USA > Illinois > DuPage County > History of Du Page County, Illinois (Historical, Biographical) > Part 68
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ADDISON TOWNSHIP.
1878, he married Maggie Hamilton, born in Glasgow, Scotland, daughter of David and Jane (Morrison) Hamilton, to whom were born three daughters and one son. James Clark has two children-Adelbert and daugh- ter (unnamed).
LOUIS DIERKS, farmer, P. O. Bensen- ville, was born July 30, 1835, in Neustadt Amt Rodewald, in the Province of Hanover, only son of John Henry and Dorathy (Preus- sner) Dierks. In 1841, Louis came to Amer- ica with his parents, and, in November of the same year, his father located on Section 13. There was a log house and but little improve- ments. His father is now well up to ninety years of age; he resides with his daughter Caroline, wife of Henry Miller, in Cook County. Louis, being raised on the farm, became attached to that life, and decided to make it his business. July 4, 1855, he was married, in Chicago, to Margaretha Lauing, born September 16, 1833. in Amt Hoya, Province of Hanover; her parents were De- trick and Rebecca Breuning, he born in 1803, his wife in 1815, and he came to America in 1861. She died in the old country in 1855; he in 1865. in this county. Since Mr. Dierks' marriage, he has been located on the homestead, consisting of 155 acres; he has one of the best houses in the township, built of brick and furnished in first class style: his farm adjoins the town of Bensenville. Twelve children have been born to Mr. Dierks, nine of whom are living-Sophia, born April 29, 1856; Ernst, February 11, 1859; Louis, June 26, 1861: Martha, October 20, 1863; William, October 19, 1865; Emma, February 10, 156S; Albert, July 26, 1870; Henry, August 3, 1872; Ida, April 1, 1874. Mr. Dierks is a member of the Lutheran Church.
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Township; he was born in this township March 8, 1856, second son of Frederick Eh- lers, a native of Hanover, who came to this State in 1850; he married Maria Meyers and subsequently located in Cook County, where he died in 1869; his widow yet lives on the homestead. Edward remained at home until his marriage, which occurred May 23. 1877. with Caroline Korthauer, daughter of Esquire Korthauer, of this township. Since his mar- riage, he located where he now resides, and has been engaged in farming and running the Addison Mill. Having a steam engine of twenty-five horse-power, he is never compelled to cease running his mill, when the wind is not sufficient to propel the machinery. He has two children-Mary Christina and Ber- tie E.
FREDERICK FISCHER, farmer. P. O. Elmhurst. Henry D., the eldest brother of Frederick, emigrated to this country in 1833; came first to Chicago, and shortly after, took a claim on Section 27, in Addison Township. The remainder of the family came in the fall of 1836, and have since been identified with the interests of Du Page County. Frederick was born March 17, 1823, in Hanover. His father was Conrad Fischer, who married Lou- isa Reinking, and the fruits of this marriage were three sons and three daughters-Henry D .. Louisa, Frederick, Angustus, Caroline and Wilhelmenia; the latter was accidentally drowned while coming to this country. Lou- isa married Henry Bielfeld, now of Milwau- kee: Caroline, wife of Louis Rathje. Con- rad Fischer and his family settled where George Fisher now lives, in this township. where he remained until his death, having attained to the age of over fourscore years; he was a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and was a man of substantial char- acter and highly respected. Frederick has
EDWARD EHLERS, farmer and miller, P. O. Elmhurst, is the owner and proprietor of the wind mill in the east part of Addison ; been a constant resident of this township, and
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has been successful as a farmer, having 630 ! acres of choice land. He has been twice married-first, in 1847, to Henrietta Mesen- brink, who died in 1880, leaving three chil- dren -- Louisa, Caroline and Albert. Louisa is the wife of Fred Koch, United States Gau- ger; Caroline married Fred Buchold, and Albert lives in Chicago. His present wife was Mrs. Dorothe Poehlsen, daughter of Lud- wig and Charlotte (Bube) Kluto. Mr. Fisher moved to his present location in 1845.
