Whiteside County IL Archives Biographies.....Garwick, Jacob ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 January 31, 2008, 1:02 am Author: Portrait/Bio Album, Whiteside County IL 1885 Jacob Garwick, a farmer on section 2, Clyde Township, is a citizen of the United States by adoption, and was born Dec. 13, 1834, in the province of Alsace, France. (This territory has since been recovered by its original owner, Germany, by whom it is still held.) Jacob Garwick, senior, his father, was a native of the same province and was of German parentage. He was a miller by vocation and married Magdalene Wolff. She was of mixed French and Swiss ancestry. Both her grandsires came to America during the progress of the Revolutionary War, under the command of General Lafayette, and were among his corps of officers. Several other male relatives were among the French soldiery who came to assist in the Colonial struggle. The senior Garwick removed to the United States with his wife and children, the family locating on a farm in Butler Co., Pa. Mr. Garwick, of this sketch, is the oldest of his parents' children, and he left his native province in November, 1852, arriving in Pennsylvania a year before his parents. He made a home for them, and after seeing them comfortably settled he set out for Illinois, locating, in 1854, in Clyde Township, this county. Three years later his father's family followed and fixed their residence in Fair Haven, Carroll County, locating on a farm. The father died in June, 1878, and in May, 1884, the mother followed him to the world of the hereafter. Mr. Garwick operated as a general laborer after coming to Illinois, but while in Pennsylvania had followed the calling of a miller, in which he had been trained by his father in his native country. He had not sufficient money to pay for his breakfast on the morning of his arrival in Chicago, but he made his way to friends in Du Page County, where he obtained aid and employment. His life, to the age of 27 years, was one of continued experience of toil and hardship. He spent three months on board the ship on his way to America, not knowing a soul on the vessel. The entire period was one of storm and peril by sea. Food was exhausted and distress signals were flown from the masthead three successive days before their condition was discovered. They anchored near an island belonging to Portugal, in the South Sea, and secured supplies sufficient to enable them to proceed on their voyage. After his arrival in Whiteside Co., Ill., he became a farm laborer. He was married Feb. 27, 1861, in Clyde Township, to Sarah, daughter of Abraham and Anna (Gsell) Zook. Her parents were of Swiss and German orgin, and were natives of Lancaster Co., Pa. Their ancestors settled in America about the date of the Colonial struggle for independence. They were farmers and were married in Franklin Co., Pa., where the daughter was born Jan. 19, 1843. She is one of a family of eight children and accompanied her parents when she was 13 years of age to Illinois. They located at first in Newton Township. Two years later they came to the township of Clyde and located on the section which has since been their home. Three of nine, children born to Mr. and Mrs. Garwick are deceased. Those who survive are named George E., Anna, Sarah, Lizzie, Dora and Katie. The son was a student at college and all have received careful educational instruction. William H. died at the age of 17 years. Abraham and Lena were aged respectively five and two years at the time of their decease. The parents at first fixed their residence on 70 acres of land, and Mr. Garwick expended his last dollar to secure his place. (He had but $25.) In a few years he was free from debt and is now the owner of 300 acres of land, which is all in the best agricultural condition. Mr. Garwick is also interested in improved cattle, and makes a specialty of the Short-Horn breed. His farm is as well stocked as any other of similar grade in Clyde Township and the farm buildings are of an excellent and creditable type. His entire acreage was wholly unbroken at the date of purchase. He has been for many years a minister in the River Brethren Church. In his native country he was educated in German and French and acted for some time as an assistant teacher in the schools where he had been a student. Additional Comments: Portrait and Biographical Album of Whiteside County, Illinois, Containing Full- page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County. Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1885. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/whiteside/bios/garwick2100nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 5.0 Kb