Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Wille, August ************************************************ 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 http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 February 2, 2008, 3:02 am Author: Past & Present Will County, 1907 August Wille, living retired in Crete, is the owner of one hundred and ninety acres of rich and productive land, from which he derives a good income. He is a native son of Crete township, having been born in 1868. His father, Philip Wille, was born in Hesse, Germany, and came to the United States in 1847. After a brief stay in Chicago, where he worked in a brickyard, he made his way to Crete township. Will county, and purchased eighty acres of wild government land, which he improved and to which he later added a tract of seventy acres on an adjoining section and afterward purchased forty acres more, so that at the time of his death he owned one hundred and ninety acres of improved land. His first home here was a log house, but it was subsequently replaced by a frame residence. When he located in Crete township there were very few settlers there and most of the land was still in its primitive condition. He made his home upon his farm until his death, which occurred in 1896, when he was seventy-eight years of age. He was one of the men of affluence of his township, attaining a goodly measure of prosperity through his close and unremitting attention to business. He was regarded as a good neighbor, faithful and unselfish in his counsels and upright in all of his relations with his fellowmen. He voted with the republican party and held membership in the Lutheran church. During the early period of his residence in Crete township he wedded Mary Tagtmayer, also a native of Germany. She came to America in 1846, and they were married in Crete township. Her father died in Germany and her mother joined her in this country. Her brother Henry came in 1852 and settled in Chicago, where he remained for two years, after which he resided on a farm in Crete township. Other members of the family were John Tagtmayer, now in Washington township: Mary, the wife of Conrad Wilkening, of Washington township; and Engle, the wife of Henry Dunsen, of Chicago. The other member of the family, Mrs. Wille, died in 1902, at the age of seventy- seven years, having for six years survived her husband. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Wille were born eight children: Sophie, the wife of John Schraeder, living in Washington township; John, a farmer at Beecher; Philip, who is living retired in Crete township; Mary, who became the wife of Henry Duensing and died in 1892; Emma and Henry, both deceased; Lena, who is living with her brother August, the youngest of the family. Upon the home farm in Crete township August Wille was reared and attended the country schools, pursuing his education through the winter months, while in the summer seasons he aided in the work of plowing, planting and harvesting. His time and energies were largely given to farming in Crete township until 1903, when he removed to the village of Crete and now he gives his supervision merely to his farming interests. He owns one hundred and ninety acres of land which is valuable and returns to him a good income. On the 17th of February, 1907, Mr. Wille was united in marriage to Miss Helen Lorenze, of Crete township, who was born in Holstein, Germany. Her father, Nicholas Lorenze, was also a native of Holstein and came to the United States in 1894, making his home in Crete township, this county, until his death, which occurred in 1903, when he had reached the age of sixty-seven years and eight months. Mr. Wille is a member of the Lutheran church and in his political views is a republican. 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 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/wille2422nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 4.3 Kb