Herman J. Bialeschke. For upward of sixty years the Bialeschke family has had a prominent part in the farming and business activities of southwestern Champaign County. Herman J. Bialeschke came to this county when a small child, industriously followed farming for many years, has played a very vigorous and public spirited part in local affairs, and is now enjoying the comforts of retired life in the village of Sadorus.
He was born in Germany, July 28, 1855, a son of Frederick and Minnie (Nofftz) Bialeschke, who were also natives of the fatherland. In, 1857, when he was about a year old, the parents came to America, first, locating in New York and afterwards in Chicago, and about 1858 settled in Champaign County. His father did farming at Sadorus and for two years lived on the farm of the old pioneer, Henry Sadorus. In 1865 the fruits of his industry enabled him to buy forty acres in section 8 of Pesotum Township. In the past fifty years his name has become associated with the ownership of some of the best farming land in that township and he is still owner of 320 acres. He is now eighty-six years of age and his wife is eighty-eight. This venerable couple had eight children, Herman J. being the oldest. Amelia and Hulda are both deceased; Lafayette and Albert live in Pesotum Township; Emma is the wife of William Bachert, of Pesotum; Martha is the wife of Henry Butzloff, of Indiana; and the youngest child, Elizabeth, died quite young.
Herman J. Bialeschke grew up on his father’s home in Champaign County, attended the local schools, and as a youth learned the trade of carpenter. He followed that only a brief time and began his real career as a farmer on 160 acres of land which he rented. After several years he invested his thrifty savings in ninety acres and lived there five years. He then bought the rest of his present farm, making a place of 179 acres. Still later he bought 160 acres, selling half of it to his brother-in-law and trading the other half for 184 acres near Sadorus. Through the efforts of many years he found himself possessed of a large amount of valuable Champaign County soil. His last purchase was 120 acres in Pesotum Township. Since 1912 Mr. Bialeschke has retired from the active business of farming and has lived in Sadorus.
He married Christina Miller, also a native of Germany, who came to Champaign County when a young girl. Mr. and Mrs. Bialeschke had four children; Frederick, of Pesotum Township; Lilla, wife of Jacob Krumm, of Pesotum; Ida, wife of Alfred Warfle, of Pesotum Township; and Aria, wife of Louis Kaske, of Tolono Township.
The acquisition of a generous material prosperity has not been the sole end and object of Mr. Bialeschke’s efforts. He has always done his part as a citizen, served as township supervisor two years, as road commissioner and assessor, for fifteen years was a member of the drainage board, and for a similar period was a director in the public schools. He did much to perfect the system of drainage in this part of the county. He is a Republican and a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and is active in the Evangelical Reformed Church.