The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1888-11-08

er farm, on which GeIstown Is loeat-
ed, on sixteen years credit. without
interest, for $3,lOO. The tract en-
braced abOur two hundred and sixty
acres. Later Mr.. Gels, junior, ex-
changed this farm for his fathers,
the latter movinl to the place on
which GeistOwn IL built. There he
aud his good wife lived until ten or
twelve years ago, when he, at the
ripe age Of eighty-'our years, was
called to mis- reward, his venerable
spouse following him two years later
at about the same age. The remains
Of both are inferred at Sandyvale.
After the change OF the farms the
subject of this nOtice-in lS4l-came
to JDhnslswn, and on the END day
Of August married Miss Stein, the
ceremony being performed i'm the
old English Catholic church. The
couple went housekeeping on 1.-THE
Island" In q house that stood on the
lot where George Kurtz, ST., now
lives. There Mrs. Gels resided aud
carried on = little grocery and
bakery, while Mr.. Gels followed the
droving business. His first drive to
BaltimOre-thec cattle for which he
purchased on credit, with the assist
anee OF the late Isaac Kaufman
was not profitable.
He persevered, however, and made
the business pay. In 1877 the house
in which Mr.. Gels family lived was
swept awPy i'm iiOOd-the time the
Pennsylvania dam broke. The
same winter Mr.. Gels rebuilt, and
Ia 40 hnH
cupied by Mr.. George kurtZ as q
residence aud meat market. In 1873
or 1870 he sold the KurtZ house to q
man named Young, and bought the
premises where Mrs. Kast's saloon
il now, on Clinton street.
His family took possession Of the
drnving misunderstanding money
until 1854, when he aud Mr.. John J.
Murphy, now Of Pittsburgh, engag-
ed in general merchandising In
FrOnheiser's brick warehouse, In
the room now occupied by Mr.. Gust
BOstert as q flour aud feed store.
The firm had as its clerks from time
to time young men who afterwRrd
became prominent in business life.
Among them we're James J. Muir.
ply, who subsequently made q for
tune in the clothing business, and
Henry Friedhof, Peter Elder, An
drew Foster-nOw n member Of the
firm-and William Y. Gels, Salina,
kansas.
For two years the firm continued
In business In the Fronhelser build
ing. Then II bought the lot on
Clinton street on which the present
hrm has It's establishment. aud built
frame structure into which the
store was moved. The hrm also
purchased the premises now occu.
pled by Messrs: MeAteer and
Schon. IN 1871 MT. Murphy and
Mt. ueis dissnIVed partnership, MT
Gels taxing the store STAND and MT
Murphy tie McAteer ana Schofi
properties.
FOR snort Time AFTER THIS MT
1els kept store oy hliiseII. Later
after the ~ar-abOut 1857. Mr
Gels retired from business IN Iavol
OF william u. tiels ana Andrew
Foster, who established the firm al
Gels q Foster. Mr.. Geis was out Oi
the hrm until October, 1873, when
Tue new hrm oil 'ieiS, Foster d
andrew roster aud James quinn,
the latter' rs had MI. roster, pre-
Nlously having married a daughter
OF Mr.. Gels. In lS''H Hnd 1859 MT.
tieis visited Kansas to pure base
lands.
About this time Mr.. Gels, his son
William X. and Mr.. Foster started a
hank at Salina, Kansas. A few
years later Mr.. Foster sold his In
terest in the bank to William n.
Gels aud the latter sold his interest
in the store to Mr. Foster.
In July, 1873, the frame building
occupied by the firm MAS torn down
and a fine three-stOTy brick-the
present structure-ereeted In Its
place, pOsses,ion being taken In
November Of the same year In which
II WAS commenced. Considerable
additions have since been made to
the structure, aud Il IL now one Of