Kansas History and Heritage Project-Wyandotte County Biographies

Wyandotte County Biographies
"Wyandotte County and Kansas City, Kansas--Historical and Biographical"
Goodspeed Publishing Co., Chicago, 1890


Wilhelm F. Rohrbach is a resident of Section 6, Wyandotte Township, Wyandotte County, Kas., where he is the owner of a valuable little farm, comprising thirty and one half acres, lying within a mile and a half of the city limits of Judases City. He was born in Heilbronn, Wirtemburg, Germany, March 21, 1835, being the third in a family of five children, his brothers and sisters being named as follows: Frederick (deceased, who was a wine gardener and died at the age of sixty-two years), Conrad (who is following the same occupation at his home in Wirtemburg), Bernhardt (who died in infancy), and Henrietta, who resides in Heilbronn, her husband being a designer in moldings). Mr. Rohrbach has a half brother and sister, Henrich (a farmer in Wirtemburg), and Christina (who died at the age of fifty years, her husband being engaged in the transportation of passengers by private conveyance. Mr. Rohrbach s parents were native Germans, and the father was a wine grower and died in 1842 at the age of fifty-six years, his wife dying in 1848 at the age of forty- eight years. Mr. Rohrbach' s first educational training was obtained under a private tutor, after which he attended the common normal school for eight years, where he received rigid discipline and training which admirably fitted him for practical life, which he has led. When fourteen years of age he began life as an agriculturist, but followed several callings in his varied life. He emigrated to America in 1853, and after a very stormy voyage reached New York City and secured employment on Long Island, and from there going to Pittsburgh, Penn., thence to Cincinnati, Ohio, to Louisville, Ky., and to St. Louis, going from the latter place to New Orleans, after which he went to Boouville, Mo., and from there to Rock Island, Ill., where he remained two years, and since the fall of 1866 has been a resident of Wyandotte County, Kas., having first purchased eighteen acres of land. He can truthfully say that on coming to this section, the country was a wilderness, for little or no improvement bad been made. He set to work to clear his land, erecting thereon some good buildings, and has since added enough to his original purchase to make thirty and one-half acres, on which he raises large quantities of fruit. His farm is one of the finest in this section, owing to the admirable manner in which it has been tilled, and although he has been offered large sums for it, $1,000 per acre would not tempt him to sell. He was married to Miss Margaret Fischer, who was born and received her early education in Germany, her subsequent education being obtained in the schools of Illinois and in the Sisters' Seminary of St. Louis, Mo. Their union took place in Booneville, Mo., on December 17, 1861, and has resulted in the birth of the following children: Wilhelm F. (who resides with his father and is engaged in farming and fruit-growing, and was married to Miss Lena Myers, a native of Missouri. Besides receiving the advantages of the common schools, he attended Palmer College, of Kansas City, Kas.), Heinrich J. (single and a farmer by calling), Margaretta (an intelligent young lady), Joseph (died at the age of four years), George (died in infancy), George Conrad (died in infancy), Franz Karl (aged fifteen years), Christina Henrietta (aged fourteen), Theodore Gustave (died at the age of twelve years), and Adolph Johann (who is the youngest of the family). Mr. as well as Mrs. Rohrbach were warm friends and patrons of education, and have given their children good advantages. Mr. Rohrbach lost his wife after they had lived together for eighteen years, and she now sleeps in Quindaro Cemetery, Wyandotte County, Kas., where a handsome monument marks her last resting place. He is a Democrat in politics, but not a partisan, voting for men of integrity, irrespective of party. His first presidential vote was cast for Abraham Lincoln. During the late war he served for three months in the Home Guards of Boonville, Mo., during which time he was on scout duty and while thus employed was wounded in the right hand and left arm. He was brought up in the Lutheran faith and taught to respect all religious institutions or institutions tending to develop the good in mankind, and has always been a very generous contributor to all such enterprises. He expects to make his present place his permanent home, where he is surrounded by his dutiful and affectionate children.


