Anton Wempe —The Wempe family is one of the oldest pioneer families in Kansas, and its members are among the prominent citizens of Nemaha county. Anton Wempe, the "Father of Fidelity," Kans., is a product of the frontier era in the State, and his biography is an interesting one, which deserves a place of honor in the annals of that portion of the commonwealth with the development of which he has played such an important part.
Anton Wempe, retired, Seneca, Kans., was born in Effingham county, Illinois, December 24, 1847, ancl 's a son of Herman Henry (born in 1813, and died July 5, 1861) and Mary Alexandrina (Jensen) Wempe (born in 1820, and died in 1853). Herman Henry Wempe and his brother, Gerard, came from their birthplace in Oldenburg, Germany, to America in 1831, and located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Herman Henry Wempe plied his trade of blacksmith in Cincinnati and eventually joined a colony of German born settlers who went westward to Effingham county, Illinois. This colony had previously sent representatives ahead on loot to spy out the country and report upon the most likely place in which to make a settlement. Henry Wempe became one of the leading members of this colony, which made a settlement in Illinois as early as 1842. He remained there until 1853 and then moved to a farm southeast of St. Louis, in St. Clair county, Illinois, where the family lived until 1858. at which time Henry Wempe made a trip to Kansas to look over the country. The appearance of the Kansas country impressed him so favorably that he determined to buy Kansas land, and in the spring of 1861, he came westward to Brown county, Kansas, where, he invested in a tract of land soon after his arrival. He was the father of six children, as follows: Herman Henry, died at Sabetha, Kans., in 1912; Mrs. Philomena Wuebben, born in 1843, and died one year after her marriage; Mrs. Elizabeth Buser, died near Fidelity, Kans., in 1911; Anton, the subject of this review; Clements August, died at Seneca in 1910; Mrs. Mary Winkler, a widow, residing in Seneca. The father of these children became enfeebled soon after his return from Kansas to his Illinois home, in 1861, and died July 5, 1861. Henry Wempe was married the second time to Mrs. Mary (Kempker) Klinkheimer, a widow, who cared for the infant left by his first wife, and later accompanied the family to Kansas. Anton, the subject of this review, was practically the head of the family during the migration to Kansas. Mrs. Klinkheimer had been engaged to care for the younger children. The youngest child, now Mrs. Mary Winkler, was but five weeks old at the time of the mother's death, and so well did Mrs. Klinkheimer care for the helpless infant and the other children that Henry Wempe espoused her in marriage, and she made a splendid mother for the children.
The Wempe family moved on the farm located near the NemahaBrown county line. The lumber used in the building of the Wempe home was shipped from Atchison, Kans. The trading point was White Cloud, Neb., and they hauled other material from trie latter place, the trip requiring three days in the making. The first day was spent in traveling to White Cloud; the second day was needed to load the wagon. and it required a third day to make the return trip, a distance of forty miles.
Anton Wempe recalls that he would spend from two to five days in "going to mill," there being three milling places for the settlers, who would first go to Wells' mill on the Nemaha river: then, if this mill was not grinding, he would go to Salem, Neb., and then, perchance, go on to Falls City, Neb. It was frequently necessary for him to journey from one mill to the other to get his "grist" ground, on account of the water in the streams being low. One instance of going for "grist" in particular is worth recording. Anton Wempe and a neighbor started out with a load of grain en route to the Wells mill north of Sabetha, Kans. This mill was "broke down." They went on to Salem. "No grist" there, and found it necessary to go to Cincinnati, Neb. On their return trip they stopped at Wells' mill and asked the miller what was the trouble with the mill. The miller told Mr. Wempe and his neighbor that he was out of "whang leather" with which to fix the main belt, which was broken. Mr. Wempe saw that his neighbor had an old-fashioned "hame strap," and the men offered this strap to the miller for the purpose of fixing the belt. The belt was soon fixed and the mill started to grinding at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and by the next morning the "grist" of ten bushels of wheat and corn was all ground by 9 o'clock.
