The Rahn Family

A.D. Rahn Family
Imogene R. Haslett and Arthur D. Rahn were married in Arkansas City, Ks. on February 28, 1941. They traveled in the Armed Services from one coast to the other during World War II. Arthur served five years in the army, half of those years overseas in Iceland, England, France and Belgium as an enemy-message-interceptor.

When peace was declared, Arthur returned home to meet his two-year-old son, Robert, for the first time. The family moved from rural Arkansas City to a farm six miles northwest of Winfield in 1945. They lived on the "old Conner place" on the Walnut River bottom, farming about 500 acres of alfalfa, soya beans, wheat and maise.

In addition to Robert, three more children were born: Larry A. in 1946, Phillip B. in 1947, and Judith J. in 1949. The whole family were active members of First Christian Church of Winfield, the Walnut Valley 4-H Club and South Vernon School. Arthur served for years on the district Water Conservation Board.

Imogene, who had taught school prior to her marriage, completed her college requirements and then taught First Grade at Udall, Ks. for five years. Upon completing graduate study, she became a Social Worker for S.R.S., first in Coffeyville, KS. and then in Cowley County. She retired in 1985 and has been involved in volunteer church and community projects since that time.

Arthur's health began failing badly in 1980. The son, Phillip and family, returned to the rural community, built a house and a sawmill, but had to give up farming due to losses in the flood years. He is now employed as an agricultural scientist in Memphis, Tennessee.

Arthur and Imogene sold their farm in 1987, moving to 10 14 Thompson in Winfield. In 1988 Arthur became a resident at the Good Samaritan Home and is doing well.

Submitted by Jean Rahn
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, pg 268.

George Rahn
George Rahn left his brand on Cowley County with a picturesque farmstead of native stone, and five of his six children also in the farming and ranching business.

Born in Washington County in 1889, he married Lucy Jane Klinginsmith, who was born in Greenwood County in 1895. They farmed at Florence where their four oldest children, Neil F., Arthur D., Ruth J., and Dorothy 0. were born.

George purchased the farm near Cameron, on Grouse Creek east of Arkansas City in 1921. He moved the family there in 1923, where Iris M. and Georgia A. were born. George's brother, Jesse, owned an adjoining farm to the north.

George constructed his farm buildings at the fact of a hill on US-166 with stone quarried on the farm. He completed the barn in 1927 with the help of a brother, Orval, of Florence. Hay could be dropped into the two-story mows, and grain dumped into a large center bin from a drive into the third floor from the hill. An interior spring was walled up on the ground floor and utilized for stock water.

The stone chicken house also used the hill for one wall.

Stone for the house was shaped at the farm by Ben Goatley, a Silverdale stone mason. Completed in 1930, it was one of the most modern homes in the area. Running water was provided by gravity from a windmill that pumped it into a hilltop storage tank. Electricity was provided by a Delco power plant in the basement. Cement was mixed by hand, with the interior walls solid concrete to the third floor. The drive-in basement held two cars, as well as a furnace, a food storage cellar and a built-in cistern for rainwater. A fireplace and a sunken bathtub were on the main floor. Another brother, Glenn, of Dexter, helped with the interior carpentry.

The machinery shed was the last large structure built. It had an upstairs room for cleaning and storing seed, a ground floor shop and attached blacksmith shop. Hog sheds were also stone, and three large concrete stock tanks were plumbed for running water. Underground structures were built to drain the seepy hillside.

The family worked hard on the farm, and Lucy regularly roomed and boarded several hired men to help with the farming. She also tended a large garden each summer, a chicken flock, milked cows, and helped in the field when necessary.

Neil and Arthur joined the Army in 1941, serving in the South Pacific and European areas respectively during World War II. They were discharged in 1945. During those years, Ruth married, and Iris and Georgia helped their father with the farming. Dorothy worked in an airplane factory in Kansas City.

In the early 1940's oil was discovered on George and Jesse's farms. George became active in oil leasing in Cowley County, a profession he followed until his death in 1956. He and Lucy moved into Arkansas City in 1951. Lucy died in 1969.

Neil lived on and farmed the home place with his wife, Joyce Runyon, until his death in 1986. Arthur and his wife, Imogene Haslett, farmed northwest of Winfield. Ruth and her husband, Bill Hardy, Jr. farmed two miles north of the home place, and Dorothy and her husband, Clarence Taraba, lived and worked in Kansas City. Iris and her husband, Walter David, farmed at Dexter, and Georgia and her husband, Robert Marrs, farmed east of Arkansas City.

Submitted by Iris M. Rahn David
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, pg 268.

Louise Kemper Rahn
Louise Kemper Rahn was born, reared, and lives in Cowley County. Her parents were Everett and Lina Kemper. They established themselves in the farming community of Cowley County in the early 1900's.

Johann Kemper was the first Kemper in the agriculture business. He arrived in the United States in 1714, from Mussen, Germany. He was a supporter of establishing the American Colony, Germania, in Virginia.

Louise Kemper Rahn, one of the second generation, her daughter Joan W. Warren, of the third generation, grandchildren Christopher Jay Warren and Dru Elizabeth Warren are of the fourth generation. All living in Cowley County at the present time.

Other immediate family members consist of: Mr. & Mrs. David Essex (daughter Gail), children William Thomas Brown II, Melanie Bliss Brown and Hilary Megan Essex, Dr. & Mrs. Robert Boyd (daughter Lynn), children Billy Boyd, Larissa Ann Sellars and Christina Renee Sellars, all above living in Midland, Texas. Mr. & Mrs. Amjad H. Oberoi (daugher Kay), children Sameer H. and Saadia H. Oberoi, living in Lahore, Pakistan.

Louise attended Cowley schools and a graduate of Cowley County Community College. She is currently a substitute teacher and a student of Southwestern College. She belongs to two honor societies. Phi Theta Kappa, a national alumni association and Phi Gamma Mu, an international Honor Society in Social Science.

Daughter Joan Warren, is Cooperative Education/Work Coordinator at Cowley County Community College. She received her bachelor's in Distributive Education from San Angelo University, San Angelo, Texas and her masters degree in Education and Business from Emporia State College, Emporia. Daughter Gail, received her bachelor's in Geology from the University of Texas of Arlington, Arlington, Texas. Daughter Kay, received her bachelor's in Distributive Education from San Angelo University, San Angelo, Texas. Daughter Lynn, received her bachelor's in Accounting from the University of Texas of Odessa, Odessa, Texas.

Gordon Mar-tin, editor and manager of The Traveler, won second prize in the feature division of the first annual photo contest conducted by Kansas Members of the Associated Press. Martin's entry was a picture of Louise Kemper, northeast of the city, with some shocks of wheat. It was first published on the front page of The Traveler in a harvest edition. It since has been printed in many other newspapers and other publications. It was also made into postcards denoting Kansas "The Wheatfield of America".

Submitted by Louise K Rahn
Scanned out of the Cowley County Heritage book, pg 268.