Biographical Sketch (1917):31, p. 137. "Fred A. Klipfel, Mayor of Wapakoneta and one of its most active business men, was born in that city September 26, 1878, and is a son of August W. and Mary (Bitler) Klipfel. He was educated in the public schools of Wapakoneta and found his first employment in the grocery business of his father. He has been generally active in the business and political life of Wapakoneta, having served as Village Clerk from January 1, 1912 to January 1, 1916, and since the latter date has been Mayor of the city. He is also Secretary of the Citizens Building and Loan Company which position he has held continuously since June 1, 1899, and has been secretary of the Wapakoneta Commercial Club for several years. Mr. Klipfel is one of those men who makes friends easily, and no one in Wapakoneta can lay claim to greater popularity than is his. Fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic Order, B.P.O.E., F.O.E., and the Swabian Society. He is affiliated with the First Lutheran Church. His marriage to Katherine L. Morey was solemnized on October 23, 1902. They reside in a beautiful home on Court Street."

Biographical Sketch (1923):34, v. 2, p. 37-38. "Fred A. Klipfel, mayor of Wapakoneta and secretary and manager of Citizens Building and Loan Co., has had extensive and valuable training in municipal affairs, having served as clerk of the town, later as city auditor and is now serving his second term as mayor, bringing to his administration an accumulation of experience which has proved valuable to the community in many ways in the exercise of his executive prerogatives. Mayor Klipfel is a native son of Wapakoneta and has lived in that city all his life, receiving his schooling and business training there and is thus familiar not only with the history and traditions of the place but with its essential civic needs, so that he is able to bring to his administrative office a ripened judgment that among his associates lends much weight to his estimate of public affairs. The mayor was born on September 26, 1878, and is thus in the very prime of his useful career. Upon his graduation from the Wapakoneta high school, Fred A. Klipfel entered his father’s grocery store and for fourteen years thereafter devoted his attention to that business. In the meantime he had taken an interest in the promotion of the Citizens Building and Loan Company at Wapakoneta, becoming connected with that concern in its ‘day of small things,’ and on June 1, 1899, was made secretary of the company, carrying on the clerical details of the organization in the office of the grocery store. With the gradual expansion of the company’s business it after awhile became necessary to outfit a more adequate office for the concern and the present quarters on Auglaize Street were secured, since which time (in 1912) Mr. Klipfel has been devoting his undivided attention to the company’s affairs, continuing as secretary and manager of the concern, at the same time finding time to carry on his official duties in connection with the administration of the city’s affairs. Busy men are constantly being asked to assume new responsibilities. They are the ones who get things done, and he proved his usefulness in that clerical position. It was on January 1, 1908, that he entered upon the duties of village clerk. For four years he continued thus engaged, the city in the meantime beginning to function under its city charter, and Mr. Klipfel was elected city auditor, entering upon the duties of that office on January 1, 1912. In this latter capacity he also served for four years and then was elected mayor of the city, entering upon his administrative duties on January 1, 1916, and serving by re-election until January 1, 1920, thus occupying this important administrative office during the period of America’s participation in the World war, a period which entailed many new and in some instances trying duties in the offices of the executives of American cities. In 1921 Mr. Klipfel again was elected mayor and on January 1, 1922, resumed that office for a term of two years, thus again exercising this administrative talents in behalf of the city. During the days of the old Wapakoneta Commercial Club, Mr. Klipfel served for some years as secretary of that organization and he also is one of the active factors in the present commercial organization at Wapakoneta, the Chamber of Commerce. He has been a member of the official council of the English Lutheran church at Wapakoneta for twelve years and for four years served as secretary of the church body. He is affiliated with the local lodges of the Freemasons, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and the Fraternal order of Eagles and is one of the active members of the local Kiwanis Club, whose motto is 'We Build,' and which organization has of late been doing much to promote the general interests of the new Wapakoneta. On October 23, 1902, Fred A. Klipfel was united in marriage to Katherine L. Morey, who also was born in this county, daughter of Andrew J. and Sophia (McMurray) Morey, the former of whom was born in Licking county, this state, and the latter in Campbell county, Kentucky. To this union three children have been born, Augustus W., who was graduated from Blume high school (Wapakoneta) and is now a student at Wittenburg College, and Frederic A. and Mary Katherine, who are still in high school. Mayor Klipfel is a Democrat and has for years been looked upon as one of the leaders of that party in the county and throughout the district."

1900 U.S. Census:938 Frederick listed with household of Augustus William Klipfel in Wapakoneta, Auglaize County, Ohio as son, white, male, born Sep. 1878, age 21, single, born in Ohio, father born in Ohio, mother born in Ohio, clerk in grocery, employed all year, can read, can write, can speak English.

