HENRY IMMENGA owns and operates one hundred and fifty acres of valuable land on section 9, Cahokia Township. He is now numbered among the substantial citizens of the community, a position to which he as arisen by his own efforts. Of German birth he was born in Amstersteckhausen, November 24, 1818. His parents lived and died in the country, the father passing away at the age of seventy-seven, and the mother's death occurring at the age of sixty-six years. they were both members of the Lutheran Church, and were worthy and respected people.
Not unlike the usual manner in which farmer lads spend their time, our subject passed the days of his boyhood and youth, and when he had attained to mature years he wedded Miss Anna Colman, who was born and reared in Germany, her birth occurring in 1830. Her parents, also natives of the same land, are mentioned in the sketch of W. G. Colman on another page of this work. The young couple began their domestic life on a farm near their childhood home, but after a short time they determined to seek their fortune in America and in 1858, embarked from Bremen on a sailing vessel bound for New Orleans, where they arrived after a long and tedious voyage of thirteen weeks. From the Crescent City they came up the Mississippi River to St. Louis and Alton, and settled in Moro Township, Madison County, near Bunker Hill, where Mr. Immenga purchased seventy-seven acres of land which he still owns. He afterward removed to his present farm, which, as before stated, comprises one hundred and fifty acres of arable land, together with forty acres of timber land. The former is under a high state of cultivation and improved with good buildings. It is now a fine property and the neat appearance of every thing upon the place gives evidence of the thrift and enterprise of the owner.
Mr. and Mrs. Immenga are people worthy of the highest esteem of all, for their lives have been such as to merit the greatest confidence. They are members of the Lutheran Church. Their family numbers five children, and death has not yet severed the family circle. Frank, the eldest, was united in marriage with Miss Anna Martin, and they live near coal shaft, No. 3, in Cahokia Township; George F. is still at home and aids his father in the operation of the farm. Maggie is the wife of Gotleib Gates and they live near her eldest brother; John W. and Francis, who complete the family are still under the parental roof. the sons, especially George, are a great help to their father, being industrious young men who no doubt will make a success of their lives.