Lake County IN Archives Biographies.....Meyer, Johanna Krudup 1855 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 24, 2006, 11:41 pm Author: T. H. Ball (1904) MRS. JOHANNA MEYER. Mrs. Johanna Meyer, of West Creek township, has, since the recent death of her husband, managed with fine executive ability the affairs of her fine homestead and farm, and has again illustrated woman's capacity for controlling the weightier matters of the world when such burden devolves upon her. The Meyer family belong to the thrifty and esteemed class of German-American citizens who have prospered so well in this country and at the same time have added so largely to its resources and high grade of citizenship. Mrs. Meyer was born in Westphalia, Germany, September 29, 1855, being the oldest in a family of six children, three sons and three daughters, born to Herman and Ann E. (Wilke) Krudup. Four of the children are still living, Mrs. Meyer being the oldest. Her brother, Herman C., is married and resides in Englewood, Chicago, where he is a salesman in a wholesale grocery establishment; William F., married, is a harness-maker in Gibson City, Illinois; and John, who has a mercantile business in Brunswick, resides on the old homestead in Lake county, and is married. The two oldest of the children, both daughters, were born in Germany, while the others, four sons and one daughter, were born in this country. Their father was born, reared, and married in Germany, and was trained to the life and pursuits of farming. He brought his family to America about 1859, coming in a sailing vessel from Bremen, and it was nine weeks before they landed in New Orleans. Will county, Illinois, was their first destination, and from there they came to Lake county, where the father purchased eighty acres of land which remained his home till his death, although he had increased his estate to one hundred and sixty acres. The farm was virgin soil when he first took hold of it, and all the improvements and system of cultivation he brought about by his own efforts. He was a Republican, and the family religion was German Lutheran. The mother was born in the same part of Germany as her husband, and she preceded him in death. Mrs. Meyer has spent all but the first four years of her life in Lake county, and she was educated in the common schools. October 26, 1871, she was united in marriage with John H. Meyer, and they had a happy union of many years, during which time seven children, three sons and four daughters, were born into their household, six of them being still living, as follows: Henry D., who was educated in the common schools, is a practical farmer and stockman and conducts the home farm, and is a Republican in political faith. Anna M., who was educated in the common schools and also in music, resides at home. Emma M., a graduate in 1903 and also trained in music, is at home, as is also the daughter Ida C, who graduated in 1904 and a student in Lowell High School. Herman C. is in the eighth grade of school, and Bertha, the youngest, is in the fifth grade. All the daughters have received musical instruction, and are bright and intelligent young ladies and are being well trained by their practical mother for the serious matters of the world. Mr. John H. Meyer, the father of happy memory, by whose death on April 16, 1900, the entire community as well as the family suffered a positive loss in character and worth of manhood, was born in Hanover, Germany, November 23, 1849. He was educated in the fatherland and was about twenty years old when he came to America with his father. In time he became recognized as one of the first-class farmers of West Creek township, although he began humbly and with little in the way of capital. He and his wife, after their marriage, made their beginning on one hundred and twenty acres of his father's estate, and by industry and frugality and good management between them they were enabled to build up a fine estate. They later purchased the eighty acres where the home residence is now located. This land had for some years previous been rented out, and was badly run down. He went to work fertilizing and increasing the productivity of the soil and also improving the land by buildings and the many facilities that marked the first-class agricultural property. The Meyer farm is now known as one of the model places of West Creek township, and one that any family might be proud to own. Since her husband's death Mrs. Meyer has for four years given her attention equally well to both household and outdoor duties of farm management, and with the assistance of her noble children has succeeded remarkably well in her enterprise. She is deserving of all credit for her capable direction of the farm as also for rearing such useful and worthy sons and daughters and providing well for their education and training in youth. Mr. Meyer enjoyed the respect and esteem of all in the circle of his acquaintance, and was a man of excellent ability and integrity of character. He was an ardent Republican. He and his wife were confirmed in the German Lutheran church at the age of fourteen, and the family house of worship is at Eagle Lake, Illinois. Additional Comments: Extracted from: ENCYCLOPEDIA OF Genealogy and Biography OF LAKE COUNTY, INDIANA, WITH A COMPENDIUM OF HISTORY 1834—1904 A Record of the Achievements of Its People in the Making of a Commonwealth and the Founding of a Nation. REV. T. H. BALL OF CROWN POINT, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ILLUSTRATED CHICAGO NEW YORK THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY 1904 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/lake/bios/meyer553gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/infiles/ File size: 6.0 Kb