Marshall County KS Archives Biographies.....Obermeyer, Fred 1867 - living in 1917
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com July 23, 2005, 3:06 pm

Author: B. F. Bowen

FRED OBERMEYER.

    Fred Obermeyer, one of the well-known and successful farmers and stockmen of
Balderson township, Marshall county, was born in Bureau county, Illinois, on
February 17, 1867, the son of Henry and Abbie (Gates) Obermeyer.

    Henry and Abbie (Gates) Obermeyer were natives of Germany. The former was
born in the year 1818 and the latter in 1823. They received their primary
education in the schools of their native land and later settled in the United
States. At the age of eighteen years, Henry Obermeyer decided to leave the land
of his nativity and seek a home in America. On his arrival in this county he
located for a time in the state of New York, where he worked in order to get the
money with which he could go West. He later moved to Illinois, where he engaged
in general farming and stock-raising until the time of his death. He and Mrs.
Obermeyer, who died in 1893, were married in the state of Illinois, where they
made their home for many years and where they were among the prominent and
highly respected people of the community in which they lived. They were members
of the Lutheran church and were prominent in all the social and religious
activities of the district. He died in 1889.

    Fred Obermeyer received his education in the schools of Illinois and there
he grew to manhood on the home farm, where as a lad and young man he assisted
his father with the work on the farm. When but fourteen years of age he assisted
the farmers in the neighborhood as a farm hand at eighteen dollars per month. He
remained in Illinois until 1898, when he came to Kansas, and settled in
Balderson township, Marshall county, where he purchased one hundred and sixty
acres of his present farm of two hundred and forty-five acres, all of which is
well improved and under a high state of cultivation. The tract at the time of
the original purchase was undeveloped and unimproved, and Mr. Obermeyer had but
thirty dollars, with which to make his first payment.

    On December 24, 1890, Fred Obermeyer was united in marriage to Anna Wetzler,
who was born in Green county, Wisconsin, on November u, 1866, the daughter of
Charles and Margrett (Heindel) Wetzler. Mr. and Mrs. Wetzler were natives of
Pennsylvania, where they received their education in the public schools and
there grew up and were married. They later located in Wisconsin, where they
lived until 1878, when they came to Brown county, Kansas, where they resided
until 1881, when they located in Marshall county. Here they established their
home on a farm and became prominent in the social and the civic life of the
district. They resided on their home farm in the county until the time of their
deaths, some years ago. They were the parents of nine children, who became
representative citizens of the community in which they located.

    To Fred and Anna (Wetzler) Obermeyer have been born the following children:
Wilda and Charles Russell. Wilda is now the wife of F. • Weber, one of the
well-known residents of Franklin township, Marshall county, and Charles Russell
is now at home. Mr. and Mrs. Obermeyer have long been active in the social and
the moral life of the community. They have ever taken the keenest interest in
the educational and the physical development of the township and county, in
which they have lived for so many years. Their lives have been active ones and
they have accomplished much that is worthy of note. They are progressive and
hospitable people, and one of their greatest pleasures is in the entertainment
of their neighbors and friends.

    Mr. Obermeyer is identified with the Democratic party, and while he has
never been an office seeker, he has taken the greatest interest in the affairs
of the township and county, and because of his high ideals and excellent
judgment, his advice is often sought in matters that pertain to the welfare of
the community. As a successful farmer and breeder of high-grade stock, Mr.
Obermeyer is recognized. as among the most successful in the county. He keeps
the best of stock and among his herd of Shorthorn cattle and his fine
Duroc-Jersey hogs are to be seen some of the finest specimens of these animals,
their sires being selected with the greatest care. Mr. Obermeyer and Mr. Smith
have one of the finest thoroughbred Percheron horses, which won the gold medal
in France and was shipped to this country in 1914. He is now five years of age
and is a splendid specimen of his class. He was obtained from Frank lams, of St.
Paul, who imported him to this country.

    In addition to his large interests on the farm, Mr. Obermeyer is interested
in the State Bank at Marietta and is vice-president of the institution. He is
also a stockholder and a director of the Farmers' Elevator Company of Marietta.
He is a man of much ability and is possessed of rare judgment and much business
acumen, and is today recognized as one of the substantial and successful men of
the county.


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)

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