AUGUST FISCHER, farmer and stock- raiser, P. O. Elmhurst, was born February 26, 1826 at Estorf, in the Kingdom of Han- over, and is the third son born to Conrad and Louisa (Reinking) Fischer. August was but ten years of age when his parents located in this township. He married, May 27, 1849, Eliza Hackrott, who was born December 25, 1828, near the city of Hanover. Her parents were August and Mary (Krueger) Hackrott, who emigrated from the old country and settled in this township in 1842, on land adjacent to the Fischer estate. August Hackrott was born in the summer of 1800; his wife Mary on February 27, the same year. To them eleven children were born, seven of whom lived to be grown, Mrs. Fischer being the only one of the family remaining in Du Page County. Her father died in 1852, her mother in 1849; they were members of the Evangelical Church. After Mr. Fischer's marriage, he located on the farm he now oc- cupies, where he had then but 200 acres of land; he has now over 1,500 acres in all, 400 in Iowa, the remainder in this and the ad- joining county. Farming has been his busi- ness since he began life for himself; he keeps a dairy of over fifty cows and is a very suc- cessful farmer. Mr. and Mrs. Fischer are parents of five children, four living-Otto, Amelia, Gustave and Charles. Amelia re- sides in Elmhurst, wife of Adam S. Glos;
Otto, a farmer in this township; Gustave and Charles, at home.
GEORGE A. FISCHER, farmer, P. O. Addison, was born on the farm he now owns, January 30, 1851, the seventh son born to Henry Dietrich Fischer, born in 1815 in the village of Esdorf, in the Kingdom of Hano- - ver; he learned the harness-maker's trade, and, in 1834, embarked for America. In 1836, his parents, two brothers and two sis- ters came to this section from the old country, and determined to engage in farm- ing. In 1837, Henry D. married Ann Maria Franzen, daughter of Bernhard, one of the early settlers of this township. Mr. Fischer was a representative man of his time; he held the office of Justice of the Peace from 1854 up to the time of his death, July 1, 1868. En 1855, he was elected Supervisor, and was re-elected annually until 1859, and again in 1866. He was a stanch Republican. His children were as follows: Henry D., born May 21, 1838; Charles C., March 1, 1840, died 1855; Frederick I., July 30, 1842; Au- gustus H., October 1, 1844, was killed at At- lanta, Ga., August 13, 1864; Herman A., September 6, 1846; William H., December 18, 1848, died June 9, 1865; George A., June 30, 1851; Eliza C., June 25, 1853; Will- iam H., August 17, 1855; A. Henriette, No- vember 27, 1857, died in 1859. George A. has succeeded his father on the homestead; he received good common-school advantages; also attended several terms at Wheaton Col- lege. He took charge of the farm in 1876. January 30, the same year, he married Mary C., daughter of B. H. Franzen and Charlotte Buchholz. Mary C. was born May 29, 1856, in Prussia; she has one brother, Augustus H., and two sisters-Louisa and Caroline. Mr. Fischer has 237 acres and the best of farm improvements. He has two children living -- Edgar B. H. and Henry F. A .; Flora
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died November 15, 1878, born December 27, 1876.
OTTO A. FISCHER, farmer, P. O. Elm- hurst, is the oldest son of August Fisher, one of the prominent farmers and early settlers of the township. He was born March 16, 1850, and has been a resident of the township sinee. His school advantages were such as were obtained in the neighborhood at the common district school, which he completed by attending Dyrenfurth Commercial Col- lege, at Chicago; returning home, he contin- ued work on the farm. July 16, 1874, he wedded Mary Weinrebe, daughter of August and Christina (Marges) Weinrebe. After his marriage, he located where he now resides, and engaged in farming and stoek-raising. He has 195 aeres in this, and 78 in Cook County. Has three children-Alfonso A., Eleanora E. and Alonzo G.
