Charles Keppe Biography >From "History of Davenport and Scott County" Vol. II by Harry E. Downer-S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. 1910 Chicago. Surnames: Keppe, Hepfner, Richard, Wonder, Curtis. When Charles Keppe first came to Scott county, it was before it had given full evidence of prosperity which has since distinguished it as an agricultural center and before Davenport had developed beyond village life. Indeed, one of the vivid memories of his youth, in connection with this locality, is the sight of Mr. Fulton and Antoine LeClaire pushing on wheelbarrows the first two loads of dirt which had been dug preparatory to the construction of the first railroad in this state. For many years he engaged in farming successfully upon a large tract of land in Sheridan township, but has now retired from active life and makes his home in Davenport. Mr. Keppe was born at Neustadt-bei-Magdeburg, Germany, August 1, 1839, a son of Andrew and Elizabeth (Hepfner) Keppe The former was born in the fatherland in 1797 and could remember many incidents connected with Napoleon's German war and in particular the excitement contingent upon his defeat of 1813. On the 1st of September, 1852, he and his family embarked at Hamburg for the voyage to America. Two months later, on the 1st of November, they touched at New Orleans, and then continued on their way to Davenport, which they reached on the 18th of the month, for their way to Davenport, which they reached on the 18th of the month, for their progress up the Mississippi was very slow on account of the ice. From the time they left Germany until they arrived here they had not landed. It had been a long and tedious trip, throughout which, both for his future reference and for the enlightenment of his sons, Mr. Keppe kept a diary in which the weather and the incidents of passage were ! set down. In the old country he had been a farmer, and when he came to Scott county, after spending one year in Davenport, he bought one hundred and sixty acres of land in Sheridan township, which had been partly improved and for which he paid forty dollars an acre. There the mother died May 25, 1858,in the thirty-eighth year of her age, and there the father resided for twenty-five years, or until he retired from active life and removed to Davenport, where he died at the age of eighty-four. The old homestead has descended to his grandson, Henry Keppe. On the 9th of October, 1867, Mr. Keppe was married to Miss Wilhelmina Richard, a daughter of Christian and Dorothy Richard. She was born in Germany, May 18, 1847, and came to America with her parents in 1854. Her life was brought to a close April 20, 1904. The four children who were born to Mr. and Mrs. Keppe have also passed away and all are buried in the cemetery at Oakdale. Charles, the eldest of the family, married Miss Minnie Wonder, of Davenport, and left one daughter, Elsie. Emma became the wife of Dennis Curtis, of Davenport, and is survived by five children: Madge, Charles, Nettie, Ralph and Frank. Adeline died unmarried at the age of twenty-five years. Agnes lived to be seven years old. During the many years Mr. Keppe was a resident of Sheridan township, he was intimately identified with its public life. He was a republican in his political views and upon that party's ticket was elected to all of the various offices within the gift of the people. He belongs to the association of the old German settlers, and is a man highly esteemed by those who have come into contact with him in public or private life, for honesty and integrity ever marked his acts. ~~~~~~*~~~~~~ Elaine Rathmann ACC Scott Co, IA USGenWeb Project List Adm: *IA-CIVIL-WAR *IA-DANES