Biographical Sketch of John C. Klenke, Franklin County, Missouri >From "History of Franklin, Jefferson, Washington, Crawford and Gasconade Counties", Biographical Appendix, Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1888. ********************************************************************** John C. Klenke is the son of Christopher and Margaret (Marquarl) Klenke, both natives of Hanover, Germany. When young both came to this country, and were married in Cincinnati, Ohio, where the father followed molding in stove foundry. About 1844 they came to this county, where they passed the remainder of their days. The father was of Catholic faith and the mother of Lutheran. After the death of the father, in 1860, the mother married Frantz Eckler. She died in 1886. The family by the first marriage consisted of nine child- ren, four sons and five daughters, our subject being the eldest child. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1830, and his early education was very deficient on account of the meager advantages afforded by the schools at that early day. When about fourteen years of age he went to St. Louis and engaged as salesman in a mercantile establishment at that place. After working at this business for some time he started to learn the plasterer's trade but soon gave it up. Soon after he engaged with a firm in merchan- dising, and step by step he advanced until he became a traveling salesman, which business he followed for four or five years. In 1864 he married Miss Lisetta Rechtien, who was a native of Oldenburg, Germany, she died in Franklin County in 1879. The result of this union was the birth of seven children, one son and six daughters. In 1879 Mr. Klenke was united in marriage to Miss Mary E. Eggert, a native of this county, born in 1857, and to this union were born four children, one son and three daughters. In 1865 Mr. Klenke came to Franklin County where he engaged in merchandising, and continued at this business until 1880, when he closed out. In connection with selling goods he has been interested in farming. He is a Democrat in politics, and he is, as were both his wives, a member of the Catholic 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 Penny Harrell ====================================================================