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up his residence in Nebraska, became a retail grocer and banker. He served two terms as a member of the Grand Island city council prior to his death on August 5, 1931. His wife, Christina, was born in Marne, Germany, in 1852, and died in Grand Island, January 31, 1922.
John Knickrehm attended the Platte and Howard schools, and when only eight years old worked in his father's store. A grocer all of his life, he has attained much prominence in his chosen work, is the owner of a number of stores, and during 1927-28, was president of the Nebraska Grocers' Association.
He is a member of the Chamber of Commerce (president retail section 1926-27) ; the Grand Island Advertising Club; the Federation of Nebraska Retailers and the National Grocers Association. A Republican, he served three terms as a member of the city council, and was its president 1926-27.
Mr. Knickrehm is an Elk, and a member of all Masonic bodies including Tehama Temple of the Shrine, and the Order of Eastern Star. He contributes to the Red Cross and Salvation Army, and during the late war took part in Liberty loans, the sale of thrift stamps and in all other civilian projects. His religious affiliation is with the English Lutheran Church.
Recently he was elected to life membership in The Nebraskana Society. He is a member of Plattdutsche Vereln, the Liederkranz, and the Woodland Country Club as well as the Rotary Club. His favorite sport is golf, and his hobbies are baseball and football.
On August 20, 1913, Mr. Knickrehm was married to Miss Emma Stoppkotte, and to this union were born three children, Hubert John, born April 30, 1915; Marie, born October 30, 1918; and Rosa, born November 29, 1921. Mrs. Knickrehm died December 20, 1921. On June 17, 1926, Mr. Knickrehm was married to Miss Raamah Swartz of Lincoln. Residence: Grand Island. (Photograph on Page 669).
Augusta Henriette Knight
Augusta Henriette Knight, teacher of art in Omaha for the past twenty-three years, was born at Augusta, Illinois. She is the daughter of William S. and Anna M. (Mack) Knight, the former a native of Coshocton, Ohio, born August 17, 1840. William S. Knight was a clergyman with the degree of Doctor of Divinity, who furthered the cause of education in many ways, and for years was pastor of the Presbyterian Church at Carthage, Missouri, where he died on November 5, 1905. His ancestry was English and Scotch.
Anna Mack Knight was born at Carthage, Illinois, January 27, 1854, and died at Omaha, July 24, 1924. She was prominent in club and welfare work, especially the social settlement, as well as in missionary and church work. Of German ancestry, her great-grandfather was president of Jena University, Germany, and her father was a prominent lawyer. On the paternal side the family was Dutch, descended from Alexander Mack, founder of the Mennonite Colony in America.
Miss Knight was educated in the public schools of Carthage, Missouri, and received her A. B. from Carthage Collegiate Institute. She received a normal art diploma from Pratt Institute at Brooklyn, in 1908. She has studied art at the Chicago Art Institute at various times, the St. Louis School of Fine Arts, the Artist's Colony at Provincetown, Massachusetts, etc. In 1922 she attended New York University during the summer session. She was the holder of a scholarship to Pratt Institute, and the winner of the Robert Morseman prize for the best collective paintings at the Nebraska Art Exhibition; she received honorable mention in water color at the Midwestern Artists Exhibit at Kansas City, also.
From 1908-15, she was teacher of art at Brownell Hall. Since 1912 she has been teacher of art at the University of Omaha. She is represented in private collections, and has received honors in exhibitions at various times. She works in oil, water color and etching, and in leather and metal. She is a painter of landscape and still life. At the present time Miss Knight is director of art at the University of Omaha, and has classes at the Young Women's Christian Association.
She is a member of the First Presbyterian Church. Her professional organizations include the Omaha Art Guild, the Omaha Artists Association, the Art section of the Nebraska State Teachers Association and the Western Arts Association. Her particular interest, however, is in her pupils who have gone out to teach, and who have received honors in their work. She is fond of gardening in a small way, and in reading and sketching. Residence: Omaha.
