History of Lee County, Illinois - Bushnell Historical Society

HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY 55
daughters, Leona and Katherine. Mr. Diirkes is a member of the
Elks and Knights of Pythias lodges and is a prominent Mason,
having attained the Knight Templar degree in the Uixon Comniandery,
while he is also a member of the Mystic Shrine. His
geniality and unfeigned cordiality have made him popular, while
his tireless energy, keen perception, honesty of purpose and genius
for devising the right thing at the right time have gained him a
prominent place among the foremost business men of Lee county.
PHILIP NIEBERCIALL.
Since 1884 Philix3 Niebergall has lived upon his fann of two
hundred and sixty-three aei^es on sections 22 and 15, Wyoming
township, and he has made this o]ie of the finest agricultm-al
properties in this locality. He was born in Linn county, Iowa,
June 5, 1855, and is a son of John and Catherine (Trautwein)
NiebergaU, the former of whom came from Germany about the year
1840 and settled in Wisconsin, where he worked as a monthly
laborer. He afterward moved to Iowa and in 1866 went to LaSalle
count}', Illinois, where he resided until his death, which occurred
April 17, 1908. His wife survives him and makes her home in
Mendota, Illinois.
Philip NiebergaU acquired his education in the public schools
of Iowa and LaSalle county, Illinois, attending until he was twenty-
one years of age. During this time, however, he spent only a short
period in each year in school, for during the summer months he
assisted his father with the work of the farm, remaining at home
until almost thirty years of age. He then married and came to Lee
county, where he purchased his present property, whereon he has
since carried on the work of improvement and cultivation along
progressive and practical lines. He has erected excellent buildings
upon the place, including a comfortable residence, barns and sheds,
and has neglected nothing which would add to the attractive
appearance or the value of the place. In addition to general farm-
ing he is also interested in stock-raising, ever}^ year shipping stock
to the eastern markets.
In Paw Paw, Illinois, on the 15th of April, 1885, Mr. NiebergaU
was united in marriage to Miss Elva Uleine, a daughter of S. H.
and Gertrude (Sharpe) Uleine, the former a pioneer farmer of Lee
county. The father passed away in 1910 and is buried in Wyoming