Biographical Sketch of The Pfeiffer Stone Company, St. Joseph, Buchanan County, MO >From "History of Buchanan County, Missouri, Published 1881, St. Joseph Steam Printing Company, Printers, Binders, Etc., St. Joseph, Missouri. ********************************************************************** The Pfeiffer Stone Company. Charles A. Pfeiffer, President; Joseph Pfeiffer, Vice President; F. W. Gensen, Secretary, manufacturers of and dealers in stone, marble and granite work, and proprietors of steam saw mills. This firm ranks prominently among our western manu- facturers, there being no shops of this class in the Great West out- side of Chicago and St. Louis which by far reach the standard and the magnitude of the works of the above named company. The Messrs. Pfeiffer, well and favorably known, not only in St. Joseph and its immediate vicinity but far beyond the region to which this class of manufacturers generally limit themselves, began to do business in St. Joseph some twenty years ago, on a very moderate scale, but en- dowed with plenty of pluck and energy, and on the support of a thorough training in their mechanical and artistical pursuit, they have, by industrious work, close attention to their business, and intelligent management of the same, now reached the reputation of being foremost in their trade within the territory of the Far West, and not only have they contributed largely towards building up and beautifying our Western cities with their skillful works of art, but they can also point with pride to a number of stone fronts by them built in St. Joseph and erected in Chicago. The senior member of this firm, Mr. Joseph Pfeiffer, is a native of Bingen, in Hohenzollern, Sigmaringen, Germany, and was born March 23, 1817. While learning in practice the trade of a stone and marble cutter, he spent his leisure hours in educating himself under the direction and instruction of an architect and building master, in the science of architecture and con- struction. His studies completed, he sought practical accomplishments, by working for and under the supervision of famed sculptors and build- ers, lent a hand in the erection of many structures and some far repu- ted works of monumental art, again went through a course of studies in the Royal Polytechnicum, in Munich, and finally passed the government examination with honors, being duly qualified to act in the capacity of a building master. Then, after serving some time as a foreman and superintending the construction and erection of an eminent public building of cut stone, he settled down in his native town, commencing business on his own account, and married. Amongst the most prominent works of his chisel, through which he earned fame in his native country, is the life size statue of our Lord Jesus, on the cross, carved in Carrara marble, and erected on a pediment in the churchyard of Donau Eschingen. The revolutionary year 1848, saw him implicated in the people's bold strike for liberty, which caused him to emigrate to America. Here he worked alternately in New York, Philadelphia and Chicago, at his trade, until April, 1860, when he arrived in St. Joseph. Small was his beginning when he opened a stone and marble shop on Frederick Avenue, corner of Ninth, and many times the outlooks were gloomy, with but little hope for future prosperity, when a change for better fields was tempting, but a belief in the future greatness of his adopted town prompted him to stand by it, and St. Joseph grew and with it grew the demand for work of his hands. Soon more capacious shops became a matter of necessity, and the business was transferred to the corner of Charles and Sixth Streets, where a two story brick house with stone trimmings was erected. This served him for a resi- dence, shop, and warehouse for cement, lime, plaster, etc., until the year 1867, when he bought the present site of the company's grounds on Locust Street, from Third to Fourth Streets, and took into partnership with him his oldest son, Charles A. Pfeiffer, thereafter doing business under the firm name of J. Pfeiffer & Son, until June 18, 1881, when the Pfeiffer Stone Company was incorporated. Joseph Pfeiffer was married, February 13, 1844, to Louisa Waldschitz, of Pfullendorf. They have had five children, of whom three are living: Charles A., Pauline and John Joseph. Charles Anton Pfeiffer, eldest son of Joseph Pfeiffer, was born in the city of Sigmaringen, Germany, on December 19, 1844. When about five years old he came, with his mother, to this country, following the father, who had previously emigrated. He received a common school ed- ucation in New York, Philadelphia and Chicago, and when a mere boy yet, helped his father in his trade, under whose instruction he finally be- came a practical stone and marble cutter. He learned from his father the art of sketching and drawing and making practical estimates on stone and marble work and thus prepared himself thoroughly for the line of business which he follows, and for the management of the large es- tablishment, at the head of which he stands today. He married Louise Koch, of Louisiana, Mississippi, in the year 1871. They had four children of whom three are living: Otto, Joseph and Agathe. Frederick W. Gensen, the third member of the firm, and its secretary, was born in Arendsee, Prussia, in February, 1846. Received a final education at a Royal Gymnasium, preparing himself for a merchant. After six years of business life, he served in the Prussian army, and upon re- ceiving his regular discharge came, in 1869, to America. After four years stay he returned to his native country, but with a seed of Amer- icanism within himself, which grew, and induced him, in 1878, to emi- grate and seek a permanent home. He married, October 10, 1878, Pauline Pfeiffer. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. 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