A representative citizen and business man of Carlinville is Ferdinand
Schaefer, who was born in the province of Westphalia, Germany, on the
9th of July, 1863. His parents were William and Wilhelmina (Mueller)
Schaefer, who spent their entire lives in the old country. The father,
who was a brick manufacturer in Bochum, Westphalia, passed away at the
age of sixty-six years, but the mother survived for some time thereafter
her demise occurring after she had passed the seventy-eighth anniversary
of her birth. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Schaefer: Charles,
William, Ferdinand, Anna, Wilhelmina, Frederick, Anthony, Louise and
Marie. The parents were both communicants of the Roman Catholic church.
The paternal grandfather, William Schaefer, was a jeweler, the mother’s
father, Charles Mueller, a merchant in Lemgo, Germany.
The first
twenty-one years of his life Ferdinand Schaefer spent in his native
country, where, after the completion of his early studies, he pursued a
threevears college course. Having decided to adopt the trade of his
paternal grandfather, he was then apprenticed to a watchmaker and
jeweler. Upon the expiration of his period of service he decided to
become a citizen of the United States, so crossing the Atlantic in
April, 1884, he located in Carlinville. The first three years of his
residence in this country he worked by the month as a farm hand, being
entirely unfamiliar with either the language or customs of the country.
Subsequent to his marriage in 1887 he rented a farm in Brushy Mound
township toward the cultivation of which he directed his energies for
five years. His agricultural pursuits proved successful and lucrative,
and in 1891 he removed to Carlinville where he engaged in the jewelry
business, opening his store on the 21st day of September. Mr. Schaefer
possesses all of the thrift, energy and tenacity of purpose which
characterize his countrymen and despite the many obstacles and
disadvantages under which he worked during the early years of his
residence in this country has met with success. He has a fine store,
containing a large and well selected stock, and is enjoying an excellent
patronage.
On the 19th of January, 1887, Mr. Schaefer was united
in marriage to Miss Pauline Calkum, one of the eight children of Henry
and Augusta (Noterman) Calkurn, who spent their entire lives in Germany.
Mrs. Schaefer is also a native of Westphalia, whence she emigrated to
the United States in the spring of 1884, Unto Mr. and Mrs. Schaefer
there have been born ten children: Ferdinand, Theresa, William, Bertha,
Harriet, Josephine, Uaura, John and two who died in infancy. Ferdinand,
the eldest member of the family, is in the store with his father, while
the three daughters, Theresa, Bertha and Harriet are teaching school.
Mr. and Mrs. Schaefer are communicants of the German Catholic
church, in which they have reared their family. Fraternally he is
identified with the Modern Woodmen of America and politically he is a
democrat. Mr. Schaefer is highly esteemed as both a business man and
citizen, his success being recognized as the highly merited reward of
unremitting energy and determination of purpose. He arrived in this
country practically empty handed and without either influence or
assistance has attained an enviable position in the business circles of
Carlinville, where both he and his family are held in high esteem.
Extracted 15 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 459-460.
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