Ford County IL Archives Biographies.....Drendel, George May 6, 1871 - 
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Norma Hass http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00013.html#0003021 February 25, 2017, 9:46 pm

Source: History of Ford County, Illinois : from its earliest settlement to 1908, volume 1, pages 389-390
Author: Gardner, Ernest Arthur

George Drendel, a practical and progressive farmer of Mona township, living on 
section 21, owns one hundred and seven acres of rich and arable land on 
section 22 and 28, and in addition he operates another tract of two hundred 
and sixty acres also lying in Mona township. It was in this township that Mr. 
Drendel was born on the 6th of May, 1871, of the marriage of Frank S. and Mary 
(Slater) Drendel. His father was long known as one of the representative and 
prominent farmers of the locality. He was born in Germany on the 11th of 
November, 1839, his parents being Martin and Mary (Smith) Drendel, whose 
children were Francis, Frank S., Barbara, George and Lewis.

Frank S. Drendel was reared to farm life and was educated in both French and 
German. He began providing for his own support as a farm hand in his native 
country when fourteen years of age and was employed by the year until 1865, 
when he came to the United States. He did not tarry on the eastern coast but 
made his way at once to DuPage county, Illinois, where he worked as a farm 
hand for two months. He was afterward in St. Louis, Missouri, for a time and 
later in New Orleans prior to his return to Illinois. In the spring of 1867 he 
took up his abode in Joliet and for two years was employed as a laborer before 
coming to Ford county in 1869. Here he rented land and broke prairie for five 
years, after which he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 
21, Mona township, where he has since resided. As the years passed by, 
however, he prospered and later derived his income from a fine farming 
property of seven hundred and twenty acres, which was well improved and 
supplied with modern conveniences, now occupied by his heirs. After becoming a 
naturalized American citizen he gave his political allegiance to the democracy 
and for many years served as school director. He was a communicant of the 
Catholic church and well known in Mona township as a citizen of genuine worth. 
In 1870 he wedded Miss Mary Slater and unto thein have been born five sons and 
four daughters, namely: George, Rebecca, Susie, Henry, Frank, Frederick, Mary, 
Annie and Martin. The father died November 13, 1901.

George Drendel remained with his father until he attained his majority. In the 
meantime he mastered the common branches of learning taught in the public 
schools and was trained to habits of industry and economy, thus forming 
characteristics which in later years have proved an important element in his 
success. When he had reached manhood he rented land from his father and 
continued its cultivation for several years while in the meantime he carefully 
saved his earnings until he was enabled to purchase property for himself. His 
home farm of one hundred and seven acres on sections 22 and 28, Mona township, 
is a well developed tract of land and in the cultivation of an additional 
tract of two hundred and sixty acres he adds materially to his annual income. 
In all of his farm work he is systematic and progressive and has therefore 
gained desirable success. He now has charge of his father's estate.

On the 27th of January, 1897, Mr. Drendel was married to Miss Elizabeth Thiel, 
who was born in La Salle county, Illinois, October 14, 1876, a daughter of 
John and Elizabeth (Hughman) Thiel, who were natives of Germany and came to 
the United States at an early day. Mrs. Drendel was one of a family of six 
children and by her marriage has become the mother of two daughters and three 
sons: Ethel M., Emma E., Lester F., Walter M., and George Henry.

The parents hold membership in the Catholic church at Cullom and Mr. Drendel 
belongs to the Woodmen lodge there. He exercises his right of franchise in 
support of the men and measures of the democracy and for seven years he filled 
the office of school director. The cause of education finds in him a stalwart 
champion and he stanchly advocates every movement calculated to prove of 
public good, always desiring the best development of the community.

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