Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Geuther, John George 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 6, 2007, 3:04 pm

Author: Portrait & Bios Album, 1890

JOHN GEORGE GEUTHER. The home farm of this gentleman is one of the finest 
pieces of land in the Prairie State, and has been so improved that it forms a 
dwelling place of great attractiveness and comfort. It comprises two hundred 
acres of tillable land on section 15, Frankfort Township, which is watered by 
Hickory Creek, and bears improvements which are unexcelled in the township. 
The residence is of pleasing architectural design, and it and the various 
outbuildings are sufficiently commodious for their purpose. There are several 
barns on the place, which are needed to house the stock and crops, in the 
raising of which Mr. Geuther is engaged. A windmill and tank, and the latest 
improvements in farm machinery make the labors performed more easy than was 
the case in the olden time, and orchards and gardens furnish an abundance of 
the fruits of the earth, beside adding attractive features to the landscape. 
Mr. Geuther is engaged in general farming, keeping three teams constantly 
employed on the farm, and also raising good grades of cattle, hogs and draft-
horses, having now some twenty head of the latter. He is the largest land-
owner in the township, and one of the largest in the county, owning in all 
about sixteen hundred acres, the different farms being well improved and 
occupied by tenants. His landed estate is divided into the following tracts: 
One hundred and seventy-seven acres on section 22; one hundred and fifty-seven 
on section 23, Frankfort Township; one hundred and sixty-three acres in Green 
Garden Township; one hundred and sixty acres on section 25, Manhattan 
Township; one hundred and twenty acres on the township line of New Lenox and 
Frankfort Townships; and five hundred and sixty acres in Cherokee County, 
Iowa. On the different places in Frankfort Township he has over fifty acres of 
timber land. The father of our subject was John George Geuther, Sr., who was 
born in Weidhausen, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Germany, and the son of John Nicholas 
Geuther, a baker. When a young man, he was quite poor, but being hard-working 
and having a capable helpmate, he ere long was able to purchase a small piece 
of land and add to it from time to time. He and his wife had begun by making 
baskets, and added to their real estate until they possessed forty acres, 
which was a good farm for that country, and in the securing and operating of 
which they were ranked as the most successful farmers in their neighborhood. 
In 1848 Mr. Geuther emigrated to America with his family, except his oldest 
son, who had crossed the Atlantic two years before, and after living in New 
York City for a time, had gone South and been lost track of. The father came 
to Illinois, and renting a farm in Frankfort, this county, operated the same 
for a year. He then purchased one hundred and sixty acres on section 3, the 
price being $500, and there he lived for three years, putting the place under 
excellent improvement. He next purchased what is now the home farm of our 
subject, and locating here, continued his agricultural work for a time. He 
then let our subject take charge of it, and lived with him during the 
remainder of his life. He breathed his last April 26, 1889, at the advanced 
age of eighty-four years. In addition to the property mentioned, he had also 
bought one hundred and sixty acres in Green Garden Township, and having three 
sons, he gave each of them a farm. The mother of our subject bore the maiden 
name of Kunigunda Fitzemeir. She was born in Weidhausen, Germany, and died at 
her home in this county, in 1881. Her oldest child, John Nicholas, is now 
farming in Green Garden Township. He came to America in 1844, and having 
drifted to Charleston, S. C., remained there during the war, and was lost to 
the paternal household for twenty years, as he did not know they had come to 
America; he came to Northern Illinois in 1866. John George, Jr., was a farmer 
in Frankfort Township, and was run over by the Rock Island Railroad train in 
the spring of 1890. The gentleman of whom we write is the youngest member of 
the parental household. He was born in Weidhausen, Germany, May 16, 1838, and 
was reared until his tenth year in his native land. He then accompanied his 
parents to America, leaving Bremen in April, and spending forty-two days on 
the briny deep. After landing in New York City the family traveled by river, 
canal and lakes to Chicago, where they secured teams to carry them to 
Frankfort Township. The lad attended the common schools, and in the interims 
of study hunted and assisted his father on the farm. When the family removed 
to their present home, he and his father did all the work, and he broke soil, 
drove oxen, and bore a hand in other arduous labors. They operated a sawmill 
several years in connection with their agricultural work. Ere long the young 
man took charge of the place, renting of his father until he came into 
possession of it, and making the various improvements which now mark it as one 
of the finest farms in the township. He gradually drifted into stock raising, 
and his hard work and perseverance secured for him a high rank among 
agriculturists and stockmen, and gave him possession of his large amount of 
realty. He has ever been upright and straightforward in his dealings and 
active in his support of all worthy movements which promise to increase the 
prosperity of those about them. The first marriage of Mr. Geuther was 
celebrated in this township in 1861, his bride being Miss Mina Eisenbrandt. 
This worthy woman was born in Germany, and came to the United States with her 
parents when two years old. She breathed her last in 1872, leaving four 
children, named respectively—John, George, Henry and Mary. All are still 
residing under the home roof. The second matrimonial alliance of Mr. Geuther 
was also celebrated in this township, the date of the happy event being March 
1, 1875. The bride was Miss Dorethea Raedlein, who was born in Germany 
February 28, 1852, and was well educated in her native clime. In 1874 she 
sailed from Bremen on the steamer "Mosell," which dropped her anchor in New 
York harbor fourteen days later. The young lady came at once to Mokena, Ill., 
to the home of her aunt, Mrs. Miller, with whom she remained until her 
marriage. She is the mother of six children—Annie, Bertha, Nicholas, Eddie, 
Clara and Otto. The parents of Mrs. Dorothea Geuther are Robert Raedlein, who 
is still living in his native province of Saxe-Coburg, and Kunigunda (Collis) 
Raedlein, deceased. The latter was born in Bavaria, and bore her husband ten 
children, nine of whom are living, six in Germany and three in America. Mr. 
Raedlein is the son of a prominent and successful merchant, and 
became "squire" when twenty years old. He held the position until he became 
one of the leading officials of the province in an office similar to that of 
an American senator, which he has now held for twenty-five years. He is also a 
merchant with a large trade. He belongs to the Lutheran Church, as did his 
worthy wife, and their daughter was carefully reared in accordance with its 
principles. Mr. Geuther is much interested in the advancement of the cause of 
education, and has served as School Director, although he otherwise declines 
public honors. In former years he was Trustee of Frankfort Township, having 
been elected on the Democratic ticket. He holds membership in the German 
Lutheran Church, in Frankfort Township, their place of worship being located 
on his farm. His father gave an acre of land as the site, and was one of the 
organizers of the congregation, and his son has followed his example in being 
an active supporter of religion.

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/geuther1367nbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/

File size: 8.4 Kb