Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Arbeiter, George J ************************************************ 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 ddhaines@gmail.com September 5, 2007, 11:19 pm Author: Biographical Publishing Company GEORGE J. ARBEITER. As a rising attorney Mr. Arbeiter is well known to the people of Joliet, where he has engaged in practice since August, 1895. On the 1st of January, 1900, he associated himself with C. E. Antram and G. Donald McKenzie, two prominent lawyers, and the firm has established commodious and well-equipped offices at Nos. 203, 205 and 207 Barber building. To the success of the newly-established firm he will undoubtedly be a large contributor. He is an attorney of more than ordinary ability. It is not only that he is a logical and eloquent speaker, whose ready command of language and keen reasoning faculties give him, a power over a jury, but he is also a man of strong convictions, earnest and tireless in his advocacy of what he deems right and just. The success that has hitherto rewarded his efforts is without doubt but an index of what the future years may hold for him. The Arbeiters are a very ancient German family. Heinrich Arbeiter, our subject's grandfather, served in the Napoleonic wars of 1812-15. He was a son of Heinrich, who owned a farm that was the birthplace of his father and grandfather, the family having lived on the same spot for many generations. Carl, son of Heinrich, Jr., was born on the old homestead at Kappitski, near Grottkau, in Upper Silesia, July 25, 1827. He was one of five brothers, two of whom served in the German army during the greater part of their lives, both attaining the rank of captain. Another brother for many years has been at the head of the postal department in Grottkau. The fourth brother, William, is proprietor of a tannery in Santa Clara, Cal. Carl Arbeiter married Katherina Sillar, who was born at Beyreuth, Oberfranken, Bavaria, in 1828. In Bavaria the family name was spelled Siillar. When she was a child she was orphaned by the death of her father, John, who in early life had been proprietor of a government hostelry, on a government highway, designed for the accommodation of the government officials. Later, when this was abandoned, he settled on his farm and there remained until his death. He had four sons, the youngest of whom, Heinrich, still lives on the old home place, but one of his sons, John, came to the United States and now makes his home at Oswego, Ill. Another of the four sons is engaged in farming and stock- raising at Medicine Lodge, Kans. The two others, George and John, served in the army, in which George attained the rank of captain and the other, John, was killed in the service during the Franco-Prussian war. In 1856 Miss Sillar accompanied friends to the United States, settling in Joliet, where, in 1860, she became the wife of Carl Arbeiter. She died in April, 1896. Of her eight children four are living, namely: Joseph, a farmer at Corwith, Iowa; Charles W., who lives on the old homestead at Plainfield; George J.; and Mary, wife of K. C. Larsen, a liveryman at Crown Point, Ind. When he was a boy Carl Arbeiter served for four years as a brick and stone apprentice, after which he worked as a journeyman. In 1854 he crossed the ocean to Quebec, Canada. After spending some months in or near that city, employed at various occupations, he secured work at shipping on Lake Michigan, during which time he was shipwrecked and lost all of his personal belongings except the clothes he wore. In 1855 he came to Joliet and for five years worked as a farm hand in this county. After his marriage he purchased a farm of eighty acres in Plainfield Township and settled down to agricultural work. By subsequent purchase he became the owner of two hundred and forty acres. In 1895 he removed to the village of Plainfield, and there he died January 24, 1898. He was an ardent supporter of the Democratic party, but never an office seeker, and refused all offices. In religion he was a Roman Catholic and his wife a member of the Lutheran Church. Personally he was a man of sterling character, honest and upright, and universally respected for his many worthy traits. After completing the studies of the common schools George J. Arbeiter, the subject of this sketch, entered the Plainfield high school, where he took the regular course. For two years he taught in Plainfield Township, being in the village one year and in the country for a similar period. Following this he entered the Northern Indiana Normal School at Valparaiso, Ind., where he completed the course in bookkeeping and fitted himself for college. In 1888 he went to Chicago, where for a year he was employed in the wholesale hardware establishment of Gilbert & Bennett, his intention being to go on the road later; but his desire for a collegiate course caused a change in his plans. He resigned his position and entered the University of Illinois at Champaign. In 1893 he graduated from that institution, taking the degree of Bachelor of Letters. In the fall of the same year he entered the law department of the University of Michigan, from which he graduated in June, 1895, with a high standing. During the same month he was admitted to the bar of Michigan and that of Illinois. Returning home, he soon afterward opened an office in the Barber building, Joliet, and has since built up a remunerative clientage. February 1, 1898, Mr. Arbeiter married Miss E. Kittie McBride, daughter of Henry McBride, a prominent coal operator of Elgin, Ill. Fraternally Mr. Arbeiter is identified with Plainfield Lodge No. 536, A. F. & A. M., in which he served as senior deacon. While living in Plainfield he was keeper of records and seals in Dupage Lodge No. 473, K. of P. He is connected with Stevenson Camp No. 2892, Modern Woodmen of America, in Joliet. He is secretary of the Joliet Council No. 59, N. A. U. He aided in starting a fraternal insurance society, Order of the White Cross, which was organized in Joliet December 18, 1899, and in which he is supreme vice-commander. The Central Presbyterian Church, of which he is a member, receives his generous aid in its various enterprises. The Democratic party has a firm friend in Mr. Arbeiter. However, like his father, he has never cared for office, though qualified to fill public positions ably. In 1894 he was tendered nomination for county superintendent of schools, but refused to accept, preferring to devote his entire attention to the study of his profession. In 1898 he was urged to become a candidate for town clerk, but refused. Notwithstanding his refusal of office, he is an active worker for his party, and as a campaign orator has few superiors in the county, his broad knowledge of public affairs and his ability as a speaker combining to qualify him admirably for work of this nature. Additional Comments: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County Illinois Containing Biographies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present, Biographical Publishing Company, Chicago, 1900 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/arbeiter909gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ilfiles/ File size: 7.4 Kb