August H. Pollentzke, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of August H. Pollentzke
AUGUST H. POLLENTZKE. Some of the best citizens in America today are to be found among the sturdy Germans, who immigrated to this country in early life, and, having bent their energies to the simple duty lying nearest them, have found themselves in middle life in independent circumstances. Such a man is August H. Pollentzke, a well-to-do farmer and stock breeder in section 20, Westchester township, Porter county, Indiana.
August H. Pollentzke was born in Germany, on October 16, 1872, being the son of John and Caroline (Brun) Pollentzke. The father is deceased, but the mother still lives at the old home in their native land. August Pollentzke was reared in the farm home of his parents, and attended the public schools until he reached the age of twelve years, when he was placed in charge of a tutor for two years. In that length of time, by diligent application to his studies, he accomplished work that enabled him to enter a high school or academy, which he attended for three years. At the expiration of the time, in 1889, he came to America, being then about seventeen years of age. He eventually located in Lake county, Indiana, near Crown Point, where he took such employment as he might find. This chanced to be on the farm of Henry Bremer and he remained there until the fall of 1890. He then went to Chicago, where he remained until 1898. While employed in different occupations in Chicago the Spanish-American war began and he offered his services as a soldier, and enlisted in Company B, First Illinois Infantry, under Captain Walter H. McComb. The regiment was sent to Springfield, Illinois, thence to Chickamauga Park, where it spent three weeks in drill and regimental duty, and thence was sent to Tampa, Florida, where the regiment camped on Pic-Nic Island. While there Mr. Pollentzke was sent back to Chicago on recruiting duty, and spent two weeks in this duty and the second day after his return to his regiment, they were ordered to Siboney, Cuba, thence to the trenching lines and the regiment took the position of the Seventh Regulars in front of Santiago, Cuba. The duty was guarding prisoners until two-thirds of the men were afflicted with malarial fever, when the regiment was ordered to Montauk Point by steamer, and at this time he received his leave of absence and returned to Chicago, finally receiving his honorable discharge from the United States army service November 17, 1898, and assumed the role of a civilian once more, securing work with the Brownell Improvement Company in Lake county. He came to Porter county in 1900.
On October 28, 1904, Mr. Pollentzke married Mrs. Clara McDonald, a widow whose maiden name was Clara Lower, a daughter of Benjamin Lower. She was the mother of one son and one daughter by her first marriage.
In the few brief years which Mr. Pollentzke has been a resident of Porter county, he and his wife have been fortunate in becoming the possessors of a valuable tract of three hundred and seventy-five acres of land, which he operates successfully along the lines of general farming, as well as in the breeding of stock, to which he has given a good share of his attention. As a result of his careful application to business he has come to be recognized as an authority on all matters pertaining to the interests to which he is devoted.
Mr. Pollentzke and his family are valued members of the German Lutheran church of Westchester, and he is also a member of the Knights of Pythias, Castle Hall Lodge, No. 442, at Chesterton, and of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks at Valparaiso, Lodge No. 500. Of the former lodge he has the distinction of being a past chancellor.
Mr. Pollentzke is a staunch Republican, and he has always been active in political affairs of Porter county. He believes that a good citizen is always a better citizen if he exercises a legitimate interest in the politics of his immediate district, and he has made his influence felt in many ways for the betterment of his county.
Source: Lewis Publishing Company. 1912. History of Porter County, Indiana: A Narrative Account of its Historical Progress, its People and its Principal Interests. Chicago, Illinois: Lewis Publishing Company. 881 p.
Page(s) in Source: 848-849
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook