When Caspar Abbuehl fell asleep on Monday Evening, July 7, .1913, to awaken in the home toward which he had been traveling for more than half a century, the most interesting chapter in the history of the Coal Creek settlement came to and end. No matter what measure of prosperity shall come to happen or what prosperous and God fearing people there may be, whose beautiful homes adorn this fair valley, no one man will ever have opportunity to do as much as he has done for a community.
He came to the farm that has ever since been his home in 1855, and five years later married Christine Reichart, a woman who Joined with him in heart and soul in every good and generous deed. Their life motto seemed to be “For the good of others”. In these trying days of drought and war, added to inevitable privations of life in a new country, their home was a haven of comfort toward which the whole community turned for cheer and encouragement as well as material assistance.
With the thrift that belongs to the Swiss people, he began to make a home that was indeed a home in the best sense of the word. And what a host of people has shared his comfort as those early years passed by.
During the war when men felt it to be their highest duty to go to the front to fight for their country, he was chosen by lot to stay at home and take care of the women and children of the six families who at that time made up the Coal Creek Settlement.
His was the harder task, but when he found that it had fallen to him to stay at home he sent the other men on with brave words of cheer, “Well, you fellows go and do your best and I’ll take care of your families,” and the chronicles of his deeds in those dark days should be written in gold.
It was the privilege of the writer to hear the story of that troublous time told by him and his sainted wife almost forty years ago. And even now, after all the peaceful and prosperous years that have followed it is almost heart breading to recall the tale of the scant supply of corn meal kept with a few other precious supplies at “Caspar’s” for safety and dealt out to each one according to his needs.
How hard it must have been for those two generous, compassionate souls to dole out in scant measure when their great desire was to give freely of their very best. But they were not dealing out their own stores and were compelled to be just when they were longing to be generous. And how fully in the after years they gratified that desire, all whose good fortune sent them to that home to assistance, can testify.
The writer with her mother, brothers and sister came from the East and settled on a farm adjoining Mr. Abbuehl’s. He was the agent for the farm and when we moved into the unfinished house he and his wife began at once to make us like Kansas and love our neighbors by keeping us supplied with milk, butter and fruit and choice vegetables in their season. And the choice fruits from their orchard--a rarity in those days--which they brought to us in overflowing baskets and refused utterly to take any remuneration, the fruits were fine and better than anything we had ever tasted since: and in days of sickness when the lives of some of our loved ones trembled in the balance he relieved the family of every care possible, kept our hearts from fainting with his faith and trust in God, would not make our burdens greater than we could bear.
And how many families there are who with us can look back with grateful loving hearts to the days when “Caspar” and “Christine” young then, but filled with love for God and to their fellow men gave freely of their stores to help in time of need. While their home was open to all, it was indeed a mecca to scores of his old friends and relatives in Switzerland who came to him from across the sea feeling sure that he would put them on the road to prosperity, and he never failed them.
Almost at the beginning of their married life those two of blessed memory gave their hearts to God and entered his service. Their house was always open to ministers and it was due to his efforts that a great and prosperous Christian community has grown and flourished on Coal Creek.
The beautiful church with its modern equipment, surrounded by stately trees and--best of all--filled at every service by a congregation of Christian young people, most of whom claims kinship with him, stands today a fitting monument to him and his co-workers in the cause of Christ.
Mr. Abbuehl was rarely absent from the farm. The time he spent in the hundred days service during Price’s Raid, being the longest period away from home.
After his beloved wife had passed to her reward, eight years ago, he visited among his married children, but his home was with Walter, the youngest son, who had married and taken charge of the old homestead.
Here he passed his days peacefully and happily, but always missing the one who had gone before.
He enjoyed the loving ministry of his children, but his kindest thoughts always of others, his great desire was that his summons home would come with no forewarning so that he might go without being a burden to his loved ones. How fully that wish was granted. On Sunday evening he attended services at the church greeting his neighbors so cheerfully and congratulating himself that although the weather was so warm, he had nothing to do but to seek the shade and keep cool. The next afternoon he walked across the road to watch his neighbor threshing wheat, then stopping at the mail box for his daily paper, he went to his hammock in the shade. When he had been but a few minutes there, an unusual note in his voice attracted the attention of his daughter-in-law. She went swiftly to him only to find that his spirit had answered the one clear call and left its house of clay.
What a merciful and beautiful close to that generous life. Like a calm river flowing silently into the sea, his well rounded Life closed on earthly scenes, but so long as the beautiful Coal Creek Valley holds happy and comfortable homes with Christian people some of whom shall go to brighter and better the communities in which they may live and grow, their life becomes more gragrant with the passing years.
They rest from their labors, but their work shall follow them.
Written by: BittersweetMonday evening Kasper Abbuehl passed out from this life quietly at his country home about 5 miles north of this city while sitting quietly and restfully in the lawn swing at the place where he had resided for many years and upon the farm which he subdued from the wild sod nearly 60 years ago when the red men frequently made excursions through this country to and from the trading posts.
