The history of Buchanan County, Missouri, Part 77

Author: Union historical company, St. Joseph, Mo., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: St. Joseph, Mo., Union historical company
Number of Pages: 1104

USA > Missouri > Buchanan County > The history of Buchanan County, Missouri > Part 77

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CAPTAIN F. B. KERCHEVAL

stands among the first settlers of Buchanan County, and is thoroughly conversant with the first commercial transactions done at Robidoux' Landing. He is a native of Montgomery County, Tennessee, and was born near Nashville, July 9, 1817, was there brought up, and received his education. John, his father, was a native of Virginia, and settled in Tennessee when a young man, and was extensively engaged in the manufacture of iron, in that state. Our subject came to Missouri in the fore part of 1841, engaging in business at Fredricktown, and in the spring of 1842, came to St. Joseph. Mr. Kercheval brought with him a stock of general merchandise, with the intention of engaging in trade, but abandoned the idea and engaged in farming, a short distance from this place, in Washington Township, and he took an active part in laying out the wagon roads, building school houses, churches, and develop-

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ments of the township generally. In 1852, he embarked in the hardware business in St. Joseph, continuing until 1856, when he commenced steam- boating. At Louisville, Kentucky, he had built the steamer Omaha, which he placed between St. Joseph and Omaha. In 1857, he built the Hesperian, which was burnt opposite Atchison, a few years later. Cap- tain Kercheval is an old steamboat man of the Missouri River, he having established the lines between St. Joseph and Omaha, and St. Joseph and Kansas City. After the war broke out, he embarked in the wholesale grocery trade here. The firm was known as Kercheval & Donovan, and afterwards F. B. Kercheval & Co. In 1864, an enterprise was suc- cessfully carried out by Messrs. Kercheval, Joseph Kinney, J. C. Ogden, Thos. Tootle and Powell & Levy, which eclipsed any previous commer- cial undertaking in St. Joseph. They fitted out forty-six wagons, loaded with general merchandise, and had 220 yoke of oxen, which they drove through to Virginia City, Montana, and established a wholesale grocery house, the style of the firm being Kercheval, Kenny & Co. In 1865, Mr. Kercheval withdrew, and established a wholesale grocery house at Helena, Montana, continuing until 1868, when he returned to St. Joseph, and engaged in the milling business, he building the Kercheval Flour Mill, and, in connection with this branch, was extensively engaged in grain buying, with which interest he was identified until the memorable crisis of 1873, when he was obliged to succumb to the pressure, and lost heavily. In 1839, he was married to Miss Helen Kay. They have, by the union, four children : Sarah Ann, wife of Judge A. H. Gambrill, of Alton, Illinois ; Minnie, wife of F. M. Long, Civil Engineer, at Alton, Illinois ; John K., and Fanny, wife of J. H. Thorp.

J. K. KERCHEVAL,

was born in Buchanan County, Missouri, December 15, 1848, and is a son of the veteran pioneer, Captain F. B. Kercheval. J. K. was raised and educated in St. Joseph and received the benefits of the University of Columbia, Missouri. He was associated with his father in trade in the western country, and later in this city. He is a young business man and one of St. Joseph's popular citizens. He was married on the 14th of May, 1872, to Miss Ella M. Sites.

KESSLER & SHALE,

dealers in dry goods, groceries, notions, etc. Frank S. Kessler was born in Marion Township, Buchanan County, Missouri, November Ist, 1853. His father, Fidele Kessler, was one of the pioneers of that township, and took an active part in developing its agricultural resources, until his death, which occurred several years ago. Frank was here raised to manhood and educated, his early days being spent in farming. That

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vocation he pursued until 1877, when he took up his abode in St. Joseph. In the autumn of 1878 he engaged in trade. Henry B. Shale, the junior member of the firm, was born in St. Joseph, Missouri, September 9th, 1854. His father, John Shale took up his abode in this city at an early day and was closely identified with its progress. At the breaking out of the rebellion he tendered his services to the union cause and did good work as a recruiting officer, for a time, after which he was an orderly in Company H, Thirty-third Missouri Volunteer Infantry, and was killed on the Fourth of July, 1863, at the memorable conflict at Helena, Arkansas. Henry received his education in this place, and here has always resided. For five years he was in the employ of George F. Shaeffer, as clerk. On the 25th of December, 1877, Miss Sally Whit- man became his wife. She is the daughter of Mr. David Whitman, of this county.

