Founding of Offerle – Edward Ott and Lawrence and Joseph Offerle
Edward's brother, Simon Ott, worked for the railroad and encouraged his brother and friends to join him in Kansas. Lawrence and John Offerle took his advice and came to the Ford/Edwards counties in 1876.
Upon their arrival, the three men were impressed by what they saw, and with the railroad expansion, settlers would be following. So, they purchased Section 7 from the Santa Fe Railroad. The three men deeded 40 acres of each quarter section to the Offerle Town Company. The townsite was platted on December 4, 1877.
Lawrence Offerle was born in France in 1832. After the death of his parents, Lawrence and his siblings came to America and settled in Warren County, Pennsylvania. It was there he married Mary Ursula Ott on May 21, 1854.
One year later, the couple moved north of Chicago, where Lawrence operated a general store. Lawrence and Mary raised seven children, who were all born in Illinois. In 1876, Lawrence went West during the land boom caused by the expansion of the Sante Fe Railroad.
Lawrence constructed a general store and hotel on the north side of the railroad tracks, leaving his four sons to operate the businesses. Lawrence returned to Chicago, bringing the rest of his family to Offerle in 1882. The general store had merchandise for everyone, cowboys, farmers, early settlers, and dry goods and clothing for the women. Through the years, Offerle became a stopping place for pioneers traveling to surrounding counties.
Mary Ursula Ott Offerle, distantly related to Edward Ott, passed away in 1895 and age sixty-one. Lawrence returned to Illinois, where he married Elizabeth Derby. He died in 1906. Mary and Lawrence's headstones are in the family plot in Evergreen Cemetery.
The rest of the story: John Offerle did not stay in Kansas. Instead, he returned to Illinois, where he died in 1921. Simon Ott stayed in Edwards County for a time but eventually moved to Topeka, where he died in 1923.
Note: In 1912, Offerle had several general stores, a mill, a grain elevator, a creamery, and a telegraph office. The first post office was opened in May 1876. The US Federal Census of 1900 records the population around 200. The 2020 the population was 179.
Edward's brother, Simon Ott, worked for the railroad and encouraged his brother and friends to join him in Kansas. Lawrence and John Offerle took his advice and came to the Ford/Edwards counties in 1876.
Upon their arrival, the three men were impressed by what they saw, and with the railroad expansion, settlers would be following. So, they purchased Section 7 from the Santa Fe Railroad. The three men deeded 40 acres of each quarter section to the Offerle Town Company. The townsite was platted on December 4, 1877.
Lawrence Offerle was born in France in 1832. After the death of his parents, Lawrence and his siblings came to America and settled in Warren County, Pennsylvania. It was there he married Mary Ursula Ott on May 21, 1854.
One year later, the couple moved north of Chicago, where Lawrence operated a general store. Lawrence and Mary raised seven children, who were all born in Illinois. In 1876, Lawrence went West during the land boom caused by the expansion of the Sante Fe Railroad.
Lawrence constructed a general store and hotel on the north side of the railroad tracks, leaving his four sons to operate the businesses. Lawrence returned to Chicago, bringing the rest of his family to Offerle in 1882. The general store had merchandise for everyone, cowboys, farmers, early settlers, and dry goods and clothing for the women. Through the years, Offerle became a stopping place for pioneers traveling to surrounding counties.
Mary Ursula Ott Offerle, distantly related to Edward Ott, passed away in 1895 and age sixty-one. Lawrence returned to Illinois, where he married Elizabeth Derby. He died in 1906. Mary and Lawrence's headstones are in the family plot in Evergreen Cemetery.
The rest of the story: John Offerle did not stay in Kansas. Instead, he returned to Illinois, where he died in 1921. Simon Ott stayed in Edwards County for a time but eventually moved to Topeka, where he died in 1923.
Note: In 1912, Offerle had several general stores, a mill, a grain elevator, a creamery, and a telegraph office. The first post office was opened in May 1876. The US Federal Census of 1900 records the population around 200. The 2020 the population was 179.
