Sangamon County ILGenWeb © 2000
In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data and images may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or for other presentation without express permission by the contributor(s).



PAST AND PRESENT OF THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD AND SANGAMON COUNTY ILLINOIS
By Joseph Wallace, M. A.
of the Springfield Bar
The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, IL
1904



EDUARD H. RICHTER. - Eduard H. Richter, who is conducting a meat market at No. 501 North Sixth street, has been a resident of Springfield since 1883. His birth occurred in Ebelsbrunn by the Zwickan, in the kingdom of Saxony, Germany, June 20, 1861, his parents being Eduard and Johanna L. Wilhelmina (Winkelmann) Richter. The father was a coal miner and died in his native country at the age of sixty-seven years, but the mother, who has reached the age of seventy-seven years, is still living on the old homestead in Germany. They were the parents of eight children, and four of the daughters are yet residents of the fatherland, while two of the number have passed away. The other members of the family are Franz, Bernard, and Eduard H., who are residents of Springfield. The former came to America in 1880 and three years later our subject crossed the Atlantic. He had acquired a fair education in the schools of his native country and had learned the butcher's trade there, but realizing that business opportunities were not such as would enable him to either surely or quickly secure a competence and hearing favorable reports from America through his brother, he resolved to seek home and fortune beyond the broad Atlantic.

Making his way at once to Springfield he engaged in mining coal for two years and then turned his attention to agricultural pursuits, operating the eighty acres of land on which the state fair grounds are now situated. When a year had passed in this way he resumed coal mining, which he followed through the succeeding winter, but owing to injuries which he sustained he left the mines and began working at the butcher's trade in the employ of the firm of Franz Brothers, with whom he remained for a year. He was next given employment by Steiger Brothers and from there went to work as a laborer in the building of Reisch's brewery. Mr. Richter erected for himself a home on Bond street in Springfield and afterward worked for George Boehmer in the meat business, while in 1893, with the capital acquired through his own labors he began business on his own account at the corner of Ninth and Reynolds streets. There he remained until he purchased a lot at No. 501 North Sixth street and erected his present building. In addition to his store building he erected a large barn and later he purchased residence property on the same street. He also owns houses on North Ninth street, having made judicious investment of his savings in real estate, the rental from which materially increases his income. He conducted a retail meat market and has a large number of patrons, giving his personal supervision to the details of his business.

In 1883, in Springfield, Mr. Richter was united in marriage to Miss Margaret Schlichting, who came to America at the same time her husband crossed the Atlantic. Their union has been blessed with seven children: Willie, Johannah, George, Eduard, Carl, Max and Margaret, all of whom were born in Springfield and now attend the German Lutheran school.

Since becoming a naturalized American citizen Mr. Richter has given his support to the Republican party, but has never been an office seeker. He and his wife hold membership in the German Lutheran church and he is a member of the Arion Club and of the Retail merchants' Association. His business career has been one of continuous activity and his persistency of purpose has been one of the salient features in his success. When he left the little German home across the sea he was strongly imbued with the determination to work his way upward and never has he faltered in carrying out this resolution. He realizes that in America labor is king and that the man who resolutely sets to work to accomplish a purpose is certain of success if he has but the qualities of perseverance, untiring energy and practical common sense. In none of these was Mr. Richter lacking, and therefore he has won a creditable position among the business men of his adopted city.



Return to 1904 Biographies Index
Return to Sangamon County ILGenWeb