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Chase County Sketches
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THE HOLSINGER FAMILY
Written by ARABELLE HOLSINGER MOORE from documents in the possession of the
Holsinger family. January 1938.
The history of the Holsinger family in America begins in 1731 when
Rudolph Holsinger emigrated with his family from Germany and settled
in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The ship on which this family sailed
was the "Brittania of London," Michael Franklin, master.
It sailed from
Rotterdam, Holland, bound for Philadelphia, America. The names of
Rudolph and Magdalena Holsinger are shown upon the Captain's list as
passengers. After the passengers were aboard, but before the ship cleared
from the harbor, a son was born to the Rudolph Holsingers. The date
as shown by the ship's record was June 24, 1731. The child was named
Jacob and from him were descended the two Holsinger brothers, William
and Daniel, who became pioneers of Chase County, Kansas.
The ship
arrived in its American port September 21, 1731, thus taking the usual
time of a sailing vessel in those days as shown by the biographies of a
number of our early settlers. The Rudolph Holsingers settled in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, as stated and there for many years their
descendants lived and farmed or engaged in other pursuits and emigrated
to other parts of the country.
DANIEL HOLSINGER
Daniel Holsinger, a direct descendant of Rudolph, was born in Bedford County, Pennsylvania, in 18 31 -one hundred years after the landing
of his ancestor in America. He grew to manhood in that community
and on March 20, 1852, he was married to Julia Ann Walter, who was
born January 8, 1832.
Very soon after their marriage, Daniel Holsinger and his wife, Julia,
moved to Hagerstown, Indiana, where they lived until 1855. Two children were born to them at Hagerstown, namely: William H. and Nancy
Jane.
In 1856 Daniel Holsinger brought his family to Kansas and settled
upon land that was then in Breckenridge County. The Holsingers were of the religious sect of Dunkards. They were accompanied by two or
three other Dunkards, among them the Nathan Corey and Gabriel Jacobs
families. The land upon which Daniel Holsinger settled was on the
Cottonwood River at or near the mouth of Jacobs Creek. In 1860 that
three mile strip along the edge of Breckenridge County was made a part
of Chase County.
Daniel Holsinger was a farmer and also a cobbler by trade. He did
most of the shoe repairing in the Toledo neighborhood until his death.
Among other neighbors of the Holsingers were the Ulrichs who later
moved to Douglas County. Also to Daniel's home came young Henry
Proeger when he first came to Kansas in search of a location for a home.
Mr. Proeger was a trained gardener and arborist. By example and advice
he did much to teach the early settlers how to grow gardens and trees.
In their Jacobs Creek home, two more children were born to Daniel
and Julia Holsinger. They were: George W., born December 22, 1857,
and Jacob Walter, born March 16, 1860.
The young father, Daniel Holsinger, was taken by death February
7, 1863. He was a loved and honored member of that pioneer community
on Jacobs Creek.
On August 20, 1865, the widow, Mrs. Julia Holsinger, was married
to Henry Reeve, a native of Brooklyn, New York. The romance of the
Reeves family is rather interesting. Mrs. Holsinger and some of her family had driven to Atchison, Kansas, to purchase supplies. While at that place one of her horses died. It was a rather desperate situation. Henry
Reeve, a soldier fresh from the war, placed his mount at her disposal to
complete her team. He then accompanied the party back to their home,
and eventually married the widow.
Henry Reeve was not a stranger to
Kansas. He was a Union soldier, having seen service in Company B,
Ninth Kansas Cavalry, along with many Chase and Lyon County men.
Mr. Reeve preempted land three miles northwest of Cottonwood Falls
and moved his family to that location. Later he bought adjoining land
through which the river runs. Here he farmed until his death which
occurred February 14, 1870. He is interred in Prairie Grove Cemetery.
Julia Holsinger Reeve passed from life December 12, 1906, at the
age of 74. She also is buried in Prairie Grove. She was a member of
Falls Chapter No. 2 5, O. E. S.
To the union of Henry and Julia Holsinger Reeve one child, a
daughter-Elizabeth Reeve, was born in 1868. She grew to womanhood
in the Cottonwood Falls neighborhood and graduated from the Cotton
wood Falls High School. She married Charles F. Monroe and later moved
to Colorado where she lived until January 1935. She was buried beside
her husband at Montrose, Colorado. She is survived by her daughter,
Marguerite, who is now Mrs. John Colombo. They reside at Paradox,
Colorado.
