A. F. Kemman,  a civil engineer  of New Hampton,  was born in La Grange, Illinois,  April 29, 1858,  his parents be Henry and Louise (Buchholz) Kemman,  both of whom were natives of Hanover, Germany.  The mother came to the United States in her childhood days with her parents.  The father first came to the United States as a youth of eighteen years,  making the trip to the new world on a sailing vessel,  on the way across he made himself generally useful aboard ship.  After landing in New York City he failed to find any employment and a few days later,  seeing the captain of the vessel  on which he had crossed,  he asked for a job.  He was accepted and for the succeeding nine years followed a seafaring life,  touching all the ports on the Atlantic and Indian oceans. About 1851,  however, he left the sea and took up his abode in the United States,  making his way to Chicago,  where he worked for a Mr. Dickey,  who owned an eighty acre farm adjoining La Grange,  for which he had paid only $3.50 per acre.  Subsequently Mr. Kemman bought 80 acres of Michigan and Illinois canal land for $5.00 per acre,  adjoining Mr. Dickey's place,  and settled thereon, making it his home for a quarter of a century. He afterward bought another 80 acre tract in the same section,  which is now owned by his sons.  Upon the old homestead farm which he  there developed and improved the father continued to reside until his death,  in 1883, and became recognized as one of the representative agriculturists of the district.

  A. F. Kemman,  was educated in the district schools and at the La Grange town schools, while he pursued a course in the Metropolitan Business College of Chicago and in the Illinois State Normal University of Normal, Illinois.   Still later he attended the University of Illinois but prior to entering upon his university course taught school for three years. He did not thoroughly enjoy professional work of that character,  however, and fitted himself for civil engineering by his university course. On the 27th of June, 1882,  he came to Iowa,  settling on a farm in New Hampton township,  Chickasaw County,  and for twelve years devoted his time and energies to general agricultural pursuits.  This farm,  which comprises 226 acres  of rich and productive land pleasantly and conveniently situated two miles east of New Hampton,  has been recently sold.  In the fall of 1893, however, he took up his abode in the city of New Hampton in order to give his children the advantages of the public schools here.  In 1909 he was appointed county surveyor,  which office he held until the position was abolished by legislative enactment.  He was then made county engineer and afterward county highway engineer, serving in the three offices from 1909 until 1916.  He also served a number of years as city engineer of New Hampton.  Since 1916 he has been engaged in the private practice of his profession and is regarded as one of the capable and eminently successful civil engineers of this part of the state.  He thoroughly understands every practical phase of the business and its  scientific features as well and is now accorded a large clientage.

  On the 8th of July,  1883,  Mr. Kemman was united in marriage to Miss Louise Schert, of Cook Co., Illinois, and they have become the parents of five children,  of whom four are yet living:  Martha,  who is a stenographer in the employ of M. E. Geiser,  an attorney of New Hampton;   Arthur S., who is serving as a lieutenant in the United States army and is now stationed at the navy yard in Bremerton,  Washington;   Alvin R.,  in the State Bank of New Hampton;  and Elva, a stenographer in the University of Minnesota.   Both of the sons served in the World War.

  Mr. Kemman is a democrat in his political views and for twenty-four years was a member of the New Hampton school board.  The cause of education has ever found in him a stalwart champion and he puts forth every effort to advance the interests of the schools and promote educational standards.  He belongs to Lancelot Lodge,  No. 183, K. P.,  to the Brotherhood of Yeomen and the Modern Woodmen of America. he and his family are members of the Lutheran  church and occupy an enviable social position,  the hospitality of the best homes in New Hampton and this section of the state being cordially extended them.  Mr. Kemman has ever been actuated by laudable determination and purpose.  While content with what he has accomplished as he has gone along,  he has nevertheless  been actuated  by that ambition that has ever prompted him to take a forward step and he has thus broadened the scope of his activity and usefulness.

Source: History of Chickasaw and Howard Co (1919), Vol II, Synopsis of pages 212, 213. Transcribed by Lookup Person Leonard Granger.

