Bios From the 1901 Brown County World
Charles Edwin Knudson was born on a farm in Washington township, Brown county, Kansas on the 28th of December, 1873. He is an American born Norseman. He has been raised and educated to the farm, and has remained in that branch of occupation ever since his birth, with the exception of two years in the railroad business.
He is a great believer in trying to lessen the labor on the farm and at his place may be seen several improvements and experiments in the line of agricultural implements. His greatest invention or experiment is in the line of harvesting corn from the field, a machine that will husk and deliver the corn into a wagon, same as the human corn husker at present. He had an experimental machine built last fall and did not quite get it completed, but as the early snow and winter set in, his plan for experiment and test, in order to estiate its value and usefulness, had to be postponed, probably until fall. He was married Dec. 21, 1895, to Miss Ella Matilda Anderson, of Scandia, Republic county, Kansas. They have two children, Charles Uldrick Gilmore Knudson and Esther Olivia Beatrice Knudson. J. W. Leibengood was born in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, and came to Brown county, Kansas, with his parents, in 1869. With a common school education to which he was admitted a year's term at the Manhattan Agricultural College and a year at the Mt. Union, Ohio, M. E. college, Mr. Leibengood, after devoting some of his time and energy and farming knowledge upon his father's broad prairie acres, embarked in school teaching and faithfully followed that profession for ten consecutive years in Brown county. He was then made deputy sheriff by Sheriff S. Fraser and served in this position both terms, four years, giving eminent satisfaction. Mr. Liebengood is one of the rising young Republicans of Brown county who is not to be lost sight of in the future political campaigns. His friends are legion. Whatever position Mr. Leibengood may hereafter be called to in the county, his duties will be satisfactorily discharged, and whatever success he may achieve will be richly deserved. John Murgatroyd was born in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1849, and with his parents removed to Canada when he was three years old. From Canada he removed to Racine, Wisconsin, and from there to Illinois, where he learned his trade and came to Hiawatha in 1871; since then he has followed his trade here and is therefore easily the oldest blacksmith in the city.
He is a good workman, a real genius in iron and with tools, not only a good horseshoer but can turn out a fine job in the way of ironing a wagon or buggy. He does fine, honest work in his line. He has been in Hiawatha a long time and has always made a good living, and money besides. He is industrious and liberal, attending strictly to his own business and never interfearing with other. Mr. Murgatroyd has a good home of his own at the corner of Fourth and Utah streets, and a good shop nearby, a horse and buggy and takes things easy when he wishes. J. E. Winterscheidt was born Oct. 7, 1856. He came with his parents to Brown County in the spring of 1870 and located one mile east of Germantown. He has always farmed until the last three years. He was married to Miss Frances Trompeter of this county on Nov. 7, 1881 and they have five children, three girls and two boys. Mr. Winterscheidt was the founder of Germantown and he removed his family there three years ago. He owns a nice little home of four and a half acres there and conducts a large business there in grain, coal, lumber and stock, has a new grain elevator, new office and everything handy for the transaction of business. He was appointed postmaster for the village but refused to qualify and take charge as he saw it would require too much of his time. He still raises fine Poland China hogs as he has done for many years. Mr. Winterscheidt is a member of the Catholic church and a leading citizen, clever and influential. As a business man he is safe and trusty. |
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