BIOGRAPHY - GEORGE DRENDEL
George Drendel, a practical and progressive farmer of Mona township, living on section 21, owns one hundred and seven acres of rich and arable land on section 22 and 28, and in addition he operates another tract of two hundred and sixty acres also lying in Mona township. It was in this township that Mr. Drendel was born on the 6th of May, 1871, of the marriage of Frank S. and Mary (Slater) Drendel. His father was long known as one of the representative and prominent farmers of the locality. He was born in Germany on the 11th of November, 1839, his parents being Martin and Mary (Smith) Drendel, whose children were Francis, Frank S., Barbara, George and Lewis.
Frank S. Drendel was reared to farm life and was educated in both French and German. He began providing for his own support as a farm hand in his native country when fourteen years of age and was employed by the year until 1865, when he came to the United States. He did not tarry on the eastern coast but made his way at once to DuPage county, Illinois, where he worked as a farm hand for two months. He was afterward in St. Louis, Missouri, for a time and later in New Orleans prior to his return to Illinois. In the spring of 1867 he took up his abode in Joliet and for two years was employed as a laborer before coming to Ford county in 1869. Here he rented land and broke prairie for five years, after which he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 21, Mona township, where he has since resided. As the years passed by, however, he prospered and later derived his income from a fine farming property of seven hundred and twenty acres, which was well improved and supplied with modern conveniences, now occupied by his heirs. After becoming a naturalized American citizen he gave his political allegiance to the democracy and for many years served as school director. He was a communicant of the Catholic church and well known in Mona township as a citizen of genuine worth. In 1870 he wedded Miss Mary Slater and unto thein have been born five sons and four daughters, namely: George, Rebecca, Susie, Henry, Frank, Frederick, Mary, Annie and Martin. The father died November 13, 1901.
George Drendel remained with his father until he attained his majority. In the meantime he mastered the common branches of learning taught in the public schools and was trained to habits of industry and economy, thus forming characteristics which in later years have proved an important element in his success. When he had reached manhood he rented land from his father and continued its cultivation for several years while in the meantime he carefully saved his earnings until he was enabled to purchase property for himself. His home farm of one hundred and seven acres on sections 22 and 28, Mona township, is a well developed tract of land and in the cultivation of an additional tract of two hundred and sixty acres he adds materially to his annual income. In all of his farm work he is systematic and progressive and has therefore gained desirable success. He now has charge of his father's estate.
On the 27th of January, 1897, Mr. Drendel was married to Miss Elizabeth Thiel, who was born in La Salle county, Illinois, October 14, 1876, a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Hughman) Thiel, who were natives of Germany and came to the United States at an early day. Mrs. Drendel was one of a family of six children and by her marriage has become the mother of two daughters and three sons: Ethel M., Emma E., Lester F., Walter M., and George Henry.
The parents hold membership in the Catholic church at Cullom and Mr. Drendel belongs to the Woodmen lodge there. He exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the democracy and for seven years he filled the office of school director. The cause of education finds in him a stalwart champion and he stanchly advocates every movement calculated to prove of public good, always desiring the best development of the community.
Extracted 19 Oct 2016 by Norma Hass from History of Ford County, Illinois, From Its Earliest Settlement to 1908, author E. A. Gardner, Volume 1, pages 389-390.
