posted by Brett M. on Feb 18
One of my Borsum cousins thoughtfully directed me to a book that contained some great information on our family. (Thank you, Linda!) The following is excerpted from pages 691 – 693 of the 1910 book, “Past and Present of Saline County Missouri,” by Hon. William Barclay Napton.
AUGUST KATLENDER
A man who has won definite success in life because he has worked for it along legitimate lines rather than been favored by the caprices of fortune and assistance of influential friends is August Katlender, a well known farmer in Elmwood township, Saline county. He was born in St. Louis, Missouri, December 3, 1844, the son of Henry and Mary Katlender, both natives of Germany and who, in early life, came to America, locating in the city of St. Louis. They were young in years and consequently energetic and soon had a foothold in the new country. Henry Katlender worked as a stonemason. His death occurred in 1852 and his wife reached the age of eighty-six years. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal church and were the parents of five children, namely: Catherine, Louisa, August, of this review; Henry, who lives in St. Louis; Lewis is deceased. After the father of these children died the mother married again, her last husband being Henry Lindhorst, of St. Louis, and to them seven children were born, now all deceased except Millie, of St. Louis.
August Katlender was reared in St. Louis and received a limited education in the public schools there. When he became old enough he began teaming there, following this until his removal to Lafayette county, Missouri, in 1871, where he farmed for several years. In 1893 he bought his present farm in Elmwood township, Saline county, consisting of one hundred and forty acres of good land, all under cultivation but twenty acres which is in timber. He has fenced and otherwise greatly improved the place and has a comfortable house and other buildings. He is a hard worker and has managed his affairs in such a manner as to obtain a very comfortable income from year to year.
Mr. Katlender married Dora Borsum in 1880. She is a native of Hanover, Germany, and the daughter of Conrad and Sophia Borsum, natives of Germany, who came to America in about 1850, first settling in Baltimore, Maryland, but in a short time came on to Lafayette county, Missouri, where they farmed for a time. Conrad Borsum was a shoemaker by trade; he and his wife were the parents of three children, namely: Henry, became a Union soldier, dying while in the service, of smallpox; he was in the Twenty-fourth Regiment Illinois Infantry and participated in many important and hotly contested battles during his service of over three years; Dora is the wife of Mr. Katlender, of this review; Frederick lives in Colorado. The Borsum family are members of the Lutheran church. Several other children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Borsum while living in the old country, but they died in infancy, unnamed.
Three children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Katlender, namely: William Frederick, who has remained single, is living at home, managing the farm for his parents; Mary Louisa is the wife of Joseph Menegali, a farmer of Salt Pond township, this county, and they are the parents of one child, August; Albert Henry is single and is living at home, assisting with the work on the farm. Mrs. Kalender was married to Charles Brace, now deceased, prior to her marriage with the subject, and five children were born of her first marriage, namely: Mary, the wife of James Cole, lives in Danville, Illinois; Mattie is living at home; Lizzie is the wife of John Hink; Sophia is the wife of Van Elsa, living in Salt Pond township on a farm; Emma is the wife of Joshua Dorsey, living in North Dakota.
Mr. Katlender rendered some efficient services to the Union during the conflict with the Southern states, having enlisted in the Missouri State Militia in 1864 and served until the close of the war, his services being mostly guard duty. Politically he is a Republican and he and his wife are members of the Christian church. This family are highly respected in Elmwood township, where they have led plain, industrious lives and attended strictly to their own affairs.
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- Transcriber’s note: I am a descendant of Conrad & Sophia Borsum -> Dora Borsum (Charles Brace) -> Lizzie Brace Hinck (William Scholle).