Wyandotte County Biographies
"Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas--Historical and Biographical"
Goodspeed Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890
John A. Dahlgren, a short sketch of whose life now claims attention, was born in Sweden in the month of January, 1844, being the
son of John and Johana Dahlgren, natives of Sweden. In his native
country Mr. Dahlgren learned the mason' s trade, and there received a
liberal education. In 1870 he came to the United States, landing in
New York City, and going from that point to New Jersey, where for a
period of seven years, he continued to work at his chosen trade. At
the expiration of that time he moved to Kansas City, Kas. He was
united in matrimonial bonds with Miss Louise Ledman, a native of
Sweden, and their marriage was consummated in the year 1874.
They have been blessed with five children, of whom John is dead, and
Ida, Oscar, Edna and Jennie are living at the present writing. Mr.
Dahlgren has met with great and almost unbroken success since commencing his business career, and has, by means of his energy, undisputable talent, and promptness, built up a very large trade in this city,
having contracted for and built many of the handsomest buildings that
are found within the limits of this prosperous place, such as the
county jail, the sheriff's residence. First National Bank Building,
Moss Block, Simpson Block, Exchange Bank, and numerous buildings
of equal size and expense. While he is an expert in all the different
branches of his trade, he makes a specialty of brick and stone work,
and is numbered among the prominent business men of Kansas City.
Mr. Dahlgren is a member of the Republican party. He belongs to
Tauromee Lodge No. 30, A. O. U. W., also a Swedish order. Both Mr.
and Mrs. Dahlgren are faithful members of the Swedish Lutheran
Church, and interested in religious, and educational matters. This
is only one of the numerous instances that daily come before the
public where men make for themselves good reputations and comfortable fortunes.
Charles Dauzenroth, dealer in dry goods, boots and shoes, Argentine, Kas. The establishment of which Mr. Dauzenroth is the esteemed proprietor is in this line a thoroughly representative one, for
he was the first merchant and resident of Argentine. He was born in
Germany on April 8, 1842, and is the second of four children
born to the marriage of John and Mary Catherine Dauzenroth, natives
also of Germany. The parents both died in the old country, the
mother in 1852 and the father in 1875. In the year 1855 Charles
Dauzenroth emigrated to the United States, in company with his uncle and guardian, Antoine Nahrgang, and located in New York City.
Later they moved to Detroit, Mich., thence to Chicago and finally
to Davenport, Iowa, where our subject was reared to manhood. He
assisted his relatives on the farm until 1857, when he left them and
started out to fight life's battles for himself when but fifteen years
of age. He began first by working in a brick-yard, where he remained
until 1859, and then went to Mulligan's Bend, where he chopped wood
one winter. He then made a visit to his relatives, and in 1864
went to St. Louis, where he assisted in the care of cavalry horses.
He worked at brick-making and other jobs until 1869, when he came to
Kansas City, and went into the country to chop railroad ties. In 1870
he returned to Kansas City and went to work at the cooperage business in a building now known as Perfection Mills. Here he soon began
to make barrels on his own accord, selling to the trade, and was very successful until 1873, when the panic struck Kansas City, he lost his start,
and selling out the balance of his stock he went to St. Louis. There
he worked alternately at brick-making and coopering until 1875, when
he went to work at the smelter and there remained for six years. He
then made a contract as foreman of the Argentine Smelter, which he
worked for one year, after which (in 1882), he opened his store, which
he still continues. When the town was incorporated in August, 1882,
he was elected treasurer, which office he held one year. After this he
was made city clerk and retained this position until 1889. In 1866 he
was married to Miss Kate Brake, a native of Germany, who died a year
after her marriage, and in 1876 he chose for his second wife Miss
Mary Mullen, a native of Canada, born July 7, 1839, and the daughter
of James Mullen, who was born in Ireland. To the first union one
child was born, a daughter named Mary, who is the wife of Frank
Cigrand, a blacksmith in Argentine. Mr. and Mrs. Cigrand are the
parents of one child, Carl. Mr. Dauzenroth is a Democrat in politics, and held the office of treasurer and city clerk for five years. He
is a member of the K. of L., of which he was treasurer and
recording secretary. He is charitable as a supporter of all enterprises for the
public good, and is an enterprising, progressive, and
capable business man, who thoroughly understands the wants of the
public.
Edward J. Davis, foreman of the machine shop of the Keystone
Iron Works of Kansas City, Kas., is a skilled machinist and a gentleman, who has the full confidence of his superiors as well as the general and united good will of his men. He first saw the light of day in
the Empire State, his birth occurring in Fulton, on July 15, and he
was third in a family of sis children - four daughters and two sons.