WILLIAM HENRY HOLSINGER AND FAMILY
William Henry Holsinger, eldest child of Daniel and Julia Holsinger,
was born at Hagerstown, Indiana, May 16, 1853, and was brought to
Chase County, Kansas, by his parents in 1855. He lived as a boy on his
father's farm on the Cottonwood River at the mouth of Jacobs Creek
until after his father's death which occurred in 1863. His mother subsequently married Henry Reeve in 1865, and the family moved to the
Reeve farm three miles northwest of Cottonwood Falls. Here William
H. Holsinger grew to manhood, doing the usual work of the pioneer
youth and attending the grade school at Cottonwood Falls. After completing the work at that school William entered Spalding's Business College in Kansas City, from which school he was graduated in due time.
William Holsinger was a studious youth and developed into a man of
much constructive ability. He was blessed with initiative and executive
ability. At the age of twenty he was elected County Surveyor of Chase
County, which office he administered for three terms. One of the duties
he performed during this period was to plot the first county road for
Chase County.
On June 14, 1877, William Holsinger was married to Flora May
Gandy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Asbury P. Gandy of Cottonwood Falls.
They lived to celebrate their golden wedding.
After Mr. Holsinger completed his third term as County Surveyor,
he with Mr. Gandy, then County Recorder, prepared the first set of
Abstract books in the county.
William Holsinger was one of the organizers of the Chase County
National Bank. This was organized in 1882 and he served as its first
cashier. He also was one of the organizers later of the Exchange State
Bank and served as its vice-president. He also served his county as Commissioner and was especially active in furthering the bridging of its
larger streams. He was one of the organizers and first president and
later general manager of the street car line between Cottonwood Falls and
Strong City. Mr. Holsinger also served as postmaster at Cottonwood
Falls from 1897 to 1902.
William Holsinger was a man who gave love where love was due and
honor and respect the same. He was always looking for the best in all
men and for a chance to give help where help was needed. His was a
fraternal nature. He joined all movements for the betterment of the
community and his fellow men. He was a member of the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows for the fifty years preceding his death. He was
also a member of the Knights of Pythias. On December 10, 1880. he
became a member of Zeredatha Lodge of Masons and served at various
times thereafter as secretary, treasurer, junior warden and senior steward.
He was a member of the Knights Templar and of the Mystic Shrine. He
was also a member of the Woodmen of the World.
Mr. Holsinger took an active part in all local, state and national affairs.
He loved the truth and hated sham and hypocrisy.
For many years Mr. Holsinger was engaged in the hardware business
in Cottonwood Falls. In later years he was in the real estate, loan and
insurance business. He passed from this life July 28, 1930, and is interred
in Prairie Grove Cemetery.
Flora May Gandy was born December 29, 1856, at Troy, Davis
County, Iowa. She was brought to Chase County, Kansas, by her parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Asbury P. Gandy, in 1858. The family located in Cottonwood Falls in 1859 and May spent her childhood and youth and indeed
all her life in that community. She was of course one of the earliest
pioneer children of the county. Her schooling was obtained in the Cottonwood Falls schools and at Baker University, Baldwin, Kansas. She
was an active worker in the Sunday School and the Methodist Episcopal
Church of which she became a member, and remained so throughout her
entire life. She was one of the charter members of the Cottonwood Falls
lodge of the Order of the Eastern Star and was the guest of honor at their
fiftieth anniversary celebration.
As stated above, May Gandy was married to William H. Holsinger
June 14, 1877. She was a loving wife and mother and an active participant in all that was best in the social life of her home town.
May Gandy Holsinger passed to the eternal life February 19, 1935,
and is interred in Prairie Grove Cemetery beside the last resting place of
many of her family and loved ones.
To the union of William H. Holsinger and Flora May Gandy eight
children were born, namely:
William Edgar, born January 21, 1878. He married Carrie E.
Pickens of Las Vegas, New Mexico. He passed from earth February 26,
1915.
Nettle, who married Robert L. Cochran and now lives in Chicago.
Leah, Ellen and George who all died in infancy.
Florence Elizabeth, who married R. J. Wood and now lives in Winslow, Arizona.
