krehbielj
Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing
Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",
published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
JACOB KREHBIEL, one of the leading
farmers of Adams county, has three quarter-sections of land, and with his
brother and business partner has a half interest in seven hundred and forty
acres, lying three miles north and one mile east of the town of Lind.
A native of Bavaria, Germany, he was born July 25, 1861, the son
of Christian and Maddelena (Dester) Krehbiel, natives of Germany, who came
to America in 1881. The family first settled in New York state, later
in Illinois, then in Kansas and finally in Washington. To the last
named state they came in 1891 and settled on a farm in Adams county, where
they lived until the death of the father and mother. The former died
in February, 1899, and the latter in 1894. The father was a man of
wide acquaintance, and regarded by his neighbors as a man of exceptionally
correct judgment and wise counsel. He and his wife were parents of
nine children: Katie, in Germany; Ulrich, deceased; the subject of this
sketch; Christian, John and Daniel, in Adams county; Mary, married to Christian
Vogt, of Adams county; Magdelena, wife of Fred Bahler, in Adams county;
Susana, now Mrs. Carl Neare, of Adams county, and two who died in infancy.
Jacob Krehbiel received a common school education
in his native country, supplemented by a year in German normal school,
and later learned the upholstering and the paper-hanger's trade, which
he followed until coming to America with his father in 1881. He and
his father came to this country in advance of the remainder of the family,
and for the first year after coming here Mr. Krehbiel, junior, worked at
his trade in New York. He then came to Illinois where he worked on
a farm for one year, and then removed to Kansas and farmed six years.
In 1890 he came to Washington and settled where he now lives. He
first took a homestead and timber culture, which he improved, and later
at different times purchased more land until he acquired the amount stated
above. His partnership with his brother, Daniel, was established
in 1899. The brothers have all their land fenced, and keep forty
head of horses to carry on the field work. They are considered the
most up-to-date and prosperous farmers in the county. They have good
buildings, orchard and all improvements, and raise as high as twelve thousand
bushels of wheat in a year.
Mr. Krehbiel was married to Katie, daughter
of Christian and Katharina (Schrag) Schrag, in 1899. Both parents
were natives of Russia, but of German extraction. They came to America
in 1874, lived in South Dakota eight years, thence removing in turn to
Oregon and Washington. They came to Adams county in 1900, and are
still living there. They have been parents of seven children, three
of whom now live, Andrew, John and Mrs. Krehbiel, all of Adams county.
To Mr. and Mrs. Krehbiel have been born three children, Harvey C., May
M. and Elsie K.
Mr. Krehbiel, politically, is liberal and
non partisan in his opinions, but is an indefatigable worker in any enterprise
that has for its purpose the advancement and good of his county.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Krehbiel are members of
the Mennonite church.
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