Grundy County IL Archives Biographies.....Colleps, George 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 13, 2006, 5:23 pm

Author: History of Grundy County, 1914

Colleps, George - Financial stability must be the foundation stone upon which 
all great enterprises are erected, and for this reason the banking interest of 
a community are necessarily among the most important.  The men who control and 
conserve the money of individual or corporation must possess numerous 
qualities not required of the ordinary citizen, among which may be mentioned 
high commercial integrity, judgment and foresight, and exceptional financial 
ability.  A citizen who has been prominently connected with the financial 
interests of Grundy County, during nearly forty years is George Colleps, 
proprietor of the Exchange Bank, at Minooka, and a business man of high 
standing.  He was born in the city of Buffalo, N. Y., March 16, 1849, a son of 
John and Margaret (Schroder) Colleps, natives of Frankfort-on-the-Rhine, 
Germany.  The parents came to the United States in 18490, and after a short 
stay in New York State moved to Hillsboro County, Mich., the father being 
there engaged in agricultural pursuits.  In 1854 the family came to Minooka, 
Ill., where Mr. Colleps was overseer for the farm of R. Gardner & Company 
until 1877, and at that time he retired from active pursuits.  He died August 
18, 1905, at the age of eighty-six years, the mother passing away in April, 
1902, when eighty-two years of age.

George Colleps was reared to agricultural pursuits and remained under the 
parental roof until his enlistment, March 23, 1864, when a lad of only fifteen 
years, in Company G, Sixty-fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, for service 
during the Civil War.  He participated in a number of battles and was almost 
constantly under fire until his capture in front of Atlanta, July 22, 1864, at 
which time he also lost his left eye by the bursting of a shell.  He was taken 
to Andersonville Prison, where he suffered untold agonies until March 16, 
1865, being then taken to Black River Bridge, Miss., for exchange, when he was 
sent to the hospital at Jefferson Barracks, Mo., and received his honorable 
discharge in May, 1865.  At the close of his career as a soldier, Mr. Colleps 
returned to his parents' home at Minooka, where he remained three years, and 
then became a salesman in a general dry goods store, and was thus employed 
until the spring of 1872.  At that time, in partnership with W. A. Worthing, 
he embarked in the hardware business, under the firm style of Worthing & 
Colleps, and this association continued for three years.  Mr. Colleps then 
disposed of his interests to his partner, and returned to the grocery and 
general dry goods business.  In the summer of 1877 he entered the grocery 
business in partnership with Leander SMITH, and was so engaged until 1881, 
when he sold his interest to his partner, and subsequently accepted a position 
as bookkeeper for A. K. Knapp, a grain, coal and lumber merchant at Minooka.  
In February, 1905, Mr. Knapp died and Mr. Colleps took charge of the business 
which he managed until August 1, 1908, when he sold out to the Minooka Grain 
Lumber and Supply Company.  In the meantime, in 1875, Mr. Colleps had 
established a private bank at Minooka, and of this he has continued the head 
through all these years.  The confidence in which he is held has been 
demonstrated by the large business which he is doing as a banker, and the 
Exchange Bank is widely known and has a justly merited reputation for 
stability and firmness.

In September, 1982, Mr. Colleps was married to Miss Jennie V. Van Horn, who 
was born in New Jersey, daughter of John and Martha (Terhune) Van Horn, 
natives of Pennsylvania, and to this union there have been born three 
children:  Martha, who married C. W. Brown, Jr., of Joliet, Ill.; George W., a 
resident of Eagle, Colo.; and Bessie N., who resides at home.  A Republican in 
his political views, Mr. Colleps has served as Village Treasurer and Village 
Trustee and in these capacities has rendered his community signal service.  He 
is prominent in Masonry, belonging to Lodge No. 528, F. & A. M., Blaney 
Commandery of Morris, and Medinah Temple, of Chicago.  He also holds 
membership in Lodge No. 296, B. P. O. E. of Joliet.  Mr. Colleps has taken an 
active part in the development and progress of Minooka, and his connection 
with its rising business, and financial interests entitles him to a place 
among the representative men of Grundy County.

page 789

Additional Comments:
Source:  History of Grundy County, Illinois, Chicago: Munsell Publishing Co. 
Publishers; 1914

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