History of Lee County, Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
Viola township aud began its furtlier development. After two
years he sold that property and bought another farm of one hundi'ed
and twenty acres two and one-half miles from West Brook-
lyn. This was in the year 189-i. He continued upon that place
until 1900, when he removed to West Brooklyn and established a
Imnber and coal business which he now conducts. In the year
1907 he extended the scope of his activities by adding a stock of
furniture. In 1908 he purchased the Fox & Hamilton building at
Compton and opened a furniture and house-furnishing business
which is in charge of Mrs. Bernardin. In .
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his yards at West
Brooklyn he carries an extensive stock of lumber, doors, sash,
blinds, cedar posts and poles, coal, lime, cement and stone. He is
an active factor in conunercial circles here and, moreover, he has
done much for the upbuilding of the town. In addition to the conduct
of his lumber and coal yard and his furniture store he has
erected three different residences.
It was on starting out in life independently that Mr. Bernardin
was married in Bradford township, February 7, 1893, to
Miss Mary A. Mehlhausen, a native of Germany, daughter of
August and Margaret Mehlhausen, who emigrated to America and
became farming people of this county and are now residents of
West Brooklyn. Mrs. Bernardin has been of great assistance to
her husband and shows excellent business ability in the management
of the store at Compton. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Bernardin
have been born three children: Palmere S., Kathryn T. and
Joseph A., all residing at home.
Mr. Bernardin is a democrat in his political views. He has
served as justice of the peace and has been judge of election for
six years. He belongs to the Knights of Columbus, his member-
ship being in the Amboy Lodge. He has made a most ci'editable
record since he turned from agricultural to commercial pursuits,
proving himself to be a wide-awake business man of indefatigable
energy and of most creditable persistency of purpose.
JACOB J. WAGNER, Jr.
Jacob J. Wagner, Jr., is the owner of an excellent farm of one
hundred and sixty acres on section 35, Ashton township, and in
the cultivation of this property has gained a success which places
him among the representative and able agriculturists of the local-