JOHN H. DE WERFF, who is now a resident of Mount Olive, was born in Hesel, Prussia, June 16th, 1843. In 1846 his father, Henry De Werff, emigrated with the family to America. They settled in the city of St. Louis, and his father kept a milk dairy on Geyer avenue. Mr. De Werff attended the public schools, and when sixteen years old went to work in a brick yard. He followed the business of making brick for several years in St. Louis. In 1864 he had a short experience as a soldier. He enlisted in the State militia in company D of Col. Walcamp's regiment. He was in active service about five weeks in Central Missouri, and was at Franklin, Jefferson City, and other places. He worked in St. Louis till 1875, and then came to Mt. Olive and started the first brick yard ever in existence in that town. He has also followed to some extent the business of mining coal. He was married on the 19th of December, 1878, to Margareta Gerhards. His wife was born at Respel, Hanover, and came over to America in the year 1874. With considerable liberality, he has furnished for publication in this work an illustration which gives a representation of his brick yard at Mt. Olive. He is known as industrious, energetic and honest man, and a peaceful and good citizen. He is not a politician, and has had enough to do to attend to his own private business matters, but generally votes the republican ticket. He began life without any means on which to rely, except his own strength and industry, and has been obliged to work hard to succeed as well as he has. He possesses considerable enterprise, is still a man young in years, and will doubtless make his mark among the business men of Mt. Olive.