Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 162 - 166

 HON. WILLIAM GREIFFENSTEIN is a gentleman known throughout Southern Kansas, and is one of the most prominent and influential citizens of Sedgwick County.  He is looked upon as the "Father of Wichita," being an important factor in establishing the city on a secure foundation, and by his liberality and enterprise is still contributing to its wonderful growth and prosperity.  He was born in the suburbs of that famous old city across the sea in Germany, Frankfort-on-the-Main, on the 28th of July, 1829, and is a son of Charles and Beate (Kohlerman) Greiffenstein, who were the descendants of a long line of honorable ancestry.

      The father of our subject was a collector of revenues in his native land, a man of superior education, and a prominent member of the Lutheran Church and contributed largely to its support.  He acquired a large property, gave each of his children a fine education, and in their home of culture and refinement they enjoyed excellent social advantages.  William remained an inmate of that pleasant home until he was fourteen years old, when he was entered as a student in the college at Darmstadt, where he remained for about three years.  After  leaving college he was employed in a commission house in Mentz until 1848, then, pending the Revolution of that period, he left his native land and crossed the ocean to try his fortune in this Western World.  Young Greiffenstein was then only a youth of nineteen years, and on reaching American soil he made his way to Hermann, Mo., and for a short time was there employed as a clerk.  From there he went to St. Louis and was engaged in the same capacity for awhile, and from that place he went to Westport, in the same State, and filled a like position in a store for a year.

      Desirous of starting in business for himself Mr. Greiffenstein, in 1850, went to the Shawnee Reservation, in the Indian Territory, six miles below the present location of Lawrence, and there formed a partnership with a half-breed in the mercantile business, building up quite a trade with the Indians.  Here  he continued until 1854.  After inaugurating this business for himself he made his first trading expedition in 1852 into the country of the wild Indians, starting from near Westport, Kan.  He was accompanied by some of the trappers of the  Shawnee tribe.  He extended his expedition down to the Canadian River in the Indian Territory near the borders of Texas, and there traded in all kinds of furs and skins with the Comanche tribe.  The trip was profitable, although attended with a great deal of hard labor.  There being no wagon road through that country they used pack animals in conveying their furs and goods from one point to another.  After quitting the trading business he visited New Mexico, and on his return took up a claim near Topeka, Kan., and made his residence there for awhile.  From there, in 1858, he returned to Germany to see his friends.

      In 1859 he came back to America, revisited Topeka, and from there went out on the Western plains of Kansas and again established himself as an Indian trader, dealing with the Cheyennes, Arrapahoes, Kiowas, Comanches and Apaches.  He remained there for some years with headquarters on Walnut Creek, in the western part of Kansas.  Here he established a trading-post, and for some years was profitably engaged in trade with the Indians and until the Indian War interfered with the successful prosecution of his business.  He then left that place and established a trading-post on the Cowskin, situated ten miles northwest of the present site of Wichita.  Here he prosecuted a successful business, and after the treaty at Medicine Lodge, in 1867, at the special request of Col. Leavenworth, U. S. Indian Agent, he moved his post to the Kiowa and Comanche Agency, situated near the Washita River below Ft. Cobb, and recovered from the Indians several children who were held in captivity, restoring them to their parents.

      During the latter part of 1868 Mr. G. learned that there was a woman, Mrs. Blinn, and her child from Ottawa, Kan., who were held in captivity by the Cheyennes.  At the request of his friend, Gen. W. B. Hazen, he took a small outfit, accompanied by two Caddo Indians and a Mexican, and proceeded to the Kiowa camp to put himself in communication with the Cheyennes.  He there learned that during the battle with Gen. Custer on the Washita, the woman and child had been killed by Indian women in retaliation for one of their family killed in that battle.  His mission consequently was ended and he returned home.