DR. C. J. KESSLER,

dentist, is a native of Pennsylvania, and was born in Easton, North- hampton County, February 9, 1835. His father, Charles J., was a native of that county. The Kesslers are of German extraction. His mother, Martha Johnston, was a native of Hunterdon County, New Jersey, and his grandfather, Johnston, was born in the same county. The Johnstons are of Scotch extraction. Our subject was raised, educated and learned his profession in Easton. In 1855, he came West, locating temporarily in Chicago, Illinois, and afterwards at Elgin, Illinois, where he did a prosperous business for several years. Was also for a time at St. Charles, Illinois. In 1865, he came to St. Joseph, and has since been a citizen here. Dr. Kessler is a dentist of twenty-five years continual practice, has been a close student, and keeps pace with the accepted and new theories pertaining to the profession. During his sojourn in the city he has represented the first ward in the City Council, and was one of the directors of the St. Joseph bridge. In 1857, Miss Mary Frittz, of New Jersey, became his wife. They have one son, Samuel.

L. KEYWOOD,

dealer in staple and fancy groceries, has figured conspicuously in the development of the state and county. He is a native of Sullivan County, Tennessee, and was born January 2, 1819. When young he removed to Overton County, Tennessee, where he was raised and made his home, until 1840. His father, John Keywood, was an old resident of Tennessee. In 1840, our subject came to Missouri, locating in Andrew County, where he engaged in farming. The country at that time being sparsely settled, he had many difficulties with which to contend. In 1850, in company with D. M. Steele and others, he went to California by the overland

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route, remaining eighteen months; then returned to Andrew County, and in September, 1862, took up his abode in St. Joseph. For several years, he was engaged in teaming and trading, and in 1860 engaged in his present business. Mr. Keywood has been twice married. In 1843, Miss Celia LaNeir became his wife. She died in 1855, leaving two chil- dren-Matilda J. and Isabelle. In 1855, Mrs. Cordelie Reno became his wife, she being the daughter of William Nave, one of the early settlers of Northwestern Missouri, and was married in 1846 to Jefferson Reno, who died in 1847, leaving one son-William J. Mr. and Mrs. Keywood have two sons-Alfred Tinsley and Isaac T.

JOHN KIEFFER,

wholesale liquor dealer, may be numbered among the most suc- cessful business men of St. Joseph. He is a man who owes his success to his own energy and industry. Without having any schooling when he was young, he had a hard struggle with life. But he overcame all difficulties, improved himself, bent all his energy to one point and reached it. He was born July 9th, 1837, at Hesperingen, Luxemburg. When ten years old, his parents died, and John left home and went to France, with an object to get work, and this he obtained from a farmer, who paid him a mere trifle .. He worked for five years, and in 1852, returned to his home, where he served his apprenticeship as a black- smith, for two years, with his brother-in-law. Then again went to France and worked at his trade up to 1858. His brother, Peter, who had been in California, had paid a visit to Europe, and when returning to America, persuaded John to accompany him. This he did March 15th, 1858, and arrived, May 7th, at New York City, when, after a few days he started west. He visited Chicago, Dubuque, Iowa, St. Louis, and finally, July 4th, 1858, came to St. Joseph, where he settled and worked for three years at his trade. In 1861, he opened a blacksmith shop on Frederick Avenue, which he carried for four years. To recover his failing health he made a trip over the plains to Denver, in 1865, and returned in the spring of 1866. He then paid a four months visit to Europe and returned in July, 1866 to St. Joseph, where he started a hotel and saloon, in which business he was engaged up to May, 1868, then opened a summer garden at Corby's Grove, which he managed for one year. He then engaged in the ice business, and in 1876, formed a partner- ship with Christ. Mast and Joe Schreiber and started the St. Joseph Ice Company, and of which business he is now sole manager. October 20th, 1880, he opened, with Mr. Koenigsmann, under the firm, Kieffer, Koc- nigsman & Co., a wholesale liquor and wine business. Mr. Kieffer mar- ried December 10th, 1861, Miss Katharina Ohler. They have had four children : John Peter, born September 13th, 1862, died July 20th, 1876;

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Henry, born June 18th, 1864; Emma Louise, born November 16th, 1866; Louis Albert, born September 20th, 1868.

L. B. KIMBERLY,

plasterer, one of the pioneer plasterers of St. Joseph, is a native of Marion County, Indiana, and was born January 1, 1826. His father was Zenas, and his mother's maiden name was Isabelle Drum. When our subject was in his ninth year, he removed with his parents to La Porte, Indiana, where he was raised, educated and learned his trade. In 1854, he came to Iowa, locating at Panora, Guthrie County, where he followed his trade until 1859, when he took up his abode in St. Joseph, where he has since been engaged in his profession of plastering. He married in 1848, Mrs. Hoagland, a native of Sweden. They have two children, Candee, now Mrs. P. McGregor, and Emma, now Mrs. Hiram Hershber- ger. Mr. Kimberly is one of St. Joseph's popular and most respected citizens, and in his profession stands among the most proficient.

