History of Atchison County, Kansas

by Sheffield Ingalls

Mr. Babcock was united in marriage in 1903 to Miss Edith L. Hooper, a daughter of George R. Hooper, of Atchison, a personal sketch of whom appears in this volume. Mr. Babcock takes a keen interest and an active part in the welfare and development of Atchison and is one of its booster citizens. He is a member of the Masonic lodge and active in the work of that organization. He is also a member of the Elks and belongs to the Commercial Club. He is president of the Kansas Retail Shoe Dealers’ Association, and politically, is a supporter of the policies and principles of the Republican party.

JULIUS KUHN.

Julius Kuhn, deceased pioneer merchant of Atchison, was a man of sterling worth, industry and purpose who achieved a success in the commercial life of his adopted city which ranked with the greatest accomplishments of those who figured most prominently in the early civic life of Atchison. He was born in Bavaria, Germany, May 10, 1831, and received an excellent education in the famous university at Munich, where he fitted himself to become an architect. He was gifted with more than ordinary talent as a draughtsman and architect and to this day many of his best drawings and designs are hanging on the walls of the art room in St. Benedict’s College. When twenty years of age he took passage on a sailing vessel for America, then as now, the land of promise for the poor and ambitious youth of the old world. After a stay of a few years in New York City and points in Connecticut, he journeyed to St. Louis where he was married, his wife, Lucetta, dying in Atchison in the spring of 1881. To this union one son was born, Gustave, who died July 15, 1883. While in St. Louis Mr. Kuhn heard tales of the opportunities waiting for industrious young men in the new State of Kansas and came hither to seek his fortune in the year 1859. He had some means which he had saved and at once invested in a lot on the corner of Eighth and Commercial streets, upon which he built a story and a half frame building, which for many years was a well known landmark in Atchison. He installed a stock of groceries in his new building, and from the start met with success. His store soon became the outfitting point for the freighters who were crossing the plains to the far western points and he prospered in excess even of his expectations. Mr. Kuhn’s store was rarely closed in those early days and it was his wont to retire at 1 o’clock a. m. and was often called out of bed at 3 o’clock in the morning to assist some freighter just arriving from the trail half frozen, or, perchance, to trade with some farmer who had traveled a long distance to transact business with him and exchange his produce for groceries and necessities.

Julius Kuhn

During the Civil war he served in the commissary department of the Union army, called out to repel the invasion of Kansas, threatened by General Price. He established himself in the wholesale business in 1870 as he foresaw that Atchison was to become an important distributing point for the northeastern part of the State as the country grew more and more settled with the influx of immigrants from all parts of the compass. In time the little frame store, which he had erected when he first came to Atchison, was replaced by the pretentious brick structure which bears his name. He invested his surplus profits in real estate in Atchison and Kansas points and left a substantial fortune on his demise. In the early sixties he purchased for his family residence the old Judge Gilham house, at that time the only house on the hill, from his store northwestward. For a number of years the Kuhn store was the only business house west of Third street, but in time the business center gradually moved westward from the river, and encompassed his business place. Speaking reminiscently of those early days a few incidents showing conditions at that time are worth recording. When Mr. Bartholow first came to Atchison, at the outbreak of the Civil war when business was in a state of paralysis, he had on hand over $2,000 worth of tobacco, for which he could not find storage. He approached Mr. Kuhn and asked him to either buy the stock or store it until such a time as it would be marketable. Mr. Kuhn took a chance and when tobacco soared to an extremely high price toward the last days of the war, he disposed of it at a profit of $1.00 per pound. Flour rose to the high price of $7.00 per sack during those troublous days, while beef was very cheap, a “half of beef” often selling for ten cents.

