he came with his wife and family west and located at Ellsworth, Kan., where he became engaged as a building contractor and also worked for some time as a railroad carpenter. About 1895 he moved to Hugo, Okla., where he and his wife are now living retired, he being 77 years of age and his wife, 76. Two children were born to them: Mrs. Anna Spof- ford, now deceased, and Theodore.
Theodore Koonse was seven years of age when his parents moved from Pennsylvania to Kansas and in the latter state he grew to manhood. In 1893 he came to Missouri and located at Boonville, where he worked for a while and then became engaged as a farm hand, working for 40 cents a day, and continued thus employed until 1901, since which time he has made his home on the farm on which he and his family are now living, a well improved place of 220 acres which is owned by his wife. Mr. Koonse is carrying on his farming operations on quite an extensive scale, using gas tractors and cultivating in all 400 acres of land, besides feeding much live stock. In the fall of 1918 he put in 130 acres of wheat and in the following spring put in an additional acreage of twenty-five acres in spring wheat, he having found that, contrary to the results of similar experiments on the part of some of his neighbors, spring wheat can be successfully raised in Boonville township. In his political views Mr. Koonse reserves the right to be independent, declining to be confined in his opinions of men and policies by party ties.
July 10, 1901, Theodore Koonse was united in marriage to Lucy Pre- witt and to this union two children have been born, George P. and Van Wesley. Mrs. Koonse was born on the place on which she is now living, March 3, 1876, and has lived there all her life. She is the daughter of William and Nannie (Redd) Prewitt, the latter of whom, a native of Cooper County, is still living, making her home with her daughter on the old Prewitt homestead, which is regarded as one of the historic spots in west Boonville township, one of the first school houses in Cooper County having been erected just as the rear of the old original log cabin which stood on the place in pioneer days. A quarter of a mile south of the place is Magee Grove, a favorite camping ground for the freighters in the days of the old overland trail which passed through this farm. In the old days the Prewitt farm, which is in sections 13 and 14 of Boonville township, was owned by a Mr. Wilson, who hauled lumber by ox teams
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from Arkansas to erect a house on the place, exchanging merchandise for the lumber. For some years after coming to this county, Mr. Koonse was engaged in operating a threshing rig and saw-mill and in Sept., 1903, suffered the misfortune of losing his left arm while trying to manipulate the belting which controlled the big saw. He is now running a threshing rig and has two large tractors.
Dr. Enslie Irvin Schilb, a well known young dentist of Pilot Grove, who served during the greater part of the period in which the United States participated in the World War as a private and later as first lieu- tenant in the dental detachment of the National Army and holds a com- mission in reserve corp for period of five years, was born at Otterville, April 1, 1893, a son of Francis and Sophia (Spiler) Schilb.
Francis Schilb also was a native of Cooper County, born at Gooch's Mill in 1861, a son of Adam Schilb and wife, the former of whom was born in Germany and as a young man came to the United States, first locating in Kentucky, later coming to Missouri, where he settled on a farm in Cooper County and here spent the remainder of his life, a sub- stantial resident of the Gooch's Mill neighborhood. Francis Schilb grew up as a farmer and for some time followed that vocation near Otterville, but in 1899 he moved to Pilot Grove, where he was engaged in the hard- ware business until his death in 1911. His widow is making her home with her son, Doctor Schilb, at Pilot Grove. She was born on a farm six miles east of Boonville in 1866, daughter of Ernest Spiler and wife, the latter of whom was a Graff and both of whom were born in Germany, having come here with their respective parents in the latter '40s or early '50s. To Francis and Sophia (Spiler) Schilb were born three children, those besides the subject of this review being Emily, wife of Ray Lot- speich, of Nelson, Mo., and Ernest A., deceased.
Dr. Enslie I. Schilb received excellent training for the practice of the exacting profession to which he early directed his studies and he has a well equipped office at Pilot Grove. He was but five years of age when his parents moved from the farm to Pilot Grove and his early schooling was received in the schools of that town, including the course in the academy there. In 1912 he entered the dental department of the Uni- versity at St. Louis and was graduated in June, 1915. Doctor Schilb then returned to Pilot Grove and opened an office for the practice of his pro- fession. In Jan., 1918, at Jefferson Barracks he enlisted in the National Army as a private in the dental detachment. In the following June he was called to service and was assigned to Camp Pike (Arkansas), where
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he was thus serving when the demobilization of his detachment was ordered some time following the signing of the armistice in the World War in November. Dec. 21, 1918, he received his honorable discharge and returned home and resumed his practice, to which he has since given his undivided attention.
