Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Fuchs, Edward ************************************************ 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, 2:12 pm Author: Biographical Publishing Company EDWARD FUCHS is one of the well-to-do retired farmers now living in Joliet. He was born in Prussia, Germany, August 31, 1845, a son of Christian and Christiana (Englehart) Fuchs, also natives of Prussia. His father, who was born in 1809, grew to manhood in his native land and there engaged in farming. In the spring of 1852 he came to America, landing in New York after a stormy voyage of nine weeks. From New York he came directly west to Chicago, and a day later proceeded to what is now Tinley Park, Cook County, where he bought eighty acres in Orland Township for $5 an acre, paying half in cash and giving a mortgage for the remainder. Three years later he sold the place for $10 an acre and bought another farm of forty acres in the same township, where he remained for nine years. His next removal brought him to Frankfort Township, this county, where he purchased an eighty-acre tract, and to this he added another eighty adjoining, across the line in Cook County. Here the remaining years of his life were spent. After coming to this country he identified himself with the Republican party. He was reared in the Evangelical Lutheran faith and always affiliated with that church. Personally he was an upright, capable and sagacious man, and was highly esteemed. He died on his homestead September 16, 1874. His wife, who was born in 1817, is still living. Of their children, Julius occupies the home farm; and Emma is the wife of Fernon Smith, a farmer of Orland Township, Cook County. At the time the family immigrated to this country our subject was a child of six years. He grew to manhood in Cook and Will Counties and early acquired a thorough knowledge of agriculture. May 27, 1872, he married Miss Bertha Dall, a native of Zinn Kotten, Sohlingen, Prussia, born May 12, 1842, a daughter of Jonathan and Amelia (Hartkopi) Dall. Her father was born November 25, 1812, and her mother May 23, 1818, both in the same place as herself. After having followed the cutler's trade in Germany for some years, her father, in 1848, brought the family to America, landing in New Orleans after a voyage of seven weeks. He came direct to Illinois and bought one hundred and twenty acres in Kendall County for $800, which he sold three years later for $1,000. He then worked at blacksmithing in Ottawa for a year, after which he went back to Kendall County and bought an improved farm of forty acres. Four years later he came to Frankfort Township, this county, and bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, where he remained for eight years. His next purchase was one hundred and ninety-six acres in New Lenox Township, and on that place he died June 30, 1885. For some years he served as path master and road commissioner in Frankfort Township. In religion he was a Lutheran. His wife died December 30, 1889. They were the parents of eight children, three of whom are living, namely: Bertha, Mrs. Fuchs; Ida, wife of Wilhelm Stoll, of Joliet; and Emma, who married George Busche and lives on the old homestead in New Lenox Township. After his marriage Mr. Fuchs settled on the eighty acres of the homestead that was situated across the line in Cook County. This he had purchased prior to his marriage. After less than a year he sold the farm and bought eighty-seven acres in Homer Township, where he remained for three years. His next purchase was one hundred and twenty-five acres near the village of Spencer, in New Lenox Township. A short time afterward he added forty acres to the farm. He remained there for five years and then bought a residence, with ten acres, in the outskirts of the village of Frankfort, and retired from farm life. From that time he engaged in buying, selling and trading real estate, and his success in this was even more marked than it had been in farming. In all of his transactions he showed shrewd, keen judgment. He owns the old homestead comprising one hundred and fifty-six acres of well-improved land. In 1891 he moved to Joliet, where he owns and occupies a fine residence on Exchange street. He also has two other residence properties in this city, the Union block on Cass street, a business block of five stores, and various lots in Joliet and Chicago. In politics he is a Republican and in religion a Lutheran. He has always favored public improvements. As a citizen he is esteemed and respected. He and his wife became the parents of six children, viz.: Julia, at home; George E., who is connected with the Beach dry-goods house; Mathilda, who was born March 20, 1877, and died September 16 of the same year; Annie K., who was born May 25, 1879, and died on the same day; Amelia E., who was born November 25, 1884, and died May 22, 1888; and Clara E., born April 19, 1887. 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/fuchs891gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ilfiles/ File size: 5.5 Kb