This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: EMMINGA, ALBERS, FRANZEN Classification: Biography Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/Wg.2ADE/7484 Message Board Post: Quincy and Adams County History and Representative Men (Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co., 1919) Emminga One of the most interesting communities in Adams County is the Town of Golden. For a number of years after its establishment during Civil war times at the junction of the Wabash and Burlington Railroads the village was known as Keokuk Junction. In and around the village have lived some of the most substantial and high minded families. A number of them bear names reflecting an origin in the lowlands of Northern Europe, those countries around the North Sea which in the course of centuries have had many national ownerships, including Holland, Denmark and Germany, though as a people and by racial affiliations they might properly be grouped as "Netherlanders". The particular section which furnished this little Adams County colony was the old principality of East Friesland, so that these people might be known as Friesians. This country is now part of the German Empire, but at one time was a Holland Dutch province and later an independent principality. One of the old families in East Friesland was Emminga, many of whom have been identified with church, educational and other public affairs for centuries. Henrich R. Emminga was born in East Friesland in 1829. He was a millwright by occupation. He married Margaretha H. Franzen, who was born in 1824, and her father, Harm H. Franzen, served with the allies against Napoleon and fought at Waterloo. Several of the Franzen family became prominent in Golden, including Cobus Franzen, who was a well known miller. Henrich R. Emminga came to America, landing at New Orleans, and reached the little community in Northeast Township of Adams County where Golden is now located in February, 1852. Here his services found reciprocal benefits for himself and the community as a millwright and miller, He was especially expert in building that type of mills for which the lowlands of Northern Europe are famous, the mills operated by wind power, the "Dutch mindmills". He built and operated several mills in this part of Illinois. In 1863 he returned to his native land and his wife died there in 1868. In 1872 he came back to America, but was content to remain only seven years. He died in East Friesland in 1888 and was laid to rest beside his wife. Some of the work of this old time mill builder in Adams County still remains. The windmill which he erected two miles east of Golden in the early '50s is still in operation. The Village of Golden itself has the mill which he erected during the '70s a! nd is still doing service. He and his wife had three children: Harm H., Volkea, who married Weert J. Buss, of Golden; and Anna, who married Menne Gronewold, of Golden. One of the citizens of Adams County whose lives were closely associated with its improvement and development and whose memory deserves to last was the late Harm H. Emminga, who died December 9, 1915. He was a man of great business enterprise, very successful as a miller, banker and property owner. He was born in East Friesland December 25, 1850, and his first conscious recollections were of the old home in Adams County. At the age of twelve he accompanied his parents back to Germany and was nearly grown when he returned to this country with his father. From that time forward all his activities and interests were centered in the community of Golden. He had a good common school education, though most of it had been acquired in the old country. It is said that he could never become interested in agriculture, never learned to hitch up a horse, and was most at home in commercial affairs. He was well trained to the milling industry and was proprietor of the Prairie Mills at! Golden from 1879. Those mills were operated by wind power and were noted for the excellence of their product. He also bought and shipped grain, and in 1889 he erected a modern flour mill with a complete roller process, known as the New Era Mills. His broad minded business enterprise is reflected in the fact that he did not seek to market the product of these mills in this country, but sent them abroad to Holland, France and Great Britain and also the West India Islands. He was responsible for giving Golden its first bank, opening the People's Exchange Bank July 1, 1894. This bank was at first located in the same building in which he had his milling and grain offices. The building was erected in 1891, and later was fitted up for its special use as a bank. In 1904 he erected a modern banking house. THe late Mr Emminga was deeply interested in local affairs, and it was largely through his leadership and influence among the people that the community consented to issue bonds for a modern public school building in 1898. He was always deeply concerned in matters of education and was one of the prominent supporters of the Lutheran Protestant Church of Golden, and helped finance and gave his personal supervision to the rebuilding of the church in 1904. H. H. Emminga was known among his contemporaries as a scholar, being thoroughly versed in books as well as in men of affairs, was cultured by extensive travel, and the full breadth of his intere! sts and attainments were not appreciated even by his most intimate friends. In 1872 H. H. Emminga married Miss Maria Gembler. She was born in San Antonio, Texas, December 12, 1854. Her father, Johan Jacob Gembler, was one of many Germans who sought homes in Texas during the '40s, arriving there about 1847. Mrs H. H. Emminga is still living at Golden. She was the mother of two children. The daughter, Margaret, born April 5, 1873, was educated at St Mary's Convent at Quincy and is still at home with her mother. John Jacob Emminga, who is the successor of his father in many business enterprises at Golden, was born in that village May 30, 1875. He was educated in the local public schools, and the Gem City Business College at Quincy, and at the age of sixteen became associated with his father in the milling office. At eighteen he entered his father's bank and those two lines of business have occupied his time and energies to the present time. In 1913 the milling industry was incorporated. Besides the bank at Golden there is a branch maintained at La Prairie. Mr John H. Emminga is a republican, though he takes no interest in politics as a means of self advancement for the sake of holding office. He attends and supports the West Side Lutheran Church. In 1916 Mr Emminga married Miss Annie V. Albers, who represents another prominent Friesian family of Northeast Township. She was born at Golden and is a daughter of Lubbe U. Albers, who was the first station agent at Keokuk Junction and in many other ways was prominently identified with the history of that community. (NB: I just transcribe these bios, I don't write them. Spellings, historical information, etc are as they are in the original sources.)