Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Rappal, Michael 1833 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com May 9, 2007, 12:16 am

Author: Portrait & Bio Album, 1890

MICHAEL RAPPAL. The farming community of Joliet Township recognizes a worthy 
representative in the subject of this notice, who pursues the even tenor of 
his way at a well-developed farm on section 7, and who exercises a 
considerable influence in his community. He is looked upon as one of its most 
reliable men, and has held the various local offices, serving as Commissioner 
of Highways six years, also as School Director, and in politics is a Democrat. 
He was reared in the faith of the Catholic Church, to which he and his 
estimable wife belong, attending services at Joliet. In noting the antecedents 
of our subject,we find that he is the son of Samuel Rappal, a native of what 
was then the French Province of Alsace, but which now belongs to Germany. The 
mother bore the maiden name of Barbara Anser. She was a native of the same 
village as her husband, where they were married and lived for several years 
afterward. In 1846 they decided upon emigrating to America, and crossed the 
Atlantic in the spring of the year, coming directly to Will County, Ill., and 
settling in Joliet. The father occupied himself as a farmer, and died there in 
the spring of 1867. The mother survived her husband a number of years, dying 
at the home of her son, our subject, about 1885. To Samuel Rappal and his good 
wife there was born a family of five children, the eldest of whom was he whose 
name heads this sketch. He was a native of the same province as his parents, 
and was born August 25, 1833. He was a lad of thirteen years when the family 
emigrated to America, and he sojourned with them about four years thereafter. 
In the spring of 1850, when a youth of seventeen years, he started for 
California, joining the caravan which was hastening thither in search of gold. 
After an absence of about eighteen months he was content to return home, and 
thereafter followed the peaceful pursuits of farm life. In addition to this he 
has also been considerably interested in buying and shipping horses, 
especially during the war, and for some time afterward. Mr. Rappal was 
married, in Chicago, Ill., September 4, 1853, to Miss Antoinette Drendel. This 
lady was also a native of the Province of Alsace, and was born May 7, 1833. 
Her parents were of German ancestry, and are now deceased. She came to America 
with her parents about 1846, and of her union with our subject there have been 
born six children, viz: Teresa, Louisa, Mary (the wife of John Kiep), William, 
Anna and Joseph. The five unmarried children remain at home with their 
parents. Mr. Rappal, about 1867, purchased his present farm, which comprises 
two hundred and sixty acres of choice land, upon which he has effected good 
improvements. He has been industrious, frugal and temperate, and has acquired 
a competency.

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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