Jacob Z. Bechtold, one of the well known business men of
Girard, Illinois, where he conducts a real estate and renting agency, is a
citizen whose business capacity and enterprising spirit make him valued in
the town's commercial circles. He was born October 15, 1868, near Mount Joy,
Pennsylvania, and is one of a family of seven children born to his parents,
William and Elizabeth (Brubaker) Bechtold.
Our subject attended the
common schools in his native locality and in 1881 accompanied his mother to
Illinois. She settled in Girard, where she died January 18, 1882. In 1889
Mr. Bechtold came to Macoupin County, where he followed farming during the
daytime and completed his education in the night schools.
In 1894
our subject came to Girard from Divernon, Illinois, and engaged in the
grocery business in partnership with J. W. and J. F. Stutzman, continuing
until 1898. In December, 1898, he became the manager of a business
enterprise known as the Model Grocery, which he conducted until 1901. In the
following year he began to deal in real estate and on December 23, 1903,
opened his present convenient offices in Girard. Mr. Bechtold has a wide
acquaintance and a circle of friends who have known him in a business way
for years. He has their confidence and esteem and has had much encouragement
in his present enterprise. He handles both city and country property, rents,
sells, buys and exchanges, and some of the choicest city and farming lands
have been profitably placed in his hands.
Mr. Bechtold was married
October 9, 1895, to Barbara Catharine Pefley, who was born December 18,
1869, and is a daughter of Daniel B. Pefley. Mrs. Bechtold's father was born
September 14, 1819, in Virginia and died at his home in Girard, February 7,
1879. He married Aneliza Wrightsman, who was born in Virginia, October 6,
1829; she resides with our subject in Girard. Our subject and wife have
three children, viz: Paul F., born August 17, 1896; Ray H., born April 22,
1898; and Frank, born February 6, 1900. The family belong to the German
Baptist Brethren Church. They have a pleasant home in the northwest part of
the city, where they have many agreeable social connections. In politics,
Mr. Bechtold is a Prohibitionist.
Extracted 2018 May 07 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 178-179.
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