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Chase County Kansas Historical Sketches
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Roniger Memorial Museum Frank and George Roniger are shown standing
in front of a monument built by them on Indian Burial Hill on their farm near Bazaar. Before their
deaths they built the Roniger Memorial Museum to
house their collection of more than 5,000 Indian
Artifacts and other objects of historical significance,
The Roniger Memorial Museum, a memorial to
their Mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Roniger, was built in
1959 by Frank and George Roniger and given as a
gift to Chase County. It was dedicated in July,
1960. Mrs, Roniger was an early day Chase County
settler and citizen: Mrs, Elizabeth (Stumpff) Roniger was born in Bavaria, Germany, January 7, 1850.
Her family came to America in August, 1854, settling in the German community near Highland, Illinois. She married Frederick Andrew Roniger, November 9, 1871. Mr. Roniger also came to America
from Germany in 1854.
Mrs. Roniger, with her husband and five children, came to the Prairie Hill community, Chase
County, Kansas, September 1, 1885, at which time
they purchased the family farm. Mr. Roniger, who
was born in Baden, Germany, 1845, died June 24,
1898 He left his widow and eight children.
Mrs. Roniger widowed while some of the family
was still young, carried on alone to rear her family.
She was always ready and willing to help her friends
in time of illness and trouble, in addition to her own
many family duties.
Mrs. Roniger lived on the family farm until
1940 with Louie and Katherine Roniger. She then
moved to Bazaar to the home of Frank, George, and
Anna Roniger. Here she lived until her death; March
9, 1942
Her children were: Charles, Margaret (who died
in infancy), Mary (Mrs. John Drummond), Fred,
Frank, George, Anna, Louie, and Katherine.
Frank and George Roniger were the last two
living members of their family. Through the years
they collected arrowheads and other Indian Artifacts of which most of the collection was found on
their own farm at Bazaar. Smithsonian Institution
wanted to buy their collection, and the Kansas
State Historical Society wanted it to be put in the
museum at Council Grove, but the brothers said the
collection was assembled in Cbase County, Kansas, and that is where it should stay.
The brothers decided to build a museum, in
memory of their mother, to house their collection
and other items from early day history, as well as
articles of Natural History. The County donated
the land on the south courthouse lawn in Cottonwood Falls, and the museum of native limestone
was built and presented as a gift to the Chase
County Board of Commissioners. The Museum Com-
mittee acts upon the acceptance of gifts or loans.
The board consists of five members. The first
board: George Dawson, Chairman; Pascal Roniger,
Secretary-Treasurer; Harry Buffington, Wilbur Stout,
and Leonard Croy. The present board: Leonard Croy,
Chairman; Pascal Roniger, Secretary-Treasurer;
Wilbur Stout, Irving Myers, F.W. Huth.
George Roniger died September 3. 1961, and
Frank died April 16, 1966, ending this generation
of Ronigers.
Sponsored In Memory Of: Frank and George Roniger - By: Pascal A. Roniger.
Chase County Centennial, 1872 - 1972
by Lorna Marvin
Please submit your historical sketches.
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for the limited use of the KSGenWeb Project.
Permission is granted for use only on an official KSGenWeb page.
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