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Below is a sample of a family biography included in the Texas County, Missouri History published in 1889 by The Goodspeed Publishing Co.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details in a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

Christopher Kofahl, a successful tiller of the soil of Sherrill Township, Texas Co., Mo., was born in Hanover, Germany, August 2, 1825, and is the son of Hans Christopher and Magdalene (Richs) Kofahl, both of whom were born, reared, married and died in Hanover, Germany. The father was a well-to-do farmer. In their family were nine children, five sons and four daughters, only two of whom, came to America, our subject and sister. His early life was spent on his father's farm and in school, where he received a limited education. At the age of fifteen he commenced learning the carpenter's trade, and worked four years as an apprentice. In 1847 he left home for America, and landed at New Orleans. He worked at Vicksburg, Miss., for a time, and then went to Greenburg, where he spent the summer of 1848. That winter he returned to Vicksburg, and in 1849 removed to St. Louis, but later removed to Cincinnati, where he worked in a factory for some time, and then returned to Vicksburg. Some months were spent at Yazoo City, Miss., then back to Cincinnati, and then again returned to Yazoo, where, May 13, 1852, he married Miss Mary E. Housman, a native of Hanover, Germany. She came to this country in 1851, and in 1858 they came to Texas County, and settled on the farm where they now live. There were only eighteen acres cleared at that time, but since then he has increased it to about 140 acres. He knew nothing about farming except what little he had learned in childhood, and had to start almost from the beginning. He, however, has made a complete success of it, and now owns 500 acres. During the war he served about eight months in the Confederate army, being sergeant. He is a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, as was also his wife, who died December 30, 1888. They were the parents of eleven children, nine now living: John C., Henry. William, Magdalene C., Ellen, Louis C., Robert E. L., James C. and Benjamin F. In connection with his farming interest Mr. Kofahl has also handled machinery for the McCormick Harvesting Machine Co. for about ten years. He has been a resident of Texas County, Mo., for the past thirty years, and is a much respected citizen.

This family biography is from 70 pages of biographies included in the History of Texas County, Missouri published by The Goodspeed Publishing Co. in 1889.  For the complete description, click here: Texas County, Missouri History, Genealogy, and Maps

View additional Texas County, Missouri biographies here: Texas County Missouri Genealogy

This site features a growing collection of more than 375 Arkansas Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Massachusetts Missouri North Carolina Ohio Tennessee Texas County History and Genealogy titles.  Click on the links above or the navigation buttons on the upper left sidebar to view other titles available. Click on the SEARCH tab to search our entire inventory.

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