BIOGRAPHY - AUGUST VOGELBACHER
August
Vogelbacher is cultivating an excellent farm of two hundred and eighty acres
on section 2, Brenton township. It is a fine property to which he has added
modern improvements and equipments and throughout this locality he is
regarded as one of the leading agriculturists. He was born in Baden,
Germany, December 26, 1867. his parents being John and Nothburger (Hettich)
Vogelbacher, who spent their entire lives in Baden. Their family numbered
six children, of whom August was the fifth in order of birth. He was,
however, the first to come to America and the others arrived in the
following year. The members of the family are: Isadore, who is living at Big
Stone City, South Dakota; Mary, now the wife of Anthony Boma, of Brenton
township; Bertha, the wife of Killian Way of Iroquois county, Illinois;
Julius, living in Big Stone City, South Dakota; August of this review; and
Pauline, the wife of John Smith, of Mason City, Iowa. The mother was killed
by lightning when her son August was but nine years of age and by a second
marriage the father had three children: Xavier, Emma and Nothburger.
August Vogelbacher was a youth of seventeen years when in 1884 he crossed the Atlantic to the United States with a cousin, Anthony Boma. He has lived in Ford county continuously to the present time, covering a period of twenty-four years. Empty-handed at the time of his arrival he immediately sought and secured employment as a farm hand and was thus engaged for seven years when, desiring that his labors should more directly benefit himself, he rented a tract of land, on which he lived for ab(mt five years. He also became a partner of his father-in-law, Joseph Burger, and at his death Mr. and Mrs. Vogelbacher removed to their present farm, which had formerly belonged to her father. They have two hundred and eighty acres of land all in Brenton township. There is eighty acres in the home farm on section 2, another eighty acre tract on the same section, forty acres on section 3, and eighty acres on section 6. Upon this farm are two sets of good buildings. The fine modern residence which adorns the place and is the home of Mr. and Mrs. Vogelbacher was erected by our subject. It is attractive and commodious, containing ten rooms, and is modern in all of its appointments. He also erected good outbuildings, putting up all excepting the barns. His entire time and attention are devoted to the farm and his business interests are bringing him a gratifying financial return.
On the 16th of June, 1892, Mr. Vogelbacher was united in marriage to Miss Ruth Augusta Burger, who was born at Norwich, Connecticut, April 6, 1857, and with her parents went to Fulton county, Illinois, in 1866, removing thence to Ford county in the spring of 1869. Extensive mention of her father and his family is made elsewhere in this work. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Vogelbacher have been born four daughters: Edna, Dora, Mary and Josephine. The family are prominent socially, their many friends entertaining for them warm regard.
In politics Mr. Vogelbacher is a democrat and has served as one of the three school trustees of Brenton township. He belongs to Piper Camp, No. 718, M. W. A. Ford county has no more loyal citizen than this adopted son, who has a deep attachment for America and her institutions. While he still maintains a love for the land of his birth his interest centers in the United States and he is in hearty sympathy with its institutions, its purposes and its governmental policy.
Extracted 16 Oct 2016 by Norma Hass from History of Ford County, Illinois, From Its Earliest Settlement to 1908, author E. A. Gardner, Volume 2, pages 486-489.
