CHARLES H. FUHRMAN.
Charles H. Fuhrman, farmer and stockman, of Lancaster township, Atchison county, Kansas, was born in Schleasien, Germany, December 13, 1852. He is a son of Ernst and Louise (Heine) Fuhrman, and is their only child. The father was married again, however, and to his second wife, Johanna Gerlach, twelve children were born, as follows: Ernst, Atchison, Kan.; Caroline (Dierking), Dodge City, Kan.; Louise (Repstein), Jefferson county, Kansas; William, St. Joseph, Mo.; Reinhold, farmer, Lancaster township, Atchison county, Kansas; Julius, Doniphan county, Kansas; Traugot, Center township, Atchison county; Herman, Lancaster township, Atchison county; Paul, Center township, Atchison county; Emma (Schwope), Center township. Two children died in infancy. The father was born in Germany July 8, 1826, and in 1872 came to America and settled in Atchison county, Kansas, where he bought 160 acres of land in section 16, Lancaster township. This was timber and prairie land and there was only a small, poorly built house on it at the time, but during the twenty years which he owned it he built several substantial buildings and made numerous improvements. He then sold the place to his son, Herman, and removed to Lancaster, where he lived in quiet, well-earned retirement for five years, when he went to live with his son, Paul, in Center township, where he died September 2, 1915. The mother, Louise (Heine) Fuhrman, died in Germany when a young woman in 1852. Charles Fuhrman’s stepmother, Joehanna (Gerlach) Fuhrman, was born in Germany, and is now living with her daughter, Emma, in Center township, Atchison county, in her eighty-fifth year.
Charles Fuhrman left Germany with his parents when he was nineteen years of age. He had received his education under the German system, and had been taught the carpenter’s trade, but never followed this occupation after he came to America. He remained with his parents, helping his father on the farm in Lancaster township until he was twenty-five years old, when he bought 160 acres of land in section 18, Lancaster township. When he took possession the farm had no improvements, and he first built a house and a barn, and added other improvements and conveniences. He acquired more land until he now owns 390 acres, including eight acres of fine timber land on his home place and ten acres of timber on the farm which he rents. He has stocked his farm with graded animals. Besides his real estate investments, Mr. Fuhrman is a shareholder in the Huron Telephone Company. He was married in 1878 to Louise Roerchen, who was born in Germany July 16, 1857. She left her native land with her uncle, Karl Schwope, in 1860. They came to Wathena, Doniphan county, Kansas. Her mother died on the ocean while coming to America and the little daughter was reared by her grandparents in Doniphan county and attended the grammar school at Wathena. Six children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Fuhrman: Ernst, farmer, Lancaster township, Atchison county; Ida (Tuley), deceased; William, Lancaster township; Selma (Lange), Grasshopper township, Atchison county; Edward, living at home; Mabel, also living with her parents. Mr. Fuhrman is a Republican, and has been road overseer of Lancaster township. He belongs to the Evangelical church, and is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America.