When it was impossible for the Wempe family to get "grist" ground at the mills, Mr. Wempe used the old-fashioned "potato grater," which consisted of a can w.ith holes punched in the bottom, over which the corn was "grated" in order to remove the outer shell. One can conceive of what a laborious task this would be. Anton Wempe lived on the home place of the family in the western part of Nemaha county, near the Brown county line, for a period of twenty-four and one-half years, or until the fall of 18Anton Wempe was married in 1872 to Miss Barbara Muench. who has borne him the following children: Joseph M., member of the firm of Wempe & Huerter, Seneca, Kans.; William P., a merchant of Baileyville, Kans.; Mary, at home; Gertrude, Fairbury, Neb.; Anna, wife of Philip Lauer, of the furniture and undertaking concern in Seneca, Kans.; Anthony J.. assistant cashier of the Citizens State Bank of Seneca; Edward J., Fairbury, Neb.; Rose, known as Sister Maurus, O. S. B., Mt. St. Scholastica's Academy, Atchison, Kans. The mother of these children was born May 4, 1855, at Wilmet, Cook county. Illinois, and is a daughter of Joseph Mathias Muench, a native of Germany, who migrated from Illinois to Nemaha county, Kansas, in 1870.
Mr. and Mrs. Wempe are members of Sts. Peter and Paul's Catholic Church and contribute liberally of their means to the support of the Catholic institutions. Mr. Wempe is affiliated with the Sts. Peter and Paul's Benevolent Society. He is allied with the Democratic party and filled several township offices when living on the farm in Richmond township. He filled the post of justice of the peace and township clerk and served as clerk of the school board for many years. Anton Wempe became widely known as the "Father of Fidelity," Kans., and started the first general store at that place in 1890. He was the first postmaster of the village, receiving his appointment under Postmaster General John Wanamaker. He sold out his store, however, in 1892. Mr. Wempe served as county commissioner from January to March of 1892, to fill a vacancy and was thus qualified on account of having received the highest vote in the primary election of 1891.
http://books.google.com/books?id=IXM_AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA348&focus=viewport&output=text#c_top
History of Nemaha County, Kansas
By Ralph Tennal
Anton Wempe, retired, Seneca, Kans., was born in Effingham county, Illinois, December 24, 1847, ancl 's a son of Herman Henry (born in 1813, and died July 5, 1861) and Mary Alexandrina (Jensen) Wempe (born in 1820, and died in 1853). Herman Henry Wempe and his brother, Gerard, came from their birthplace in Oldenburg, Germany, to America in 1831, and located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Herman Henry Wempe plied his trade of blacksmith in Cincinnati and eventually joined a colony of German born settlers who went westward to Effingham county, Illinois. This colony had previously sent representatives ahead on loot to spy out the country and report upon the most likely place in which to make a settlement. Henry Wempe became one of the leading members of this colony, which made a settlement in Illinois as early as 1842. He remained there until 1853 and then moved to a farm southeast of St. Louis, in St. Clair county, Illinois, where the family lived until 1858. at which time Henry Wempe made a trip to Kansas to look over the country. The appearance of the Kansas country impressed him so favorably that he determined to buy Kansas land, and in the spring of 1861, he came westward to Brown county, Kansas, where, he invested in a tract of land soon after his arrival. He was the father of six children, as follows: Herman Henry, died at Sabetha, Kans., in 1912; Mrs. Philomena Wuebben, born in 1843, and died one year after her marriage; Mrs. Elizabeth Buser, died near Fidelity, Kans., in 1911; Anton, the subject of this review; Clements August, died at Seneca in 1910; Mrs. Mary Winkler, a widow, residing in Seneca. The father of these children became enfeebled soon after his return from Kansas to his Illinois home, in 1861, and died July 5, 1861. Henry Wempe was married the second time to Mrs. Mary (Kempker) Klinkheimer, a widow, who cared for the infant left by his first wife, and later accompanied the family to Kansas. Anton, the subject of this review, was practically the head of the family during the migration to Kansas. Mrs. Klinkheimer had been engaged to care for the younger children. The youngest child, now Mrs. Mary Winkler, was but five weeks old at the time of the mother's death, and so well did Mrs. Klinkheimer care for the helpless infant and the other children that Henry Wempe espoused her in marriage, and she made a splendid mother for the children.
