FRED W. KORSMEYER, one of the most successful men of this locality, lives on section 30, township 17, range 12. He is a German, being born in Hanover, January 15, 1838. His parents were J. H. and Mary (Lovecamp) Korsmeyer, who were born in the same place, and descended from the best German blood. When our subject was thirteen years of age they came to the United States in the fall of 1851. They took the usual passage of their fellow countrymen, from Bremen to New Orleans, and from there up the Mississippi and Illinois rivers to Beardstown. They located very near the present home of our subject, and here they lived and died, the father about sixty, and the mother seventy. They had always been members of the German Lutheran Church and are remembered as good, honest German settlers of that early day. Our subject and a brother, Herman, are the only living members of the family.

Mr. Korsmeyer began farming on his own account about the time of his majority. His first was a purchase of 140 acres, and he increased it from time to time until he now owns 600 acres, the most of which is under the plow. He has made many improvements on the farm he has owned for the past thirty years. He has very fine land, lying the bottoms of the Illinois river, and adjoining the Meredosia lake.

Mr. Korsmeyer was married in Cass county, to Miss Minnie Miller, who came from her birthplace, in Hanover, Germany, when young. Her parents settled in Beardstown, where her father died some years ago, at the home of his daughter, as did also his wife. They had lived to good old age and had been valued members of the Lutheran Church. Mrs. Korsmeyer is the youngest of three children. Her two brothers are Fred, a Morgan county farmer, and Henry, who lives in Springfield. Mr. and Mrs. Korsmeyer have seven living children: Henry and Herman assist in running the farm; Emma, William C., Christian, and Theodore and Charles, the twins, live at home. The children are all naturally bright, and the parents intend to educate them thoroughly. The family is Lutheran in religion, and Mr. Korsmeyer is very prominent in the politics of his township, being a Democrat, and has held almost all of the local offices. He is now a candidate for County Commissioner, and so popular is he that this means a certain election. They are among the most prominent people in the township.