McDonough ILGenWeb

PICKEL, Lewis, a well-known and industrious farmer of New Salem Township, McDonough County, Ill., was born in Hocking County, Ohio, February 2, 1841, a son of Henry and Mary Bussert Pickel, also natives of the same county. Grandfather Jacob Pickel was a native of Pennsylvania, while Grandfather William Bussert and his wife (nee Helm) were natives of Ohio. Lewis Pickel is the second of a family of six children, four of whom were boys. He was born on a farm, where he lived to the age of fourteen years, and attended the district school in the winter season. In 1855 he came with his parents to Fulton County, Ill., where the family lived three years, when they moved to McDonough County and settled in New Salem Township. Lewis Pickel remained with his parents until September 2, 1861, when he enlisted in Company L, Seventh Regiment Illinois Volunteer Cavalry, which was assigned to the Second Brigade, Second Division, of the First Cavalry Corps, under Brigadier-General Grierson. Mr. Pickel served throughout the war, and was discharged in November, 1865. He then returned to McDonough County, and worked at farming until 1867, when he bought eighty acres of land in Section 9, New Salem Township, where he has since resided, carrying on farming.

On March 19, 1866, Mr. Pickel was married to Ella A. Wilson, who was born in Delaware County, Ohio, and there in her youth attended the district schools. Mr. Pickel is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, politically is a Republican, and fraternally belongs to the G. A. R.

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Source: The Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of McDonough County, compiled by Dr. Newton Bateman, and Paul Shelby, 1907, volume 2, pages 976-977, extracted 17 Mar 2020 by Norma Hass.