p. 723 - "FRANK KAHN.
"Frank Kahn is a native of Germany, and was born December 1, 1851. His father is still living, having reached his 74th year. His grandfather lived to the advanced age of 103 years. The subject of this sketch was one of thirteen children, six sons and seven daughters, ten of whom are now living. One brother, Leopold, fell in the Franco-Prussian war. Frank came to the United States in 1872 and settled first at Nashua, Illinois, where he remained for three years. He then went to Evansville, Indiana, where he clerked in the store of Nathan Frank for four years. He then came to Centralia, where he commenced business for himself, handling dry goods, clothing and gents’ furnishing goods. He was married in Columbia, Missouri in 1880, to Miss Fannie Arnold, a native of Philadelphia. They have one son. Mr. Kahn was raised and educated in Europe. He is an active, intelligent business man, and has succeeded in building up a good business. Few men could have accomplished as much in the same length of time. He came to Centralia in 1879."
"The subject of this sketch is a native of Boone county, Missouri. He is the son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Vanclief) Karnes, and was born April 18, 1838. Both his parents were natives of the Old Dominion. His maternal relatives were of Holland origin, and related to the Van Burens, of New York, one of whom, Martin Van Buren, was President of the United States. Thomas Karnes and Elizabeth Vanclief were married in Virginia in 1832, and came to Boone county three years later. They settled on the head of the Two-mile prairie, being among the first settlers of that neighborhood. Mrs. Karnes died in 1867, and Mr. Karnes in 1876. They were buried at Mt. Zion church in Rocky Fork township. They were both members of the Methodist Church South. Four children were born to them, all of whom are now living. Harvey, the oldest, is at Eureka Springs, Arkansas; Robert Payne lives on the old farm in Columbia township; John, the subject of this sketch, lives in Rocky Fork township; Joseph Vanclief is practicing law in Kansas City. John Karnes was married June 25, 1863, to Miss Sarah A. Potts of Nicholas county, Kentucky. She is the daughter of Henry T. and Lorana Potts. Her father died in 1875. Her mother is still living in Kentucky. Eight children have been born of this marriage, three sons and five daughters. Their names are Jennie, Mattie, David C., Payne, Lorana, Fannie, Charles T. and Mary. David C. is dead. He was buried with his grandparents at Mt. Zion. Mr. Karnes has lived in Boone county all his life. He was educated at the State University at Columbia, and studied law, but never practiced his profession. He has a fine farm of three hundred and twenty acres, six miles south of Centralia, which is his post-office and shipping point. The farm is all in cultivation and is well improved. Mr. and Mrs. Karnes are both members of the Methodist Church South. They worship with the Mt. Zion congregation."
"Alfred Keene is the son of John G. and Fannie (Snell) Keene, who emigrated from Kentucky to Missouri in the fall of 1826. John Keene was a native of Maryland, and was born and raised near Washington City. He once owned part of the land now incorporated within the city limits of the national capital. He was a bricklayer by trade, and worked at the business many years before coming to Missouri. After emigrating to Boone county he continued to work at the trade for several years. He built the Presbyterian church in Columbia. He died at the age of seventy-six years, and is buried on the grounds of the old Hinkson church, now owned by F. M. Johnson. The subject of this sketch was born January 21, 1817, at Georgetown, Kentucky; he came to Boone county with his parents in the fall of 1826; he never went to school a day in his life. Having learned the trade of bricklaying from his father, and being a good workman, he found no difficulty in procuring employment; he was engaged to work on the State University, and helped to lay the front wall of that building; he also built the first brick house ever erected in the town of Rocheport. He assisted in building the Fulton Asylum; he also built the president’s mansion at Columbia, and superintended the work on the new public school building. He has been a bricklayer for fifty years. In 1837 Mr. Keene enlisted in the Florida war under Capt. Ellis, serving one year. He was married February 8, 1844, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel and Jane (Johnson) Hannah. By this marriage they have had four sons and two daughters. Their names are: James H., born March 3, 1845; George W., born September 2, 1846; Amanda, born September 26, 1848, died March 6, 1849; Elizabeth, born February 1, 1850, died February 6, 1850; Robert, born May 13, 1853, died February 23, 1860; Thomas, born July 24, 1856. Since 1850 Mr. Keene has followed farming in addition to working at his trade. He owns a small farm of sixty-one acres, five miles north of Columbia, on the Paris road."
p. 1125 - "JOHN DUDLEY KEMPER. "The subject of this sketch is a son of Peter and Rebecca Kemper, and was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, September 17, 1828. His parents were also both native Kentuckians, his father having been born and raised in Fayette county, that State, and his mother in Bourbon. They came to Missouri in 1829, when John Dudley was about a year old, and settled in this county, and continued to reside here till the time of their death. Mr. Kemper was, therefore, reared and educated in Boone county. In February, 1852, on the 17th day of that month, he was married to Miss Susan Frances Ballenger, a native of this county, born February 19, 1836. Her parents are James E. and Amanda Kemper,* natives of South Carolina, who came here at an early day and still reside in that county. Mr. and Mrs. Kemper have had seven children, five of them still living, three of them are married and settled on farms. Both Mr. and Mrs. K. are members of the Old School Baptist church, and two of their children belong to the same. He owns a large farm in Rocky Fork township of nearly six hundred acres, and all, except forty acres, are well improved, a large part of it being in a high state of cultivation. Like many others are now living in Boone county, Mr. Kemper came of a stock of people whose ancestors fought for our freedom in the war of the Revolution, his grandfather having served as a soldier in that great struggle for liberty." (*Ballenger?)
