Notes extracted from Johnsmeyer History: Louis was born on the Johnsmeyer homestead two and one-half miles north of Randolph, Kansas. L. W., a very industrious and enterprising businessman, died after a lingering illness; and his devoted wife Emma died less than a year later. They had been married for over 62 years at the time of L. W.'s death.
The first five years of the married life of L. W. and Emma was on a farm near Parallel, Kansas, Washington County, one mile north of the Parallel store. he never seemingly cared for farming. Consequently, in early 1899, L. W. sold this farm to Henry Swenson, who owned a lumber yard in Cleburne, Kansas, and immediately moved there with his wife Emma. It was there that their first child, a son, was born. Elmer lived less than a month later.
In March 1901, L. W. left Cleburne and the lumber business and bought a farm at Rose Hill from his father Clamor; and it was at this place where their second child, daughter Erna, was born. Farming, however, did not have the appeal to match that of the lumber business. So in February 1903, L. W. moved back to Cleburne where he established the operation of the lumber and implement business under various arrangements for about five years. It was during this period when their son Raymond was born.
On the fall of 1907, a little 8 year old girl, neglected by her father, came to live with them, to go to school, and to help Emma with household chores.
In 1909, L. W. again got the farm fever and bought the Paddleford farm on Mill Creek in the Grandview area, but after only a short period of ownership was forced to give up farming due to a severe accident - a hay fork dropped on him. Fortunately, he was offered the opportunity at that time to move to Randolph, Kansas, to manage the Farmer's Co-op lumber yard during the World War I period. It also was during this period that he acquired the John F. Beckman store which he owned and operated until 1921, when he sold it and moved his family to Manhattan, Kansas. But before leaving Randolph, L. W. bought a farm two and one-half miles east of Leonardville, Kansas, entirely for investment purposes. He rented it to Carl Toburen, Emma's nephew until 1964. LW continued the ownership of this place on a rental basis until his and his wife's passing, when it became the property of their children.
LW had hay fever very bad every fall and almost every fall had to go to Colorada Springs to breathe. In the fall of 1920, the home was closed, furniture covered, and with Mr. and Mrs. Hanson running the store, the family moved to Colorado Springs. With so much interest in tourism and not education, LW decided they should return to Randolph.
After residing in Manhattan only a short while. L. W. was able to acquire, at a very attractive price, the Gold Medal Bakery located near the campus of Kansas State Agriculture College (later known as Kansas State University) which he operated successfully with professional and family help for a number of years. However, in the late 1920's, he had entered into a partnership in the feed and seed business, operating his share of the business with hired help. This proved to be impractical and unprofitable because of unsatisfactory performance; so in 1929, he turned over the management of the bakery to his children, dissolved his partnership, and returned to the feed store business full time. At about this same time he gave his children part interest in the feed business, as he had done previously with the bakery. At a later date, Erna became sole owner of the bakery, and Raymond sole owner of the feed business.
Louis retired from active business in 1942, but never lost interest in his farm near Leonardville.
On February 26, 1955, he suffered a stroke and was hospitalized for five months. The following 14 months, he was cared for in the home of his daughter, Mrs. J. L. Bisig. On October 5, he developed pneumonia and was returned to the hospital where he passed away.
Moved to Manhattan in 1921. Built their home at 1427 Leavenworth Street. She was a faithful member of the Manhattan Methodist Church.
Her obituary states, "In her home life she gave herself unselfishly and devotedly to her loved ones. She was a good neighbor, quiet and unassuming, but always interested in the activities of others and ready todo whatever she could for them.
Whe had never been able to enjoy good health, but until the last few years had maintained her own home.
206. Elmer H. Johnsmeyer
Died of an enlarged thymus. Buried in Swede Creek Cemetery. His headstone was moved to be placed next to that of his parents in a Manhattan, Kansas cemetery by his sister, Erna Bisig.
Could speak only German when she went to school.
