HENRY FUNK is steamboat agent at Hasting's Landing where he is also prosperously engaged in farming, owning and occupying one of the fine farms of Point Precinct. He is a native of this part of Calhoun County, his birth taking place on the 30th of September, 1852. His father, Cornelius Funk, was born in Holland, October 1, 1819, and was a son of another Cornelius Funk, who was a native and life-long resident of that that country. He was twice married and had eighteen children of whom three came to America, the father of our subject and two of his sisters.
The father of our subject commenced life as a sailor at the age of twelve years, and followed the sea seventeen years, during which time he visited various parts of the Old World and the United States. He was evidently favorably impressed with what he saw of this country, as in 1848 he decided to locate here, and left the land of his birth on the 16th of March in the ship "Alhambra," which set sail from Antwerp and arrived at New Orleans on the 3d of June. The vessel was wrecked on the way and the passengers were short of provisions and were obliged to live on short rations. While on that memorable voyage Mr. Funk made the acquaintance of the lady to whom he was afterward married, Maria Eva Bouswine, a native of Germany.
After his arrival in this country, our subject located in St. Louis and was there employed at various kinds of work the ensuing nine years. Coming to Calhoun County at the expiration of that time he bought a tract of timber and brush land for which he paid $100. He improved a part of it and after living on it four years sold it and moved to Richwoods Precinct where he now resides. He has a fine farm there of one hundred and thirty-two acres located one mile north of Batchtown. He and his wife have five children living, namely: Wilhelmina, Henry, Joseph, Maria, and Julia A. The family are well thought of in this community where they live and are among the most consistent members of St. Joseph's Catholic Church.
Henry Funk was the oldest son of his parents, and he was young when they moved to Richwoods Precinct, where he was reared to man's estate, gleaning his education in the local public schools. He assisted his father on the home farm until he was twenty-two years old, when he commenced to work at the trade of a carpenter which he pursued four years. After that we find him in Lincoln County, Mo., where he rented land and continued to reside until early in 1890, when he returned to his native county and bought the farm he now owns and occupies, including Hasting's Landing.
He has here one hundred and thirty-five acres of highly productive well-tilled land, which he is constantly improving. Besides the income derived from his farming operations he makes money from his position as steamboat agent.
To the lady who has assisted him in establishing a neat and comfortable home, Mr. Funk was wedded in 1875. Mrs. Funk was formerly Susan Elizabeth Hagen. She was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1852 and came to America when quite young with her father Garrett Hagen. Mr. and Mrs. Funk have seven children, whom they have named Julia A., Theodore C., George G., Ida J., Charles J., Laurence E.; and Leo Anton who died aged eighteen months. The family are members in good standing of St. Mary's Catholic Church at Brussels. Mr. Funk is an honest, upright man of good repute and is deserving of the success that he has met during a well-spent life.
Extracted 16 Mar 2017 by Norma Hass from Portrait and Biographical Album of Pike and Calhoun Counties, Illinois, published in 1891, pages 392-393
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