More
than half a century ago Henry Gehner, Sr., who is now living in Cahokia
township, began making his way against heavy odds as a farmer. He
allowed no difficulty to stand long in the path of his advancement and
one obstacle after another was conquered until he became one of the most
prosperous farmers of the township, being now the owner of two hundred
and seventy-eight acres of highly productive land, the value of which is
yearly increasing. He has reared a large family and by his example of
perseverance and energy has encouraged many to persist in well doing.
He is a native of Prussia, Germany, born August 13, 1830, and is
a son of John Frederick and Ann Elizabeth (Steinberg) Gehner, both of
whom spent their entire lives in the old country. Reared under the
paternal roof, he secured his preliminary education in the common
schools and continued at home until twenty-three years of age. On the
12th of September, 1853, he went aboard a sailing vessel at Bremen,
bound for New Orleans, and after a voyage of about twelve weeks landed
in the Crescent city at the mouth of the Mississippi river. He proceeded
up the river in a steamboat to St. Louis and from that place went to
Frederick, Missouri, where he worked for three months upon a farm. At
the end of the time named he returned to the city and was for a year and
a half employed about the premises of one of its wealthy men. Having
decided to devote his attention to farming, he then came to Illinois and
for three years worked as a farm hand on a place near Jacksonville.
Having prepared to assume larger responsibility he rented land until the
spring of 1865, when he removed to Montgomery county and continued
renting for another year. In 1866 he bought eighty acres of raw prairie
land in Cahokia township, Macoupin county, and there established his
home. Two months after arriving here he purchased sixty acres additional
and after ten or twelve years of successful application to agriculture
and stock-raising he acquired a tract of one hundred and sixty acres
adjoining, making in all three hundred acres of which he was the owner.
He has, however, disposed of twenty-two acres and still holds two
hundred and seventy-eight acres. He is recognized as a representative
man who has nobly performed his part in the development of the resources
of this region.
In 1857 Mr. Gehner was married to Miss
Wilhelmina Mary Schweppe, who was born in Germany, and they have had
eight children, seven of whom survive: Mary, the wife of Louis
Eickmeyer, a farmer of Cahokia township; Henry and William, both of whom
are engaged in farming in the same township; Fred, a merchant of
Garrison, North Dakota; Charlotte, who married John Arkebauer, of Downs,
Kansas; Herman, who is engaged in teaching in the schools of Shawano,
Wisconsin; and Ludwig, who is now in charge of the home place. The
mother of these children died in 1878 and in the year following Mr.
Gehner was married to Miss Caroline Sophia Weisbrodt, also a native of
Germany. By this union five children have been born, namely: Edward, a
farmer of Ireton, Iowa; Minnie, the wife of Fred Miller, of Montgomery
county, Illinois; John, who is a teacher in the schools of Champaign,
Illinois; Caroline, who married Edward Wrede, of Harcourt, Iowa; and
Catherine, a resident of Alma, Missouri.
Mr. Gehner is justly
proud of the fact that he cast his first vote after arriving in his
adopted country for Abraham Lincoln as president of the United States
and he has never wavered in support of the party with which the name of
Lincoln will ever be connected. In religious belief he adheres to the
church of his parents — the Evangelical Lutheran — and his children were
reared in this faith. When he arrived in America Mr. Gehner had about
eight dollars in German money in his pocket. It represented his entire
financial resources. He possessed, however, two strong arms and a
courageous heart and through their aid he attained financial
independence. He truly deserves the confidence and respect which is
accorded him by all who have the honor of his acquaintance.
Extracted 17 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 552-555.
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