The Wempe family moved on the farm located near the NemahaBrown county line. The lumber used in the building of the Wempe home was shipped from Atchison, Kans. The trading point was White Cloud, Neb., and they hauled other material from trie latter place, the trip requiring three days in the making. The first day was spent in traveling to White Cloud; the second day was needed to load the wagon. and it required a third day to make the return trip, a distance of forty miles.
Anton Wempe recalls that he would spend from two to five days in "going to mill," there being three milling places for the settlers, who would first go to Wells' mill on the Nemaha river: then, if this mill was not grinding, he would go to Salem, Neb., and then, perchance, go on to Falls City, Neb. It was frequently necessary for him to journey from one mill to the other to get his "grist" ground, on account of the water in the streams being low. One instance of going for "grist" in particular is worth recording. Anton Wempe and a neighbor started out with a load of grain en route to the Wells mill north of Sabetha, Kans. This mill was "broke down." They went on to Salem. "No grist" there, and found it necessary to go to Cincinnati, Neb. On their return trip they stopped at Wells' mill and asked the miller what was the trouble with the mill. The miller told Mr. Wempe and his neighbor that he was out of "whang leather" with which to fix the main belt, which was broken. Mr. Wempe saw that his neighbor had an old-fashioned "hame strap," and the men offered this strap to the miller for the purpose of fixing the belt. The belt was soon fixed and the mill started to grinding at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and by the next morning the "grist" of ten bushels of wheat and corn was all ground by 9 o'clock.
When it was impossible for the Wempe family to get "grist" ground at the mills, Mr. Wempe used the old-fashioned "potato grater," which consisted of a can w.ith holes punched in the bottom, over which the corn was "grated" in order to remove the outer shell. One can conceive of what a laborious task this would be. Anton Wempe lived on the home place of the family in the western part of Nemaha county, near the Brown county line, for a period of twenty-four and one-half years, or until the fall of 18Anton Wempe was married in 1872 to Miss Barbara Muench. who has borne him the following children: Joseph M., member of the firm of Wempe & Huerter, Seneca, Kans.; William P., a merchant of Baileyville, Kans.; Mary, at home; Gertrude, Fairbury, Neb.; Anna, wife of Philip Lauer, of the furniture and undertaking concern in Seneca, Kans.; Anthony J.. assistant cashier of the Citizens State Bank of Seneca; Edward J., Fairbury, Neb.; Rose, known as Sister Maurus, O. S. B., Mt. St. Scholastica's Academy, Atchison, Kans. The mother of these children was born May 4, 1855, at Wilmet, Cook county. Illinois, and is a daughter of Joseph Mathias Muench, a native of Germany, who migrated from Illinois to Nemaha county, Kansas, in 1870.
Mr. and Mrs. Wempe are members of Sts. Peter and Paul's Catholic Church and contribute liberally of their means to the support of the Catholic institutions. Mr. Wempe is affiliated with the Sts. Peter and Paul's Benevolent Society. He is allied with the Democratic party and filled several township offices when living on the farm in Richmond township. He filled the post of justice of the peace and township clerk and served as clerk of the school board for many years. Anton Wempe became widely known as the "Father of Fidelity," Kans., and started the first general store at that place in 1890. He was the first postmaster of the village, receiving his appointment under Postmaster General John Wanamaker. He sold out his store, however, in 1892. Mr. Wempe served as county commissioner from January to March of 1892, to fill a vacancy and was thus qualified on account of having received the highest vote in the primary election of 1891.
http://books.google.com/books?id=IXM_AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA348&focus=viewport&output=text#c_top
History of Nemaha County, Kansas
By Ralph Tennal
Anton Wempe —The Wempe family is one of the oldest pioneer families in Kansas, and its members are among the prominent citizens of Nemaha county. Anton Wempe, the "Father of Fidelity," Kans., is a product of the frontier era in the State, and his biography is an interesting one, which deserves a place of honor in the annals of that portion of the commonwealth with the development of which he has played such an important part.