Shortly after Erna graduated from Randolph High School, the family moved to Manhattan, Kansas, where she could enroll at Kansas State Agricultural College. After receiving a degree in Home Economics, her first employment was teaching for two years in western Kansas (Smith County). She then returned to Manhattan and started helping her father in the bakery. She became the manager of the Gold Medal Bakery in 1933. She sold rolls and other baked goods to fraternities and sororities. She sold the business in 1944.
Erna was a member of the First United Methodist Church, United Methodist Women, and the Women's Club of Manhattan.
Erna did a wonderful job of recording family history. Some of her stories follow:
"The Swede Creek community followed the German custom of holding camp meetings once a year. The first once was held on the Fred Toburen farm. People brought their food and tents and enjoyed religious meetings for from one to seven days. The camp meetings were held under a large tent in the Toburen Grove until a Tabernacle was built in 1914.
"The education of the children was also planned early. Soon after the original Swede Creek Church was built in 1867, a log cabin school house was erected. The children had been taught in one room of the Fred Toburen home until the new building was ready in 1870. A 3-month school term began June 28th that year, but the next year, the term began Aug 5th. In 1882, a stone school house was built.
"In these early days, families lived in tents, dugouts, or covered wagons until crude log cabins were built. Building material was plentiful along the river, but all work had to be done by hand. A fireplace provided hear, cooking fire, and light, until candles could be made. Buffaloes provided meat for the family and tallow for the candles. Log and stone fences were built after housing needs were provided. The first successful enterprise was cattle raising and the first agricultural crop was corn. Home laundering was done by hand in streams until wells were sunk. The well hole was dug by hand and rock lined the walls.
"The women gardened, sewed for the family, often spinning the thread, and weaving the cloth. They made the lye, needed in soap making, from wood ashes. Social life was rich in community spirit. Besides church activities, there were auilting parties, river skating, and horse back riding. A branch of the Union Pacific railroad was built in 1884."
When Joe was 4 months old, his mother took him and Mr. Bisig's daughter Katie, and wnet home to her parents. In 1906, Joe was entered into the St. Pius School and remained a student there until 1914 when he entered the public school. He had been confirmed in the Catholic Church in 1912 and served as an alter boy.
Left home at 17 and joined the Navy on July 18, 1918. He was a fireman on the Battleship USS Iowa. Here he fell down the hatch and injured his back. He was discharged May 8, 1919. In Sep 1921, he received "Compensation on account of disability for injury incurred in line of dugy." He was admitted into the Veteran's Hospital in Kansas City in Dec 1921. In 1922, he entered vocational school at Pittsburg, Kansas and took the Disabiled Veterans Vocational Course in Printing, Linotype, and Presswork. He went in and out of veterans hospitals and worked various press jobs until he took a position in the printing department at Kansas State University in 1927. He finally had surgery on his spine at Mayo's and took a year's leave of absense. Following this, he was able to work at KSU for 27 years.
Developed Pick's Disease in 1955, which is leads to dementia. Ended up spending considerable time in the Veteran's Hospital in Topeka, which proved to be an absolutely horrible experience.
Died of pnuenomia after having received years of loving care from his devoted wife. Erna's comments, "July 21, 1900 - Jan 13, 1971. For many years just existed. Joe never complained or talked about his past, but in my way of thinking, his way of life was quite sad. He never knew, or even saw his father. His mother had to work so his grandparents raised him along with a half sister. When he was 14, his mother married again, married a widower. After his fall on the ship, he really never had good health. He married as a student at Pittsburg, each time after getting a job he entered VA Hospitals and had to take a leave of absence, she stepped out. Accordingly, he had no children; said he would be afraid they weren't his. Really, his mother was his only family, and he hardly knew her until she came here to live when she died, he wasn't aware of it. From '41 until '54, he and I had a very happy life and I'm so grateful. We had little money, but we had fun, and I still miss him. Always will and always will."