Dr. J. P. Root (deceased) was born in Greenwich, Mass., April 23, 1826, and his early training was received from parents whose Puritan lineage had made them thoroughly conversant with the best and purest Christian traits. At an early day he chose the medical profession as his calling through life, and he devoted his unbending energies in that direction, his studies being pursued in New York City, where he afterward graduated from Berkshire Medical College. He soon after located at New Hartford, Conn., and was afterward elected on the Whig ticket to the State Legislature, serving out his term of office with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of all concerned. About this time the excitement over Kansas, then a Territory, stirred up the people of that locality to a wonderful degree, and when a colony was formed to emigrate to this Territory Dr. Root joined it, and came thither also, and located at Wabaunsee in the spring of 1856. He immediately identified himself with the Free Soil party, and soon won the reputation of being one of the ablest exponents of the cause. In 1857 he came to Wyandotte, and was almost immediately chosen a member of the Territorial Senate, for his fame as a man of brilliant intellect and unswerving honesty had preceded him, and he was elected president of that body. On the adoption of the Wyandotte Constitution he was made lieutenent-governor of the State, a position he continued to fill until 1861. Upon the bursting of the war cloud, which had so long menaced the country, Dr. Root volunteered his services in defense of the old flag, and served throughout the war, as surgeon of the Second Kansas Cavalry. After the close of hostilities he resumed the practice of his profession at Wyandotte, and upon the election of Gen. Grant to the presidency he received the appointment of minister plenipotentiary to Chili, South America, a position he filled for three years, with credit to himself and country, and signally distinguished himself during the small-pox epidemic in that country by his untiring efforts to mitigate the evil. His devotion was appreciated by the Chilians, and an honorary degree from the Medical University at Santiago was conferred upon him and he was presented with a gold medal. In 1873 he once more resumed his practice in Wyandotte, Kas., but in 1877 removed to Clifton Springs, N. Y., and entered the Sanitarium at that place as one of the physicians, but this work proving too confining and desiring to end his days in Kansas, led him to move back to Wyandotte in 1879, where he resided until death called him home July 20, 1885. The last time that he appeared in politics was as a delegate to the National Republican Convention, held in Chicago in 1881. In his profession he took a high position, and for three years he was surgeon -general of the State, and was the first president of the State Medical Society, and at the time of his death was president of the Eastern Kansas Medical Society and health officer of Wyandotte County. During his long years of practice he was known to be generous in the extreme, and not only did he lavish his skill and talent on the poor who applied to him for medical aid, but he often supplied them with the necessaries of life, his purse being ever at the disposal of the needy and distressed. These kindly and generous actions alone would cause his name to be held in grateful remembrance by all, had not his active life connected his name with nearly every public movement since Kansas became a Territory He was a member of the G. A. R., a Royal Arch Mason, and had been a life-long member of the Congregational Church. He was married at Greenwich, Mass., in 1855, to Miss Frances E. Alden, and by her became the father of five children.


Dr. J. P. Root, a leading dentist of Kansas City, Kas., was the fourth child in his parents' family, reference to whom is made in the sketch immediately preceding this. He was born in this city March 21, 1862, and with the exception of three years spent at Santiago, Chili, while his father was minister to that place, and three years spent in the State of New York later on, he has resided in this city all his life. He graduated from the high school of Geneva, N. Y., in 1879, and shortly afterward began the study of dentistry at Watertown, N. Y., his dental education being finished in the Kansas City Dental College, from which institution he was graduated in March, 1882. Ever since that time he has been practicing his profession in Kansas City, and has already become well and favorably known. He possesses many of his worthy father's characteristics, and gives every promise of becoming eminent in his profession. He is a member of the A. F. & A. M., the A. O. U. W., and in connection with his profession belongs to the Missouri State Dental Society, the Kansas State Dental Society and the Kansas City Dental Club. Like his father, he is a stanch Republican in his political views, and for three years he was clerk of the Board of Education. His marriage, which took place in 1884, was to Miss Kate N. Wait, of this city, by whom he has two children: Burr and Paul, aged respectively four and two years.