Doctor Schilb is a republican. He is a member of the Methodist Church and is affiliated with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and the Knights of the Maccabees. The Doctor is a member of the Greek letter college fraternity Psi Omega (dental) and also takes a warm inter- est in the affairs of that organization.
Judge Peter G. Meisenheimer, county judge for the western district of Cooper County, and one of the substantial land-owners and farmers in Clear Creek township, was born on the farm on which he now lives, April 27, 1868. He is a son of Philip and Elizabeth (Stabeline) Meisenheimer, both natives of Germany, many years residents of this country. Philip Meisenheimer was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Dec. 18, 1822, and remained in his native land until he had reached his majority, when, in 1855, he came to the United States and located in Illinois, where he was living when the Civil War broke out. Aug. 8, 1861, he enlisted in Company E, Second Illinois Artillery, and he served until mustered out, Sept. 29, 1864. In St. Louis, he married, and in 1866 came to Cooper County and located on the farm now owned and occupied by Judge Meisenheimer. There he opened a general store, which he conducted in addition to his farming, and was appointed postmaster of Clear Creek. He developed an excel- lent farm, and there spent the remainder of his life. He died March 19, 1912, he then being in his 79th year. His wife died Aug. 12, 1910. She was born in Baden, Jan. 25, 1832, and had been married twice prior to her marriage to Philip Meisenheimer. By her first marriage she was the mother of two children, William J. Reuter, who is still living in Clear Creek township, and Minnie Reuter, who has for years been a nun in the convent at Conception, Mo. By her second marriage she also was the mother of one child, Jacob F. Meussig, a farmer of Pilot Grove township. To Philip and Elizabeth (Stabeline) Meisenheimer were born two chil- dren, Judge Meisenheimer having a sister, Mrs. Mary A. Bonen of Pettis County. Philip Meisenheimer was a member of the Evangelical Church and his wife was a Catholic.
Peter G. Meisenheimer grew to manhood on the farm on which he born, receiving his schooling in the district school and Pilot Grove Acad- emy. In 1891, he began farming on his own account, renting the home
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JUINIR PETER G. MEISENHEIMER AND FAMILY
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farm from his father. Following his father's death he inherited 225 acres, and is now the owner of 420 acres, 165 acres of which lies in Pilot Grove township. Judge Meisenheimer has made substantial improvements on the place. In addition to his general farming, he has long given consid- erable attention to the raising of live stock. He is interested in the Citi- zens Bank of Pilot Grove, and the Pilot Grove Bank. Since 1909, Judge Meisenheimer has been a director of the Clarks Fork Farmers Mutual Fire, Lightning and Tornado Insurance Company of Cooper County, and he has been vice-president of that company since 1915. The judge is a repub- lican, and has for years been recognized as among the leaders of his party in this county. Nov. 7, 1916, he was elected judge for the western dis- trict of Cooper County, and in 1918 was re-elected, thus now serving his second term in that capacity. Judge Meisenheimer and his family are members of the Evangelical Church.
Judge Meisenheimer has been twice married. Dec. 28, 1892, he was married to Jennie Back, who was born in this county, Nov. 4, 1868, daughter of Daniel and Christina (Schupp) Back, and to that union three children were born: The Rev. Philip W., a minister of the Evangelical Church, Lewisville, Ohio; Daniel R., who was inducted into the National Army, a member of the Medical Corps, in 1917, and was stationed at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Indianapolis, and is now at home; and Otto P., assist- ing his father in the management of the farm. The mother of these sons died April 21, 1903, and Dec. 27, 1907, Judge Meisenheimer married Kath- erine Eve Friess, who also was born in this county, and to this union four children have been born: Carl A., John Reinhardt, Paul E., and Oscar William. The mother of these latter children was born in Clear Creek township, Sept. 24, 1877, daughter of Philip and Elizabeth (Schupp) Friess, natives of Germany, and early settlers in Clear Creek township, both now deceased.
