Biographies X, Y, Z

 Following are some biographies of families who at one time or another lived in Henry Co. Illinois. In some cases it is the parents, spouse or child who was a Henry Co. resident so please read carefully!

X

None

Y

HENRY T. YUNGCLAS

Henry T. Yungclas is a farmer on section 32, Fremont township, Hamilton county, Iowa, where he is cultivating four hundred and fifty acres of land and is bringing it constantly to a higher degree of improvement.  He was born in Connecticut in 1862, and is a son of John H. and Katherine (Kober) Yungclas. His father was born in Hesse, Germany, in 1835 and came to the United States by sailing vessel in 1854. The journey across the Atlantic took forty-seven days. Upon its completion John H. Yungclas settled in Connecticut where he married, and removed to Tama county, Iowa, on November 1, 1862. He remained in that vicinity and cultivated the soil successfully until 1868, when he removed to Hamilton county. Here he bought two hundred and forty acres of land in Fremont township and spent his active life in its cultivation.  Gradually adding to his holdings he now owns six hundred and thirty acres as a result of extensive investments and was one of the representative and progressive agriculturists in the state of Iowa. He has now retired and is living with his wife in Webster City.

Henry T. Yungclas received his education in the common schools of Tama and Hamilton counties and pursued the usual course of study until he laid aside his books. In 1883 he rented land from his father and started an independent agricultural enterprise. He was a practical farmer and had gained a knowledge of the details of his occupation in the efficient school of experience. He was successful upon his rented land and was enabled in 1887 to purchase a farm of his own. He bought one hundred and sixty acres on section 32, Fremont township, paying for his land ten dollars per acre. He has subsequently made substantial increases in his holdings by purchasing adjoining farms and his property now aggregates four hundred and fifty acres of the most fertile land in Hamilton county. He is responsible entirely for all the improvements upon his holdings. In 1904 he built his present barn, one hundred and twenty-eight feet long by thirty-six feet wide. The posts which he constructed twenty feet high gave him ample space for one hundred tons of hay and capacity for sixty-five head of stock. The barn is equipped with all the most modern farm machinery. There is a twelve-horse-power gasoline engine which puts the hay into the barn automatically and no new development in mechanical farm implements escapes Mr. Yungclas' attention. His farm is a model enterprise in every respect. His harvests increase in quality and abundance every year in proportion to more intense and scientific cultivation. His stock is thoroughbred and is an important source of Mr. Yungclas' prosperity. He keeps a large herd of graded horses, cattle and hogs and gives careful supervision to this branch of his enterprise.

In 1886 Mr. Yungclas was united in marriage to Miss Emma Stahl, of Geneseo, Illinois, who died in 1888, leaving one daughter, Florence. In 1890, Mr. Yungclas was again married. His second union was with Miss Anna Argubright, a daughter of J. W. Argubright, one of the early pioneer settlers of Cass township, Hamilton county. His period of residence in that section dates from 1869 and he is one of the representative citizens at the present day. To Mr. Yungclas' second union have been born three children, James, William, and Claire, who all reside with their parents on the home farm. Science and a progressive spirit are the basis of prosperity in any active line and to these qualities Mr. Yungclas owes his success. His advancement in agriculture has been along lines of development and his present farm is the natural culmination of well directed labor in fields of economic agriculture.

Source: History of Hamilton County, Iowa, J. W. Lee, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co, Chicago, 1912

Submitted by Susie Martin-Rott

Z

STEPHEN ZIMMERMAN

Stephen Zimmerman, an active and enterprising farmer of Scranton Township, residing on section 17, was born in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, the date of his birth being November 6, 1847. His father, Christian Zimmerman, was a native of Germany, born in 1810, and when a child was brought by his parents to the United States, and was reared to manhood in Pennsylvania. He was first married to Miss Sarah Gearhart, who was born and reared in the State of Pennsylvania.

She died when our subject, who was the fifth child, was five years old, leaving a family of six children - Peter enlisted in the three months service, and re-enlisted to serve three years, then re-enlisted for three more years, but died of measles shortly after his third enlistment; Margaret is the wife of Robert May, of Kendrick Township; Sarah is the wife of Henry Stenberger, of Henry County, Illinois; Jacob is living in Manchester, Michigan; Stephen, the subject of this sketch; Washington, the sixth child, is living in Kendrick Township. For his second wife the father married Miss Sarah Michel in 1854, a native of Pennsylvania, and to this union four children were born -- Caroline, who died in childhood; Rebecca S., now living in Greene County, Iowa; Henry, also living in Greene County, and Enoch, living in Pennsylvania.

The family settled in Henry County, Illinois, and there Stephen grew to manhood. The year he attained his majority he came with his father to Greene County, Iowa, where he bought eighty acres of land and commenced improving the same. The father purchased a tract of 400 acres on section 16, Scranton Township, where he lived till his death, June 8, 1872, at the age of sixty-two years. The following year his widow returned to Pennsylvania, and died there one year later.

Stephen Zimmerman was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth Wood, of Scranton Township, October 24, 1872, she being a native of the State of New York, born February 16, 1854. Six children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Zimmerman -- Effie Helen, Medora V. (died aged eighteen months), Maud Jessie, Lee Wood (died at the age of five years), Homer Warren, and an infant son yet unnamed. Mr. Zimmerman made his home on section 16, Scranton Township, until the spring of 1881, when he sold that property and purchased 160 acres of choice land on section 17 of the same township, where he has since resided, and during his residence here of six short years he has converted his land from a state of nature into a very finely-improved farm, with excellent building improvements, the entire surroundings showing care and thrift. Both Mr. and Mrs. Zimmerman are consistent members of the United Brethren Church. In politics he has always been identified with the Republican Party.

Biographical and Historical Record of Greene and Carroll Counties, Iowa, Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago 1887 (Greene Co)

Submitted by Susie Martin-Rott