|  |
|
| |
GEORGE ENGELBACH - ARZENVILLE, ILLINOIS
The following history was written by Judge J.A. Arenz and is printed in Chapter XIV of "The History of Cass County, Illinois.
DR. GEORGE ENGELBACH came here in 1834, and bought the farm of Peter Taylor, where he resided till his death, in 1844. By profession he was a doctor of medicine, but gave up his practice and devoted his energies to farming. Having lost his wife by death, he brought with him to this country his only child, a boy about four years of age, named Herman, and his aunt Link. Although unused to farming, by his iron will and industry he became in time a pretty good farmer. In 1840, he was elected to the office of County Commissioner of Morgan County, which place he filled with honor to himself, and the approval of the people. He was the only person of the so called "Latin farmers" who held out, all the others having arrived at the knowledge that farming was not profitable or pleasant, in the long run, and had chosen other employments. At the death of Dr. Engelbach, his son was left under the care of Henry Kircher, as his guardian, and exceedingly well and faithful was this trust performed. Young Engelbach received a very good education, and when he had become of age, he made a trip to Europe, visiting his relatives there. Upon his return, in 1853, he associated himself with Peter Arenz, and they bought the mill store, and a tract of land of Francis Arenz, and did a very successful business until 1859, when that firm was dissolved, and H. Engelbach carried on the business thereafter in his own name, until his death, on December 16, 1880, caused by being caught in the machinery of his elevator. He was a very honorable man, of exceedingly industrious habits, ever idle for one moment from morning till night. He left a widow with six children, and a considerable estate.
************************************************************************************
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF HERMAN ENGELBACH
from the
History of Cass County, Illinois
Edited by William Henry Perrin
Published by O. L. Baskin & Co. Historical Publishers, Chicago, 1882.
Reprinted in 1968 in its in entirety as part of the
Sesquicentennial History of Cass County, Illinois
Edited by Virgil M. Dowdall
HERMAN ENGELBACH, deceased; was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, Dec. 22, 1829; only child of George and Matilda (Meyer) Engelbach, natives of Germany. Dr. George Engelbach, subject's father, was born Oct. 16, 1804, and died Jan. 16, 1845; his wife, born Dec. 19, 1807, died Nov. 16, 1831. The subject of this sketch received his education in Jacksonville, Ill., graduating from the Illinois College, in that place, in 1849. He then engaged as book-keeper in a wholesale hardware house in St. Louis, Mo. In 1852 he returned to Arenzville, and engaged in milling and merchantile business until his death, which occurred Dec. 16, 1880. He was married in this country, July 16, 1859, to Elizabeth Goebel, a native of Germany, who was born March 21, 1835. By this union they were blessed with seven children: George, Christina, Henry, Herman, Frederick, William and Marie; the latter born June 8, 1872, died April 31, 1873. Mrs. Engelbach is a daughter of John and Christina Goebel; he born in 1811; she, in 1808. Mr. Engelbach was a member of the German Lutheran Church, and in politics a Republican.