Anton Wempe, retired, Seneca, Kans., was born in Effingham county, Illinois, December 24, 1847, ancl 's a son of Herman Henry (born in 1813, and died July 5, 1861) and Mary Alexandrina (Jensen) Wempe (born in 1820, and died in 1853). Herman Henry Wempe and his brother, Gerard, came from their birthplace in Oldenburg, Germany, to America in 1831, and located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Herman Henry Wempe plied his trade of blacksmith in Cincinnati and eventually joined a colony of German born settlers who went westward to Effingham county, Illinois. This colony had previously sent representatives ahead on loot to spy out the country and report upon the most likely place in which to make a settlement. Henry Wempe became one of the leading members of this colony, which made a settlement in Illinois as early as 1842. He remained there until 1853 and then moved to a farm southeast of St. Louis, in St. Clair county, Illinois, where the family lived until 1858. at which time Henry Wempe made a trip to Kansas to look over the country. The appearance of the Kansas country impressed him so favorably that he determined to buy Kansas land, and in the spring of 1861, he came westward to Brown county, Kansas, where, he invested in a tract of land soon after his arrival. He was the father of six children, as follows: Herman Henry, died at Sabetha, Kans., in 1912; Mrs. Philomena Wuebben, born in 1843, and died one year after her marriage; Mrs. Elizabeth Buser, died near Fidelity, Kans., in 1911; Anton, the subject of this review; Clements August, died at Seneca in 1910; Mrs. Mary Winkler, a widow, residing in Seneca. The father of these children became enfeebled soon after his return from Kansas to his Illinois home, in 1861, and died July 5, 1861. Henry Wempe was married the second time to Mrs. Mary (Kempker) Klinkheimer, a widow, who cared for the infant left by his first wife, and later accompanied the family to Kansas. Anton, the subject of this review, was practically the head of the family during the migration to Kansas. Mrs. Klinkheimer had been engaged to care for the younger children. The youngest child, now Mrs. Mary Winkler, was but five weeks old at the time of the mother's death, and so well did Mrs. Klinkheimer care for the helpless infant and the other children that Henry Wempe espoused her in marriage, and she made a splendid mother for the children.
The Wempe family moved on the farm located near the NemahaBrown county line. The lumber used in the building of the Wempe home was shipped from Atchison, Kans. The trading point was White Cloud, Neb., and they hauled other material from trie latter place, the trip requiring three days in the making. The first day was spent in traveling to White Cloud; the second day was needed to load the wagon. and it required a third day to make the return trip, a distance of forty miles.
Anton Wempe recalls that he would spend from two to five days in "going to mill," there being three milling places for the settlers, who would first go to Wells' mill on the Nemaha river: then, if this mill was not grinding, he would go to Salem, Neb., and then, perchance, go on to Falls City, Neb. It was frequently necessary for him to journey from one mill to the other to get his "grist" ground, on account of the water in the streams being low. One instance of going for "grist" in particular is worth recording. Anton Wempe and a neighbor started out with a load of grain en route to the Wells mill north of Sabetha, Kans. This mill was "broke down." They went on to Salem. "No grist" there, and found it necessary to go to Cincinnati, Neb. On their return trip they stopped at Wells' mill and asked the miller what was the trouble with the mill. The miller told Mr. Wempe and his neighbor that he was out of "whang leather" with which to fix the main belt, which was broken. Mr. Wempe saw that his neighbor had an old-fashioned "hame strap," and the men offered this strap to the miller for the purpose of fixing the belt. The belt was soon fixed and the mill started to grinding at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and by the next morning the "grist" of ten bushels of wheat and corn was all ground by 9 o'clock.
