SHELBYVILLE, IL. —
A young Civil War veteran returns to Shelby County Illinois and purchases 50 acres of land near current day Clarksburg. On that land the veteran raises his family while increasing the size of his farm.
Today Ann and Julie Elbert owns the family farm and in 1981 they received the Illinois Department of Agriculture Centennial Farm recognition. The farm is now five years away from the Sesquicennential honors.
Victor Elbert migrated to the United States from Germany in 1854 at the age of 16. He first settled in Somerset, Ohio, and four years later came to Shelby County. Here he worked as a farm laborer until he enlisted in Company H 7th Illinois Cavalry of the Union Army in 1862 and fought in some of southern battles in the Civil War. When he returned to Shelby County in 1865, he purchased 50 acres of land. By the time he retired in 1905, Victor Elbert had increased his farm size to 280 acres.
Victor’s oldest son George expanded the farm, purchasing neighboring parcels and bringing the total to 360 acres.
“George bought up quite a bit (of land),” said Julie Elbert, Victor Elbert’s great-great granddaughter. “All 360 acres have been in the family for over 100 years.”
George not only farmed the land, but also had sheep, hogs, dairy cows, beef cattle, chickens and horses.
George’s only son Forrest worked the farm alongside his father and eventually Forrest’s only son Robert (Bob), Julie’s father, completed the farming trio.
“Forrest loved to be there on the farm,” Julie said. “He didn’t care to travel. He liked to sit at the window or sit on the porch and watch what was going on.”
Forrest farmed until about six months before he died, although his farm work was lighter in nature in his later years.
Robert continued to farm the family land. He attended the University of Illinois, receiving both a bachelor’s and a master’s in agriculture economics. The U of I was the ag school at that time.
“He enjoyed farming, but there were other things in life that interested him,” Julie said. “He liked the innovations and applying new ideas to the farming industry. He would change with the times and see what’s best for now.”
Julie said his thoughts differed from previous generations who did not change their way of doing things because “it’s always been done that way.”
Bob encourage his daughter to pursue agriculture as heir apparent to the farm.
“He’s the one who made me take ag and FFA in high school,” Julie said. “He told me ‘One day you’ll manage the farm’.”
Julie, however, pursued geography in her college education and became a professor of the subject at University of Southern Mississippi and adjunct professor of geography at William Carey University.
“Geography does play a role in farming,” Julie said. “Buildings and land improvements have a way of leaving a footprint which are discovered many years later.”
Since her father’s passing, Julie and her mother Ann both have their names on the deed to the 360 acres. They do not farm the land themselves, but instead rent the land to be farmed.
The old wooden barn still stands on the land, although it is now reroofed and sided with metal. Julie’s great grandfather George’s house also still stands on the land although it has been sold to a new owner.
The Elbert farm is located on three parcels of the 700N and 2200E intersection in Clarksburg Township.
Special Sections
Related Photos
-
elbert & sign.JPG
Civil War Veteran Stakes Claim to Future Centennial Farm
- Special Sections
-
-
Hemer-Hunter Farm Sees 126 Years
In 1846 a German couple, George and Barbara Hemer, and their six children immigrated to the United States and settled in Vellonia, Indiana. In 1885 their son George and his wife Catherine moved to the northernmost part of Shelby County to begin a new life.
-
German Immigrant Finds Fertile Shelby Land
In the mid-1800s Winand Schmitz migrated from Germany to Wisconsin. Eventually he took a train south and ended up in the southwestern corner of Shelby County.
-
Foltz Farm Sees 4th Generation
The great grandson of a Rural Township landowner holds the deed to Centennial farmland.
-
Donnel Farm Sees 6th Generation, New Forms of Agribusiness
The sixth generation of a prominent Westervelt family is now living in the home built by their great-great-great grandfather.
-
Shelby Woman Inherits Sesquicentennial Farm
In 1840 a young man traveled from Ohio to Illinois where he staked out three tracts of land totaling 360 acres in Shelby County from the government.
-
Harley Farms Receives Centennial Honors as Gift
A wife wanted to give her husband a special Christmas gift. So after a bit of research, she was able to present him with the Illinois Department of Agriculture Centennial Farm honors.
-
Helton/Stewardson Farm Sees 100 Years
Ninety acres of Shelby County farmland has been passed from great grandfather through the generations to great grandson.
-
Barrett/Bowman/Johnson Farm Sees 6 Generations
A Civil War veteran inherited a parcel of Shelby County land from his wife’s father and kept it in the family name through four more generations.
-
Gallagher/Elbert Land Newest Centennial Farm Claim
Shelbyville resident Julie Elbert has recently been honored with a second centennial farm in her name.
-
Baby's First Christmas 2010
Click here to download our special Baby's First Christmas section.
- More Special Sections Headlines
-
Florida FBI Shooting Has Boston Bombing Links
Garcetti Elected Los Angeles Mayor Over Greuel
Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado
IRS Official Pleads 5th Amendment
Lawyer: Feds Investigating Susan Powell Case
Former Rep. Weiner Running for New York Mayor
Jodi Arias: Death Penalty Would Cause More Pain
Police Ram House to End Hostage Standoff
Families Begin Returning to Their Homes in Moore
Raw: Aerial View of Moore Tornado Damage
Looking for Love? Take the Prague Metro
First Person: Baby Falcons on a New York Bridge
Crews Race to Find Survivors of Okla. Twister
Oklahoma: Images of Devastation, Reunion
Raw: Students Clash With Police in Chile
Protests Outside Cincinnati IRS Office
New Xbox One Entertainment Console Unveiled