J. H. FRANZEN, farmer, P. O. Bensen- ville, was born in October, 1813, in Prussia, the eldest son and second child born to Bar- ney H. Franzen and Fenne Adelherd Elfring; he was born October 4, 1782, and married in 1808; his wife Fenne was born March 18, 1781. To them were born Anna Catharine, John Henry, Annie Gesina, John Barney and Gerhard Henry. The family emigrated to the United States in 1834; the father died January 5, 1844; the mother April 3, 1835. July 1, 1838, he married Anne E. Dieekhoff, who was born in Hanover September 13, 1816, and died July 25, 1844, leaving four children, but two of whom are living-Mary and Sophia. Mary is the wife of Henry Kirchhof; Sophia married Henry Fruchli. Herman was struck by lightning July 13, 1859. He was married in October, 1844, to Anna Catharine Deters, who was born Sep- tember 14, 1824, and by her ten children were born, seven living-Barney, born Oeto ber 2, 1845; Caroline, born August 11, 1847;
Emma C., born April 6, 1849; Carl August. born September 28, 1852; John Henry, born February 27, 1855, died March 7, 1880; Dorothy, born January 25, 1857; Fred W., born March 18, 1861; Herman H .. born September 3, 1868. Mr. Franzen has thirty-eight grandchildren. For sev- eral years after his coming here he was engaged in running an oil-mill; aside from this, he has given attention to farming. He has about 250 aeres here and 600 in Min- nesota. He has now retired from active life and is enjoying the fruits of his labor in quiet and contentment.
HENRY FRANZEN, farmer, P. O. Ben- senville, is a son of John Franzen, a native of Prussia, who came to Du Page County in 1837, and was identified with the county un- til his death. He first settled on the farm now owned by George Eiterman, and followed farming. Henry was born June 20, 1836, and has given his time and attention to farm - ing. July 16, 1858, he was married to Lon- isa Eiterman, born in August, 1842, daugh- ter of John George Eiterman, who came here in 1842. Since his marriage, Mr. Franzen has been located on the farm he now owns. He has had nine children, seven of whom are living-Sophia, the eldest, residing in Elk Grove Township, Cook County, wife of Fred Everding; Elvena, Matilda, Julius, Emil, Lizzie and Hulda; Henry, who died in his sixth year, and a babe who died young. Mr. Franzen has 106 aeres here, upon which are nice farm buildings and a residence large and commodious. He has also 120 acres lo- cated in Cook County. He is a member of the Evangelical Church.
C. A. FRANZEN, lumber and warehouse Bensenville, was born in this township Sep- tember 28, 1852, second son of John H. Franzen; he received a good common-school education, and afterward graduated at Bryant
N
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& Stratton's Commercial College at Chicago, after which he returned home, where he re- mained one summer; then went to Bensen- ville and took charge of the warehouse and managed the business for his father. Since that time, the business has been turned over to him, and he has been conducting the same upon his own account. He has the control of the lumber, grain, coal and feed trade at this place, and has a good patronage. March 14, 1875, he married Mary, daughter of Fred Heuer, of this township; three children have blessed this union-George, Ida and Rosa.
DR. JOHN G. FRANKE, physician, Ad- dison, was born in Fuerstenthum, Schwartz- burg. Rudoestadt, Germany, son of Christian Franke and Augusta Regen. Christian came to Jefferson County, Penn., in 1854, and en- gaged in farming and in the lumber trade. The Doctor remained in Germany until 1858, attending school; he went to Pennsylvania, and there began the study of medicine, under a German physician; in 1861, he went to Ann Arbor, Mich .; afterward attended the best schools in Cincinnati and received the benefits of Rush Medical College and began practice in 1865, at Brush Hill, in this county, where he continued until the fall of 1876, when he removed to Addison and has since been en- gaged in the practice of his profession, and is doing well; his thorough knowledge of his profession is being recognized. In the fall of 1866, he married Olive, daughter of David Thurston, one of the early settlers in York Township. He has four children-Ada, Amelia, Freddie and Ella L. Member of the Lutheran Church.
