Springfield-Greene
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JAKE ALBERT. The career of Jake Albert of Springfield has been a varied one, as will be seen by a perusal of the following paragraphs. But he has been a man who has made stepping-stones of his adversities, and has succeeded in his life work. He has for many years devoted a great deal of attention to fruit growing, and is one of the best, informed men on horticultural subjects in Greene county. He is also engaged in the real estate business. Mr. Albert was born in St. Clair county, Illinois, October 16, 1863. He is a son of Jake and Maggie (Coffenberger) Albert, both natives of Germany, and there they spent their early childhood, emigrating to the United States about the same time, the father being about thirteen years of age when he accompanied his parents to our shores, He had received a common school education in his native land. The family located in Illinois, coming direct to that state, and there Jake Albert, Sr., grew to manhood and married. His wife died when our subject was fourteen years old, in Illinois, but the father of our subject survived many years and died in Springfield, Missouri. He was a farmer and gardener. His family consisted of eight children, namely: Maggie, deceased; Jake, of this review; Peter, deceased; Daniel is living; Henry, deceased; Annie, deceased; the next two died in infancy unnamed.
Jake Albert, of this sketch, grew to manhood in Illinois and he received a common, school education; however, may be classed with the self-educated men of our country, for he has been a great reader along varied lines. He followed farming until he was twenty-one years old, then went to Wellington, Kansas, and worked at the stone mason's trade. He came to Springfield in 1887, and has made his home here ever since. From time to time he worked for the Frisco system for many years, also followed farming and fruit growing, the latter being his principal vocation, and he is still active in the same, in connection with which he deals in real estate. He had an addition of twelve acres in the edge of Springfield, and still owns a part of it. He built his own pleasant home on West Atlantic street three years ago, which is one of the most attractive and desirable in that part of the city. He has long been enthusiastic on the subject of fruit growing and is well informed on the various phases of the same. He has been a man of energy, never afraid of hard work, and, possessing sound judgment, has acquired a very comfortable competence.
Mr. Albert was married in September, 1886, to Dolly R. Davis, who was born in Illinois in 1872, where she grew to womanhood and was educated, and they were married in that state. She was a daughter of John and Emma (Kimmel) Davis, natives of Pennsylvania and Illinois, respectively. Mr. Davis has devoted his active life to farming, and he and his wife are still living, having for some time resided in Greene county.
Mr. Albert was called upon to mourn the loss of his faithful life companion, who was summoned to her reward on August 2, 1900, at the farm of our subject, about two and one-half miles west of Springfield. She was a worthy member of the Christian church and was a fine type of the refined home-loving Christian woman.
Four children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Albert, named as follow: Otis, born on October 15, 1887, died October 15, 1905; Nettie, born in 1889, died in 1904; Emma, born in April, 1895, died in 1913; William, born on July 18, 1897, lives at home.
Politically, Mr. Albert is a Democrat and has long been more or less active in public affairs. He was at one time road overseer and commissioner here, and was for three years a school director in his district. Fraternally he belongs to the Eagles, the Loyal Order of Moose, also the German Brotherhood, and religiously he is a member of the Christian church.
[1896-1898]
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