Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Ohlendorf, Henry W 1857 - 
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Author: Portrait & Biographical Album, 1890

HENRY W. OHLENDORF. 

Among the younger members of the farming community of Crete Township the 
subject of this notice may be properly mentioned as having achieved success in 
more than an ordinary degree. He was born July 17, 1857, at his father's 
homestead on section 35, Crete Township, which is now his property, and where 
he owns nearly three hundred acres of some of the finest farming land in this 
part of the State. This is well improved and largely devoted to the breeding 
of fine stock, Mr. Ohlendorf making a specialty of Holstein cattle and 
Berkshire swine. He was bred to farm pursuits from his youth, while his 
natural habits of industry and enterprise ensure his continued success in his 
undertakings. The subject of this notice is the scion of a substantial old 
family, being the son of Henry Ohlendorf, one of the oldest settlers of Crete 
Township and one of its most successful farmers. The latter is a native of 
Hesse-Cassel, Germany, and was born September 16, 1829. He was reared in his 
native Province, becoming familiar with agricultural pursuits and obtaining a 
good education in the German tongue. About the time of reaching his majority 
his parents, John Henry and Sophia (Senne) Ohlendorf, accompanied by the 
balance of their family, emigrated to the United States, setting out on a 
sailing-vessel from Bremerhaven about 1850. After a nine weeks' voyage they 
landed in New York City, whence they proceeded directly to Chicago, Ill., and 
from there to Crete Township. The grandfather of Mr. Ohlendorf, upon reaching 
his destination, purchased one hundred and sixty acres of partially improved 
land on section 35, where he built up a comfortable homestead and remained 
with his good wife until the marriage of their eldest son. They then removed 
to another farm in Crete Township, and when their third son was married 
removed the third time, buying a farm each time a son was married, until the 
five were all comfortably located. The parents finally settled on a farm on 
section 19, where Grandfather Ohlendorf died in 1882. He had then arrived at 
the advanced age of nearly eighty years. His widow, who is now nearly eighty 
years old, is still living, making her home with her son, August. Both were 
members for many years of the Lutheran Church. Henry J. Ohlendorf, the father 
of our subject, was the eldest of five sons and two daughters born to his 
parents, all of whom were natives of Germany and five of whom are still 
living, four of them being in this county. Henry J. was married to Miss Minnie 
Arkenberg, who was born in the Kingdom of Hanover, and who was quite young 
when her parents emigrated to America. They likewise settled in Crete Township 
and died there. Mrs. Ohlendorf is still living and is now past fifty years of 
age. She has been from early youth a consistent member of the Lutheran Church. 
To her and her husband there was born a family of four children, one of whom, 
a son, John, died at the age of eleven years; Henry W., our subject, was the 
eldest born; Emily is the wife of Henry Trebold, a farmer of Crete Township; 
Regina lives with her mother in Crete. The subject of this notice received a 
careful parental training, attended the district schools in his native 
township and grew up healthful in mind and body with strength and courage for 
the battle of life. When reaching his majority, he crossed the Atlantic to 
visit the scenes of his father's early years and his grandfather's home. This 
proved not only a pleasant but a very valuable experience, and he returned 
feeling that the time and money thus employed could not have been spent in a 
wiser manner. Subsequently he was married, in Crete Township, to Miss Mary 
Hartmann. Mrs. Ohlendorf was born in this township June 18, 1861, and is the 
daughter of John and Ellen (Behrens) Hartmann, who were likewise natives of 
Germany and early settlers of this township, and who are now residents of 
Crete. Mrs. Ohlendorf is a lady of more than ordinary intelligence, and by her 
union with our subject has become the mother of four bright children—Agnes, 
Charles O., Walter and Ida. Both our subject and his wife were trained in the 
doctrines of the Lutheran Church, to which they faithfully adhere. 
Politically, Mr. Ohlendorf is a stanch supporter of the Republican party. He 
has been tax collector of his township for the past year and is a man in whom 
the community has entire confidence. He is reliable in his business 
transactions and as a farmer, skillful and progressive, and in all respects is 
proving a worthy representative of one of the leading families of this 
section. 

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

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