John F. Kring bio

from “The History of Montgomery County,” 1903
JOHN F. KRING - One of Cherryvale's substantial businessmen and the pioneer merchant of the place, was born in Livingston county, Illinois, February 9, 1857. His parents were Henry and Ann (Bowen) Kring, the father being a native of Ohio, and the mother of Indiana. By occupation, the father was a carpenter, in early life, but came to Kansas, in 1882, and, was here engaged in farming, for a period, thence to near Hastings, Nebraska, where he died, at the age of sixty-one. He was a man of deeply religious mould, an active worker in the M. E. church, in which he, for long years, held official connection. His wife died at the age of twenty-eight. Of the four sons, who comprised their family, John F. was the eldest; Milton resides at Mascotah, Nebraska; Charles lives at North England, Iowa; and William is a resident of Ottawa, Kansas.
John F. Kring passed the period of his boyhood in Fairburg, Illinois, receiving a good common school education. After leaving home, he farmed, four years in Illinois, and, in December of 1881, came to Montgomery County, and passed the first year, in Independence. In 1882, he came to Cherryvale, where he started a butcher business. Two years later, he added a stock of groceries and has, since, carried the double stock. He is well located and does a flourishing business.
Horne life with Mr. Kring began October 28, 1880, when he was happily joined in marriage with Alice B. Brumbaugh, a native of Illinois, and a daughter of Alexander and Elizabeth (Hawtome) Brumbaugh. Mr. Brumbaugh died, in 1896, at the age of seventy-three, and Mrs. Brumbaugh is a resident of Marysville, Kansas. Besides Mrs. Kring, there were four children: Bertha, Mrs. Charles Ewalt, of Clearfield, Iowa.; Oliver P., a painter and paper-hanger, of Cherryvale; Emma, Mrs. Frank Hutchison, of Marysville, Kansas; and Mae, Mrs. Edward Reed, of Marysville.
To Mr. and Mrs. Kring have been born: Bertha, Madge and Mae, and the mother and the oldest daughters are members of the Presbyterian church.
Mr. Kring is a member of the I. O. O. F., the Modern Woodmen, and of the A. O. U. W. Politically, he is a Republican, and is ranked among the most substantial and worthy citizens of the city.