This gentleman, a prominent business man of Peru, is a native of this place, his birth having occurred here August 24, 1863. He is one of the nine children of Vincent and Mary (Wellner) Schweickert, who were born in Baden and in Rhein, Bavaria, Germany, respectively. For three years after his arrival in America, in 1853, Vincent Schweickert resided in Reading, Pennsylvania, where he found employment at his trade of brick and stone mason and plasterer. He was married during his stay in that city, whence he came to Peru in 1856, and he and his estimable wife are still living in their comfortable home on the corner of Pike and Ninth streets. He was one of the five children of Jacob Schweickert, whose life was spent in Germany, death cutting short his career when he was but forty years of age. His business was the raising of silk-worms and the bleaching or whitening of cloth. The father of Mrs. Mary (Wellner) Schweickert served in the German army under Napoleon, and was a coalminer by occupation. He died in his native land, at the ripe age of eighty-two years.
Henry E. Schweickert and his six surviving brothers and sisters are all citizens of Peru. The former are named in order of birth: Charles, Jacob, Bertram and Francis Xavier. Mary is the wife of Peter Weyand, and Lizzie is Mrs. Frank Ellerbrock. In common with the others, our subject was a pupil in the public and parochial schools of Peru, his studies being completed in the high school here. At intervals he worked on farms in this county until he was twenty years old, when he began learning the brick and stone mason's trade.
Ten years ago Henry E., Charles and Jacob Schweickert entered into partnership and carried on a contracting and building business for two years. Then our subject withdrew and conducted his affairs independently for seven years, and since 1898 has been associated with his brothers Jacob, Bertram, Francis X., and Frank Ellerbrock, under the firm name of Schweickert Brothers & Company. They do an extensive and paying business, and are winning a large share of the patronage of the public.
On the 17th of May, 1887, Mr. Schweickert married Miss Lizzie Ellerbrock, a daughter of John William and Anna (Utendorf) Ellerbrock. Six children have been born to our subject and wife, namely: Vincent, Peter Phillip Maria, Henry Charles Anton Alexander, Mary Franciska, Mary Hildegard and Mary Beatrice.
Mr. and Mrs. Schweickert are members of the Catholic church, and he is connected with the fraternal orders of St. Joseph's Benevolent Society and the Catholic Order of Foresters. Politically, he is a Democrat. The pleasant home of the family was built by our subject in 1888. It stands on the corner of Pike and Tenth streets, an attractive residence section of the town, and near the home of the elder Schweickerts.
Extracted 26 Dec 2016 by Norma Hass from Biographical and Genealogical Record of LaSalle County, Illinois published in 1900, volume 2, pages 410-411.
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