Biographical Sketch of K. G. Tempel, Johnson County, Missouri, Warrensburg >From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell, Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918. ********************************************************************** K. G. Tempel, superintendent of the County Home of Johnson county, Missouri, was born in Germany in 1857. He emigrated from his native land in 1881, and came to America and to Warrensburg, Missouri, on February 15, 1886. He is a son of Christian F. and Anna Christina Tempel, who were the parents of twelve children, six sons and six daughters. K. Gottlieb Tempel was educated in the schools of Germany. In April, 1881, he came to America and located in Missouri for a short time and then moved to Kansas on a farm near Fort Scott, where he re- mained several years, when he returned to Missouri and settled in Johnson county. Mr. Tempel arrived in Warrensburg, February 15, 1886 and this city has been his home ever since that time. For many years, he was employed in the stone quarries. Mr. Tempel served two terms as city marshal of Warrensburg and one term as deputy sheriff, being appointed to the latter position by James A. Koch. After his time as a public official had expired, the Tempel family moved to the farm twelve miles south of Warrensburg, a place of forty acres, which Mr. Tempel later sold and purchased two hundred forty acres of fine farm land seven miles northeast of Warrensburg. This is one of the best farms in Johnson county, being well improved and located. September 6, 1884, K. G. Tempel and Elizabeth Myers, of St. Joseph, Missouri, were united in marriage and to them were born two children, one son and one daughter: Herman, who resides on the home farm in Montserrat township; and Emma, the wife of C. M. Pfeffer, of Montserrat township. Elizabeth (Myers) Tempel died April 1, 1892. October 13, 1892, K. G. Tempel was married to Anna Katherine Hunker, daughter of George and Ursula Hunker, both of whom were natives of Germany. Mrs. Tempel was born in Leidringen, Germany. Her father died in the fatherland and when she was twenty years of age, she and her mother emigrated from Germany and came to America, locating in Hepler, Kansas. The mother died in Crawford county, Kansas near Hepler and interment was made in the cemetery there. To K. G. and Anna Katherine Tempel have been born three children: Frieda, Katherine, and Albert. All the children are at home with their parents. The county court of Johnson county appoin- ted K. Gottlieb Tempel superintendent of the County Home and granted him the lease of the farm March 1, 1909 and at intervals of two years since that time has renewed the contract, by which Mr. Tempel agrees to provide food and care for the inmates of the County Home in return for the use of the farm, the county furnishing clothing, bedding, light and fuel. As a general rule, the lease system has nothing to recommend its adoption, not even economy, but with Mr. Tempel in charge, this insti- tution is one of the rare exceptions. The farm consists of eighty-four acres of land, valued at eighty-four hundred dollars and with the improvements the County Home is valued at the owest estimate forty thousand dollars. Ten acres of the farm are in oats, ten acres in corn, and the balance in pasture. At the time of this writing, there are twenty-five inmates in the County Home, nineteen of whom are white and six colored people. The Home is supplied with city water, electric lights and steam heat. There are thirty-five rooms in the building, four bathrooms, and a chapel, containing an organ and a library. The library was presented by Mr. Young, of Chilhowee, Missouri, for the benefit and pleasure of those inmates, who enjoyed reading. The men and the women, the white and the black people, are separated. The men occupy the west side and the women the east side of the Home and each inmate has a separate room. They do not even meet at the dining table, but dine separately. The Tenth Biennial Report of the State Board of Charities and Corrections of Missouri makes the following concise statement of the conditions found at the County Home of Johnson county under the management of K. G. Tempel, February 28, 1916: "Building. A large two story, brick, well planned and beautifully located. Only a short distance from town. Modern in all respects. Institution has library for those who care to read." "Management. Institution was scrupulously clean. Management excellent in every department." Mrs. Tempel deserves much praise and commendation for she certainly is doing her part exceedingly well in keeping the County Home clean, neat and comfortable. All the inmates are well cared for and the food is always good, clean, properly cooked and nicely served. Mrs. Tempel was well trained in the art of domestic science in her mother's home and no graduate of a course in domestic art can surpass her in skill or know- ledge of the best management of household duties. She is a most intelligent, industrious, conscientious lady, an ideal woman for the position she fills. The men and women in the County Home are indeed fortunate. ==================================================================== 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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