The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-09-28

The Father Of Wichita is dead. Will
lam Greiffenstein, pathfinder, frontiers
man, chaser of the buffalo and deer, In
| dian trader, scout, town boomer, mayor,
legislator and generous benefactor Of two
races passed gently over his three score
years and ten, and babe farewell to earth
and family and friends Tuesday evening
at his home at Burnett, /. T.
Wichita heard the news yesterday with
sorrow. A telegram was received by Otto
Weiss, his nephew, early yesterday morn
ing stating that Mr.. Greiffenstein had
died at GA the night before. His death
was caused by paralysis, and although
he had been very feeble for several
months, yet his death came quickly AMI
without warning. The strength and de-
termination and resistance Of the man is
shown by the fact that he had withstood
ten or twelve previous strokes Of paraly-
sis and was thought to be dying almost
every time. But he rallied and through
his own determination and strong will
power succeeded in getting up within a
few days after each attack, until the
last one.
The body arrived on the $40 Santa Fe
train last night in charge OF the grief
stricken wife and children. It was taken
direct to the hall of Wichita lodge, No
80, A. F. and A. NJ, where it will lie in
state until II o'clock today in order that
old friends and associates may call and
view the remains.
The funeral will take place Friday
morning at $50 from the lodge room,
under the auspices of Wichita lodge, No.
&c. of which the deceased was a member
with an escort from Mt. Olivet Command
cry, No. II, of which he was also a mem
Der. The procession will move direct to
Highland cemetery, where the beautiful
and impressive Masonic ceremony will be
given and the remains will be inferred.
At the time of his death Mr.. Greiffen-
stein was living at Burnett I. T., the
town built upon the allotment secured
by the rights of his wife from the Pot
tawatomie tribe. He had been engaged in
the mercantile business there since 1893,
when the country was allotted, and the
last days of the noble and generous
hearted man were spent in peace amidst
the surroundings to which he had almost
all his life been accustomed.
William Greiffenstein is one Of the best
known, most highly honored and esteem
ed men in the southwest. 1t is owing to
his unselfishness, untiring energy and
broad mindedness, as much as to any one
man, that this city has sustained the
prominence and metropolitan ways which
the Peerless Princess has attained today.
He was for four years mayor of the city
and represented this district in the legis-
lature. He was considered at one time
to be one of the wealthiest men in the
southwest. He was connected with many
of the large ventures which were carried
to a successful completion.
In 1887 Mr.. Greiffenstein erected on the
corner of Jefferson and Twelfth streets
one of the handsomest and most magnifi-
cent homes in the city. He was for a
number of years an extensive land and
cattle owner. He suffered a large loss
during the boom, and in the fall of 1898
he moved with his family to Burnett,
I. T., where he embarked in the mer-
camille business.
He earned the title of Father of Wich-
tia" because it was on eighty acres of his
property that the original townsite of
Wichita was laid out. From the time
Wichita became a city until the time he
left Mr.. Greiffenstein was always one of
the staunchest supporters and stoutest
pillars. He was ever ready to give TO
any enterprise that would benefit and
help the growth of Wichita.
Mr. Greiffenstein was born in July, 1929
at Grass Gerau, near Darmstadt, a prov
ince of Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany. He
was the fourth of six children born to
Charles and Beati Greiffenstein. His ia
Their was a revenue collector and a man
of education and refinement. William
Greiffenstein came to this country in 1S49
He had been educated at the Gymnasium
at Darmstadt, and after leaving school
took up his residence at Mentz, on the
Rhine, where he was employed by a
commission and insurance company.
While there he was suspected of being a
participant in a railroad riot. and
though he was cleared from all suspicion
he concluded TO leave his native land
and try his fortunes In the United States.
After mis- arrival in this country he
Travelled for two years, being then only
p years of age. He was impressed with
the western country and located on the
Wakarusa river, about six miles east OF
Lawrence. Kan. He engaged in trading
with the Indians of the Shawnee and
Delaware tribes. In 1854 he started on a
long journey to New Mexico for the pur-
pose Of trading with the Indians and
frontier men. He returned the same
year and located near Topeka, bartering
with the Pottawatomie Indians
Learning that his fathers health was
failing he returned to Europe in ISIS
where ne remained until his fathers
death. He returned TO Kansas as soon
as he Strengthened up his fathers affairs
and resided for a year IN Shawnee coun-
". AT the expiration Of a year ne start
ed 4 ranch for the Southwestern Stage
company on Walnut creek trading with
the Cheyenne. Ara9ahoe and Comanehe
Indians while handling the stage COM
pany's business In 1854 the Indians went
on the waroath and Nj Greiffens1eIn
was compelled to leave that section OF
the country. He went 10 Salina and dur
inc -ha v-ar zcfai a : scout From "a lima