The father is a native of the Emerald Isle, is a machinist, and is now
engaged in that capacity in the Keystone Iron Works. The mother
died on June 15, 1885. Edward J. Davis secured his primary education in the common public schools, and finished at Cooper Institute,
New York City, mostly in the mathematical department and in chemistry. At the age of nineteen years he started out for himself, with
nothing to assist him in making his way in life, except his practical
education and his trade as a machinist. He first located in Chicago,
with Frazer, Chalmers & Co., but from there went to Peoria, Ill., and
was in the employment of Nichol, Burns & Co., in the machine shops
for ten months. Later he went to Kansas City, Mo., engaged with
the State Line Machine Works at that place, as a machinist (1868), and
in 1873 he was promoted to the position of foreman, in which capacity
he remained for three years. After this he was with W. A. M. Vaughn
& Co., for about six years, and then entered the Keystone Iron Works,
as foreman of the machine shops, where he has remained since. He
has a force of about forty experienced machinists, who are able assistants of the foreman. Mr. Davis was married to Miss Helen Shrewsbury, a native of Missouri, born at St. Joe, on November 20, 1860,
and who received her education in Santa Fe, N. M., at the convent.
Unto this union one child has been born, who is now deceased. In his
political views Mr. Davis is a Democrat, and his first presidential vote
was for Gen. U. S. Grant, dining his second administration. Mr.
Davis is a member of the Masonic fraternity. He was chairman of
the board of engineers in Kansas City, Mo., filling this important
position for six years, and is a man who has the unbounded respect of
all with whom he comes in contact. He and wife expect to make
Kansas City, Mo., their future residing place. They also own property in Wyandotte, Kas.
Samuel W. Day, president Central Bank of Kansas, and manufacturer of barrels, wooden tanks, tubs, etc., owes his nativity to Ohio,
his birth occurring in Athens County on March 11, 1841. He was
reared in Iowa, received a limited education in that State, in fact not
attending school over six months altogether, and is a self-made man.
He learned the cooper's trade of his father, and followed it until the
spring of 1860, when he left and took a trip overland to Colorado, when
but nineteen years of age. He crossed the plains with a party of five,
and was about thirty days in making the trip, having some very exciting and interesting experiences during that time. Their team was
stampeded one night, and they were left in a bad predicament, but were
fortunate in finding them the next morning about five miles from their
camp. Mr. Day was with Kit Carson at Fort Craig in Mexico, and he
was wounded at Val Verdo, Mex., by a gun-shot through the left
thigh in February, 1862. He enlisted at Fairplay, Rocky Mountains,
and was mustered in at Fort Garland, Mex., serving three years and
two months in the war. When he was wounded he fell in the hands
of rebels but was carried off under a flag of truce after lying on the battlefield for some time. He had charge of a ward at a hospital in Mexico,
and was sent with an ambulance from Fort Craig to Santa Fe. He went
to Fort Union, where he assisted in building the new fort, and this
was all done on foot, having no horses. From there he went to Fort
Larned, thence to Fort Kiley, Fort Scott, and Fort Gibson, where he
had charge of the prisoners and was stationed as guard. From there
they went to Fort Smith, Springfield, (Mo.), thence to Fort Rolla,
being all this time on foot, and here they took the train to St. Louis
where they were mounted. They then started to Kansas City and he
was on provost duty for about one year. He was there during Gen.
Price's last raid and followed him as far as Fort Scott. After being
discharged Mr. Day worked at his trade for a short time and then
went to Rulo, Neb., where he took contract for getting out hay hoops.
From there he went to Corning, Iowa, thence to "Western, Mo., from
there to Kansas City and then to Arkansas. Later he returned to
Kansas City, which place has been his permanent home since 1867,
He is one of the early settlers of that city, is a prominent and successful business man, and is manufacturing about 125 barrels per day.
He was married in 1866 to Miss Anna H. Hate, and to them were born
three children, one now living - Nora. His second marriage occurred
in September, 1873, to Miss Clarissa D. Copfield, by whom he has six
children: Myrtle, Samuel, Lena, James, Caddie and Thomas. Mr.
Day's first wife died in May, 1872. He was one of twelve children
born to Samuel and Sophiah J. (Ketchum) Day, natives of Pennsylvania. The parents emigrated to Ohio at an early day, and in 1844
moved to Van Buren County, Iowa. In 1851 they moved to Burlington of that State, and there the mother died in 1854. The father died
in Adams County, Iowa, in 1872. He was a cooper by trade and carried it on the principal part of his life. In this connection it is but
proper to state that Mr. Day thinks Kit Carson was one of the best
men that ever lived. He tells of one incident, showing the noble
traits of his character. Mr. Carson was a daily visitor to the hospital,
and on a certain occasion while making his usual calls and inquiring
after the wants of the sick and wounded, he was told by one of the
wounded ones that he thought he would be all right if he had some
tobacco. Mr. Carson inquired if there was none in the sutler's store,
when answered in the negative, he said there should be some, and
promised to see about it. Upon investigation he found that the officers
of his regiment had purchased the entire supply. He at once called
them together and gave them a good lecturing, and made them get it
all, and bring to him. He then took it and put it in the dispensary,
and instructed the hospital steward to issue so much every day to each
man who used tobacco. Such unimportant deeds as this made Kit Carson a great favorite with all who knew him, especially the pioneers of
the West.
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