GEORGE E. KING,

was born on the 29th of May, 1851, in the town of Milford, Decatur County, Indiana. His early education was very liberal, and was received at the Hartville, Indiana, University, and the Missouri Univer- sity of Columbia. Taught school about seven years in the States of Indiana and Missouri, devoting his leisure hours to legal and literary studies. Attended law lectures at Columbia University in 1873, and was admitted to the Andrew County Bar in 1874. Practiced law with W. S. Greenleaf, Esq., at Savannah, during 1874-5. In the spring of 1875, he was united in marriage to Miss Lilly A. Cook, daughter of Wm. Cook, banker, of Savannah. He entered journalism in 1875, and edited the Adams County Union, of Iowa, till August, 1876. Was asso- ciate editor of the St. Joseph Chronicle in the fall of 1876. In Decem- ber, 1876, he purchased the Andrew County Republican and merged it into the Andrew County Advance. From Savannah he came to St. Joseph, and established the St. Joseph Saturday Democrat, of which he is now (1881) the editor and proprietor. The history of the Saturday Democrat in St. Joseph is worthy of more than a passing notice in a work of this character. It was started on a highway strewn with the wrecks of many a like venture. It was forced to contend with the sus- picions, distrust, and indifference of the reading public, rendering its first days especially trying to the endurance and perseverance of its enterprising proprietor and publisher, but by a steady and fearless course in the cause of honesty, as well as by purity of utterance in its political and social statements, and by its general excellence as a family newspa-

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per, it has forced its way to the front rank which it now occupies in the estimation of the intelligent reading people of the state. The paper is an elegantly printed eight-page fifty-six column journal, and is already firmly established financially, and in the esteem of the reading public. George E. King, its founder and present editor and publisher, enjoys the merited reputation of the most fearless, pointed and most forcible writer on the newspaper press of this section.

THOMAS KINCAID,

farmer and stock raiser, Section 32, postoffice, Saxton; was born Octo- ber 12, 1821, in Adams County, Ohio, and was taken to Montgomery County, Indiana, when about twelve years of age. There he was prin- cipally raised ; his father was a blacksmith, and Thomas worked con- siderable at that trade. He received the benefits of a common school education, and by self application has obtained a thorough knowledge of the events of the day. In 1851 he emigrated to Fayette County, Iowa, and remained there for twenty-three years engaged in agricultural pur- suits. He came to this county in the spring of 1874 and settled where he now resides; his farm consists of one hundred and sixty acres, im- - proved, containing three good springs. He also owns three hundred and forty-four acres in Tremont Township. During the late war he espoused the Union cause, and twice enrolled his township. He has been married three times : first, in 1843, to Miss Margaret Danner, a native of Ohio. She died December, 1846. His second marriage was in 1848 to Miss Catharine Danner, a sister of the former wife, whose death occurred in December, 1875. She left six children, Frederick, Franklin, Margaret (now Mrs. George Cliff), Horace G., Ida, and Ella. He was married again June 14, 1877, to Mrs. Elizabeth Bedford. She has seven children by her former marriage. By the last union there is one child, Thomas. They are members of the M. E. Church, in which Mr. K. holds the office of Recording Steward of the St. Joseph circuit. He is also a member of the Masonic fraternity.

C. M. KINGSBURY,

carpenter and millwright, was born in Hebron, Toland County, Connec- ticut, June 6, 1818, and was there raised until he attained his seventeenth year, and partially learned the carpenter trade. He then removed to New York, remaining until 1848, when he came West, locating in Colum- bia County, Wisconsin. For a number of years was on the improvements of the Wisconsin and Fox Rivers. In 1864, he went to Montana and engaged in mining, and became a resident of St. Joseph in 1865. During his sojourn here, he has been closely associated with the progress of the city, and has contributed amply towards its development. As a mechanic

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· he is among the first in the country. Was'married in 1844, to Miss Mary Gay, of Monroe County, New York. Mr. K. is a Royal Arch Mason, becoming a Mason in 1844.

