Dec. 21, 1917 Picture in Later Years

Death of Joseph Degenhart

Joseph Degenhart died at the home of his son, Christoph, last Friday. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. Skinner at the home Sunday morning at ten o'clock and burial took place in the Thayer cemetery. The following obituary was read at the funeral. Joseph Degenhart was born in Germany September 7, 1835. He came to America with his mother, two brothers and two sisters and they settled in St. Clair County, Illinois, in 1851. Mr. Degenhart enlisted in the Union army 1861 and served his adopted country three years and three months. After the war he settled in Monroe County, Illinois. In 1868 he was united in marriage to Margerita Keen (Mrs. Margaretha Kiehn - nee Wucherpfennig). To this union were born three sons, two dying in youth, and two daughters. One son and the two daughters survive to mourn the loss of the father, one daughter Mrs. Anna Grubb living in Oklahoma City, Mrs. Lena Kells (my ancestor) at Mound Valley, Kansas, and the son, Christoph near Thayer, Kansas. Mr. Degenhart moved with his family to western Kansas 1885 where his wife preceded him to the heavenly home September 9, 1892. The deceased has made his home with his son, Christoph for the past 19 years, moving to Thayer with him in 1914 where the call came for the world beyond to which he went December 14, 1917. Mr. Degenhart accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior in youth accepting the Roman Catholic faith as his church."

Contributed by Kim Kerr

her 2nd Great-grandfather