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BIOGRAPHIES Pike County IL
Perhaps no resident in Barry township, Pike County, is better
deserving of representation in a volume
of this nature than William Guss. He is a splendid example of the self-made man, having a well-informed mind, friendly manners and the sterling
habits by means of which he has accumulated a
handsome property. He was born near Landesburg, Perry County, Pa., August 2, 1811. His
grandfather is believed to have been born in Germany and his home for many years was in Chester
County, Pa. There Simon Guss, the father of our
subject, was born and reared, learning the trade of
a shoemaker.
After his marriage to Barbara Knarr, the daughter of a Chester County farmer who had been born
in Germany, Simon Guss removed to the town in
which our subject was born. After following his
trade there for some years he changed his residence to Juniata County, where he died at the
age of forty-fire years. His wife survived him for
same years, she also entering into rest in Juniata
County. She reared ten children, nine sons and
one daughter, of whom our subject is the youngest
and the only one now living. He was eight years
old when he bade adieu to his native county, and
from that time until after he had entered his teens
Juniata County was his home. When fourteen
years old he began boating on the Union and
Schuykill Canal, continuing to so employ himself
twelve summers, during the winter being generally engaged in teaming.
Our subject finally purchased a small tract of
land in Juniata County, which was capable of
sustaining a family only by hard work, as the soil
was poor. Believing that he could do better by
going West, Mr. Guss sold his land for $800,
one-half cash and the rest in four years, without
interest, and in May, 1848, started with a team
toward Illinois. At Pittsburg he embarked, team
and all on a boat, thence following the Ohio and
Mississippi Rivers, and finally landing in Pike
County. The same year he bought eighty acres of
land on section 4, Barry Township, upon which
there was a log house and frame barn. The results proved the correctness of Mr. Guss' opinions,
as he has from time to time been able to purchase
other land, and is now one of the most wealthy
and substantial citizens of the county. He owns
four hundred acres in one body in Barry Township, and has erected thereon a complete line of
line buildings, including a brick house, frame barns
and other adequate outbuildings.
Mr. Guss has been twice married. His first wife
was Mary Foltz, a native of Millford Township,
Juniata County, Pa. She died in that county
in April, 1837, leaving two children — Elizabeth A. and Benjamin F. The present wife of
our subject bore the maiden name of Eliza Wike.
She was born in Stark County, Ohio, and possesses
many sterling qualities of character, together with
much useful knowledge. She has become the
mother of seven children — David P., Alfred, William W., Henrietta, Mary, George S. and Eliza
B. Both Mr. and Mrs. Guss believe in the doctrine of universal salvation. Mr. Guss cast his
first Presidential ballot for Gen. Andrew Jackson,
and has been a stanch Democrat from that day to
the present. He is an excellent citizen, reliable,
steady-going and law-abiding, and is looked upon
with respect by a large circle of acquaintances.
Christopher Wike, grandfather of Mrs. Guss,
was born in Switzerland, and when but a boy left
the parental roof and came to America. Landing
in Pennsylvania, he learned the trade of a blacksmith in Lancaster City, and after his marriage to
Susannah Hear, a native of that place, removed to
Cumberland County. He followed his trade, then
purchased a good farm on the Big Spring and
spent his last years there. His son, George, father
of Mrs. Guss, was born in Cumberland County,
learned the blacksmith's trade of his father and
also learned that of a weaver. After his marriage
he removed to Ohio, settling in Stark County on
land given him by his father-in-law. After sojourning thereon a few years he returned to his father's
homestead, which he had inherited, and died there
when forty-four years old. The maiden name of
the mother of Mrs. Guss was Mary Essig. She
was born in Pennsylvania, in which State her
father, Simon Essig, also opened his eyes to the
light; he was of German ancestry. Some years
since she came to Illinois, and died at the home of
her daughter in her eightieth year.
Contributed by Mavis (Turnbaugh) Wike
(Portraits and Biographical of Pike and Calhoun Counties IL 1891 Pg 228 Ancestry.com)
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