Effingham County IL Archives Biographies.....Gravenhorst, Adelbert A. 1839 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 20, 2011, 7:33 pm

Source: See below
Author: Lake City Publishing Co.

ADELBERT A. GRAVENHORST, editor and proprietor of the Effingham Volksblatt, was
born in the Kingdom of Hanover, now a province of Prussia, on the 8th of March,
1839. He is a son of Theodore and Sophia (Oehlker) Gravenhorst, both of whom
were natives of Hanover. His father was a lawyer by profession, and died in his
native land February 17, 1893, in the eighty-seventh year of his age. The mother
is also deceased.

  The subject of this sketch was educated in the gymnasium of Lunenburg,
Hanover. Between the ages of fourteen and nineteen years he was a student of
agriculture in his native country. At the age of nineteen he left his old home,
bade good-bye to his friends and family and emigrated to America. He located
near Chicago, where he spent the two succeeding years of his life. In 1860 he
removed to Teutopolis, Effingham County, Ill., but remained in that place only
six months, after which he embarked in farming. For some time he followed that
pursuit, being thus employed until the autumn of 1864, when, in Kendallville,
Ind., he enlisted for the late war as a member of Company F, One Hundred and
Forty-second Indiana Infantry. He served until July, 1865, when he was honorably
discharged, the war having ended. He participated in the battle of Nashville,
Tenn., and a number of minor engagements.

  On his return from the army, Mr. Gravenhorst resumed farming operations, which
he continued until 1867. That year witnessed his removal to Effingham, where he
has since made his home. In that city, on the 3d of January, 1871, he was united
in marriage with Miss Barbara Blattner, a daughter of Samuel Blattner. The lady
is a native of this State, her birth having occurred in Highland June 5, 1855.
Her parents were of Swiss birth. Her mother is now living, but her father is
deceased. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Gravenhorst has been born a family of five children,
four sons and a daughter, and they also lost two in infancy. Of those living
Theodore S. is the eldest. He is now engaged as a merchant clerk. The other
children are John, Charles, Ida and Albert, all of whom are attending school.

  In 1878, Mr. Gravenhorst established The Volksblatt, which for the first four
years was printed in Chicago, but in 1872 he completed his office outfit here,
since which time his paper has been printed in Effingham. Improvements in the
office, both for newspaper and job work, have been made, until at this writing
the office is complete in its appointments and the paper is enjoying a
prosperous and successful career. The Volksblatt is the only German paper
published in this section of the State. It is a six-column quarto, Democratic in
politics, and has a circulation of between eight and nine hundred. Mr.
Gravenhorst is a supporter of the Democracy and has served two terms as a member
of the City Council of Effingham. At this writing he is numbered among its
Aldermen. For three years he has been Chief of the Fire Department, and is
President of the Washington Loan and Building Association, which position he has
held since the organization of the company. He was one of the founders of this
company. He also aided in establishing the Effingham Manufacturing Company and
has since been a member of its Board of Directors. He is a heavy stockholder in,
and President of,the Wildi-Eddy Lumber Company, of Effingham, of which R. Wildi
is Superintendent. Mr. Gravenhorst and family are members of the Lutheran
Church. He is an enterprising and successful business man, energetic and
progressive, and has aided materially in the upbuilding and improvement of the
city in which he makes his home.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Portrait and Biographical Record of Effingham, Jasper and Richland Counties
Chicago: Lake City Publishing Co.
1893

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