Biographical Sketch of George Weckerlen, St. Joseph, Buchanan County, MO

>From "History of Buchanan County, Missouri, Published 1881, St. Joseph
Steam Printing Company, Printers, Binders, Etc., St. Joseph, Missouri.
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Captain George Weckerlen was born August 18, 1823, at Siblingen, Canton
Schaffenhausen, Switzerland, where he was educated. On March 24, 1852,
he left home, went to Harve, and took passage on a sailing vessel to
New Orleans, which place he reached after fifty six days' journey. He
rested for two days, then went on to St. Louis, Missouri, and thence to
St. Joseph, arriving May 28, 1852. He accepted the first offer of work
as a laborer. In 1857, he engaged in the grocery business, and in 1859
opened a saloon, which was burned out in 1861. When the war broke out
he raised a cavalry company and was commissioned Captain, and attached
to Colonel Peabody's regiment, which was captured at Lexington, Missouri.
Weckerlen, being cut off with his company, was successful in making his
escape, and to reach Springfield and Sedalia, where thirty five men of
his company served as a body guard of General Sturgis. On January 1,
1862, he returned to St. Joseph, and his company was mustered out. Then
he raised a new company and joined Colonel Penick's regiment, in which
he served up to September, 1863, when he was honorably discharged. For
about two years he bought horses and mules for the government. In 1865
he started a train of wagons loaded with general merchandise for Denver,
Colorado. On the plains the news of the assassination of President Lin-
coln and his death, reached them. The people in the far West were dis-
couraged, no business was transacted, and Weckerlen had to dispose of
his goods with great loss. When he returned, he commenced to deal in
live stock, and has been very successful. He married February 3, 1848,
in Germany, Miss Salomina Rueddi. They have had eight children: Jacob,
born March 18, 1849; Louise, born in 1851, died in three months; Hein-
rich, born in 1853, died in 1855; Adelheid, born in 1860, died in 1869;
Lilly, born in 1862, died in two months; Lizzie, born July 24, 1855;
George, born June 27, 1865; Heinrich, born April 3, 1867, died in 1869.

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