Barton County KS Archives Biographies.....Geil, George Adam 1857 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ks/ksfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com November 9, 2005, 9:56 pm Author: Great Bend Tribune GEORGE ADAM GEIL IT has always been a pleasure to trace the pen picture of a really successful man in any calling, and when that life has been passed close to nature the pleasure is ten fold. Trees, plants and flowers all serve a purpose and are beautiful beyond comparison, but growing crops have an added commercial attraction which have enchanted since time began. They people a land and sustain life, and the influence of the tiller is only gaged by the number of bushels produced. If that be true George A. Geil's influence is far reaching, because he owns and cultivates eight hundred acres in Barton, Pawnee and Ford counties, and at harvest time his granaries are filled to overflowing. That, in substance, is the result of thirty-three years of continued effort farming on the plains of Kansas. George A. Geil is a native of Iowa and came to Barton County in the spring of 1878 a poor, man, and for some years rented the land he farmed. Then he bought railroad land at a low price and on long time, but failing to make the payments it reverted to the original owners. Then the Santa Fe Railway Company added a few dollars to the price and resold him the land, and that time he made good and paid according to contract. He now owns the two hundred and forty on which he resides, fourteen miles west from Great Bend; eighty acres six miles west from Great Bend; one hundred and sixty in Pawnee County; one hundred and sixty midway between Rush Center and Rozel, and one hundred and seventy-five acres near Spearville, in Ford County. All these several tracts are in cultivation and have good improvements. The improvements at the home farm are a very attractive eight room cottage, surrounded by a neat lawn and towering forest trees. It is painted a cast of gray and with its green surroundings looks cool and inviting on a sultry day. The barn is a large, roomy affair capable of housing much hay and grain, and the stabling capacity must be ample for the farm. This is painted the usual bright red cast and seems to light up and enliven the scene. The soil is good and the farm is in a high state of cultivation. [photo] Farm Residence of George Adam Geil—"Dry Creek Stock Farm" George A. Geil was born August 27th, 1857, near Martinsburg, Wapello County, Iowa. He was married on December 13, 1905, to Miss Minnie Schroeder, of Cedar County, Iowa. They have three bright little boys: Louis Jacob, 4 years of age; Herold Henry, 3 and Elmer Herman, 2. The mother, Mrs. Louise Geil, wife of Jacob Giel, deceased, makes her home with her son. She was born in Germany, October 26th, 1833, and is seventy-eight years of age. She came to Kansas with her husband and eight children, George Adam, Andrew and Mrs. Katie LeRoy in 1878, Mrs. Henry Schroeder being born in Kansas and passed through all the rough periods of the formitive stage of the county. She is- bright, strong and healthy and cne can hardly imagine her age so advanced. Her husband, Jacob Geil, died December 11th, 1907, and lies buried in the Lutheran cemetery near the farm of his son. She was the mother of nine children in all, four boys and five girls. One boy died in infancy and a boy and three girls died from diphtheria the second year after coming to Kansas. Additional Comments: From: Biographical History Of Barton County File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/barton/bios/geil59gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ksfiles/ File size: 3.9 Kb