August Wilhelms

August Wilhelms, who resides on section 27, township 3, range 8west, and there carries on general farming and stockraising, is one of the worthy citizens that Germany has furnished to Monroe County. He was born in Hanover October 15, 1841, and is a son of Henry and Christina Wilhelms. In his native land the father followed weaving. In 1845 he came to the United States, with the intention of settling in Texas, but stopping at Alexandria, La., thence turned his course northward, and came to Monroe County in the spring of 1846. On section 27, township 3, range 8 west, he bought forty acres of land and entered an eighty-acre tract of woodland, which by hard work he converted into fertile fields. Upon the old homestead he lived until his death, which occurred May 18, 1854. He was a member of the Evangelical Church, and served as a Director of the church in his native land.

Surviving Henry Wilhelms were his widow and six children, of who we note the following: Henry was born May 1, 1831, and died November 9, 1876. Caroline, who was born in 1934, married Fred Wagener, who, with their three children, August, Amelia and Lena, are still living; she died September 15, 1864. August, the subject of this sketch, is the next in order of birth. Charles, whose birth occurred in 1843, passed away January 15, 1866. Louisa was born March 5, 1851, and died February 13, 1867. The widow is still living (1894) on the old homestead with her son, and has attained the advanced age of eight-four years.

After the death of his father, our subject remained with his mother until he was old enough to work out as a farm laborer. Soon, however, he drifted to the city, where he worked at various occupations in order to obtain the money for an education. In 1861, when the war broke out, he was found among the boys in blue. He enlisted August 27, 1861, and was mustered out November 4, 1865, at Nashville, Tenn. He was a member of Company M, seventh Illinois Cavalry, and participated in the operations against New Madrid, Island No. 10, Cormth, and in the battles of Iuka, Cormth, Port Hudson and Nashville, and the Grierson raid, in which eight hundred miles were traversed in seventeen days. On the 26th of December, 1863, at Somerville, in an engagement with Forrest's cavalry, he was taken prisoner, but through a daring effort and good "running gears" he managed to get away from his enemies. Altogether he was in sixty skirmishes and engagements. During the last two years he served as Orderly Sergeant in his company. True to the Old Flag and the cause, which it represented, he stood by his colors until the desired end was attained and the Union saved, after which he came back to his mother and commenced work on the old homestead.

June 13, 1867, our subject married Miss Elizabeth Von Schreeb, daughter of Adolph and Barbara (Welsh) Von Schreeb. Her father, who was born in the province of Mecklenburg, Germany, joined the Dutch army at the age of fifteen years and went to the East Indies, from which place he sailed on a ship for China. During the voyage he was thrown overboard by a gale, but by means of a plank his life was saved. On reaching China, he was sick with yellow fever, and taken on shore and placed under a shade tree, where he was found by a Chinese couple, who were mourning the loss of their only son. They adopted him as their child, and with them he remained for five years. Then, embarking on a ship, he returned to his native land, where he had long been counted with the dead.

In 1834 Mr. Von Schreeb emigrated to the United States and engaged in boating on the Mississippi River until 1836, when he came to Monroe County and entered eighty acres on section 22, township 3, range 8 west. There he cleared a farm and made a good home, which continued to be his place abode through life. He here married Clara Waldmann, by whom he had three children, two dying in infancy. A son, Ernest William, is living in Ottawa, La Salle County, Ill. In 1847 Mrs. Clara Von Schreeb died, and during the following year Mr. Von Schreeb married Barbara Welsh, their union being severed by his death January 22, 1849. One child was born o this marriage, Elizabeth, whose birth occurred May 25, 1849. Mr. Von Schreeb was one of the earliest settlers of this community, and was an honored pioneer. He helped to haul the logs for the building of the old Evangelical Church in this township, and was one of the faithful members of that religious organization.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Wilhelms were born fourteen children ten of whom are yet living: Hellena, wife of Philip Hecke, of this community; Mary W., at home; Edward W., August E., Elizabeth C., Albert J., Anna M., Frank E., Adaline M. and Adolph H. Louisa, Henry, Josephine and Sylvester died in childhood. The family has a pleasant home on a fine farm of three hundred and forty acres. If this two hundred acres are under a high state of cultivation, and the neat and thrifty appearance of the place indicates the enterprise and careful supervision of the owner.

In his political views, Mr. Wilhelms is a Republican. For the long period of twenty-one years he served as School Director, and for three years was Road commissioner. He is a prominent worker in the Grand Army of the Republic, and is now Commander if Henry Nicholson Post No. 457, G.A.R., of Red Bud. He also belongs to the Farmers' Mutual Benefit Association, and is a member of the Evangelical Church. He served as one of its Directors for a number of years, and is numbered among its faithful workers. Since 1846 he has lived upon his present farm and is one of the honored pioneers of the county.