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| Sailed to the US when 8 yrs old, (1847/8) trip took 6 weeks. Settled in Keokuk Co, Iowa until 1863. Settled in southwest quarter of section 11, Clarence township in Barton Co, Kansas in 1873/75/76. Lived there until 1903 when he bought a home in Great Bend. Very wealthy banker: vice president of Citizens National Bank since 1900, and was director of Pawnee Rock and Hoisington State banks.When the banks failed during the depression, he sold a great deal of his land to pay back his customers. Owned most of Clarence township (3,000 acres), Barton County, Kansas. Gave most of it away to his children. At the time of his death he had over 2,000 acres, besides stocks and bonds. Had frieght line on the Santa Fe trail. He was attracted to Kansas as result of his trips across the plains in the 1860's. He took up freighting in 1863 and for two years freighted across the plains with his wife. When he arrived in Barton Co, Kansas, he brought with him 6-8 wagon loads of lumber to build a home place. Served as county commissioner in 1898. Fought with Charles over Maria, Charles left. Robert last heard that Charles (Chas) changed his name to Martin and was living in Kansas City. Another story is that the family was angry with Charles over his choice for wife, who wanted Charles to change his last name to Martin, as she was ashamed of his origin. Robert was 32nd degree Mason. He and Maria had 11 children. Listed in 1848 Iowa census, German township of Baden, under name "Merton". Robert and his family lived in a schoool house while their home was being built. 2423 Forest Ave., Great Bend In 1930 the cities of Elberfeld and Barmen united to form Wuppertal (valley of the Wupper). It's located in west Germany, northeast from Cologne (Koeln). ----- Robert and Maria were married in a Catholic church in Harper, but Robert is thought to have frequented the Lutheran church when in Great Bend. Magdalena Becker was witness to her sister Maria's wedding to Robert Merten. The following was taken from St. Elizabeths Catholic Church records (from old Baden church) in Harper, Iowa. (page 224) May 1, 1861 "Hodie(?) Maris conjucti sunt in matrimonium Robert Merten et Maria Becker. Testes fuerunt Nicholaus Buchheit et Maria Magdalena Becker. Minister: Georgius Schneider". ----- Robert: highly educated; knew 3 languages- people of German heritage would come to him to translate and write letters to their homeland. They would call him "Judge". Taken from 1912 History of Barton County, Kansas:1 "One of the men who came here in 1875 and has had a great deal to do with the farming and commerial life of Barton County, is Robert merten. He was born in Elberfeldt, Germany, December 13, 1839. He came to America with his parents when he was eight years of age, the family first locating in Keokuk County, Iowa. Robert remained there until 1863 when he took up the occupation of freighting across the plains. He continued in this business until 1865, when he went to Denver and spent one summer, after which he returned to St. Joe Mo. Then he went back to the old home place in Iowa and in 1875 came to Barton County and in the following year brought his family to the new country. he was married May 1, 1861, to Miss Maria Becker and they are the parents of six children as follows: Albert N., who is farming in this county in Clarence township; Annie, who is now Mrs. A. B. Willcutt and resides in Clarence township; Mary, who is now Mrs. H. H. Campbell, also resides in Clarence; Frank, resides on the old home place in this county; Edwin M., who lives in town and is in the farming business, and Susie, who is now Mrs. E. E. Bohl, and lives in Ottawa, Kansas. When Mr. Merten arrived in this county he bought railroad land and from time to time added to his holdings and now owns in this county 320 acres of land and also owns 700 acres in Pawnee and Rush counties. Mr. Merten is vice president of the Citizens National Bank of Great Bend and is a director of the Pawnee Rock and Hoisington State banks. Since his reitrement from active farming he has occupied a fine residence at 2423 Forest avenue in Great Bend. Mr. Merten has held township offices and served as county commissioner for one year. he has always taken a leading part in the development of the county's resources and has been closely identified with its business and agricultural interests. All of his land in this county is being worked by renters and is in a high state of development." Date of death is Feb. 15 on headstone. The Barton County Genealogical Society's cemetery listings show: Great Bend Cemetery (secton L) Ralph A. Merten1898-1946 Budray Merten 1899-1962 (section Q) George Merten Jonnie Merten b.27 Jan 1883, s. of Robert Robert Jr. Merten Sep 1898, age 22, d.