Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Diersen, John William 1838 - ************************************************ 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 May 4, 2007, 10:37 pm Author: Portrait & Biographical Album, 1890 JOHN WILLIAM DIERSEN is a prosperous farmer and stock-raiser, whose fine farm is located on section 15, Crete Township. He is the fortunate possessor of two hundred and forty acres of highly-improved land, besides thirty acres of timber, all of which formerly belonged to his father, whom he succeeded in the ownership and operation of the homestead. It has been almost his life-long home, as he came to it with his parents in his youth, having previously lived in Chicago some six years. The family arrived in America in 1846 from Hesse- Cassel, Germany, where he of whom we write was born, September 2, 1838. John H. Diersen, father of our subject, was of good German blood, and in his native country was in the employ of a German nobleman bearing the name of Munchhausen, from the time he was a young man until he came to the United States. He married Sophia Hue, who was, like her husband, a native of the Prussian Province of Hesse-Cassel and of pure Hessian ancestry. After the birth of four children, one of whom died in infancy, Mr. Diersen set out for America, with his wife, son and two daughters. They set sail from Bremen in May, 1846, and after a tedious voyage landed in the American metropolis, July 5. Thence they went up the Hudson River to Albany, thence on the canal to Buffalo, where they embarked upon a lake steamer, which anchored in Chicago in the latter part of the month. They remained in that city until 1852, when Mr. Diersen procured forty acres of Government land in Will County and began agricultural labors as a poor farmer. By hard work and the rigid economy best known to themselves, he and his wife got on in the world, finally becoming quite rich. They accumulated the land now owned by their son, improved and occupied it for some years, finally removing to Crete Village, where both died. The death of Mrs. Diersen took place in 1885, and that of her husband in 1887, both being about seventy-three years of age. They were estimable people, well known in the vicinity and well respected. They were closely connected with the work of the Lutheran Church, to which they gave liberally. The only members of his family now living are our subject and his sister, Mrs. Sophia Brown, of Chicago. Before his marriage Mr. Diersen had served his country as a soldier in the Hanoverian War. J. W. Diersen assisted his parents as his strength would permit, becoming of age on the farm he now owns and in the improvement of which he took part. He was married in this township to Engel Desenisz, who was born in Hesse-Cassel, Germany, August 28, 1842. When sixteen years old she accompanied her brother Philip to America, their home being made in this county. Philip Desenisz served some time during the late Rebellion as a member of the Union army. Mrs. Diersen received a good practical education and excellent home training from her worthy parents, and during her mature years has exhibited marked ability as a housewife and great kindness in her domestic and social relations. Her mother, Sophia (Sailer) Desinisz, died in the year 1884, being then quite old. Her father, Philip Desenisz, Sr., is still living in his native clime, where he has been a small farmer. He is a lifelong member of the Lutheran Church, of which his deceased wife was also a communicant. The wife of our subject has borne him twelve children, of whom we note the following: John is a hardware dealer in Crete, his wife being Sophia Piepenbrink; William is at present working in a grain house in the same town; Louisa is the wife of Phillip Pieperbrink, a farmer in Crete Township; Henry is now with his brother, assisting him in the hardware business ; August, Herman, Gotleib, Amelia, Emma, Walter, Anna and Otto are at home. Herman is learning the trade of a black-smith. Mr. Diersen has held the minor offices of the township and is now acting in the capacity of School Director, and has been Highway Commissioner since 1871, and has also been Treasurer for the same length of time, and is Secretary of the Crete Farmers' Mutual Insurance Company. He and the members of his family who are entitled to vote belong to the Republican party. The entire family, parents and children, belong to the Lutheran Church. Additional Comments: Portrait and Biographical Album of Will County, Illinois, Containing Full Page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County; Chicago: Chapman Bros., 1890 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/diersen1305nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 5.0 Kb