"Prof. Kern is a native of Stuttgart, Germany, and was born in 1825. His father, Prof. Christian G. Kern, occupied the chair of theology in the University of Wurtemburg. Maximilian G. was educated at the Botanical Gardens and University of Tubigen, and was employed in the king’s gardens and conservatories near Stuttgart for two years. He then travelled through Belgium, Holland, Germany, and also went to France, and was three years in the ‘Garden of Plants,’ in Paris, St. Louis and Versailles. During the revolution of 1848, he and some friends were in Versailles; and hearing the cannonading at Paris, they went up into that city and were on the streets during the fighting between the soldiers and communists, having to remain in the city nineteen hours before they got out again. In July, 1848, he came to America, landing at New York City, where he took charge of the grounds and gardens of a wealthy merchant, with whom he remained nine months. Going next to Cincinnati, he remained four years engaged in horticulture and landscape gardening. Here he learned the English language, and in 1853, published a book on landscape gardening. He next accepted a position to teach that subject for the faculty of Farmers’ College, near Cincinnati, where he remained till, in 1857, he came West, and located at Alton, Illinois, and opened a fruit farm and nursery in 1858. For several years succeeding his services were called into requisition in decorating the floral hall of the St. Louis Fair. He superintended the decoration of the Sanitary Fair in St. Louis in 1864, and drew a complimentary testimonial from Gen. Rosencrans, the commandant of that department. He was then engaged by the commissioners of Lafayette Park to take charge of that resort. He continued to reside at the park for several years, from 1864, and designed the present ornamentation and improvements of that beautiful place. This secured him the appointment by Mayor Brown of general superintendent of parks which position he held four years. He designed the grounds of Benton park, Laclede park, Washington square, Missouri park, St. Louis place and Hyde park. Next he was appointed general superintendent of Forest park, which he held two years, laying out the grounds of that enchanting retreat. After this he laid out two cemeteries in St. Louis and one at Chattanooga, Tennessee. He also did decoration work of a similar nature at Rome, Atlanta, Columbus and other places in the South. In 1881 Prof. Kern came to Columbia, and has since that time been connected, in his professional capacity, with the State University. He was married in Cincinnati, in 1852, to Miss Elizabeth Pinger. They have had eight children, four of whom, Minnie, Julia, Ida and May, are living, and four, Ernest, David, Freeman and Henrietta, are deceased. The surviving children are all at home, and the three youngest attend the University."
"Dr. James Albert Kerr is the son of Wm. Kerr, a farmer and a native of Frederick county, VA, and Isabella Castlemane Kerr, born in Clark county, VA. The doctor was born on his father’s farm March 6, 1838. He was the youngest child of a family of fifteen children, nine boys and six girls. Three of the boys still survive. The doctor was educated chiefly at the Winchester (VA) University. In the spring of 1854 he entered the drug store of David Ricketts, of Baltimore, and remained one year. The next year he served with J. B. Moore, in the same business, in Washington, D.C. The next year he was with John Keeshan, Cincinnati, and the next two years with Alex. Leitch & Co., St. Louis. In the spring of 1859 he became book-keeper for Rufus Fitch & Co., stationers. He then made a trip to Texas and was absent six months. On his return, in 1861, under Dr. J. N. Edwards, of Jefferson City, he continued the study of medicine, which he had already begun while serving as a druggist. He received his diploma from the St. Louis Medical College, in 1862. In March, 1863, he began the practice of his profession at Cedar City, Callaway county. He remained there two years, or until the spring of 1865, when, having been drafted into the Federal service as a common soldier, and not wishing to fight against the South, his sympathies being with that section, he excused himself (!) And went to Salt Lake City. Here he practiced for thirteen months. From the spring of 1866 till the ensuing fall he was in Helena, Montana. He then came to Boone county, and settled in Ashland, and here and in the surrounding country he has ever since been actively engaged in the practice of his profession. "May 17, 1870, Dr. Kerr married Miss Sophia A. Nichols, a daughter of Robert Nichols, a farmer , and an old resident of Boone county. They have had born to them six children, three boys and three girls. Of these one boy and two girls are still living. The doctor is a member of the Ashland Baptist church and belongs to the Ancient Order United Workmen."
