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Note: Died of Heart disease and hardening of the arteries
First person baptized in Nemaha County, Kansas and last of his siblings to die
Religion: Catholic
OBITUARY OF JOSEPH KOCH IN COURIER TRIBUNE
Was First In Baptism, Joseph Koch is Dead
His Father And John Koelzer Founders Of First Catholic Parish
Joseph Koch, who died in Colorado Springs Monday at 2 p.m. was the first person baptized in Nemaha County. This is what church records reveal. Moreover, Joseph Koch was the son of one of two men who might be said to have established the Catholic Church in this county.
John and Anna Mary Koch settled at Wild Cat as early as 1857. The son, Joseph, one of nine children, was born to them November 29, 1859. Joseph is the last member of that family. The brothers and sisters were John, Peter, Will, August and Gerard and Mrs. Anna Sterling, Mrs. Margaret Broxterman and Mrs. C. H. Steinmeir. Of the nine, Joseph was the last to go.
At the instigation of John Koch and John Koelzer, a little frame church was built at Wild Cat in 1859. Before the church was completed, John Koelzer went to Atchison to make arrangements for a priest to conduct the mission. In June 1859, Rev Edmund Langenfelder, O.S.B. came the first time. said to have been the first priest ever to set foot on the soil of this county. The first church was 12 x 25 feet and cost in cash, $92.50. It is told that when the church was about finished, $20 was needed for glass. Only Michael Rogers had money. It was then John Koch and John Koelzer decided they would let Rogers name the church if he would put up the money. Rogers called it St. Mary's Church.
Joseph Koch was married to Sophia Novak on June 6, 1882 in St. Mary's church. Of five children born to them only Edward Joseph of Baileyville and Mrs. Anna Davis of K8ingman, Kansas survive. Three daughters are deceased. They were Lucy Koch, Mrs. Mae Bergman and Philomena Koch. There are 10 grandchildren and one great grandchild.
Mr. and Mrs. Koch sold their 210 acre farm, three and three quarters miles northwest of Seneca in 1918 and found it to their advantage to locate in Colorado Springs where, since the death of Miss Philomena, they have lived alone. They came to own a number of properties in that city and it was believed Mrs. Koch probably will wish to continue her residence there.
Mr. Koch had not been well for five years. There was a tendency to heart disease and hardening of the arteries.
The funeral party left Colorado Springs by train Wednesday morning and was due into Baileyville at 11:40 this morning. Funeral arrangements awaited the arrival of Mrs. Koch, but the requiem mass will be either Friday or Saturday morning in St. Mary's Church, St. Benedict, with the interment in the parish cemetery.
Mrs. Joseph Koch is a sister of Mrs. Joseph Schmitz. It is possible that the nephews, Rev Sylvester Schmitz OSB, Wathena and Rev Edward Schmitz OSB, Atchison, will be in the sanctuary. Mrs. O. M. Henderson, Pomona, Mo is another sister.
SENECA TRIBUNE AUGUST 16, 1894 ARTICLE
Joseph Koch northwest of town is building a fine residence. The drought don't stop improvements of the thrifty farmer. Joseph, like many of his neighbors, has a little of the "wherewith" laid up for a rainy day.
NORTH-EAST KANSAS BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL RECORD 1900
PAGES 188-189
Numbered among the native sons of Nemaha County, Joseph Koch was born in Richmond township on the 29th of November 1859, and like many of the residents of this locality is of German lineage. His father, John Koch was a native of Prussia, Germany, in which land he remained until forty-five years of age, when he sold his farm there and came to the new world, establishing a home in Wisconsin, where he remained until 1857. He then came to what is now Nemaha County, Kansas, locating on Wildcat Creek, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land for one hundred and fifty dollars. The entire tract was in its primitive condition and not a furrow had been turned or an improvement made upon the quarter-section of prairie which came into possession of Mr. Koch. However, he devoted his energies untiringly to the work of cultivation and became the owner of valuable property, upon which he resided until his death, which occurred when he was about eighty years of age. Being one of the first settlers in the county he witnessed much of its growth. He also aided in building four churches in St. Benedict and was actively connected with other measures which led to the substantial improvement of this section of the state, so that in his death the community lost one of its valued citizens, as well as one of its honored pioneers. His wife bore the maiden name of Anna Maria Wilbert and is also a native of Prussia, Germany, where she came to America with her husband. She is still residing on the old homestead, one of the honored early pioneer women left to tell the tale of life when Nemaha County was situated on the wild western frontier. In the family were ten childre, Mr. Koch being the ninth in order of birth and the youngest now living.