FRED FEDDERCKE, farmer, P. O. Ben- senville, was born in Neustadt, in Hanover, August 5, 1838, only son of Diedrich and Sophia Feddercke. The family came to Du Page County in the year 1840, where his father purchased seventy-four acres on
Section 2, at $2.50 per acre, there being no improvements on the same. There were but two children born to Diedrich and Sophia Feddercke-Fred and Sophia; the latter re- sides in Cook County, wife of Henry Heuer. Fred came to this county four years after his father, and has always remained on the farm. In his twenty-second year, October 15, he married Sophia Oelerking, born in Hanover, daughter of John Oelerking. Mr. Feddercke has 132 acres of land. Is a member of the Lutheran Church. He has seven children --- Beteni, Sophia, Regina, Martha, Clara, Ber- tha and- August.
JOHN GODFREY, farmer, P. O. Itasca, was born in County Kerry, Ireland, about the year 1817, eldest son of William and Elizabeth (McCarty) Godfrey. Mr. Godfrey shipped from Liverpool in April, 1851, and landed at New York May 20 following; he first went down to Cape May, where he worked a short time; afterward worked at Altoona, Penn., and finally came to Illinois, in No- vember, the same year, having nothing but his hands to assist him, but he was willing and ready to work, and hired out, getting at first but $S per month; afterward, he hired out at the rate of $100 per year, and he con- tinned on in this way about three years. In 1854, he purchased sixty-seven and a half acres on Section 5, which cost him $10 per acre, borrowing the money to pay for it, and in due time paid off every dollar. In 1868, he added another portion of about sixty-seven acres, which cost him $66 per acre, and has since been a resident of Addison Township; he has also 240 acres in Iowa. In 1853, he married Hannah Griffin, a native of County Kerry, Ireland, daughter of Thomas Griffin, and by her has four children-William, John, Mary and Eliza, all at home.
FRED HEUER, farmer, P. O. Salt Creek, was born October 21, 1831, near the city of
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ADDISON TOWNSHIP.
Hanover, Germany, second son of a family of three children. His father's name was Henry Heuer, who married a Miss Kulman, who bore him three children-Henry, Fred- erick and Lena. The family left the old country in 1844, and came to this State and located in Cook County; here Henry Heuer, the father, died; his son Henry resides there still; Lena resides in Chicago, wife of Henry Oehlerking; Frederick came here in 1854, having purchased land the year previous; since his location here has been a constant resident. He has 240 acres of land. Since 1865, he has been County Commissioner, and filled some minor positions in the township, as Trustee and School Director. He was first married, in January, 1852, to Christina Oehlerking, who died in 1858, leaving two children-Emma and Mary. Emma is the wife of Herman H. Korthauer, of Bensen- ville. Mary married August Franzen, also in Bensenville. His second wife was Mena Reker, who died in 1860, leaving one child-Edie, who resides on the farm ad- joining. His present wife was Amelia, sister to his last wife; by her he has three children -Mena, wife of William Kussack, of Frank- lin County, Iowa; George and Amanda, at home.
HENRY HEIDORN, farmer, P. O. Salt Creek, born February 10, 1849, in Amt Neu- stadt, Province of Hanover; his father, Heury Heidorn, born June, 1800, in the same prov- ince, married Mary Biermann, who bore him seven children, two of whom came to the years of maturity. Subject's parents died in the old country, and none of the family ever came to America but Henry. He was raised on the farm at home, and, in the spring of 1867, emigrated to this country, arriving at New York on February 15, and soon after came to this State. He spent about three years in Cook County at work on a farm,
where, in the fall of 1869, he purchased sixty acres of land and kept it until 1870, when he came to this county, locating where he now resides. His farm is situated on Section 3, in this township, and is known as the Lueh- ers farm; he has 160 acres, eighty in this township and the remainder in Cook County, ad joining. November 4, 1870, he married Adelheid Luehers, daughter of one of the old settlers in this township, now deceased. He has four children -- Herman, Fred, Ernest and Henry. He is a member of the Lutheran Church of this township.