"The subject of this sketch was born in Boone county, October 19, 1828. He is the son of James and Kissiah (Penic) King, both natives of Kentucky, but early settlers in Boone county. Mr. King was reared on the home place about two miles west of Columbia, where his father lived and died. In early manhood, the subject of this sketch crossed the plains to California where he remained for two years working in the mines. He returned home in 1852, and resumed his former occupation – farming. Was married, December 15, 1853, to Mary, daughter of David and Cynthia Shock, of Boone county. They have nine children living: William, May, Francis, David Everly, Maggie, Mattie, Walter, Dora, and Minnie. Mr. and Mrs. King are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Mr. King has lived a life of earnest, persistent toil, and by industry and prudent management has accumulated a handsome estate and won the esteem and confidence of a wide circle of friends and acquaintances."
p. 894 - "SIMEON BEAUFORD KIRTLEY. p. 895 - "HON. J. W. KNEISLEY. "James William Kneisley was born in Shenandoah county, Virginia, April 16, 1825, and there grew to manhood, receiving his education at the common schools and at Strasburg academy. In 1854 he removed to Marion county, Missouri, locating at Palmyra. This was his home until 1866, when he removed to Jefferson City, and from thence to Columbia about the close of the year 1867, where he has since resided. Capt. Kneisley’s chief occupation in life has been that of a carpenter and builder. He was apprenticed to the carpenter’s trade in early life, when possessed of ample means, and at a time when it was not dreamed that a resort to it would ever become necessary. He is regarded as a thoroughly excellent workman. "In the summer of 1861, upon the breaking out of the war between the States, Capt. Kneisley espoused the cause of the South, and enlisted in the Missouri State Guard, as captain of ‘Kneisley’s Battery,’ which he commanded until the close of hostilities, although he was in the State of Illinois, on important private business, when his commander, Gen. E. Kirby Smith, surrendered. During his term of service the captain participated in the engagements at Monroe City, Athens, Shelbina and Lexington, Missouri; Elk Horn (Pea Ridge) and Prairie Grove, Arkansas; Mansfield and Pleasant Hill Louisiana. In these actions he was present with his battery. On Price’s last raid into Missouri, in the fall of 1864, he was present as a volunteer in the most important engagements. In the early spring of 1865 he made his way from his command, then in Southern Arkansas, to Illinois, to care for his children and other private affairs, and after a perilous and adventurous journey worthy of record in a separate volume, reached his destination in safety. As before stated, he was in Illinois when hostilities entirely ceased. "President Buchanan appointed Capt. Kneisley to be postmaster at Palmyra, and he held that position upon the outbreak of the war. In 1878 he was elected representative from this county to the State Legislature, and in 1880 was reelected, running on the Democratic ticket each time. He is a member of the Committee on the State University, and has done a great deal of valuable work for that important institution. "Capt. K. has been twice married. His first wife was Miss Sophia McCloud, to whom he was married January 11, 1848. She died September 25, 1864. His second marriage was to Mrs. Martha Phelps, and occurred April 13, 1867. He is the father of six children, three of whom have attained maturity. In politics the captain is a Democrat; in religion a Presbyterian; in all things honorable and upright."
"The subject of this sketch is a gentleman of fine culture, being a thorough graduate of the Missouri State University. He is a native of Howard county, Missouri, the son of Jacob and Permelia Kurtz. Was born February 17, 1837. Mr. Kurtz’s life-struggle stamps him a man of superior worth. With few natural advantages, and little or no assistance, he marked out for himself, while yet a mere boy, a course of life which comprehended a thorough classical education, and in his case, to will, was to accomplish all that he aspired to. Mastering all the studies taught in the district schools, he came to Columbia and entered the University in 1859. At the close of the session of 1860, Mr. Kurtz returned to Howard county and taught school for one year. He next went to Dover, Lafayette county, Missouri, where he taught for one session. He returned to the State University and resumed his studies during the session of 1862. The war had by this time almost broken up the schools of the county and Mr. Kurtz, finding nothing to do in his line, left the country, going first to Chicago and thence to Canada. While in Canada, he went to school and taught in the public schools of that province. At the close of the war he returned to Missouri and resumed his studies at the University, where he graduated in 1866, after which he was tutor of Latin for one year. In 1872 he was made first assistant in the normal department of the University. At the close of this session, he went to Montgomery City, Missouri, where he took charge of the college. When he entered upon his duties there were but thirty-six students in attendance. At the end of six years, when Mr. Kurtz retired from the institution, there were 350. In 1878, Mr. Kurtz came to Columbia and engaged in the grocery business. Having been chosen principal of the Rocheport academy, he sold out his business in Columbia and took charge of that school. He remained in Rocheport until March 1st, 1881, when he bought the farm known as ‘Greenwood’, two miles northeast of Columbia, where he now resides. Professor Kurtz was married December 23d, 1868, to Sarah L., daughter of Col. F. T. and Myra C. Russell, of Columbia, Missouri. By this union they have six children, four sons and two daughters. Their names are Russell L., Cannie May, D.W.B. Jr., Francis A. Lula May and T. Newton. Prof. Kurtz is a member of the Masonic order, also a member of the Baptist church."
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