Woodford County, Illinois Genealogy Trails

Among the younger members of the profession in Woodford county is Dr Eichhorn, a prominent and successful physician and surgeon of Spring Bay. He was born in that village, April 20, 1872, a son of Peter and Catherine (Wenckler) Eichhorn. The father was born in Germany, in 1820, and there was reared and educated. Coming to America, in 1844, he first located in Peoria, Illinois, but later moved to Spring Bay, where he successfully engaged in the brewery business until his death which occurred August 25, 1885. At one time he owned the property now occupied by the "Peoria Transcript," and became quite well-to-do. The Doctor's mother was reared and educated in Woodford county, her father, Christian Wenckler, being one of the pioneers of the county, locating here about 1830 or 1832. She is now the wife of christian Guenther, of Spring Bay, whose sketch appears in this volume. By her first marriage she had four sons, namely: Herman G., our subject; William, who is married and engaged in farming; Charles, who is also doing for himself; and Algernon, at home with his mother.

The primary education of Dr Eichhorn was obtained in the public schools of Spring Bay, and later he entered the Northwestern University at Evanston, where he pursued a four years' course. He then took up the study of medicine, attending lectures at the Northwestern Medical College, where he was graduated in 1896. For a short time he engaged in practice in Peoria, but in the spring of 1897 he returned to Spring Bay and opened an office. His skill and ability in his chosen calling were soon recognized and he has already built up an excellent practice, which is constantly increasing, and in fact he now has more practice than one man can well attend to, in justice to himself.

Dr Eichhorn has been twice married, first in Chicago, in the spring of 1896, to Miss Olga Horwitz, of that city, who was reared and educated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and died December 28, 1898. At Lacon, Illinois, he was again married June 28, 1900, his second union being with Miss Louise Ehringer, one of the belles of that place, and the only daughter of Albert Ehringer, one of its business men. She was born in Washburn, Woodford county, but was reared in Lacon. She is a most estimable young lady, highly accomplished and a splendid housekeeper, a general favorite, and has a host of friends. The Doctor is independent in politics, voting for the men whom he believes best qualified to fill the offices regardless of party affiliations. He is a prominent citizen of Spring Bay and surrounding country and is popular both in social and professional circles, and is a cultured and agreeable gentleman in every way.