KEPPLE FAMILY

Glen D. KEPPLE, is junior partner in the firm of KEPPLE and HUFFMAN, leading merchants and foremost men of Ionia.  He was born in the city of Chickasaw on the 23rd of March 1889, and is a son of Honorable Presley L. and Lizzie (RAUMBAUGH) KEPPLE, both of whom are natives of North Washington, Chickasaw County, and representatives of early pioneer families of this section of the state.  He graduated in 1906 from Ionia High School and attended Capital City Commercial School in Des Moines. In 1911, he and Joshua HUFFMAN became partners in business and in 1917 a second store was purchased in Floyd, Iowa, which Mr HUFFMAN managed.  In 1910, Mr Glen KEPPLE married Miss Edith PETERSON, of Nashua, Chickasaw County, by whom they have two children, Merrill L. and Margaret E. KEPPLE.  He now is also the township constable and a member of the Ionia School Board. The father, the Honorable Presley L. KEPPLE is the present representative from this district in the General Assembly of Iowa and for twenty-five years he was a prominent figure in the business circles of Ionia.  He served several years as postmaster of Ionia and is now in the third term as a member of the assembly.   He was educated in the local schools and assisted in farming.  He and his two brothers, John W. and Fred KEPPLE, engaged in merchandising in Ionia.  In 1912 after several mercantile pursuits, he was succeeded by his son G.D. KEPPLE, and he at times was postmaster, justice of peace, town council member and board of education member.  In 1914, he was elected to represent this district in the thirty-sixth general assembly. On the 12th of December, 1883, Mr Presley KEPPLE was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth RAUMBAUGH of Charles City, Iowa, by whom they had six children, five of whom survive:  Madge L. wife of Dr W.L. HANSEN, of Green, Iowa; Carl D., a rancher in Montana; Trula F, who is an office employee of Iowa State Dairy and Food Dept in Des Moines, Glen D. who has succeeded his father in business in Ionia; and Gladys W., who is a public school teacher and resides at home. Presley was born in Chickasaw County on the 11th of July 1857, a son of Daniel and Elizabeth (BYERS) KEPPLE, who are natives of Pennsylvania.  They came to Iowa in 1855 or 1856 establishing a home in WashingtonTownship, Chickasaw County, where the father took up a claim of government land.  Not a furrow had been turned and he built a log cabin in which the third son Presley L. KEPPLE was born.  In 1865 the family moved to Chickasaw Township and purchased 200 acres of land, and later they moved to the old town of Chickasaw, where the father engaged in merchandising.  The last fifteen years of retired life Daniel KEPPLE lived in Ionia where he passes away in 1893 at age eighty-three and his wife died in 1894 at age eighty-seven. Source: History of Chickasaw and Howard Co (1919), Vol II, Synopsis of pages 125, 424 - 426 FRANK KLIMESH Frank KLIMESH, is a farmer of Utica Township, Chickasaw County, residing on Section 3, and belongs to one of the oldest pioneer families of the county.  He was born on the old family homestead on 09 February 1884, a son of Mr and Mrs Frank J. KLIMESH. The son, after obtaining a district school education, concentrated his efforts and attention upon the task of assisting his father until he could engage in business on his own account. In February 1908, Mr KLIMESH was united in marriage to Miss Caroline BOUSKA, a daughter of John BOUSKA of Protivin.  He and his wife are now rearing a nice little family of four children: Frank M., Edward, Mary, and Angeline. He is a member of the school board and sincerely interested in many matters of public concern. Source: History of Chickasaw and Howard Co (1919), Vol II, Synopsis of pages 508 - 511 JOHN J. KLIMESH John J. KLIMESH, the owner of Maple Side Farm, situated on Section 35, Utica Township has been a lifelong resident of Chickasaw County.  John was born February 22, 1886, on the family farm, his parents Frank J. and Lena (SOBOLIK) KLIMESH had a family of ten children.  Nine of the children are still living: Frank and John J. (subject of this review) who are both resident farmers of Chickasaw County; Lena, the wife of Robert LUKISH; Mary, wife of Adolph ZAHASKY, a farmer of Chickasaw County; Rose, Barbara, Lewis, Joseph, Adaline, all at home. The father was born in Winneshiek County, Iowa on 9 July 1861, his parents being John and Anna (MIKOTA) KLIMESH, both of whom are natives of Bohemia.  John KLIMESH came to the United States as a very poor man, owing five dollars on his passage across the Alantic.  He was a mason and worked at his trade while paying for the family farm of 280 acres, which he cleared of all its indebtedness. On the 4th of October 1910, was celebrated the marriage of Mr John J. KLIMESH and Miss Mary PECINOVSKY, a daughter of Joseph A. PECINOVSKY of Howard county.  They have become the parents of a son and daughter, William J. and Emma M. KLIMESH. Source: History of Chickasaw and Howard Co (1919), Vol II, pages 288 - 291 FRANK WENCESLAUS KOBLISKA SR Frank Wenceslaus KOBLISKA (Sr), farms Section 32, Deerfield Township, Chickasaw County, Iowa.  He was born in Bohemia in September 25, 1858, a son of Vaclav "James" Wensel KOBLISKA and Eleanora BRUNA and arrived in the United States with parents in 1869.  On 20 Nov 1882, Frank KOBLISKA married Miss Barbara HRNECEK at Spillville, Calmar Township, Winneshiek County Iowa.  