| FISHER FAMILY TREE partial completion) UIrich/Margaret (Gilmon Fisher John Jacob J. George Margaret J. Hormick Joseph Ulrich Jacob J/Caroline Link Charles/Maud (Dale) Jacob Dale/Mildred Benjamin Carol Rebecca Willa Genevieve/Victor Merrifield No children Carol John Jim Judy. Jane Bess/Burr MerriI Stewart Alan, Whitney, Ji m from The Minneapolis Messenger October 31, 1907 JOHN SPENSER FOX John Spenser Fox (1844-1929) b. Howard,Center Co, Pa, ma. Sarah A Kocher in 1859. They moved to Ks 1876, homesteading in Saline Co. just west of Solomon. They moved to Ottawa Co in 1883, buying a farm east of Bennington. For 16 years he worked with the Union Pacific bridge crew to help pay for the farm. A brother from Pa came to help on the farm, and later his parents and another sister and brother came. He retired 1912 and moved to Salina then to Bennington in 1919 and built a new home. Sarah died 1927 and John died 1929. Ch: Elizabeth )Lizzie), Minnie, Charles, Mae (died age 4) George, John, Samuel, and baby who died at birth. Children grew to adults on Fox farm near Bennington. Sam youngest, ma. Bessie Rehberg and lived his entire life in Bennington and Niles area. June(ma. Ernest CBud) Hamilton; Eileen ma. Robert Snyder, Jr.. Samuel later married Jessie Cherry. Sam was a farmer and carpenter. He died 1951. John Spenser Fox and Sarah knew all the privations and hardships of the early settlers in Ks, but by excellent management and hard work, they wrestled from our soil enough of this world's goods to educate their family and start each on the road to a good and useful citizenship. John Spenser was a Mason and served with the 45th Pennsylvania Volunteers during the Civil War. from the book "HISTORY OF OTTAWA COUNTY, KANSAS 1864-1984) THE LOUIS GEISSERT FAMILY HISTORY By Louis Geissert, a grandson Lewis Geissert the oldest resident and the first to locate in the Solomon Valley, became a resident of Ottawa County before its organization. Born near Alsace, France, on the 6th day of April, 1824 he was the son of George and Maggie (Burck) Geissert, natives of Alsace and representatives of prominent German families. Lewis Geissert was one of a family of eight and he remained in his parents' home until the age of 21 wthen he entered the German Army. He remained in the service as a substitute and served an additional five years. During his military career he saved a sum of money sufficient to bring him to America, landing in New York, in 1858, proceeding on to Chicago where he filed citizenship papers and soon found employment as a farm hand. In 1860, he came to Kansas locating in the Solomon Valley in Ottawa County. The county was not yet organized. Mr. Geissert selected land bordering the Solomon River which is owned by Earl Markley and the lsacc Markley Heirs, and made small improvements and in 1861 he received his title to the land. When Mr, Geissert first located here the Indians were numerous, but game of all kinds was plentiful and wild beasts roamed at will over the county. In 1867, the red men became hostile but none of the settlers were molested. Mr. Geissert's postoffice was fifty miles away and it was a two-day journey by foot. For the first five years he paid taxes to Davis County, which Ottawa County was a part of before it was organized, and for the following two years he paid taxes to Saline County. After the Kansas Pacific branch was completed to Solomon Valley, the town of Bennington was organized, thus bringing the advantages of city life within two miles of Mr. Geissert's farm. Mrs.. Geissert endured the grasshopper calamity of 1874 After the homestead bill was passed Mr. Geissert secured an adjoining eighty acres, thus making his land holdings two hundred and forty acres. He made this home for 35 years. He then sold the farm in order to secure more land in one body and purchased four hundred and eighty acres on Cole Creek. RETURN NEXT |