-4-16, s. of Robert Robert Merten, 13 Dec 1839-15 Feb 1930, Father Maria Becker, 1 Jan 1843-3 Feb 1923, Mother (section R) George A. Merten 1909-1959 father Frank Merten 1870-1945 father Matilda J. 1870-1929 mother Lloyd W. 1904-1968 Edwin Jr. 1917-1951 MWA; Am. Legion Edwin M. 1874-1961 Mary G. 1877-1942 Clair R. 1900-1933 (section Q) Albert N. Mertin 1864-1931 MWA: Mason Ida A. 1876-1946 Easter Star (section P) Maria Merton 6 Aug 1888, 52 years, -5-10 the Great Bend Register of Feb. 1, 1883 lists Zeno Merten, son of Robert, died Jan 23. OTHER SONS OF ROBERT?: George and Arthur? ==================== OBITUARY FROM GREAT BEND TRIBUNE Feb-1930 The death of Robert Merten which occurred this morning at his home on Forest Avenue, brings to an end the life of one of Barton county's oldest citizens, both in years and in residence here. He was 90 years, two months and one day of age. He was born Dec. 13, 1839 in Elberfeldt, (sic) Germany and was one of two children. With his parents he came to America in 1848 when 8 years of age, and they settled in Keokuk county, Iowa, then the frontier and he grew to manhood there. May 1, 1861, he married Miss Maria Becker, in Keokuk, and to them were born 11 children, five of whom have passed on, and six of whom survive. The death of Mrs. Merten occurred February 3, 1923. The Mertens settled in Clarence township in 1875 and lived there until 1903 when he purchased a home in this city. SInce the death of his wife, a daughter, Mrs. Annie Wilcutt and son Claude had made their home with him. The children surviviing him are Albert, Frank and Ed MErten, all residents of this city and extensive farmers, Mrs. Mary Campbell, and Mrs. Wilcutt of this city and Mrs. Susie Bohl of Pasadena, California. He knew privations and hardships in his early life and his early training made him successful in amassing this world's goods to a degree far greater than is th lot of average man. At one time he owned 3000 acres of land in Clarence township, probably the greatest amount of good farming land owned by any one person in Barton county. A large part of this land he gave to his children some years ago, retaining his home place, and since then he accumulated more land, both in Barton county and west, and at the time of his death owned over 2000 acres of land, besides stocks and bonds. He had been vice president of the Citizens National Bank since its organization in 1900 and was a director of the Pawnee Rock and Hoisington State banks, and up to six months ago gave the business of these institutions much of his time and attention. Mr. and Mrs. Merten were hospitable hosts and during the early days of the county the Merten home was a great place of entertainment not only for the people of the neighborhood but for many of the Great Bend folks. He was a lifelong member of the Masonic lodge and faithful in attendance until the last few years. In the early days he often, after working all day long on the farm, would stable his horses and then walk the thirteen miles to town and back and attend the lodge. Mr. Merten was attracted to Kansas as a result of his trips across the plains in the 60's. In 1863 he took up freighting and for two years freighted across the plains. Mrs. Merten accompanied him and their tales of the wagon trains and stops at the forts along the Santa Fe Trail were most interesting. Albert Merten, the oldest son, was a baby at that time and Mrs. Merten told of how after being held at the frontier forts until there was a train large enough to protect itself against Indian raids they would start out and then some of the freighters in their desire to hurry, would dash ahead to make the next fort in the hope of joining a train there, and of one instance when this occurred she saw the Indians swoop out and massacre the freighter a half mile ahead of the train. They lived for a year in Denver, in 1865 when it was known as Tent City, a frontier mining town, filled with the bad men of the west. Then they moved to St. Joe and after a couple of years went back to Iowa, but the land along the Arkansas had an appeal, and in 1875 when it was being settled Mr. Merten came here and bought railroad land in Clarence township and a year later brought his family here. He was a man of great physical strength, and with two exceptions had never known an ill day. Shrewd as an investor, a hard worker, he was also a good husband and father and his word was his bond. He was held in high esteem by all who knew him. In 1898 he served the county as commissioner from the third district as did his son Frank, some 15 years later. His last illness from heart trouble had been of about four month's duration the longest period he had ever suffered sickness and though for a time it seemed he could hardly live, he fought through and improved to such an extent that he could sit up a part of each day and twice, on his birthday, Dec. 13, and on Christmas, was able to sit at the table and take part in a family dinner. Always strong and vigorous few people realized his age and to the very last his mind was clear and the day before his death he