148. John Frederick Johnsmeyer
Note from Johnsmeyer History:
John was a very energetic and versatile man, especially when he was a young man, and eagerly made the most of his opportunities as they presented themselves. When he left home, he was given a team of horses and some farm tools, as had been given to two brothers before him, and he joined his brother Henry in the Parallel, Kansas vicinity to help him with farming. When Henry moved to Grandview, John went with him, and with Henry's help, bought a farm near Henry's in 1905, shortly before his marriage in May of that year. Their only child, Alpha, was born during the time that they lived on this farm.
In the fall of 1916, John sold his Grandview farm to his brother Carl bacause their sister Nellie and her husband, August Richter, had made arrangements with Mother Anna to lease the Johnsmeyer homestead. When John turned the farm over to Carl, he bought a house in Leonardville, Kansas, and worked in the bank for a short while before deciding to return to farming. Accordingly, he traded their house in town for a small farm a short distance east of Leonardville.
John and Kate, his wife, lived on this farm for many years until poor health forced them to leave it and move to Clay Center, Kansas, where they lived for the balance of their lives.
His obituary states, "In this quiet and unassuming personality, noted for its energy adn perseverance, were also found many other fine qualities such as honesty, kindliness, and sincerity of purpose, which won him many friends."
John passed away at their home in Clay Center, Kansas. His wife, Kate, passed away at the Clay Center Nursing Home.
209. Alpha A Johnsmeyer
Alpha was a member of the United Methodist Church of Clay Center, and lived there from 1941 until she died.
Dr. Haase was a well know optometrist in Clay Center for 32 years.
Probably purchased the William Johnsmeyer farm.
Notes extracted from Johnsmeyer family history:
Herman's first wife, Emma Meismeier lived only eighteen months after their marriage. After his wife's death, ne moved to Swede Creek to live with his wife's parents.
From the standpoint of industry, there probably were no more active and enterprising young men than Herman, because during most of his life, he was engaged in several occupations simultaneously. His first occupation after leaving home was farming in the Parallel, Kansas vicinity where he met and married his first wife in 1898. However, soon after her untimely death in 1899, Herman went to Dickenson County, Kansas where he operated a general store in Tampa, Kansas and farmed nearby. At the close of World War I, about 1918, he moved with his family to Marion, Kansas. A very competent doctor there admonished him not to farm because of his physical condition. Soon, the cause of this was discovered and eliminated. Very soon he was farming again near where they lived in Marion, Kansas. In addition to farming, he also worked in real estate, insurance and investments.
In 1930, he and Mary moved out to the farm to weather out the depression which very seriously affected his business operation. He was soon specializing in sheep and cattle and gained a reputation over a wide area for the high quality of his stock. During this time,he was continuing with insurance and real estate.
After several years, they moved back into town since he had a very competent young farmer who had been working with him and was ready to go into partnership. He wanted to move his family into the residence on the farm. Herman and Mary lived in Marion, and he continued with his business. In addition to his farming and real estate business interests, , Herman served for a number of years as a member of the Board of Education, and was one of the charter members of the Marion Kiwanis Club.
His wife, Mary, passed away very suddenly in 1947. His daughter who resided in Seattle, Washington chose to return to Marion to live with him until he could adjust to his bereavement. After several years, she married and he lived alone the last five years of his life, actively involved in community and church affairs.
Died at 22 years of age from malaria.
214. Unknown Johnsmeyer
Died in infancy.
215. Unknown Johnsmeyer
Died in infancy.
Notes extracted from Johnsmeyer family history:
The first place to which Ed and Emma went after their marriage was to a small farm near Green, Kansas, where their first two children were born. Later, they lived on a farm near Herrington, Kansas, where son Arthur was born. From there, they moved to Grandview, a community near the town of Riley, Kansas, and operated a farm for his brother, Henry. At a still later date, they lived on a farm west of Clay Center, Kansas, for a brief time before moving to Boise, Idaho, where Ed secured employment with Boise Implement Company. They stayed at this locatoin for the rest of their lives.
