This well-known citizen of Ottawa is a native of Germany, his birth having occurred in the village of Asmushausen, Hesse-Cassel, October 26, 1835. He is a son of George and Anna B. Gleim, who were of the agricultural class, honest and respected, and whose entire lives were spent in the Fatherland.
Having completed the regulation period of time in the government schools, Ernst Gleim was well qualified in general to enter upon the more serious responsibilities of life, and in 1851 he made one of the most important steps in his career. He determined to come to the United States, and bidding farewell to the friends and associations of his childhood he embarked on a sailing vessel at the port of Bremen. At the end of a tedious voyage of some six weeks' duration, he arrived at New York city, in which metropolis he passed seven years. In the meantime he had learned the barber's trade, serving a two years' apprenticeship, and after working as a journeyman for some time he concluded to go to Chicago, where better wages were paid. Not long after he reached that city he came to Ottawa, where he opened a barber shop in 1858. For forty-one years he has conducted this business here, and without doubt he is one of the most popular and well patronized barbers of LaSalle county.
In 1862 Mr. Gleim married Miss Fredericka Wolf in New York city. She is a native of Germany, and is a daughter of John E. Wolf. Ten children were born to this marriage, and the family circle is still unbroken by the hand of death. In order of birth the children are named as follows: Henry, Adam, Katherine. Louisa, Minnie, Ernest, Jr., George, Fred, Will and Frank.
A man well informed upon the general topics of the day, Mr. Gleim is a patriotic son of his adopted country, with intelligent views upon all public questions of moment. Until 1887 he had upheld the Republican party, but since that time he has been independent in politics. Socially he belongs to Lessing Lodge, No. 326, I. O. O. F. He owns a comfortable dwelling and has a competence for his declining years, as a result of his industry and application to business.
Extracted by Norma Hass from Biographical and Genealogical Record of LaSalle County, Illinois published in 1900, volume 1, pages 346-347.
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