| 674 | NEBRASKANA |
Ezra Edwin Koebbe
Ezra Edwin Koebbe, eye, ear, nose and throat specialist, was born at Manchester, Michigan, October 27, 1890. He is the son of Edwin John and Christina (Finkbeiner) Koebbe, who were born in Manchester on July 9, 1863, and February 1, 1868, respectively. Edwin J. Koebbe, a farmer, lumberman and grain dealer, died at Chelsea, Michigan, April 9, 1929. His parents came to America in 1840, from Germany.
Dr. Koebbe was graduated from Manchester High School in 1907; received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Michigan in 1913 and his medical degree in 1915. He was president of his class in 1914-15, participated in intra mural athletics and was a member of Phi Beta Pi.
The author of numerous medical articles since his admission to practice, Dr. Koebbe has always specialized in eye, ear, nose and throat. He is a member of the Platte County, Nebraska State and American Medical Associations, and is a fellow of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology.
The entered the Medical Corps of the United States Navy 1916, and resigned with the rank of lieutenant commander in 1922. At the present time he is a member of the American Legion. He is a Mason, Knight Templar and Shriner, Elk, Knight of Pythias, Eagle, and a member of the Sons of Herman. In 1928 he served as president of the Lions Club and at present is president of the Young Men's Christian Association. He is a director in the Red Cross, a member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Parent Teachers Association, and a life member of the Nebraskana Society. His club is the Columbus Country Club.
On September 4, 1917, Dr. Koebbe was united in marriage to Ethyl Nora Burkhart. Mrs. Koebbe was born at Chelsea, Michigan, December 2, 1891. They have one daughter, Mary Catherine, born June 18, 1923. Residence: Columbus.
Otto Koehler
Otto Koehler, retired farmer of Stanton County, Nebraska, has lived in the state since 1885. He was born at Fort Madison, Iowa, August 20, 1856, the son of George Henry and Margaret (Knauff) Koehler. His father, a cabinet maker, was born in Germany, and died at Macedonia, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, October 9, 1883. His mother was born in Germany, and died at Fort Madison, Lee County, Iowa, in 1862.
Mr. Koehier is a member of the Nebraskana Society; is affiliated with the Methodist Episcopal Church at Pilger; and is a member of the Democratic party. His favorite sport is skating. He has always been active in the advancement of his community and state.
He was married at Carson, Iowa, February 20, 1884, to Mary Sevilla Doty. Mrs. Koehler was born at Oxford, Iowa, January 21, 1863. They have the following children: Algia, born July 13, 1886, who married Charles M. Roe; Grover, born July 1, 1888, who married Birdie Mae Bordner; Irvin, born May 2, 1890, who married Alice O. Sabin; Ruth, born February 21, 1892, who married H. Lee Gaskill; Otto, born April 27, 1898; Harold, born September 17, 1902, who married Gladys Marie La Grange; and Erma, born August 27, 1907. Residence: Pilger.
George William Koehn
George William Koehn, son of Albert Herman and Anna Elizabeth (Heilii) Koehn, was born at Elkton, Brookings County, South Dakota, June 16, 1901. His father, born at Greifenhagen, Germany, January 5, 1865, came to America in 1877. A German of Prussian stock, the original name was Kohn. At the present time Albert H. Koehn is engaged in business. His wife, Anna, was born in Strassburg, Alsace, France, April 10, 1875, descended from the family of Thiers, in France, one of the Thiers being the first president of France. In infancy she was kidnapped by a family by the name of Beaver, of Chicago, who were sojourning in Switzerland, at that time and was not aware of this fact until the death of her foster mother, which was on her 18th birthday.
Educated first in St. Mary's Convent at Elkton, George William Koehn was graduated from Elkton High School in 1919. Thereafter he attended Creighton University, from which he received his Ph. B. in 1923, and his LL. B. in 1928, was also a graduate student from 1925 to 1928. He was received into Alpha Sigma Tau, the Phi Beta Kappa of Jesuit Colleges, and is a member of Delta Theta Phi, of which he served as national officer in 1928. A member of the basketball team in high school in 1919, with the position of guard, it is to he noted that this team held the championship of South Dakota the same year. He was also editor of Shadows the Creighton magazine.
For the past twelve years Mr. Koehn has been a resident of Nebraska, and from 1923-25, was superintendent of schools at Waterbury, Nebraska. During 1928-30, he was professor of political science at Trinity College, and since June 1, 1930, has been engaged in the practice of law. He is the author of The Administrator and his School (1926) Recent Movements in the Administration of Justice (1929) and The Basis of Civil Society (1923).
