LOUIS BLUM, dry goods merchant, Mound City. Of the energetic business men of Mound City who have the interest of the town as well as their own at heart, is he whose name heads this sketch. He was born August 25, 1835, in Wurtemberg, Germany. His father, also a native of Wurtemberg, was born 1803, and is yet living. He was a stock-dealer, and a man whose reputation for honesty and square dealing was well known. The mother of our subject was Ida (Neuburger) Blum. She was the mother of five children, of whom Abraham and Sarah Kohn are now living in the old country, and Fannie Back, Joe Blum, of St. Louis, and Louis, our subject, are living in this county. Our subject was educated in Germany, where he engaged in the stock business with his father till 1854, when he came to the United States, landing in New York City. He merchandized in Lebanon, N. J., till 1863, when he came to Cairo, where he commenced to merchandise on a small scale, two horses hauling all the goods with which he opened his store. But with that indomitable perseverance common to the race from which he sprung, and through his honesty and energy, he enjoyed in 1865 the best retail trade in Cairo, employing eight clerks. He continued to do business there till 1870, when he came to Mound City, where he has been mostly a general merchant. He now carries principally a stock of dry goods and clothing, including boots, shoes, hats, caps, carpets, oil cloth, wall paper, etc. Our subject was joined in matrimony July 12, 1868, in New York, and took a wedding trip to Europe, returning the same year. He is a member of the " Sons of the Hebrew Brotherhood, " Egypt Lodge, Cairo, Ill. He is also a Knight of Honor, Mound City Lodge. No. 1847. In politics, tie is a Democrat. Mrs. Blum is a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, where she was born April 13, 1845. Her maiden name was Sophia Hirsh. of a prominent family in Germany. She is the mother of six children now living, viz.: Clara, born November 30, 1870; Jacob, born September 14, 1872; Samuel, born July 24, 1874; Zilli, born September 17, 1877; Benjamin, November 12, 1879, and Ida, born May 13, 1883.
Extracted 02 Nov 2014 by Norma Hass from 1883 History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part V - Biographical Sketches, pages 252-253.
| Union | Johnson | |
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Massac McCracken KY |
| Ballard KY |