C. P. KINGSBURY

was born in the City of Boston, September 26, 1841, and upon reaching the requisite age he entered the office of the Lawrence Courier, where he served his apprenticeship as compositor. After this, he took the foremanship of the Dover Enquirer, at Dover, New Hampshire, in which capacity he continued until 1862, when he enlisted in Company K, Eleventh New Hampshire. At the battle of Fredricksburg he was severely wounded, being incapacitated for duty, was honorably discharged, returned to Massachusetts, and for two years was assistant foreman in the State Printing House, at Boston. In 1865, he came to Chicago, and pursued his trade in that city until 1869, when he became a resident of St. Joseph. He was one of the original members of the St. Joseph Steam Printing Company, organized in that year, and, in 1872, sold his interest. In 1875, with Mr. T. H. Hail, he bought the present establishment, which they conducted until 1879, when Mr. Kingsbury became sole proprietor, by purchasing Mr. Hail's interest. This establishment is one of the most complete in its appointments to be found in this vicinity, and the trade which he controls in job printing and bookbinding is large and increasing. Mr. Kingsbury traces his lineage to English ancestry. Is a Thirty-second Degree Mason, and a member of the Knights of Pythias. In 1859, Miss Lizzie L. Moores, of Vermont, became his wife.

JOHN PETER KIRSCHNER

was born in Germany, Kingdom of Bavaria, on the River Rhine, May 8, 1821. He came to this country in 1843, and settled in Clay County, Mis- souri, near Parkville, then removed to Independence, Jackson County, and thence, in 1846, to St. Joseph, where he started the first bakery established in the city, and continued to operate it for many years with a good degree of success. He purchased a farm near the city of 160 acres, and moved on it in 1867. He married Miss Annie E. Groh, in Clay County, Missouri, April 18, 1846. They have a family of four chil- dren, John, Peter J., George E., and Lena. John is married and lives near his father. Peter J. was educated in the schools of St. Joseph until seventeen years of age, and then, in 1869, went to Cincinnati and attended a private school for two years. In 1875, he commenced the study of medicine with Dr. J. Geiger, as preceptor, and in 1877, he attended the medical department of the University of Louisville, and in 1878-79, he attended Bellevue Hospital College, and was graduated from that insti- tution. While pursuing his medical studies he taught school, and paid

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his way through the entire course by his own exertions. In 1879, he commenced the active practice of his profession. In 1880, he was appointed City Physician, and re-appointed in 1881. He was appointed demonstrator of anatomy in the College of Physicians and Surgeons, for the session of 1879-80, and professor of physiology in 1880-81.

ARTHUR KIRKPATRICK,

Secretary and Business Manager of the Merchants' Insurance Company, of St. Joseph, is one of a family of seven children, four of whom were sons. His father, Judge W. Kirkpatrick, a native of Tennessee, was a large farmer and stock trader in his own state. Was also, at one period, an influential member of the county bench, and was all his life an active business man. When his son, Arthur, was eight months old, he moved with his family to Missouri, and settled in Cooper County, where his children were all reared in habits of industry and practical business. In 1843, Judge Kirkpatrick moved with his family to Johnson County, Mis- souri, and here the subject of this sketch received a practical business education. His first effort in the way of earning an independent liveli- hood was in the profession of teaching. An experience of two succes- sive summers in this calling, however, determined him to select another course of life, and he accordingly engaged in mercantile pursuits, in which his efforts were generally crowned with success; also, at different periods previous to the breaking out of the civil war, successfully engaged in the milling business. In March, 1863, he moved to St. Joseph, where he engaged in the grain, shipping and general produce business. He subsequently engaged in freighting across the plains. In 1866 and 1867, he was engaged in mercantile business in Utah and Montana, where his efforts were crowned with uniform success. In 1869, he married Miss Lettie J. (Ransom) Poteet, of St. Joseph. By this marriage he had two children, the eldest, a daughter, born in 1870, survives. In January, 1876, Mr. Kirkpatrick had the misfortune to lose his wife by death. In 1873, he engaged in the insurance business. Is at present (1881) a member of the Board of Managers of the Missouri State Lunatic Asylum, No. 2, and a Director and Manager of the Citizens' Railway Company. Mr. Kirkpatrick has, since his residence in St. Joseph, been more or less actively engaged in mercantile and other enterprises, and ranks promi- nently among the successful business men of St. Joseph, and deservedly enjoys a large share of personal popularity.