John B. Immele, a prominent farmer and stockman and former mem- ber of the board of county commissioners of Cooper County, was born at Boonville on July 7, 1866, son of Louis and Teresa (Meisburger) Immele, natives of Alsace-Lorraine and members of pioneer families in Cooper County, whose last days were spent here. The Immele and Meisburger families were two of the pioneer families of Boonville. The passport of F. J. Immele and family, issued at Havre, France, in 1851, is still pre- served in the family. One son, F. J. Immele, Jr., accompanied the par- ents. The elder son, Louis Immele, father of the subject of this review was a cannoneer in the French army in Africa at the time. After six
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years of service with honors he rejoined the family in this country and located at Boonville. In 1856 the junior F. J. Immele married Catherine Meisburger and in 1859 Louis Immele married Catherine's sister, Teresa Meisburger. These young women were daughters of Max Meisburger, who with his family of eight children arrived in Boonville from Alsace, France, in 1848. Max Meisburger had served for six years as a soldier in the army of the great Napoleon and was very proud of the medals he had received for bravery. During the progress of the Franco-Prussian War (1870-73) he kept posted through the French papers which he re- ceived and when the Prussian victory was announced he, with clenched fists and tear-dimmed eyes, declared: "If our great Napoleon had lived he and I would never have tolerated the Prussians to lord it over our beloved France", and expressed the hope and belief that his grandchildren would live to see the happy day when Alsace-Lorraine would be liberated from the Prussian domination. During the time of America's participa- tion in the World War which resulted in the return to France of the "lost" provinces nine of his great-grandsons answered the call to the front and when the armistice was declared in the fall of 1918 six more were wait- ing for the next call, all eager to serve America first and France next. During the progress of the Civil War both F. J. and Louis Immele served faithfully for three years as soldiers in behalf of the cause of the union, and their previous military experience as soldiers of France gave a special value to their services, both being qualified as sharpshooters.
Mrs. Immele, wife of the senior F. J. Immele and grandmother of Professor Immele, the subject of this sketch, was a daughter of Major General Boshea, who offered his life in a ten-years service in the French army. As the river boat on which she arrived at Boonville neared the landing amid the Boonville hills she exclaimed, "Oh, where are our beauti- ful church spires of France?" When she realized there were none here she begged to be permitted to return to France, but amid the many, though often trying, novelties of the new situated she presenlly became reconciled to the pioneer conditions which faced the family and per- formed ably her part in helping to bring about stable social conditions. Boonville then consisted of a few log houses used as trading centers and a few dwelling houses of a very humble sort. The house which the Immeles occupied until they could build a new one was located at what is now the corner of High and Sixth streets. Church services, which meant much to the Immeles, who were devout Catholics, were held in a room of a log cabin by Father Meister, a missionary, who once or twice a year
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would ride over from Illinois on his faithful donkey to administer for the comfort of the few families of the Catholic faith who by this time had as- sembled at the settlement around Boonville landing. These faithful fam- ilies formed the nucleus for the present strong Catholic congregation and the church and school which they established there. In those days deer roamed the woods which then covered the site of the present opera house at Boonville and F. J. Immele enjoyed deer hunting in the hills now known as Kemper Grounds. He was a skilled musician and was often called on to furnish the music for the dances which were held at Franklin, he and Doctor Roeschell and Doctor Kuekelhan crossing the river in a canoe and on their way combine duck-hunting with their prospective service in behalf of the merrymakers.
The surviving members of the Immele family in Cooper County are mainly farmers. Prof. John Immele of Pilot Grove has combined teach- ing school for nearly 30 years with farming and has reared a family of 10 children. Others also are farming successfully, while some have chosen city life for the exercise of their endeavors. The only surviving members in Boonville of the F. J. Immele family are Miss Mary Immele and Anna Immele Lester, who, with the aid of their aged father in 1894 purchased the square known as Hendricks Addition on Third street. The abstract of title to this square carries the data back to 1800. The ab- stract to the present Immele location on Chestnut street also dates back to 1800.