HENRY KORTHAUER, farmer, P. O. Bensenville. The great-grandfather of our subject was John Henry Korthauer; he mar- ried Anne Sophia Stuken, who bore him two sons and two daughters - Daniel. Henry, Maria and Anna Catharine. In direct line comes Daniel, who, in 1785, married Catharine Margarita Doebbcken, of Engebostel; she bore him three children, but one of the number lived to be grown, viz., John Henry Korthauer, who was born July 17, 1789. December 11, 1812, he married Catharine Dotendorf, whose par- , ents were George Ernest Dotendorf and 1 Doratha Gravemeier. To John Henry and Doratha were born nine children, six of whom grew up; five of the number are yet living, of whom Henry, the subject of these lines, is one; he was born October 27, 1822, in the town of Bisendorf, in the Kingdom of Hano- ver; he emigrated to America with his parents in the fall of 1840, arriving at New York; navigation being closed, they were detained there until the spring of the following year, when they came to this county, locating on the section of land where Henry now resides. He had loaned money to the man owning the land, who failed to return it as agreed, and Mr. Korthauer took the land in lieu of the money, and improved it and remained on the same until he died, 1876; his wife in 1865.
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Of the five children living, they are located as follows: Louisa resides in Peabody, Ma- rion Co., Kan., wife of Frederick Seybold; Henrietta is the wife of Fred Graue, of York Township, this county; Caroline resides in Elmhurst, relict of Diedrich Struckman; George resides in Oregon; Henry has always been a resident of the township since he came. His father, being of mechanical turn of mind, taught his son Henry the carpenter's trade, at which he worked while young; soon after coming to his majority, he gave his at. tention to agricultural pursuits. He has been twice married-first, Nov mber 18, 1852, to Mary Kirchhoff, who was born in Hanover, daughter of Henry and Christina (Ofingsten) Kerchhoff; she died May 1, 1874, having borne him three children, viz., Herman, Caroline and William. May 28, 1876, he married Mrs. Mary Stueve, who was born in Hanover October 10, 1827; she was a daugh- ter of Henry Hoppensteat and Doratha Bier- mann, who came to this country in 1842. Mr. Korthauer has 195 acres of land; he for several years was giving some attention to the nursery business, but farming has been his principal interest. He was elected Jus- tice of the Peace in 1870, and has since been re-elected; was six years Supervisor, and has always been a stanch Republican and a mem- ber of the Evangelical Church.
F. L. KRAGE, retired farmer, P. O. Ad- dison. Of the old-time settlers living who came here in 1837, Mr. Krage is one of the few remaining. Frederick Louis Krage was born April 28, 1827, near the village of La- derholz, in the Kingdom of Hanover. He was the only son and eldest child of Freder- ick William Krage, who was born March 17, 1800, in Rodenwaldt, a farmer and carpenter by trade; his wife was Anna Mary Doratha Stuenkel, born January 4, 1802, daughter of Louis Stuenkel. The family came here in
1837, purchasing a claim on Section 34, of Richard Kingston; upon this the father set- tled with his family, and remained here until his death, August 18, 1872; his wife died the year after their arrival here, July 18, 1838. The children born to them were Fred L., Louisa, who married Henry Graue; Mary, wife of Peter Meville, of Chicago, and Caro- line, who was the wife of August Graue, now deceased. Fred L. has always remained on the homestead, being the only son. He has been thrice married-first, July 24, 1851, to Wilhelmina Grane, daughter of Fred Graue; she died November 20, 1862; but one child now living by her-Augusta, wife of Fred Stuenkel, now of Arlington Heights. His second marriage was, April 24, 1863, to Mary Weber, daughter of Henry Weber; she died November 10, 1866; by her two children were born-Caroline and Mary. Caroline is the wife of Otto Feine. April 5, 1867, he mar- ried Caroline Graue, daughter of Fred Graue, of York Township; by her five children were born, viz., Louis, Emily, Fred, Paulina and August. Mr. Krage has over 500 acres of land; is a successful farmer and a Lutheran.
