Pleasant Hill History Center

Louie Klopfer

Louie Klopfer was born July 26, 1877.  He was the son of Christian and Elizabeth Klopfer.  He married Edna Mae Minnich, January 28, 1903.  He had three sons, John Christian, Paul and Virlen.  One daughter, Margaret, died in infancy.  He owned and operated Klopfer’s grocery in Pleasant Hill.  He died on August 27, 1939.

More about Louie from the Cemetery Walk.

My name is Louie Klopfer.  I was born July 26, 1877, right here in Newton Township.  My parents, Christian and Elizabeth were born in Germany.  My brothers and sisters were, Michael, Christian, John, Elizabeth, Henry, Mary, and Anna.

In January, 1903, when I was twenty-six I married Edna Minnich.  We set up housekeeping on the family farm outside of Pleasant Hill on Rangeline Rd., just north of 718.  She was only eighteen, a lovely young woman. Our first child, Margaret died later that year.  But we were blessed with three boys, J.C., born in 1904, Paul, in 1909, and our youngest, Virlen in 1918.  I was farming and butchering, and peddling meat door to door. I liked the work, and we were busy raising our family. In 1921, I had a chance to buy Schuesslin’s Meat Market in Pleasant Hill, so we sold the farm at public auction and moved to town. We were known far and wide for our sausage.  Eventually I had the chance to acquire the grocery located next to the meat market. I settled into my life’s work.

My son, J.C. joined the business in 1925, then Paul in 1927.  That was the year Edna died of tuberculosis. Our Virlen was only eight when he lost his mother. It was hard to go on, but work kept me busy. Business was good, and I was happy to have my sons in the family business.  J.C. married Helen McMacken in 1926.  They moved in over the store.  We put Helen to work just two days after the wedding! 

The next year I married a widow, Minnie Furlong, gaining two stepdaughters, Olive and Glenna, and a stepson, Lawrence.  Then in 1929, the stock market crashed, and we plunged into the Depression. Those were hard times for everyone.  People couldn’t always pay their bill.  We had a stack of debts this high (indicate with hands a large stack).  I told Helen to send a letter to everyone who owed money.  A local doctor owed $ 3.00. He was hopping mad when he got the letter.  He didn’t know they were running a tab, because his wife hadn’t told him!

Paul married Mary Lynn Wineland in 1933. Mary Lynn helped in the store too. The store was a social center for all who shopped there; a gathering place for the town. We made regular rounds in our large delivery truck. Area farmers traded their eggs and other produce for groceries. We had a cream station.  Farmers would bring in their cream, and then the creameries would pick it up to make butter and cottage cheese.  We spent a lot of time bagging things up.  Farmers would bring in potatoes and we’d sort and bag them in the basement.  Brown sugar came in 100 pound bags, chocolate in a big box, and cheese in a big round.  People would say “How’s the cheese today?” and you’d give them a sample.  Then you’d cut off what they needed. 

A lot of merchants would give out calendars for the holidays.  We wanted to do a little something different, so we decided to cook hotdogs on a gas plate, and give them out free – as many as you could eat! We cooked them up in 50lb. lard cans. Grant Burnside always ate so many he got sick!

My youngest, Virlen graduated from Newton in 1936.   He attended Wittenburg University in Springfield.  He became a teacher and taught for a while at Newton.  That’s a fine profession and I’m proud of him.

In August of 1939, my heart began having problems and on the 27^th it stopped working.  I was 62 years old.  I was fortunate to be in business with my sons, J.C., and Paul, and their wives Helen and Mary Lynn. They continued the family store until 1977.

I had a good life and am very proud to be part of Pleasant Hill.