Dickinson Co., KS AHGP-Portrait and
Biographical Record of Dickinson, Saline, McPherson and
Marion Counties-Godfrey C. Buhrer
Portrait and Biographical
Record of Dickinson, Saline, McPherson and Marion
Counties
Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1893
GODFREY C. BUHRER, who resides on section
17, Rhinehart Township, is one of the
enterprising farmers of Dickinson County
that Switzerland has furnished to Kansas. He
was born on the 15th of February, 1854, in Schaffhausen,
that country, and is a son of Jacob and
Elizabeth (Steinman) Buhrer, who with their family
emigrated to the United States in 1861, and
now reside upon a farm near tire home of our subject.
Godfrey came with his parents to this country
and for eight years was a resident of Ohio. He
then came to Kansas, and since 1871 has resided
in Dickinson County. On the 26th of October,
1876, he was united in marriage with Miss Christina
Gfeller, who was born in Polk County, Iowa,
and is a daughter of Peter Gfeller. The young
couple began their domestic life upon a farm of
eighty acres which our subject had previously purchased.
After clearing and improving about thirty
acres of this he sold and bought one hundred and
sixty acres on section 16. Two years later, in
1884, he again purchased the original eighty acres
and has since made his home upon that farm. By
industry and economy, supplemented by good
management, his financial resources were greatly
increased, and he made other purchases of land
until he now owns a section and a-half, including
two hundred and forty acres on section 17, one
hundred and sixty acres on section 16, four hundred
acres on section 20, and one hundred and
sixty acres on section 29. His principal product
is wheat, and he has about four hundred acres
planted in that grain, and about one hundred and
twenty-live acres planted in corn. He keeps about
fifty head of cattle, including four thoroughbred
Holsteins, one of which is a registered bull, "Reno."
He also feeds about sixty head of hogs. In 1891,
a large two-story barn, 40x60 feet, with basement,
was erected at a cost of 12,000, and other buildings
have raised the value of improvements upon
his place to $7,000. Upon the barn is a Challenge
wind engine with water-works, which supplies the
house, barn and yards with water. He has also a
feed-grinder and corn-sheller, which are run by
wind.
The union of Mr. and Mrs. Buhrer is graced
with a family of six children, all sons: Albert,
Walter, Arnold, Arthur, Theodore and Raymond.
The family circle yet remains unbroken, and the
children are all under the parental roof.
In his political affiliations, Mr. Buhrer is a Democrat,
but has never sought or desired the honors
or emoluments of public office. He has given his
time and attention strictly to his business, and by
his indefatigable industry, perseverance and methodical
business methods, he has acquired a handsome
property. He ranks high among all classes,
and is justly regarded as one of Rhinehart Township's
most enterprising farmers.
(c) 2009 Sheryl McClure for
Dickinson County KS AHGP