Louis W. Eickmeyer is one of the progressive and representative
agriculturists of Cahokia township, where he owns two hundred and sixty
acres of rich and productive land. His birth occurred in St. Louis,
Missouri, on the 10th of December, 1852, his parents being William and
Wilhelmina (Kruse) Eickmeyer, who were born, reared and married in Prussia,
Germany, where two children were born unto them. In 1852 they crossed the
Atlantic to the United States in a sailing vessel, landing at New Orleans
after a voyage of three months. Leaving the Crescent City, they made their
way up the Mississippi river to St. Louis, Missouri, where they resided for
about eight years, William Eickmeyer being employed as a laborer. On the
expiration of that period he came to Macoupin county, Illinois, and here
followed farming as a renter. Subsequently he purchased the farm now owned
by his son Frank on section 36, Cahokia township, where he was successfully
engaged in general agricultural pursuits until called to his final rest in
1900. The demise of his wife had occurred in 1899. They were well known and
highly esteemed throughout the community and their loss was widely mourned.
Louis W. Eickmeyer attended the district schools in the acquirement
of an education and remained under the parental roof until twenty-seven
years of age, when he was married and established a home of his own,
locating on the eighty-acre tract which was his patrimony. This land was on
section 23, Cahokia township, and Mr. Eickmeyer remained thereon for about
eleven years. In 1890 he removed to another farm in the same section and has
resided thereon continuously since. His landed holdings now aggregate two
hundred and sixty acres in Cahokia township and he is widely recognized as
one of the substantial and enterprising citizens of the community. All of
the improvements on his farm, including a modern brick residence, stand as
monuments to his thrift and industry. Through the employment of progressive
methods in tilling the soil he has brought his fields under a high state of
cultivation and annually gather.^ rich crops which find a ready sale on the
market.
In 1879 Mr. Eickmeyer was joined in wedlock to Miss Mary
Gehner, a daughter of Henry Gehner, one of the old residents of Cahokia
township. Unto them were born ten children, eight of whom still survive, as
follows: Wilhelmina, the wife of William Stichnote, of Mount Olive;
Charlotte, who is at home; William, a resident of Gillespie, Illinois; Anna,
who is the wife of Henry Tiemann and resides in Montgomery county, Illinois;
and Fred. Louis, Jr., Emma and Herman, all yet at home.
Mr.
Eickmeyer is a stanch republican in politics and has served as trustee of
the school board and also as highway commissioner, ever discharging his
official duties in a most prompt and capable manner. His religious faith is
indicated by his membership in the Evangelical Lutheran church, to which his
wife and children also belong. A man whose life has always been in keeping
with high standards, he justly deserves the full measure of confidence and
respect now entertained for him by all who know him.
Extracted 18 May 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 108-109.
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