John B. Immele was reared on a farm and his elementary schooling was received in the parochial school at Boonville, this being supplemented by attendance at the public school and at Pilot Grove Collegiate Institute. In 1892 he began teaching school, continuing farming during the summers and for 27 years continued teaching, during this time becoming one of the best known educators in Cooper County. After his marriage in 1898 Professor Immele established his home on his present farm of 80 acres a mile north of Pilot Grove and has since resided there. The Professor is a democrat. In 1905 he was elected a member of the board of county com- missioners from his district and in this important public capacity served for two years. He and his family are members of the Catholic Church and he is affiliated with the Catholic Knights of America.
Sept. 5, 1898, Prof. John B. Immele was united in marriage with Anna Martin and to this union 10 children have been born: John, Ray- mond, deceased; Isabelle, Cecelia, Sophia, Mary A., Joseph, deceased ; Martha, Leonard and Anastacia. Mrs. Immele was born on a farm in
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Pilot Grove township on Nov. 9, 1873. Her parents were natives of Prussia, Daniel and Elizabeth (Esser) Martin, and were members of pioneer families in the Pilot Grove neighborhood.
Judge James P. Talley, a veteran of the Civil War and former judge of the County Court of Cooper County, was born on a farm east of Boon- ville, April 17, 1842, son of Henderson and Mary (Taylor) Talley, the former a native of Tennessee and the latter of Kentucky, who came to this county with their respective parents in pioneer days and here spent the remainder of their lives. Henderson Talley and his wife were the parents of six children as follows: Mrs. Louisa Hopkins, deceased; Wil- liam, Boonville; James P .; Mrs. Mary Woods, deceased; Marion C., de- ceased, and Mrs. Catherine Nuland, a widow, Boonville.
Reared on the home farm east of Boonville, James P. Talley received his schooling in the district schools and was living there when the Civil War broke out. When twenty years of age, in April, 1862, at Boonville, he enlisted as a member of the Missouri State Militia. Not long after- ward he enlisted in the Federal army as a member of Company I, Mis- souri Volunteer Cavalry and served in Missouri and the West until his discharge at Ft. Collins, Colo., in July, 1866, and was shortly afterward mustered out with his command at Ft. Leavenworth, Kan. He returned to Cooper County and resumed farming, renting a place near Boonville, where he continued farming until 1868 when he bought a farm of 265 acres in Pilot Grove township. When Judge Talley bought that place it was almost wholly timber land, but he went to work vigorously to get the place cleared and under cultivation and it was not long until he had a well improved farm. There he continued to make his home until his retirement in 1911, when he sold the farm and moved to Pilot Grove, where he has since resided. Judge Talley is a republican. Many years ago he was elected constable in his home township and in 1892 was elected county judge, a position he filled for two terms. He and his wife are members of the Methodist Church and he is affiliated with the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and with the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic.
Judge Talley has been thrice married. His first wife, Zilda Morton, who was born in Tennessee, died six years after her marriage, leaving one child, Mrs. Annette Malott, of Pilot Grove township. The second wife, Isabel Kirkpatrick who was born in western Missouri, died 20 years ago. To that union were born six children, namely: Waldo, Pilot Grove town- ship; James B., of that same township; Effie M., wife of Curry Brown-
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field, of East Pilot Grove; Mrs. Nellie Cramer, of Blackwater township, and John, deceased. Nov. 9, 1894, Judge Talley married Fannie Mc- Gibony, who was born in Tennessee in 1853 and who was 18 months of age when her parents came to Missouri and settled in the southern part of the state, where she grew to womanhood and was a school teacher, a vocation in which she was engaged for 29 years, teaching in and around Denton, Texas, and in Phelps and Howell Counties.
