My Genealogy Hound

Adolph Driehaus, at present a planter of Ulm, Ark., is one of the many excellent citizens of foreign birth now living in Prairie County, who, by their thrift and energy have become prosperous and substantial residents in the community in which they make their home. He was born in the city of Leer on the river Ems, on the north seacoast (German Empire), on June 25, 1831, receiving his education at several of the schools in the city, and when hardly fifteen years of age went to sea, visiting most every navigable port in the world. He served nearly three years on the old frigate, Constitution, under Commodore Mayo, stationed on the west coast of Africa to suppress the slave trade, and was honorably discharged at Portsmouth, N. H., in 1854, under F. Pierce’s administration. He studied navigation and went, after a year’s hard studying, to sea again for several years as second and first officer or mate, when, in 1859, he became master of the barque Five Star. After one voyage he was given command of the Goldfinder, in which vessel he went up the Pike River to Fienstien in September of 1862. When France and England were at war with China, on August 13, 1862, at 3 o’clock P. M., they were attacked by Chinese pirates in the Gulf of Pichili and Mr. Driehaus was shot through the head and severely cut up with swords and left for dead. In 1863 he commanded the clipper barque, Flying Fish, under the Siamese colors, sailing mostly between Bankok and Shanghai, when, in 1865, she was sold at Hong Kong for $35,000. While in command of this craft he met with the Confederate cruiser, Alabama, on the east coast of Borneo, commanded by Capt. Lemmon. He then paid his passage from Hong Kong to London, England, and later made a visit to his old home in Leer to see his father. In March, 1866, he left home again, being of a restless disposition, and crossed the ocean to New York, trying hard to get command of a vessel again, but times being so very dull he remained quite a while in New York without success. He then went to Illinois and Iowa to grow up with the country and made several successful land speculations. On October 6 he was united in marriage to Miss Charlotte Rennan, who bore him eight children: Emma, Mary, Robert E., Adolph H., Bertha H., John T. and two other children who died in infancy. Mr. Driehaus’ children are all at home with the exception of his oldest daughter, Mrs. Alf. Shriner, who resides in Nebraska, and is the mother of one child, a daughter named Mary. Mr. Driehaus has a good farm of 240 acres, eighty acres of which are improved and well stocked. He has an excellent orchard of 800 bearing trees, and is one of the wide-awake farmers of the county. After his marriage he resided in Iowa for a short time and then moved to Nebraska where he lived for twenty years, being one of the first settlers. The Pawnee Indians were numerous there at that time. Mr. Driehaus and family are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church and he takes a deep interest in educational matters. He came to this State in December, 1888, taking possession of the property he had bought the year previous, preferring the Sunny South of this locality to the North with its blizzards.