Mr. Koehn was secretary of the Nebraska Collegiate Oratorical Association in 1921, its president in 1923, also a delegate from Nebraska to the national convention of the same year, business manager of the Blue Jay in 1928, and delivers commencement addresses. He holds the rank of first lieutenant in the 255th Infantry, Officers Reserve Corps, and attended six reserve camps, received his lieutenancy in 1923. A Catholic, he attends St. Michael's Church. He is a member of the American InterProfessional Institute; the Tri-State College Club (9 colleges), of which he was secretary 1929-31; the Iowa Political Science Association, and the Nebraskana Society. He is a member of the Dakota County Bar Association and the Nebraska State Bar Association. His favorite sport is handball, and his hobby is the study of the developments in the administration of justice. He is a Democrat.
On June 16, 1928, Mr. Koehn was united in marriage to Genevieve Mary Collins at Omaha. Mrs. Koehn was born at West Bend, Iowa, August 9, 1906, and is a registered nurse, and a graduate of Lord Lister Hospital in 1928. They have one son, Paul, born June 28, 1929. Residence: South Sioux City. (Photograph on Page 675).
John B. Koenig
John B. Koenig, who has lived in Nebraska for over 40 years, was born at Newvienna, Iowa, June 16, 1870, the son of John and Elisebeth (Hoeffer) Koenig. His father, who was born at Cologne, Germany, and died at Newvienna, June 10, 1900, was a farmer; he came to America in 1844 and settled in Iowa where he farmed the rest of his life. His mother was born at Coblenze, Germany, February 4, 1849, and came to the United States in 1850.
Mr. Koenig was graduated from elementary school in 1883 and later attended seminary. He is a director of the Bank of Petersburg, is connected with an insurance company, and is active in civic affairs at Petersburg. He holds membership in the Knights of Columbus, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, and is a member of the National Geographic Society.
He has served as a director in the local school board for two years, acting as treasurer of that organization, has been president of the local order of Knights of Columbus, and is affiliated with the Roman Catholic Mutual Protective Association. His hobby is auction brdge (sic).
He was united in marriage with Anna M. Koester at Racvillc, Nebraska, January 28, 1896. Mrs. Koenig was born at Versailles, Missiouri, February 15, 1874. They have 12 children; Marcella, Elizabeth, Margaret, Michael, Regina, Bernice, John, Anna, Paul, Ignatius, Isobel, and Marie. Residence: Petersburg.
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| 676 | NEBRASKANA |
Albert William Koepff
Albert William Koepff, printer and journalist, was born at Beatrice, Gage County, Nebraska, October 6, 1889, the son of Gottlieb and Wilhelmina (Weingart) Koepff. His father, who was born in Germany and died at Beatrice, November, 1889, was an interior wood worker and finisher; he came to America in 1883, lived in Indiana for a year, and then moved to Nebraska. His mother, who was born at Rattenharz, Wurtemburg, Germany, July 23, 1861, and died at Beatrice, October 10, 1909, came to America in 1883.
Mr. Koepff attended the public schools of Beatrice, and in 1916 and 1917 was a student at the University of Kansas. During 1919 and 1920 he was a student at New York University. He is the author of Snap It Up and has been editor and publisher of The Daykin Herald at Daykin, Jefferson County, Nebraska, since 1927. He was connected with the Beatrice Daily Sun, 1905-16, the Hebron Register-Champion, 1917-18, Daily Record at Long Branch, New Jersey, 1919-23, The Daily Princtonian, 1923-26, Princeton, New Jersey, and the Tribune, 1926, at Great Neck, Long Island, New York. He is associated with the Koepff Printing Company at Plymouth, Nebraska.
On June 24, 1918, he enlisted in the signal corps and was a member of the 15th Service Band at Fort Leavenworth. He was stationed at Camp Meade, Maryland, and Camp Alfred Vail, New Jersey. He was honorably discharged at Camp Funston, Kansas, July 1, 1919; he held membership in Post Number 44, Long Branch, of the American Legion, 1920-23, was a member of Post Number 76, at Princeton, 1923-27, and is now affiliated with Post Number 194 at Alexandria, Nebraska.
Mr. Koepff is an independent Republican, and was formerly a member of the Centenary Methodist Church at Beatrice. He is a member of the following: Nebraska Press Association; Daykin Community Club; Nebraska Motor Club; Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Young Men's Christian Association; Knights of H. H. U.; Wiggens Street Chowder and Marching Club, of Princeton; and the Daykin Bachelor Club.
His favorite recreations are tennis, golf, baseball, reading, and music. He conducts Vic's Band, sings in a male quartette, and plays a harmonica. Mr. Koepff is a member of the Nebraska Society. Residence: Daykin.
