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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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