Charles Klaus, a member of the board of directors of the Nilwood
State Bank and one of the prosperous farmers of Macoupin county, can
claim descent from Teutonic ancestry on both sides of the house and much
of his success has been due to those habits of thrift and perseverance
which are prominent traits of the German people. He is a native of
Illinois, born at Nilwood; June 6, 1858,
a son of George and
Theresa (Metz) Klaus, both of whom were born in Alsace-Lorraine,
Germany. The father, seeking to improve his condition, came to America
and located at Nilwood, where he ran a shoe shop and also operated a
boarding house for a number of years. In 1865 he removed to a farm in
Nilwood township and devoted his attention to agriculture and
stockraising there until 1880 when he took up his residence on a place
nearer the village, where he died four years later. He possessed many
sterling personal qualities and presented an example of industry and
fidelity to worthy objects well deserving of imitation by old and young.
In the public schools of Nilwood Charles Klaus secured good
advantages of education and continued at his studies until seventeen
years of age. He then began devoting his entire attention to farm work
under his father and remained upon the home farm until 1885, when he
purchased one hundred and forty acres in Nilwood township, south of
Nilwood, upon which he established his permanent home. He has been in
possession of his farm for more than twenty-five years and by diligent
and persistent cultivation of the fields and careful rotation of crops
he produced a liberal annual income. Pie has made many excellent
improvements, including the erection of buildings, fences, and the
putting in of tile for drainage, and can claim one of the most
attractive farms in this part of the county. He possesses an intimate
knowledge of agriculture and stock-raising as he has been closely
identified with this branch ever since his earliest recollection. He is
also a stockholder and director of the Nilwood State Bank.
On
March 6, 1884, in Girard township, Mr. Klaus was married to Miss Emma S.
Kune, who was born in Shaws Point township, a daughter of Christian and
Louisa (Kasten) Kune, both of the parents being natives of Germany.
Ever since casting his first ballot Mr. Klaus has supported the
principles and candidates of the republican party. He has taken an
active interest in elections and has served as highway commissioner and
state game warden, displaying an ability that met the hearty approval of
the people irrespective of their political affiliation. He is a strong
believer in the Bible and a consistent member of the Evangelical
Lutheran church. His life has been characterized by diligence,
enterprise and perseverance, and no man in Nilwood township possesses in
a higher degree the confidence of the people than the one whose record
is herewith briefly presented.
Extracted 18 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 683-684.
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