Frederick G. Storz, who for almost a quarter century
was identified with the business interests of Girard, and was justly
considered one of the city's most useful and successful men, was born at
Benningen, Wurtemburg, Germany, September 22, 1851, and died at his
beautiful home in Girard, August 23, 1893. He was the youngest member of a
family of six children born to his parents, Frederick and Ann Marie
(Schober) Storz.
Frederick Storz, who was a native of Wurtemburg,
spent his whole life engaged in agricultural pursuits in his native land,
dying in 1873. The mother of our subject died in 1865. These parents were
not possessed of a large amount of worldly goods, but they were able to
educate their children, and were careful that all should learn to be self
supporting. While all grew to maturity, none was as enterprising as our
subject, he being the only one of the family to seek and find fortune in
America. The children in the parental family were as follows: Freiderick,
Michael, Ann Marie, Karl, and Frederick G., our subject. These children were
all given good educations and were able to assume positions of trust and
responsibility.
At the age of 14 years, Frederick G. Storz
apprenticed himself to a baker at Ludwigsburg, in his own province, with
whom he continued until the terms of the agreement were complied with, and
then worked as a journeyman at various points in Germany. He worked one year
at Heidelberg and then returned to Ludwigsburg. In 1872, having secured
enough capital to pay his passage to America, he crossed the Atlantic in the
steamer "Neckar," and as soon as possible joined former friends who were
then living at Springfield, Illinois. In casting about for the best place in
which to locate, Mr. Storz selected Virden, then, as now, a flourishing
town, and engaged with a bakery there for two years. He then removed to
Girard, and, while employed for some nine months at various occupations,
kept looking about and considering the probabilities of success in the
bakery line. He finally concluded to establish a first class bakery. Later,
having taken in a partner, a restaurant was added to the bakery, and a very
prosperous period of five years ensued. In 1879 Mr. Storz bought his
partner's interest and conducted the business alone until December, 1889,
when he retired from business activity. He was one of the organizers and a
stockholder and a director of the People's Bank of Girard, and it was one of
his buildings that was purchased as a home for the bank, and there it
remains today. This seems a simple record, but those who are accustomed to
study the causes of men's successes and failures must be interested and
impressed. A life of industry, enterprise and honesty secured its own
reward, the possession of a large estate earned legitimately, and with it
the respect, admiration and esteem of his fellow citizens. The last years of
Mr. Storz's life was spent in giving attention to his extensive real estate
holdings in Girard and the vicinity.
On December 16, 1879, Mr. Storz
was married to Lena Schelb, who was born January 6, 1860, in Carlsruhe,
Grand Duchy of Baden, Germany, and is a daughter of William and Christina
(Kuebler) Schelb, who came to Macoupin County, Illinois, from their native
land in 1868. This estimable lady still survives, with a son and daughter.
The son, Albert W. Storz, born October 29, 1880, is a bright young man and
is bookkeeper for the Darlington Lumber Company, of Girard. He attended the
public schools of Girard, spent one year at Blackburn University and one
year at the Dixon (Illinois) Business College. The daughter, Mabel C. Storz,
born January 6, 1885, received her education in the Girard public schools
and Monticello Seminary, and is an excellent pianist. The beautiful
residence, which continues to be the family home, was erected and furnished
with much luxury by the late Mr. Storz. It was always his delight to
contribute to the welfare of his family, by whom he was beloved and
reverenced. He gave liberally to the support of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church, in which he long had membership, his widow since his death joining
the Presbyterian Church on account of there being no Lutheran Church in
Girard until quite recently. Mr. Storz was fraternally connected with Lodge
No. 192, I. O. O. F., of Girard, and also with the local lodge of Knights of
Pythias. His death removed from Girard one whose honorable and successful
life may well be recalled as an example.
Extracted 2018 May 07 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 268-270.
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