Grundy County IL Archives Biographies.....Stamm, Abraham 
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Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com March 25, 2006, 8:36 pm

Author: Bio/Gen Record LaSalle/Grundy 1900

In a history of the representative farmers of Greenfield township, Grundy 
county, Abraham Stamm certainly deserves creditable mention, as he belongs to 
the class of honored American citizens who owe their prosperity entirely to 
their own well directed and honorable efforts. He belongs to one of the old 
Pennsylvania Dutch families. His great-grandfather, Conrad Stamm, emigrated to 
the New World from Hesse-Cassel, Germany, in an early day, being accompanied 
by his wife and two children, Daniel and John. The wife, however, died ere the 
voyage was completed, and with his two sons Mr. Stamm continued on his way to 
Beaver county, Pennsylvania, where he cleared a farm of two hundred acres in 
the midst of the forest, developing a good home there. In Germany he was 
connected with the Catholic church, but did not attend any church after 
arriving in America. He died in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, May 27, 1838, at 
the venerable age of eighty-one years, and was buried on his own homestead 
there. Our subject now has in his possession a rifle which belonged to Conrad 
Stamm. It was brought by him from Germany and is a well made fire-arm, with 
silver mountings, having been manufactured by Kramer, of Schmalkalden, Germany.

Daniel Stamm, the grandfather of our subject, was about sixteen years of age 
when he accompanied his father to the New World. He, too, became a farmer, and 
was married in Beaver county, Pennsylvania, to Elizabeth Shearer, who was born 
in the Keystone state. After their marriage they located on the old homestead, 
which had been developed by his father, and there Daniel Stamm passed his 
remaining days, his death occurring at the age of sixty-one. He was a 
substantial farmer and owned and successfully operated two hundred acres of 
land. An industrious and hard-working man, his life was honorable and upright. 
He belonged to the Lutheran church and was respected by all who knew him. His 
children were: Conrad, Jacob, Daniel, Polly, Susan and Eliza.

Jacob Stamm, the father of him whose name introduces this review, was born on 
the old family homestead in Pennsylvania, in September, 1811. That property is 
still in the possession of descendants of the original American emigrants. 
Jacob Stamm received very limited educational privileges, and became an 
enterprising business man. He learned the tanner's trade, which he followed 
for a year and then turned his attention to other pursuits. In 1836 he wedded 
Susan Ziegler, the ceremony being performed in Beaver county, Pennsylvania. 
The lady, however, was born in Bucks county, that state, March 31, 1810, a 
daughter of Christopher and Susanna (Shelly) Ziegler. Her father was a cabinet-
maker and farmer who owned a valuable tract of land in Bucks county, 
Pennsylvania, where he married Miss Shelly. Subsequently he removed to Beaver 
county, when his daughter, Susanna, was six years old. He manufactured many 
coffins in those early days and was a well known citizen of Beaver county. 
When an old man he removed to Medina county, Ohio, to live with his son, 
Abraham. In religious belief he was a Mennonite and served as deacon of his 
church for many years. His death occurred in Medina county, when he had 
attained the very advanced age of nearly ninety-eight years. His children 
were: Andrew, Abraham, Henry, Catherine, Susanna, Elizabeth and Deborah, who 
died in childhood.

After his marriage Jacob Stamm located at Harmony, Butler county, 
Pennsylvania, where he lived for one year and then removed to Evans City, 
twenty-seven miles north of Pittsburg, where his father had purchased two 
hundred and twelve acres of land, having also a tract of six hundred acres in 
Muddy Creek township, Butler county, and two hundred acres in Middlesex 
township, that county. This land he gave to his children, Jacob Stamm securing 
the tract of two hundred and twelve acres. Only a small portion had been 
cleared, the remainder having been covered with heavy timber. This land was 
purchased of Alexander Martin, who had entered it from the government. 
Clearing away the trees, Jacob Stamm developed a good farm, erected 
substantial buildings, and there spent his remaining days, his death occurring 
May 27, 1892, when he had attained the age of eighty years. He was a member of 
the German Reformed church and in politics was originally a Democrat, but in 
1864 supported Abraham Lincoln and was afterward a stanch Republican. He was 
known as a substantial farmer and became the owner of a valuable property of 
three hundred acres. His wife is still living on the old homestead and is past 
ninety years of age. She is a member of the Mennonite church and a woman of 
many virtues, whose life has indeed been well spent. The children of Mr. and 
Mrs. Jacob Stamm were: Abraham, Solomon, Jacob, Deborah, Keziah, Elizabeth, 
Mary and Susanna.

Abraham Stamm, whose name introduces this record, was born in Butler county, 
Pennsylvania, on the old homestead, June 25, 1838. He received the usual 
common-school education and was reared to agricultural pursuits. In 1866, at 
the age of twenty-eight years, he came to Illinois and purchased 160 acres of 
unimproved prairie land in Good Farm township, of which he broke and fenced 
thirty acres. He never lived on the place, however, and on selling it he 
bought a quarter section south of Gardner. After a few years he also disposed 
of that property and purchased one hundred and sixty acres near where the 
school-house now stands on section 6. It was also a tract of undeveloped 
prairie, but his continuous work placed it under a high state of cultivation. 
It was to that farm that he took his bride, his marriage being celebrated in 
Grundy county, October 7, 1869, when Miss Ellen Halteman became his wife. She 
was born in Miami county, Ohio, April 5, 1845, and is a daughter of Jacob and 
Sarah (Kitzmiller) Halteman. Her father was a native of Bucks county, 
Pennsylvania, who, having received the usual common-school training, turned 
his attention to farming. When a young man he accompanied his father to Miami 
county, Ohio, and there married Sarah, a daughter of Emanuel Kitzmiller. Their 
union was blessed with seven children, namely: David, Annie, Sarah, Ellen, 
Emma, Lucy and Caroline. Mr. Halteman removed to Illinois, and after residing 
in Lee county for some time spent a number of years in Perry county. About 
1867 he came to Grundy county, where he purchased one hundred and twenty acres 
of improved land, making his home, however, in Gardner. His last days were 
spent in Smith county, Kansas, where he died in 1898, at the age of eighty 
years. In politics he was a Republican and in religious belief was a Mennonite.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Stamm located on the farm of one hundred and 
sixty acres, which he still owns. Some time afterward he purchased forty-nine 
acres where Abraham Bookwalter now lives, and resided there for six years, 
when he sold that property and removed to the Parker farm in Greenfield 
township. In 1892 he took up his abode upon his present farm in Greenfield 
township, and is to-day one of the extensive land-owners of the community, 
having four hundred acres of fine farming land, upon which he has made 
excellent improvements. He is regarded as one of the substantial and 
progressive farmers of his neighborhood, and he certainly deserves great 
credit for the success which he has achieved. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Stamm were 
born six children: Jacob, Charles, Pliny, Clifford (who died in infancy), Ida 
and Chloe. In 1897 the family were called upon to mourn the loss of the wife 
and mother, who died September 23, 1897. She was a lady of many virtues and 
was a consistent member of the Methodist church. Mr. Stamm also belongs to 
that church, in which he has served as a trustee and steward. He has managed 
his business interests with great care and precision, and at all times his 
methods have been characterized by the strictest integrity. His honesty is 
above question and his word is as good as his bond in the community where he 
is known.

Additional Comments:
Source:  Biographical and Genealogical Record of La Salle and Grundy County, 
Illinois, Volume 11, Chicago, 1900, p711-714

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