MATTHIAS KAMPF
Matthias Kampf, Supervisor, Minier, Tazewell County, son of John and Susan Ann (Bradley) Kampf, was born in Hittle Township, December 12, 1849, and acquired his education in the public schools. Following the excellent example set by his father, after attaining his majority he engaged in farming as a means of livelihood, in which he has been most successful. He now owns 415 acres of highly cultivated land, on which he combines stock-raising with farming, and is a prosperous and well-to-do citizen of Hittle Township. In religious belief Mr. Kampf is an adherent of the Christian Church. Politically he is an earnest worker in the Republican party and has served a Supervisor of his town, besides which he has held minor offices, such as School Director, etc.
The paternal grandparents of Mr. Kampf were Henry and Polly Kampf, both natives of Pennsylvania. His father, John Kampf, was born in Westmoreland County, Pa., and removed with his parents to Madison County, Ohio, when but eight years old. He first came to Illinois in 1833, and became associated with a Mr. Bradley in driving cattle. They bought 303 head in Illinois and drove them to Madison County, Ohio. Mr. Kampf was at that time about twenty-one years old. He returned to Illinois, and in the fall of 18 t4, located in Tazewell County, where he purchased eighty acres of land on Sections 10 and 11. To this he gradually added until, at the time of his death in 1875, he possessed 240 acres. Mrs. Kampf, who was born in Madison County, Ohio, October 11, 1824, died in 1898.
Josiah Bradley, the maternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Ohio. He was a man of great mechanical ability, a millwright and a wagon-maker, and built a large number of gristmills in his native State. He came west with a horse and buggy, the latter being one of his own manufacture and which he traded for 160 acres of land. Buggies were scarce at that time, and this was the first one in the township. Mr. Bradley subsequently returned to Ohio, where he died. The maternal grandfather of Henry Kampf was the first to be buried in the Kampf cemetery, in McLean County.
The marriage of Matthias Kampf to Miss Mary E. Snyder took place in Mackinaw Township on January 1, 1880. Mrs. Kampf was born in that township in 1859, the daughter of Henry and Maria (Crisbaum) Snyder, her father being a native of Ohio and his wife of Indiana. He came to Illinois in 1850 and settled in McLean County, but afterward removed to Mackinaw Township, Tazewell County, where he now resides on his farm, although retired from active life. His wife is deceased. To Mr. and Mrs. Matthias Kampf have been born four children: Robert L., Alla L., Leta Adelia and McKinley.
Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Tazewell County - page 1032