Transcribed by Mary Ann Kaylor

Page 1700

WEHRMAN, HENRY - The stability and reliability of the German-born citizen of America, make them the best kind of men to place in positions of trust and responsibility, a fact long ago recognized by those in authority. One of the men who are proud of the fact that they were born in the Fatherland, is Henry Wehrman, of No. 445 West Carpenter Street, Springfield, for twenty-nine years one of the valued employees of Oak Ridge Cemetery. He was born September 12, 1846, in Baden, Germany, being a son of John and Christina (Leishermer) Wehrman, natives of Germany. The father was a stone mason, working at his trade in Germany, where he and his wife spent their lives. They had four sons and one daughter, Mr. Wehrman and a son in Germany being the only survivors.

Like many of his countrymen, Mr. Wehrman gave four years' service to his country, being in the Franco-Prussian War. He had received a good education in his native land, and had been taught farming. In May, 1872, he sailed to America, which stretched out before him as a land of promise, and while he has not realized all his hopes, he has made his life yield a fair measure of success. Landing in New York, he came direct to Springfield, where he obtained employment on the Hickox farm and remained three two years. For the next two years he was in the employ of the Springfield Rolling Mills, and then entered the employ of the Oak Ridge Cemetery, where he has since remained.

In June, 1872, soon after his arrival in Springfield, he was married to Catherine Boner, also of Germany, where she was born in November, 1851. Her father was a farmer and never came to America. She had a sister and a brother, the latter of whom is deceased, but the former survives, living in Germany. Mr. and Mrs. Wehrman became the parents of four children: Catherine, wife of John Heisinger of Evanston; Paul, in the employ of the Schnepp & Barnes Company, of this city; Margaret, wife of Louis Connover, of Fort Wayne, Ind., and Gustav, of Springfield, There are two grandchildren in the family. Mr. Wehrman is a Democrat. He belong to Trinity German Lutheran Church, and is liberal in his support of it. He owns the family home, which is a beautiful one, as well as several other residences in the city, for he has faith in Springfield and proves it by investing in its realty. He is a reliable, honorable man, whose life had been spent in hard work, and deserves all the affection and respect he has always commanded.