Louis Reinhart

 

SOURCE: "Portrait and Biographical Album of Champaign County, Illinois," Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1887
SURNAMES: EISENMENGER, KENNEDY, KOBLER, REINHART, SCOTT

 

LOUIS REINHART. This substantial and highly respected German citizen of Pesotum was born in Alsace-Lorraine in 1837, his birthplace then being a Province of France. He drew his first breath in the month of April, and remained in his native land until a boy six years of age, when his parents resolved to emigrate to America. With their family they embarked on a sailing-vessel at Havre, and after a voyage of several weeks, landed at New Orleans. Thence they followed the river up to the city of Peoria, where the father of our subject purchased eighty acres of land and commenced farming after the primitive style of those days. Their neighbors were neither numerous nor troublesome. The elder Reinhart broke the first sod on his embryo farm and prospered in his labors. In due time he doubled his first purchase and finally had a comfortable homestead, where he passed his later years in peace and quiet, and folded his hands for his final rest in 1878. The mother is now living with her son, Anthony, in Crittenden Township, having arrived at the advanced age of eighty-eight years. She was a woman of splendid constitution and is still hale and hearty, retaining her mental faculties to a remarkable degree.

Two years after reaching his majority, the subject of this history was united in marriage with Miss Mary EISENMENGER, of Peoria County, but a native of Pennsylvania. The parents of Mrs. R. were natives of the same Province as her husband, and came to this country in 1836. The parents of both our subject and his wife were quiet, unassuming people, performing faithfully their duties around their home and to their children, and were greatly respected by their neighbors. When they first settled in Peoria County there were few people around them and they may be properly classed among the earliest pioneers. Land at that time in the vicinity of what is now a flourishing city could be purchased at $3 per acre.

After his marriage Mr. Reinhart pursued farming in Peoria County for five years. From there he went into Marshall County, and three years later came to Pesotum Township, this county, where he first purchased eighty acres on section 24. This is now included in his present farm. His course from the beginning was uniformly prosperous, and he added to his first estate until he became the owner of 200 acres, all of which he has brought to a fine state of cultivation and supplied with good buildings. The residence is a two-story frame, finished and furnished in excellent style, and finely located. The barn is a shapely and substantial structure, and our subject has a good assortment of the better grades of live stock, including horses, cattle and hogs.

In January, 1882, Mr. Reinhart met with a severe affliction in the death of his wife, who had been his affectionate companion for nearly twenty-two years. The children born of this marriage were Catherine, Peter, Joseph, George, Edward, Wendel (now deceased), Annie, Matilda and Louis. Catherine is the wife of Richard SCOTT, a farmer of Crittenden Township. In October, 1882, Mr. Reinhart was married the second time, to Mrs. Annie (KOBLER) KENNEDY. By her former marriage Mrs. R. had a daughter, May, who is still at home. Mrs. Reinhart is the daughter of John KOBLER, who was a native of Switzerland, and after emigrating to the United States served as a soldier in the Mexican War. He is now truly termed a veteran and receives a pension from the Government. Of the second marriage of our subject there were born four children—John, Clara, Emma and Frederick.

Mr. R. has never troubled himself with politics more than to deposit his ticket at the time of general elections, and then he usually votes for a Democratic candidate. Both he and his excellent wife are members of the German Catholic Church, and their home is the resort of the best people of the county. A lithographic view of Mr. Reinhart’s handsome residence is shown on another page of this work.