Perhaps among the oldest residents in this section of the state, or for that matter, among the pioneers of the northern central states, may be classed Jacob Molter, who resides in Silver Creek Township. Picture to yourself a man about five feet ten inches in height, with strong and powerful features, dark-gray eyes and a ruddy and intelligent countenance, and you have an image of this hardy American pioneer, for although he was born in Germany, he is as ardent an American citizen as can be found in Illinois today. He is one of the few who successfully braved the unknown perils and dangers of an ocean yoyage in the year when travelers made their last will and testament before embarking for a foreign land to dwell among strange people. He sailed in the age when the steamboat had just been perfected and when the sailboat was still the chief means of navigation on the high seas, leaving for the shores of liberty-loving America.

He is to such as he that we owe the progress which characterizes the American people and the American home in the twentieth century. To the pioneer who faced the danger of drought and food, to the individual who had the moral and physical courage to transplant himself and his family into an unknown wilderness, an unknown climate and diferent customs and manners, does the prosperity of the modern American look back to and recognize as the foundation and basis of all progress in the business and agricultural world.

Jacob Molter was destined to be a professor in one of the German universities by his parents. He was thought to be fitted for the position on account of his extraordinary aptitude for all kinds of reading and the other scholastic pursuits. In arithmetic, particularly, was he an expert student and in the passing of his ninetieth milestone he still transacts and manages his many business interests. Instead of following the path mapped out by his parents, however, he became a farmer and followed agriculture until coming tot he United States.

Although past his ninetieth milestone, Mr. Molter is still vigorous in mind and partly so in body. There are few men who live to be four score and ten, and still fewer who have the complete possession of all their faculties at that age. There are probably not more than five men in Stephenson county who have attained the age of ninety years and are able to write and read. Mr. Molter is a vigorous man and the muscles in his arms, developed by the hard work of earlier days, are still in good condition and able to deal a powerful blow. Mr. Molter, however, has not the perfect use of his lower limbs. With the aid of a cane he is able to walk from the house to the barn and also take short jaunts around the farm. His iron-gray eyebrows hide a pair of twinkling, but earnest gray eyes. Until this month he has been able to read without the aid of spectacles. He is an interested reader of the German papers and has kept abreast with the trend of events. During the last few weeks, however, his eyesight has been failing. That his eyes are still able to perform their functions was evidenced while a Journal resporter was obtaining an interview. His little grandaughter was amusing herself with a number of pennies and one happened to drop from her hand and roll over the carpet. The little one immediately made known her loss and all proceeded to hunt for the lost treasure. While all were engaged to the quest, Mr. Molter first spied it lying under a chair where it had found lodgment.

During the entire conversation, Mr. Molter displayed marvelous remembrance of dates and events. His reasoning and thinking powers seem as perfect as those of a man of sixty winters. Many an individual thirty years younger would have no more definite idea of happenings in the earlier part of their career. But not so with Mr. Molter. He recited incident after incident which occurred to him while still in Germany. He even remembered a foot race in which he participated and was the winner. Events important and unimportant, having found a lodging place in this old man's mind.

That he is a great reader is evidenced by the variety of the subjects upon which he talked when questioned concerning different inventions and topics. He is at his ease in discussions regarding any subject, whether it is politcs or religion, and he is a most entertaining conversationalist. Mr. Molter has always associated will all the prominent Germans of the county and can speak both English and German fluently.

Jacob Molter was born in the little village of Hintswiller, which is situated in the canton of Laudrecke, in Germany. The date of his birth was August 19, 1815, just three years after the beginning of the second war between England and Germany and eight months after teh concluding battle fo that contest. It was also contemporaneous with the formation of the German Empire, which was made into a unified nation in 1815, immediately following the fall of Napoleon. Mr. Molter was the second child, having an elder brother named Peter, who was three years older than Jacob. While Mr. Molter was in his native village he worked as a farmer. He received an education in the primary schools and being an exceptionally bright student was urged to study for a professorship in the university. This life, however, did not agree with the tastes of the young man and after a few years he determined to go to America.

Preceding him to the United States was his brother Peter, who arrived at the port of New Orleans in 1845. One letter was received by his parents in Germany and since that time nothing has been heard concerning his wherabouts. Jacob Molter sailed from Germany, accompanied by his wife, APril 19, 185?. He arrived at the port of New York, after a comparatively uneventful voyage, fifty days after embarking. From New York he journeyed by rail to Albany the capital of the State. Although a railroad had already been constructed between the eastern coast and Chicago, the fare between the two points was almost prohibitive to an immigrant. It was on that account that Mr. Molter went by water from Albany to Buffalo, choosing the Erie canal as a means of transportation. From Buffalo he shipped to a steam-prpelled vesel for Chicago, going by way of the great lakes.

An incident occurred on this voyage which Mr. Molter graphically described. The lake travel at that period was insignificant when compared with the modern figures and the courses for steamers had been only partially charted and very often incorrectly. The result was that accidents were frequent, often resulting in the loss of life and property. While sailing around Lake Michigan, the vesel in which Mr. Molter made the journey grounded on a hidden sandbar. Mr. Molter described the manner in which the passengers were forced to aid in moving the ballast of the vessel by gathering first on one side and then on the other, in order that the vessel could again be floated and proceed on its journey. He arrived in Chicago without further incident and went by rail to Elgin, where he remained with friends for one or two days.

At Elgin oxen and wagons were procured to convey Mr. Molter and his wife to their final destination, at Ridott, about seven miles from this city. Former friends who had resided in his native village hd preceded him and they found a warm welcome at the hospitable home of John Hoebel. The family arrived at Ridott on June 25, sixty-six days after starting from Germany. They remained here for five months and then began to make preparations for building a home of their own. Mr. Molter purchased eighty acres of land from Mr. Hoebel, which that year produced 20 acres of wheat, one acre of potatoes and ten of oats. Mr. Molter clearly remembered that the potato crop was extremely light that year and that he obtained only a few bushels of the tubers from his purchase. The purchase price of the land was $725.00 or about $9.45 per acre. In those days that amount was considered a goodly sum. (Continued to page 2 - but the rest is lost)

Contributed by Jessy Moyer From the Freeport Journal November 16, 1905