THEO INTFEN.
Theo Intfen has been a resident of Atchison county for over half a century. He has seen the county transformed from a wilderness and unbroken prairie to a land of fertile farms and thriving cities and towns. Practically all of his life has been spent within sight of, or within, Atchison, and he has witnessed and taken part in the wonderful growth of his home city. Nearly thirty years of his life have been spent in building up the immense furniture and house furnishing business now located in his own building at 623–625 Commercial street. This business had its initial beginning in 1887 in the old Municipal theater building, under the firm name of Miller & Intfen. In 1890 the store was moved to the west half of the Ramsey building, where it remained under Mr. Intfen’s management until November 25, 1912, when it was removed to the present quarters. Mr. Intfen purchased the building and thoroughly remodeled it, erecting a new and modern front, and building an addition on the rear, 50×150 feet. A stock worth over $40,000 is carried on three floors and the basement. An immense credit business is handled in a successful manner, and nine men are employed by Mr. Intfen in the caring for the trade. Goods from the Intfen store are sold over a wide range of territory, the store having patrons located in Tennessee, Iowa, Florida, Philippine Islands, the Dakotas, Arkansas, Nebraska, Oregon, Illinois, Michigan, Oklahoma, and other states. He does an extensive business in Kansas and Missouri, and cares for a great many orders received from a distance. During the year of 1913 he made over 757 shipments from Atchison to distant railway points. Mr. Intfen is an extensive advertiser and believes in publicity for a healthy, growing concern such as he has built up.
Theo Intfen was born December 24, 1861, in Weston, Mo., and is a son of William and Mary (Piekman) Intfen, of Prussia. The Intfen home was just across the Holland-Prussian line. William Intfen and his wife immigrated to America in 1853 and made their first home for a number of years at Weston, Mo. In October, 1862, they crossed the Missouri river by means of a ferry and located on a farm, two and one-half miles north of Atchison. The elder Intfen developed his farm and reared a family. At this time there were not many settlers in Atchison county, and the city was but a village. The first store of the town was then doing business, and Theo Intfen can recall its appearance. Large trees stood on the site of many of the present business blocks. William Intfen became the owner of 180 acres of land, and was a prosperous farmer for those days. Mrs. Intfen died on the home farm in 1885. William Intfen came to Atchison after her death and died in 1901, at a ripe old age. Five children were born to them, namely: John J., a merchant of Atchison; Theo, the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Minnie Miller, living at 714 Laramie street; Mrs. Anna Falk, of Andale, Kan.; Henry died at the age of two years.
Theo Intfen was reared on the pioneer farm and attended the district school in his neighborhood. He assisted his father on the home place until he attained his majority, and then decided to do things for himself. He went to Kanopolis, Eldridge county, Kansas, and opened the first store in the town. He sold sixty-two dollars’ worth of merchandise the first day he arrived from boxes in the street before getting into the store. He placed the first stock of goods in Kanopolis, and made the first sale of merchandise in the town. One year after establishing this store he sold out at a nice profit and returned to Atchison, where he engaged in the furniture business, as before stated. His success has been due to pronounced ability as a salesman, and his excellent judgment in financial affairs, and a knowledge of what the people will buy, and the carrying out of his plan to supply patrons on the credit plan, which is optional with the customer.
Mr. Intfen was married in 1893 to Miss Emma Zibold, and to this union has been born a daughter, Louise, born September 29, 1894, educated in Atchison and graduated from the Atchison Business College. From 1912 until her marriage she was her father’s bookkeeper. She was married on October 17, 1915, to LeRoy A. Osterbog, in charge of cost department of the Atchison Saddlery Company. Mrs. Intfen is a daughter of Merman Zibold, a native of Germany, who first settled in St. Louis, then lived in St. Joseph, and from there came to Atchison.
Mr. Intfen is an independent Democrat, politically, and does his own thinking as to what candidates he will support for office, when it is time for him to cast his ballots. While interested in good government, he does not take an active part in political affairs. He is strictly a business man, who has built up a monument to his own individual enterprise and energy through the development of the large Intfen store. He is likewise interested in his home city and takes a just pride in the fact that he has done his share to assist the development of Atchison, and is proud of the knowledge that he has witnessed the growth of a beautiful and prosperous city from its very beginning. He is a member of St. Benedict’s Catholic Church, and is affiliated with the Modern Woodmen.