Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Hack, Henry 
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Author: Past & Present Will County, 1907

Henry Hack, proprietor of the Bielfeldt Hotel of Beecher and also of a well 
equipped livery barn, was born at Mecklenburg, Germany, July 29, 1855. His 
father, John Hack, was a native of Mecklenburg, born in 1825. By trade he was 
a shoemaker and thinking to enjoy better business advantages in the new world 
he emigrated to the United States in 1864. Here he gave his attention to 
agricultural pursuits, locating on a farm of eighty acres in Washington 
township, Will county, Illinois. For about twelve years he followed farming 
and in 1876 removed to the village of Beecher, where he engaged in general 
merchandising in partnership with William Peck. Three years later he sold out 
and two and a half years conducted a store at Eagle Lake, where he was 
postmaster for two years. He then returned to Beecher and again engaged in 
general merchandising, also conducting a market until a few years prior to his 
death, when he retired. His last days were spent in the enjoyment of a rest 
which he had truly earned and richly merited. He sustained injuries in a 
runaway accident in 1879, from which he was a sufferer for many years, but the 
immediate cause of his death was paralysis and he passed away in Beecher, 
February 1, 189S. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Sophia Luth, was also 
born in Mecklenburg, Germany, and is still living in Beecher at the age of 
seventy-eight years. She holds membership in the German Evangelical church, to 
which Mr. Hack also belonged. When they came to the United States they were in 
very limited financial circumstances and knew well what hard times were. They 
lived on the prairie in a little board shanty, the wind blowing a gale across 
the country with nothing to break its force and often sifting the snow through 
the cracks of the pioneer home. As the years passed, however, all this changed 
owing to the industry and enterprise of the father and the able assistance 
which he received from his wife and children. The family numbered eight 
children, of whom three died in infancy, while five are yet living: Herman, 
who resides upon the old homestead in Washington township; Henry; Charles J., 
who is living retired in Beecher; Frank, who succeeded his father in business 
and is now conducting a general store; and Emma, the wife of Sherman Loitz of 
Peotone. Henry Hack was a youth of nine years when the family came to the 
United States. He was reared to farm life, beiug connected with the work of 
field and meadow until 1885, when he engaged in the hotel and livery business. 
He has since given his time and energies to these lines with the exception of 
an interval of sixteen months. He owns forty acres of land adjoining the 
village, which he farms. He also owns a hotel property, livery barn and a 
residence in the village, together with residence property in Chicago. The 
Bielfeldt Hotel is the best in Beecher and Mrs. Hack personally superintends 
the kitchen, being an excellent cook. Everything possible is done for the 
comfort and convenience of their guests and the hotel is well patronized. Mr. 
Hack is also a partner in the undertaking business conducted under the firm 
name of Fred Hunte & Company. On the 1st of May, 1883, occurred the marriage 
of Mr. Hack and Miss Mary Bielfeldt, who was born in Schleswig-Holstein and is 
the daughter of Henning Bielfeldt, whose birth also occurred in the same 
place, August 12, 1817. In 1866 he emigrated to America and for a year he 
followed the trade of wagonmaking at Thornton, Illinois. He then engaged in 
farming in Washington township. When the Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad 
was built in 1870 and the village of Beecher sprang up his farm lay partly 
within the corporation limits. He built one of the first houses in the village 
and conducted the hotel for many years. He was one of Beechers most prominent 
business men and engaged in various enterprises which constituted an important 
element in the development and growth of the little village. He died in 1890, 
while his wife, who bore the maiden name of Catherine Dethlefs and was born in 
Germany, September 21, 1821, survived until the 30th of May, 1906. They were 
the parents of six children: Annie, the wife of Fred Bielfeldt, a resident of 
South Dakota; Mrs. Hack; Minnie, the wife of M. J. Tillotson, a merchant of 
Crete; Simon, who died about ten years ago; Henry, who died two years ago; and 
one who died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Hack have two children, Edmund and 
Albert, both at home. In politics Mr. Hack has always been an earnest and 
unfaltering republican and was a trustee of the village when it was 
incorporated. He served in that capacity for seven consecutive years and later 
was again elected and acted as trustee for six years. He was also deputy 
sheriff of the county for eight years and is now filling the office of 
constable. He and his wife attend the Congregational church. He is one of the 
representative business men of Beeeher, prominently connected with various 
business and public interests, and his labors have been a direct and 
beneficial influence in promoting the growth and development of the town.

Additional Comments:
PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS By W. W. Stevens President of the 
Will County Pioneers Association; Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing 
Company, 1907

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