When it was impossible for the Wempe family to get "grist" ground at the mills, Mr. Wempe used the old-fashioned "potato grater," which consisted of a can w.ith holes punched in the bottom, over which the corn was "grated" in order to remove the outer shell. One can conceive of what a laborious task this would be. Anton Wempe lived on the home place of the family in the western part of Nemaha county, near the Brown county line, for a period of twenty-four and one-half years, or until the fall of 18Anton Wempe was married in 1872 to Miss Barbara Muench. who has borne him the following children: Joseph M., member of the firm of Wempe & Huerter, Seneca, Kans.; William P., a merchant of Baileyville, Kans.; Mary, at home; Gertrude, Fairbury, Neb.; Anna, wife of Philip Lauer, of the furniture and undertaking concern in Seneca, Kans.; Anthony J.. assistant cashier of the Citizens State Bank of Seneca; Edward J., Fairbury, Neb.; Rose, known as Sister Maurus, O. S. B., Mt. St. Scholastica's Academy, Atchison, Kans. The mother of these children was born May 4, 1855, at Wilmet, Cook county. Illinois, and is a daughter of Joseph Mathias Muench, a native of Germany, who migrated from Illinois to Nemaha county, Kansas, in 1870.
Mr. and Mrs. Wempe are members of Sts. Peter and Paul's Catholic Church and contribute liberally of their means to the support of the Catholic institutions. Mr. Wempe is affiliated with the Sts. Peter and Paul's Benevolent Society. He is allied with the Democratic party and filled several township offices when living on the farm in Richmond township. He filled the post of justice of the peace and township clerk and served as clerk of the school board for many years. Anton Wempe became widely known as the "Father of Fidelity," Kans., and started the first general store at that place in 1890. He was the first postmaster of the village, receiving his appointment under Postmaster General John Wanamaker. He sold out his store, however, in 1892. Mr. Wempe served as county commissioner from January to March of 1892, to fill a vacancy and was thus qualified on account of having received the highest vote in the primary election of 1891.
http://books.google.com/books?id=IXM_AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA348&focus=viewport&output=text#c_top
History of Nemaha County, Kansas
By Ralph Tennal
Anton Wempe, retired, Seneca, Kans., was born in Effingham county, Illinois, December 24, 1847, ancl 's a son of Herman Henry (born in 1813, and died July 5, 1861) and Mary Alexandrina (Jensen) Wempe (born in 1820, and died in 1853). Herman Henry Wempe and his brother, Gerard, came from their birthplace in Oldenburg, Germany, to America in 1831, and located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Herman Henry Wempe plied his trade of blacksmith in Cincinnati and eventually joined a colony of German born settlers who went westward to Effingham county, Illinois. This colony had previously sent representatives ahead on loot to spy out the country and report upon the most likely place in which to make a settlement. Henry Wempe became one of the leading members of this colony, which made a settlement in Illinois as early as 1842. He remained there until 1853 and then moved to a farm southeast of St. Louis, in St. Clair county, Illinois, where the family lived until 1858. at which time Henry Wempe made a trip to Kansas to look over the country. The appearance of the Kansas country impressed him so favorably that he determined to buy Kansas land, and in the spring of 1861, he came westward to Brown county, Kansas, where, he invested in a tract of land soon after his arrival. He was the father of six children, as follows: Herman Henry, died at Sabetha, Kans., in 1912; Mrs. Philomena Wuebben, born in 1843, and died one year after her marriage; Mrs. Elizabeth Buser, died near Fidelity, Kans., in 1911; Anton, the subject of this review; Clements August, died at Seneca in 1910; Mrs. Mary Winkler, a widow, residing in Seneca. The father of these children became enfeebled soon after his return from Kansas to his Illinois home, in 1861, and died July 5, 1861. Henry Wempe was married the second time to Mrs. Mary (Kempker) Klinkheimer, a widow, who cared for the infant left by his first wife, and later accompanied the family to Kansas. Anton, the subject of this review, was practically the head of the family during the migration to Kansas. Mrs. Klinkheimer had been engaged to care for the younger children. The youngest child, now Mrs. Mary Winkler, was but five weeks old at the time of the mother's death, and so well did Mrs. Klinkheimer care for the helpless infant and the other children that Henry Wempe espoused her in marriage, and she made a splendid mother for the children.