Mr. Kuhn was married the second time, September 30, 1883, to Anna Glattfelter, and to this union were born two sons, Julius Otto, at home with his mother, and Gustave Adolphus, living in Kansas City, married Irene King, and is the father of one child, Ruth Kuhn. Mrs. Anna Glattfelter Kuhn was born in Glattfelter, Switzerland, a daughter of Henry and Margaret Glattfelter, who immigrated to America in 1864, and located on a farm in Atchison county. Henry Glattfelter died in 1867, and his wife died in Atchison in 1903. They were the parents of Mrs. W. A. Dilgert, living on a farm in Walnut township; Mrs. Martin Dilgert, residing on Ninth street; Margaret, wife of Mr. John Meyer, living on Seventh street; Fannie, wife of Dr. Sievers, of Manning, Iowa; Henry, on the old home farm, near Cummings. Mrs. Kuhn resides in the family residence at 1029 Atchison street, and looks after the interest of the Kuhn estate. She is a keen, intelligent lady, who has shown marked business ability in caring for the property interests left in her charge. Mr. Kuhn retired from active mercantile pursuits in 1889, and died October 30, 1902, universally respected and loved by all who knew him. He was a Republican in politics and took an active part in the civic and political affairs of Atchison, serving as a member of the city council, and filling several important city offices of trust during his long residence here. He was always a consistent and unremitting booster for Atchison, and had a deep love for the city and his home life. He was a member of the Elks and a social member of the Turner Society. Mr. Kuhn was not a member of any religious denomination but was a friend and liberal supporter of all denominations which sought his aid. While not a professed Christian he lived a blameless and upright life, and was ever ready to assist a needy acquaintance when his aid would do the most good.

PETER WEBER.

Peter Weber, retired farmer, residing at 921 North Sixth street, Atchison, Kan., is one of the real pioneer residents of the county. He has lived in the county for over fifty-six years, and recalls many of the incidents of the old days when the settlement of the county was in the embryo stage. Like most of the prosperous and successful men in the county he has worked his way upward from a small beginning to a state of affluence, which reflects credit upon his industry and his capabilities. Times, fifty years ago, and the present, give opportunity for making contrasts which are striking and very interesting. When Mr. Weber was a boy it was the family custom to go to church on Sundays via the ox wagon route, father, mother and all of the children seating themselves in a big farm wagon, and going to church at the rate of two miles per hour, the trip requiring almost the entire day to go and return. Now, Mr. Weber cranks the engine of his fine automobile, and in an incredibly short space of time he travels from his city home to his country estate, can spend hours in looking over the farming operations, and return to his own home in time for the next meal.

Peter Weber was born in Kenosha, Wis., March 8, 1859, and came to Atchison county with his parents a few weeks later. His father, John Weber, was a native of Luxemburg, Germany, and his mother was Mary (Penning) Weber, also a native of Luxemburg, and a daughter of Nicholas Penning, who emigrated from his native country to Wisconsin. John Weber was married in Wisconsin, after coming to this country. He migrated to Atchison county, Kansas, from Wisconsin in 1859, and was equipped with a cash capital of nearly $300. He attended a lot sale in the boom days of Old Sumner, and invested nearly all of his savings in lots, purchasing 275 lots in all, at prices varying from $5 for the first one bought, to a price as low as twenty-five cents. This was more or less a speculation on his part, and the price of lots in Sumner fell rapidly after the county seat election which selected Atchison as the seat of government for the county. Real estate values naturally deteriorated in Sumner, and John Weber later sold seventy-five of his lots for $15 and allowed the greater part of his initial Kansas investment to be sold for taxes, inasmuch as the property had no real value. His next investment was a much better one, however, and he purchased 160 acres of land in Walnut township for $360, on which he erected a home and proceeded to develop it into a fine farm. He became well to do, and was highly respected throughout the neighborhood in which he resided. Originally John Weber had been a wheelwright by trade, and his skill as a wood worker and wagon maker stood him in good stead when he took up agricultural pursuits in Atchison county. During the Civil war John Weber was enrolled in the State militia and was called away to serve his country at Independence, Mo., leaving his wife and young children at home in mortal fear of their lives while the father and his comrades were in battle array to repel the Price invasion of Kansas. The movable property of the family was kept hidden in the drawers. Mr. Weber had over $800 in gold buried in the cellar in an empty peach can. He reared a fine family of sons and daughters as follows: Peter, the eldest of the family and with whom this review is directly concerned; Mathias, who is cultivating the old home place in Mt. Pleasant township, and Mrs. Katherine Keefer, a widow residing near Nortonville, Kan., are the surviving children of a family of six born, three of whom died in infancy. John Weber died in 1905, his wife preceding him to the great beyond in 1901.