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

Henry Kracke, who since 1882 has resided upon his present farm on section 19, 
Crete township, was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1842. His father, Henry 
Kracke, Sr., also a native of Hanover, owned a small farm there and on 
disposing of his property in 1857 he came to the new world, settling in Monee 
township. Will county, Illinois, on forty acres of land, a part of which was 
covered with timber. There was a little house upon the place but otherwise it 
was destitute of improvements. In 1866 he bought another tract of land of 
eighty acres. He was a very industrious man and in the early days frequently 
worked at farm labor for others for thirty-five cents per day in order to get 
ready money to enable him to carry on his farm work. He lived upon the old 
homestead until called to his final rest in September, 1879, when he was 
seventy-four years of age, and he left to his family not only a good property 
but also an untarnished name and an example of industry and perseverance that 
is well worthy of emulation. His wife, Mrs. Mary Kracke, nee Miller, was born 
in Hanover, Germany, in 1812, and died at the home of her son Henry in Crete 
township in 1903. Both Mr. and Mrs. Kracke were devoted members of the 
Lutheran church. In their family were five children, of whom two died in 
infancy in Germany. The others are: Fred, who is living with his brother 
Henry, who is the second of the surviving children; and Mary, the wife of 
Henry Elbers, a farmer of Cook county, Illinois. Henry Kracke, of this review, 
was a youth of fourteen when he bade adieu to friends and native land and with 
his parents came to America. He well remembers the voyage across the Atlantic 
and the trip from New York to Will county, also the experiences of pioneer 
life which confronted the family in their new home. He had attended school in 
Germany and he continued his education in the public schools of Will county. 
He remained upon the home farm, working with his father to whom he rendered 
valuable assistance. When twenty-nine years of age Mr. Kracke was married to 
Miss Minnie Kregel, who was born in Hanover, Germany, May 15, 1848, a daughter 
of Fred and Louise Kregel, early settlers of Cook county, Illinois, but both 
now deceased. The marriage of the young couple was celebrated in 1872, at 
which time Mr. Kracke took charge of the home farm, which he has since 
purchased. In 1852 he came to Crete township and purchased the farm upon which 
he has since resided and which then contained one hundred and sixty acres of 
land upon which scarcely any improvements had been made. He has since built a 
good house and barns, has laid many rods of tiling, thus draining the fields 
and making them much more productive, and has secured the latest improved 
machinery to facilitate the farm work. By additional purchase of one hundred 
and twenty acres he extended the boundaries of this place until he now owns 
two hundred and eighty acres of rich land in Crete township. The old homestead 
of one hundred and twenty-four acres in Monee township is also his property 
and he likewise has a farm of one hundred and seventeen acres elsewhere in 
Monee township. His landed possessions have therefore become extensive and he 
is now numbered among the substantial farmers of the county. In 1902 Mr. 
Kracke was called upon to mourn the death of his wife, who passed away on the 
1st of July of that year. Unto them had been born six children: Louise, who 
was born January 17, 1873, and is now keeping house for her father; Henry, 
born May 7, 1875; Fred, who died at the age of twenty-one years; Ernest, born 
April 27, 1879; William, born February 25, 1881; and Gustaf, born April 12, 
1883. Mr. Kracke is a member of the Lutheran church, in which he has served as 
deacon for ten years, the work of the church receiving his hearty endorsement 
and co-operation. In politics he is independent, voting for the men whom he 
regards as best qualified for office. He is now engaged in general farming and 
all that he possesses he has made through hard work. He early realized that 
there is no royal road to wealth and followed the precept of the old Greek 
philosopher who said "Earn thy reward." This he has done and therefore well 
deserves his present condition of prosperity.

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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