MUSCOGEE COUNTY, GA - BIOS A. Illges

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Memoirs of Georgia, Vol. II, Atlanta, Georgia, Page 617
Published by the Atlanta Historical Association in 1895

A. Illges, president of the Golden Foundry and Machine
company of Columbus, Ga., was born in Lancaster county,
Penn., in 1830.  He is a son of Paul Illges, a native
of Germany, who emigrated to Pennsylvania in the early
part of 1800.  At the age of thirteen A. Illges left
school and five years later came to Columbus, and
clerked for his brother, Jacob P. Illges, a groceryman.
In 1857 he was given an interest in the business, which
partnership was continued for two years, when he
disposed of his interest to his brother.  The next two
years of Mr. Illges’ life was devoted to traveling for
his health and pleasure.  In 1864 he entered the
Confederate service as a member of the state troops and
was present at the evacuation of Savannah.  In 1867 he
again entered the grocery business in Columbus, and two
years later added to it a cotton business.  After
continuing in this nine years he went into the
manufacture of jute bagging and is extensively
interested in that industry at the present time.  In
1889 Mr. Illges was made president of the Golden
Foundry and Machine company, considered by experts as
the best arranged and most substantial foundry in the
southern states.  Mr. Illges is a member of the board
of directors of the Muscogee mills, of the
Chattahoochee bank, of the Georgia Midland & Gulf
railroad and of the Chattahoochee Brewing company.  He
also owns a one-fourth interest in a large rolling mill
at Birmingham, Ala.  Perhaps the best tribute that
could be paid to his business ability is this opinion,
expressed by one of his business associates: “One of
our most energetic and highly honored citizens is Mr.
A. Illges, a gentleman of untiring energy and sterling
integrity, whose word is as good as his bond.”  By his
own unaided efforts he has accumulated a handsome
fortune, and is always ready to invest in any
enterprise which tends to the advancement of the city
of his adoption.  As a member of the board of
commissioners of the commons, he has for a number of
years served the city faithfully, and as president of
the Golden Foundry and Machine company, as a director
of the Chattahoochee National bank, also of the Georgia
Midland & Gulf railroad company, the Muscogee
Manufacturing company, and the Rose Hill company, his
large brain has contributed greatly to their success.
Being a strict business man, Mr. Illges devotes none of
his time to politics.  He is a prominent member of the
Masonic fraternity, in which he takes much interest.
Mr. Illges was married in 1879 to Miss Mary L. Barnett,
a most estimable lady of Columbus, a daughter of John
Barnett, deceased, who was a prominent citizen of the
city.  This union of hearts and hands has been blessed
by the birth of two sons and five daughters, viz.:
John, Paul, Mary, Fannie, Ethel, Almyr, Nouna and
Abraham.  The Illges’ home is perhaps one of the most
beautiful in Georgia.