      Subsequently, however, Mr. Greiffenstein took a contract from the military Superintendent, Gen. Hazen, to break 2,500 acres of prairie for the Indians at  the Reservation in the Kiowa Agency.  He proceeded to Texas, purchased twenty breaking plows.  On his way home he happened to camp at the White Beat Hill where Gen. Sheridan and staff were in camp on their way to Texas.  He got into an altercation with Sheridan, and owing to misrepresentations which had been made to the General, Mr. Greiffenstein was ordered out of the country, which circumstance entailed on him a large loss.  From there he went direct to Washington and  asked for an investigation, but failing to get it returned to Kansas, and at the request of Superintendent Hoag took charge of the Quaker commission with his own teams and Government ambulances from Topeka by the way of Wichita, where it is now located, to the present location of the Cheyenne Agency, and from there to Camp Supply and Kiowa Agency. He acted as guide and interpreter.  This commission was sent out by the Interior Department and its members left Topeka August 1, and returned August 30, making a trip of nearly 1,500 miles, which was attended with many incidents of pleasure and some of terror.

      A few years after the interview above mentioned Gen. Sheridan learned that he had been wrongly informed and was mistaken in making his order.  Since then he and Mr. Greiffenstein have been on the most friendly terms.  Years after, when the General with his staff was in Wichita Mr. G. was Mayor of the city, and at the request of the gallant warrior he was sent for and their acquaintance renewed.  Our subject frequently visits Washington and is always cordially received by Sheridan when he calls on him.  In an article published by the Board of Trade it very unjustly states that Mr. G. "had bartered the product of civilization, whisky, with the untutored savages of the plains in exchange for their wild merchandise."  A more careful investigation among the contemporaries of Mr. Greiffenstein brings out the fact that he did not barter whisky with the Indians, which would have been both unlawful and imprudent but he did barter the various kinds of merchandise which the Indian fancy required. 

     Mr. Greiffenstein, in 1869, gave up his business in Western Kansas and returned to Topeka, there to marry Miss Catherine Burnett, daughter of Abram and Mary (Knofflock) Burnett.  Mrs. Greiffenstein is a lady of fine culture and has faithfully assisted and encouraged her husband in his career.  To them have been born three children, namely:  Charles J., Mary O., and William T.  The father of Mrs. G. was one of the chiefs of the Pottawatomie Indians and her mother was a native of Germany, who came to America when a small child, and upon the death of her mother, shortly afterward, in Indiana, was adopted and reared by a half-breed Indian family.

      After marriage Mr. Greiffenstein made his home in Wichita and has ever since remained a resident here, and it is partly due to him that this city is one of the most enterprising business communities in Kansas.  In 1870 he platted eighty acres of land in Wichita which was the first platted land on record in this city.  He then gave away lots to those who would improve them.  He also commenced to build, erecting the Eagle Block and the Commercial Block on Douglas avenue, besides the Douglas Avenue House, and has erected many other buildings during the last seventeen years.  He still continues to conduct the real-estate business and has several hundred lots in the city for sale at the present time.

      Besides his extensive business interests in the city Mr. Greiffenstein has a large ranch in the Pottawatomie Reservation in the Indian Territory, with  several hundred head of horses, over 3,000 cattle and a large number of swine.  He owns 160 acres of land near Topeka and a number of dwelling-houses in the city.  In Wichita he has 680 acres of land, including the grounds around his home.  He is classed as one of the wealthiest men in the county.  He built his present handsome residence in 1886-87.  It is beautifully located on Jefferson avenue, corner of Tenth street, and with its lovely surroundings is the finest in the city, costing with improvements fully $75,000.

      Mr. Greiffenstein is a stockholder in the street railway and in the watch factory.  He has been instrumental in the organization of several banks in the city and has materially aided many other enterprises which have had for their object the growth and development of this section of Kansas.  He has also taken a prominent part in the management of the city government.  For eight years he was Mayor of Wichita, and in 1877-78 represented this district in the State Legislature.  As one of the leading members of the Democratic party of Sedgwick County he has been no unimportant factor in its councils and conventions, where his temperate judgment and ripe experience have been of inestimable value.

      The portrait of William Greiffenstein--we are sure the people of Sedgwick County will acknowledge--occupies a fitting place among those of the other great men of Southern Kansas, and to whom the commonwealth is so largely indebted for his labors in this portion of her fair heritage.  A view of his elegant residence is also given in this volume.  It is not only an architectural ornament to the city, but rare taste has been displayed both in its furnishings and surroundings, and it would grace the finest avenues in any city in the land.

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