Shaver, F. A., Arthur P. Rose, R. F. Steele, and A. E. Adams, compilers.  "An
Illustrated History of Central Oregon." ("Embracing Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam,
Wheeler, Crook, Lake, & Klamath Counties")  Spokane, WA: Western Historical
Publishing Co., 1905.  p. 526.

JOHN RECKMANN

     a popular and progressive Sherman county farmer, was born in Germany,
August 25, 1865, the son of Hermann and Cathrina (Kilkel) Reckmann, both natives
of Germany, where the mother died when our subject was twelve years of age. At
present the father, a farmer, lives three miles from Grass Valley.
     Our subject was educated  at the public schools and in the gymnasium in the
old country. His father was a carpenter and from him he learned that trade. The
Reckmann family came from Germany to the United States in 1881, and went
directly to Minnesota, where they remained four years, but results not being
satisfactory, the subject's father sent his son, John, to Oregon. In Sherman
county the latter secured land and returned to Minnesota for his father and
brought him here. They had some capital and improved their places. In the line
of carpenter work they constructed only two school houses. At present our
subject owns half a section of fine land, devoted to grain culture, and he rents
a section of military land. His father owns a quarter-section and with his son,
Diedrich, who, also, owns a quarter section of land, rents a section of military
land.
     June 23, 1888, on his place near Kent, Mr. Reckmann, was married to Mary
Stilling, a native of Germany, daughter of Henry and Lena Stilling, who died in
Germany. Our subject has only one brother living, Diedrich, living with his.
father, and one sister, Jessie, wife of John Ditien, of The Dalles. He rents his
Sherman county farm, of,a section in extent.
     The wife of our subject has two brothers ; Deiderich and Claus, both of
whom are Minnesota farmers. Fraternally, Mr. Reckmann is a member of Grass
Valley Lodge, No. 131, I. O. O. F., and Modoc Encampment, No. 39. of Grass
Valley, and the Modern Woodmen of America, of Kent. His political affiliations
are with the Democratic party, but he can be correctly termed an administration
(Roosevelt) man. Both he and his wife are members of the Lutheran church. They
have no children.
     In 1897 their house, a fine frame residence, was burned to the ground. The
contents of the house were destroyed as well as their clothing; they escaped
with their lives in their night clothes and were compelled to sleep  the rest of
the night in a hay stack. At that time our subject was completely out of debt,
but owing to this disaster, he was compelled to incur a new indebtedness for
lumber with which to build a new house. His fine, young orchard was, also,
destroyed by this fire.
     In 1905, Mr. Reckmann has just completed  a well three hundred and four
feet in depth, which furnishes abundance of water, good and pure. It was dug at
a cost of one thousand six hundred and fifty dollars. When they were down one
hundred and fifty-two, feet, they encountered a vein of coal which was shown to
be sixteen feet in thickness. When one hundred and eighty-seven feet down, they
opened another coal vein, this one being two feet thick. The coal is of a fine
bituminous quality and its existence will open a new and valuable industry in
Central Oregon, owing to the scarcity of coal there.


*******************

Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in June 2010 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.