Kasper Abbuehl was born in Oberhasley Canton Bern, Switzerland, July 26, 1836. He came to America in 1852 and lived in Illinois unti1 1855, at which time he came to Valley Falls.
July 10, 1860, he was married to Christina Reichart. 12 children were born to them, 5 preceded him in death.
He was converted in 1862 and was a charter member of Coal Creek church.
His children Henry, Alexander, Walter, Mrs. Rose Hilty, Mrs. Maggie Schindler, Mrs. Regina Volk and Lydia Kliphardt were all in attendance at the funeral yesterday which was held in the Evangelical Church five miles north of here of which he was a member. Interment was made by the side of his wife, in the beautiful burial ground near the church.
He was one of the very first Swiss German settlers on Coal Creek which has become famous in more than this state alone for being a settlement where wisdom is the thing that governs in most things since, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom.”
He had for his neighbors in these pioneer days such men as Frederick, Anton and Philip Reichart Srs., Simon Smith, Franz Ammen, Father Emmel, John Ernest, all of whom were great strong man of indomitable wills and muscle, and who together have many times applied their minds and muscle to help along public and community enterprises.
Father Abbuehl, as he was familiarly known, was a man of very strong personality and of him it was frequently said that no enterprise of community interest was launched without first getting his council for its management and the fact that most matters of general interest in the Coal Creek community have been a success speaks well for his judgment.
Burial from the Coal Creek Church, July, 1913.One of the last of the old settlers in Coal Creek, Caspar Abbuehl, died in his home Monday evening. Peacefully he fell asleep in the yard swing where he was found by members of the family.
Caspar Abbuehl, the son of Henry and Christina Abbuehl, was born in Oberhasley, Canton Bern, Switzerland, July 26, 1836, and died at Valley Falls, July 7, 1913, age 76 years, 11 months, and days. His father died in Switzerland when Caspar was a child.
With his mother and stepfather, Melchior Ott Sr. he came to America in 1852, when he was sixteen years old.
They lived in Illinois a few years. They moved to Kansas in 1855 locating on Coal Creek near Valley Falls, which has since been is home. Since his coming the railroad has built the village of Halfrnound, near his home, the Grasshopper Falls, changed to Valley Falls. From struggling settler he has seen his neighbors grow rich. They once drove ox teams. They now ride in automobiles.
Caspar Abhuehl was married to Christina Reichart, daughter of well known family in Coal Creek neighborhood, in 1860. To this union twelve children were born, seven of whom survive.
The mother died several years ago.
All the children--Caspar Abbuehl was a fine old gent1eman, a good father and a Leading citizen in his neighborhood. In the days of full strength md manhood, he was the guide and mentor of his community.
The funeral was held at thc Evangelical Church at Coal Creek of which he was a faithful member, Wednesday afternoon. Services were conducted by Rev. D. Swart, of Holton, assisted by pastor, Rev. Boehringer, who was called back from Kansas City. Burial was in the Coal Creek Cemetery.
Monday evening Kasper Abbuehl passed out from this life quietly at his country home about 5 miles north of this city while sitting qietly and restfully in the lawn swing at the place where he had resided for many years and upon the farm which he subdued from the wild sod nearly 60 years ago when the red men frequently made excursions through this country to and from the trading posts.
Kasper Abbuehl was born in Oberhasley Canton Bern, Switzerland,. July 26, 1836. He came to America in 1852 and lived in Illinois unti 1855, at which time he came to Valley Falls.
July 10, 1860, he was married to Christina Reichart. 12 children were born to them, 5 preceded him in death.
He was converted in 1862 and was a charter member of Coal Creek Church.
His children Henry, Alexander, Walter, Mrs. Hose Hilty, Mrs. Maggie Schindler, Mrs. Regina Volk and Lydia Kliphardt were all in attendance at the funeral yesterday which was held in the Evangelical Church five miles north of here of which he was a member. Interment was made by the side of his wife, in the beautiful burial ground near the church.
He was one of the very first Swiss German settlers on Coal Creek which has become famous in more than this state alone for being a settlement where wisdom is the thing that governs in most things since, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom.”
He had for his neighbors in these pioneer days such men as Frederick, Anton and Philip Reichart Srs., Simson Smith, Franz Ammen, Father Emmel, John Ernest Sr., all of whom were great strong men of indomitable wills and muscle, and who together have many times applied their minds and muscle to help along public and community enterprises.
Father Abbuehl, as he was familiarly known, was a man of very strong personality and of him it was frequently said that no enterprise of community interest was launched without first getting his council for its management and. the fact that most matters of general interest in the Coal Creek community have been a success speaks well for his judgment.
Burial, from the Coal Creek Church, July , 1913.