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Jacob Pfeil, was born Sept 18, 1827, in Heppenheim, Hesse, Germany. Came to
Milwaukee in 1843, worked on a farm, then was a carpenter for two years.
In 1851 he moved to Washington County and started a store at West Bend.
After 18 months he sold his store and bought 100 acres of land and built
a brewery. He continued farming until 1868 when he sold his farm and
moved to Stephenson County, Illinois."
In September of 1853 he married 15 year old Ernestine Eberle, daughter of
Frederick and Margaretha Eberle. She was born in Marion, OH (3-29-1839).
Jacob bought land in Beaverdam, WI and built a brewery. Between 1854 and
1867 five children were born...Henry - May 3, 1854; Elizabeth- August 9,
1857; Francis - August 23, 1859; Minnie - May 18, 1861; Edward -
February 12, 1867. In 1869, Jacob and Ernestine sold the land and
brewery and moved to a farm in Florence Township, near Freeport, IL
Stephenson County. By the end of 1872 another child was born, Jacob Jr. -
December 10, 1872. It is believed that two girls were born between 1868
and 1871, Helen and Katherine. A picture shows one of these sisters with
the other siblings. It appears she has a cleft pallet and might be
mentally handicapped. (During this period many families "hid" mentally
deformed children and rarely mentioned them or took pictures of them -
there was much ignorance about the handicapped). At any rate, when
Ernestine Pfeil died in 1909 her obituary lists Helen and Katherine as
survivors, so there were eight known children in all.
The farm in Florence Township was located about five miles south of
Freeport on West Street Road. It was to the south of the intersection of
the Great Western and Milwaukee RR track. It measured 240 acres and in
the shape of a triangle. Jacob and Ernestine lived on the farm until
1890 or 1891 when they moved to 76 Homer Street in Freeport. Jacob lived
there until his death in July 1895, and Ernestine resided there until her
death in January of 1909.
When Jacob and Ernestine moved to Freeport, the farm was subdivided
between Jacob Jr. and Edward. By this time Henry, the oldest, was
married and had moved to Volga, SD Territory. Elizabeth had also married
and with husband and three children lived near Freeport. Francis was
also married as was Edward and Minnie.
Family oral tradition says Jacob Sr. was running for political office in
Beaverdam WI and was frequently in trouble for fighting over political
issues. A letter written by Jacob's great grandaughter, Francis Halper to
Ardith (Runte) Kloster passes along this tradition about Jacob Sr:
"This (photo of brewery) I found among mother's (Mildred Kachelhoffer)
things! I never knew about this! But I did hear her, often, about
mother's grandfather, old man Jacob Pfeil, being a staunch Democrat in
politics and would get very arguementative and many times arrogant, to the
degree he'd get into trouble!! I believe once she told me he almost
was put in jail because he said something about the President and they
were worried he had gotten himself in too deep!! I don't know if he
was the one who owned the brewery or not? Maybe so, and he could have
gotten a drink or two too much now and then and said too much!! He
perhaps had a bit of his hot German temper overheated!!"
The southern section (120 acres) was taken by Jacob Jr. and his wife
Almeda (Crow). They built a new house and barn along the road. The
northern section and homestead (120 acres) became the home of Edward
Pfeil and wife Mary (Steffen). Edward's son, Edward Robert Pfeil has
written a story about life on this farm from 1890 to 1910.
This biography was found on
Rootsweb World Connect
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