Jefferson County Historical Society

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John Wenom, a grain dealer and insurance agent at Kimmswick, was born
in Alsace, France, in 1837, and is the son of L. and F. Wenom, also
natives of Alsace, France.  They came to the United States in 1852, and
after about two months in the State of New York, came to Jefferson County, 
settled near Kimmswick, where the father died, in 1856, at the age of 
seventy-five.  He was a carpenter by trade.  The mother died about 1871 
or 1872, and both she and her husband were members of the Catholic Church.  
John received a fair education, and came with his father to Jefferson 
County, where he was married, in 1859, to Miss Catherine, a daughter of 
Matthias and Lizzie Miller, natives of Prussia, where Mr. Miller died.  
The rest of the Miller family came to the United States, and settled in 
Jefferson County, where the mother died soon after.  The following seven 
children were born to Mr. Wenom's marriage: William (a blacksmith of 
Fenton), Ida (wife of John G. Koch), Katie, Oscar, Otto, Gustav and John.  
Mr. Wenom continued farming in the vicinity of Kimmswick until 1866, 
when he removed to that city, and there followed the butcher's trade 
until 1881.  He then engaged in the grain trade, which he has since 
continued, and for three years has been agent for the Home Insurance 
Company at New York.  He was for sixteen years road superintendent, and 
was in Company A of Col. Rankin's Regiment of the Enrolled Missouri 
Militia during the war.  He is a member of the A. O. U. W., a Republican 
in his political views, and cast his first vote for Abraham Lincoln, in 
1860.  Although Mr. Wenom had a hard struggle with poverty the first part 
of his life, he now owns considerable property in and about Kimmswick, 
after giving his married children each a good home.