Biography - August Brokmier
AUGUST BROKMIER, a prosperous German-American, citizen who has done his part toward the improvement of this portion of the county, resides in Pitman Township. His farm consists of one hundred and sixty-one acres of fine land and it shows careful, intelligent farming.
Our subject was born in Prussia, on the 26th of September, 1850, and is a son of Henry and Frances Brokmier, natives of the same country, who remained there all their lives, quiet, unpretentious people, who did not possess the venturesome spirit of their son. Until the age of eighteen, August remained at home, or, to be precise, he passed his eighteenth birthday while on the ship that was bearing him to the new land, where he had determined to make a borne in spite of all obstacles.
In the older countries of Europe, where population is dense, land is so valuable that nearly every foot is considered capable of cultivation, and that teaches the young men the thrifty habits which cling to them and become characteristics of their farming when they come upon the broad acres of Western America. The subject of this notice reached the United States after a nine weeks' trip from Bremen, and upon landing at New Orleans, set out for St. Louis, and soon found work in a chair factory. His labor proved satisfactory, and he continued there for a year and a-half, but his hope and ambition was to become a farmer, so that he could put into practice the methods which he had learned in his native country.
When opportunity offered, he came to Montgomery County, Ill., and engaged to work on a farm by the month, and gladly accepted $18 a month as good pay during the busy season. In this, as in his other work, he satisfied his employers, and kept right along until he was able to rent a place for himself. So well did he prosper in this that by the time the year 1880 came around he was in a position to purchase an excellent place of his own. He had had plenty of time to look about and choose a pleasant location, and when he came to his present place he settled here with his eyes open. He knew that hard work awaited him to make the farm what he wished it to be, but he did not grudge any of that. The one hundred and sixty-one acres he has toiled over until now they are a pleasure and pride to him.
Mr. Brokmier has been thrice married, and seven children survive at this time. They are: Henry A., Minnie, Tena, William, Anne, Herman and Charles, while John and August are dead. Our subject is a respected member of the Lutheran Church of Farmersville, and has favored all of the improvements which have taken place in the county since his residence in it. He is a self-made man, and one whom all must regard with the greatest respect, as he has asked help of no man, but "paddled his own canoe" in the face of many difficulties, not the least being his imperfect knowledge of the language. In his own country he was well educated for his age, and since coming here he has acquired an understanding of the English tongue, but having to learn it was some drawback to him. He compares his condition now with that of the poor lad who landed in St. Louis with only seventy-five cents in his pocket, and feels that his work has not been in vain, but that his possessions pay him for time and labor expended to obtain them.
Extracted 10 Jan 2017 by Norma Hass from 1892 Portrait and Biographical Record of Montgomery and Bond Counties, Illinois, pages 279-280.
