Conrad J. HELD, a well-known and
progressive farmer of Hopewell township, Marshall county,
resides upon section 36, where he owns a fine farm of over seven
hundred acres, all of which he has himself greatly improved. His
father, Conrad HELD, is a native of
On arriving in this country the father
found himself the possessor of only seventy-five dollars in
cash, but with true German grit, he determined to achieve for
himself a home if not a fortune. The land which he purchased was
in a wild state. He first built a log house and then began
clearing and grubbing out the brush. In due course of time, he
had the farm well improved, and built a frame house which is
still standing. He there lived until 1861, when he sold the
place to Enoch SAWYER, and removed to section 25, Hopewell
township, where he purchased a farm of Charles PARKER,
comprising a half section of land partially improved, for which
he paid twenty-five dollars per acre. He fenced the entire tract
and in due time tiled the same and the farm became one of the
most productive in
To Conrad and Apalona HELD were born six
children, three of whom are now living. Mary married William
KOCK, and now resides in Roberts township. They have three
children, Emma, Conrad and Lizzie, the first named now being the
wife of Albert HOFFERT, also residing in Roberts township; Peter
W. married Tillie HOFFERT, by whom he has three children –
Loretta, now the wife of John J. MYERS; Olive and Mary. They
reside on section 25,
Religiously, the father has been a lifelong
member of the Lutheran church, while his wife is a member of the
German Methodist church. Politically, he has always been a
democrat, and while caring nothing for the honors of office, he
has yet served his fellow-citizens in official capacity, serving
three years as supervisor of
He has always taken a great interest in the public schools and has done all in his power to advance their interests. Purely a self-made man, he is entitled to great credit for what he is and what he has been.
On the 2nd of November, 1895, Mr. and Mrs. HELD celebrated their golden wedding, at the residence of their daughter, Mrs. William KOCK. It had not entered the mind of the aged couple to celebrate this event, but their three children determined it should not pass without being properly observed. With the exception of the Rev. William SCHULTZ, of Washburn, there were none present but relatives of the couple to the number of thirty-five. A sumptuous dinner was served, one specially fine cake being contributed by Mrs. Conrad HELD, Jr., which was decorated with monograms. After a very pleasant day and evening being spent all retired to their respective homes with the hope that the father and mother might be spared to celebrate their diamond wedding.
The subject of this sketch, who is the
youngest child living of Conrad and Apalona HELD, was born
January 18, 1851, on the old farm on section 11, Hopewell
township, where the first ten years of his life were spent. The
family then removed to section 25, in the same township, and
there he remained until after attaining his majority. His
primary education was obtained in the district schools, and his
literary training completed at the
After his marriage, our subject was in the
stock business with his father for one year, and in 1874,
settled on his present farm on section 36,
Politically, Mr. HELD is a republican, and
has taken more or less interest in political affairs since
attaining his majority. He has been collector of
Extracted March 2011 by Norma Hass from The Biographical Record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois, 1896.
| Bureau | Putnam | |
| Stark |
 |
La Salle |
| Peoria | Woodford |