Reuben Edward Knight
Reuben Edward Knight, banker and civil engineer, was born at Decorah, Iowa, April 27, 1885, and has resided in Nebraska since 1908.
He is the son of Aaron E. and Cora (Strayer) Knight. He was educated first in the public schools of East Denver and was graduated from the East Denver High School in 1903. He received the degree of Metallurgical Engineer from the Colorado School of Mines in 1907.
On November 9, 1910, he was married to Florence McKeen at Denver. To them were born two children, Edward McKean, born December 4, 1911; and Edith Elaine, born January 26, 1920.
Since 1908, Mr. Knight has been cashier of the Alliance National Bank. Prominent also in Republican politics, he has served as county commissioner two terms, as county surveyor and as city engineer. He is affiliated with the First Presbyterian Church, and is in his third term as a member of the school board. Residence: Alliance.
Fred Knobel
Born at Odessa, Nebraska, December 4, 1886, Fred Knobel has been a farmer there most of his life. His father, Andrew Knobel, who was also a farmer, was born in Switzerland in 1842, moved to Odessa in 1880 where he engaged in farming, and died at that place in October, 1891. He was married in New York State to Kathern Hefty. The mother was born in Switzerland, December 10, 1843, and died at Odessa, November 6, 1929.
Mr. Knobel attended rural high school. He has been a director of the local school board for the past 18 years, is a member of the Parent Teachers Association and the Red Cross, and is an honorary member of the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce. He is actively interested in 4-H Club work, is fond of baseball and basketball, and spends much time in landscape gardening. During the late war he was chairman of loan drives in his community. In 1929 Mr. Knobel was made a Master Farmer of Nebraska.
His marriage to Lottie Anna Sear was solemnized at Odessa, December 15, 1912. Mrs. Knobel was born of English parents at Marysville, Missouri, December 15, 1894. They have three children: Dale William, born August 22, 1916; Jane Evelyn, born June 30, 1919; and Jean Alicia, born June 5, 1921. Residence: Odessa.
Louis Jarrett Knoll
Louis Jarrett Knoll, educator and banker at Liberty, Gage County, Nebraska, was born at Crete, Saline County, Nebraska, November 21, 1883, the son of August Louis and Mima J. (Young) Knoll. His father, who was born at Pekin, Tazewell County, Illinois, June 9, 1853, was a pioneer farmer and stockraiser in Nebraska; his ancestry is German. His mother, who was a devoted mother and homemaker, was born at Taylorville, Christian County, Illinois, March 7, 1853, and died at Crete, May 8, 1923. Her parents were pioneers in Illinois.
Mr. Knoll was graduated from the Crete High School
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in 1903, Peru State Normal College, Peru, Nebraska, 1907, and was awarded the A. B. degree at the University of Nebraska in 1910. He was a student at Doane College for two years. During his high school days Mr. Knoll was prominent in debating, represented Doane College in debating, and was awarded first place in the Dawes Oratorical Contest, also represented the Peru State Normal in debating. At the University of Nebraska he won second place in an oratorical contest. He was active in athletics in both high school and college, and was elected to membership in Acacia, at the University of Nebraska.
Mr. Knoll has held the following positions in the educational world: superintendent of the public schools at Blue Springs, Nebraska, 1907-08; superintendent of public schools at Randolph, Nebraska, 1911-12-13; and superintendent of the public school at West Point, Nebraska, 1914-16. He entered the banking business in 1916 as cashier of the Ralston State Bank, was cashier of the Lebanon State Bank in Kansas, 1917-18, and in 1918 became cashier of the State Bank of Liberty, Liberty, Gage County, Nebraska. In addition to his financial interest in the bank he is connected with a number of local business firms at Liberty.
During the World War Mr. Knoll was given special recognition by the governor of Kansas for services to his country; he was a four minute speaker, and took part in all war activities in his home state. He was instrumental in organizing the local commercial club, and served as its secretary for many years. Mr. Knoll has always been identified with progressive movements in his community. He is affiliated with the Congregational Church, in which he has been treasurer and trustee for many years, is a member of the Nebraskana Society, and is a Mason. His political affiliation is with the Republican party.