talked with his sons about business matters that he wished looked after and which he was unable to attend to himself. He passed into unconsciousness Friday, a sleep from which he did not awaken. The family has the sympathy of all in the loss sustained. No arrangements for the funeral service had been completed today but it is likely that it will be held Tuesday afternoon from the Congregational church in this city. From notes by Arthur Sayler in a letter to Jeanette Earl: "I have been told Robert Merten could walk on his land from the wet Walnut Creek to the dry Walnut." Found in Cutler's Biographical History of Clay County, KS: B. F. MERTEN, teacher, P. O. Clay Centre, was born in Delaware County, Iowa, April 20, 1847, and educated at Baldwin University, Berea, Ohio. In 1868 he was elected professor of mathematics in the Northwestern German-English Normal School at Galena, Ill. Five years thereafter he became principal of the school and held the office five years. In 1878 he moved to Kansas and was elected Superintendent of Schools and principal of the high-school at Clay Centre. This position he held until the fall of 1882, when he was elected Superintendent of Public Instruction for Clay County. He was married, August 10, 1871, at Galena, Ill., to Miss Virginia J. Miller. They have three children - Eliza, born August 31, 1872; Florence, born May 18, 1875, and Frederic, born December 6, 1876. Mr. Merten is a member of the Masonic order of the K. T. degree. Tax Records, Sigourney Iowa Courthouse: 1861, '62, '64, German Township: Merten, Robert 1 poll | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ?Born near French border, Alsace Lorraine? There are two towns named Buschdorf in Germany: 1. a little village, today belonging to Bonn 2. a village in Brandenburg. Magdalena Becker was witness to her sister Maria's wedding. The following was taken from St. Elizabeths Catholic Church records (from old Baden church) in Harper, Iowa. (page 224) May 1, 1861 "Hodie(?) Maris conjucti sunt in matrimonium Robert Merten et Maria Becker. Testes fuerunt Nicholaus Buchheit et Maria Magdalena Becker. Minister: Georgius Schneider". (Pearl handled umbrella with inscription "Maria Merten May 1, 1911" is gift from 50th wedding aniversary, found in Kansas storage.) GREAT BEND TRIBUNE OBITUARY "The many friends of Mrs. Robert Merten will be grieved to hear of her death which occurred at the family home in this city early this morning, death being caused by the flu and pneumonia. The Merten family are among the early day residents of Barton county. Mrs. Merten coming here with her husband from Iowa in 1875 and has made this community her home ever since that time. For many years the family resided on their farm in Clarence township but a number of years ago Mr. and Mrs. Merten turned the management of the farms over to the children and have since made this city their home. Besides the host of friends among whom she had lived for so long and among the deceased was loved and esteemed, she leaves to mourn her loss her husband and six children. They are Albert, Frank and Edwin Merten, Mrs. A. B. Willcutt and Mrs. H. J. Campbell, all of this community, and Mrs. E. E. Bohl of Ottawa. Funeral arrangements have not yet been completed owing to awaiting word from relatives at a distance, and a notice of these and a more complete obituary will be given later." The later obit.: "Mrs. Marie Becker Merten. Mrs. Marie Becker Merten was born in Bushdorf, Germany on the first day of January, 1843, and died on the 3rd day of February, 1923 at the age of eighty years, one month and two days. She came to America with her parents at the age of eleven and settled on a farm in Keokuk County, Iowa. She was married to Robert Merten on the first day of May in the year 1861 and to them eleven children were born, five having passed away. The six living are A. N. Merten, Mrs. Anna F. Willcutt, Mrs. Mary Campbell, Frank Merten and Edwin Merten, all of Great Bend, Kansas, and Mrs. Susie J. Bohl of Pasadena, California. Besides her children she leaves to mourn her death, her husband, Robert Merten and twenty-two grand children and twelve great grand children, also two sisters, Mrs. Maggie Wehr of Sigourney, Iowa and Mrs. Katie Fagen of Harper, Iowa; and three brothers, Nicholas Becker of Antioch, Ill., John Becker of Harper, Iowa, and Peter Becker of Webster, Iowa, and a host of friends." | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Magdalena Becker was witness to her sister Maria's wedding. The following was taken from St. Elizabeths Catholic Church records (from old Baden church) in Harper, Iowa. (page 224) May 1, 1861 "Hodie(?) Maris conjucti sunt in matrimonium Robert Merten et Maria Becker. Testes fuerunt Nicholaus Buchheit et Maria Magdalena Becker. Minister: Georgius Schneider". | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Last Modified 2 May 2001 | Created 21 Jun 2001 by Reunion for Macintosh |