History of Lee County, Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

378 HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY
lowed iu Lis native laud. lu 1879 he removed to Lee county, settling
in Keynolds townsMp upon a farm of one hundred and
sixty acres. His place was located on section 27 and his time
thereafter was devoted to general agricultural pursuits until his
life's labors were ended in death, on the 10th of March, 1913. He
had for a third of a century been a resident of this cormty
and was widely known as a worthy and representative citizen.
His widow survives and is now living with her son John on the
old homestead, at the age of seventy-six years. Although now
well advanced in age she yet enjoys good health, being a well pre-
served woman. In their family were seven children: Charles;
William A. ; Anna E., the wife of William Christian, now of Iowa;
C. M. ; John; Henry; and Katherine, who died at the age of three
years.
Charles Ewald was a lad of eight summers when brought by
his parents to the United States, and for six years thereafter he
lived in Ogle county. At the end of that time the family came
to Lee county, and he has since been a resident of Reynolds town-
ship. He continued under the parental roof until twenty-six years
of age, after which he started out in life on his own account by
renting land. He carefully saved his earnings until his economy
and industry had brought him sufficient capital to enable him to
purchase a farm and in 1899 he invested in three hundred and
twenty acres on sections 22 and 23, Reynolds township. With
characteristic energy he began the further development of the
property. He has here a comfortable residence, in the rear of
which stand good barns and outbuildings, giving ample shelter for
grain and stock. He uses the latest improved machinery in carrying
on the work of the fields and makes a specialty of raising and
breeding Hereford cattle, so that his farm has become known
as the Re}Taolds Stock Farm. He handles only registered stock
and has been the owner of some of the finest Herefords seen in
this part of the state. His annual sales of stock bring him a very
substantial income and, moreover, his labors have been of immense
value in advancing the standards among stock-raisers in
this part of Illinois.
On the 12th of March, 1891, Mr. Ewald was united iu marriage
to Miss Elizabeth Wagiiei", who was born in Reynolds township,
a daughter of Martin and Martha (Henerd) Wagner. Mr.
and Mrs. Ewald have become the parents of five children : Ralph
M., born January 25, 1892; Harry J.. June 12, 1894; Rosa Anna,
July 24, 1897 ; Hilda K., May 21, 1903 ; and Esther E., Septem-