On the first day of December, 1911, Emanuel Lau died at the home of his son Emanuel, Jr., who resides in Woodland township about four miles east of Astoria. The deceased was born in York county, Pennsylvania, on the 26th day of November, 1826 thus making his age 85 years and 5 days.
Mr. Lau was married to Mrs. Caroline Gipe and resided in the county of his birth until 1865 when they moved west and located in Astoria, Illinois.
In 1869, they moved to a farm near Summum. It was at the Summum home that Mrs. Lau died on the 6th day of January, 1878. For more than a quarter of a century, the deceased made his home with his son Emanuel.
This pioneer couple were the parents of a large family of children, twelve in number. Two of the children, Elizabeth and Henry, died in infancy. The names and residences of the children that are living are as follows: Emanuel and Michael Lau and Mrs. Cathrine Marquis, of Astoria; Mrs. Emmaline Haffner, Browning, Illinois; Mrs. Matilda Ruby and John Lau, Table Grove, Ill.; Mrs. Jane Hoke, Bernadotte, Ill.; Mrs. Ida Deary, Summum, Ill.; Franklin and Edmond Lau, Ipava, Ill.
There are fifty-eight grandchildren and sixty-two great-grandchildren that survive this venerable deceased citizen.
Mr. Lau was unassuming and retiring in disposition. He did not crave public office and honors. He was a true home builder and protector. He loved his family, and, they loved him sincerely and are sorely grieved because of the dissolution. The life of this man was appreciated by many people of all ages, they with the exceedingly large number of relatives have the genuine sympathy of their scores of friends. A remarkable man is gone from us and has left a posterity that venerate his name.
“It is not death to die,
To leave this weary road,
And midst the brotherhood on high
To be at home with God.
It is not death to close
The eye long dimmed by tears,
And wake, in glorious repose
To spend eternal years.”
The funeral services were held at 11 o’clock Sunday morning in the Reformed church of Summum under the direction of Rev. C. M. Wilson of Astoria. The funeral was largely attended by the sympathizing friends and neighbors of the family. Burial in the Summum cemetery.
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Parents information: David and Elizabeth (Senft) Lau
Marriage information: 1853 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, York, Pa.
Daughters: Emaline (Henry) Haffner, Alice Jane (Emanuel) Hoke, Matilda (Cornelius) Ruby, Ida Mahala (Edwin) Deary, Catherine (James) Marquis.
Sons: Emanuel Jr. (Anna), Franklin (Louisa), John Oliver, Michael (Emma) and Edmond (Ollie).
Occupation: Carpenter/farmer
Other information: “In Feb. of 1865, Emanuel, Caroline and their four children moved to Astoria, Ill. In 1869, they moved to a farm near Summum. They had 12 children.”
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