Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Zinser, George H 1856 - 
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Author: Portrait & Bio Album, 1890

GEORGE H. ZINSER. In the life of this young gentleman is exemplified the 
results of enterprise and determination, and his fellow-citizens of Manhattan 
may well be pleased with the example which he sets to the youth of that city 
and the adjoining territory. He is well known as a dealer in shelf and heavy 
hardware, machinery, agricultural implements and oils, and as the only 
furniture dealer in the place; and he has otherwise become known to many as 
the present incumbent of the Postmastership. The parents of our subject were 
Solomon and Catherine (Tobias) Zinser, both natives of the Keystone State, the 
one having been born in Germantown and the other at Reading. The father 
accompanied his parents to Ohio when he was seven years old and when of age 
began farming in that State. In 1848 he removed to Tazewell County, Ill., 
buying a farm of eighty acres near Washington and residing there until his 
death, in 1887, at the age of sixty-eight years. He was a Republican and a 
member of the Evangelical Church. His wife was the daughter of Peter Tobias, a 
Pennsylvania farmer who finally came to Illinois and died near Washington in 
1876, at the advanced age of eighty years. Mrs. Zinser is still living there 
and is now sixty-seven years old. The parental family included fourteen 
children, eleven of whom are now living: Frank resides in Storm Lake, Iowa; 
Mary, Mrs. Koker, is on the old homestead in Tazewell County; Elizabeth, Mrs. 
Ott, in Hoop Pole, Ill.; Mrs. Rebecca Goembel in Hoop Pole; Mrs. Carrie Smith 
near Plainfield, this county; the next is our subject; Solomon is a farmer 
near Washington, Tazewell County; Mrs. Sarah Niemeyer died in that county; 
Mrs. Amelia Ferner lives in the village of Washington; Daniel is clerking for 
our subject; Sophia is with her mother. The subject of this notice was born 
February 2, 1856, near Washington, and reared amid the surroundings of rural 
life. His education was obtained in the district schools, which were 
fortunately conducted according to an excellent system and by persons 
interested in the youth under their charge. He continued an inmate of the 
parental household until he had attained his majority when he came to 
Plainfield, this county, and began working out as a farm laborer. He was not 
satisfied with the knowledge he had obtained and hoarded his resources in 
order to attend a higher school. When twenty-two years old he entered the 
Northwestern College at Naperville, prosecuting his studies a year, after 
which he returned to the plow. For two seasons more young Zinser continued to 
work on farms by the month, and then, having taken a helpmate and companion, 
he began farming on his father's place in Tazewell County. For two years he 
operated the farm, during this time saving all that he could that he might 
embark in some business enterprise amid the busy haunts of men. With his small 
earnings he started in the hardware business in Manhattan, February 22, 1883, 
occupying a rented building. The business rapidly increased and he is now one 
of the leading merchants in the place. In 1884 he added farm implements to his 
stock in trade and he now does a large business in that line. In the spring of 
that year he took in as a partner his brother-in-law, Amos M. Smith, the 
business being conducted under the title of Zinser & Smith until December, 
1885, when our subject bought his partner's interest and continued alone. A 
commodious brick edifice, two stories in height and with ground dimensions 
24x60 feet, was erected by Mr. Zinser in the fall of 1889, and in one of the 
largest and finest store-rooms in Manhattan he now carries on a large portion 
of his business. He carries a full stock of the articles mentioned at the 
beginning of our sketch, makes a specialty of threshers, binders and mowers, 
and operates a tin shop in connection with the hardware establishment. The 
building which he formerly occupied with this department of his business, is 
now used by him as a furniture repository, his trade in that line having been 
instituted in the spring of 1890. At the home of the bride's parents, Mr. and 
Mrs. M. E. Moyer, on February 3, 1881, George H. Zinser and Priscilla S. Moyer 
were joined in holy wedlock. The bride was born in Naperville,where her father 
was engaged in farming and whence he removed to Manhattan upon retiring from 
active life. She is well educated, possesses many domestic accomplishments and 
womanly virtues, and is devoted to the interests of her husband and children. 
The group around the fireside is made up of Royce F., Irvin W. and Lloyd H. 
Mr. Zinser received the appointment of Postmaster in June, 1889. He is a 
member of the Village Board of Trustees and was Treasurer two years. He is an 
ardent Republican who never fails to cast his vote in behalf of the principles 
of his party. He belongs to the Evangelical Church and was formerly 
Superintendent of the Sunday-school. There is probably no more popular man in 
Manhattan than he, and certainly none who present a better example of a self-
made man.

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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