Will County ILGenWeb Biographies..... 
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File contributed for use by:
Dori Leekly & Margie Glenn

Author: History of Will County IL, 1878

George ERHARD, Joliet, whose portrait appears in this work, was born May 7, 1807, in 
the town of Middlestray, Province of Milrickstuart, Lower Frank, Wurtzberg, kingdom of 
Bavaria; he emigrated to America in June, 1832, with his mother and two sisters, and 
first went to Detroit, Mich., where in August of same year his mother died of cholera; 
in October, 1833, he moved to Chicago, and April 26, 1836 came to Joliet with his 
brother-in-law, John BELZ. In 1838, they returned to Chicago, and married two sisters, 
Louisa and Veronica PERIOLET; Louisa, the wife of Mr. ERHARD, was born in the town of 
Highfelt, in Alsace, near Strasbourg, in France; she immigrated to Chicago, with her 
two brothers and sister, in 1834. Mr. ERHARD returned to Joliet, and having formed a 
copartnership with John BELZ, built a large brewery on Bluff Street, West Side, Joliet, 
being very successful until the depreciation of wildcat money caused them to close 
their business. He had nine children, five living - George C., born Nov. 22, 1838, 
now carrying on an agricultural and seed store in Joliet; Emily, born Nov. 11, 1842, 
wife of J. C. ADLER, of Joliet; Joseph now farming in Troy Twp., Will Co.; Louisa 
and Lawrence; his four younger children are dead, and are buried in the West Side 
German burying - ground, in Joliet. He and his brother-in-law, John BELZ, were the 
first German settlers in this county, and George C., the eldest son of Mr. ERHARD, 
was the first German male child born in Will Co.


Additional Comments:
HISTORY OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS; Chicago: Wm LeBaron Jr & Co, 186 Dearborn Street, 1878.