My Genealogy Hound

ERNEST BURKHARDT. Among the various industries which spring up in a community and which have a vast influence upon the health of its people is that of pork packing and which if not properly carried on may become the source of a vast injury and frequently fatal in its effects. The subject of this notice makes of this industry a specialty, also combining with it the manufacture of sausage, in which he has been very successful, employing men who understand their business and dealing only in first-class material. The products of his factory are in demand all over this part of the country, but especially in the city of Springfield where the enterprise was inaugurated in 1884.

A native of Wittenberg, Germany, Mr. Burkhardt was born November 28, 1847, to Louis and Caroline (Leibrandt) Burkhardt, whose family consisted of twelve children. The father was a butcher by trade, also followed farming besides grape culture and was a wine seller. He and his excellent wife spent their entire lives in their native land. Ernest, in accordance with the laws and customs of his native land was placed in school when a lad of six years and pursued his studies until fourteen. He then began an apprenticeship at cabinet-making, serving three years. At the expiration of this time he began traveling and followed his trade as a journeyman in different cities for three years. Then in 1867 he emigrated to the United States, landing in New York City after an ocean voyage of eighteen days. Thence he proceeded to Centreville, this State, where he followed his trade six months and then entered the employ of his brother Louis, a butcher, and with whom he learned the business thoroughly.

This seeming to be a profitable industry Mr. Burkhardt in 1870, started in business on his own account at Cincinnati, conducting this until 1884. Then selling out he removed to the vicinity of Springfield and soon afterward purchased a little farm of thirty acres just outside the city limits upon which he erected buildings suitable for butchering and pork packing, also the manufacture of sausage and since that time has prosecuted this business with uniform success. He has met with losses, however, as in April, 1889, several of his buildings were destroyed by fire, involving a loss of $15,000 with but $7,000 insurance. He immediately rebuilt, however, putting up more substantial structures of brick and added a large ice-house. He kills about fifty hogs and three beeves per week, the greater part of which is manufactured into sausage.

Mr. Burkhardt occupies with his family a commodious brick residence on the same farm and is looked upon as one of the most energetic and thrifty business men of his county. He was married November 24, 1881, to Miss Emma Oehler. This lady was born in May, 18G0, in Cincinnati and was the daughter of Frederick Oehler, a prosperous citizen of Cincinnati, and also of German antecedents. There have been born to them five children — Lulu, Clara, deceased, Emma, Elmer and Ernest. In politics, Mr. Burkhardt is independent, aiming to support the men best qualified to serve the interests of the people. He is a member in good standing of the Knights of Pythias. A self-made man in the broadest sense of the term, he has, from a small beginning, accumulated a handsome property and occupies no unimportant place among the business interests of his adopted city.