John Jacob Weidenhammer, one of the oldest and best known citizens of Galesburg, died at the home of his son William Weidenhammer at 1127 Grand Avenue this morning at 5:15 after an illness of nearly four months. Although his death has been expected for several days, yet it was learned with much sadness by his many relatives and friends. Though he had not been well for several months, suffering from stomach trouble, he was confined to his bed only since two weeks ago last Monday, when he had a sinking spell at the new church which is being built on Blaine Avenue where the ambulance was called to take him home. His illness dates back to 1862 when as a member of Company I, 84th Ill. Volunteers, when he suffered an attack of hemorrhage of the stomach and bowels. The trouble has followed him ever since and he was discharged from his company at Benton Barracks in St. Louis in 1863 because he was unable to go with his regiment.
Mr. Weidenhammer was conscious to within a few minutes of his death and was cheerful and willing to go, knowing that his time had come. There were present at his bedside his wife and several of his children and grandchildren.
Mr. Weidenhammer was born near Reading, PA, 10 Feb 1828 and came to the state of Illinois with his parents in the spring of 1837. They settled near Quincy on the farm of Nat Sommers. His father died there in September 1842. On 23 Nov 1846 he was married to Elizabeth Glenn at the home of Peter Felt near Quincy and to this union were born thirteen children, eight of whom are now living. In the fall of 1852 he purchased a farm east of Golden and the next year moved his family to it. There he farmed successfully for several years and Quincy was the market where he sold all the farm products and the stock had to be driven there to market, the trip requiring several days. While engaged in farming there, he also had a coal mine and the coal was sent to Keokuk, Iowa, for market. He then moved to Golden where he was engaged in the mercantile business for a short time, after which he moved to Fowler and followed the same business there for a while. In September 1878 he moved his family to Galesburg and has made this his home up to the time of his death. For a number of years, he was employed in the CB&Q shops and later worked as a teamster.
Mr. Weidenhammer was a prohibitionist in politics, and always worked for a better city government. He was a kind and generous man and was always ready to give to those who were in need. He took great pride in his family and in his descendants, and in naming them over to his family, he counted an even hundred, which represented four generations. On 23 Nov 1896 he celebrated his golden wedding anniversary at his home in this city, and there were five generations represented, his mother, who died some five years ago, being present at the time. He was a member of the Seven Day Adventist Church of this city, to which church he has belonged for the past seven years. Previous to that time, he had for several years been a member of the First Baptist Church. During his last illness, he has had the care of a trained nurse, Miss Marie Erdmin of Chicago.
To mourn his death he leaves his wife, three daughters: Mrs. Elizabeth Straub and Mrs. Frances Jagger of this city, and Mrs. Cora Haggenjos, of East Galesburg. Five sons, J H, Charles, and William of Galesburg; Albert of Kansas City, KS, and Fred of Lincoln, Nebraska, besides numerous grand children and great grandchildren and a host of relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by two sons, John Chancey and William McKindree Weidenhammer, and two daughters, Martha Louise and Rosa G Weidenhammer.