1902 Marriage License Application:1713 "The undersigned respectfully makes application for a marriage license for said parties and upon oath state that said Fred A. Klipfel is 24 years of age on the 26th day of September 1902, his residence is Wapakoneta, Ohio, his place of birth is Wapakoneta, Ohio, his occupation is bookkeeper, his father's name is A. W. Klipfel, his mother's maiden name was Mary D. Bitler, that he was not previously married, and that he was no wife living. That said, Katharine L. Morey is 20 years of age on the 1 day of December 1901, her residence is Wapakoneta, Auglaize County, Ohio, her place of birth is Wapakoneta, Ohio, her occupation is ___, her father's name is A. J. Morey, her mother's maiden name was Sophia McMurray, that she was not previously married, and is not a widow, or divorced woman, that she was no husband living."

1910 U.S. Census:956
Auglaize County, Ohio (Wapakoneta)
Enumerated 19 April 1910
Fred. A. Klipfel •• head, male, white, 32, married 8 years, born in Ohio, father born in Ohio, mother born in Ohio, native language English, salesman at grocery store, able to read, able to write, own home with mortgage
Catherine •• wife, female, white, 29, married 8 years, 3 children born of this marriage, 3 children still living, born in Ohio, father born in Ohio, mother born in Ohio, native language English, able to read, able to write

1920 U.S. Census:946
Auglaize County, Ohio (Wapakoneta)
Enumerated between 13-15 January 1920
Court Street
Fred Klipfel •• head, home owned, free of mortgage, male, white, 41, married, able to read and write, born in Ohio, father born in Ohio, mother born in Ohio, can speak English, no occupation listed
Katherine •• wife, female, white, 37, married, able to read and write, born in Ohio, father born in Ohio, mother born in Ohio, can speak English
Jane E. Morey •• sister-in-law, female, white, 46, single, able to read and write, born in Ohio, father born in Ohio, mother born in Ohio, can speak English

1921 Mayoral Election:2759 An article in the Lima News on 9 November 1921 entitled "Democrats Take Wapakoneta" reported that, "By a majority of 237, Fred A. Klipfel, Democrat, was elected mayor here Tuesday, defeating Mayor E.E. Newcomer, candidate for re-election. Klipfel received 1,145 and Newcomer 903."

1930 U.S. Census:2627
Auglaize County, Ohio (Wapakoneta)
Enumerated 2 April 1930
9 Court Street
Fred A. Klipfel •• head, owns home, home value $7,500, owns radio set, does not live on a farm, male, 51, married, first married at age 23, can read and write, born in Ohio, father born in Ohio, mother born in Ohio, manager building & loan, works for wages, not a veteran
Katherine L. •• wife, female, white, 48, married, first married at age 21, can read and write, born in Ohio, father born in Ohio, mother born in Ohio
Jane E. Morey •• sister, female, white, 60, single, can read and write, born in Ohio, father born in Ohio, mother born in Ohio

1942 Death Certificate:733 Fred Anton Klipfel; Wapakoneta, Auglaize County, Ohio; 14 September 1942; residence, 9 Court St.; male, white, married; widow, Mary Katherine Klipfel; born 26 September 1878; age 63 years, 11 months, 18 days; secretary, Citizens Building and Loan co., Wapakoneta, Ohio; born, Wapakoneta, Ohio; father, August W. Klipfel, born in Auglaize County; maiden name of mother, Mary Bitler, born in Auglaize County; burial Greenlawn Cemetery; cause of death, suicide by revolver shot (38 caliber) in right temple.

1942 News Article:2760 Secretary of Loan Company Ends Own Life. Fred A. Klipfel, 64, Victim of Bullet Fired Thru Right Temple. Wapakoneta, Sept. 14. Fred A. Klipfel, 64, secretary of the City Building and Loan Co. for 43 years, was found dead this morning in the institution's vault, shot thru the head. A verdict of suicide was returned by Justice of the Peace Dan McKeever, acting coroner in the absence of Dr. Alfred Veit, who said the bullet had entered Klipfel's right temple, emerged from the left temple, and struck the vault door. The body was found on the floor of the vault by E. J. Hedrick, federal examiner, who was inspecting the company's books prior to transfer of its assets to the Home Savings and Loan Co., a newly organized institution. Klipfel was the only person in the building at the time, according to investigating officials, and a check of neighboring establishments failed to reveal anyone who had heard the shot. Hedrick entered the building shortly before nine o'clock. Investigation of Klipfel's circumstances seemed to indicated that the prospect of unemployment might have motivated his action. The loan firm secretary had been prominent in Democratic activities and in his earlier years had been a three term mayor, serving 1916-20, and 1922-24. He had previously been clerk, 1906-12, and city auditor, 1912-1916. he was a member of the Masonic, Elks and Eagles lodges, and a member of the First English Lutheran church and its council. Surviving are his wife, Katherine; two sons, Augustus and Frederick, both of near Los Angeles, and a daughter, Mrs. Mary K. Berlin of Wapakoneta, wife of Capt. Fred Berlin, somewhere in Great Britain. The body has been removed to the Heinl Brothers and son funeral home, Wapakoneta, to remain pending arrangement of final rites.