Founding of Offerle – Edward Ott and Lawrence and Joseph Offerle
Edward's brother, Simon Ott, worked for the railroad and encouraged his brother and friends to join him in Kansas. Lawrence and John Offerle took his advice and came to the Ford/Edwards counties in 1876.
Upon their arrival, the three men were impressed by what they saw, and with the railroad expansion, settlers would be following. So, they purchased Section 7 from the Santa Fe Railroad. The three men deeded 40 acres of each quarter section to the Offerle Town Company. The townsite was platted on December 4, 1877.
Lawrence Offerle was born in France in 1832. After the death of his parents, Lawrence and his siblings came to America and settled in Warren County, Pennsylvania. It was there he married Mary Ursula Ott on May 21, 1854.
One year later, the couple moved north of Chicago, where Lawrence operated a general store. Lawrence and Mary raised seven children, who were all born in Illinois. In 1876, Lawrence went West during the land boom caused by the expansion of the Sante Fe Railroad.
Lawrence constructed a general store and hotel on the north side of the railroad tracks, leaving his four sons to operate the businesses. Lawrence returned to Chicago, bringing the rest of his family to Offerle in 1882. The general store had merchandise for everyone, cowboys, farmers, early settlers, and dry goods and clothing for the women. Through the years, Offerle became a stopping place for pioneers traveling to surrounding counties.
Mary Ursula Ott Offerle, distantly related to Edward Ott, passed away in 1895 and age sixty-one. Lawrence returned to Illinois, where he married Elizabeth Derby. He died in 1906. Mary and Lawrence's headstones are in the family plot in Evergreen Cemetery.
The rest of the story: John Offerle did not stay in Kansas. Instead, he returned to Illinois, where he died in 1921. Simon Ott stayed in Edwards County for a time but eventually moved to Topeka, where he died in 1923.
Note: In 1912, Offerle had several general stores, a mill, a grain elevator, a creamery, and a telegraph office. The first post office was opened in May 1876. The US Federal Census of 1900 records the population around 200. The 2020 the population was 179.
Edward's brother, Simon Ott, worked for the railroad and encouraged his brother and friends to join him in Kansas. Lawrence and John Offerle took his advice and came to the Ford/Edwards counties in 1876.
Upon their arrival, the three men were impressed by what they saw, and with the railroad expansion, settlers would be following. So, they purchased Section 7 from the Santa Fe Railroad. The three men deeded 40 acres of each quarter section to the Offerle Town Company. The townsite was platted on December 4, 1877.
Lawrence Offerle was born in France in 1832. After the death of his parents, Lawrence and his siblings came to America and settled in Warren County, Pennsylvania. It was there he married Mary Ursula Ott on May 21, 1854.
One year later, the couple moved north of Chicago, where Lawrence operated a general store. Lawrence and Mary raised seven children, who were all born in Illinois. In 1876, Lawrence went West during the land boom caused by the expansion of the Sante Fe Railroad.
Lawrence constructed a general store and hotel on the north side of the railroad tracks, leaving his four sons to operate the businesses. Lawrence returned to Chicago, bringing the rest of his family to Offerle in 1882. The general store had merchandise for everyone, cowboys, farmers, early settlers, and dry goods and clothing for the women. Through the years, Offerle became a stopping place for pioneers traveling to surrounding counties.
Mary Ursula Ott Offerle, distantly related to Edward Ott, passed away in 1895 and age sixty-one. Lawrence returned to Illinois, where he married Elizabeth Derby. He died in 1906. Mary and Lawrence's headstones are in the family plot in Evergreen Cemetery.
The rest of the story: John Offerle did not stay in Kansas. Instead, he returned to Illinois, where he died in 1921. Simon Ott stayed in Edwards County for a time but eventually moved to Topeka, where he died in 1923.
Note: In 1912, Offerle had several general stores, a mill, a grain elevator, a creamery, and a telegraph office. The first post office was opened in May 1876. The US Federal Census of 1900 records the population around 200. The 2020 the population was 179.
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