His marriage to Marie Louise von Goetz was solemnized at North Platte, Lincoln County, Nebraska, September 23, 1916. Mrs. Knoll, who was born at North Platte, April 16, 1889, was a teacher before her marriage. She was graduated from the University of Nebraska, where she held Phi Beta Kappa honors. Their three children are: Allan Louis, born May 26, 1918; Robert Edwin, born February 3, 1922; and Eleanor Louise, born December 14, 1924. Residence: Liberty. (Photograph in Album).
Claus Frederic Knutzen
Born in Schleswig, Holstein, Germany, Claus Frederic Knutzen is the son of Henry and Maria (Brandt) Knutzen. His father's people were German and came to America in 1856. His mother was also of German parentage.
Mr. Knutzen attended the public schools and a business college in Nebraska, and is now a retired farmer and business man. He married at Colon, Saunders County, Nebraska, February 27, 1880.
Mr. Knutzen served as state representative in the Nebraska legislature for one term, elected on the Democratic ticket. He has lived in Nebraska for sixty years, is a member of the Nebraskana Society, and is affiliated with the Trinity Lutheran Church at Bruning. Residence: Bruning.
Frank Joseph Kobes
One of the prominent business men at Crete, Nebraska, is Frank Joseph Kobes, a lifelong resident of this state. He was born at Wilber, Nebraska, January 28, 1890, the son of Frank Joseph and Josephine (Kubes) Kobes, the former a merchant who was born at Manitawoc, Wisconsin, July 12, 1863, and died at Crete, November 3, 1903. His mother, who is active in the Bohemian Lodge, was born in Czechoslovakia, September 15, 1867.
Mr. Kobes was graduated from the Crete High School and later attended the Lincoln Business College. He served as assistant cashier of the First State Bank of Crete, 1918-28, and since 1928 has engaged in the surety, investment bonds, and insurance business independently. As a member of the Republican party he has held various offices: city clerk of Crete, 1919-22; mayor of Crete, 1922-28, and 1930-32; and president of the League of Nebraska Municipalities.
He is a member of the Saline County Red Cross, is sponsor of the board of the Boys Scouts at Crete, and holds membership in the Crete Commercial Club, the Nebraska Motor Club, and the Nebraska Good Roads Association. He served as president of the Rotary Club in 1928, and is affiliated with the following fraternal organizations: Masons; Order High Priesthood of Nebraska; Knights of Pythias; Z. C. B. J.; and the Order of Eastern Star. His sports include golf, baseball, football, hunting, and fishing.
On June 18, 1912, he was married to Otilie Vavra at Crete. Mrs. Kobes, whose parents came to this country from Czechoslovakia in 1869, was born at Crete, August 30, 1889. Their two children are: Frank, born May 27, 1914; and Mary Josephine, born April 1, 1923. Mr. Kobes is president of the Crete Park Association. Residence: Crete.
Frank Kobl
Frank Kohl, farmer and stockraiser, of Mason City, was born in Moravia, Austria-Hungary, in 1837, and in October, 1867, was married to Maria Jelinek. She was born in Moravia in 1847, and in the spring of 1881, she and Mr. Kobl left their pleasant home in Europe to come to America.
Arriving in New York Harbor safely after the usual time of waiting, they came directly to Nebraska. They remained for a short time in eastern Nebraska, in the meantime having filed a homestead in Custer County, about 65 miles from Kearney. They made the crossing over the state by covered wagon in the late summer of 1881. There they erected a small sod cabin with a thatched roof, made from the tall native grass of the state. This was the beginning of their new home.
