Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 493 - 494 

JOHN G. LAUTERBACH, an extensive farmer and stock-raiser of Ohio Township, has his residence on section 29, where he settled in 1874. For a short time after he took up his abode here he lived in a dugout, in which he did his own cooking, and carried on the usual household duties incident to a bachelor's life. In the humble cot of his parents, Rudolf and Kunigunda Lauterbach, under the blue skies and amid the picturesque scenery of Bavaria, Germany, our subject first opened his eyes upon this world Feb. 13, 1850. His parents were natives of the same portion of the fatherland, and had a family of eight children, of whom but the three following survive: George, who is living in Ohio Township, this county; Albert, in Chicago, and John G.

            John G. Lauterbach received a very fair education in his boyhood days, and was reared to manhood beneath the parental roof-tree. As he attained to man's estate, he saw the slight possibility of his rising in the world in the land of his birth, where the country is ruled by an iron military despotism, and the poor are poor indeed, and determined to seek in America the alleviation of his lot in life. Therefore, in 1869, taking passage on a steamer at the port of Bremen, after an ocean voyage of thirteen days he landed in New York City, from which point he at once went to Illinois. For several years he was engaged in farm labor in the counties of Will and Kendall, in that State, but in 1874 came to Kansas. After a short time spent in Wichita, he pre-empted the northeast quarter of section 29, in Ohio Township, this county, and settled on it before there was a furrow turned or a particle of improvement made. As he looked over the grassy wilderness he sighed to think how much labor was before him ; but by the exercise of industry, energy and perseverance, he has now brought it to a condition of excellent cultivation.

            The marriage of our subject with Miss Annie McDaniel took place March 24, 1880. The lady of his choice was born in Sangamon County, Ill., March 24, 1860, and is a daughter of Henry C. and Amanda (Richardson) McDaniel, who were natives of Virginia and Illinois respectively. When she was but a child she removed with her parents to Appanoose County, Iowa, where the family resided until 1877, when they came to Kansas, and made their residence until the fall of 1879 in Sedgwick County. During the latter year the parents migrated to Harper County, this State, where they now live. Mrs. Lauterbach is one of a family of seven children, as follows: John, Annie, Charles, William, Sherman, Alexander and Grace. The family of our subject and his wife numbers five children, as will be seen from the following record: Lewis F., the eldest child, was born Jan. 24, 1881; George; March 30, 1882; Charles, June 25, 1884; Pearl, Jan. 16, 1886; and Arthur, Dec. 15, 1887.

            Mr. Lauterbach is the owner at the present time of 280 acres of land in Ohio Township, on which he has put up some very substantial and neat improvements. He has made his entire property by his own exertions, as he had but $10 in his pocket when he landed in Illinois. In religious affairs he is identified with the Lutheran Church, and follows closely the teachings of that denomination. Entirely independent in politics, he is bound by no particular platform or creed, and votes for men, not measures.

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