Biographical Sketch of John M. Degen, Franklin County, Missouri

>From "History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and 
Gasconade Counties", Biographical Appendix, Goodspeed Publishing 
Company, 1888.

**********************************************************************

John M. Degen, member of the firm of Degen, Breckenkamp & Co., Wash-
ington, planing and flour mills, lumber yard and building and con-
tracting, is a native of New Orleans, La., born in 1841, the son of
Christian H. and Anna M. (Fipp) Degen.  The father was born in Hanover,
Germany, in 1806, and was a farmer by occupation.  He left his native
country in 1837, and on New Year's Day of 1838 landed at New Orleans,
where he resided until the fall of 1841, when he came to Washington,
Mo., and settled on St. John's Creek, eight miles southwest of Wash-
ington.  Here he owned 160 acres of land, and passed the remainder of
his days, dying in 1872.  His wife was born in Hanover, Germany, in
1811, and is now living with her daughter, Mrs. Katie Droege.  Of the
seven children born to them John M. was the second.  He was but six 
months old when his parents moved to Franklin County, and was reared
and grew to manhood on his father's farm.  At the age of sixteen he
came to Washington and began working as an apprentice, learning the
carpenter's trade, at which he continued for three years.  He also
worked five years as a journeyman.  In September, 1864, Mr. Degen
married Miss Susannah Mense, who was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in
1845, and who is the second daughter of Henry M. Mense.  The same year
of his marriage our subject and H. H. Beinke formed a partnership, and
began contracting and building.  The firm lasted nearly two years, 
when it was dissolved, and Mr. Degen established a general store and
sold goods one year.  This not being to his liking, he sold out and in
1869 returned to his former business, that of contracting, and he also
established a lumber yard, his brother, Henry, being a partner.  The
firm of Degen & Bro. lasted until 1877, when Henry died and John M.
continued the business on his own responsibility until 1881, when he
became a member of the present firm, in which business he has since
continued.  Mr. Degen has been constantly in business in Washington
since he was a youth of sixteen.  He has erected over 131 buildings
now standing in Washington and vicinity, at a cost of $268,000 doing
nearly as much work of the kind as any other man who has ever lived in
Washington.  He has been a life-long Democrat in politics, and cast
his first vote for Gen. G. B. McClellan, in 1864.  He was a member of
the town council eight years, and he and wife are members of the Cath-
olic Church.

====================================================================
     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.

         This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb
         Archives by: Joe Miller <mio@netins.net>
		      Penny Harrell <Incog3678@aol.com>

====================================================================