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 OUIS W. M. PFEIFER, the owner of a fine stock farm, a view of which appears on another page, resides on section 20, Seven Hickory Township. He was born Dec. 14, 1833, in Saxony, Germany, and is the son of Bernhardt and Barbara (Bock) Pfeifer. Bernhardt Pfeifer was born April 5, 1801. There were but two children in his parents’ family, himself and his brother William. The latter married and had five children. Bernhardt married Miss Barbara Bock in 1824 They lived in Germany until 1868, and then left their native land to visit their children, some of whom had come to the United States and settled in Coles County several years previous. Two years after their arrival in America, Mrs. Pfeifer died in Arcola at the home of her daughter, who accompanied them from Germany, and a few years after the death of his wife Mr. Pfeifer returned to Germany. After remaining there about a year he returned to Illinois, and passed the closing years of his life with his son, George M. Pfeifer. His death occurred in February, 1880. The parental family consisted of twelve children, four of whom died in infancy. The record of those remaining is as follows: Casper, born Oct. 5, 1827, resides in Germany, and has a large family of children and grandchildren; Louis W. M. is the subject of this sketch; Mary K., bora in 1836, is the wife of Carl Thein, a resident of this county, and the mother of a large family of children; Michael, born in 1838, was twice married, and has a family of two children by his first wife; Edward, born in 1840, resides in Germany, and has a family of five children; Dorothea, born in 1843, was the wife of Julius Zehner, and had a family of three children—Barbara, Nina and William; Mrs. Zehner died in 1874, when her son was four years of age, and he was then adopted by his uncle, George Pfeifer; Barbara is married and lives in Mattoon, and Nina, since the death of her mother, has made her home in the family of John J. Chaney, in Humbolt Township. Mr. Zehner resides in Texas. Bernhardt came to Illinois, but after remaining two years, returned to Germany; he has a family of four children. George M. is a prosperous farmer residing in Seven Hickory Township. Louis W. M. Pfeifer was a printer in Germany, and was engaged in a publishing office in which there were 800 employed at printing, forty at stereotyping and forty book-binders. He had also learned the carpenter’s trade, and when he came to Illinois engaged in that occupation. On his arrival in the United States he spent some time in New Orleans, then traveled in Mississippi, and finally went to Ohio, where he remained about seven months. Desirous of thoroughly investigating the Western country, he extended his travels to California, spending six months there, stopping in Douglas and Coles Counties, Ill., on the return trip. In 1857 our subject came to Arcola, and remained there until 1862, when he entered the army in the service of his adopted country, enlisting in Co.K, 79th Ill. Vol. Inf., in July, 1862. His regiment was with Gen. Sherman in the campaign against Hood, and -he took part in the five engagements preceding the final brilliant siege of Atlanta, when Hood, surrounded by the masterly tactics of Sherman’s army, was obliged to evacuate, after first blowing up his magazines. He was taken prisoner Nov. 30, 1864, at the battle of Franklin, Tenn., and confined at Andersonville, and gained his freedom after the assassination of President Lincoln, when all prisoners were released. While undergoing the horrors of imprisonment at Andersonville he contracted a disease which seriously impaired his health, and he now draws a pension on account of disability resulting from that cause. He was mustered out of service June 6, 1865, and discharged at Camp Butler, Springfield, Ill., on the 24th of the same month. On his return from the war Mr. Pfeifer came to Illinois and engaged in farming in Douglas County, remaining there one year. He then came to Coles County and in the following year, 1867, purchased his first land here. His entire estate contains 325 acres, 165 of which is located in Coles, and 160 in Douglas County. His land is all of excellent quality, well cultivated and improved. He gives some attention to raising graded stock, having about twenty head of cattle and seven head of horses. In 1873 he erected his pleasant farm residence, and in 1878 built a large and well-appointed barn. Mr. Pfeifer’s marriage to Miss Jennie R. Long took place Feb. 20, 1866, the year following his return from the war. Mrs. Pfeifer was born and educated in Ohio, and met her future husband while on a visit to her sister, residing in Arcola, Douglas County. There were three children in her father’s family, two daughters and one son. Neither of her parents are living, her mother having died when she was an infant, and her father in 1878. Mr. and Mrs. Pfeifer have an interesting family of five children: Laura, born Oct. 5, 1868; John, May 25, 1871; Lawrence, March 30, 1873; Ida, Aug. 12, 1875; Elmore, Feb. 17, 1881. None of the family have yet left the home circle. Mr. Pfeifer belongs to the Lutheran Church at Arcola, and the children were baptized in that faith; his wife is a member of the Methodist Church. In politics he a strong Republican. |
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