| Notes |
- Biography of Frank William Gfeller, pages 886/887. History of DeKalb
County, Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc., Indianapolis, 1914.
Frank William Gfeller
The subject of this review is a gentleman of high standing to
whom has not been denied a full measure of success. He is
distinctively one of the representative citizen of Smithfield township,
and has long been a recognized factor of importance in connection with
the agricultural interest of the county of DeKalb. Mr. Gfeller has
been conspicuously identified with the material growth and prosperity
of this part of the state and his life has been very closely interwoven
with the history of the county where he has lived.
Frank William Gfeller was born on December 23, 1877, just east of
St. Michael?s church, in Smithfield township, DeKalb county, Indiana,
and is a son of Frederick and Mary (Mehr) Gfeller. When he was about
three years of age the subject?s parents moved to their present home,
which is located a little over a half mile north of St. Michael?
church, and there he has lived continuously since. He was reared to
the life of a farmer and secured his education in the district schools
of the community. He assisted his father in the operations of the home
farm until the latter?s death, when he bought out the interests of all
the other heirs to the estate, except his mother?s life interest in one
hundred and seventy-two acres. He has devoted himself indefatigably
and persistently to the development, improvement and cultivation of the
farm and that he has met with well, deserved success is a matter of
common knowledge in his locality. Among his fellow citizens he has
earned the splendid reputation which he now enjoys by honest,
intelligent effort and is eminently deserving of the splendid success
which has crowned his efforts.
On October 27, 1898, Mr. Gfeller married Anna Schiffli, daughter
of Anthony and Katherine (Fetters) Schiffli, her birth having occurred
in Alsace, France, now Germany, and being brought to the United States
with her parents when but five years old. To Mr. and Mrs. Gfeller have
been born three children living, Laurette, Clarence and Raymond and
one, Olivia, who died at the age of ten weeks.
Religiously, Mr. and Mrs. Gfeller are earnest and loyal members
of St. Michael?s Catholic church, in the prosperity of which they are
deeply interested, and they give their earnest support to every
movement for the uplift of their fellow beings. Mr. Gfeller is a man of
wide knowledge, being a great reader, a deep tinker and a good
conversationalist, and withal is a pleasant gentleman to meet. He
possess a personality that wins friends and all who know him speak in
high terms of his many fine qualities and up-right conduct.
Submitted by:
Arlene Goodwin
Auburn, Indiana
Agoodwin@ctlnet.com
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