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Lyon County, Kansas

John Erdman (Ed) Rathke Family History

**This is the piece in the "Olpe Heritage". The article is written by Ila Faye Rathke and Elizabeth Schroeder.

John Erdman (Ed) Rathke was born in southern Russia, and came to America with his family when he was small. They settled in California, later moving to a farm southwest of Olpe.

Their children were:

Ed-- married Olga Mockry. (see Mockry biography).

Fred-- married Anna Schroeder. Lived on a farm southwest of Olpe. Children: Esther; Arthur; Madison; Lillian; Anna; gertrude; Lydia; William; and Betty Jane.

Regina-- married John Schroeder. Lived on a farm southwest of Olpe. Their children: Walter, Nettie, Ben, Sam, Fritz, Clara.

John-- married Nettie Schmidt. Lived on a farm southwest of Olpe, later south of Emporia. Their children: Johnny, Laura, and Leo, Emporia, Kansas; Edward, deceased July 1976; Ruth (Borth), Gate, Oklahoma; and Oscar (AL).

Oscar (AL)-- married Ila Faye McIlvaine of Eagle Creek. They raised one foster child, Steven McIlvain, Ila Faye's nephew. AL has worked for the county running the maintainer for many years. They have lived in Olpe most of their married life.

Samuel-- married Lydia Cooper. Two sons: Walter and Robert. Walter married Violet McElfresh and lives on the home place. They have two children, Daniel and Marie.

Della-- married Albert Gramke. One son, Lawrence, who lives on the home place at Olpe.

William-- married Alvina Kuhn. Children: James, Helen, Lee, Claire, Bob and Warren, of Olpe.

Joe-- never married. Lived around Olpe and Emporia all his life.

Renete- died as a child.
(Submitted by Mary Ann Richardson)

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JULIUS KETTNER FAMILY HISTORY

NOTE FROM MARY ANN RICHARDSON: "My great aunt Louise did marry. She ran away as a young woman to CA to become a movie star. She never returned to KS that any of the family is aware of. I just thought you'd wonder about that since both her parents mention her married name."

**This piece is from the "Olpe Heritage". The article was written by Elizabeth Schroeder.

Julius and Martha (Bohree) Kettner came to Olpe about 1896 by covered wagon from Westphalia, Kansas. Martha Bohree was left an orphan and was raised by an uncle on a house boat on a Polish river. She met Julius Kettner there. He came to America and later sent for her. She came to Benton, Iowa, where they were married February 12, 1889.

They had four children when they came to Olpe. Five more were born on the Olpe farm.

Their children were:
William-- married Martha Weerts
Otto-- married Tillie Huth. Their children are: Anna (Mrs. Rufus Allen), George, and Dorothy (Piemeir). George became a doctor and a grandson, Jon Schroeder, is a veterinarian.
Walter--married Dorothea Pohl. Their children: Clarence, Carl, and Louise (Mrs. Paul Myers).
George--became a minister. One of his sons also is a minister, another is a doctor. Married Clara Wissman.
Julius-- married Nettie Schroeder.
Gus--
Martha-- married Walter Schroeder
Sophia-- married Benjamin Schroeder
Louise-- never married. Lives in California.
(Submitted by Mary Ann Richardson)