He was reared in his native township on the old homestead farm, attended the schools of St. Benedict for about two months during the winter season and thoughout the remainder of the year assisted in the work of the farm and becoming familiar with all the duties connected with the development of the fields. On the 6th of June 1882, he married Sophia Novak, who was born in Ostrer, Germany, and was teny years of age when she came to America with her parents, Joseph and Sophia Novak. They were early settlers in Nemah County and still reside on section 8 Richmond Township. Mr. and Mrs. Koch began their domestic life on section 7, Richmond Township where they lived until 1894, when he erected their present residence on section 19. They have a very comfortable eight room house standing in the midst of a fine farm of one hundred and six acres, which is under a high state of cultivation. Mr. Koch carries on general farming and his indefatigable labors have been crowned with a well merited degree of success. His marriage has been blessed with five children, Lucy, Anna, Eddie, May and Minnie. All are natives of Richmond Township, Nemaha County.
In his political views Mr. Koch is a Republican and keeps well informed on the issues of the day. He has held a number of minor offices in his township discharging his duties in a prompt and faithful manner. He and his wife are communicants of St. Mary's CAtholic Church and he assisted liberally in the erection of the house of worship at St. Benedict. He has always lived in the county of his nativity and the fact that many of his friends are numbered among those who have known him from boyhood is an indication of his sterling worth and his well spent life.[Fulsters2.FTW]
NORTH-EAST KANSAS BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL RECORD 1900
PAGES 188-189
Numbered among the native sons of Nemaha County, Joseph Koch was born in Richmond township on the 29th of November 1859, and like many of the residents of this locality is of German lineage. His father, John Koch was a native of Prussia, Germany, in which land he remained until forty-five years of age, when he sold his farm there and came to the new world, establishing a home in Wisconsin, where he remained until 1857. He then came to what is now Nemaha County, Kansas, locating on Wildcat Creek, where he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land for one hundred and fifty dollars. The entire tract was in its primitive condition and not a furrow had been turned or an improvement made upon the quarter-section of prairie which came into possession of Mr. Koch. However, he devoted his energies untiringly to the work of cultivation and became the owner of valuable property, upon which he resided until his death, which occurred when he was about eighty years of age. Being one of the first settlers in the county he witnessed much of its growth. He also aided in building four churches in St. Benedict and was actively connected with other measures which led to the substantial improvement of this section of the state, so that in his death the community lost one of its valued citizens, as well as one of its honored pioneers. His wife bore the maiden name of Anna Maria Wilbert and is also a native of Prussia, Germany, where she came to America with her husband. She is still residing on the old homestead, one of the honored early pioneer women left to tell the tale of life when Nemaha County was situated on the wild western frontier. In the family were ten childre, Mr. Koch being the ninth in order of birth and the youngest now living.
He was reared in his native township on the old homestead farm, attended the schools of St. Benedict for about two months during the winter season and thoughout the remainder of the year assisted in the work of the farm and becoming familiar with all the duties connected with the development of the fields. On the 6th of June 1882, he married Sophia Novak, who was born in Ostrer, Germany, and was teny years of age when she came to America with her parents, Joseph and Sophia Novak. They were early settlers in Nemah County and still reside on section 8 Richmond Township. Mr. and Mrs. Koch began their domestic life on section 7, Richmond Township where they lived until 1894, when he erected their present residence on section 19. They have a very comfortable eight room house standing in the midst of a fine farm of one hundred and six acres, which is under a high state of cultivation. Mr. Koch carries on general farming and his indefatigable labors have been crowned with a well merited degree of success. His marriage has been blessed with five children, Lucy, Anna, Eddie, May and Minnie. All are natives of Richmond Township, Nemaha County.
In his political views Mr. Koch is a Republican and keeps well informed on the issues of the day. He has held a number of minor offices in his township discharging his duties in a prompt and faithful manner. He and his wife are communicants of St. Mary's CAtholic Church and he assisted liberally in the erection of the house of worship at St. Benedict. He has always lived in the county of his nativity and the fact that many of his friends are numbered among those who have known him from boyhood is an indication of his sterling worth and his well spent life.
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