When Jacob Funk was fourteen years of age he began to learn the tailor`s trade. At 16 he began to travel and work at his trade. It was necessary for one to serve as an apprentice and also to keep in his possession a journeyman`s book in which was recorded his whereabouts and conditions of health by the magistrate of each town he visited. When he was 19 Jacob Funk was connected with an orphan asylum in Tutlingen in which he had charge of about 40 boys. He resumed his wanderings as a journeyman tailor at 20 years, and returned to his native place to serve a period of conscription in the army.
Following this Jacob came to America and landed in Boston, MA, June 2 1831. Just before landing there he had in his possession only one cent. He threw this into the ocean so that he could say that when he landed in America he had not one single cent. That was a time when there were very few Germans in Boston, and he had no friends or acquaintances to help him. His first work was in a lead factory where he worked two months. Then he wanted to work at his trade earning $2 a week, and paid $2.50 for his board. He continued at this discouraging rate for several months, fully determined to become a good tailor, or the best in America. For a few months he went to work about 25 miles from Boston where he earned $8 a week. Next he went back to Boston, worked a year or more then went to Concord, NH. From this city he went to Portland, ME, then Bangor, ME, where he had heavy losses from a fire. He returned to near Boston to his former employer where after six months he saved $100. Next he returned to Boston where after four years of work he opened a merchant tailor shop at 424 Washington Street. He continued in business about four years and was prosperous, but on account of poor health was obliged to quit his business and seek the country. At this time he had a wife and four children, and with them went to settle in the wilds of Wisconsin.
In 1843 he settled in East Troy, Walworth County. Jacob Funk was converted in the city of Boston, under the labors of a missionary from Germany, Pastor Kempe. When he came to Wisconsin he was connected for two years with the Presbyterian church at Honey Creek under the pastorate of Rev. Walch and Rev. Snow. The society, however, was supplanted by a Baptist Methodist Church, then being organized in the vicinity.
Jacob Funk was deeply interested in educational matters. Soon after his arrival in the district he was elected a member of the school board, and for over 30 years held some office connected with the board. At that time it often took much discussion to bring the public mind to a realization of the importance of raising sufficient money to sustain the school. Still a reasonable good school was kept most of the time. In political matters Jacob never aspired to office, but made it a matter of duty to vote in all elections. And no matter how pressing farm work was, he exercised the right of suffrage. In church work he was likewise active. He took prominent part in the first days of his church and continued his official connection with the church all of his life.
He was the father of eight children, five boys and three girls. His training of them was carefully and prayerfully done and the good results are plainly seen, in the uniformly high esteem in which his family was held.
Following this Jacob came to America and landed in Boston, MA, June 2 1831. Just before landing there he had in his possession only one cent. He threw this into the ocean so that he could say that when he landed in America he had not one single cent. That was a time when there were very few Germans in Boston, and he had no friends or acquaintances to help him. His first work was in a lead factory where he worked two months. Then he wanted to work at his trade earning $2 a week, and paid $2.50 for his board. He continued at this discouraging rate for several months, fully determined to become a good tailor, or the best in America. For a few months he went to work about 25 miles from Boston where he earned $8 a week. Next he went back to Boston, worked a year or more then went to Concord, NH. From this city he went to Portland, ME, then Bangor, ME, where he had heavy losses from a fire. He returned to near Boston to his former employer where after six months he saved $100. Next he returned to Boston where after four years of work he opened a merchant tailor shop at 424 Washington Street. He continued in business about four years and was prosperous, but on account of poor health was obliged to quit his business and seek the country. At this time he had a wife and four children, and with them went to settle in the wilds of Wisconsin.
In 1843 he settled in East Troy, Walworth County. Jacob Funk was converted in the city of Boston, under the labors of a missionary from Germany, Pastor Kempe. When he came to Wisconsin he was connected for two years with the Presbyterian church at Honey Creek under the pastorate of Rev. Walch and Rev. Snow. The society, however, was supplanted by a Baptist Methodist Church, then being organized in the vicinity.
Jacob Funk was deeply interested in educational matters. Soon after his arrival in the district he was elected a member of the school board, and for over 30 years held some office connected with the board. At that time it often took much discussion to bring the public mind to a realization of the importance of raising sufficient money to sustain the school. Still a reasonable good school was kept most of the time. In political matters Jacob never aspired to office, but made it a matter of duty to vote in all elections. And no matter how pressing farm work was, he exercised the right of suffrage. In church work he was likewise active. He took prominent part in the first days of his church and continued his official connection with the church all of his life.
He was the father of eight children, five boys and three girls. His training of them was carefully and prayerfully done and the good results are plainly seen, in the uniformly high esteem in which his family was held.
