Nemaha County Biographies - K
All biographies are from "The History of Nemaha County," 1916:
William M. Kongs, hardware and implement merchant, Kelly,
Kans., was born on a farm near Seneca, June 25, 1882, and is a son of
Michael and Mary (Rettele) Kongs, natives of Germany. Michael
Kongs, his father, was born in Luxemburg, Germany, in 1857, and when
twenty years of age emigrated from his native land to America. He came
direct to Sabetha, Kans., and worked at any honest labor he could find,
such as railroad work and farming, until his death March 19, 1895,
eventually becoming the owner of a farm near St. Benedict's. He was
married to Mary Rettele in 1878 and was the father of four children, as
follows: Mrs. Minnie Rohr, Okarche, Okla., mother of six children,
namely: Helen, Edwin, Marie, Matilda, Louis and William; William M.,
the subject of this review; Mrs. Susan Schumacher, Kelly, Kans. (See
sketch); Louis, on the home place of the family, north of Seneca, and
has two children, namely: Vincent and Eulalia. The mother of William
M. Kongs was born in Wisconsin in 1856,
was reared on the farm and remained at home until her marriage.
William M. Kongs was reared to young manhood on the parental
farm and was educated in the district school. When he became of age
he rented his mother's farm near Seneca and cultivated it for three years.
He then bought 160 acres near Kelly in Adams township, which he
improved and managed successfully for four years. He then sold his
farm and purchased the hardware and implement business formerly
owned by Peter Ketter. When he came into possession of the store
the stock of goods carried did not exceed $4,000 in value and Mr.
Kongs, by dint of industry and the exercise of decided business ability,
has increased the value of the stock carried to over $8,000 during the
past three years and also owns his storeroom and residence in Kelly.
He is independent in politics and is a member of the Catholic Church
of Kelly.
William M. Kongs was married February 9, 1904, to Sophia Novak,
a daughter of Joseph and Agnes (Skolout) Novak, Bohemians by birth.
Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Kongs, namely: Albert,
ten years old; Philomena, aged eight years; Sylvester, five years old.
Joseph Novak, father of Mrs. Kongs, left his native land of
Bohemia in 1856 and immigrated to America at the age of eighteen years.
He made a pioneer settlement on the banks of Wild Cat creek, near
Seneca and worked out for ten years on neighboring farms until he was
enabled to buy eighty acres of land, which he improved and farmed,
gradually increasing his holdings until he had 200 acres. He sold his
land in 1905, and bought a section of land near Lost Springs, Kans.,
upon which he and his family are residing, Agnes, his wife, was born
in 1861, and was eighteen years old when she emigrated from Bohemia
to America. The marriage of Joseph Novak and Agnes Skolout took
place in 1878 at St. Benedict's, and was blessed with nine children, as
follows: Mrs. Agnes Koelzer, Auburn, Neb., mother of children as
follows: Mathias, Nicholas and Emma; Sophia, wife of M. Kongs;
Mrs. Anastasia Massat, Hanover, Kans.; Edward, a farmer near Lost
Springs, Kans., has one child, namely, Ellen; Albert, at Lost Springs ;
Mrs. Anna Pospisl, Rockport, Mont., mother of two children, namely:
Leroy and Edward; Chauncey and Ralph, at home with their parents.
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William M. King, proprietor of a half section of land in Capioma
and Adams townships, was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania,
October 15, 1868, and is a son of George and Elizabeth (Lanning) King, to
whom were born eleven children, eight of whom are living. George
King was a farmer in Pennsylvania and died when William M. was seven
years old. He was born in 1835. Mrs. Elizabeth King was born in
Pennsylvania in 1834, a sister of John Lanning, of Sabetha, and is now
living at Connellsville, Pa.
William M. King left his native State in 1883 and came to Sabetha,
Kans. He worked as farm hand and was employed in a lumber yard
until he rented a farm north of Woodlawn, in Capioma township. He
rented this farm until 1899, and then bought an eighty-acre tract in
section 19, Capioma township. He has made many improvements on his
place and has added to his acreage until he owns 320 acres in Capioma
and Adams townships as a reward for his industry and good financial
management.
Mr. King was married to Hattie Bladget, November 5, 1890, and four
children have been born to this union, as follows: Ernest, Lester,
Clayton and Gale. Mrs. King was born in Nemaha county, October 1, 1873,
and is a daughter of Richard and Melissa (Rhea) Bladget, who are
living on a farm in Capioma township.
Mr. King is a Republican, but finds no time for politics and prefers
to devote his whole time and attention to the needs of his large farm and
his growing family of children. He and Mrs. King are members of the
Methodist Episcopal Church.
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This website created June 12, 2011 by Sheryl McClure.
� 2011 Kansas History and Heritage Project
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