From:Annals of Brown County, Kansas, From the Earliest Records to January 1, 1900; Compiled and Published by Grant W. Harrington, Editor and Publisher of Kansas Democrat; Hiawatha, Kansas, 1903; Part II. Historical sketches and biographies; pages: Page 422

GREGORY AMANN

Gregory Amann has enjoyed the distinction for years of having lived on the townsite of Hiawatha longer than any other man. The town was laid out in 1851 and Mr. Amann located here that same year.

Mr. Amann was born In Wurtenberg, Germany November 17, 1835 and learned his trade as a carpenter and bridge builder in his native land.  In 1853 he came to America and worked at bridge building on the railroads in Kentucky. In 1855 he came to Leavenworth and in 1857 to Brown County. He took up a claim on Mulberry Creek in Walnut Township but continuing to work at his trade. That same year he located at Hiawatha and for more than forty years has been busy putting up buildings and bridges. There are very few Brown County bridges of any importance and not many of the good buildings which do not bear his imprint.

In 1861 Mr. Amann wanted to enlist in a Kansas regiment hut there being no Kansas regiments recruiting just then he walked to St. Joe and enlisted in Company E of the Twenty- Fifth Missouri.  He was mustered out after six months' service and returned to Hiawatha hut later was enrolled In the state militia and helped repel the Price Raid.

In addition to being the pioneer settler to Hiawatha Mr. Amann enjoys the distinction of being a member of the first petit jury ever drawn in the county; the first initiate of a Masonic lodge in the county and a member of the first city council in Hiawatha. He has served the city three years as mayor being elected the first time in 1873, again in 1882 and again in 1883 and is now and has been for some years a member of the Hiawatha board of education.  He is a Mason and belongs to the Hiawatha Lodge, Mt. Horeb Chapter and Hiawatha Commandery.  He is also a member of Hiawatha Post of the Grand Army.

Mr. Amann was married in 1861 to Mrs. Ella Warnake and they have three children--Horace who is associated with his father in the hardware business under the firm name of G. Amann & Son, Herman who is with the firm of Blish, Mize & Silliman of Atchison and Klara who is a bookkeeper and stenographer in the DEMOCRAT office.