A Century on Greene Township Soil (1912–Today)
R&E Kapraun Farms sits on black prairie ground in Greene Township, Woodford County, just west of El Paso, Illinois. Our story begins in 1912, when the first Kapraun generation put down roots here—ground that’s remained in the family ever since and is recognized by the Illinois Department of Agriculture as a Centennial Farm (100+ years of continuous family ownership).
The Early Kaprauns: Louis & Marie
Louis Anton Kapraun and Marie (Volz) Kapraun stewarded the home place through the mid-20th century, raising a large family, working the rows, and worshiping at local Catholic parishes that have long anchored life in this part of central Illinois. Their children included Genevieve, Andrew, Helen, Robert, and two sons who died young, Joseph and Louis—an arc you’ll see reflected in family records and local obituary lines.
Where We Are
Greene Township’s landscape is a classic central-Illinois patchwork—section roads, farmsteads, and waterways like Panther Creek, which crosses the township and appears in state historic bridge records—an easy landmark when you’re orienting old plats to modern maps.
Robert & Elaine: Faith, Family, and the Work of Farming
Robert Eugene Kapraun (1935–2024) was born at home in rural El Paso, the son of Louis and Marie. He married Elaine Therese (Alig) Kapraun (1936–2024) on January 26, 1957, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Metamora, and together they farmed a lifetime—raising kids, showing up for neighbors, and serving their community. Robert served on the Benson Farmers Co-Op and Woodford County Farm Bureau boards and was active in the Knights of Columbus—a snapshot of how deeply the family’s story is tied to local agriculture.
The Next Branches
Robert and Elaine raised five children, who learned the rhythms of planting and harvest like farm kids always have—riding along, handing wrenches, and keeping one eye on the sky:
- Mary (David) Harris
- Ann (James) Sallen
- Tom (Priscilla) Kapraun
- Laura (Bill) Williamson
- Joseph (Lisa) Kapraun
Those names, and the growing list of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, mark the continuing line of this farm family.
What We Grow & How We Farm
Like most of central Illinois, our fields are set up for row-crop agriculture—the practical, season-by-season work that ties a family’s calendar to the soil. Spring prep and planting, summer crop checks, fall harvest, and winter shop days: the pattern repeats, but no two years are the same. (We’ll share those ups and downs on our Blog, from soil temps and emergence to harvest moisture and “first ride” photos for the next generation.)
Where the Records Live (and Why They Matter)
For families who love maps and paper trails, Greene Township is well documented. Plat maps from 1912 and 1920 show who held land by section and quarter-section, offering a bird’s-eye view of early landownership around the home place; they pair neatly with the state’s Centennial Farm registry and today’s county GIS. That’s how we connect the dots between the 1912 purchase, the mid-century Kaprauns, and the present day.
The Ones Who Showed Us the Way
We miss Robert (1935–2024) and Elaine (1936–2024) more than words can hold. Their fingerprints are on every acre here, from fencerows to field entrances. This site is a small way of honoring their example—work hard, care for the land, and care for each other—and keeping the stories straight for the generations coming up behind.