The Wempe family moved on the farm located near the NemahaBrown county line. The lumber used in the building of the Wempe home was shipped from Atchison, Kans. The trading point was White Cloud, Neb., and they hauled other material from trie latter place, the trip requiring three days in the making. The first day was spent in traveling to White Cloud; the second day was needed to load the wagon. and it required a third day to make the return trip, a distance of forty miles.
Anton Wempe recalls that he would spend from two to five days in "going to mill," there being three milling places for the settlers, who would first go to Wells' mill on the Nemaha river: then, if this mill was not grinding, he would go to Salem, Neb., and then, perchance, go on to Falls City, Neb. It was frequently necessary for him to journey from one mill to the other to get his "grist" ground, on account of the water in the streams being low. One instance of going for "grist" in particular is worth recording. Anton Wempe and a neighbor started out with a load of grain en route to the Wells mill north of Sabetha, Kans. This mill was "broke down." They went on to Salem. "No grist" there, and found it necessary to go to Cincinnati, Neb. On their return trip they stopped at Wells' mill and asked the miller what was the trouble with the mill. The miller told Mr. Wempe and his neighbor that he was out of "whang leather" with which to fix the main belt, which was broken. Mr. Wempe saw that his neighbor had an old-fashioned "hame strap," and the men offered this strap to the miller for the purpose of fixing the belt. The belt was soon fixed and the mill started to grinding at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and by the next morning the "grist" of ten bushels of wheat and corn was all ground by 9 o'clock.
When it was impossible for the Wempe family to get "grist" ground at the mills, Mr. Wempe used the old-fashioned "potato grater," which consisted of a can w.ith holes punched in the bottom, over which the corn was "grated" in order to remove the outer shell. One can conceive of what a laborious task this would be. Anton Wempe lived on the home place of the family in the western part of Nemaha county, near the Brown county line, for a period of twenty-four and one-half years, or until the fall of 18Anton Wempe was married in 1872 to Miss Barbara Muench. who has borne him the following children: Joseph M., member of the firm of Wempe & Huerter, Seneca, Kans.; William P., a merchant of Baileyville, Kans.; Mary, at home; Gertrude, Fairbury, Neb.; Anna, wife of Philip Lauer, of the furniture and undertaking concern in Seneca, Kans.; Anthony J.. assistant cashier of the Citizens State Bank of Seneca; Edward J., Fairbury, Neb.; Rose, known as Sister Maurus, O. S. B., Mt. St. Scholastica's Academy, Atchison, Kans. The mother of these children was born May 4, 1855, at Wilmet, Cook county. Illinois, and is a daughter of Joseph Mathias Muench, a native of Germany, who migrated from Illinois to Nemaha county, Kansas, in 1870.
Mr. and Mrs. Wempe are members of Sts. Peter and Paul's Catholic Church and contribute liberally of their means to the support of the Catholic institutions. Mr. Wempe is affiliated with the Sts. Peter and Paul's Benevolent Society. He is allied with the Democratic party and filled several township offices when living on the farm in Richmond township. He filled the post of justice of the peace and township clerk and served as clerk of the school board for many years. Anton Wempe became widely known as the "Father of Fidelity," Kans., and started the first general store at that place in 1890. He was the first postmaster of the village, receiving his appointment under Postmaster General John Wanamaker. He sold out his store, however, in 1892. Mr. Wempe served as county commissioner from January to March of 1892, to fill a vacancy and was thus qualified on account of having received the highest vote in the primary election of 1891.
http://books.google.com/books?id=IXM_AAAAYAAJ&pg=PA348&focus=viewport&output=text#c_top
History of Nemaha County, Kansas
By Ralph Tennal
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