Marshall County KS Archives Biographies.....Heiserman, Frederick J. 1834 - 1916
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com May 5, 2007, 6:23 pm

Author: Emma E. Forter

FREDERICK J. HEISERMAN.

    Among the men of foreign birth who came to Marshall county in an early day,
and experienced the hardships and privations of the people of those days, in
their endeavor to make a home on the plains of the new country, and who had so
much to do with the growth and development of the county and the state of
Kansas, it is well to mention the late Frederick J. Heiserman, a farmer of
Richland township, and a native of Germany, where he was born on January 25,
1834, the son of Jacob Heiserman and wife, who were also natives of that
country. His parents were of the farming class, and highly respected people, who
spent their lives in the land of their nativity.

    Frederick J. Heiserman received his education in the schools of Germany, and
there he lived until he was twenty-one years of age, when he decided that he
would seek a home in America. It was in 1855 that he bade farewell to his native
land and came to this county where he was a stranger to the social conditions
and the people. With the determination of his race he felt success would come to
him, if he was true to the principles of industry and economy. On his arrival at
the port of New York, after a long ocean voyage, he at once proceeded to
Illinois, where he was engaged as a farm hand for a number of years. While
living in that state he was married to Mary Hunt, who was born in 1847 and died
in 1908. Soon after their marriage, they left the home that they had established
in Illinois and came to Kansas in 1868, having made the trip with horses and
wagon. Here they homesteaded eighty acres of the present farm in Richland
township, Marshall county. The tract "at that time was undeveloped and
unimproved, but with much hard work and-economy, they in time had the farm well
under cultivation. Good and substantial buildings were in time erected and the
place became an ideal country home, and was increased to two hundred and forty
acres.

    To Frederick J. and Mary Heiserman were born the following children: Henry,
who lives at Liberty, Kansas; William, a resident of Oklahoma; Jacob, of Norton
county, Kansas; George, a farmer of Balderson township, Marshall county; John,
now living in Oklahoma; Fred, of Smith county, Kansas; Charles, of Richland
township, Marshall county; Albert on the home farm; Edward, in Balderson
township; Walter, a farmer; Anna, the wife of Ed Ringen of Richland township;
Rose, the wife of William Ringen, and Lillie, the wife of John Wagner, of
Richland township. Mr. and Mrs. Heiserman were for many years members of the
Lutheran church and always took much interest in church work and the social life
of the community. Politically, Mr. Heiserman was associated with the Democratic
party and for years was influential in the civic life of the township.

    When Mr. Heiserman first came to the county, he broke one hundred acres of
the wild prairie land with oxen and used them to help in cultivating the crops.
He purchased his first land on time, as he had no money when he came to the
state. Much of their meat at that time was dried buffalo quarters, and the
necessary supplies for the house and the farm were obtained from Marysville,
which was many miles away, with no roads, but trail over the prairie. During
those early days he was much in need of one dollar and fifty cents with which to
pay his taxes, which were due. In order to get the money he took a load of dry
wood to Marysville, but was unable to sell it. A friend then came to his
assistance and took the wood and gave him the dollar and fifty cents. Those days
were most trying ones to the new settlers, and it was only with the utmost
determination that they were able to withstand the hardships of pioneer days. To
them as well as to others of their class, do the present generation owe much for
the condition of the country. Today, on the well-built roads may be seen the
latest type of automobile, where once trod the slow oxen, over the winding
prairie trail. Today the beautiful homes and the well-cultivated farms are but
evidences of the work done by the men and women of an earlier day, and to them
is due all honor for the wonderful transformation that has been wrought.

    Frederick J. Heiserman died at his home six miles southwest of Summerfield
on Wednesday, November 22, 1916, and was buried on the following Saturday
afternoon at the German Lutheran cemetery, following religious services at the
home and at the German Lutheran church. A local newspaper in its comments on the
death of this honored pioneer citizen, concluded its warm appreciation as
follows: "Mr. Heiserman was a good citizen, loyal to his country and to his
family. He was honest, industrious and prosperous. He leaves not only his large
family of good citizens, but also a very large circle of other friends to mourn
his death."


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

History of Marshall County, Kansas: its people, industries, and institutions
by
Emma E. Forter

Indianapolis, Ind.: B.F. Bowen & Co. (1917)


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