George Castendyck

GEORGE CASTENDYCK, a farmer and stock raiser of Hall township, is one of the worthy citizens that Germany has furnished to Bureau county. He was born September 2, 1824, in Werdorf, Coblentzon the Rhine, Prussia, a son of Frederick and Louise (Hoffmann) Castendyck, who spent their entire lives in that country. For over ten years the father held a high official position under the government. His death occurred in 1854, at the age of sixty-five years, and his wife died at the age of eighty-four. In their family were eight children, four sons and four daughters, namely: Fanny, Charles, Caroline, Joanna, Wilhelm, Louis, Wilhelmina and George. The two youngest are the only ones now living, Wilhelmina being a resident of Germany.

Before leaving his native land, George Cas tendyck served in the Prussian army, and was preparing to enter the government employ when he and his brother Louis determined to come to America, where they arrived in June, 1849. They are the only ones of the family who ever came to this country. In July, 1851, they lived in Erie, Pennsylvania, and then came to Bureau county, where they purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land at seven dollars and a half per acre — the tract on which our subject now resides. The following year they secured a like amount at the same price and to-day Mr. Cas tendyck is the owner of four hundred and twenty acres of highly cultivated and well improved land. To general farming and stock raising they devoted their time and attention, having a fine grade of Norman horses upon their place and in their undertaking were remarkably successful. For many years Louis resided with our subject, but is now deceased.

In the spring of 1852, in Bureau county, was celebrated the marriage of George Castendyck and Mary Betz, who was born May 12, 1827, in Engelstadt, Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, and died in July, 1863. She was the daughter of Adam and Elizabeth Betz. Her father was a soldier under Napoleon Bonaparte, the great emperor and conqueror, and participated in the world famed battles of Austerlitz and Jena, besides a number of other important engagements. By occupation he was a farmer. He came to the United States in 1844, and died at Peru, Blinois, in March, 1864, at the age of eighty-two years. Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Casten dyck, namely: Charles, now of Peru, married Minnie Wagenkencht, by whom he has three children, Lillie, Essie and Otto; Louisa married Andrew Hummel, and lives on a farm near Spencer, Iowa; William, also residing near that place, married Carrie Knapp; Otto married Clara Hamel, by whom he has one son, Charles, and is engaged in the agricultural implement business in LaSalle, Illinois; and Gustav is now managing the home farm for his father.

Mr. Castendyck was again married October 15, 1865, his second union being with Charlotte Stuhl, who was born December 7, 1839, in Hamfenfeld, Bavaria, Germany, and is a daughter of Frederick and Marguerite (Fetzer) Stuhl, of Germany, where they were born, reared their family and continued to make their home. The father visited America, but returned to the Fatherland, where his death occurred in December, 1889, at the age of eighty-one years. The mother is still living in that country at the advanced age of eighty-three. Mrs. Castendyck is the oldest in their family of nine children, the others being Mrs. Louisa Mize; Augusta, wife of Henry Piscgardor; Lena; Helen, wife of Robert Hattenhauer, of LaSalle, Illinois, who is the only one of the family besides Mrs. Castendyck to come to America; Mrs. Wilhelmina George; Robert, the only son; Paulina, who died at the age of twenty; and Marie, who is still with her mother. By his second marriage, Mr. Castendyck has three children — Joanna, at home; Ferdinand who assists in the operation of the home farm; and Fannie, wife of William Seaton, of Butler county, Kansas, by whom she has two children, Arthur and Willie.

Entirely independent in politics, Mr. Castendyck is bound by no particular platform or creed and votes for men, not measures. He has filled a number of school offices and for twelve y ears faithfully served as justice of the peace. He is universally respected and deservedly ranks among the best men of Bureau county, with whose interests he has been prominently identified for almost half a century.

As printed in The Biographical record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois .. (1896). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.