Arabelle D., who married Roy Martin. One child was the issue of
this union. He is William Martin of Cottonwood Falls, a charter member of the Chase County Historical Society. Arabelle is now Mrs. L. J.
Moore of Cottonwood Falls.
Margaret A., who married Capt. Charles Payne, U. S. Army, and
now lives in San Diego, California.
NANCY HOLSINGER
Nancy Jane Holsinger was born near Hagerstown, Indiana, December 2, 1854, and was brought to Kansas in 1855.
She attended school with her brothers but at the death of her step-
father and subsequent illness of her mother, the care of her step-sister and the house work fell on her slender shoulders.
Her life was devoted to her mother and later to the children of her brothers, William and Walter.
She was a member of the Baptist Church and the Order of the
Eastern Star. Her death, September 21, 1911, was mourned by her
family and friends. She was buried beside her mother. Her father,
Daniel Holsinger, having been buried in Toledo Cemetery.
GEORGE W. HOLSINGER
George W. Holsinger was born December 22, 1857, on the claim
taken by his parents in the then called Breckenridge County. He was
the first white child born in what later was to become Chase County.
He lived on the farm west of Cottonwood Falls until his marriage to
Jessie St. Clair and they moved to the farm on the county line then
owned by George and William Holsinger, until they sold it.
He was with the Lewis Construction Company in Texas, Oklahoma
and New Mexico until he became a ballast inspector for the Santa Fe
Railroad. This position he held until his retirement. Through all the
years of this work he retained his voting privilege at Cottonwood Falls.
Jessie Holsinger died March 19, 1919, at Bluewater, New Mexico,
and was brought to Cottonwood Falls for burial.
Though they had no children of their own, all the children of Cottonwood Falls called them "Uncle George and Aunt Jessie."
George Holsinger died August 19, 1932, at Topeka, Kansas, and was
buried at Cottonwood Falls.
JACOB WALTER HOLSINGER
Jacob Walter Holsinger, youngest child of Daniel and Julia Ann
Holsinger, was born March 16, 1860, on the county line farm. After
attending school he became a farmer and he followed this line of work
until he sold his part of the farm west of town when he moved with his
family to Mercedes, Texas, in 1920.
He married Rena Marion Kinne, daughter of E. A. and Julia Kinne,
a pioneer family who came from Green, New York, where Rena and her
sister, Mae, were born.
He became a member of Zeredatha Lodge No. 80, A. F. and A. M.,
in 1886, and was secretary for a time.
His death occurred at Mercedes, Texas, April 15, 1928, and he was
brought to Cottonwood Falls and buried in Prairie Grove.
Rena Holsinger now resides at Durant, Oklahoma. Their two children are Frances H. King, now living at Durant, and Neal Kinne Hol-
singer, now living at Weslaco, Texas.
WILLIAM HOLSINGER AND FAMILY
William Holsinger, an elder brother of Daniel Holsinger, was born
in Pennsylvania about 1823. His wife, Catherine, was born in Ohio about 1828. They brought their family to Chase County, Kansas Territory in
1859. They were:
Winfield Scott, born in Ohio.
Elmira, born in Ohio.
Charles, born in Ohio.
Benjamin F., born in Ohio.
Mary, born in Iowa.
Two daughters, Susan and Sally, and one son, John, were born in
Chase County.
The mother, Catherine, died in 1872, and is buried in Prairie Grove
Cemetery.
Mr. Holsinger was a carpenter and cabinet maker by trade and the
William H. Holsinger children now have a day bed that he made about
this time. He had a f arm on the Cottonwood River near the present site
of Neva. This was the old Henderson f arm, later owned by Ralph
Drummond.
In the Holsinger home was held the first school and from this humble
school Scott and Elmira went to the old State Normal then opening in
Emporia. Back from Emporia, they became teachers in the Chase County
schools. Elmira first teaching in the home school and later in Cottonwood Falls.
The family moved to Rosedale, Kansas, in the 1870's, where all have
passed away except Mary and Susan. Mary living at Argentine and
Susan in Missouri.
HolsingerFamily Documents
by your Chase County Host, Lorna Marvin.
Please submit your historical sketches.
| Chase County Host Lorna Marvin | 
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Last updated 12/19/2003
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