Herrmann Rotert is a prominent and honored citizen of Kansas City, Kas., and is a native German, his birth occurring in Hanover on April 14, 1825, coming in 1837 with his parents, Frederick and Mary (Miller) Rotert, to America, settling first in St. Louis, Mo., moving some three or four years later to Franklin County, of the same State, and there resided on a farm until 1857. The family then went to La Sueur, La Sueur County, Minn., but while on the way to that place the mother sickened, and three days after reaching that town she passed away, her husband surviving her only about three months, their deaths, therefore, occurring in 1857. The mother had been married twice, bearing her first husband two children - a son and daughter - the former of whom now resides in Allegheny, Penn., and the latter in Indiana. Her union with Mr. Rotert resulted in the birth of three sons: John Henry (deceased), Herrmann and Frederick William. The youngest son is now in St. Paul, Minn. Herrmann Rotert was given the advantages of the common schools in his youth, and in connection with this he followed the occupation of farming. He was married in Franklin County, Mo., in the fall of 1850 to Miss Amelia Myer, a daughter of Frederick W. Myer, a native German. When two or three years of age she was brought to this country by her parents. A year or two after their marriage Mr. Rotert went back to Minnesota, and purchased a farm near La Sueur, and though he resided in the town, he gave his attention to the cultivation of his land. In 1871 he sold his farm and town property there and came to Kansas City, Kas., where he has resided ever since. During the first eight years of his residence here he was employed as a car repairer, first for the Kansas Pacific, and later for the Union Pacific Railroad. In 1880 he purchased from Henry Horstman a grocery store on the corner of Everett and Fifth Streets, and this establishment has received the major part of his attention ever since. In 1883 he erected a good two-story brick block on the corner of Fifth Street and Washington Avenue, which is 50x70 feet, and comprises two good store rooms, in the rear of which, fronting on Fifth Street, he erected at the same time a first-class feed store, it being built of brick and stone, the dimensions being 20x40 feet. In one of the store rooms, which is rented out, is conducted a meat-market, and in the other Mr. Rotert has his groceries. It is one of the most complete establishments of the kind in the city, and has a very large and paying patronage. His union resulted in the birth of five children: Mary Ann (born March 14, 1855, and died November 3, 1872), Henry Phillips (born January 5, 1859), Frederick William (born November 29, 1860), John Amos (born September 23, 1864), and Ida Charlotte (born April 5, 1868). The eldest son is married. The mother of these children died on December 6, 1872, and on March 19, 1873, Mr. Rotert was married to Mrs. Frieda Potthast, who has borne him three children, as follows: Emma Matilda (born July 29, 1876), Lillie (born May 30, 1880), and Hattie (born August 28, 1881). Mrs. Rotert was born in Prussia July 28, 1838, daughter of Frederick Korstrup, her mother dying when she was four years old. She came to America with her father and step mother at the age of fourteen, and grew to womanhood in St. Louis, Mo. She was married. May 18, 1864, to Christian Potthast, by whom she had two children: Amelia (born June 28, 1865, and died September 7, 1866), and Christian (born December 7, 1866). Mr. Potthast was drowned in Dickinson County, Kas., June 13, 1866. Ever since embarking in the grocery business, Mr. Rotert has had as partners his three sons � Henry P., Frederick W. and John Amos, also his step-son, Christian Potthast. He occupies a handsome residence at No. 548 Washington Avenue, which has been erected since 1886, and besides this he owns other valuable residence property in the city, and the greater part of his attention is given to the management of his real estate, his store being left to the management of his sons. He and his family belong to the Methodist Episcopal Church, and would be valuable additions to any city.


T. C. Russell, whose sketch now claims attention, was born on December 28, 1850, being the youngest son of the twelve children born to his parents, William and Hannah (Wilson) Russell, natives of Pennsylvania. The father dying while Thomas was quite young, he naturally had much to contend with in trying to make for himself a career in the busy mercantile world. He spent the years intervening between childhood and manhood in his native place, receiving a good education in the common schools, and afterward graduated from the Commercial College, at Pittsburgh. Mr. Russell's first choice in selecting a profession was the life insurance business, but when he had mastered the same, and was beginning to succeed, he was forced to give it up, owing to throat trouble that rendered so much talking painful to him. He next turned his attention to learning the carpenter trade in Pittsburgh, continuing to work in that line through the past twenty years, and in the meantime meeting with marked success. At the present writing he numbers among the prominent contractors and builders in Kansas City, Kas., and has also worked considerable in the adjoining city - Kansas City, Mo. Among the buildings that bespeak his praise, and that he has built since coming here from Pittsburgh, in the year 1878, are the Swedish Baptist, German Methodist Episcopal Churches in this city, and the handsome business block on the Southwest Boulevard in Kansas City, Mo. He has also built many handsome private residences in both cities, accumulating thus a comfortable fortune, and winning the confidence of all who know him. Mr. Russell was, on January 4, united in matrimonial bonds with Miss Teresa Johnson, daughter of Robert and Isabella Johnson, natives of Pennsylvania, and to this union have been born three children, viz.: Twila May, Nellie Blanch and Lillian Irene. The subject of the sketch is in sympathy with the Republican party in politics, though too much occupied to give a great amount of attention to political matters. He is a charter member of the A. O. U. W, , and belongs to the Wide Awake Lodge No. 153, K. of P., also of U. R., Wyandotte Division No. 10. Thus, as the world grows older, and more and more progressive, we see on every side proof of the fact that the "self-made" men are often the most prosperous and highly esteemed, and from this class the leading men of our country have been taken.


