KSGenWeb Digital Library Biographical Sketch of G. Stiebler Brown County, Kansas

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The following transcription is from a 750 page book titled "Genealogical and Biographical Record of North-Eastern Kansas, dated 1900.  These have been diligently transcribed and generously contributed by Penny R. Harrell, please give her a very big Thank You for her hard work!

G. Stiebler.

Forty years have passed since G. Stiebler came to Brown county, and therefore he is numbered among its pioneer settlers.  The state had not at that time been admitted to the Union, and gave little promise of its future growth and development, although the tide of emigration was flowing steadily westward, bringing with it many substantial citizens who took up their abode in Kansas and became the founders of this commonwealth.

He was born in Germany, January 5, 1830 and is a son of August and Henrietta (Hootes) Stiebler, who were also natives of that country.  The father was a wagon maker by trade, following that pursuit through his entire life.  Both he and his wife were members of the Lutheran church and were highly respected people.  They followed their children to America, crossing the Atlantic in 1859.

After visiting with a daughter in Ohio they came to Kansas, where they joined their son.  The father built a wagon shop and here followed his trade until his death, which occurred in 1868, when he was sixty-six years of age.  His wife afterward found a good home with her son, and there died September 16, 1877, at the very advanced age of ninety-six years.  This worthy couple were the parents of three children, the subject of our sketch being the eldest.  Wilhelmina was married in Ohio to Joseph Scoby and now resides in Brown county.  Maria is the wife of Charles Methouse, of Nemaha county, Kansas.

Mr. Stiebler was reared in the fatherland, obtaining his education in the public schools, and was there trained to mechanical pursuits.  Since coming to America he has mastered the English language so that he is able to transact his business in that tongue.  He was reared in Germany until twenty-four years of age, assisting his father in the wagon shop, and in 1854 he sought a home in the United States, landing at New York.  He had no money left when he reached the eastern metropolis, and, in consequence, was obliged to find work immediately.  Learning that a company wished to employ two hundred and fifty Germans to go to Alexandria, Virginia, to load and clean canal boats, he accepted a position with them and was employed in that way for two months.

He saved his money and with his little capital made his way to Cincinnati, where he worked at his trade, but found it difficult to get a start in business.  Making his way on foot to Illinois he settled in Paris, that state, where he remained from 1854 until 1858.  In 1858 he came to Kansas on a prospecting tour, and while here pre-empted 160 acres of land in Powhattan township, Brown county.

He was married in Paris, in 1856, and in 1859 he brought his family to his new claim in the Sunflower state.  With characteristic energy he began cultivating and developing his land.  Although many obstacles were to be met and many hardships were encountered, he pressed steadily forward and with resolute will continued the work of developing his farm.  Mr. Stiebler thus won success at general farming and stock raising, for he has fed the products of his farm to stock.

He became one of the most extensive stock dealers of the locality, and in fact was obliged to purchase grain for feeding purposes.  In this way he has steadily augmented his capital and now has a very handsome competence for old age.  As the years passed he added to his land and was at one time the owner a very large tract, but has since given portions to his children and he also sold some.  However, he yet owns three farms.  In 1884 he purchased a fine farm of 140 acres near the town of Sabetha, and thereon he and his wife are enjoying the fruits of a well spent life.

Mr. Stiebler was married, in 1856, to Miss Mary Gum, who was born in Germany, April 3, 1824, and came to America with her mother and the family, her father having died when she was nine years old.  The voyage was made in 1847, and they continued across the continent to Sheboygan, Wisconsin, whence they removed, in 1853, to Paris, Illinois, where all the family secured work.  The mother died in Paris, in 1878, but prior to that time she made two visits to Kansas to see her daughter, Mrs. Stiebler.

She was reared in the Lutheran faith, and in early life attended that church, but in Illinois became a Presbyterian.  After the death of her first husband she married P. Bross.  By her first marriage the mother had the following children: Mary, wife of Mr. Stiebler; Frederick, of Illinois; George, deceased; Mrs. Maria Getts; and Anna, wife of J. Eaton, who died while in service in the war of the
Rebellion.  By her second marriage Mrs. Bross had two children, Anna and Peter. Mr. and Mrs. Stiebler have three children: Elizabeth, wife of O. McClellan; Gustaf, who is married and follows farming; and Emma, wife of George Mastison.

Mr. Stiebler is truly a self made man.  In his early youth he worked in his father's wagon making shop, and continued to follow that trade until his arrival in Kansas, when he began farming, with no practical experience in that line.  He was observing, however, and his strength and persistence stood him instead of knowledge.  He was quick to learn and never made the same mistake twice.  As the years passed by he became the owner of one of the best farms in the county, and through all the years his wife has been to him a faithful companion and helpmate.

They shared together the trials and privations of pioneer life and now enjoy the prosperity which has come to them.  One of their early experiences was in breaking land.  Mr. Stiebler needed a team, and managed to secure two steers two years old.  These had to be broken, and he did the driving while his wife held the plow.  This proved to be the hardest day's work they had ever done, and Mr. Stiebler determined to get someone else to break his oxen.

Though their early years were filled with hard labor their capital steadily increased, and now a comfortable competence enables them to enjoy all the comforts and many of the luxuries of life.  They also reared a family who do credit to their name, their children all being married and living near them. 

In politics Mr. Stiebler is a stanch Republican.  Both he and his wife are consistent members of the Presbyterian Church.  They now enjoy the warm regard of many friends, and well do they deserve mention among the honored pioneers of the county.

Last update: Friday, July 18, 2003 20:22:20

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