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The principal of this interesting biography arrived in Odebolt on September 3rd, 1878, from Lowell, Lake county, Indiana. What started him west was a letter from Dr. A. Groman, who had lived in the same town in Indiana as did Mr. Einspahr. Dr. Groman had already come to Odebolt and had begun the practice of medicine. Two men, Stevens and Steffens, who were conducting a blacksmith shop in Odebolt wanted a woodworker to locate in town as that business fitted in with their own and was a necessity. Dr. Groman, as a neighbor, knew of this and told the firm that there was a young fellow back in his home town whom he thought could be persuaded to move here and enter business. So the two men told Dr. Groman to write his friend in Indiana and tell him of their proposition.
When Mr. Einspahr received the letter he at once made up his mind to "go west". He landed in Odebolt on the afore-mentioned date with a chest of tools and one lone ten dollar bill. He soon found his friend Groman and the blacksmith firm, but he discovered that there had been some misunderstanding in the correspondence, for the smithies wanted someone who would establish his own business in the rear of their shop, while Mr. Einspahr had understood that they wanted to hire a man to work for them. After talking the matter over Mr. Einspahr decided to rent the room anyway and go ahead with the business. He went to the depot to get his tools and paid the express costs of $3.65; the remainder of his ten dollars he paid to his landlord. The people who conducted the hotel, the Pennsylvania House, were Mr. and Mrs. Henry Keck. Mrs. Einspahr, as a girl, worked for Mrs. Keck who was Mrs. Einspahr's aunt. Mr. Einspahr says that his wife served the first meal that he ate in Odebolt, and has continued ever since--and judging from friend Einspahr's looks the fare has been first class.
….[illegible]shop was to put in a floor, arrange the benches, etc. His first job was to splice about three feet to a wagon tongue and for this he received 35 cents. Work in this line proved to be scarce and to make both ends meet he hired out to H. C. Wheeler. This man then owned the Adams ranch and a warehouse in Odebolt in which the grain from the ranch was cleaned and shipped. Mr. Einspahr worked in this place shoveling wheat etc. for $1.25 a day. He managed to save a little money but not much because his board and washing at the Pennsylvania House cost him $3.50 a week. But between the work he did for Mr. Wheeler and an occasional job in the shop his balance, though small, was steadily increasing.
Late in the fall he sent to Chicago for some hardwood plank. This and the freight took about all the loose money he had but he had material with which to work during the winter of 80 and 81, when so much snow fell. Work in the shop increased rapidly as sleighs were in great demand. In fact, sleighs were the only means of travel that memorable winter. The following winter John was in better shape to handle his trade and he made and sold 35 bob-sleds besides his other work. His shop kept him so busy he was unable to work in the warehouse. About this time he needed $25 more and borrowed it from one of the boarders. For this accomodation [sic] he paid one per cent interest a month. No one had much money and even the landlord of the hotel came one day to John and asked him to pay for two weeks board in advance because he needed the money badly. He offered to take $5.00 for two weeks board if it was paid in advance. Of course John paid him and saved $3.00 on the deal.
Dr. Groman visited John quite often in his shop and Mrs. Einspahr could not understand how John and the doctor had become so intimate on such short acquaintance, not knowing that they had come from the same town.
That summer work became so hard that Mrs. Einspahr was forced to leave. She hired out to Mrs. L. J. Van Sands, who then owned and lived on what is now know as the Reynolds farm four miles southwest of Odebolt. This last move of John's sweetheart did not suit him at all because he had no way of seeing her unless he walked. He tells of one time when getting ready to walk home after his regular two weeks visit. Mr. Van Sands said, "John, it is not safe for you to walk home because of the wolves". He offered John his revolver as protection. He found the revolver and told John that he would show him how it worked. While explaining its workings it went off, shooting a hole through the side of the house. John took it along and thought he saw several wolves, but they did not bother him.
In the winter of 1882 Mr. Einspahr bought the lot, on which they now live, from Fairbanks & Voight. The firm had bought it from one Murphy, who owned the lot and had moved a small house from Vail in sections. In this house the young people were married on March 19th, 1882. John had furnished the house before this event, so everything was ready for the preacher to tie the knot.
They have lived on this lot ever since 1882, with the exception of a couple of months when the new house was being built. At this time they rented some rooms from Mrs. Buehler, a neighbor.
The house was built by John McFarland, Don Corey, Frank Rowley and Elmer Keck. The latter helped John make the window sashes, set the glass and all the casings in the house. These casings were designed and made in the Einspahr shop. John even made the plane that was used to do the work.
The same year a new shop was built. This was a two-story frame building, the upper floor being used as a paint shop, for Mr. Einspahr painted many buggies, etc. This shop was built on the same location as the new modern block, and was 16x26, with an outside stairway wide enough to run buggies up to the paint shop. Later on the under part of this stairway was enclosed and the room used as a bicycle shop. Bicycles were then in vogue and a factory was situated in the basement of the Mattes block and run by Cloid Smith. This enterprise was abandoned when Mr. Smith built the telephone exchange in Odebolt. Mr. Einspahr bought some of his equipment and continued to sell and repair at his shop. After the bicycle craze had died out and the automobile was taking its place, John went into this business. His first buy was a single cylinder Cadillac. John said that it was no trouble to tell what cylinder was missing. This car was sold, or rather traded, to Mr. Adey for a small house and lot. John later sold the property to Charlie Waggoner. Some time later Mr. Einspahr sold the automobile business to his son Fred and Fred Krusenstjerna. The same year in August he lost his shop and fine equipment by fire. Machinery, tools, building and all went, except one keyhole saw and a putty knife which had been loaned out.
This was a hard blow and nearly ended his business career. Nevertheless, he built again with the help of Koehler and Hanson, who owned a lot adjoining Mr. Einspahr's. When the new building was built it was all under one roof. About three years ago, Koehler and Hanson sold their interest to Mr. Einspahr. Until recently, John and his son, Harold, conducted the shop, then Harold rented the back end, where the turning lathes,…[illegible] the equipment for welding, etc., and …[illegible] the wood working end of the business. John, after recovering the financial loss caused by the fire, received a second set-back from a $10,000 paving bill. Mr. and Mrs. Einspahr own two houses on sixth street, their home on Maple street, the shop and some out lots in the south part of town. They are active members of the Methodist church, take an interest in public improvements, and Mr. Einspahr is at the present time mayor of Odebolt.
They have raised a family of eight boys and girls. They are Mrs. Maude Dunning, dead, Mrs. Norm Frevert, Fred E., Mrs. Mabel White, Ben W., Alvin J., Harold A., all of Odebolt, and Mrs. Edna Gray of Littleton Colo.
Mr. and Mrs. Einspahr do not intend to entirely retire, but they built a cottage on the east end of Storm Lake a year or two ago, and expect to pass some of their time there in warm weather. John has always enjoyed fishing, and in pioneer times, was one of the many who enjoyed hunting also, and for many years if you saw John Einspahr anywhere on the street a good dog would be at his heels.
Mr. Einspahr will be 70 years old the 24th of this month, and Mrs. Einspahr will be 63 on her next birthday, October 15. They have lived a long worth-while and busy life and have raised a family of whom they may well be proud.
The writer is confident that they all have the respect of the citizens in the town, where they have passed the greater potion of their lives.
transcribed by B. Ekse from microfilm