John Brandenburger, who is one of the respected
residents and substantial citizens of Bunker Hill, Macoupin County, and is
deserving of the esteem in which he is held as a survivor of the great Civil
War, was born at Krietzner, Germany, November 16, 1826, and is a son of
Andrew Brandenburger.
The father of our subject was born in Germany
in 1795, where he followed an agricultural life, owning a large estate,
which he left in 1862 and came to America, his death occurring in the same
year at Belleville, Illinois. He had served three years in the army, as the
law of his country demanded, and was a man who commanded respect wherever he
was known. His five children all came to the United States, and all except
our subject have passed away, namely: William, who died at Belleville in
1892, aged 79 years, leaving a fortune made in coal mining, which was
estimated at a half million; Mrs. Christiana Ryman, who died in Belleville
aged 70 years; and Andrew and Jacob.
John Brandenburger attended
school in his native land until he was 16 years of age and then spent three
years learning the shoemaker's trade, serving then three years in the
Prussian Army and participating in the revolution of 1848. In 1851 he came
to America to join his brother at Belleville, where he remained until 1853,
when he moved to Bunker Hill. Mr. Brandenburger was without means when he
located in Bunker Hill, but being equipped with an excellent trade he
immediately engaged in business and through his industry, energy and
perseverance soon became prosperous. However, when the tocsin of war
sounded, in 1861, he was willing to respond and do battle for a country
which had welcomed him and had offered him support in making an honest
livelihood. He enlisted for service in Company B, ist Reg., Missouri Vol.
Cav., under command of General Curtis. His army service covered three years
and two months and included the battles of Pea Ridge, Pilot Knob and Prairie
Grove, and almost continuous skirmishing through Arkansas and Missouri. It
was shortly after he enlisted that he was seriously injured in a cavalry
charge, by having his horse fall on him, two broken ribs landing him in
Sedalia hospital for two months and entitling him to a present monthly
pension of $24. After making an admirable record for bravery, he was
discharged in December, 1864. Then he returned to Bunker Hill and resumed
work at his trade. In the years following he became very prosperous and is
now a man of capital. For some years, with the assistance of his late
estimable wife, he conducted a first class boarding house in Bunker Hill.
In 1854 Mr. Brandenburger was married to Christina Fohnger, who was
also born in Germany, and died in 1901, at Bunker Hill, aged 67 years. They
had these children: Mrs. Louisa Lee, of Bunker Hill, who has five children;
Mrs. Margaret Hanagan, of Alton, who has three children; John, a member of
the St. Louis police force, who has one child; Mrs. Mena Gosch, of Bunker
Hill, who has one child; and Lily, widow of Dr. Glan of Bunker Hill, who
has. one child. Mr. Brandenburger has lived to see all his children
comfortably settled in life and to have grandchildren gathering about his
knee, and also to see the country for which he risked his life one of the
greatest in the world.
Mr. Brandenburger cast his first presidential
vote for General Fremont in 1856, and has been a stanch Republican ever
since. He is a valued member of the Grand Army of the Republic, a body of
men deserving of the greatest consideration from the present generation.
Extracted 2018 May 06 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 156-158.
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