History of Lee County, Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

338 HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
tei- of Juliu and Grace Cordes, both of whom were natives of Germany.
They came to America at an early day and to them were
born ten children. Mr. and Mrs. Gonnerman have become the par-
ents of two children : Florence
M., born April 2-i, 1903, and Cor-
nelius, born July 28, 1905. The parents hold membership in the
Lutheran church and are loyal to its teachings, exemplifying their
faith in their lives. Mr. Gonnerman has served for seven years as
school director and believes that good schools should furnish children
the training which will lit them for life's practical and
responsible duties. He votes with the republican party but does
not seek nor desire office, preferring to concentrate his energies
upon his business affairs.
PETER STREIT.
Probably no man is better known throughout northern Illi-
nois as a live-stock breeder and dealer than Peter Streit, who has
made a special study of everything relating to this line of work
and is now a recognized authority on breeding methods and stock
values. He is interested in the scientific aspects of farming and
has applied his theories to the utmost advantage in the management
of his one hundred and sixty acre farm on section 24, May
township. He is a native son of Lee county, born March 31, 1872,
his jjarents being Michael and Margaret (Heser) Streit, natives
of Germany. The father came from that country to Illinois in
1864 and settled in Chicago, where he worked in the sliops until
1866. He then moved to Lee county and settled on a farm in
Sublette township, whereon he coiitinued for two years. At the
end of that time he bought the pro]iorty upon which his son is now
residing and thereafter carried foi'ward the work of its cultiva-
tion imtil his death. He brought the place to a high state of culti-
vation, laying many miles of tiling, fencing and cross fencing his
fields and remodeling and repairing the buildings. He passed
away February 27, 1913. at the age of seventy-two, having survived
his wife since 1900. Both are buried in Sublette cemetery.
They were the parents of nine children : George and John, who
died in infancy and are buried in the Perkins Grove cemeterv;
Catherine, the Avife of Nicholas Jacoby, a farmer in South Dakota
; Mary, who married Peter Koldy, a farmer in Sublette town-
ship; Peter, of this review; Mathias, engaged in farming near