Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Sans, Rev Christian 1813 - ************************************************ 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 8, 2007, 11:49 pm Author: Portrait & Bio Album, 1890 REV. CHRISTIAN SANS, for many years pastor of the First German Evangelical Lutheran Church, of Joliet, is a man of note in the religious circles of this section, and is fulfilling the duties of his high position in an able and conscientious manner. He took up his residence in the city in 1860, and has become widely and favorably known to a large portion of its people. He is possessed of a thorough education, and nature has endowed him with talents of a more than ordinary degree. The subject of this notice was born in the Kingdom of Westphalia, Prussia, June 9, 1813, and lived there until a man of twenty-eight years. He received his literary and theological education at various institutions in his native province, completing them at the age mentioned, and soon thereafter set sail for America. Upon his arrival here he set about learning the English language, and in a comparatively short time learned to speak fluently and write correctly. The first charge of Mr. Sans was in New Orleans, La., where, in addition to fulfilling the duties of pastor, he was inspector during the building of a new church, which is still in existence. He also had the oversight of three schools, which continue to be permanent institutions, and are now under the charge of his two brothers-in- law, John and Jacob Ueber, who have followed the profession of teaching successfully for the long period of fifty years. Under their tuition have been graduated some of the most eminent men in the country. These schools were organized by Mr. Sans, who educated many of the teachers who afterward presided over them. Finally, Mr. Sans was attacked with yellow fever, which he found difficulty in getting rid of, and decided upon coming North, feeling that that was the only means of saving his life. He first located in Carbondale, Luzerne County, Pa., where he assumed charge of a congregation and built a church and schoolhouse, and established the same institutions at Archibald. Next we find him in Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis., where he organized a society, built a church, and placed within the latter a good organ, and instituted other innocent attractions in order to call the people together for religious worship. After a sojourn at Watertown for eight years he received a call to Joliet, and upon coming here organized a society and built and dedicated a church, also instituting a school in connection therewith. He labored faithfully in the Master's vineyard until being affected with asthma to such an extent that he was obliged abandon the ministry. He may well be pardoned for this decision, as he had served as pastor and teacher for fifty-two years. He is a regular member of the General Synod, and honorary member of the General Evangelical Synod of North America. While having left the pulpit, however, he still performs many pious duties, as his health permits, assisting in burying the dead and frequently filling a vacant pulpit. Personally, he is of a kindly, genial nature, and greatly beloved by the people among whom he has gone in and out for so many years. The Rev. Christian Sans was joined in wedlock with Miss Ann Mary Ueber, in 1845, at the bride's home in New York City. Mrs. Sans is a native of Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, and came to America with her widowed mother and brother when a young lady. Of her union with our subject there have been born six children, five of whom grew to mature years—Elias Peter, of Joliet, is Superintendent of the Hickory Street Methodist Episcocopal Church; he married Miss Eliza Henry, of Morris, this State, and died in 1888, leaving two children—Mabel Cora and Charles; Augusta E. is the wife of John Dahlem, of Joliet, and they have five interesting children—Lillie, Anna, Ida, Robert and Walter Earl; Mary is the wife of Henry C. Buck, of Joliet; they are the parents of five children, only three of whom are living, viz.: Mabel, Frances and Elmer; Ida Sophia married C. M. Henssgen, an able attorney of Joliet, and they have two children—Oscar and Eda; Frank, a resident of Bloomington, married Miss Mary Barker, of Joliet, and they have two children—Arthur and Mary Margaret. He is proprietor of a notion and toy store, called the "No Name Store," and is doing well. Mr. Sans has, as is the custom of his country-men, always lived frugally and within his means, saving what he could of his income, and is now the owner of valuable property, including a fine store building with residence and offices, and he also has four flats, which accommodate three fine stores, and two offices and a dining- room occupied by the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. He has also put up a fine residence for himself in the central part of the city, and is now in a condition to live retired from active labor and enjoy the fruits of his early toils. His son, Elias P., occupies one of the flats convenient to the family and the church. 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/sans1456nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 5.7 Kb