CONRAD STEEGE, JR

    Conrad Steege, Jr., Principal of the Lutheran School, was born in Hesse, now the Province of the Prussian Kingdom, in 1842, and is the oldest son of Conrad and Mary (Knake) Steege, natives of the same province, who with four children embarked to the United States in 1856, and landed at New York in October of the same year.  He was a tailor by trade, and located in the German settlement called Chamburgh, in Conic County, where he remained through the winter, and in the spring moved to Will County, Ill., and continued at his trade, where he is yet residing with the four children born in his native country. Two children have been born since his settlement in the United States.  The subject of this sketch was educated in the seminary at Addison Du Page County, Ill., where he graduated in 1871.  The tame year he came to this county, in answer to a call from the German settlement in Darby Township, and was instituted teacher of the German Lutheran School on the 29th of July, of the same year, where he has since been engaged.  Mr. S. worked at farming in the early years of his life until seventeen or eighteen years of age, when he engaged as clerk and salesman until he entered the service of the Union army in September 1864, in Company A, Twentieth Illinois Volunteer Infantry.  He enlisted as a private, but was elected Sergeant before going to the field.  He served through to the close of the war in that office, and was mustered out Chicago in July 1865.  The regiment was sent to Camp Butler, at Springfield, Ill., and remained until March, when they were despatched to North Carolina, where they arrived soon after Sherman's battle at Goldsboro; thence to Raleigh, N. C., on to Richmond and Washington, and through the grand review.  Returning to peaceful pursuits, he assumed his former occupation as salesman with Brown Brothers, at Crete, until his entry at school in 1868.  He was united in marriage November 9, 1866, to Miss Mine, daughter of Joachim Becker.  She was born in Pommern Province of Prussia, and emigrated to this country with her parents in 1862.  To this union eight children have been born, of whom are living-Emma, Martin, Edward, Louis, Emanuel, Bertha and Clara.  He is organist in the Lutheran Church, with which his family are all connected.  His father who had but the measure of energy and perseverance of his people, has, with economy and industry, gained a successful footing, and had become a clothing merchant, in Crete, Ill., where he has been in the business circles since 1867.  At that time he erected a small building for a store, which was the foundation for successful years of business to this time.  His wife died in 1853, and he was again married to Miss Mary Bode.  By this union he has two living children.