Their oldest son, John, was born in June, 1868, and his death in 1898 was a great loss to them. Their second child, Frances, was born in December, 1870, and died in 1923. She was married to Joseph Kopecky. Mary, born in 1876, is married to Frank Tummicek, while Frank, born in 1878, is unmarried. Anna, born in 1879, is married to Victor Kucera, and Joseph, born in 1881, died in the same year. The four younger children were all born in Nebraska, Rosa, who married Joseph Melichar; Julia, who married A. L. Martin; and Josephine and Edward. Rosa is wheat farming in Montana with her husband. Julia is a Red Cross county nurse in New Mexico. Joseph is in the farming and poultry business, in Nebraska, while Edward is a farmer and stockman. Francis is a wheat farmer in Oklahoma, Mary and Frank are farming in Nebraska, while Anna is engaged in the farming and poultry business in Oklahoma.
As a boy in his native land Mr. Kohl received a good education which he followed with much reading and enterprise. In Europe he took vocational training in carpentry and mechanics.
When the Kohl family first settled in western Nebraska there was a large amount of wild land. The prairies grouse and little quail came up into their front yard and the wild geese and ducks migrated past here. Rabbits were plentiful, and provided ample meat for food in the long winter. Meadow larks cheered the place with their song.
During the fall of 1881 in addition to improving the place the family gathered chips and what sticks of wood, could be found and twisted hay into knots to make fuel for the winter. With the exception of the stove, furniture was home-made and rough, but served its purpose. Store boxes were used for chairs and bunks were made for beds.
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With a few carpenter's tools, a spade, a breaking plow, a sled and a yoke of oxen, the family started out to build up and improve the homestead. This, as years passed, became a lovely ranch home where strangers as well as friends were always welcome.
A well was dug and water drawn with buckets. The prairie was turned into fields, planted to corn, the ground being turned with a spade. It needed no further cultivation until harvest.
Kearney being the nearest trading point, supplies were brought back from there. Mr. Kohl supplemented his income by carpentry work, and that together with the sale of crops provided money for a milk cow, a team of horses, and a wagon. But with the coming of the Burlington Railroad in 1886 was the beginning of prosperity. A school was established in a vacant homesteader's shanty for three mouths of the year which was later increased to six months.
By honest endeavor Mr. Kohl helped to build up the community in which he lived. At the present time the land owned by Mr. Kohl is being homesteaded by his children. Residence: Mason City.
Harlan Clifford Koch
Harlan Clifford Koch, educator, was born at Barrs Mills, Ohio, July 9, 1891, son of George and Anna Cora (Penrod) Koch. The father, a blacksmith, was born in Shanesville, Ohio, January 8, 1865. His father came to America from Germany in 1850. Anna Cora Penrod was born in Union Hill, Ohio, August 28, 1866, and died at Blissfield, Ohio, December 1, 1922.
Mr. Koch attended rural school in Coshocton County, Ohio, high school at Nellie, Ohio, and academy at West Lafayette, Ohio. In 1919 he received his B. A. from Ohio University, in 1923 his M. A., and in 1926 his Ph. D. He is a member of Phi Delta Kappa, Tau Kappa Alpha, and Lambda Chi Alpha (chapter president).
On September 1, 1912, he was married to Cora May Bechtol at Coshocton. Mrs. Koch was born in Keene, Ohio, March 18, 1888. She is descended from General Joseph Reed, aide de camp to George Washington's staff, a member of Congress 1777, and a signer of the articles of confederation in 1778.
A teacher in rural schools and principal of high school until 1924, Professor Koch was research assistant, Bureau of Educational Research, Ohio State University 1924-26; associate professor and professor of secondary education University of Nebraska 1926. He is the author of The Transmutation of Mental and Educational Scores on the Kental Principle in a General Educational Survey; The High School Principal in Budget Making; Practicable Cooperative Supervision; Lighting as a Phase of School Hygiene; Non-Newspaper Possibilities in Continuous School Publicity; The Determination of Problems in High-School Teaching; Is the Teacher a Publicist; Is There a Difference between the Problems of Men and Women Teachers?; How a Teacher's Subjects influence his Problems; The Influence of Experience and Graduate Training upon Teachers; From the Mouths of Latin Teachers; Some Aspects of the Department Headship in Secondary Schools; Is the Department Headship in Secondary Schools a Professional Myth; Culture and the Vocations; A Study of Deficiency in the Mount Vernon, Ohio, High School, etc., etc.
