One of the most beautiful farms of West Galena Township, is owned and occupied by the subject of this sketch. The residence is a fine and commodious structure, and with its surroundings, forms one of the most attractive pictures in the landscape of this region, of which we are pleased to present to our readers a lithographic view. The farm comprises 388 acres, and most of the land has been brought to a thorough state of cultivation. It has been the property of Mr. Hess since 1866 and the improvemeuts are the results of his own industry and enterprise. He belongs to the thrifty class of German citizens who have assisted so materially in the development of Northern Illinois, and has been a resident of Jo Daviess County, since 1853. For some time after coming here, he ran a boat on the Mississippi and Fever Rivers, for the transportation of wood from Belleview to Galena, hut since 1863 has confined his attention almost exclusively to farming and stock-raising.

Hesse- Darmstadt, Germany, was the native place of our subject, and he first opened his eyes to the light May 26, 1833; his home lying adjacent to the River Rhine. His father, Adam Hess, carried on farming and grape culture, and spent his entire life in the little German villages; dying at the age of sixty-two years. He married a maiden of his own province, Miss Catherine Kerz, who passed away prior to the decease of her husband at the age of fifty years. They were most excellent and worthy people, and members in good standing of the German Catholic Church. Their family consisted of five children, of whom one son, Martin, died in infancy; and Charlie died, unmarried, in Germany, at the age of forty-seven years; Philip owns and occupies the old home in Germany. He is married and has a family, and follows the calling of his honored father, operating the vineyard. John, our subject, was the next in order of birth; Henry is engineer on a steamer on the lakes, running from Buffalo to Chicago; he is married and has a family in Buffalo.

Mr. Hess, our subject, was reared under the parental roof; but not being satisfied with his prospects in the Fatherland, started out alone, when a youth of seventeen years, for America. He journeyed on the River Rhine to Rotterdam, and thence made his way to London, where he took passage on a sailing-vessel which landed him twenty-eight days later in New York City. Thence he proceeded to Buffalo, N. Y., where he sojourned a little over a year; and in January, 1853, made his way to Chicago; Ill. He was poor in purse, and missing the train which he had expected to take out of the city, started on foot and walked twenty-four miles westward. He then boarded a train which conveyed him to Rockford, where he landed in the middle of the night; this was then the terminus of the railroad. In the morning he set out on foot for Galena; traveling two days without a morsel to eat, and being too bashful to ask for food. He finally came across a man with a team, and through his kindness was conveyed to Freeport, whence he moved on to Galena; where he arrived with $1.50, and among strangers. He sold his watch for a small sum, and soon secured employment. Thereafter he had little trouble, as he was found to be honest and trustworthy, and made good headway toward the object which he had in view—the establishment of a home of his own, and the accumulation of property.

The next important event in the life of our subject was his marriage, April 7, 1863, with Miss Christina Underherg, who was born in Prussia, on the River Rhine, July 26, 1842. Her parents were John and Adelaide (Stroekmung) Underberg; of Prussian birth and ancestry. They were reared and married in their native province, and after the birth of three children—Christina, William, and Henry—they set out for the United States in August, 1845. They embarked on a sailing-vessel at Bremen, and after a voyage of eleven weeks, landed in New Orleans. The fall following found them in St. Louis, Mo., where they spent the winter, and where the family met with great affliction in the death of the father, and son Henry. The mother at the same time lay at the point of death, but finally rallied. In the meantime her husband had died and been buried, when she was too ill to be told anything about it. The shock was so great that it greatly impeded her recovery; but for the sake of her living children she summoned strength to set about providing for them. She came to this county with the two children, and maintained herself and them by her labor, until her marriage with Mr. Anton Wien. Mr. Wien was a farmer by occupation and the family continued to live in East Galena Township until his death; which occurred in January, 1885. The mother died Oct. 2, 1888, when nearly eighty-one years old; she and her husband were members of the German Catholic Church.

Mrs. Hess has therefore been a resident of this county since early childhood. She lived with her mother and stepfather until her marriage. Of her union with our subject there have been born eight children, one of whom died in infancy. The survivors are John William, Henry J., Lena A., Mary and Frank (twins), Christina, and Catherine; they are all at home with their parents, and form a bright and interesting group; of great assistance in the household affairs, and the operations of the farm. Mr. Hess, politically, is a Democrat, and both he and his estimable wife are active members of the German Catholic Church, attending services at Galena.

From Portraits and Biographical Jo Daviess County Pg 503