Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Wehmhoefer, Henry C 
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Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 February 2, 2008, 2:59 am

Author: Past & Present Will County, 1907

HENRY C. WEHMHOEFER. The farm on which he now lives on section 25, Crete 
township, was the birth place of Henry C. Wehmhoefer and he first opened his 
eyes to the light of day in 1860. His father, Conrad Wehmhoefer, was a native 
of Hesse-Cassel, Germany, and died in 1876, at the age of fifty-six years. He 
had become a resident of the United States in 1847 and worked by the month at 
farm labor in Homer township, Will county, at six dollars a month. In 1852 he 
bought one hundred and twenty acres of land on section 25, Crete township, 
this purchase being made possible by the result of his industry and frugality 
during the preceding years. He removed to this farm, taking his bride with 
him. The land had been entered from the government by his cousin, Phillip 
Juerdening. Later he added forty-acres to the place and also bought ten acres 
of timber land. As the years passed, through careful management of his 
property, he became prosperous, and in addition to the tilling of the soil he 
also raised considerable stock. He was a member of the Lutheran church and his 
life was ever honorable and upright in all of its connections. He was one of 
the thirteen organizers of the St. John's church, liberal in its support and 
served for many years as one of its officers. He voted with the whig party in 
early manhood and after the organization of the republican party became one of 
its stanch advocates. His wife, who bore the maiden name of Christina Rohe, 
was born in Hanover, Germany, and is now living in Washington township at the 
age of seventy years. After losing her first husband she married Henry Hahn, a 
pioneer farmer of that township. Mr. and Mrs. Wehmhoefer had three children 
who lived to adult age, the sisters of our subject being: Sophie, the wife of 
William Wilkening, a merchant of South Chicago; and Anna, the wife of H. L. 
Bohlmann, supervisor of Washington township. By the father's former marriage, 
there were three children: William, now deceased; Mary, the wife of Phillip 
Bernhard, of Washington township; and Melissa, who is living with her sister 
Mary. In taking up the personal history of H. C. Wehmhoefer, we present to our 
readers the life record of one who is well and favorably known in Crete 
township. He was reared upon the farm which he now occupies and attended the 
district schools. He has always followed the occupation of farming and is 
still associated with agricultural interests, while at the same time he is 
vice president, of the Crete State Bank and one of its directors. He assisted 
in its organization and has aided in making it a substantial financial 
institution. In connection with his general farming interests, he operates a 
dairy and in 1891 joined with six others in organizing the Interstate Creamery 
Company, of which he has been manager since 1900. His business interests are 
extensive and in all he has displayed careful management, unfaltering 
diligence and wise judgment. Mr. Wehmhoefer was married in 1883 to Miss Sophia 
Oldendorf, who was born in Hanover township, Lake county, Indiana, in 1863, 
the daughter of Conrad and Christina Oldendorf, who came from Germany in an 
early day and settled in Lake county. Mr. and Mrs. Wehmhoefer now have seven 
children: Emma, William, Henry, Edwin, Louis, Lydia and Clara. Elma and Albert 
are deceased. Mr. Wehmhoefer is a member of the St John's Lutheran church, to 
which his wife also belongs and in the community they are highly esteemed 
citizens, the hospitality of their home being greatly enjoyed by their many 
friends. Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise he has been a 
supporter of the republican party and is recognized as a leader in its local 
ranks. He has served as collector of his township and in 1883 was called to 
the office of assessor, remaining the incumbent therein for eight years. In 
December of 1902, when William Sailer was elected county treasurer, Mr. 
Wehmhoefer was appointed to succeed him as supervisor and has twice been 
elected to that position. He has been school director for some years and is 
now school trustee. His official duties have ever been performed with due 
regard to the obligations that devolved upon him in these connections. In the 
community he is esteemed because of his fidelity to public trust, because of 
his activity and enterprise in business, and because of his geniality and 
deference for the opinions of others which he has always shown in social 
relations.

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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