1905 History of Crawford County Kansas

Henry Kalm is a prosperous farmer and stock-raiser in Lincoln township, where he has been a resident and active participant in affairs since the year 1871, so that he deserves to be classed among the old-timers of Crawford county. He has been steadily successful in his various endeavors since taking up his home in this land of America, and is one of the honored German-American citizens who at all times and in all places have effected so much for the permanent welfare and progress of their adopted country.

Mr. Kalm was born in Lübeck free state, March 18, 1829, of one of the sturdy and respected families, his parents living and passing to their final reward in that country. His father was Henry, Sr., and his mother's maiden name was Foe, the latter dying when the son Henry was a baby. The father was a basket-maker, and also a dealer in fruit.

Reared in his native locality and attending, according to good old German usage, the schools until he was fourteen years old, Mr. Kalm spent his early life in his native fatherland but when still a very young man emigrated to this country. On his arrival here he says he possessed only a five-franc piece as capital for his new world ventures, and was besides in a strange land among foreign people, hardly knowing a word of their language. But his record throughout has been most praiseworthy and he has gained a success which is honorable in the highest degree.

He came out to Adams county, Illinois, settling near Quincy, and was there married to Matilda Teton, a native of Germany, who died leaving one child, Matilda Bird, of Illinois. Mr. Kalm later married an American woman, born, reared and educated in Illinois. In 1871 they left Illinois and came to this county, where Mr. Kalm has made his home ever since. He has a beautiful farm of two hundred and forty acres in Lincoln township, rich and productive land, improved with excellent dwelling, barn and other up-to-date accessories, attractive and the more valuable by reason of the orchard and grove of sugar maples, and is withal one of the model farmsteads of Crawford county.

Mr. Kalm has also lost his second wife, but his home has been blessed with the following children: Della, Elmer E., Charles, Mary, William, Harround, Lotta, Myrtle, the three youngest being still at home. Mr. Kalm is also one of our Civil war Veterans, having offered himself with the same patriotism as animated the native sons to service for his adopted land. He enlisted in 1864 and served nine months in the One Hundred and Fifty-fifth Illinois Infantry, during which time he saw considerable hard campaigning in Kentucky and at the end of his time he received an honorable discharge. He is a member of the Christian church, as was his good wife, who was active in all good works, kindly and charitable, a willing worker, and beloved at home and in the community, so that her death meant a great personal loss not alone in her household but to her many friends.