1942 News Article:784 F. A. Klipfel, Former Mayor of City, Dead. 9-14-42. Body Found This Morning Slumped on Floor of Vault at Loan Office. Fred. A. Klipfel, 63, former mayor of Wapakoneta and one of its best-known and most highly-esteemed citizens, was found cold in death at 8:30 this morning on the floor of the vault at the office of the Citizens Building & Loan company of which he had been secretary and manager for more than 40 years.

E. J. Hedrick of Columbus, one of two federal examiners who have been here for a week making a final check-up of the company's books preliminary to an anticipated transfer of the company's assets to the Home Savings & Loan Association, found the body a few minutes after he entered the office. Observing that Mr. Klipfel had opened up for business and was apparently in the lighted vault, Mr. Hedrick opened and read a letter addressed to him that Mr. Klipfel had brought in from the post office. Then, noting that there was no stir in the office, he casually looked into the vault and saw the body with a bullet wound in the right temple.

Justice of the Peace Dan McKeever who with Sheriff William Nieter conducted an inquest as acting coroner rendered a verdict of death by his own hand.

Mr. Klipfel had been in failing health for more than a year and had been ill all last week. The examiners said he had been working hard for several months in an effort to get the company’s affairs into condition acceptable to the federal insurance corporation which must approve them before a merger with the insured Home Savings and Loan Association could be completed. He had complained Sunday of severe pain in his head.

Fred A. Klipfel was a native of Wapakoneta. His father was the late August W. Klipfel who for many years conducted a grocery on Auglaize Street where the Haywood store is now located. His mother was Mrs. Mary Bitler Klipfel whose death occurred a few years ago. He attended the local schools and was graduated from the high school in 1897. He joined his father in operating the grocery store, and on June 1, 1899 he was elected secretary of the young Citizens Building & Loan company, devoting a part of his time to its development. About the year 1913, he withdrew from the grocery and devoted his time fully to the building and loan company and to the office of city auditor to which he had been elected that year following four years’ service as village clerk. The loan company continued to grow, the assets reaching nearly $???,??? when the depression of 1929 brought difficulties to these institutions all over the country.

In 1915, Mr. Klipfel was elected mayor of Wapakoneta and was reelected in 1917, and served as the city’s chief executive during the days of the First World War. In 1921, he was again elected mayor and served two years. He was a staunch Democrat, and was relied upon by party leaders for victory whenever his name was upon the ballot. Probably no other man in the city was more generally known among the citizens.

On October 23, 1902, Mrs. Klipfel married Miss Katherine L. Morey of this city. Their pleasant home has been located at Court and West Main Street. He was a member of First English Lutheran church and a member of the church council. He was affiliated also with Hamer Lodge F. & A. Masons and of Wapakoneta Council, R. A. Masons. He also was a member of Wapakoneta lodge of Elks and Wapakoneta aerie of Eagles. Many years ago he had been secretary of the Wapakoneta Commercial Club and had been an active member of the Chamber of Commerce.

Funeral arrangements had not been completed this afternoon. The Masonic and Elks lodge services are to be conduced at the late residence Tuesday evening.

1942 Obituary:1265 Klipfel Funeral Will be Held on Friday Morning. Examiners Here Today to Begin Check of Building and Loan Books. Funeral service for Fred A. Klipfel, 63, former mayor for three terms, have been arranged for 10 a.m. Friday at the late residence, corner of Main and Court street. The Rev. George F. Weissling, pastor of First English Lutheran church of which the deceased was a member of the official board for many years, will officiate, and interment will be made at Greenlawn cemetery.

The body may be viewed by friends at the Heinl Brothers & Son funeral home until 6 p.m. Wednesday. The Masonic and Elks fraternities will conduct their memorial services at the funeral home this evening.

Examiners from the state building and loan department arrived in the city this morning to begin a routine examination of the company’s books made necessary by the death of Mr. Klipfel who had been secretary and manager for the last 43 years. Directors held a meeting last night and arranged to carry on business after the state examination is completed and during the interim until negotiations looking towards a merger with the Home Savings & Loan association are completed. Meanwhile, federal examiners who have been at work for a week on the merger negotiations are completing their work.

1942 Tombstone:171, v. 2, bk. 1, p. 90. Greenlawn Cemetery, Wapakoneta, Auglaize County, Ohio.
Fred A. Klipfel
b. 1879
d. 9-14-1942
63 y