PAST & PRESENT OF BUREAU COUNTY, ILLINOIS

Pioneer Publishing 1906, Chicago, IL

p 764

HENRY HURST, SR.

Among the citizens of foreign birth living in Bureau county whose loyalty to America and her institutions makes them valued residents of this locality Henry Hurst, who was born in Prussia, February 13, 1831, a son of Christian and Carolina Hurst. His father, too, was a native of Prussia but i the maternal line Mr. Hurst comes of Swedish descent. His was educated in the public schools and after putting aside his text-books he learned the mason's trade, mastering the business of making both brick and stone structures.He followed that pursuit until he came to America, where he arrived on the 10^th of July, 1859. His father was a driver of one of the wagons during the Franco-Prussian war.

The favorable reports which Henry Hurst received concerning America and its opportunities led him to seek his fortune in the United States, and after coming to this country he again worked at the mason's trade. He first settled at Princeton, where he arrived with just ten cents in his pocket, so that necessity demanded immediate employment After a brief period, however, he went to Iowa, where he remained for two and a half years, and while there he erected a schoolhouse and many other good buildings. In 1862 he returned to Princeton, were he again worked at his trade, while later he and his step-father rented some land ad began farming. Success attended him n this venture, so that he was afterward enabled to purchase and in Manlius township, which eh bought at twenty dollars an acre. Since then he has added to his farm until he now has three hundred and and twenty acres, having paid sixty-two dollars per acre for the last land which he bought on section 13. It is now worth more than one hundred dollars per acre and in fact is one of the valuable and well improved farms of the locality, owing to the labor he has bestowed upon it and the natural rise in property due to the rapid settlement of the state.

Mr. Hurst has been married twice. On the 19^th of January, 1863, he wedded Miss Augusta Tuhl, a native of Prussia, and they became parents of four children who are yet living: Clara M., born October 7, 1864; Martha, born April 8, 1867; Albert, born July 18, 1869; and Rose, born May 15, 1877. They also lost twins, Emma and John, the former dying in January, 1874, and the latter in September, 1875. Mrs. Hurst departed this life January 1, 1879, and on the 20^th of June, 1880, Mr. Hurst married Miss Amelia Kraft, of Wyanet, Illinois. They have two children: Heinrich f., born March 24, 1881; and Emma F. E., born June 4, 1887. One fo the daughters, Martha, is now the wife of Oscar Nelson, a farmer, and has two children: Clara, who is a teacher; and Earl, at home. One of the sons, Albert Hurst, married Miss Elizabeth Hartz, of God township, and they have four children: Lillie, Chester, Clara and Virgil. Heinrich F. Hurst married Miss Nina Hewitt, is a farmer of Greenville township and has one child, Lucile, born in February, 1905.

Mr. Hurst has served as school director for many years and believes in employing competent teachers and in upholding a high standard of education. He is a republican and is a member of the German Lutheran church, of which he has served as trustee. He has never had occasion to regret his determination to try his fortune in America, for here he has found the business opportunities he has sought and through his persistent and earnest labor has advanced steadily toward the goal of success and at the same time has gained a good home and made many friends, so that altogether his residence in America has been a most pleasant one and now in the evening of life he has a competence sufficient for old age.