Johann Joseph MERDIAN, deceased, was a man
of marked individuality, and a pioneer of
While yet residing in
A new difficulty now confronted him. He had
not the means with which to defray the expenses of the return
trip of the family, and therefore determined on leaving his wife
and children until he could save enough with which to send for
them. A short time after his arrival in
With a portion of the five hundred dollars
so providently secured, Mr. MERDIAN purchased forty acres of
land, which became the nucleus for the large landed possession
which he owned at the time of his death. With zeal and energy,
he commenced the improvement of his place, and in addition to
his farming operations he worked at his trade, carrying on a
shop on his farm. After fifty years’ use one or two of his
wagons are still seen in
As fast as his means would permit, Mr. MERDIAN purchased other tracts of land until he owned over thirteen hundred acres, about four hundred of which was in his home farm, and included one hundred and sixty acres two miles north of Henry, two farms of eighty and one hundred acres each in Whitefield township, one hundred and sixty acres in Minonk, and one hundred and thirty acres near the home place. He was a thorough and practical farmer, confining himself to no special department of farm work. While raising from fifty to sixty head of cattle and some other stock, he devoted himself largely to raising grain. Success crowned his efforts, and at the time of his death his estate was valued at over seventy-five thousand dollars.
To Mr. and Mrs. MERDIAN thirteen children
were born, three dying in infancy, and one, Christina, at the
age of nine years. The living are Joseph, of
One of the most enjoyable occasions in the
life of Mr. and Mrs. MERDIAN was the celebration of their golden
wedding in 1888. In addition to their own family many relatives
and friends were present to shower their congratulations upon
them as they reached the fiftieth milestone in their wedded
life. Forty-five of the fifty years were spent in
Politically Mr. MERDIAN was a life-long
democrat, and while caring nothing for public office, took an
active interest in political affairs, and kept well posted in
the current political events of the day. Religiously he was a
faithful and consistent member of the Catholic church, of which
body his wife has been a life member, and both were well
grounded in the faith. On coming to
Age was now creeping on, the strong man of 1843 began to weaken, and on the 8th of March, 1893, he quietly surrendered his spirit to the God who gave it, and entered upon his reward. The funeral services, which were largely attended, were conducted by Rev. Father BAAK. While living quietly and peacefully among his fellow-citizens, his life work affords a useful lesson to the rising generation in showing the possibilities that may be attained by the poorest in this favored land. His estate, estimated at over seventy-five thousand dollars, was divided according to the terms of his will, his beloved wife being the executrix.
Extracted May 2011 by Norma Hass from The Biographical Record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois, 1896.
| Bureau | Putnam | |
| Stark |
 |
La Salle |
| Peoria | Woodford |