She is a daughter of Frank and Anna HRNECEK, both of whom are natives of Bohemia. The family farmed in Winneshiek County for 19 years before moving to the family farm of 160 acres in Deerfield Township.  He has expanded the farm to 249 acres, is a stockholder in several business and also owns 320 acres in North Dakota, making him a prosperous farmer of this section of the state. To Mr and Mrs Kobliska have been born twelve children: Frank W. and Joseph, both of whom are married; Mrs Christina Bouska; Louis, who is also married; and Barabara, Anna, Mary, Carrie, Carl (Charles), John, Cecelia and Leonora, all yet at home.  The father died 07 Sep 1881 and his mother is now living with another son, Matt KOBLISKA, who farms the original old home place near Spillville, in Winneshiek County. Source: History of Chickasaw and Howard Co (1919), Vol II, pages 168 - 171 and Family History Research, compiled by Jannette Hendricks FRANK WENCESLAUS KOBLISKA JR Frank Wenceslaus KOBLISKA (Jr), farms Section 3, Deerfield Township, Chickasaw County, of which he is a native, born 02 Aug 1887.  His parents being Frank KOBLISKA and Barbara HRNECEK, both natives of Bohemia, who are also residents of Deerfield Township.  His youthful days, outside of school hours, were devoted to work upon his father's farm and to task he applied his energies until the time of his marriage. On Nov 9, 1915, he was joined in wedlock to Miss Nellie DUNN and the young couple began their domestic life upon the present home farm, comprising 92 acres of land which was a gift to Mr KOBLISKA from his father.  Mrs KOBLISKA, like her husband, is a representative of one of the old families of this section of the state, her parents being Patrick and Julia DUNN, who are still living in Afton Township, Howard County.  Mr and Mrs KOBLISKA have one child, Paul Francis, now in his first year. He is neglectful of none of the duties and obligations which devolve upon the progressive citizen, but business affairs claim the greater part of his time and he is now successfully developing his farm and raising registered, full-blooded Chester hogs.  Both branches of his business are proving profitable and he deserves classification with the representative farmers and stock raisers of northern Iowa. Source: History of Chickasaw and Howard Co (1919), Vol II, pages 238 - 239 ANTHONY KRAMER Anthony Kramer, a representative of the farming interests of Chickasaw County,  makes his home on section 11,  Chickasaw  township.  He was born in Fayette county, Iowa,  September 18, 1858,  and is the son of Andrew and Francesca Kramer,  who were natives of Germany.  They were probably married, however,  in Pennsylvania and about 1853 moved to Iowa,  casting  in their lot with the pioneer settlers of Fayette county, where they resided until 1867.  They then came to Chickasaw county, taking up their abode in Washington township,  where Mr. Kramer bought 80 acres of land,  and thereon he resided to the time of his death,  which occurred in 1872.  He had  for a brief period survived his wife,  who died  April 24, 1874.   Anthony Kramer, had but limited chance to obtain an education but when opportunity  offered he attended the district schools.  His parents were in humble financial circumstances and his aid was needed upon the farm when there was work to be done. He was 19 years of age,  when his father died and he and his elder brother  took charge of the home place and through the following four years continued its further cultivation and improvement.  This period embraced three years of wheat crop failure,  and being unable to raise anything, the brothers determined to sell the home place.  In 1883, therefore,  the family was broken up and  Anthony Kramer, began work as a farm hand.  Times were hard and during many winter seasons he worked for $12.00 a month.  He is now one of the prosperous agriculturists of the county,  his prosperity being in marked contrast to his financial condition of a few decades ago.   On the 25th of February, 1895, Mr. Kramer, was joined in wedlock to Miss Elizabeth Jane Conley, a daughter of Michael Conley, now deceased,  who was one of the early settlers of Chickasaw county,  establishing his home in Chickasaw county about 1855.   Previously he had been one of the famous "49ers" who made the trip across the plains to California following the discovery of gold on the Pacific coast.   In fact he made two different trips to that state.   After his marriage Mr. Kramer located upon his present home farm,  which his wife inherited from her father and which is now owed by Mr. Kramer.  It comprises 160 acres of well improved and valuable property,  constituting a most pleasing future in the landscape.   In 1914 Mr. Kramer was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife,  who passed away on the 14th of September of that year,  leaving five children;  Anna M. P. at home,  William Patrick, who died of January  15, 1919,  of influenza while attending  the Automobile Tractor School in Sioux City;  and Mary M.;  Anthony G. and  Catherine F. E., all at home.   Mr. Kramer and his family are members of the Catholic church  and is identified also with the Modern Woodmen of America,  while politically he is a democrat.  His life has been quietly passed in the conduct of farming interests and he has won a creditable place among the successful agriculturists of Chickasaw county. Source: History of Chickasaw and Howard Counties, Iowa.  Vol. II, Pages 237 and 238.  Transcribed by Lookup Person - Leonard Granger CHICKASAW COUNTY MAIN PAGE