Died shortly after having a stroke. She did not show any signs of pain.
151. Amanda Magdelena Johnsmeyer
Notes from Johnsmeyer history:
After Emma Johnsmeyer's death, Amanda, age 17, moved to Parallel to keep house for her brothers who operated the store.
Immediately after their marriage, Amanda and Fred settled on a small farm east of Green, Kansas, in the May Day vicinity, at which location they lived most of their married lives. Over the years, they added to their land holdings quite substantially as they engaged in diversified farming operations on a very large scale. They eventually retired to Green.
In addition to her two children, Amanda and Fred welcomed two nieces into their home after the death of the children's mother.
Fred Richter came to the United States with his parents, encouraged by the Adolph Toburen's. Fredericke Toburen was the sister of Fred Richter's mother.
Notes from Johnsmeyer family history:
Fred came to the United States with his parents in 1879, and settled at a place called Swede Creek (being initially settled by Swedes), which is located 7 miles north of the town of Randolph, Kansas. Fred's mother was an Oberhelmann, and she had another sister who was married to a Toburen who also immigrated to Kansas. With the Toburen's success in Kansas, the Richter's were encouraged to immigrate to Kansas.
After marriage and settling on a small farm near Green, Kansas, he enjoyed significant success. Over the years, Fred added to his land holdings quite substantially as he engaged in diversified farming operations on a very large scale.
Fred died at the Clay County Hospital at Clay Center, Kansas.
Notes extracted from Johnsmeyer family history:
Both Nellie and August were life long members of the Swede Creek United Methodist Church.
Immediately after their marriage, Nellie and August began housekeeping on the Richter family farm in the Center Hill area where August was born. In 1919, they moved to the Johnsmeyer homestead where Nellie's mother, Anna, was still living, to run the home place for her. Son Carl, Nellie's brother, had been running the farm since Clamor's death in 1911, but had moved to a farm at Grandview which he had purchased from his brother, John. Nellie and August bought the homestead place on August 31, 1928, with the undertanding that Nellie's mother could live on it for the rest of her life, which she did under the loving care of her daughter. They lived on that place until they were forced to sell it to the U. S. Government becuse it would be unundated as the result of the construction of the Tuttle Creek dam near Manhattan, Kansas.
In the course of their marriage, Nellie and August gave full expression to their religious up bringing. Not only were they fully dedicated and loyal to their church and its teachings, they also supported it generously with their time, substance, and talents. Additinally, by example, they instilled in the lives of their children the desire and will to live in full appreciation of the highest values of life. Consequently, each daughter, after graduating from high school, built her married life upon the solid foundatin of her constructive home environment.
Notes extracted from Johnsmeyer family history:
Alma passed away while undergoing surgery for a brain tumor in 1923. She was married to Reuben Axelton, a close neighbor and childhood friend.
After their marriage, Alma and Reuben made their home on a small farm adjacent to the homestead of Reuben's father, and they lived on this place during the entire peroid of their marriage.
Immediately after the untimely passing of Alma, the home was broken up and 6-year old Lyle was sent to his Axelton grandparents for a brief stay. Reuben went to Randolph, Kansas where he obtained employment in the store of his brother-in-law, L. W. Johnsmeyer. When L. W. went to Manhattan, Kansas, and purchased the Gold Medal Bakery, Reuben moved there also, taking his son Lyle with him, while Rebuen was an employee in the bakery. Reuben apparently stayed in Manhattan only until Lyle moved to Boise, Idaho in 1938. It is believed that Reuben returned to farming in the Topeka area.
228. Lina Wulfmann
Never married.
From Hiddenhausen. Married in Bi Encle.
Came to Topeka in a covered wagon in 1879. Joe started as a fireman with the City of Topeka on 9 Mar 1896, where he served for 37 years. He moved up in his career to be Fire Chief. While he was fire chief, associates said he never sent a company into a burning building where he was afraid to go.
According to Earl Johnsmeyer, Florence never married.