was born in the Province of Bavaria, Germany, on the 27th of December, 1826. he is the youngest in a family of five children, three of whom were boys and two girls. In his youth, he obtained a good education in the schools of his native country. He was at an early age apprenticed to the cabinet making trade, at which he remained until the fall of 1852. In 1848 he became involved with Schurz, Hecker and other German patriots, in the insurrection and revolution, which had for its object the overthrow of the then existing tyrannical form of government, and the establishment of a republic. The attempt, as is well-known, was unsuccessful. He was arrested and placed in prison, where he remained fourteen days. As soon as he received his liberty he determined to quit the country. he made all the necessary arrangements, and took his departure for America, and landed in New Orleans in December of 1852. he left New Orleans and came up the Mississippi river to St. Louis, and from there, came direct to Chesterfield, in this county. While there, he worked upon a farm and saw mill, and in 1853 came to Carlinville, and commenced the carpenter trade, and worked at the bench for one year, at the end of which time he became a contractor and builder. he continued in the latter business until 1861, when he went back to his original trade of cabinet-making, at which he has continued up to the present time. He was united in marriage to Miss Johana Knabner, who is also a native of Germany, but was a resident of Carlinville at the time of her marriage. There have been seven children born to them, five of whom are living. one daughter is married, and resides in Carlinville; the rest are yet beneath the parental roof.

In politics he is a democrat, and cast his first vote for James Buchanan for president, in 1856, and has continued his allegiance to that political organization ever since.

Both he and his estimable wife are members of the German Lutheran Church . It may here be said, that to Mr. H., is due, perhaps more than any other citizen of Carlinville, the credit of organizing and sustaining that Christian denomination and building the first church edifice for that organization in the city. The German Lutheran Church is indebted to him for wise counsel and substantial aid, given freely upon all occasions when required.

The subject of our sketch is a representative German citizen, thoroughly Americanized, and full of push and enterprise. As a man and citizen he is much respected, and has been frequently called by the people to occupy positions of trust and honor both in the city and county. he has represented his ward in the City Council five or six times, and has been city collector, coroner of the county, and in 1876 was elected to the honorable position of mayor of the City of Carlinville. All of these positions he has filled with credit to himself, that justified the wisdom of those who elected him.