Note: Ernst went by his middle name, August. His grave marker reflects that.

Atchison Daily Globe, Monday, January 16, 1933
A PIONEER OF ATCHISON DIES
End Comes at Age of 84 to August E. Mangelsdorf
RESIDENT HERE SINCE 1866
Native of Germany--Is Survived By Widow and Fifteen Children----
August Ernest Mangelsdorf, 84, pioneer Atchison merchant and a resident here since 1866, died at 2:45 0'clock this morning at his residence, Homewood, 804 Q street. Mr. Mangelsdorf had been in failing health since last fall. Death resulted from his advanced years.
Definite funeral arrangements had not been made today pending word from children who live at a distance from Atchison. The body is at the home. Sawin & Douglas are in charge of arrangments.
Mr. Mangelsdorf was an outstanding character in the community. Not only was he a successful business man, but he was an ideal husband and father.
Mr. Mangelsdorf was born at Arnim, near Stendal, Germany, July 27, 1848. He came to the United States with his parents in 1856 and located with them on a farm near Herman, Mo. They later moved to a farm in the Lawrence community, and Mr. Mangelsdorf came to Atchison in 1866.
He was first employed here by John Belz, a pioneer grocer. Later he and a brother, William Mangelsdorf bought the business. The store at that time carried a small line of seeds and after conducting the business along its previous line the Mangelsdorfs sold out the grocery stock and became retail seed dealers. From this small beginning was developed the Mangelsdorf Seed Co.
Mr. Mangelsdorf retired from active business life in 1912, but until recent months he had been active in caring for the ten-acre tract and residence where he established his home.
Mr. Mangelsdorf married Miss Anna Charlotte Brune of Lawrence, Kansas on December 1, 1874. She died December 26, 1890, in Atchison, Kansas, and on September 8, 1892, in Lawrence, Kansas he married a sister of his first wife, Miss Mary Louise Brune of Lawrence, Kansas.
Mrs. Mangelsdorf survives, as do 15 of the 17 Mangelsdorf children: August F., Fred W., Ernest A., and Miss Charlotte D. Mangelsdorf and Mrs. Marie Schmeling, all of Atchison; Frank H. Mangelsdorf, St. Joseph; Mrs. Bertha Luntey, Buhl, Ida.; Mrs. Carol Collins, Fort Worth, Tex.; Theodore A. Mangelsdorf and Harold G. Mangelsdorf, both of Boston; Mrs. Louise Stauffer, Maryville, Mo.; Mrs. Dorothy Paulsen, Elizabeth, N.J., and Miss Helen C. Mangelsdorf, Wakefield, Kas.; one sister, Mrs. Dora Beurman, Lawrence; one half-sister, Mrs. Louisa Lamer, Atchison and one half-brother, Fred Stehwein, Bushton, Kas.
Thirty grandchildren and two great-grandchildren also survive.
A daughter, Miss Anna Mangelsdorf, died in 1891, and a son, Carl, died in 1898 at the age of two years.
Mr. Mangelsdorf was a member of the St. Mark's Lutheran Church.

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In 1868 August borrowed money from his brother William, and together with his own savings, used it to attend Business College in Topeka, Kansas, for one year. When he completed his studies, he returned to work in John Belz's store in Atchison, Kansas.