SEBASTIAN A. ERDMAN

From the 1887 History of Vernon County, Missouri, p. 728-729:

Sebastian A. Erdman

(Dealer in Groceries and Provisions, Schell City).

   There is in the life of every man some particular point in his history of thrilling interest or importance, to which attention is naturally soonest directed.  In the present instance Mr. Erdman’s war record forms a not uninteresting part of his career.  At the outbreak of the Civil War he was a resident of Adams county, Ill., where he had been reared, occupied in farming, but enlisting as a soldier in the 78^th Illinois volunteer infantry he served seven months, when a sunstroke disabled him and he was honorably discharged from the service.  Upon recovering his health sufficiently he again enlisted – this time in the 51^st Illinois volunteer infantry, with which command he served until the close of the war, participating in the battles of Franklin, Stone River, Columbia, Spring Hill, Franklin, Nashville, and others of less importance.  At the expiration of his term of service he returned home in the full consciousness of having done his whole duty.  Mr. E. was born in Germany, May 12, 1841, his parents, John H. and Barbary (Herwig) Erdman, also being natives of that country.  The second son in their family of eight children, he grew up there until ten years old, then accompanying the family to America and settling in Adams county, Ill., from whence our subject entered the army as stated.  Upon returning from the battlefield he remained in Illinois until 1881, then coming to Missouri and engaging in farming for one year, but owing to the injuries received during the war he was obliged to abandon that occupation and choose some lighter vocation.  Since then he has been engaged in the grocery business at Schell City, where he carries a full and complete line of groceries, provisions, queensware, etc.  Since his connection with this business it has increased in a manner most satisfactory, and judging from the past the future promises still better results.  In 1861 Mr. Erdman was married to Miss Anna Goerke, of Germany.  They have four children living: Lizzie, Fred W., Clara and Walter.  Four are deceased; three died in infancy and one son, Carl, a bright promising boy and a universal favorite, was called away July 26, 1886, in an unexpected and sudden manner.  A fact worthy of mention in this connection is the rare musical talent which the family of Mr. Erdman, as a family, possess.  To their natural qualifications as musicians they have added a knowledge obtained by study and devotion, and in musical circles of this place they find a warm welcome.

[Transcribed by Becky Siple]

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