Biography - George Mueller
GEORGE H. MUELLER, a wealthy and well-known farmer of Raymond, Montgomery County, was born in Frankfort on-the-Main, Germany, April 7, 1836, and is a son of John Frederick and Dorothea Mueller. The latter's father was a gardener, and died about a month before the birth of our subject. George is the youngest of six children, five sons and a daughter, who, with one exception, are yet living.
Our subject attended school in his native land until fourteen years of age, and, being an apt scholar, acquired a good education. He was then apprenticed to the blacksmith's trade, and served a term of three years, after which he followed that occupation for a year in his native land. In 1854 he came to America and joined his brother, John Fred, who had preceded him some five years, and was living on a farm near Belleville, Ill. George worked in his employ for three years, and upon the expiration of that time went to St. Louis and worked at his trade in a carriage factory for some years. There we find him at the breaking out of the Civil War, but at the first call of his adopted country for troops he promptly responded, and on the 22d of April, 1861, his name was enrolled among the boys in blue of Company G, First Missouri Volunteer Infantry.
Two days later Mr. Mueller was commissioned Sergeant of his company. He participated in the bloody battle of Wilson's Creek, where the regiment suffered greatly. The troops then returned to St. Louis, and were re-organized as the First Missouri Artillery. Mr. Mueller took part in the Fremont campaign through Missouri. He also participated in the battle of New Madrid, the capture of Island No. 10, and was in the siege of Corinth, the battles of Perrysville, Nashville and Chickamauga, and was in Starvation Camp at Chattanooga from September 19, 1863, until June 10, 1864, when he was discharged, having served three years. During all this time he was ever at his post. Never for one day was he off duty during the whole time of his service. The last year he held the office of Quartermaster Sergeant.
After his discharge Mr. Mueller procured a passport and made a visit to his native country, where he remained until the spring of 1865, when he once more came to Illinois and again worked on his brother's farm for three years. On the 22d of April, 1869, he married Miss Christina Lottz, a German lady. Three children have been born of their union: John Fred, George Henry and Annie Maggie, aged, respectively, twenty-two, twenty-one and twenty years, all of whom are still under the parental roof. The Mueller household is the abode of hospitality, and the members of the family rank high in social circles.
Immediately after his marriage Mr. Mueller began farming on his own account near Carlinville, where he remained for one year, and then he rented a farm in Zanesville, Montgomery County, where he resided until 1879, in which year he came to Raymond and purchased the fine and extensive farm on which he now resides. He is one of the leading farmers and stock-raisers of the community, and has been very successful in his efforts, until now he is numbered among the county's most prominent and substantial citizens. In politics he was identified with the Republican party until about two years ago, when he joined the Democracy. He and his family are members of the German Lutheran Church.
Extracted 10 Jan 2017 by Norma Hass from 1892 Portrait and Biographical Record of Montgomery and Bond Counties, Illinois, pages 311-312.
