My Genealogy Hound

Charles Reinhard, a leading merchant of Union, Mo., was born in Prussia, May 1, 1829, and is the son of Nicholas and Louisa (Frohwein) Reinhard, both natives of Germany. The Reinhard family were originally of Huguenot descent, our subject’s great grandfather having been one of the Protestants driven from France at the time of the exile of the Huguenots from that country. He settled in Germany. The name was originally Renard. The mother’s ancestors on both sides were from Holland. The parents of Charles immigrated to America in 1848, and landed at New Orleans. From that point they worked their way up the river into Missouri, and located in Gasconade County, near Hermann, and in that county passed the remainder of their days, the father’s death preceding that of the mother’s. For five months after reaching Gasconade County, Charles was in the employ of Theodore Bates, during which time he learned the English language and accustomed himself to American habits and peculiarities. He next began work as a carpenter, and in the spring of 1852 located in Union. He soon afterwards engaged in merchandising, at which he continued successfully until interrupted by the late Civil War, when his business was broken up by both the Confederate and the Federal raiding parties, and was wrecked financially, he losing not only his own fortune thereby, but considerable funds held in trust by him as guardian for orphan children, and he emerged from the war period with little save a good name and sound credit. He at once re-engaged in business, which he has continued up to the present, and is now proprietor of one of the best general stores in Franklin County. He has long since recovered from his financial troubles, having paid back every sum held in trust by him. In 1864 he was nominated and elected treasurer of Franklin County, and until 1870 discharged the duties of that office in a highly creditable and satisfactory manner. In 1853 he was united in marriage to Miss Christina, daughter of Paulus Dress; she was born in 1840, and by her marriage became the mother of eight children, six of whom are now living.