My Genealogy Hound

Conrad Klinge, the present efficient clerk of the county court of Gasconade County, and a representative citizen of Hermann, was born at Maysville, Ky., September 19, 1842, the son of George and Catherine (Kraft) Klinge, who had a family of nine children, three of whom survive. George Klinge was born at Marburg, Hesse, Germany, in 1809, and his father was a soldier under Napoleon, participating in the battle of Moscow. The former (George), upon immigrating to America, located in Fredericksburg, Md., moving thence to Maysville, Ky., in 1842, from which place a year later he settled at Hermann, Gasconade County, Mo. He was a bricklayer by trade, and became quite prominent. At the first call for troops, at the outbreak of the Mexican War, he joined a company of volunteers in 1846, but, their services not being needed, they were discharged after reaching Fort Leavenworth. For some ten years he was captain of an independent company, known as “Jaegar Company,” of Hermann, and in that capacity made the ill-fated trip on the Missouri Pacific Railroad when, by the disaster occurring at the Gasconade bridge, so many lives were lost, he escaping as if by a miracle. For several years he was treasurer of Gasconade County, and during the late war was lieutenant-colonel of a militia regiment. In 1867 he made a trip to his old home in Europe, and upon returning subsequently died. Mrs. Klinge, who was born in February, 1811, in Germany, still resides at Hermann. One of their children was a member of Company G, Thirty-first Missouri Infantry, in the Civil War, and died from internal wounds received at Vicksburg. The subject of this sketch was reared at Hermann, there attending the public schools, and June 7, 1861, he enlisted for three months in the Home Guards, being mustered out October 1; but ten days later he became a member of Company B, Fourth Missouri Infantry, and served until the regiment was mustered out in February, 1863. Sometime after this Mr. Klinge served as deputy constable and deputy sheriff, and in 1872 was appointed United States Express agent at Hermann, a position he filled for five years. In 1879-80 he assessed Roark Township, and in 1880 took its census, outside of Hermann. In 1878 he was defeated for sheriff, on an independent ticket, but at the next election was elected on the people’s ticket, and in 1882 he was elected county clerk on the same ticket. In 1886 he was re-elected. Politically, he is a Democrat. November 19, 1871, Mr. Klinge married Miss Regina, daughter of George Bersinger, of Galion, Ohio. They have a family of six children. Mr. Klinge is adjutant of Capt. Manwaring Post, No. 320, G. A. R.