HENRY F. KOLZE, farmer, P. O. Ben- senville, was born in Cook County, Ill., in the Kolze settlement June 6, 1856. He is the eldest son and child of Henry and Mary (Resto) Kolze, both natives of Hanover, who, upon their arrival in this country, located in Cook County, where they raised a family- two sons and four daughters. Next in order of birth to Henry is Louisa, who is the wife of Fred Arbecker, residing in Cook County. Elvena resides in Addison Township, wife of George Basenburg. Lillie is also a resident of this township; she is the wife of William Franzen. Amelia resides with her parents in Cook County. Henry Fred remained on his father's farm in Cook County until his marriage, which occurred' May 12, 1876,
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when he married Minnie Steve, who was born September 18. 1858, on the farm where she now lives, upon which Mr. Kolze settled after his marriage. The homestead consists of 100 acres; he also owns 136 acres in Cook County, Ill .; he has four children-Lizzie, Lillie, Clara and Tillie.
FRED E. LESTER, merchant. Postmas- ter, farmer and proprietor of the cheese fact- ory, P. O. Salt Creek, was born in Clinton, N. Y., July 3, 1828, and is the youngest child of Edward and Hannah (Newton) Lester. Edward Lester, subject's father, was of En- glish descent and was born on Long Island; he was a farmer of mechanical turn of mind, and served during the war of 1812; he came to Illinois in the fall of 1835: lived for a short time on Section 16, in this township, then located permanently on Section 9. where he died at the age of seventy-four years; his wife died in August, 1846; they had seven children, five of whom are living-Lewis, died August 7, 1879; Marshall; John, died in Minnesota: Julia, residing in Racine, Wis., wife of Edgar Waite; Daniel, in Wayne Township, this county; Acentha, re. siding in Elgin, Ill., wife of F. W. Wright, and Fred E. Mr. Lester was married, May 31, 1854, to Julia A. Duncklee, the first child born in this township, born in Section 10 January S. 1835, daughter of Ebenezer and Amy (Higley) Duncklee. Ebenezer Dunck- lee was born in Hillsboro, N. H., March 22, 1797: he was a member of the Congregation- al Church, a Whig and the first Abolitionist in this township: he died July 22, 1863, aged sixty-six years: his wife, born in Shoreham, Vt .. November 22, 1799, was killed by a cy- clone blowing down the house. in which there were nineteen persons at the time, March 13. 1852. They had seven children-Elizabeth A., wife of James A. Hawks, of Nebraska: Abbey T., wife of Lorenzo D. Newton, of
Whiteside County, Ill .; Alonzo, residing near Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Julia A. (Mrs. Lester); Emily, married H. P. Goodrich, of Chicago, and died in that city; Ellen, mar- ried Hiram Amick, of Chicago, and Alma M., married Reuben Bunnell, of Chicago. Mr. and Mrs. Lester have been blessed with eight children, four of whom are living-Edward W., living on the Lester homestead, married, in ISSO, to Addie L. Stevens, and has one child-Carrie C .; Newton M .. Lottie M., Mabel J .; Hattie, died aged eight years; Charles, six years; Alma, eight months, and Birdie, eighteen months. Mr. Lester located on his present place, which consists of 212 acres, May 31, 1854, and lived for some time in a log cabin on the farm; the plaee was at that time $2,500 in debt. Mr. Lester, when eighteen. years old, lost a limb in an accident while working on a threshing machine. He was elected Postmaster in 1874, and has since held that office; opened up his cheese factory in 1873, and, in February, 187S, engaged in mercantile business. He is a Republican; his father, was a stanch Democrat.
WILLIAM LEESEBERG, farmer, P. O. Addison, was born November 13. 1815. in Amt Neustadt, Province of Hanover, eldest son and third child of the family. His fa- ther. George F., was born in the same lo- cality; his wife's maiden name was Mary Scheele. William landed in New Orleans in 1838, and, in March the following year, came to St. Louis and thence to this county, in August the same year, but soon returned to St. Louis, where he worked two years. He purchased eighty acres where he now resides, paying for it with his own earnings. He has, since his location here, been engaged in farm- ing. He has served as Justice of the Peace several terms, and is now the incumbent of that office; he has also held other offices in the township and important positions in the
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