Konrad Geibel, the parental head of the family of whom this sketch relates, was born in Wachenheim, Bavaria, on the 8th day of Sep 1815. His father, Peter Geibel, with whom he lived until he arrived at the age of twenty-one years, was a shoemaker by education and profession, and under his guidance, our subject, at the age of fourteen years, became of the most expert workman in his native town. Under the rules of that country social, if not governmental, every child was required to attend Sabbath School up to his or her eighteenth year, and at the age of fourteen to be examined in church studies and, if upon examination, the child was found proficient, he or she was then taken to the church for confirmation and given the first Sacrament. It was made the duty for every one to attend church service in the forenoon, and of all children to attend Sunday School in the afternoon. The services and mode of teaching was the same as that adopted by the Presbyterian Church of the country. Mr. Geibel went through all of the required forms and graduated in the church with credit to himself.
In the year 1838, he married Miss Annie M. Keller, of his native place, and with her and his eldest son, Konrad, who was born in Bavaria, he set sail for America in the year 1840. The family embarked in a two-masted vessel at Harvard, and was thirty-two days to the day, upon the ocean, when the vessel landed at the port of New York. His object was to join some friends then living in the neighborhood of Evansville, Indiana, and, after having recruited fully from his sea voyage, he started on his Westward journey, going by canal boat from New York to Buffalo, thence by lake to Cleveland, thence by canal to Portsmouth, Ohio, on the Ohio River, and thence by steamboat to Evansville, landing there in precisely thirty-two days after leaving New York, and the identical number of days spent in crossing the ocean.
Mr. Geibel remained in Evansville only fourteen days, owing to the low price of wages, and it is not necessary to say that he was homesick and disappointed. About that time he hired to come to Henderson, and he did so, entering the shoe shop of John Boller, then established in a miserable old log shanty on the southeast corner of Main and Second Streets. This house was known as the old Henderson Bank, and in the garret was a box of old and worthless bank notes. The building was twenty-five or thirty feet long, with a clabboard roof. At that time Evansville was a larger place than Henderson, but better inducements were offered mechanics here. Upon the arrival of our subject at Henderson, great difficulty was experienced in getting a house in which to shelter his family. Governor Dixon at the time occupied two rooms in the brick on Main Street, recently torn down by Mann Brothers; the front room he used for his office, the rear room for consultation. He had taken quite a fancy to the newcomer, and, in the goodness of his heart, offered him the use of the rear room until better provision could be made. This kind offer was accepted, and into this room the little family lived for some time afterward.
In the year 1841, our subject formed a co-partnership with John Delker, under the name of Delker & Geibel, and purchased the stock of John Burke, then carrying on the shoe making trade in a little frame building that stood near where the Planters Bank is now sitting. This firm was one year in business, and paid five dollars for the rent of the house. At the end of this time Mr. Geibel embarked in the shoe making business on his own account, and, by energy, industry, and honest effort, soon built up a large and paying trade. He was very popular with all classes, particularly those persons best able to pay him well for his work. So well did he keep his promises, so honest was he in all his dealings, that this large patronage stood by him up to the time of his retirement due to ill health. Economy and prudent management brought him a handsome competency to comfort him and his faithful life partner in their old age. They had five sons to reach maturity — Konrad; George; Peter; John W. and Frederick.
John W. Geibel
John W. Geibel was born in the Town of Henderson on the sixteenth day of June, 1853. He was educated from the private schools of the town, and at the age of fifteen, August, 1868, entered the drug store of W. S. Johnson & Bro. as a clerk. Here he remained, applying himself with an assiduity and intelligence that soon won for hin the unqualified confidence of his employers, until the winter of 1874 and ’75, when he vent to Philadelphia and entered Philadelphia College of Pharmacy. He remained in this college during the term of 1875, and then returned to Henderson. A short time after his return home, he accepted a position in the drug house of Hon. T. C. Bridwell, at Evansville, Ind. A few months thereafter he went to St. Louis, and formed a co-partnership with Dr. King, of Madisonville, Ky, and opened a drug store. For reasons best known to himself, one month after the organization of the firm, he sold out his interest to his partner, and accepled a clerkship in the drug house of Ed. N. Harris, St. Louis, where he remained seven months. At the end of that time he returned to Henderson, and a few weeks afterwards accepted a position with Dr. Kinkead, at Paducah, Kentucky. He remained with Dr. Kinkead just one month and a half, and then returned again to his home in Henderson. A short time after this return, he re-entered the employ of W. S. Johnson & Bro., where he remained up to June, 1884, when a co-partnership was formed between himself and Charles F. Kleiderer, an experienced druggist, under the firm name of Kleiderer & Geibel. This firm immediately opened the elegant “Post Office” Drug Store, on Second Street, in Odd Fellow’s building. These young men were complimented by a large patronage from the first day their doors were opened to the public, but so steadily, and surely did it increase, that in August, 1886, in order to amplify the influence and patronage of the firm, a lot was purchased on the corner of Green and Center Streets, opposite the public school and a very handsome two-story brick store house erected thereon. This new house is, perhaps, the handsomest in its interior finish to be found in Henderson. The subject of this sketch has charge of the new store while his partner holds the reins over the parent stem, or Second Street store. Mr. Geibel is the owner of several nice lene-ment houses in addition to his drug store property, and is continually adding to his already well earned little fortune. His life is a living example of what can be accomplished by regular habits, prudent liv-ing, assiduous work and thoughtful judgment. He is on the high road to prosperity undisputed, and none deserves it more than he. It is not luck with him, but the outcome of good, sound, native and acquired
Frederick P. Geibel
Frederick P. Geibel was born in Henderson in 1856 and lived in this city practically all his life. He was employed for several years as bookkeeper for the hardware firm of G. A. Meyer & Co. For twenty-three years he was connected with the Ohio Valley Banking & Trust Company. When he left the O. V. bank he intended to engage in the real estate business in order to be more in the open air, but when Ingram Crockett resigned as cashier of the Planters State bank the directors after much persuasion secured Mr. Glebel’s consent to accept the position as cashier. He had one son, Carl P Geibel. Frederick died 18 Apr 1914 (aged 58).
Geibel Addition to the City of Henderson
References:
Starling’s History of Henderson County, Kentucky, 1887.