MAIN  PAGE

Belgians in the Civil War

Emigrants arrival

links

Sources

BELGIANS IN AMERICA:    Biographies of Belgian settlers  

Henry Rumler, of the township of Atkinson, is a citizen of the United States by adoption. He was born in Belgium April 14, 1854 . His parents, Francis and Amelia (Bonne) Rumler, came from their native land with their family when their son who is the subject of this account was a child of three. They came to Atkinson Township in 1858. Mr Rumler has been brought up almost wholly in the township where he now resides. He was married Nov. 15, 1878, in Henry County , to Wilhelmina Bouwhuis.
Mrs Rumler is the daughter of Anthony and Terisa (Vanlandschoot) Bouwhuis, and is descended from Holland-Dutch parents. Mr. and Mrs. Rumler have five children now living. Their names are Willie H., Annie T., Edward, Lizzie and Albert. Francis died at the age of two years. The fancily are Catholics. Mr. Rumler endorses the principles of the National Greenback party.

Source : (collective work) : Portrait and biographical album of Henry County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, together with portraits and biographies of all the governors of Illinois, and of the presidents of the United States : also containing a history of the county, from its earliest settlement to the present time.; Chicago: Biographical Pub. Co., 1885, 837 pgs.
 

Henry Rumler, a well known citizen of Atkinson, who is engaged in the hardware business and in selling farm implements, was born in Belgium, April 14, 1854. His parents, Francis and Amelia (Bonne) Rumler, who were also natives of that country, came to America in 1854, settling in Moline, Rock Island county, Illinois. The next year, however, they came to Atkinson, where the father obtained work as a section boss, though in the land of his birth he had been a farmer. He was not long permitted to enjoy the advantages of this country for after only a little more than twelve years' residence here he departed this life in 1869. He was buried in the Catholic cemetery in Atkinson, in which his widow was also laid to rest. Nine children were born to them, six of whom are living: Henry, of this sketch; August, of Atkinson; Mary, the wife of Jacob Broghamer, of Cambridge, Illinois; John, of Atkinson; Wilhelme, the wife of John S. Iman, who lives in Montana; and Amelia, the wife of john Catour, of Atkinson.
Henry Rumler attended the district schools of Atkinson township and assisted his father with the work on the farm until twenty-one years of age, when he rented a part of the farm and in connection with its operation ran a corn sheller and threshing machine. In 1892 he and John S. Nowers bought the hard-ware stock of John Johnston, who bad been in business here for years and established their store on State street. Besides a line of stoves, pumps and general hardware, they deal in farm implements, carrying windmills, Deering, binders, the J. I. Case and G. A. R. Scott threshing machines and other machinery used on a farm. Mr. Rumler devotes the greater part of his attention to this branch of the business, while his partner takes charge of the hardware department. Although so any of his interests are in the town of Atkinson, he still lives on his farm, about one mile west of the village, a tract of one hundred and sixty acres of well improved land. His wife in her own right owns eighty acres in Cornwall township, so that they are closely identified with agricultural interests.
On the 15th of November, 1877, Mr. Rumler wedded Miss Wilhelme Bonwhuis, a daughter of Anthony and Theresa (Van Landschoot) Bonwhuis, both natives of Holland. The father was born in the city of Heerenveen, in 1820, and came to America in 1846, in one of the old sailing vessels, it requiring forty days to cross the ocean. He settled first in Wisconsin, which was then just beginning to be colonized by white people, who were greatly out numbered by the red men. In fact Mr. Bonwhuis used to say that it was not infrequent occurence for him to have his Sunday dinner in the company of these children of the forest. Leaving Wisconsin, Mr. Bonwhuis, went to Rock Island, Illinois, and in 1865 came to Atkinson, where he opened a general store on State street, where his daughter Mrs. Goldberg, is now engaged in business. He retired from active life a few years before his death, which occurred in July, 1907. His first wife was Miss Theresa Van Landschoot also a native of Holland, whom he wedded in Rock Island in 1855. She passed away in 1863, and two years later, in St. Louis, Mr. Bonwhuis married Miss Demphinne Hendricks, who died February 18, 1907. There were three children by the first marriage: Christine, the wife of Peter Goldberg, of Atkinson; Wilhelme, now Mrs. Rumler; and Mary, the wife of August Rumler
Mr. and Mrs. Rumler have had seventeen children: Frank, the eldest, died at the age of two years; William H., born January 13, 1880, is in Dallas, South Dakota, where he is interested in automobiles; Annie is the wife of Peter De Reu, of Atkinson township, and they have four children, William, Edna, Alma and Roy; Edward married Miss Elizabeth Egert, of Atkinson, and they have two children, Blanche and Carl Joseph; Elizabeth is in Nauvoo, Illinois; Albert is at home, as are the remaining children who are alive, Charles, John, Henry, Alfred, Jennie, Amandus Calvin, Mary, Irene and Frances; Agnes, the eleventh child is deceased; and the fifteenth died in infancy. The children have received their education in the schools of Atkinson and are being reared in the faith of the Catholic church, to which the parents owe devoted allegiance.
In his political views Mr. Rumler does n ot confine himself to any one party but casts his vote for the man he believes best suited for office. While not an office seeker, he bas rendered the community valuable services as highway commissioner and as member of the school board, in both of which capacities he served for ten years. A man of strong principles and fine character, progressive and enterprising, he is well known throughout Henry and adjoining countties and is highly respected. His success is the result of his own efforts and might be envied were it not so well deserved.

Source : Kiner, Henry L., : History of Henry County, Illinois; Chicago: Pioneer Pub. Co., 1910, 1901 pgs.