WilliamHuppers  

 
WILLIAM HUPPERS, an old and successful businessman of Beardstown, was born in the Rhine province, October 1, 1839. Hisparents lived and died in their native province. His father, GearheardHuppers, was a mechanic and small farmer and had been quite active in localmatters of his native town. He died at the age of eighty-six. His mother,who died at the age of eighty-one, before her marriage bore the name ofElizabeth Waltham. They were members of the German Reformed Church.

Mr. Huppers was well reared, and when thirteenyears of age, after attending public school, was apprenticed to the tailor’strade. After completing his time he started out as a journeyman workman,going to Belgium, where he spent six months, and then proceeded to Paris,where he remained for two years, and then came to the United States, stoppingfirst in New York and then Columbus, Ohio, and later coming to Beardstown.Here he has made all his money, having, when he landed in Columbus, lessthan one dollar in his pocket. He now does a large and lucrative businessas merchant tailor and gentlemen’s furnisher, at the corner of Main andState streets. He arrived in Beardstown and established a similar businesswith Mr. Miller, who continued with him until 1881; since then Mr. Huppershas carried the business on very successfully alone. He has been a leaderin many local enterprises. He is interested in the Beardstown ElectricLight and Power Company, is a director of the First State Bank, and isa member of the Board of Education. His fellow-citizens have always knownwhere to find him in public matters.

He was married in Arenzville, to Minnie Henkel,of Hesse Darmstadt. She came with her mother to this country when she wastwelve years of age. Mrs. Henkel, a much respected member of the church,died in Beardstown, aged fifty-three years. Mr. and Mrs. Huppers are theparents of two children: Lula A., who was educated in Beardstown, but completedher course in the university at Evanston, Illinois, and, is now a skilledteacher in vocal and instrumental music; Harry C., twelve years of age,is at home. Mr. and Mrs. Huppers are leading people in this city, Mrs.Huppers being a member of the First Lutheran Church. Mr. Huppers is a memberof the order of  F. & A. M., a member of Cass Lodge, No. 23, ofClark Chapter No. 29, and is Treasurer in both. He is a sound Republicanin politics.

Biographical Review of Cass, Schuylerand Brown Counties, Illinois, Biographical Review Publishing Co., Chicago,1892, page 136.

Copyright1999-2006 Judi Gilker; all rights reserved. For personal use only.Commercial use of the information contained in these pages is strictlyprohibited without prior permission. If copied, this copyright must appearwith the information.

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