Cleopas Cleophas 1847-1933

CLEOPHAS

Posted By: Gordon Felland (email)
Date: 1/13/2006 at 22:30:12

Cleopas Cleophas (Apr 14, 1847-1933)
Edwin Cleophas (June 23, 1849 - July 2, 1927)

Cleophas Brothers are engaged in the general mercantile trade at Kensett village. Their parents are natives of Norway, and in the summer of 1842 settled in Newark, Rock Co., Wis., where they have since lived and reared a family of five sons and one daughter. C. Cleophas is the third child of this family. He was born April 14, 1847, and was reared to hard work. When nineteen years of age, he went to Minnesota, and there remained for a few years, engaged in farming pursuits. He then went to Dakota territory, and in the fall of 1867 located at Kensett in the mercantile trade. In the spring of 1875 he was commissioned postmaster, and established the post office at Kensett, where he has since resided. The original firm was established in the spring of 1875, as K. Cleophas & Bros., consisting of K., C. and E. Cleophas, and the business was conducted under this name until 1881, when K. Cleophas was elected to the office of county treasurer, and the firm dissolved. It has since been continued, with no less success, under the firm name of Cleophas Bros. Edwin Cleophas, junior member of the present firm, was born June 23, 1849, in Rock Co., Wis., where he was reared on a farm, receiving but little early education. He attended four terms in the years 1809 and 1870, in the preparatory department of Beloit College, and in the fall of 1871 was a student one term at the Wisconsin State University, at Madison. He went west to Minnesota in the spring of 1872, and "farmed it" for two years in connection with his brother, C. Cleophas. He also taught English school for three winters, with good success. In the spring of 1875 he came to Kensett., and engaged in business with his two brothers. He was elected a justice of the peace in 1876, held the office one year, and then resigned. In 1878 he was commissioned a notary public, which office he still holds. Mr. Cleophas was married May 31, 1882, to Kjerstie B. Nerby, born in Norway, July 20, 1863, and emigrated to America with her parents when only five years old. They have one daughter — Gertrude Christena, born June 23, 1883.

Source: History or Mitchell and Worth Counties, Iowa, 1883, Page 783.