Marshall County KS Archives Biographies.....Koppes, Nicholas 1866 - ************************************************ 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 May 7, 2007, 8:27 pm Author: Emma E. Forter (1917) NICHOLAS KOPPES. Nicholas Koppes, one of the well-known farmers and stockmen of Marysville township, Marshall county, was born in the township where he now lives on June 16, 1866, being the son of Nicholas and Helen (Class) Koppes. Nicholas and Helen (Class) Koppes were natives of Germany, where Nicholas Koppes was born in 1831 and Helen Class in 1843. They received the greater part of their education in the schools of that country and were reared in a village. Mr. Koppes resided in Germany until he was twenty-three years of age, when he decided that he would come to America. In 1854 he sailed for America and on his arrival in this country he located in Wisconsin, where he worked as a farm hand and at the cooper trade, after which he drove a stage through" Kansas to California. He returned to Kansas and in 1859 took a homestead on Horseshoe creek, where he remained until 1862, when he enlisted in a Kansas regiment and served three years and a half in the defense of his country. He saw much active service and was twice wounded, once in the head and once in the body. After the war he returned to Kansas, where he took a homestead in Marysville township, Marshall county. This farm he developed and he engaged in general farming and stock raising until 1904, when he retired from the activities of farm life and moved to Marysville, where he died in 1910. His wife, Helen (Class) Koppes resided in her native land until she was thirteen years of age, when she came to the United States in 1856, and with her parents located in Wisconsin and there grew to womanhood and was later married. Mr. and Mrs. Koppes were the parents of seven children as follow: Nicholas, George, Abbie, Maggie, Lizzie, Francis and Katie. George is a farmer and stockman on the old home place; Abbie Kline lives in Logan township, where her husband is a farmer and stockman: Maggie Kerchen is a resident of Marysville township, where Mr. Kerchen is engaged in agricultural work; Lizzie Travelute lives in Marion county, Kansas, where Mr. Travelute is engaged in general farming and stock raising; Francis and Katie are now deceased. Mr. and Mrs. Koppes were devout members of the Catholic church and prominent in the local society. Mrs. Koppes took much interest in the activities of the altar society until her death in 1898. Nicholas Koppes, the subject of this sketch, received his education in the public schools of Marysville township, and grew to manhood on the home farm, where as a lad he assisted his father with the work on the place. He remained at home until he was twenty-four years of age, when he rented a farm of one hundred and twenty acres, near Marysville, where he lived for one year engaged in general farming, after which he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, near Marysville, where he now lives and where he has been succeessfully engaged in farming and stock raising. He has added to his original farm, until he is now the owner of five hundred and sixty acres of excellent land, all of which is in a high state of cultivation and well improved. He is much interested in the finest Shorthorn cattle and Poland China hogs, having over one hundred and twenty head of the former and one hundred and ten head of the latter. He feeds all the grain that he raises on his farm, and then is. required to buy, in order to develop his many head of stock. Mr. Koppes has risen to his present prominent position, by hard work and close application to business. He saw much of the hardships of the early life on the plains and experienced many of the hardships of the early pioneer. As a boy he worked at the breaking of the wild prairie sod, when he was so small that it was necessary to place extra plow handles on the breaking plow, so that he could reach them. In 1890 Nicholas Koppes was united in marriage to Sarah E. Parker, the daughter of Henry and Bridget (Malloy) Parker. Henry Parker was born in England in 1832 and was reared on the farm and educated in the public schools. At the age of twelve years he was brought to Canada where he grew to manhood and there engaged in farming until 1870, when he came to the United States, and located in Center township, Marshall county. Here he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land, which he developed and improved and engaged in general farming and stock raising until his death in 1892. Bridget Parker was born in Ireland in 1835; she was reared on the farm and received her education in the common schools. She came to Canada at the age of twelve years, and as a girl and young woman worked for others until her marriage. Mr. Parker was a member of the church of England and Mrs. Parker was a devout member of the Catholic church and until her death in 1893, was an active member of the altar society. Mr. and Mrs. Parker were the parents of five children as follow: Mary Murphy, now deceased; Theresa Finegan, a widow now living in Marysville; Sarah E., the wife of Nicholas Koppes, and two that died in infancy. Sarah (Parker) Koppes was born in Center township, Marshall county, on August 2, 1871, grew to womanhood on the home farm and received her education in the local schools. Her early life was spent at the home of her parents, where she lived until the time of her marriage. Mr. and Mrs. Koppes are active members of the Catholic church and are prominent in the social life of the community. Mr. Koppes is a member of the Knights of Columbus and Mrs. Koppes is one of the active workers in the altar society. Mr. Koppes is identified with the Republican party and takes much interest in the civic life of the district, yet he has never been an office seeker. Mrs. Koppes is a member of the Royal Neighbors and takes much interest in that organization. Mr. and Mrs. Koppes are the parents of six children as follow: Francis N., Florence, Sadie, Wallace, Carl and Nicholas, Jr. Francis N. is a well-to-do farmer of Elm Creek township; Florence was born on October 23, 1895; Sadie, August 23, 1898; Wallace, November 14, 1901; Carl, October 6. 1905, and Nicholas, Jr., December 9, 1910. The children are all at home with the exception of Francis N. Mr. and Mrs. Koppes have a beautiful home, which is nicely located, presenting a commanding view from the distance. Nicholas Koppes, by his own efforts and hard work, has won a place of prominence in the vicinity in which he lives. Beginning life a poor boy, he has now one of the finest and best improved farms in the township, and is recognized as one of the substantial men of the district. 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/koppes405gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ksfiles/ File size: 7.3 Kb