is one of the prominent citizens of Hennepin township, residing in section 30, where he owns a valuable farm of three hundred acres. He was born in Prussia, Germany, on the 6th of December, 1848, and when only four years old was brought to America by his parents, Joseph A. and Josephine (Unsicker) Brennemann, who came at once to Putnam county, Illinois, locating in Granville township, north of the village of Granville. The father purchased three hundred acres of land at five dollars per acre, and continued the cultivation and improvement of his land up to the time of his death in 1890, at the age of eighty-three years. He was a Mennonite in religious belief, and assisted in the organization of a church at Granville. His wife had died soon after coming to the United States. Two of their children died in childhood, and four grew to mature years, namely: Eliza, wife of Charles Butterweck, of Hennepin; Bertha, wife of Theodore Holly, of Granville; Oscar, of this sketch; and Julius, a stock dealer of Peru, Illinois, and the owner of the old homestead.
Mr. Brennemann, whose name introduces this sketch, remained at home until twenty-five years of age, in company with his brother Julius operating the farm. In partnership with Mr. Holly, his brother-in-law, he then engaged in the grocery business at Peru for six years. On the 30th of October, 1875, he was joined in wedlock with Miss Eliza Holly, who was born on a farm in Granville township, and is the daughter of Daniel Holly. Six children have been born to them — Paul, George, Lillian, Erna, Daniel and Elsie, all at home.
In 1882 Mr. Brennemann purchased his present farm of Dr. Vanderslete, which had previously belonged to James Harrison, one of the old settlers of the county. He now has one hundred and eighty acres, for which he paid sixty dollars per acre, but has added to the original tract until he now owns about three hundred acres, comprising some of the best and most fertile land in the locality. He gives considerable attention to stock raising, having upon his place fine grades of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs, and makes a specialty of Cottswold sheep, which have been quite profitable. He also feeds from one to two car loads of cattle annually. He is one of the most enterprising and prosperous farmers of Hennepin township, and he merits and receives the esteem and respect of all with whom he comes in contact either in a business or social way.
Source: The Biographical Record of Bureau, Marshall and Putnam Counties, Illinois published in 1896, page 455.
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