Louis Boehler.—The biography of Mr. Boehler, cashier of the Meade State Bank and one of the foremost citizens of Meade county, Kansas, is the story of the rise of a boy of humble parentage who through thrift and industry and the demonstration of real worth and merit has attained a most creditable success in financial affairs and as a citizen has reached a position of highest influence and prominence. He is a native of Iowa, born at the city of Davenport on Oct. 14, 1867. Gebhart Boehler, his father, was born in 1825 in Tyrol, Switzerland, and came to the United States in 1848, locating on a farm in Scott county, Iowa. Twenty years later, or in 1868, the latter crossed the plains by wagon to Montana, where he prospected for gold. In 1870 his family followed, making the journey by railroad to Corinne, Utah, and thence to Helena, Mont., by stage coach. The father had in the meantime located a farm adjoining Helena and there the family resided until 1875, when they moved to town to get better school advantages. In 1880 they returned to Davenport, Iowa, where the father engaged in the mercantile business with the capital he had made in Montana. He retired from business in 1883 and died in 1892 from the effects of injuries received in a railroad accident at Helena, Mont. Gebhart Boehler was married twice. He wedded his first wife in Switzerland and to their union were born three daughters, all of whom became pioneer residents of Helena, Mont. Mary, the eldest, who died in 1911, was the wife of Louis Stadler, of Helena; Emma, the second daughter, married Charles Albrecht, of Helena, who died in 1889; and Helena, the youngest, is now the wife of Charles Reinig, of Helena, Mont. The second marriage was to Miss Catherine Abt, at Davenport, Iowa, in 1864. She was born in Bavaria in 1836 and came to the United States with relatives in 1844. To this union two sons and one daughter were born, as follows: Andrew G., born Oct. 22, 1865, who died at Rock Island in 1901; Louis, the subject of this record; and Ella, born in May, 1869, who was a teacher at Davenport, Iowa, for a number of years and died in 1892. The mother died in 1875 at Helena, Mont.

Louis Boehler was educated in the public schools of Helena, Mont., and of Davenport, Iowa. Later he took a business course and learned stenography. In 1886 he came to Meade, Kan., to take a position as a stenographer in a bank. He was thus employed until 1889, when he was appointed official stenographer for the Thirty-first judicial district, which position he held continuously for fourteen years. By frugal and industrious habits he saved a goodly portion of his earnings, which he invested from time to time in bank stocks and land. In August, 1903, he resigned his position as stenographer to become the active manager of the Meade State Bank, in which he is a heavy stockholder and of which he is at present cashier. The bank, which has a capital of $30,000 and a surplus of $11,000, occupies one of the most modern bank buildings in western Kansas, one that was erected expressly for that purpose and is up-to-date in all of its appointments. Mr. Boehler is also a director in the Fowler State Bank, of Fowler, Kan. He is also a member of the Meade county bar, having been admitted to practice on Oct. 15, 1891. Politically he is a Republican and was the mayor of Meade eight years and is now a member of the city council. Fraternally he is a Knight Templar Mason.

On Dec. 19, 1893, at Meade, Kan., was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Boehler and Miss Nellie I. Burgess, a daughter of Thomas and Ada Burgess, of Rochester, Ill. Mrs. Boehler was born April 15, 1870, at Belvidere, Ill., and was a teacher for several years prior to her marriage. Her mother was born June 21, 1847, in New York and died on April 23, 1896. The father was born in Canada in 1827 and died June 28, 1907. Mr. and Mrs. Boehler have three daughters, viz: Helen Phoebe, born Oct. 7, 1894; Carrie Blanche, born July 6, 1896; and Dorothy Louise, born Oct. 5, 1904.