Victorian Grace

"Victorian Grace"

John Bernard Strothoff erected this fine brick residence, two stories in height and containing eleven rooms in 1876, it being one of the finest homes in the county.

John Bernard Strothoff, a representative farmer of Ellington township, was one of the worthy citizens Germany furnished to Adams County. John was born in Prussia, April 6, 1824 and came to America in 1848. He was engaged in mining until 1855 in Sacramento Valley, California. He came to Adams County in 1855 and purchased the acreage around where the home now resides. He then married Mary Catherine Roth on December 14, 1855.

The Strothoff's had ten children: Herbert, Margaret, Mary, Henry, Anna, Emma, Louisa, John, Ida, and Stephen. They also reared four adopted children.

There was a real competition between John Strothoff and his neighbor on who was going to build the better house and they hated each other. The Strothoff's daughter Catherine was in love with their son and of course the parents didn't approve of them dating and she committed suicide in the attic by hanging herself. It was later found out that she was pregnant. John Bernard Strothoff died on July 25, 1885.

On June 26, 1901, Louisa Strothoff invited Frank Forrest over for an ice cream social, but that was only an excuse to get him here. She had told her mother that they were going for a walk to pick blue lilies and if they were found dead they wanted to be buried together. They in fact did find both of them dead. Both had received two gun shot wounds. They later found a note in her room that stated that their love simply could not bear it all. The Strothoff family does believe she is the one who bought the gun and committed the crime.

Stephen Strothoff, the youngest son took over the farm. He and his wife Anna lived here with their four children Carl, Lois, Virgil, and Vera. They ran a four-burner still in the basement and were some of the biggest suppliers of moonshine. Their son Virgil got into some of the ingredients of the still and died October 26, 1925. Stephen was a big game hunter and it didn't bother him to let his crops rot in the field. Before the depression hit, he purchased a $750.00 double barrel shotgun, then the depression hit and the family lost everything.

Public records reveal a Richard W. Earel purchased the home after the Strothoff's. In 1942, he sold the property to Charles Moorman. The Moorman's used the home as their summer home. They had an employee that lived on the backside of the house. The Moorman's raised 2000 head of sheep and racing horses on the farm.

Six years later, on November 13, 1948, upon returning to Quincy from North Dakota, the home and 160 acres of farmland surrounding it was purchased by Elmer A. Genenbacher. Since 1948, the Strothoff residence has remained in the Genenbacher family. Elmer's son Robert and his wife Dolly, purchased the home after Elmer's death. In 1989, Robert's son Ted and his wife Sarah, moved into the historic home. They purchased the house and five acres in 1998. In 2002, they purchased the remaining farmland for a total of 68 acres. They live in the home with their three sons, Tad, Brad, and Andrew. For the past several years, Ted and Sarah along with the help of family, have invested a considerable amount of effort, patience, and love into restoring the structure, including refinishing the original, elegant walnut and butternut woodwork that is still in the home.

In 1995, Ted & Sarah opened Victorian Grace, a Tea and Private dining room to their home. I have had the pleasure of dining at Victorian Grace recently and Sarah is a wonderful hostess and cook. If you would like more information regarding the private dining or the history of the home, you can contact Sarah Genenbacher at 217-885-3459 or you may write her at: 9221 Saint Ludgerus Rd., Fowler, IL 62338-2226 for reservation information or to request menus. You also receive a tour of the home after dining and Sarah will also tell you about the history of the home.