Lester O. Zeigle, one of Cooper County's substantial farmers and stockmen, was born Sept. 18, 1873, son of Henry and Malinda (McGuire) Zeigle, influential residents of Boonville township in their generation and the latter of whom is still living in Pilot Grove township. Henry Zeigle was born in New York State about 1846, and was 12 or 14 years of age when he came to Missouri with his parents, the family settling on a farm in Boonville township, where he grew to manhood. During the Civil War he enlisted at Boonville as a soldier of the Union and served until the close of the war, even after he had been severely wounded by a minnie ball through the body in a battle in this State, rejoining his command before his wound had healed and fighting to the end. On one occasion he be- came separated from his command and found himself surrounded by a detachment of 50 or more of the enemy who demanded his surrender. In reply, he put the spurs to his horse and dashed through the line that surrounded him and thus made his way safely back to his own lines. At the close of his military service, Henry Zeigle engaged in farming, start- ing with $50. He prospered, and in time became the owner of over 500 acres of land in Boonville township. Though his own schooling had been limited in the days of his youth, Henry Zeigle was an instinctive student and a great reader, and ever took an earnest interest in the cause of education, a constant encouragement to his children and to the whole neighborhood to make the most of the growing advantages along that line. He was a republican. He was an active member of the local post of the Grand Army of the Republic, and he and his wife were members of the Presbyterian Church, in the faith of which denomination their children were reared. Henry Zeigle died in 1913, and at his passing left a good memory. His widow is now living in Pilot Grove township, in which township she was born, a daughter of Timothy McGuire and wife, well known residents of that community in their generation. To Henry and Malinda (McGuire) Zeigle were born eight children, as follows: Lester O .; Prof. William H. Zeigle, who for years has been active in the work of the State Normal School at Kirksville, a lecturer in the school
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and a wide traveler in its behalf; Rev. Anthony F. Zeigle, also of Kirks- ville, and one of the best known Presbyterian clergyment in Missouri, a sound pulpit orator whose services are much in demand over the State as a preacher of baccalaureate sermons and for services of a general pub- lic character; John, deceased; one who died in infancy; Claud, deceased ; Lee, deceased, and Grace M., wife of Daniel Rothgeb, of New Lebanon township.
Lester O. Zeigle received his schooling in the local schools, supple- menting the same by the extensive home reading to which his father con- stantly encouraged him. In 1909 he bought his first farm, a tract of 157 acres, and in 1913 bought a tract of 235 acres, the place on which he is now living. In the spring of 1919 he sold his first tract and is now giving his whole attention to his home farm, which he has improved in admira- ble fashion and on which, in addition to his general farming, he raises live stock, with special reference to high grade Jersey cattle and O. I. C. and Poland China hogs. Mr. Zeigle is a republican, as was his father. His wife and children are members of the Catholic Church.
April 20, 1896, Lester O. Zeigle was married to Catherine Immele, who also was born in this county, daughter of Louis and Teresa (Meis- burger) Immele, who had come to this country with their respective parents in the early '50s. To Mr. and Mrs. Zeigle six children have been born, namely: Lorena, who is completing her schooling at Pilot Grove; Viola, deceased ; and Francis, Christina, Henry and Robert.
George Gross, proprietor of a well-kept farm in Pilot Grove town- ship and one of the best-known men in that township, was born in St. Clair County, Ill., April 15, 1858, son of Jacob and Josephine (Wachter) Gross, both natives of Bavaria, but whose last days were spent in this county, residents of the Chauteau Springs, Pilot Grove township and whose remains are resting in St. Martin's Cemetery in that township. Jacob Gross was born in 1819, and in 1840 he came to the United States, locating at Belleville, Ill., where he operated a stone quarry, a vocation which he had followed in his home land. There he married and continued to reside until 1869, when he came with his family to Missouri, and set- tled on a farm near Chauteau Springs in Pilot Grove township, where he and his wife spent the remainder of their lives, his death occurring in 1893. She was born Sept. 13, 1818, and died Nov. 22, 1912. Jacob Gross and wife were the parents of three children, one of whom died in infancy, and the others are George and Jacob, a resident of Pilot Grove township.
George Gross was 10 years of age when he came to Cooper County with
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his parents in 1869, and he grew to manhood on the home farm in Pilot Grove township, completing his schooling in the local schools. After his marriage in 1886 he continued making his home on the home place of 120 acres, and in time became the owner of the same. In 1893 he bought his present farm of 220 acres in that same township, and in 1895 sold the old home place and moved on to his present farm, which he has improved in excellent fashion. Mr. Gross is a democrat. He and his family are members of St. Martin's Catholic Church and he is a member of the Knights of Columbus.
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