A prominent photographer in the city of Rock Falls during the early 1900's was Fred Jurgens, who for many years operated his business from a studio in his home located at 1511 Prophetstown Road. Jurgens had been employed at the Eureka Manufacturing Company when a health condition in the form of rheumatism resulted in his resignation. It was at this time he engaged in the photography business and while his primary work was in commercial photography, he did portrait work also.
In 1910 he built a spacious new home, now 1511 Prophetstown Road, on a 10 acre land tract he owned. The land was a small farm then at the southwest edge of Rock Falls. A feature of the new home was a skylight in the studio area to aid in his photography business.
The Kelly triplets was a great event of the year 1911 and they were the children, all daughters, of Mr. and Mrs. Guy Kelly. The Kelly family at that time lived on First Avenue just north of the Thome and decker Blacksmith Shop.
The Kelly triplets born Oct. 7, 1911 included Hazel, Hester and Helen. Jurgens was a popular photographer of the early 1900's and was the recipient of many commissions for local photos and portraits.
Fred Gerhard Jurgens was born in Bremen, Germany and migrated to the US in 1868 when he was 16 years old. He lived in various communities in the state of IL before settling in Whiteside County. He married Theresa Harms who was born near Prairieville in Lee COunty in 1878.
It was around the year 1880 Fred and Theresa Jurgens purchased the small 10 acre farm at the west edge of Rock Falls. The four daughters of the marriage probably attended Riverdale Schoo. The Jurgens family settled in an old home on the 10 acre tract and during the years 1909 and 1910 constructed an impressive new home which stands today and is located at 1511 Prophetstown Road. At one time this small farm was the first farm west of Rock Falls on the Prophetstown Road.
Jurgens and his wife were the parents of four daughters, one of whom is still living and she is Mrs. Charles U. (Ella) Powell of Pasadena, Calif. The other daughters included Mabel, Cora an Clara. Mabel married Tracy Smith and after farming in this area for several years, accepted a homestead near Havre Montana. Mabel was the oldest child in the Jurgens family. Cora married John D. Van Bibber of Dixon who was also a photographer. Van Bibber later became the chief of police in Dixon and served in that capacity for 28 years until his death in 1945.
Ella married Charles U. Powell of Polo, Ogle County IL who operated a jewelry store there. They later moved to Pasadena, Calif. where they reside today. Powell operates a jewelry store there. Clara the youngest jurgens daughter married
Peter J. Dietz and they farmed on the Dietz farm on Buell road south of Rock Falls. Peter Dietz and Clara Jurgens were married in the new home built by Jurgens in 1910 and they were the parents of two daughters, LaVerne Dietz Montgomery who resides in Rock Falls and Fern Dietz McCall of Warren, Mich.
Theresa dn Fred Jurgens celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 1928. In 1932 Jurgens died and he was preceded by his wife Theresa in 1929. Shortly after the death of Mrs. Jurgens, their daughter Clara and her husband Peter Dietz moved from the farm to take care of the elder Jurgens until his death in 1932.
Shortly afterwards, the family sold the 10 acre Jurgens farmette to Adolph Von Templehof. The Jurgens property changed ownership again during June of 1974 when it was purchased by the late Robert D. McCulloh. The property is currently (1976) maintained by the McCulloh family.
From the Sterling Gazette Feb. 28, 1976
Not long after he entered the commercial photography business, Jurgens was to photograph "The Kelly Triplets."
