W. C. Hogelucht transcribed and contributed by Amy Robbins-Tjaden

The Biographical Record of Livingston and Woodford Counties, Illinois (S. J. Clarke Publishing Co, 1900)   Among the more prominent and enterprising farmers of Greene township, Woodford county, who are of alien birth, is the gentleman whose name heads this sketch. Like others of his countrymen, he has brought to the new world the habits of economy and frugality which are inherent characteristics of his native land, and the exercise of which, accompanied by industry and good management, have secured for him a comfortable competence. He now owns and occupies a fine farm of two hundred and eighty-five acres of land on section 18, Greene township. Mr Hogelucht was born in Friesland, Germany, in 1830, son of Carl W. and Tatye (Redenius) Hogelucht, also natives of that country, where the mother died, after which the father married again. He came to America and lived to the age of sixty-five years. Our subject received a good practical education in the common schools and a gymnasium in Germany, and during his youth assisted his father in the work of the home farm. In 1854 he came to the United States on a sailing vessel, and after nine weeks spent upon the water landed in New Orleans, whence he came by boat up the Mississippi and Illinois rivers to Peoria. After a short stay in that city he went to Tazewell county, Illinois, and rented a farm near Washington, which he operated one year. Mr Hogelucht was then joined by his father, who had just come to America, and together they bought an unimproved farm in Greene township, Woodford county, but after two years our subject sold his interest in the place and purchased one hundred and twenty-five acres of his present farm on section 18, to which he has since added until he now has two hundred and eighty-five acres. When he located thereon it was all wild land, but by persistent and untiring effort he has coverted it into one of the most highly cultivated tracts in the township. The buildings and other improvements on the place are in first class condition, and stand as monuments to his thrift and enterprise. At Metamora, Mr Hogelucht married Mrs Gertie (Johnson) Redenius, widow of Harm Redenius, by whom she had four children, namely: Helen first married Jacob Monk, a farmer by whom she had four children, Harm, Wilk, Gertie and Getke, and for her second husband married William Webber, by whom she had three children, John, Fritz and Johanna. Mrs Webber died about eight years ago and was buried in Greene township cemetery. Johanna is the wife of Albert Saathoff, a farmer of Kansas, and they have a large family of children. John is a farmer of Wisconsin. Harm is a prominent farmer and stock raiser of Greene township, where he owns a farm of one hundred and twenty-seven acres on section 7. He married Wilhelmina Flohr, and they have nine children. Mrs Hogelucht, who was a devoted wife and loving mother, died November 3, 1894, and was buried in the Lutheran churchyard cemetery in Greene township. She was a faithful member of that church and took an active interest in its work. Mr Hogelucht has never cared for political preferment, though as a public-spirited and progressive citizen, he takes a deep interest in all that tends to improve his township and county and has done all in his power to promote the general welfare of his community. He is widely and favorably known and his friends are many throughout Woodford county. [notes: his name was Wilke C. Hogelucht and he was born in Ostfriesland]

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