J. B. KITCHEN,

one of the firm of Kitchen Bros., and manager of the Pacific House in St. Joseph, Missouri ; was born in St. Louis County, Missouri, May 25, 1832. His parents emigrated from Virginia to Missouri in 1829. Henry

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Kitchen, his father, was by occupation a farmer. He died in Leaven- worth City, Kansas, in 1862, at the age of sixty-five years. His mother, who still lives, is now (1881) seventy-six years of age, and in the enjoy- ment of excellent health. No mother was ever more highly or deserv- edly respected. She raised ten children, five sons and five daughters. Six of these still live. James "Butter," the subject of this sketch, named after his mother's family, was the fifth child. He moved with his parents from St. Louis in the fall of 1848 to Platte County, Missouri. In 1854 he left his parents and went to New Mexico without pecuniary means, but with great ambition, a restless energy, and full determination to become a successful man. Arriving at Santa Fe, he obtained a situation as clerk in a large mercantile house. After a year's experience in this position he secured from the government a hay contract at Fort Union, New Mexico. He filled this contract from the Ocate Bottom, about twenty miles from the Fort, working all the summer in water over his shoe-tops. The grass, after being cut, was hauled on the high upland, where it was cured and stacked. The result of this, his first business venture, was a profit of $900. In the meantime, he had made a friend of Dr. Connelly, a rich merchant of Albuqurque, who set him up in business in a small town called Tecolate, in New Mexico, with a stock of mer- chandise worth $15,000, on which not a cent was paid for two years, the doctor, in the meantime, furnishing as required, the merchandise necessary to keep up the stock. At the end of seven years the doctor received his money in full, and Mr. Kitchen had made a few thousand dollars. In the meantime his brother Dick, who was yet with his parents in Platte County, went to Kansas and settled on a quarter section of land, the claim to which he sold, in 1860, for $2,000. About this period J. B. sold out his business in New Mexico and returned home. The two brothers then joined capital, bought a few teams, and engaged in the freighting business. In this they met with excellent success, at times, during the war, having contracts with the government amounting to over a million of dollars. The two brothers have now (1881) been doing business together twenty years, in all of which time they have never kept an account against each other, everything being held in common. The completion of the railroad ruined the freighting business on the plains. They were forced, in consequence, to learn a new trade, and to-day the Kitchen Bros. are known to the world as the leading hotel firm of the West. This firm includes Charles W., the eldest, who is in charge of the four houses on the Union Pacific Railroad ; J. B., of the Pacific, in St. Joseph, and Richard, the youngest, who is in charge of the Withnell House, in Omaha, Nebraska. It is a remarkable fact that J. B. Kitchen during his long period of residence in New Mexico, never indulged in gambling, drinking, or even smoking, a course which, while it rendered him unpopular with the common herd of humanity there,

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accomplished for himself the great object he sought when he went out, and he returned to the home he had left an honored son and brother. The Pacific, under his management, has become one of the most popular houses in the West.

ANTON KLOS

was born November 30, 1829' at Prombach, Hessen Darmstadt, Germany. where he recived his education. When sixteen years of age he emi- grated to America, embarking for New Orleans, where he arrived in 1845. Soon after he removed to St. Louis, Missouri, where he learned the trade of cigar-making, and remained five years. In 1850, he came to St. Joseph, and engaged in the cigar and tobacco business, which he carried on fourteen years. In 1864, he commenced as a wholesale leaf tobacco dealer, buying and shipping leaf tobacco, which was raised from forty to fifty miles around St. Joseph. Having accumulated wealth, he invested much in real estate, and is among our large tax payers. In 1876, he retired from active business life. He married October 25, 1864, Miss Elise Deppen, who died November 17, 1869. He has two children, Harvey, born May 13, 1865, and Edward, born December 23, 1867.

F. K. KNAPP,

dealer in hardware, furniture and queensware, was born in Nashville, Tennessee, March 18, 1853. F. K. Knapp, his father, was an early set- tler of Buchanan County, coming here in 1854. Our subject was here raised and educated. For a number of years he was engaged in the marble trade with his father, and also conducted a jewelry store and engaged in the present business, in 1877. Carries a complete stock in his line, being favorably known in town and thoughout the county, he commands a large trade. F. K. Knapp, Sr., was one of the pioneer marble men of the county, and was prominent among its business men to the time of his death, in 1874.

E. J. KNAPP

was born in Newburg, Orange County, New York, April 15, 1809, and came to St. Louis in 1819. Learned the painting trade in all its branches, becoming very skillful as an ornamental painter and grainer. Came to St. Joseph in April 1847, and opened a shop and established a large and successful business, which he conducted for twenty years. In 1875, he was elected justice of the peace, in which capacity he served for four years. He was never an office seeker, but believed that the office ought to seek the man. Six canes were made from a log of the old market house and given to six old citizens, one being given to Mr.

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The history of Buchanan County, Missouri, Part 77

Author: Union historical company, St. Joseph, Mo., pub. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1881 Publisher: St. Joseph, Mo., Union historical company Number of Pages: 1104

Author: Union historical company, St. Joseph, Mo., pub. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: St. Joseph, Mo., Union historical company
Number of Pages: 1104