Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Karch, Jacob 1816 - ************************************************ 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 4, 2007, 9:06 pm Author: Portrait & Biographical Album, 1890 JACOB KARCH. One of the most enterprising and public-spirited farmers of Frankfort Township is the gentleman above named, whose pleasant home is located on section 25. His estate comprises one hundred and sixty broad and fertile acres, which under his careful and intelligent control produce abundantly and make their cultivation both pleasant and profitable. A full line of farm buildings is conveniently disposed, and a fine orchard supplies an abundance of fruit as well as adorning the farm with its pleasing shade and waving boughs. Mr. Karch raises grain and cattle and a good grade of draft horses, of which he keeps about fifteen head. This gentleman is of German ancestry, his father, Henry J. Karch, having been born near Frankfort on the Rhine. He was a baker there but afterward engaged in hotel-keeping until 1838, when he came to America and located in Herkimer County, N. Y. There he continued the occupation of an hotel keeper and also conducted a farm finally operating one hundred acres. In 1850 he changed his location to Will County, Ill., buying two hundred and forty acres on section 36, Frankfort Township. Here he broke the soil and made all the improvements, carrying his produce to Chicago by teams and consuming three days in the trip. He was a very successful farmer and eventually became the owner of five hundred and sixty acres of land which is divided into three improved farms. He held township offices at various times, built the first school-house and church in his vicinity and manifested a high degree of public spirit. He became well-known as a straightforward business man. In politics he was a strong Republican and in religion a member of the German Methodist Episcopal Church in which he was Class-Leader and otherwise prominent. He died on his homestead in 1888, at the advanced age of eighty years. The wife of Henry Karch was Catherine Fecter, who was born in Bayren, Germany, and who died on the home farm four weeks after her husband. She had borne eight children named respectively, Catherine, Caroline, Henry, Charles, Jacob, Martin, Margaret and Fred. Henry was a member of the One Hundredth Illinois Infantry, in which he enlisted in 1862, and was killed at the battle of Chickamauga. The gentleman with whose name we introduce this sketch was born on the Mohawk River, near Frankfort, Herkimer County, N. Y., September 5, 1816. He was but four years old when his father removed to the Prairie State, the journey being performed by rail to Chicago and by team to the farm in this county. Here the lad grew to manhood amid the usual surroundings of a farmer's son and was early set to work in the fields. His education was received at what was known as "Skunk's Grove Knowledge Shop," an old log schoolhouse with slab benches and the other primitive furnishings common in new settlements. During the boyhood and youth of our subject wild game was still plentiful in the vicinity of his home and oxen were used upon the farms, several yoke being attached to the breaking plows, and which he learned to drive. On one occasion when about fourteen years of age he was sent to Chicago to sell a yoke of fine large oxen. On the way he had to cross a creek which was frozen over and the cattle refused to go upon the ice. As soon as they came to the edge of the stream they would back and in spite of his efforts they continued this process for about an hour when the boy thought of a scheme by which he could get them across. Turning them with their heads toward home he backed them on to the ice and as soon as they saw it before them, they continued the backing proeess very rapidly. Young Karch remained at work for his father until about twenty- four yeavs old when he took personal control of the farm, continuing it some three years. He then purchased his present place, the quarter section having no improvements except the breaking. The soil being all tillable except what is left in the timber and the owner having the knowledge and experience of a practical farmer, he soon brought it to its present condition of beauty and worth. The lady to whom he owes the comfort of his home life was known in her maidenhood as Miss Louisa Schraeder. She was born on board a Mississippi steamer when her parents were coming from New Orleans. Her father, Martin Schraeder, was formerly a farmer at Blue Island, Cook County, but is now residing in Chicago, having become well-to-do and retired from his active labors four years since. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Karch was celebrated in this county in 1873, and has been blest by the birth of six children named respectively, Albert, Laura, Charles, Carrie, Lydia and Arthur. Their home being but two miles from Frankfort, they have excellent advantages which combine the best of country and town life,and their children are being well reared and educated. Mr. Karch was School Director nine years and was the means of placing the school on the improved footing in which it is now carried on. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Churcli at Frankfort, in which he has been Steward and Trustee. In politics he is a stanch Republican. His personal popularity is great and all recognize his worth as a man and citizen. 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/karch1294nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 6.0 Kb