H. H. Ryus is a man whose present substantial position in life has been attained entirely through his own perseverance, and the facts connected with his operations and their results show what a person with courage and enlightened views can accomplish. His reputation for honesty and integrity have been tried and not found wanting; his financial ability has been more than once tested, but never without credit to himself; his social qualities are well known and appreciated, and he has hosts of friends whose confidence and esteem are his highest eulogium. He was born in Schuyler County, N. Y., in 1840, and after receiving a common-school education in that State, be came with his parents to Kansas, and settled in Osage County, where he farmed for a short period, abandoning that occupation on account of drought shortly after. He then began building houses on the Sac and Fox Indian lands for Indians, after which he became connected with the Santa Fe Stage Company, and for two years drove stage between Fort Larned, Kas., and Fort Reno, Indian Ter., a distance of twenty-four miles, after which he was promoted to the position of conductor, and made one trip per month from Kansas City, Mo., to Santa Fe, and during this time had many hard fights with the Indians. At the end of this time he accepted a position with Moon, Mitchell & Co., in a settler's store at Fort Union, but at the end of one year he gave up this position to take a herd of sheep from Mexico 1,150 miles north into the mountains, and this distance was covered in two months and nine-teen days. He remained in the mountains until the fall, then went to Salt Lake, and in 1866 returned to Wyandotte County, Kas. From that time until 1871 he was engaged in saw milling seven miles west of Wyandotte, and during this time made considerable money, after which he began building houses in Wyandotte, and was chosen to the position of constable and deputy sheriff, after some time, a position he held for four years. At the end of this time he was elected sheriff of the county, serving two terms with satisfaction to all, then built a large corn and feed mill, and also engaged in the brick business with O. K. Serviss. He was also one of the chief organizers of the Kansas City & Wyandotte Dry Pressed Brick Company, and for a considerable period he and his partner, Maj. Drought, did nearly all the contracting and building done in this city, furnishing all the brick and lime for the Armourdale Packing Company, and selling in all over a million pressed brick. They also built the Desiccating & Refining Works, the entire time spent by them in contracting being four years. In 1882 Mr. Ryus built the Ryus Hotel, and in 1879 erected the Ryus Planing Mills, which he operated until June, 1890, when the establishment caught fire and burned down, the loss being $24,000. He managed the Ryus Hotel for four years in connection with his planing-mill and the real estate business, and as a man of enterprise and industry he has become well known throughout this section of the country. His experience has been quite varied, and during the sixty five times that he crossed the plains, he met with numerous thrilling experiences, and tells many amusing and interesting stories connected therewith. He was married in Kansas City, Kas., in 1867, to Miss Sarah E. Seward, who was born in Clark County, Ohio, in 1836, and to them have been born two children: Ida and M. Charles. Mr. Ryus' parents, David and Mohaebel (Stanton) Ryus, were born in New York, the mother being a relative of Secretary Stanton. The father was a cooper and painter by trade, and made his home in his native State until 1860, when he came to Kansas, and here passed from life in 1884. The mother is still living and is seventy-four years old. The paternal grandfather was born in Europe, and came to America, taking part in the War of 1812. The mother's mother lived to be ninety-two years old. Mr. Ryus is a Republican in his political views, and being a man of enterprise, he is now erecting a planing-mill to take the place of the one burned down. His daughter is a highly accomplished young lady, and is now a teacher in the Kirkwood School.





Return to Wyandotte Co. KHHP



� 2011-2012 Kansas History and Heritage Project