Johnson-Douglas County KS Archives Biographies.....Knabe, George C. 1861 - 
************************************************
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 http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 March 19, 2009, 5:11 am

Author: Ed Blair (1915)

  George C. Knabe, a representative farmer and stock raiser of Gardner township,
is a native of Kansas. He was born in Baldwin City, Douglass county, October 10,
1861, and is a son of Henry and Christina Knabe, natives of Germany and pioneers
of Kansas, coming to this State in 1855. Like most of the early-day settlers in
the Sunflower State, the Knabe family was poor, they had no capital and
practically all that they owned of this world's goods was represented by their
clothes. Before coming to Kansas they had lived in Wisconsin about four years,
but had made little progress there. Shortly after coming to this State and
settling in Douglas county, the father bought a claim, of 160 acres from an
Indian and was in a fair way to succeed, when death overtook him and his widow
and five small children were left to shift for themselves. The father died in
1867. The mother married again and died in 1910. George C. Knabe left home when
he was thirteen years old and worked out by the month as a farm hand for five or
six years. In the winter time he attended school and worked for his board, and
in that way obtained a very good common school education. About the time he was
of age or a little before he had saved enough out of his earnings to buy a team
and wagon and rented land for a time. In 1885, he bought eighty acres of land
and went in debt for all of the purchase price. A short time afterwards he sold
this eighty at a profit of $900 and bought 160 acres in Johnson county which is
a part of his present place. It was the following year that oats brought only
seven cents per bushel. Oats were the only crop Mr. Knabe raised that year which
could be converted into ready cash, and as seven cents per bushel would hardly
pay for marketing, he found himself lapsed on his land payments and delinquent
on his taxes. Those were sad days and he became despondent, not knowing how to
save his farm and meet other expenses. Hoping to get more for his oats in Kansas
City, Mr. Knabe drove with a heavy load to that market and peddled them on the
streets realizing fourteen instead of seven cents per bushel. While peddling out
his oats, Mr. Knabe had occasion to leave his team, on the streets unwatched for
a few moments. On his return he found a policeman driving them off. Already
discouraged almost to the breaking point, a vision of a fine, taking probably
every dollar he had realized on his oats, made him feel that he was approaching
a real tragedy. It meant the last hope gone, of reclaiming his 160 acres of land
and the sorry story he would have to tell the folks anxiously awaiting his
return back on the farm. Crushing down his emotions as much as possible he
approached the policeman and said: "Partner, those lines would look much better
in my hands than in yours." The words were spoken calmly, but they were eloquent
in that a breaking heart was back of them. The policeman began to scold, but as
Mr. Knabe came nearer he saw something in his face that turned the severe look
into a smile, and without a word more he turned the team over to its rightful
owner. Six years later he bought eighty acres more, upon which his present
residence is located, and has bought additional land from time to time in
Johnson county until he now owns 480 acres of some of the best land in Johnson
county. Mr. Knabe has invested extensively in western land and a few years ago
bought 380 acres in Scott county, Kansas, which he sold at a profit of $1,500
after holding but a short time and he now owns 480 acres in Scott county, which
he is holding for speculative purposes. Mr. Knabe is engaged in general farming
and also raises a great many cattle and hogs. He is one of the very successful
men of the county and is a close student of the advancing agricultural methods
as well as of men and affairs generally. Mr. Knabe was married, March 27, 1883,
to Miss Matilda Lebmann, a native of Missouri and a daughter of Henry and
Charlotte Lebmann, natives of Germany. To Mr. and Mrs. Knabe have been born the
following children: Lydia, a teacher, Gardner, Kan.; Elizabeth, at home; Mary,
teacher, Hopwell, Kan.; Charles, George, Gertrude and Elmer, all residing at
home. Mr. Knabe is a Republican and a member of the Independent Order of Odd
Fllows and the Grange. He is a stockholder in the State Bank of Gardner.

Additional Comments:

Extracted from:

HISTORY OF Johnson County Kansas
BY
ED BLAIR

AUTHOR OF
Kansas Zephyrs, Sunflower Sittings and Other Poems and Sketches

IN ONE VOLUME

ILLUSTRATED
STANDARD PUBLISHING COMPANY
LAWRENCE, KANSAS
1915


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/johnson/bios/knabe294nbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ksfiles/

File size: 5.1 Kb