From A Biographical History of Central Kansas, Vol. I, p. 356
published by The Lewis Publishing Co, Chicago & New York, 1902 

XAVER WERNET 

   Xaver Wernet, who is engaged in general farming on section 14, Rockville township, Rice county, is one of the worthy citizens that Germany has furnished to the new world, and he possesses the sterling characteristics of his race, being persevering, energetic and determined.  He was born in Baden, Germany, October 20, 1849, and is a son of Jacob and Mary (Boden) Wernet, both of whom were natives of that locality, where they spent their entire lives.  They were people of honesty and industry and reared a family of nine children, seven sons and two daughters, who do credit to the untarnished family name.  The members of the family are Xaver, of this review; Herman, a prominent citizen of Rockville township, Rice county; and Albert, who is also living in the same township.  These are the only ones living in Rice county.

   In accordance with the laws of his native land Mr Wernet acquired a good education in Germany, attending school until fourteen years of age, when he began learning the baker’s trade, with which he was connected for several years.  At the age of eighteen he bade good bye to home and friends and sailed from Havre, France, to the new world, being upon the broad Atlantic for eleven days.  After reaching the American harbor he made his way westward to McHenry county, Illinois, locating near Harvard, where he remained for eighteen months upon a farm.  He then went to Andrew county, Missouri, where the following year and a half was passed.  On the expiration of that period he came to Kansas, taking up his abode upon the farm which is now his home.  In 1873-4 he engaged in a big buffalo hunt and brought in eighty-two hides.  He today owns thirteen hundred and twenty acres of land, much of which is rich bottom land, yielding excellent harvests of corn, wheat and other grains.  The farm is one of the most attractive in this portion of the county, its large residence built in modern style of architecture being tastefully adorned and furnished, giving evidence of the successful business career of the owner.  He has also erected a large barn, with a rock basement, for the horses and cattle, and upon his place he keeps two hundred head of cattle, two hundred hogs and thirty horses, all good grade of stock, having some of the best horses in the township.  Upon the place is a beautiful grove, a bearing orchard, tracts of woodland and pastures and the farm in its thrifty appearance indicates the energetic nature of the owner.

   In 1897 Mr Wernet returned to Baden, Germany, on a visit to friends.

   He was united in marriage, in McPherson county, Kansas, in 1878, to Miss Louisa Lueck, who was born in Hamburg, Germany, and has been to her husband a faithful companion and helpmeet on the journey of life.  They became the parents of nine children, seven sons and two daughters, namely:  William, George, Fritz, Ed, John, Charlie, Frank, Rosa and Mary.  In his political affiliations Mr Wernet is a Republican and has served upon the school board, but has never been a politician in the sense of office-seeker, preferring to devote his time and energies to his business interests, in which he has met with creditable success.