| Notes |
- From her Obit:
“Another one of the earliest pioneer women, and, though born in a foreign land, was probably the oldest person in point of time spent in Woodford Co. at the time of her death, was called to her reward last Sunday morning about two o’clock--Mrs. Mary Yotty Klopfenstein, being at the time of her death almost ninety years of age....When she was two years of age with her parent, one sister and four brothers, she came to the United States and they settled on a farm in Germantown, west of Metamora in 1838, known then as Black Partridge....Soon after their marriage Mr. Klopfenstein opened a butcher shop in “Farneysville”, known to later generations as “Slabtown”, on the Mackinaw River near the present home of Senator Lantz.
“There was an early French settlement at this point on the north side of the Mackinaw and “Farneysville” was a thriving commercial and industrial center for that day. The principal industries in the twon were a “grist mill”, a brewery and a distillery. Settlers drove for many miles to this mill, bringing the wheat and corn to have ground into flour or meal. Fisher were plentiful in the Mackinaw at that time and usually while waiting for the “grist” the farmer would “slip up the creek” and with a pole, line and hook catch a string of the finny tribe to carry home. The mill was finally superseded by the larger and better-equipped flouring mills that were built in the larger towns. The brewery and distillery were eventually destroyed by fire and “Farneysville” gradually went into decay.
“Grandma” says the timberlands along the Mackinaw abounded with wolves at that time and one morning when she went to the horse stable to get some cobs there was a large wolf lying in the horse manger.....At the age of twelve Mrs. Klopfenstein joined the Mennonite church and has remained a faithful member....She was always a very active and happy woman....In the early days the calling of a physician wasn’t the simple stepping to a telephone that it is today, and to many families Grandma Klopfenstein was assistant physician, nurse, helper and friend.”
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Woodford County Journal, Jan. 28, 1926: "Another one of the earliest pioneer women, and, though born in a foreign land, was probably the oldest person in point of time spent in Woodford county at the time of her death, was called to her reward last Sunday morning about two o'clock - Mrs. Mary Yotty Klopfenstein, being at the time of her death almost ninety years of age. Mary, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Christian Yotty, was born in Bavaria, Germany, April 3, 1836. When she was two years of age with her parent, one sister and four brothers, she came to the United States [wrong - in 1838 she had only one older brother] and they settled on a farm in Germantown, west of Metamora in 1838, known then as Black Partridge. There the subject of this sketch grew to young womanhood, and was married to Joseph Klopfenstein in 1856, in a little brick church west of Metamora, long since torn down. Soon after their marriage Mr. Klopfenstein opened a butcher shop in Farneysville, known to later generations as Slabtown, on the Mackinaw river near the present home of Senator Lantz..."Grandma" says the timber lands along the Mackinaw abounded with wolves at that time and one morning when went to the horse stable to get some cobs there was a large wolf lying in the horse manger. Not many years later they moved to Eureka, which has since been her home, with exception of two years (1885-6-7) spent in Peoria....At the age of twelve Mrs. Klopfenstein joined the Mennonite church and has remained a faithful member. She was always a very active and happy woman, and one to who people gave their trust and confidence. She was always willing to help and could be relied upon - a real friend in time of need or distress. Her many kind and thoughtful acts will long be remembered. In the early days the calling of a physician was of the simple stepping to a telephone that it is today, and to many families Grandma Klopfenstein was assistant physician, nurse, helper and friend. Of late years she has not been able to go out so much, but her heart was always with the afflicted. About two years ago she suffered an attack of heart trouble, from which she never fully recovered, although in her last illness she was bedfast only about two weeks. Realizing that her earthly career was fast drawing to a close, she made her own funeral arrangements, choosing the minister, the pallbearers and the songs to be used. The funeral service was held at the M.E. church in Eureka on Tuesday afternoon, conducted by Rev. Ezra Yordy of the Mennonite church assisted by Rev. Andrew Schrock and Rev. W.L. Barnes. A quartet composed of Mesers Lester Smith, Ed Smith, Walter Yordy and Walter Zook, rendered the hymns she had chosen. The pallbearers were Henry Sauder, David Ulrich, Jacob Garber, Chris Garber, Joseph Waggoner and John R. Resser. Burial was in Olio Cemetery, where her loved ones gone on before are awaiting the resurrection."
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1836 - 1926 (89 years)
