Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Fridley, John 1838 - 
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Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 9, 2007, 12:34 am

Author: Portrait & Bio Album, 1890

JOHN FRIDLEY. In passing through Florence Township, a visitor is struck by the 
prosperous appearance of many of the rural homes, and the eyes are especially 
attracted to some of the residences that dot the landscape. Among those thus 
conspicuous is that of Mr. Fridley, a commodious building of pleasing design, 
which is accompanied by fine barns and other structures needful to a 
flourishing agriculturist. The fertile acres that surround the dwelling show 
that the owner is a master hand, for, although the land is now rented, nothing 
is allowed to gain a look of neglect or in any wise indicate a loss of its 
former progressive attitude. Mr. Fridley is a native of the far-famed land of 
Switzerland, where his eyes opened to the light March 26, 1838. He is the only 
child of John and Elizabeth Fridley, the former of whom spent his life in that 
clime and the latter still lives there. When nineteen years old, young Fridley 
came to America, settling in Florence Township, this county, on a tract, where 
he remained from 1857 until 1876, when he became the occupant of the estate he 
now owns. This comprises two hundred and forty acres on sections 10 and 11. 
All the buildings on the place have been made by him, and to his energy is due 
every improvement that makes of the estate so valuable a piece of property. 
Inheriting a devotion to country that is characteristic of the German stock, 
whence he derives his origin, Mr. Fridley devoted some of the best years of 
his life to the protection of the flag of the Union. In 1862 he joined the 
army as a private in Company G, One Hundreth Illinois Infantry, and he served 
until the close of the rebellion. His campaigning was done in Kentucky, 
Tennessee and Georgia, and during it he fought in several of the most noted 
contests of the war, among them being Stone River, Chickamauga, Mission Ridge, 
Kenesaw Mountain, Resaca, and the various battles of the Atlanta campaign. At 
Kenesaw he was wounded and disabled for a time. He was mustered out of the 
service at Nashville, and going to Chicago, there received his discharge July 
1, 1865. He is numbered in the ranks of the Republican party, but takes no 
part in politics other than to cast his vote when occasion requires. An 
important step in the life of our subject took place on Christmas Day, 1866, 
on which date he was united in marriage with Mrs. Mary A. Dallenbach, of his 
own township. This estimable lady was the widow of Christian Dallenbach, by 
whom she had two children—John W. and Frank. She was born in Wurtemburg, 
Germany, and still lives, enjoying with her companion the fruits of industry 
and the esteem of many friends. She is a member of the Evangelical Church. To 
her and her present husband a son was born, E. Franklin, from whom they were 
compelled to part when he was eleven years old.

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/fridley1521nbs.txt

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