Staff writer
Several years ago, Lois Weber of Marion found an interesting item at an auction. It was the original charter of a branch of the Farmers Union, established March 1908 in Marion County.
Officially known as The Farmers Educational and Co-operative Union of America, the national organization was established in 1902 in Texas. The Kansas union was organized in 1907.
The organization must have grown rapidly because by the time Marion County chartered a union, it was designated as Strasburg Union #191. Its charter lists officers and members.
Weber was interested in the document because George Weber is listed as president of the local union and G.F. Weber is listed as a member. She said they were the father and brother of her late husband, Leland.
Other officers were Conrad Stenzel, vice president, Jacob Schlotthauer, secretary-treasurer, F. W. Ehrlich, conductor, and F. M. Sowers, doorkeeper.
Other members listed were David Schlotthauer, A. G. Schlotthauer, A.D. Ehrlich, Jacob Stenzel, J.J. Janzen, Benjamin Ehrlich, Jacob C. Yakel, G.J. Propp, David Metzler, Martin Vogel, Chris Schlotthauer, G.F. Weber, H. Missinger, F.K. Janzen, D. Propp, D. Vogel, K. Schlotthauer, and D. Ehrlich.
The charter was signed and an official seal affixed March 12, 1908, at Jetmore by the president, secretary, and organizing officer of the Kansas Farmers Union.
More history
Farmers Union is the second-largest farm organization in the country, after Farm Bureau.
According to an article in “A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans,” written and compiled by William E. Connelley in 1918, Kansas Farmers Union had 50,000 members at that time and was headquartered in Salina.
According to the article, the national organization had a membership of 2½ million in 31 states and was headquartered in Atlanta, Ga.
Maurice McAuliffe was president and Charles Walker was manager of the Kansas union. Walker, a native of Morris County, was involved in the union from its foundation. He sold his one-section farm in 1912 to devote full time to the organization.
At that time, KFU established the Kansas Jobbing Association, a cooperative of progressive farmers. In 1918, it operated 200 elevators, had 57 co-operative stores, and ran approximately 50 produce stations.
Donn Teske is current president of Kansas Farmers Union. Emil Mushrush is secretary. The organization has headquarters in McPherson.
According to Mushrush, 36 Kansas counties have Farmers Union charters. Herb Bartel of Hillsboro is president of the Marion County union. He was preceded by Mervin Deines of Ramona.
The late Vernon Deines preceded Mervin Deines as president. Vernon was active at the state level as well, serving as field man for many years and also as vice president of KFU.
According to Jim Srajer, acting secretary, the county organization had 69 dues-paying members in 2007.