EDWARD AUGUST KILLIAN GRAVESTONE PHOTO
William G. Cutler's History of the State
of Kansas
ED. A. KILIAN, now of Alma, Kan., was born in Hesse-Nassau,
Germany, September 1, 1828. He was educated in the Polytechnic School at
Darmstadt and at the Normal School at Friedberg. Becoming a participant in the
Revolution in 1848, he emigrated from his native country and came to America in
September, 1849, first locating in Rochester, N. Y., where he remained six
months. From Rochester he went to Buffalo, N. Y., and stayed until the spring of
1853; from thence to New Orleans, and remained until 1856; from thence to
Chicago, where he was the local editor of the Staats Zeitung until the spring of
1857; thence to Hermann, Mo., where he remained until the spring of 1861,
principally engaged in teaching. On May 10, 1861, he enlisted in Company A,
First Missouri Volunteer Infantry, as a private. He was wounded and taken
prisoner at the battle of Wilson's Creek, August 10, and remained in
Springfield, Mo., in charge of the rebels, until November of the same year,
being released when General Fremont took possession of the city, and discharged
on account of disability. He again enlisted in November, 1862, in Company A,
Seventeenth Missouri Volunteer Infantry, and served as a private until
September, 1863, when he was promoted to sergeant of the regiment. On December
20 he was promoted to first lieutenant and adjutant of the regiment, and was
mustered out on September 24, 1864, at the expiration of the term of service of
his regiment. He participated in the engagements at the siege of Vicksburg,
Jackson (Miss.), Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge and the Atlantic Campaign.
He was commissioned as Captain of Company G, Eightieth Missouri Enrolled
Militia, and participated in the Price raid, in October, 1864, and the same
month accepted the position of first assistant in the public schools of
Edwardsville, Madison County, Ill., which he occupied until 1869. He then became
principal of the public school in Marine, Ill., holding the position until 1874.
In the fall of that year, he took charge of the German paper at Joliet, The
Herald, which he conducted until the spring of 1875. From that time until July,
1878, he was in Buffalo, N. Y., as custodian of The Museum of Natural Sciences,
when he returned to Edwardsville, Ill., and resumed his old position in the
school, which he held until he came to Kansas, August 22, 1879, and located in
Alma, Kan., and was the principal of the public schools of that place, being
also engaged in farming at the same place. Mr. Kilian was married in Buffalo, N.
Y., June 24, 1865, to Carrie Bloecher, a native of Tonowanda, N. Y.; they have
five children -- Irmgerd, Edward, Hedwig, Carrie and Edith. Mr. Kilian is a
contributor to several educational and scientific journals, and has, perhaps,
the finest conchological collection in the State, and also has a large
archeological collection.