Biography - George Schinzler
GEORGE SCHINZLER. Our subject is one of the many representatives of the
Teutonic race in this country who have brought into our American commercial
and agricultural life a new impetus of penetrating foresight that has
accumulated for its possessors vast fortunes and honorable positions. The
German element is honorably represented in every branch of American life. In
its government, its literary, social and commercial and social relations, it
has held the most responsible positions. As his name would indicate, our
subject is a native of Bavaria, Germany, where he was born October 27, 1826.
He is now the owner of a fine farm located in Flat Branch Township.
Mr. Schinzler is the proprietor of three hundred and twenty acres of land,
upon which he resides and which he devotes to general farming. This tract
bears all modern agricultural improvements and upon it is a pleasant and
attractive residence besides other farm buildings. He also has twenty acres
on another section. His purchase was made in the fall of 1869 and he has
since changed the face of his land from a flower-spangled prairie to acres
yellow in the warm July sun with waving grains. He came to this township
from Rose Township, where he owned and improved eighty acres, living on it
for six or seven years. Two years previous to his purchase of this
last-named tract he leased and ran the poor farm of the county. He came here
from Pennsylvania, where he had settled soon after his arrival in this
country from Germany.
He of whom we write is of German ancestry. His parents were Michael and
Barbara (Crofft) Schinzler, both natives of Bavaria, where they lived and
died aged respectively seventy-two and seventy years. Religiously their
inclinations and membership were with the Catholic Church. Our subject and a
brother, Lawrence, were the only members of the family that came to this
country and both are now farmers in this county. Mr. Schinzler left Germany
in March, 1856, taking a sailing vessel from Havre de Grace. They landed in
New York City and came thence to Harrisburg, Pa., where they lived two and a
half years. They then came to Illinois, where our subject took the next
important step in his life in marrying Miss Mary E. Sprinkle. Their marriage
was celebrated in March, 1864. She was born in Richland County, Ohio, May
16, 1843, and is a daughter of Eli and Elizabeth (Jennings) Sprinkle,
natives of Pennsylvania and Ohio, and married in the latter State, where
they were engaged in farming. In 1849 they went to Indiana and spent four
years in Adams County. They then came to Shelby County, and here Mr. and
Mrs. Sprinkle passed the remainder of their lives, dying at the ages
respectively of sixty-five and sixty-eight years. They were members of the
United Brethren Church.
Mrs. Schinzler, wife of our subject, was only ten years of age when her
parents came to this State and she has since lived in the county wherein
they then settled. She is the mother of twelve children, three of whom are
deceased. The deceased children are: Eliza, aged five years; John, aged six
years; Mary I., who was the wife of D. E. Middleton, now also deceased. The
living children are: Elizabeth, Joseph, George L., Grant, Anna, Jane,
William, Pearl, Marion and Roy. Elizabeth is the wife of Harvey Tritt. They
live on a farm in Christian County, this State. Joseph is a bachelor and the
proprietor of a good farm in this township. George L. Grant remains at home
and he is his father's assistant in running the farm. The other children
have none of them yet left the parental roof. Mr. and Mrs. Schinzler attend
the Presbyterian Church and are helpers and co-laborers in any good cause
that promises to develop and benefit the neighborhood.
Extracted 17 Jun 2019 by Norma Hass from 1891 Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie Counties Illinois, pages 644-645.
