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ILLINOIS GENEALOGY EXPRESS
A part of Genealogy Express
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Welcome to
Piatt County,
Illinois
History & Genealogy |
Biographies
Source:
Past and Present of Piatt County, Illinois
together with biographical sketches of many
prominent and influential citizens.
Publ.:
Chicago - The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co.
1903
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WILLIAM H. FIRKE. Among the representative business men
of Mansfield who have done much toward its
upbuilding and development probably none are better known than the gentleman
whose name introduces this sketch.
As an extensive landowner and banker he has been prominently indentified with
the business interests of the county for many years and is a recognized leader
in agricultural and financial circles.
Mr. Firke is a native of
Indiana, his
birth having occurred in a log cabin in Wiesburg, on the 17th of
January, 1852. His parents
were Conrad and Anna (Aufencamp) Firke.
The father was a carpenter by trade and
followed that pursuit throughout his business career. He died in
Indiana
on the 28th of January, 1852, and is still survived by his widow who
is now living in Cass county, Nebraska, near
Greenwood.
Mr. Firke is one of three
living children and two of the family are now deceased.
In the common
schools of his native state the subject of this review obtained his early
education. He was left an orphan and
started out to earn his own living at the age of seventeen years, first working
as a farm hand in which capacity he was employed until 1874, when he came to
Illinois, settling near
Farmer
City.
There he worked for one year as a farm hand for
D. W. and J. C. Smith, after which he
rented a tract of land and carried on farming on his own account. During this time he made money and
with the capital he had acquired he purchased one hundred and sixty acres of
land in Piatt county, of which he became owner in 1876. This he plowed, planted and tiled,
thus producing very rich and arable fields he continued his farm work there
until 1883, at which time he purchased two hundred and forty acres of land in
Champaign County. He has since owned much valuable
property. In 1889 he bought what is
known as the William Lindsey farm in
Piatt County
near Blue Ridge.
This he tiled and upon the place he erected two good barns, unsurpassed
by any in the county. He also built
corn cribs and other necessary buildings, planted an orchard and made various
improvements which added to the value and attractive appearance of the place. In 1890 he purchased forty acres of
land in Champaign County,
and in 1895 he bought in Vermilion county four hundred acres of land on Eight
Mile Prairie. This he improved and
tiled, erected a good residence, substantial barns and new corn cribs, in fact,
he made all the improvements upon the place.
In 1902 he became the owner of four hundred and twenty-seven acres of
land in Pike county, afterward purchased one hundred and seventy-three acres in
Piatt county, this being the old Mansfield home, for which he paid one hundred
and seventy and a half dollars per acre.
HE also owns a half interest in four hundred and thirty acres of land in
Pike County, which
he purchased in 1893, and one hundred and sixty acres in Champaign County, and also an eighty-acre tract there. Thus from time to time he has
continued to make investments in real estate, until he now is one of the
extensive landowners in central
Illinois, his possessions aggregating altogether
nineteen hundred and fifteen acres of well-improved and valuable land. All this is the visible evidence of
his life of industry, of his keen foresight and business sagacity. He has also been associated with
financial interests of the county, having in 1893 organized the State Bank of
Mansfield, which
is capitalized for forty thousand dollars.
Mr. Firke is its president and
holds stock in the institution to the amount of twelve thousand dollars. The other officers are
Alvah James, vice president;
W. H. Burns, cashier; and
Robert Howe, assistant cashier. This was conducted as a private
banking institution until 1899, when it became a state bank. He is interested in the
Dighton & Dilatush Loan Company of Monticello.
On the 6th
of March, 1878, Mr. Firke was united
in marriage of Miss Elizabeth J. Petry,
a daughter of Jacob Petry, a native
of Indiana. Her mother died during the infancy of
the daughter and the father has also passed away.
Six children have been born until
Mr. and Mrs. Firke: Alma Bell, the wife of
J. R. Bateman, who resides four miles
north of Mansfield upon a farm and by whom she has one son,
Russell;
C. W., who was graduated in the law
department of the State University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in the class of
1902, and is now practicing his profession in Mansfield;
Lutie Phebe, who died at the age of five years;
Ada Catherine, at home; Ralph W.
and Frank J., who are also under the parental roof.
Mr. Firke gives his right of
franchise in support of the men and measures of the Democracy and has served
eighteen years as school trustee and two years as supervisor. Both he and his wife are members of
the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Mr. Firke is a broad-minded man, who
looks at life from a practical and humanitarian standpoint. He is one of the well-known citizens
of Piatt County,
whose labors have closely touched the interests of the state and have
contributed toward the general advancement.
He is a man of fir convictions and it is doubtful if he ever weighted a
single act of his life in the scale of policy, his conduct being prompted by the
spirit of usefulness and conscientious obligation. While he has won wealth it has been
gained so honorably that the most envious cannot grudge him his success. His achievements represent the result
of honest endeavor, along lines where mature judgment has pointed the way.
Source: Past and Present of
Piatt County, Illinois
– Page 333
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SAMUEL J. FOLK is a
worthy member of the farming community of Piatt County and since he
took up his residence within its limits, locating on section 21,
Bement Township, he has been actively identified with its
agricultural interests. He was born in Somerset County, Pa.,
January 31, 1843, and is a son of Jacob G. and Barbara
(Gingerick) Folk, natives respectively of Pennsylvania
and Germany. They both died in Somerset County, Pa. They were
the parents of seven children, four sons and three daughters, of
whom Samuel J. was the third in order of birth.
The early life of our subject was passed in his native
county. In March, 1864, after he attained his majority, he being
then an energetic stalwart young man, he came to Illinois to devote
himself to his chosen calling, that of a farmer, on the rich soil of
the Prairie State. He had been reared to farm life, and was
quite competent to carry on agriculture on his own account. He
first settled in McLean County, where he lived five years and then
he came to Piatt County, and located on his present farm in Bement
Township. He is the proprietor of one hundred and twenty acres
of land, which is under fine cultivation, and is subject to
excellent modern improvements, among which we find a good set of
farm buildings. Everything about the place is kept in good
order, and evidences of thrift and careful management are seen on
every hand.
In the upbuilding of his present home, our subject has
had the valuable assistance of a capable, active wife, who has done
her full share in promoting the general prosperity of the family.
They were married in Somerset County, Pa., December 24, 1863, and to
them have come these four children : Emma, who died in
infancy; Alsinus; Orville, and Earl E.
Prior to her marriage Mrs. Folk was Miss Lizzie
Welfley, a daughter of Israel and Susannah (Beachy)Welfley,
natives of Pennsylvania. The mother died in Somerset County, that
State. The father is still living. They had eleven children, five
sons and six daughters. Mrs. Folk was the second child
in order of birth and was born in Somerset County, Pa., July 26,
1842.
Mr. Folk is interested in political
affairs and is a stanch advocate of the Republican party. He
and his wife are people of genuine worth, whose many excellent
traits have brought them the general esteem of their community.
They are among the most zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal
Church and are conscientious Christians in word and deed. Mr. Folk
takes a prominent part in the affairs of his church and has filled
the office of Steward and Class-Leader. |
NOTES:
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