William Christopher Franzmathes was born in Freudenberg, Germany, the son of Anselm Franzmathes and Anna Christina Joseph Reichert. He moved with the Franzmathes family from Canada to Smith County, Kansas in 1873. "Throughout the early 1870's, there were many Indian scares and nervous people were kept continually on the anxious seat. In October, 1871, a band of 500 Cheyennes appeared from the south and camped for several days on the forks of the Beaver, southwest of Smith Centre. Aside from persistent begging and some pilfering, the savages gave no trouble. In the northeast part of the county, the very early settlers had several brushes with the savages and also the bad men who made the state line their route to and fro from the west. A half mile north of what is now Womer, Daniel Womer had a stockade built and from this he and his sons repelled sudden attacks." (From: The History of Smith County, KS..the pamphlet "Old Settlers Homecoming")

OBITUARY: WILLIAM MATHES GONE: William Mathes, early 1870 settler of the Hummer region (Smith County, Ks), and a foremost resident and landmark there for close to 55 years, died of ills incident to old age Tuesday Morning. His age was 87 years. Although he had been failing in health for some years, he was not bedfast very long in his last illness. As he philosophically viewed it, his race was run, the bodily machinery played out and he was willing to go. He was indeed a grand old man--big hearted, kindly, neighborly and appraising people and things at their true worth. Those who had known him longest were his best friends. His loyalty and devotion to his wife a few years back during her long and final illness are still fresh in the minds of Hummer people, and only served to heighten him in their estimation. Funeral services were held in Crystal Plains church yesterday afternoon and his body laid to rest beside that of his wife in the cemetery nearby. A great throng of neighbors and friends turned out to pay their last respect to a good man and splendid citizen. Mr. Mathes was the father of 11 children, the following eight surviving: Ed, Mesdames Mary Rorabaugh, Anna Bell, Jess Pilcher and Pete of this place: Mrs Lena Beem of Meriden; Jess of Jefferson City, Mo., and Frank of Leoti.