Kline, William Manuel

KLINE, WEISHAAR, CORNINGER, DOWNING, JONES, CONRAD

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 9/6/2009 at 16:21:26

Kline, William Manuel

Though a native of the Sucker State, William Manuel Kline, farmer of Independence Township, Jasper County, has spent practically all his life in Iowa, where he has met with encouraging success all along the line, but he would have succeeded, no doubt, just as well had he continued to live in his native state, for he has the natural elements of success, industry, persistence and patience, without which little is done no matter how favorable the environments are in which one finds himself.

Mr. William Manuel Kline was born in Ogle County, Illinois, May 25, 1854, and when six weeks old his parents brought him to Clear Creek Township, Jasper County, Iowa, where he grew up and has been a continuous resident to the present time. He is the son of Henry and Catherine (Weishaar) Kline, the father born in Pennsylvania and the mother in Ohio. They came to this locality in the early days of its history and here became fairly well established, clearing and developing a good farm and here they spent the rest of their lives, both dying in Clear Creek Township, the father in 1864 and the mother in October 1889. Their family consisted of three children, of whom, William M., of this sketch, was the eldest; the next in order of birth was Mrs. Rachael Corninger, who was born February 28, 1856, is living in Boone, Iowa; Mrs. Mary Axey C. Downing, born August 16, 1858, died April 9, 1883; the two latter were born in Clear Creek Township, this county, and all were reared here, attending the old log schoolhouses. Their parents endured all the privations of pioneer life.

William M. Kline knew what hard work was when but a boy, for he grew up in a new country where the wild native soil had to be developed, but he has made a success as a general farmer and is now the owner of a well improved farm of sixty acres in Independence Township, on which is to be seen a new dwelling and all up-to-date improvements.

Mr. Kline was married on August 22, 1898, to Elva Jones, who was born in Ohio, November 29, 1872, being the daughter of James and Mary Ann (Conrad) Jones, both born in Ohio. The mother is now deceased, having passed away in 1910, and the father is a resident of Oklahoma. Ten children, an equal number of sons and daughters, were born to Mr. and Mrs. James Jones, namely: Maggie, Alpha, Elva (wife of Mr. Kline), Elnora, Maude, Charlie, William, Elmer, John and Howard.

To Mr. and Mrs. Kline have been born five children, namely: Bryan Peter, born August 5, 1899; Donald Towne, born February 3, 1901; Axey Elnora, born February 12, 1902; Mary Ann, born September 8, 1905; Minnie, born November 19, 1907. They were all born in Clear Creek Township.

Politically, Mr. Kline is a Democrat, and he takes much interest in the welfare of the community in general; he is especially interested in educational affairs, and he moved to Independence Township on March 1, 1911, in order to secure better educational facilities for his children. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 1205