Professor Koch is a member of the Kiwanis Club (chairman of the vocational guidance committee 1931-32), the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Nebraska Academy of Science, the University Club, and the First Presbyterian Church. His favorite sports are golf and bowling. Residence: Lincoln.
Rudolph Koch
Rudolph Koch was born at Crete, Nebraska, June 23, 1876, the son of Fred Koch and Dorothea (Warnecke) Koch. His father was born at Rothenburg, Province of Hanover, Germany, January 14, 1849. He came to the United States in 1863, and died May 2, 1930, at Dshler (sic), Thayer County, Nebraska. Rudolph Koch's mother was born in the Province of Hannover, Germany, September 28, 1854, and died at Deshler, August 19, 1910.
Mr. Koch attended public and parochial schools and was graduated from the Hastings Business College. He was united in marriage with Matilda Margaret Werner, June 7, 1900, at Deshler. To this union seven children were born: Arthur, March 2, 1901; Ida, August 15, 1902; Robert, February 16, 1906; Gertrude, March 24, 1908: Nora, March 7, 1911; Erna, May 5, 1913; and Edgar, March 29, 1915. Matilda Werner was born at Deshler, May 24, 1880, and died December 9, 1918. Mr. Koch married Matilda Buttner, October 1, 1919, and to this union two children were born: Hubert, June 23, 1921, and Phyliss, February 10, 1923.
Since 1901, Mr. Koch has been in the general retail business at Deshler. He is the owner of real estate in Kansas and Nebraska, and property at Deshler. He is president of the Farmers and Merchants Bank, and is a member of the Deshler Commercial Club. Mr. Koch is affiliated with the St. Peter's Lutheran Church. Recently, in recognition of his efforts, he was awarded life membership in the Nebraskana Society. Mr. Koch is owner, raiser and breeder of silver foxes, and operates the Deshler Silver Fox Farm. Residence: Deshler.
S. Jacob Koch
Born at Schenectady, New York, February 4, 1869, S. Jacob Koch is the son of Jacob and Regina (Schwilk) Koch. His father, who was a carpenter, was born at Wittenbeng, Germany, in 1853, and died at Omaha, Nebraska, in February, 1906. His mother was born at Wittenberg and died at Lincoln, Nebraska, in September, 1883.
Mr. Koch, who has been a farmer and purebred stock dealer in Lincoln County, Nebraska, for the past 46 years, has served as county commissioner and chairman of the board of directors of the Farmers Co-operative Association at Hershey. He has been a director of the local school board for the past 42 years, was formerly a director in the Lincoln County Bank, and was one of the first ten Master Farmers of Nebraska.
He came to Nebraska, December 25, 1886, where he worked on a ranch for five years, acting as foreman the last three years. He then started in the ranching business for himself and at present is the owner of 3500 acres of fine land. Mr. Koch was the first president of the Lincoln County Farm Bureau and served in that capacity for six years. He was alternate delegate to the National Republican Convention at Kansas City in 1928 and cast the vote for Vice-president Curtis.
He is a member of the Hershey Community Club, holds membership in the board of directors of the Methodist Church of which he was chairman for four years, and is affiliated with the following fraternal organizations: Modern Woodmen of America; Independent Order of Odd Fellows; Masons; Royal Neighbors; and the Yeoman's Club. He is interested in music and reading.
On October 30, 1892, he was married to Maggie Belle Mason at Hershey. She was born at Prairie City, Iowa, October 13, 1868, the daughter of John S. and Mary Amanda (Elliott) Mason. Her father was born December 28, 1840, and died August 7, 1922. Her mother was born November 25, 1846, and died December 30, 1928. Both were natives of Indiana and were pioneer settlers of Iowa.
They have five children, Florence, born August 21, 1893, who married John Kracht; Frank, December 31, 1894, who married Hazel Barnett; Mabelle, December 18, 1897; Grace, March 19, 1900; and George, October 15, 1905. Residence: Hershey. (Photograph on Page 673).
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