William Sturm, sewing machines and organs, native of Peoria, Ill., born May 6, 1835. From here he went, in 1853, to Clayton County, Iowa, and went into Lewis Sturm's sawmill, where he remained till 1860, then going West to Denver, Colo., and on to Russell's Gulch, then to Lake Gulch, where he kept store; returning to Clayton County, Iowa, in 1861, and built a grist mill in which he owned one-quarter, father, one-quarter, and W. D. G. Eastman one-half. Before it was finished his grandfather bought Eastman's interest, so the firm was Lewis, Nicholas & William Sturm; the mill and farm was called Sturm's mill and farm. They run this till 1866, and sold to John Carty. He then went to Colorado City and opened a store; sold this, making about $1,000; he returned to Clayton County; here he bought a water-power, built a sawmill and sold to his partner, H. C. Beman. This was in 1868; he then bought an interest in a grist mill and farm with W. B. Grant, and sold again, coming to Fort Scott in 1873, when he established his present business, acting as sub-agent for the Singer Sewing Machine Company, under S. E. Hatfield, but in 1874 he took a general agency till 1875; he then worked in connection with Mr. Anthony till 1879, when he enlarged his business, carrying the Whitney & Holmes, Estey and Camp and Haynes organs and list of pianos. Mr. Sturm is a man of strong convictions, being an earnest advocate of the temperance principles, and he was one of the Council when the compromise of indebtedness was effected. He married Miss Wolf, daughter of Thomas Wolf. They have three children-- two sons and one daughter. Mr. Sturm is a member of the I. O. O. F., and of the Royal Templars of Temperance. History of ??? County Kansas, 1882 source: History of ???
County Kansas, 1882 |