Biographical Sketch of S. W. Raber, Johnson County, Missouri,
Rose Hill Township.

>From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell,
Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918.
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S. W. Raber, proprietor of "Pleasant View Stock Farm" in Rose Hill
township, is a native of Missouri.  He was born in 1870 in Hickory
county, a son of Daniel and Susanna (Nofzinger) Raber, the former, a
native of Baden, Germany and the latter, of Prussia.  The father came
to America when he was a boy twelve years of age.  He was the son of
Christian Raber, a prominent minister of the Mennonite church in Ger-
many, son of a well known and respected minister also of the Mennonite
church.  S. W. Raber has in his possession a valuable relic, a Bible 
printed in the German language in 1536, which formerly belonged to the 
great-grandfather and then to the grandfather, Christian Raber. Susanna
(Nofzinger) Raber came to America with her parents in 1846.  She too,
was a worthy and beloved member of the Mennonite church. The Nofzingers
were a highly valued pioneer family of Ohio.  In 1890, Mr. and Mrs. 
Raber moved from Hickory county, Missouri to Johnson county and settled
on a farm in Rose Hill township, where they spent the closing years of
their lives.  Daniel Raber died in 1905 and Mrs. Raber joined him in
death this past year, of 1917.  In 1889, S. W. Raber came to Johnson
county and located in Madison township on a farm, where he lived sev-
eral years and then, in 1895, purchased his present country home in 
Rose Hill township, a farm comprising 140 acres of choice land on which
place he has since resided engaged in farming and stock raising.  Mr.
Raber has been very successful in raising Poland China hogs and Duroc
Jerseys and he is considered one of the best and most progressive gen-
eral, "all-round" farmers in Johnson county.  He is a firm advocate of
crop rotation and of fertilization and Mr. Raber himself plants much of
his farm in clover and practices methods of soil improvement which he 
so enthusiastically advocates.  In 1911, he built a large, substantial
stock barn, which is supplied with water and lighted with electricity.
Mr. Raber built a handsome residence, a modern structure of 11 spacious
rooms, in 1916.  Recently, he installed an electic plant at a cost of
five hundred dollars, which furnishes light for the home and barn at a
cost of ten cents a week.  In 1904, S. W. Raber was united in marriage
with Agnes Van Matre, daughter of Abner Van Matre, of Indiana.  Her 
father was born in 1837 in that state and came to Johnson county, Miss-
ouri just after the close of the Civil War and settled in Holden. Abner
Van Matre was a leading attorney and prominent politician of Holden and
served many terms as mayor of that city.  He died in 1895 and his widow
is still residing in Holden.  To Mr. and Mrs. Raber have been born four
children: Russell D., Drusilla C., Homer E., and Susanna E.  The Raber
family is well known and esteemed in Johnson county.  Mr. Raber is an
influential stockholder and director of First National Bank of Holden
and he is one of the township's most valued and substantial citizens.  

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