Marshall County KS Archives Biographies.....Bommer, William 1860 - ************************************************ 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@yahoo.com April 16, 2007, 2:48 am Author: Emma E. Forter WILLIAM BOMMER. Among the successful and prominent farmers and stockmen of Oketo township, Marshall county, is William Bommer, who was born in Freeport, Illinois, March 10, 1860, the son of Henry and Christena Bommer, natives of Germany. Henry and Christena Bommer were born in the years 1823 and 1828, respectively. They received their education in the schools of their native land and there they grew up and were later married. After their marriage they established their home in Germany, where they continued to live for some years. They later decided to come to America, and on their arrival in this country they first located in the state of Illinois, where they remained for a time and then removed to Iowa, and later to Kansas. In 1879 they settled four miles north of Marysville, Marshall county, and later moved to Oketo township, where they purchased the farm now owned by J. W. Gibson. This place they developed and improved and here they lived for a number of years. To Henry and Christena Bommer were born the following children: William; Frank, who died in October, 1905, and Harry. Mr. and Mrs. Bommer were prominent in the social life of the community in which they lived and where they were held in the highest regard. They always took great interest in the affairs of the district and were active until the time of their deaths, the former having died in February, 1889, and the latter in August, 1914. Mr. Bommer, while he was not in any way an office seeker, took considerable interest in local affairs and was recognized as one of the prominent and influential men of the district. He was a man of exceptional ability and excellent judgment. He was a firm believer in the building of the best roads and the establishment and maintenance of the highest grade of schools, and he and his wife were ever influential in furthering the interests of the township and the county. Mr. and Mrs. Bommer were active members of the Lutheran church and always took much interest in the services of the church. They devoted their lives to the interests of their family and the good that they might do in the home community and they made many friends throughout the county. William Bommer received his education in the common schools of Illinois and Iowa and came with his parents to Marshall county in 1879. Here he worked as a farm hand at twelve dollars per month for several years. At the death of his father he received from the estate forty acres of excellent land, to which he later added eighty acres. The tract that he bought had been for a number of years a part of the county farm. It had no improvements, and Mr. Bommer at once erected a splendid house and outbuildings and planted many beautiful trees on the place. His home is one of the ideal country places in the county. He is engaged in general farming and stock raising, meeting with much success. His farm is under the highest state of cultivation and he keeps. the best stock. In addition to his large interest on the farm, he is the owner of stock in the Marietta Elevator Company. William Bommer was united in marriage in 1884 to Mary Helms, who was born in Marshall county, in 1861 and died in 1890. She was the daughter of William and Nancy (Hall) Helms, both of whom were natives of Nebraska. To this union two children were born, Clara and Charlotte. Clara is the wife of F. A. Craik, a resident of Washington county, Kansas, and they are the parents of five children; Charlotte, now deceased, was the wife of W. Wood. In 1905 William Bommer married Theresa Schmidler, a native of Marshall county, where she was born on February 9, 1871. Her parents were John and Catherine (Steinmetz) Schmidler. The father was born in Luxemburg, Germany, in 1837 and when two years of age came with his parents to the United States. They established their home in Wisconsin, where they lived for a number of years. It was there that the son, John, was born, educated, grew to manhood and was married to Catherine Steinmetz, who was born in Wisconsin in 1847, near Port Washington. The family continued to reside in that state until 1869, when they came to Kansas. The father had come to Marshall county in 1866, when he and Peter Scharman cut out the tunnel water course for the Hutchison mill. After the family came to the county they established their home on the old Marshall farm, which at that time was owned by Jacob Schmidler, the grandfather of Mrs. Bommer. On this farm the family resided for a number of years and engaged in general farming and stock raising. In 1876 the parents spent the winter in California, after which they returned to Kansas, and in 1881 removed to Oketo township, where they now reside. To John and Catherine Schmidler have been born the following children: J. G., Theresa, Anna, Sophia, Lulu, Elsie, Agatha, John H. and Henry W. Theresa is the wife of William Bommer and resides in Oketo township; J. G. is the cashier of the State Bank of Marietta; Anna died in the year 1915; Sophia is the wife of I. J. Adams, of Cleveland, Ohio; Lulu is the wife of A. R. Young, who is the city engineer of Topeka, Kansas; Elsie is a teacher in the schools of Blue Rapids, Kansas; Agatha is at home; John H. is a farmer, and resides two miles south of Oketo, and Henry H. is also a farmer of the township. Mr and Mrs. Schmidler have long been held in the greatest esteem by the people of their home community. For ten years before her marriage Mrs. Bommer taught school in Marshall county. She is a woman of excellent education and possessed of culture and refinement. Mr. Bommer has always taken much interest in the civic life of the township. In 1887 he was elected township trustee and served in that capacity for eight years, giving general satisfaction. Fraternally, he is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Additional Comments: Extracted from: History of Marshall County, Kansas: its people, industries, and institutions by Emma E. Forter Indianapolis, Ind.: B.F. Bowen & Co. (1917) File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/marshall/bios/bommer179nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ksfiles/ File size: 6.6 Kb