Jacob C. Jacobson, proprietor of a large general store at Leland, LaSalle
county, was born in Haugesund, Norway, April 16, 1835, and came to the
United States when in his twenty-second year. His parents, Christian and
Anna M. Jacobson, lived and died in Norway. Four sons and one daughter were
born to them, and they were educated and grew to adult years in their native
land. They were farmers and there did Jacob spend the first fifteen years of
his life. The following seven years was spent mostly at sea and one year he
was a clerk in his native country, and he then took a sailing vessel for
Quebec. From there he went by rail to Ottawa, Illinois, and in the month of
July, 1857, reached Adams township, LaSalle county, where he went to work as
a farm hand. He continued to work as a farm hand until 1864, when he moved
into Leland and followed various employments for the next ten years, — in
the lumber-yard, clerking in a drug store for four or five years and as a
clerk in a dry-goods store. In 1874 he opened his general store in this city
and ten years later took his son into partnership, and continued as J. C.
Jacobson & Son. They handle a big stock of goods and have worked up a large
trade, buying the building which they occupy in 1886, and also a good
residence property.
Mr. Jacobson was married in the fall of 1857 to
Miss Cathaline M. Karlson, who came to America at the same time as did Mr.
Jacobson. Their children are: Christian B., who is in partnership with his
father, was married to Miss Emma Hansen, — by whom he has three children, —
and was educated in Leland, afterward taking a course in the Bryant &
Stratton Business College; he was brought up in the store and had an
inherited as well as acquired talent for the mercantile business; Andrew M.,
who died at the age of eight years; and Jacob, who died in his twenty-ninth
year. Mr. and Mrs. Jacobson are earnest members of the Evangelical Lutheran
church, as are the son and his family. He has held the office of secretary
of the organization for a number of years. He took out naturalization papers
in 1862 and since that time has cast his vote with the Republican party,
also serving in a number of offices, such as township collector, president
of the board of trustees for twenty years, treasurer of the school board,
supervisor of the township and treasurer of Leland Cemetery Association for
fifteen years. He has not forgotten the home of his youth and five times has
he made a visit there, on one occasion spending a year there with his
family. He is whole-souled and patriotic and represents a class of citizens
who reflect credit upon their adopted country.
Extracted 19 Dec 2018 by Norma Hass from Biographical and Genealogical Record of LaSalle County, Illinois, published in 1900, volume 2, pages 571-572.
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