Frank Joseph Blechel

For twenty years Mr. Blechel had charge of the machinery department of the Chas. Pilla general store. Frank Blechel was past one year old when he came here with his parents and past five years of age when Holy Family Church was being built. It has been written how his father would lift him up on the scaffold where he would assist the stone masons by handing them small rocks to be placed in the mortar between the larger ones.

• Residence: 1875 - Douglas, Kansas, United States
• Residence: 1900 - Eudora Township Eudora city, Douglas, Kansas, United States
  • Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: Jun 30 2021, 22:59:58 UTC

"The Eudora Weekly News" (Eudora, Kansas), 30 April 1936 (Fiftieth Anniversary Edition):

Frank Blechel was past one year old when he came here with his parents and past five years of age when Holy Family Church was being built. It has been written how his father would lift him up on the scaffold where he would assist the stone masons by handing them small rocks to be placed in the motar between the larger ones. Frank Blechel is the second oldest continuous resident of Eudora. He is the only living person who helped with the building of the first Catholic church in Eudora in 1864.

He arrived here May 2, 1861, with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Franz Blechel. Next May he will have been 75 years a continuous resident of Eudora. He was born in St. Charles, Mo., August 29, 1860. He has been a resident of Eudora for all but one year of his life and will celebrate his 75th anniversary as a resident in May and his 76th birthday five months later.

In 1861 there was an influx of several German and Irish families from Illinois and Missouri, and among them was Frank Blechel's parents. They came of course, by ox teams and prairie schooners drawn by horses, to seek new homes or fortunes in the new state. They endured, to, all the incoveniences that went to make up an overland trip in those days of Indians and border ruffians.

A romance that begun when both were attending the parochial school culminated in the marriage of Frank Blechel and Miss Anna Sommer October 9, 1883. (Anna Sommer was the daughter of Kajetan Sommer, Sr.) They celebrated their Golden wedding anniversary two years ago last October. Four people who attended the wedding ceremony October 9, 1883, participated in the festivities at the home. They were Mrs. Louis Eder, Mrs. Hedwig Zollner, Mrs. Theresa Zillner and Frank Sommer. The three last named are sisters and a brother of Mrs. Blechel.

For twenty years Mr. Blechel has charge of the machinery department of the Chas. Pilla general store. About seven years ago Mr. Blechel suffered a slight paralytic stroke, but has regained his health to such an extent that he is able to do a fair day's work. In 1903 Mr. and Mrs. Blechel purchased the home in which they live from Rev. Jacob Kraettli.

Estate of Frank Blechel: Tax Order recorded in Book 162, Page 140 shows the following: Decedent died intestate on April 26, 1944. At date of death decedent's estate consisted of property which passes to: Anna Blechel, widow; Joseph F., son; Henry J. son; Mrs. Frank Greiner, daughter; Mrs. Teresa Rothberger, daughter; Mrs. Katherine Winter, daughter and Agnes Blechel, daughter.

• Residence: 1875 - Douglas, Kansas, United States
• Residence: 1880 - Eudora, Douglas, Kansas, United States
  • Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: Jun 30 2021, 22:59:58 UTC