Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 584 - 585 

HENRY BEHRENS. While some men's lives quietly and peacefully are spent within the influences of a home, others meet with adventures in the course of their life which read almost like a romance. Bold and adventurous, they penetrate into unknown lands, and meet unknown dangers. Among the latter class is the subject of this sketch, whose name is given at the head of this article. He is a prominent farmer and stock-raiser on section 24, Waco Township, where he has lived since 1871. A native of Hanover, Germany, Mr. Behrens was born Dec. 18, 1831, and is the son of Christian and Elizabeth (Horstmann) Behrens. He was one of a family of nine children, born to his parents as follows: Christian, Frederick, Elizabeth, Henry, Mary, Johanna, Wilhelm and Margaret. Another child, whose name was also Christian, died in infancy.

            The subject of this sketch was reared and educated among the pleasant surroundings of his German home, and lived there until 1857. At this time, being possessed of a roving, adventurous disposition, he made his way to the nearest seaport, and embarked on a sailing-vessel bound for Rio Janeiro. In the latter city he remained some four months engaged at the brick and stone mason's trade, but growing tired of the inactivity, he soon shipped on board another vessel. After a stormy voyage he landed in Australia, and in a short time left for the gold mines of that land of the summer sun. While engaged here in gathering the auriferous dust, the party which he was with was several imes attacked by the natives, and during one of the contests one of his party received a spear between the shoulder. The staff broke off, but the head remained in the wound for six weeks, when it was extracted by a doctor. After spending some time in that inhospitable country, he set sail for Africa, and landed at the Cape of Good Hope. In company with several others he journeyed northward, and crossing the Blue Mountains, entered Zululand, where lie the diamond fields. While engaged in search of gold, the natives being discontented with this intrusion upon their chosen hunting-grounds, made continual attacks upon them, and they were compelled to retreat toward the coast, disputing the ground inch by inch with their fierce and relentless enemies.

            Having enough of a country where his reception was entirely too warm, Mr. Behrens returned to Australia, and from there sailed for the Sandwich Islands, but after about nine months' experience of life in Honolulu, he returned to Australia for a short time. Having spent some years in the Southern Hemispheres, he started back to his home in the Fatherland to visit his parents, but soon sought a home beneath the stars and stripes. Arriving in New York, he set out for the West, and after passing a short time in the cities of Cincinnati and Chicago, landed in Poweshiek County, Iowa, but not finding that country suited to his mind, he removed to Colorado, where he was engaged in mining for about eighteen months. While engaged in this place, delving into the bosom of mother earth for the precious metals, the shaft of the mine caved in, and he was imprisoned for over thirty-six hours in the bowels of the earth. He received at that time internal injuries, from which he has never fully recovered.

            Mr. B.'s next venture was under the burning sun of Arizona, where he spent the succeeding four years in farming. While on a hunting expedition in that Territory, he was attacked by an Indian who shot him in the thigh, partially disabling him, and killing his horse. Wounded as he was, he secreted himself from the enemy, and when the redman had cautiously crawled up to within 100 yards of him, in the endeavor to get his scalp, he raised up, and firing his rifle, shot the Indian in the forehead. He arrived at his farm after considerable suffering, but was no sooner able to be about than he was attacked by a number of the red marauders, who burned every article he had, including some $4,000 worth of grain, except a pair of drawers which he had on, and one-half of a blanket, his arms being also burned. Becoming discouraged with this state of affairs, he concluded to seek for a more peaceful latitude, and coming to Kansas, purchased 100 acres of land. Having concluded to settle down and pass the balance of his days in farming, and establish a home, on the 1st of December, 1872, he was united in marriage with Mrs. Eva Wolf, a daughter of Louis and Katherine Geis, a native of Baden, Germany, born March 14, 1845. She was the widow of Frank Wolf, and the mother of five children, viz: Frank, Ludwig, Katherine, Adam and Wilhelm. After his marriage Mr. Behrens took up the duties of an agriculturist, and has been very successful from a pecuniary point of view. He carries on a system of mixed farming, giving great attention to the raising of stock, which he finds more lucrative than crops of grain alone. His land has been brought to a high state of cultivation, and with its beautiful and comfortable residence, commodious barns and neat out-buildings, is a model farm. He takes great interest in carrying on his business, and has accumulated by labor, industry and economy, a handsome property.

            Mr. and Mrs. Behrens are the parents of six children, all of whom are natives of Sedgwick County, as follows: Henry, born May 12, 1874, and died Nov. 13, 1879; Emma, born May 15, 1875; Ernest Walter, Nov. 16, 1876; Arnold, Feb. 10, 1878; Adolphus, Jan. 22, 1880; and Robert, July 24, 1882. Both Mr. and Mrs. Behrens are members of the German Lutheran Church, and conscientious, sincere Christian people, and in the society which surrounds them they are held in high esteem and beloved for their many excellent traits of heart and mind. In politics, the subject of our sketch is entirely independent of party lines, and free from partisanship.

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