John C. Niemann, deceased, who for many years was a
prominent citizen of Mount Olive and an extensive farmer and stock raiser of
Macoupin County, was born at Borgholzhausen, Ravensburg-Halle, Prussia,
April 12, 1817, and was a son of Casper Niemann, a prosperous farmer of that
locality.
Mr. Niemann was educated in the excellent schools of his
native land and had learned the management of a farm before he came to the
United States. When he landed in Baltimore, Maryland, May 13, 1839, it was
with a capital of $3.80, and his first work in America was as a laborer on
the Chesapeake & Potomac Canal, which was then in course of construction,
where he earned $1.25 per day. He came to Illinois and settled among the
pioneers of Macoupin County and, when he located at Mount Olive, was the
only German settler for miles around. In 1841 he located on a farm near
Carlinville, where he remained three years, but from 1844 until his death he
was a resident of Mount Olive. He was interested in the town's early
business enterprises and was one of the most successful farmers and stock
raisers of the township through many years. Mr. Niemann's death took place
September 9, 1896.
Mr. Niemann was married in 1847 to Margaret
Stullken, who was born in Oldenburg, Germany, and died in September, 1854,
leaving three children, viz: Mary, who is the wife of C. J. Keiser, a
prominent business man of Mount Olive; Sophia, who is the widow of the late
William Niemeyer, of whom a sketch will be found in this volume; and Henry,
who died in 1876. Mr. Niemann's second marriage was to his sister-in-law,
Anna Stullken, who still survives with these children: Matilda, Lydia,
Louisa, Edward F., William L. and Anna. Mr. Niemann's sons form the firm of
Niemann Brothers, extensive dealers in lumber, lime, cement, paints, oils,
sewer pipe and building material of all kinds. This firm was established in
1896 and is known all through Macoupin County, not only for its enterprise,
but for its honest methods and perfect reliability.
In politics, Mr.
Niemann was a lifelong Republican, but was no aspirant for political honors.
He was one of the pillars of the Lutheran Church in Mount Olive, and was a
man who commanded the respect of all who knew him, both in business and
private life.
Extracted 2018 May 08 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, page 337.
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