Fischer Family Sketches
Julius Fischer
Julius Fischer was born May 23, 1827 in Flatow, Marien Vader, West Prussia. Julius came to America after his mother's death in 1852.
With 21 others, he came to Kansas from Chicago as members of the Kansas Town Company and laid out Eudora where he started his sawmill. He lived there and DeSoto from 1857 to 1868, at which date he moved to Lawrence to establish an ice business by cutting ice on the river in winter and storing it in sawdust for the following summer. Horse drawn wagons delivered ice to customers in Lawrence.
During the Civil War, Julius raised Company M 21st Kansas Militia and became its captain under Governor Carney. He participated in battle during Price's Raid in Missouri.
After 1893 he became interested in the shoe business, which his son, Otto, and brother-in-law had started 5 years before. It was known as the Menger Shoe Company and was located at 742 Massachusetts Street with Fischer as president and Otto as Secretary-manager. This later became Fischer and Son and then Fischer Shoes and moved to 813 Massachusetts Street and remained there until 1946.
Eda Henrietta Fischer was born September 6, 1867, at DeSoto, Kansas, where her father, Julius Fischer, had established a sawmill and cabinet shop shortly after he arrived in Kansas. She was tall and dark like her father and was devoted to her home and family.
The Fischers moved to Lawrence when Eda was a little girl. She was married to William Freienmuth November 5, 1885 in Lawrence. They moved to Tonganoxie, Kansas in 1888, where they bought a farm they named Many Oaks Farm.
Five children were born to William and Eda, Leo, Edward Otto, Thekla, Alma Marjorie, and William Hans. Leo and Theckla died in infancy.
Eda was a member of the Frauenverein, which meant "Women's Club. Their parents or husbands were members of the Turnverein. The meetings were held in a small upstairs room in Turner Hall on the corner of Warren (9th) and Rhode Island Streets. Eda's husband, William Freienmuth, was a member.
The women bought a carpet for this room and a stove. The member who arrived first had to start a fire in the stove. One day a member came early and simply could not get the fire to burn. She complained, "I never made a fire in my life. Of course the other members were greatly amused at this remark.
This Frauenverein did a great deal of sewing. A bazaar was held almost every year to make money for the Club and its activities. Quilts and other things were made for needy people. At the meetings some member read from German books while the rest served or did other fancy work. The information was given by Mrs. Minnie Dinglestedt McColloch, daughter of Mrs. Louise Preisach Dingelstedt.
Eda died at Leavenworth, Kansas June 28, 1939 and is buried in Maple Grove Cemetery, Tonganoxie, Kansas.
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