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Below is a family biography included in The History of McLean County, Illinois published by Wm. LeBaron, Jr. Co. in 1879.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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JACOB MUSSELMAN, blacksmith and wagon-shop, Danvers; was born in Baden Baden, near the river Rhine, March 7, 1827; he emigrated to America in 1848, and first settled in Butler Co., Ohio; soon after coming, he struck a job of harvesting at 25 cents per day; he was thus employed fourteen days, working hard and living high on side-meat, cucumbers, molasses and biscuit; this was served out faithfully every day without change; he soon after engaged to work at his trade for a Mr. Fisher at $6 per month; but Fisher failed after some six or eight months, and he lost all his wages; this financial disaster left him $16 in debt for a suit of clothes contracted; however, he soon found employment and cleared off the debt; in October, 1853, he came to Danvers, where he at present resides; at that time, Bloomington was but a village, adorned by only two brick houses; the surrounding country was but sparsely settled; after buying his lots, erecting his house and shop, and laying in a small supply of material, he had but 1 cent left. He was married in 1853 to Melinda Erisman, a native of Hesse, Germany; eight children have been born to them — Henry, William, John, Henry, Frederick, Louis, Charles, Mary; these are all living excepting the first son named Henry. He has held the office of Road Commissioner one or two terms.

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This family biography is one of 1257 biographies included in The History of McLean County, Illinois published by Wm. LeBaron, Jr. Co. in 1879.  View the complete description here: The History of McLean County, Illinois

View additional McLean County, Illinois family biographies here: McLean County, Illinois Biographies

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