Posted on: Hancock Co. Il Bios Forum Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Il/HancockBios/18 Surname: Albers, Ficken, Lange, Knoop ------------------------- Autobiography written by Claus Albers in 1889. The Albers family lived in north Benton County from 1839 to 1847. Claus Albers and my ancestor Peter Ficken married sisters Rebecca and Gesche Knoop. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "I Claus Albers was born Nov. 25th 1817 Amt Zeven Kingdom of Hannover Germany. I was the eldest son of John Dietrich and Sophia Albers nee Lange, who were the possessors and owners of the old family homestead - the 'Hollenhof' a farm containing about 600 acres. My father moved to this country about 1853, came to Warsaw, Ills. and bought and resided on the farm now owned by Claus Henry Albers of St Louis. My mother died of consumption in Germany in 1834. My father died of dropsy in 1863 and his remains lie buried in the farm near Warsaw Ills. where my stepmother still resides with the Jagels family. I came to America in 1836. Rebecca Knoop my wife was born Dec 26th 1818 at Oldendorf - Kingdom of Hannover Germany. She was the second child of John and Anna Knoop who were half owners of the Bruemmerhof near Hollenhof. Rebecca Knoop came to America with her parents, brothers, and sisters in 1838. My wife's father died of bilious fever in Benton County, Mo in 1843. Her mother died near Versailles, Mo of dropsy of the heart in 1869. We Claus Albers and Rebecca Knoop were united in marriage 1839 in Cincinnati, and moved to St Louis Mo where I engaged in the grocery business for a half year and then removed to a farm in Benton County Mo near my wife's parents and brothers, where we resided about 8 years in the primitive fashion of the pioneers, in a log house first consisting of one room but soon enlarged to two. Here I shot turkeys from the door and deer from the farm yard. At this place in 1844 we united with the German M. E. Church, having previously been members of the Lutheran Church, and our house became a preaching station for the Methodists, until the little society consisting of about eight families built a log church on our farm. In 1847 we moved to Milwaukee Wisconsin & from there to Racine residing in each place only a few weeks. In racine our eldest child John Dietrich died of measles. We then moved to Nauvoo Ill - also in 1847 - travelling in a covered wagon drawn by an ox team. In Nauvoo I dealt in general merchandise and traded with the surviving Mormons - all of whom had not been driven from the state and whose magnificent temple was burned during our residence there. At this place our child Rebecca died - aged 9 months. In 1851 we moved to Warsaw Ill residing & doing a general merchandise business in the brick store on Main Street near the corner of Third St and there resided until the spring of 1863 when we moved to our present home on the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi. About 1854 I built a flouring mill on the site of the present Grace Mills having four runs of burrs and about 200 barrels daily capacity. In Nov. 1855 this mill was destroyed by fire. I at once began preparations for rebuilding, and having at this time practically no capital I named the mill "Grace Mills" because by the Grace of God alone could I hope to suceed. This mill was established in 1856 and had a capacity of 250 to 300 barrels per day. It was managed by me with the assistance of my sons, and at times with different partners with varying success. At one time I was worth probably $50,000, but upon the introduction of the roller system of milling about 1880 - not having capital to make the change my business steadily became more improfitable, and finally in 1883 I made an assignment for the benefit of all my creditors. The farm on Main Street about one mile from our residence, long owned by me and a preserver of my health was sold to Claus Henry Albers of St Louis, and my principal occupation since has been to care for & manage this farm. The mill being sold was purchased & managed by my sons Chas. & Wm. Edwd. who remodeled the mill to the roller system. The entire mill was destroyed by fire Jan. 1887 but was rebuilt the same year by the "Warsaw Milling Co." a corporation which now under the management of Chas. & Wm. Edwd. who own and control it. Written a day after our Golden wedding, when all our children except Sophia were present. Warsaw Ills. March 6th 1889 C. Albers Claus Albers, born Nov 25th 1817 at Hollenhof Amt Zeven Hannover, was the som of John Dietrich & Sophia Albers nee Lange & who were married 1810. John Dietrich was born at same place, was the son of John Dietrich Sen. and Margaretha his wife. Rebecca Knoop was born Dec 26th 1818 at Oldendorf Hannover - daughter of John Knoop and Anna Knoop his wife. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In 1839, John Knoop bought land east of Cole Camp, but in 1840 another site about 2-1/2 mi SE of Cole Camp, and it is believed this was their residence in 1840. Peter Ficken bought land in 1839, Claus Albers in 1840, and the three homesteads were about a mile apart. The 1843 death date for John Knoop is wrong, as his will was filed October 1842. His widow and sons joined the Albers family in Illinois, but later returned to Benton and Morgan Counties. The Knoop's also joined the German M. E. Church, but the other six families mentioned are unknown. The Ficken's became members of Monsees Lutheran Church.