My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM STOCKEBRAND is numbered among the prominent and influential citizens of Woodson county, and has a wide acquaintance among leading men of the state for he represented his county in the legislature and served in a number of important committees. Called to office by popular vote his election was an indication of the trust reposed in him by his fellow townsmen and well did he discharge the duties that devolved upon him. Forty-three years have passed since he came to Woodson county, the date of his arrival being 1857.

Mr. Stockebrand was born in Lippe Detmold, Germany, August 11, 1833, and was a son of Adolph Stockebrand, a farmer of that country. He spent the first twenty-two years of his life in the fatherland and then crossed the Atlantic, coming to Kansas in company with his brother, with August Lauber and August Toedman. They traveled westward by rail to Jefferson City, Missouri, and by boat to Kansas City, where they hired a team to haul them to Lawrence, Kansas. At the last named place they purchased an ox team and with that continued their journey toWoodson county. There were practically no roads south of Toy creek in Franklin county, and they made their way across the prairies with little to guide them on their journey. They were all young men looking for homes and they found in Kansas the opportunity they sought. An acquaintance, Ernest Linder, had preceded them and was living on Owl creek. They made their way to his home and there started out to seek locations for themselves in the timber belt. Mr. Stockebrand of this review secured the southwest quarter of Section 1, Township 25, Range 15, and has resided on this tract for forty-three years, devoting his time to farming and stock raising. His success enabled him to increase his landed possessions until he was the owner of twelve hundred acres, of which he has since given four hundred acres to his children.

At the time of the Civil war Mr. Stockebrand enlisted in the fall of 1861, as a member of Company F, Ninth Kansas Cavalry, and after one year he was discharged on account of disability. His service was given chiefly in fighting bushwhackers in Missouri and the Indian Territory. He had become a republican on the organization of the party and has always given to it his stalwart support, taking an active interest in county politics and doing all in his power to promote the growth and insure the success of the party. When the populist movement began to spread Woodson county became a strong populistic center and the republican majority was reduced from several hundred to almost zero, but when Mr. Stockebrand became the republican candidate for the state legislature in his district in 1895, he received the very flattering majority of one hundred and eighty-nine—this vote indicating in an unmistakable manner his popularity as a citizen and the trust reposed in him by his fellow townsmen. While serving in the house he was a member of the committees on the re-apportionment of judicial district, on forestry, labor and woman’s rights. He was interested in a measure whereby it was proposed to force all railroad companies to build and maintain fences along farm lots and pastures, through which hogs could not make their way, but the bill failed to pass. He also endeavored to secure the passage of a bill to protect prosecuting witnesses from intimidation or fear of harm from a guilty party, but this also failed. He gave an earnest support to every measure which he believed would prove of public good, and the record of his official service is one without blemish.

On the 31st of January, 1863, in Coffey county, Kansas Mr. Stockebrand married Minnie Steffen, a daughter of Mrs. Louisa (Pribernow) Steffen They have seven children: William, of Woodson county; Matilda, wife of Fred Weide of the same county; George and Frank both of Woodson county; Louisa, wife of William Fuhlhagen; Emma and Rudolph. The parents hold membership in the German Evangelical church. Mr. Stockebrand is numbered among the honored pioneers of Woodson county. During the first fall of his residence in the county, while out hunting cattle he was shot through the elbow and left arm by an Indian who suddenly appeared upon his path fifteen feet from him and fired upon him. Great changes have occurred since that day and through all Mr. Stockebrand has aided in the work of development and progress, bearing his part in every movement for the public good.