Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Piepenbrink, John O 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com September 5, 2007, 2:07 pm

Author: Biographical Publishing Company

JOHN O. PIEPENBRINK, a pioneer of 1849 in Crete Township, was born in Hesse-
Cassel, Germany, April 24, 1826, and died January 24, 1900, at Crete, Ill. He 
was a son of H. H. and Lottie (Meier) Piepenbrink, who died in Germany at the 
ages of fifty-five and forty-five respectively. He was one of four children, 
all of whom but himself remained in Germany. The family being wealthy, he was 
given the best advantages his country afforded; however, with that exception 
the family fortune availed him naught, as the estate being entailed, it fell 
to the eldest son on the death of the father. Believing he could do better in 
America than in his native country, he resolved to come hither, and with his 
wife, Sophia (Wille) Piepenbrink, he sailed from Bremerhaven April 3, 1849, 
arriving in New York City May 1. Thence they came by canal and lake to 
Chicago, and from there to Crete Township. This section was then sparsely 
settled. The surroundings were of a most primitive character. Of  improvements 
there were almost none. He established his home in a small log house, which 
was fully protected from the snow and the winds of winter. He borrowed money
with which to pay for his land and was obliged to pay thirty-six per cent per 
annum for the use of the same. However, notwithstanding this and other 
discouragements, he steadily prospered, and finally acquired the title to more 
than seven hundred acres, a part of which is now owned by his sons. A large 
part of his success was due to the dairy industry. He kept more than one 
hundred cows on his place and made large shipments of butter and cheese to 
Chicago. For thirty years he has made his home on section 11, where he had one 
of the comfortable homes of the township. Politically he was a Republican. In 
religion, like his ancestors, he adheres to the doctrines promulgated by 
Martin Luther.

Mrs. Piepenbrink was born January 2, 1826, a daughter of Conrad and Sophia 
(Oldrag) Wille, farmers near Hesse-Cassel, active workers in the Lutheran 
Church of their neighborhood, and the parents of seven children. In the family 
of Mr. and Mrs. Piepenbrink there are eight children, viz: J. Otto and Henry 
F., prominent farmers of Crete Township; Conrad, William, John and Philip, 
also farmers in this locality; Ellen, wife of Henry Sporleder; and Sophia, 
Mrs. John Diersen.

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

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