When Jacob Funk was fourteen years of age he began to learn the tailor`s trade. At 16 he began to travel and work at his trade. It was necessary for one to serve as an apprentice and also to keep in his possession a journeyman`s book in which was recorded his whereabouts and conditions of health by the magistrate of each town he visited. When he was 19 Jacob Funk was connected with an orphan asylum in Tutlingen in which he had charge of about 40 boys. He resumed his wanderings as a journeyman tailor at 20 years, and returned to his native place to serve a period of conscription in the army.
Following this Jacob came to America and landed in Boston, MA, June 2 1831. Just before landing there he had in his possession only one cent. He threw this into the ocean so that he could say that when he landed in America he had not one single cent. That was a time when there were very few Germans in Boston, and he had no friends or acquaintances to help him. His first work was in a lead factory where he worked two months. Then he wanted to work at his trade earning $2 a week, and paid $2.50 for his board. He continued at this discouraging rate for several months, fully determined to become a good tailor, or the best in America. For a few months he went to work about 25 miles from Boston where he earned $8 a week. Next he went back to Boston, worked a year or more then went to Concord, NH. From this city he went to Portland, ME, then Bangor, ME, where he had heavy losses from a fire. He returned to near Boston to his former employer where after six months he saved $100. Next he returned to Boston where after four years of work he opened a merchant tailor shop at 424 Washington Street. He continued in business about four years and was prosperous, but on account of poor health was obliged to quit his business and seek the country. At this time he had a wife and four children, and with them went to settle in the wilds of Wisconsin.
In 1843 he settled in East Troy, Walworth County. Jacob Funk was converted in the city of Boston, under the labors of a missionary from Germany, Pastor Kempe. When he came to Wisconsin he was connected for two years with the Presbyterian church at Honey Creek under the pastorate of Rev. Walch and Rev. Snow. The society, however, was supplanted by a Baptist Methodist Church, then being organized in the vicinity.
Jacob Funk was deeply interested in educational matters. Soon after his arrival in the district he was elected a member of the school board, and for over 30 years held some office connected with the board. At that time it often took much discussion to bring the public mind to a realization of the importance of raising sufficient money to sustain the school. Still a reasonable good school was kept most of the time. In political matters Jacob never aspired to office, but made it a matter of duty to vote in all elections. And no matter how pressing farm work was, he exercised the right of suffrage. In church work he was likewise active. He took prominent part in the first days of his church and continued his official connection with the church all of his life.
He was the father of eight children, five boys and three girls. His training of them was carefully and prayerfully done and the good results are plainly seen, in the uniformly high esteem in which his family was held.
Following this Jacob came to America and landed in Boston, MA, June 2 1831. Just before landing there he had in his possession only one cent. He threw this into the ocean so that he could say that when he landed in America he had not one single cent. That was a time when there were very few Germans in Boston, and he had no friends or acquaintances to help him. His first work was in a lead factory where he worked two months. Then he wanted to work at his trade earning $2 a week, and paid $2.50 for his board. He continued at this discouraging rate for several months, fully determined to become a good tailor, or the best in America. For a few months he went to work about 25 miles from Boston where he earned $8 a week. Next he went back to Boston, worked a year or more then went to Concord, NH. From this city he went to Portland, ME, then Bangor, ME, where he had heavy losses from a fire. He returned to near Boston to his former employer where after six months he saved $100. Next he returned to Boston where after four years of work he opened a merchant tailor shop at 424 Washington Street. He continued in business about four years and was prosperous, but on account of poor health was obliged to quit his business and seek the country. At this time he had a wife and four children, and with them went to settle in the wilds of Wisconsin.
In 1843 he settled in East Troy, Walworth County. Jacob Funk was converted in the city of Boston, under the labors of a missionary from Germany, Pastor Kempe. When he came to Wisconsin he was connected for two years with the Presbyterian church at Honey Creek under the pastorate of Rev. Walch and Rev. Snow. The society, however, was supplanted by a Baptist Methodist Church, then being organized in the vicinity.
Jacob Funk was deeply interested in educational matters. Soon after his arrival in the district he was elected a member of the school board, and for over 30 years held some office connected with the board. At that time it often took much discussion to bring the public mind to a realization of the importance of raising sufficient money to sustain the school. Still a reasonable good school was kept most of the time. In political matters Jacob never aspired to office, but made it a matter of duty to vote in all elections. And no matter how pressing farm work was, he exercised the right of suffrage. In church work he was likewise active. He took prominent part in the first days of his church and continued his official connection with the church all of his life.
He was the father of eight children, five boys and three girls. His training of them was carefully and prayerfully done and the good results are plainly seen, in the uniformly high esteem in which his family was held.
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