Lewis John Koepff
Lewis John Koepff, editor and publisher, was born in Beatrice, Nebraska, January 23, 1887. His father, Gottlieb Koepff, was born in Germany, came to America in his early twenties and began his trade as a carpenter. He died at Beatrice, Nebraska, in September, 1889. Wilhelmina (Weingart) Koepff, mother of Lewis, was born in Rattenharz, Germany, July 23, 1861, and died at Beatrice, Nebraska, October 10, 1909.
Mildred Edna (Hermle) Koepff, wife of Lewis J. Koepff, was born at Byron, Nebraska, January 3, 1889. Of their marriage two children were born. The elder, Robert, born June 21, 1916, and Phyllis, born September 19, 1921.
For forty-four years, Mr. Koepff has been a resident of this state, and during that time he has been in the printing business for thirty years. He was circulation manager of the Beatrice Sun for fifteen years and is now editor and publisher of The Plymouth News. He was mayor of Plymouth in 1929 and city clerk in 1930-31-32.
He is a Protestant and was baptized in the Lutheran faith. He is a member of the Nebraska Motor Club, and The Nebraskana Society. His hobby is reading and he is interested in electricity. Residence: Plymouth.
Henry William Koepke
Henry William Koepke, son of Julius and Meta (Danunman) Koepke, has been a resident of Nebraska thirty nine years, and has always engaged in farming. His father was born at Wilsnack, Germany, May 28, 1844, and came to America in 1869. Until 1892 he resided in Chicago, then coming to Nebraska where he engaged as a farmer until his death at Blue Hill on January 2, 1916. His wife, born in Germany, January 22, 1851, is still living.
Mr. Koepke attended the public schools of Adams County. On May 10, 1905, he was married to Alma Caroline Dahms at Blue Hill. Mrs. Koepke, who was born at St. Louis, Missouri, February 4, 1884, is the daughter of August and Caroline (Siebrass) Dahms. There are three children, Oscar, born May 12, 1907; Letha, born December 16, 1908, and Gilbert, born January 29, 1911. All of the children are high school graduates, and Oscar attends Seward College.
A Republican, Mr. Koepke is much interested in politics. He is a member and elder in the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, and was recently made a life member of The Nebraskana Society. Residence: Blue Hill.
Gerhard Freidrich Koester
A citizen of the United States since December 5, 1899, Gerhard Friedrich Koester was born at Elsfleth, Oldenburg, Germany, May 7, 1876, son of John Herman and Sophie Johanne (Michael) Koester. John Herman Koester was born in Elsfleth, Germany, April 1, 1846, and served in the German Navy 1870-71. He came to Hooper, Nebraska, from Germany in 1890, engaging in farming in Cuming County for many years, and afterward moving to West Point. His death occurred at Council Bluffs, July 27, 1925. He is buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery at West Point, Nebraska. Sophie Johanne Michael was born in Elsfleth, January 14, 1851. An earnest church worker, and Sunday School teacher, she was interested in music. She died at West Point, February 25, 1917, and is also buried in Mount Hope Cemetery.
Gerhard F. Koester attended public schools in Elfsleth (sic), Germany, and a winter term in English in the district school No. 60, north of Hooper. He has engaged in farming since reaching maturity, and is a successful farmer and landowner. At the present time he is a member of the board of directors of the Farmers Co-operative Elevator, a member of the Dixon County Farmer's Institute of which he was secretary 1912-15; director of school district 28, 1909-18, and member of the board of education, district 70, 1918-20. He is a charter member of the First English Lutheran Church at Allen, and has held the following offices: president of the Lutheran Brotherhood 1924-26; secretary 1926-27; president of church council 1912-20 and superintendent of Sunday School 1928-30.
Mr. Koester is a member of the Red Cross, and during the World War held 100% membership and subscribed to all loans. He is a member of the Nebraskana Society, and the Farmers Union. He rented for three years in Cuming County, and in 1905 came to Dixon County, where he purchased the farm on which his family still resides.
On February 12, 1902, he was married to Anna Mathilda Wessel, at Hooper. Mrs. Koester was born at Hooper, April 13, 1878; they have eight children as follows: Paul, born December 5, 1902, married Esther Black; Sophie, born January 23, 1905, married Percy Ole Lockwood; Oscar, born March 21, 1907, married Erma Wheeler; Herbert, born October 14, 1909; George, born October 15, 1912, attended Wayne Normal School; Martha, born December 30, 1914; Patience, born April 12, 1919; and Helen, born April 10, 1921. All the children are on the farm. Mr. Koester's hobby is reading and his favorite sport is swimming. Residence: Allen. (Photograph on Page 677).
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