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Heinrich Ludwig Volberding

also known as Lewis, Louis or Henry Volberding

"From Farmboy to Local Politician "

The Volberdings of Rodewald, were well acquainted with at least four of the Franzosenbusch families from their homeland in Germany. It is interesting to note that the Duensing family in Franzosenbusch and the Volberding family had property dealings with each other in Rodewald and there is also a Duensing in the Degener family tree. Marriages among families from Rodewald were quite common in Franzosenbusch, as is evidenced by countless family trees.

Heinrich Ludwig Volberding was bom on his father's farm in Rodewald, Hanover, Germany on June 22, 1831. He was the third of four boys bom to Johann Jurgen Volberding (1791-1865) and Marie Dorothee nee Krage. Johann Jurgen also married a second time, to Sophie Marie Dorothea nee Knust (1818-1854). It is believed that all four of the boys were a product of his first marriage to Marie Dorothee. The other three Volberding brothers were: Heinrich Friedrich Wilhelm, another Heinrich (1829 -?) and August Ludwig (1837- ?). Their father, Johann also located in Proviso and was buried in the "Immanuel" Proviso cemetery. He died in 1865. His second wife, Sophie Marie was born in 1818. She was buried in Zion Lutheran in Bensenville and died at the age of 35, on February 26, 1854.

As a 19 year old, Heinrich immigrated to the United States in June of 1850. It is not known if he immigrated with his family or alone. He located in Proviso Township on section 30 where he owned 139 acres. Here, he continued the occupation of farming - primarily the growing of grain and produce. Two years after his arrival, he married Anna Maria (nee Schuiz or Schulkortz) at Zion Lutheran Church in Bensenville. One of the children from this marriage was named Caroline who was bom in 1855 in Proviso Township). Anna Maria, died in 1866 at the age of 42. He then married a second time to Dorothea (nee Heinrich) who died in 1881. He married a third time to Augusta nee Kuester. Altogether he had eight children; three with his first wife, Anna Maria, and three with Dorothee. (One of their sons was Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Volberding, born April 24, 1870). He had two children with Augusta.

In 1852 Heinrich joined 8 Franzosenbush families to make a request of his congregation at Zion Lutheran. For many years Mr. Volberding was highly involved in local politics. He served for 11 years as one of the Commissioners of Highways in Proviso Township. He also served as Clerk, Assessor and Collector of Proviso Township from 1863 to 1872. He died at the age of 69 on May 11, 1901. He is buried in the Oakridge Cemetery in Hillside. His first wife, Anna Marie is buried in Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois.

Fact Sheet

Date of Birth June 22, 1831  
Date of Death May 11, 1901  
Place of Birth Rodewald, Germany  
Siblings Heinrich Friedrich Wilhelm born November 5,1822 in Rodewald, Kingdom of Hanover, Preussen
  ? Heinrich Wilhelm born March 2, 1829 in Rodewald, Kingdom of Hanover, Preussen
  August Ludwig born November 10, 1837 in Rodewald, Kingdom of Hanover, Preussen
Buried Oak Ridge Cemetery  
Father Johann Jurgen Volberding Johann Jurgen was born September 5, 1791; died January 11, 1865 at age 73; buried in Proviso Cemetery
Mother (Johann's first wife) Marie Dorothee Volberding nee Krage Marie was the mother of Johann's four children.
Second wife of Johann Sophie Marie Dorthea Volberind nee Knust Born July 28, 1818; died February 26, 1854 at age 35; buried at Zion Lutheran in Addison.
Louis' First Wife Maria Volberding nee Schulz/Schulkortz  
  Date of Birth September 28, 1826 in Rechenzien, Prussia
  Date of Marriage September 12, 1852 at Zion Evangelical Lutheran, Churchville (Bensenville)
  Date of Death December 12, 1866; buried in Proviso Cemetery; moved to Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery--March 1, 1881
Louis' Second Wife Margaret Dorothea Volberding nee Heinrichs  
  Date of Birth November 6, 1835 in Hanstedt, Hanover Germany
  Date of Marriage 1867
  Date of Death February 2, 1881; buried in Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery
Louis' Third Wife Augusta Volberding nee Kuester  
  Date of Birth January 24, 1851
  Date of Marriage  
  Date of Death January 7, 1932; buried at Oak Ridge Cemetery, Hillside
Date of US Immigration June 1850  
Route of Immigration   He immigrated to Illinois June 1850 at age 19.
Description of Land First Owned Section 30, 139 acres  
Occupation Farmer Grain and Produce Farmer

Children:

Name Date of Birth Birthplace Date of Death Mother
Dorothea       Maria
Caroline (Boeger) July 19, 1855 Proviso Township, Illinois   Maria
Otto Friedrich Henry December 4, 1863     Maria
Emilie July 23, 1872     Margaret
Adolph April 18, 1874   April 23, 1874 Margaret
George June 2, 1877   1881 Margaret
Ida Emma Augusta (Lehman) April 20, 1885 Proviso Township, Illinois   Augusta
Henriette November 11, 1886   April 3, 1888 Augusta

Additional Biographical Information:

To see the bibliography for this entry, click on the Founding Fathers--Bibliography

We welcome any comments, questions and corrections.  In accumulating this information we have found conflicting evidence.  We have endeavored to use the most reliable sources available BUT we can not be sure we have all of the facts completely accurate.  We need your help.  More information from the families of these nine "Founding Fathers" would be of great value to this ongoing project in order to maintain accuracy.  At this time, we are especially interested in photos, journals, letters, etc., which would describe the southeast corner of 22nd Street (Cermak) and Wolf Road in Hillside, prior to the 1860's. This will help us now, as we work on the restoration.

Please feel free to contact me at j.arbuthnot@sbcglobal.net.  I will route your email through our other researchers.

The primary compiler of this information was Lana Gits with:

More on the Volberding family can be found at:

Last Modified:  02/06/2006