Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Gross, Alexander ************************************************ 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 7, 2007, 8:13 pm Author: Genealogical & Biographical Record ALEXANDER GROSS, who resides in the suburbs of Joliet, is engaged in business as a contractor of stone sidewalks and curbing. He was born in Kadelburg, Baden, Germany, January 26, 1834, and was the son of Casper and Anna (Zuber) Gross, natives of the same place. His father carried on a small farm and at the same time operated a stone quarry, continuing the two occupations until his death, at sixty-four years. His wife, who was a daughter of Jacob Zuber, a farmer, died when sixty-seven years old. They were the parents of eight children, four of whom survive, viz.: Alexander; Mrs. Mary Overman, of Chicago; John, a stone-cutter in Joliet; and Caroline, who lives in Pike County, Ill. In common with the German custom, our subject left school when fourteen years of age and began to learn a trade. Having become interested in the stone business he decided to learn the trade of a stone-cutter. This he learned thoroughly and followed in his native land until he came to America in 1854. He sailed from Havre on the sailing vessel "Mammoth," which anchored in New York after a voyage of fifty-four days. From there he traveled to Chicago, where he secured employment at his trade. In September, 1857, he came from Chicago to Joliet, and worked at his trade in the building of the state penitentiary, being one of the first stone-cutters employed in that work. He was appointed foreman of the stone department in the prison in the summer of 1858, a responsible position which he held for twenty-three years. From the time the first convicts were brought to the penitentiary he taught them the trade, and he had many interesting experiences in attempting to transform lawyers, doctors, tailors, etc., into stone-cutters; but with few exceptions they were able to succeed at the trade. He found that as a class the sailors made the best workmen. Resigning the charge of the department in 1881, Mr. Gross started a quarry of his own with James Bruce & Co., and continued in that until 1887, when he sold out. The next year he bought an interest with M. Krakar in the Krakar Stone Company, of which he was secretary and treasurer, at the same time acting as superintendent of the company's quarries on North Broadway and East Maple street. He was a partner in the firm for six years, after which the business was sold to the Joliet Limestone Company, and he continued with them for two years as foreman. Since then he has contracted for stone sidewalks and curbing, a business for which his long experience in the stone trade admirably qualifies him. He owns a neat residence on North Broadway, surrounded by seventeen acres of grounds, well laid out and rendered attractive by the presence of shade trees. He is a member of the Saengerbund, the Joliet Sharpshooters' Association, the Turner Society and Mount Joliet Lodge No. 42, A. F. & A. M. In politics he favors Republican principles. The marriage of Mr. Gross took place in Joliet and united him with Miss Margaret Uebel, who was born in Prussia. They have four children living, namely: Laura, who is the wife of John Servis, of Joliet; Rosetta; Albertina, who is a graduate of the Illinois State University at Champaign; and Theodore, a graduate of the Joliet high school, and now foreman for Bruce Bros., of this city. 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/gross916gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ilfiles/ File size: 4.1 Kb