Biography - Henry Niehaus
Henry NIEHAUS, retired farmer, P. O. Harvel, was born in Germany in April 1814. Henry NIEHAUS, the father of this gentleman, was also born in Germany, in 1770, and died in 1836. During his life, he followed the occupation of a farmer. His wife, and mother of Henry, was named Miss SLATER. She was born in Germany in 1799, and died in 1854. They were the parents of ten children, of whom Henry NICHAUS was the second child. He received his education from the common schools of his native country, and began life by working as a farm hand in Germany, which he there continued until 1855, when he emigrated to America, and first settled at St. Louis, Mo., for a period of three months, and then removed to Morgan County, Ill., rented a farm, and began farming on his own account, and continued the same for eight years. In 1863, he removed to Montgomery County, where he bought a small farm. By his energy and business habits, he succeeded in accumulating over seven hundred and sixty acres of land, upon which he made all necessary improvements. In 1877, in connection with his farm duties, built a large elevator at Harvel, and embarked in the grain business in partnership with Mr. MILLOT, but in the year 1879 sold out to his partner and retired from active labor, he having disposed of all his real estate at that time. In 1839, in Germany, he married Miss Katharine HIESELMAN. She died in 1868, aged sixty years. The result of this union was three children, of whom Mena and Katharine are living, and residents of Montgomery County. Mr. NIEHAUS has lived a blameless life, and, as he sits down at nightfall, around the domestic hearth, he has the proud consciousness of knowing that he has wronged no one (at least intentionally), and that his peace is made with the Great King of kings beyond the shores of time. Thus does he live, and thus he awaits the last great change, which his locks, now whitened by the frosts of nearly seventy winters, indicate is not far distant.
Extracted 20 Nov 2016 by Norma Hass from 1882 History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois, Part 2 Biographical Department, page 250.
