Herman, Frederick William

The following data is extracted from A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans.

Frederick William Herman identified with a number of substantial business enterprises at Lincoln, Kansas, Frederick William Herman, who had been a resident of Lincoln County since 1873, conducts them with the thorough efficiency that brings profit to himself and contributes also to the commercial prosperity of the city. Mr. Herman is a grain merchant and owned a fine elevator. He is also an extensive grower of flowers and vegetables and markets the same all over this section of the state.

Frederick William Herman was born in Ross County, Ohio, September 21, 1851. His parents were Alexander and Amelia (Bodenstadt) Herman. The father was born in Germany in 1809, came to the United States in 1839 and died in Ross County, Ohio, in 1885. By trade he was a silversmith. He was married in Germany to Amelia Bodenstadt, who was born there in 1811, and died in Lincoln County, Kansas, in 1895. They came to America at a time when the voyage across the Atlantic Ocean consumed fifty-two days. They settled first in Pennsylvania and from there moved to Ohio. They were members of the Lutheran Church but later in life united with the Methodist Episcopal Church and were always liberal supporters of the same. They became the parents of the following children: Henry, who was a soldier in the Union army in the Civil war and lost his life by drowning while attempting to cross the river to take part in the battle of Lookout Mountain; William, who was a veteran of the Civil war, died on his farm near Burlingame, Kansas; Thomas Jefferson, who resided at Red Bluff, California, is a veteran of the Civil war; George, also a veteran of the Civil war, died in Ross County, Ohio; Alexander, the fifth son of this patriotie family to serve in the Civil war, is a retired merchant at Bainbridge, Ohio; Robert, who came to Lincoln County after serving in the Civil war, died on his farm here; John, who traveled as agent for a machinery firm, died at Topeka; Frederiek William, of Lincoln, the eighth in order of birth; and Charles, who was in the undertaking business, died at Yreka, California.

Frederick William Herman, until he was twelve years old, attended school at Bainbridge and South Salem, Ohio. There are many things a boy of twelve years can do when a farm is to be cleared of timber, and he then began to help his father in this task and worked until he was eighteen years of age. He then went to Taylor County, Iowa, and there worked as a farmer until he came to Lincoln County, Kansas reaching here April 20, 1873, as soon as possible thereafter securing a government homestead claim of 160 acres, situated ten miles northwest of Lincoln. Mr. Herman resided on that place until the fall of 1886 and later sold it.

When he left the farm Mr. Herman came to Lincoln and went into the grain business and subsequently built his grain elevator, which is near the Union Pacific Depot at Lincoln. From youth he had had a natural love of flowers and had the faculty of making plants grow and bloom when many others, who do not possess it, find all their efforts unavailing. It was in 1909 that he established his flower and early and choice vegetable business and he now had 1,500 feet of glass and the only greenhouse in this place. He does a large business and his orders come from sections far away. Formerly Mr. Herman owned the Lincoln telephone system, but this he sold in 1916. He is looked upon as one of the upright and trustworthy business men of Lincoln.

Mr. Herman was married in 1871, in Taylor County, Iows, to Miss Sue M. Pace. Her parents are deceased. Her father, Richard Pace, was formerly a well-known farmer in Taylor County. Mr. and Mrs. Herman have had eight children, as follows: Lilly, who died at Geary, Oklahoma, was the wife of Ernest Truman, who is a farmer near Geary and owned a telephone exchange; Rilla, who is the wife of George Yenser, a merchant in Denver, Colorado; V. O., who is manager of the X. I. ranch, containing 37,000 acres, and was for ten years superintendent of the Sugar and Sand Company agricultural department, at Garden City; Richard, who is manager of his father's greanhouses at Lincoln; F. W., who conducts an auto repair shop at Denver; D. B., who assists in the greenhouse business; Cecile, who is the wife of Jacob Sheer, who is connected with a mercantile house at Junction City, Kansas; and Hazel, who is the wife of Charles Avery, an officer in the United States army and resided at Manhattan.

In politics Mr. Herman is a republican. While residing in Battle Creek Township he served on the school board, but otherwise had not accepted public office, finding his time sufficiently occupied, and having no political ambition. He is a valued member of the Commercial Club. Fraternally he is a member of Lincoln Lodge No. 154, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Ellsworth Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; Lincoln Chapter No. 54, Order of the Eastern Star; and is past master workman in Lincoln Lodge No. 206, Ancient Order United Workmen.

Source: A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans

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