History of Fulton County, Illinois; together with
Sketches of its Cities, Villages and Townships, Educational, Religious,
Civil, Military, and Political History; Portraits of Prominent Persons
and Biographies of Representative Citizens. Chas. C. Chapman & Co.,
Peoria, Illinois, 1879, page 908, Vermont Township
Jacob Bottenberg, retired farmer, was born May 13, 1803, in
Ohio, near the Ohio river, on which water he spent much of his youth in
boating. April 12, 1827, he married Elizabeth Swengen in Virginia. In
1836 he and other parties built a keel-boat and sailed down the Ohio,
and Mr. B. came by way of St. Louis to Vermont tp. Here he commenced in
a very humble way, but by industry and frugality has now a good
200-acre farm. Has had 11 children; 7 survive - Lewis, Josephus, Nancy,
Martha, Epaminondas, Levi and Wm. The latter married Florence Foster
and lives on the homestead. They have 4 children, - Ora A., Cora,
Jennie M. and Carl D.
