Charles Lieban (biography)

[genealogynut]

Taken from History of the State of Kansas, by William G. Cutler

Note:  I am wondering if the surname should be Liebau, instead of Lieban.  I have tried checking the 1880 census, and was unable to find either name in Elk County.  I found other Lieban's, but no Charles or Frederick.  Perhaps I should try various ways of possible spellings.

CHARLES LIEBAN, wool grower, P.O. Grenola, was born in German in 1835, and emigrated to America in 1851. Located at Philadelphia and learned the wheelwright's trade.  In 1857, he emigrated to St. Louis, Mo., where he remained two years, from thence to Lexington, Mo., where he reamined until the outbreak of the war in 1861; thence to Fort Leavenworth, Kan.  In 1864, he went to the mountains; stayed there four years, when he returned to Leroy, Coffey Co., Kan.  In 1870, he came to Elk County, then Howard, and took a claim on Section 1, Township 31, Range 8, nicely watered by two branches of Caney Creek.  He was fifty miles from market, and had to go that distance for all their supplies.  Flour was worth from $5 to $6 per hundred-weight, bacon 23 cents per pound and times were hard, but the subject of this sketch was not discouraged, but went to work with a will and has been well rewarded for his labors.  He and his youngest brother, Frederick, own 420 acres of fine land, thirty acres being timber, 120 acres under cultivation and 260 acres fenced, and is but three and a half miles from market.  He has planted a fine orchard and put up good buildings, he has 700 head of sheep.  He started in 1876 with 160 common sheep, and has improved them until he has a high grade of merinos, yielding nine pounds per head, also raises other stock, but makes a specialty of sheep.  His brother Frederick has been with him since 1871.  He was born in 1852 and came to Kansas in 1868.  He was married in 1883 to Miss Rachel Ingram.