Illinois:  History of Cass County, Illinois, ed. William Henry 
Perrin. O. L. Baskin & Co. Historical Publishers, Chicago, 1882. 
Cass County.

MENDALL AARON, merchant, Beardstown; was born in Prussia about the 
year 1834, and early learned the butcher's trade with his father, 
who kept a meat market.  In the fall of 1862, he emigrated to this 
country; worked at his trade in New York City, three months; then 
in St. Louis, about a month, and then traveled on foot with a pack 
of dry goods and notions, for about six months.  After some time 
he procured a horse and wagon, for a very small sum, and traveled 
about three months, selling goods.  In 1864, he opened a store at 
Kampsville, a little village in Calhoun County, Ills., invested 
about $1,200 in goods, and carried on business there for nine 
years.  He then sold out, and moved to La Grange, Mo., where he 
invested $9,000 in a rollingmill, but unfortunately lost his 
investment; he engaged in mercantile business for four years, in 
La Grange, then moved to Hardin, Calhoun County, Ill., rented a 
store a short time, then built a substantial store and dwelling, 
and carried on mercantile business, and dealt in land there for 
seven years.  He then sold out his town property an part of his 
farming land, and Sept. 21, 1881, came to Beardstown, and opened a 
general store at the corner of Main and Jefferson streets, where 
he has since done a good trade, employing two assistants.  He 
married Oct. 8, 1862, Florence Driesen, a native of Prussia.

Aaron Driesen
=
Prussia Calhoun-IL