Woodford County, Illinois Genealogy Trails

Ede Woltzen
Source: Portrait and Biographical Album of Woodford County, Illinois (Chicago: Chapman Bros, 1889)
Transcribed and contributed by Amy Robbins-Tjaden

Ede Woltzen, an honored citizen and prominent farmer of Greene Township, residing on section 5, is a native of Germany. He was born in the Kingdom of Hanover, on the 23rd day of June, 1832, and is a son of Johan and Catherine (Sotthoff) [Saathoff] Woltzen, who were born in the same community. His father served in the German Army and participated in the battle of Waterloo under the Duke of Wellington. He made farming his principal occupation and followed that pursuit until his emigration to America. The children born to Mr and Mrs Woltzen were nine in number: Alex died in Germany; our subject; Johan is now residing in Linn Township; Albert makes his home in Roanoke Township; Simon and Henry are both engaged in merchandising in Benson; Rosina died in Illinois; Himke died in Peoria; and another child died in infancy.

The subject of this sketch passed his childhood days in the land of his birth and was educated in the public schools. His parents were members of the Lutheran Church, and in that faith he was reared, being confirmed at the age of fourteen years. He has since been one of its faithful members and is an active worker in the interests of the organization at El Paso, where he now holds membership. In 1851 the family determined to make America the scene of their future operations. Bidding good-by to home and friends, they went to Bremen, where they embarked in the sailing vessel "Atmund". After several weeks spent upon the broad ocean, the vessel dropped anchor at New Orleans, and they landed on the shores of the country, where they have since resided. Proceeding up the Mississippi and Illinois rivers, they at length reached their destination, Peoria, near which city the father afterwards rented a farm. He lived to enjoy his new home about a year and a half, when he was stricken with lung fever from which he died.

His excellent wife survived him many years, dying at the advanced age of eighty-two. She was an earnest Christian woman, and was greatly beloved for her many acts of kindness to the poor and needy.

Mr Woltzen, whose name heads this sketch, remained with his mother until attaining his majority, when he left home and began life's battle with the world. He determined to follow in the footsteps of his father and so made farming his life occupation. Renting land, he continued its cultivation for a number of years, until by his industry and untiring efforts he had accumulated sufficient capital to purchase a farm.

At the age of twenty-six years Mr Woltzen led to the marriage alter Miss Gazena Sotthoff and the union of hearts was consummated by the union of hands. This lady was also a native of Hanover, Germany, and a family of fifteen children were born unto them, only four of whom are now living: Johanna, who became the wife of J. Tombs, Harmon, Gazena, Henry and Ede; Albert, a well-to-do farmer of Greene Township, married Ella Johnson and to them have been born two children, Gazena and Lena; Alex and Herman, the two youngest are yet at home. Mr Woltzen was a second time married in 1878 when Miss Theda Harms became his wife. Four children grace their marriage, John, Gazena, Fannie and Harmon.

Mr Woltzen is a prominent citizen of this county and is truly a self-made man. He is now the heaviest tax payer in Greene Township, and his entire possessions have been acquired by his own exertions. He began life on a rented farm, but has steadily climbed the ladder of success until his efforts have been crowned with prosperity, and he is numbered among the wealthy farmers of central Illinois. Industrious and energetic, he labored on, each year adding to his property as his financial resources were increased until he now owns 630 acres of valuable land, situated on sections 5, 8 and 9, Greene Township. He first bought eighty acres, to that added 120, afterwards purchased forty acres, then again bought a like amount, to which he has since added a tract of twenty acres, another of 180, one of seventy and still another of eighty acres. The trials and adversities which he has encountered seemed not to impede his progress, but acted as an incentive for renewed effort and served as stepping stones to something higher.

He is an indefatigable worker, sober, industrious and honest, His sterling worth and strict integrity have won him the confidence and high regard of all with whom he has come in contact, and his word is as good as his bond. He has been a citizen of two of the greatest nations on the face of the globe, but though he loves Germany as the land of his birth, his sympathies are all with America, which has long been his home and his pride. She has no more true or loyal citizen or one who is more friendly to her free institutions. Mr Woltzen is an honor to the German population of this country and to the community in which he lives. In politics, he is a staunch supporter of the Democracy and does what he can to promote its interests and insure its success. None are more worthy of representation in this volume than Ede Woltzen, who is honored and respected by all who know him.

Not only has Mr Woltzen a fine tract of land, but he has a beautiful residence, wherein peace and plenty reign supreme, and which is represented by a fine view on another page of this Album.