Emil Rorschach, Sr.

EMIL RORSCHACH, SR., who was for many years a prominent farmer of North township, Labette county, Kansas, is now living in retirement in the city of Parsons. He is a man of pleasing personality, and has scores of friends in the county.

Mr. Rorschach was born in Switzerland, in 1836, and attended the schools of his native country until he was twenty years of age, after which he came to America. He landed in New York in January, 1857, having crossed the ocean from le Havre, France, on a sailing vessel, which consumed thirty-seven days in making the voyage. After landing ill New York, he spent about six weeks in that city, and then sojourned in Philadelphia for a short time. He afterward located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with but 25 cents in his pockets. The following winter he worked for his board, and then took up the trade of a carpenter, which he followed in that city for five years. In the fall of 1861, he went to Sandusky county, Ohio, and lived on a farm near Fremont. In 1862, he enlisted in Company A, 72d Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., which was taken into the 16th Army Corps of the Army of the West. He was taken prisoner June 11, 1864, at Guntown, Mississippi, and was sent to Andersonville prison, where he was incarcerated seven months; he was also subsequently imprisoned at other places. Finally, in February, 1865, he was exchanged at Savannah, Georgia, and immediately returned home. He was incapacitated for work for several years, by his trying experiences, which had impaired his health. In 1869, he journeyed by rail to Cameron, Missouri, where he bought a team which he drove to Labette county, Kansas. He took up a claim in section 5, North township, and resided on that farm until November, 1898, when he moved to Parsons, subsequently disposing of his farm. He was very successful as a farmer and laid by a handsome competency. He is independent in politics, and served on the school board for a period of sixteen years, a part of the time as secretary of the board, and a part of the time as treasurer. He is a member of Antietam Post, No. 64, G. A. R.

Mr. Rorschach was united in marriage, in 1860, with Caroline Dorley, a native of Germany, and they are the parents of 12 children, as follows: Mary (Walker), who resides, in North township; Emil, Jr., of Shawnee, Oklahoma; Carrie (Walker), of Sedalia, Missouri; Harry, a resident of Shawnee, Oklohoma;[sic] Karl, a resident of Chanute, Kansas; Frank and Otto, twins; Walter, a resident of South McAlester, Indian Territory; Werner, a resident of Joplin, Missouri; Arnold and Herman, residents of Parsons, Kansas; and William, who is attending school. This large family has never known serious sickness, nor has any member of it ever been crippled. Two of the sons, Frank and Otto, twins, entered the United States Navy, at Washington, District of Columbia, in 1887, and have continued in the service since. Both have been promoted from time to time. At present, Frank is chief gunner of the naval magazines near Norfolk, Virginia, where he has been stationed since the Spanish-American War. Otto is chief electrician on the Marietta, now cruising in Chinese waters. During the Spanish-American War, both served on the Puritan, and Frank had the distinction of firing the shot from the Puritan which exploded the magazines at Fort Matanzas.

The publishers of this work are pleased to be able to state that portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Rorschach accompany this sketch.