(The following was written by John Francis Snyder, M.D., Virginia, Illinois)

As it is now, the plethora of Doctors in our county is serious, in some communities, alarming. But if all who obtained diplomas from the numerous doctor factories (or Colleges) should insist upon becoming practitioners of medicine, the plethora would reach a stage of distressing congestion, as it in fact has in very many localities. Fortunately for the body-politic, many graduates turned out by the factories aforesaid, finding the practical work of the profession uncongenial, or discovering in time their total incompetency for prosecuting it successfully, drop it right there, and engage in other pursuits for which they have natural taste and aptitude. The requirements of modern civilization make obligatory that the first third of the average human existence must be passed in acquiring education. With many of us the next third is passed in trying to find out the place, or vocation, for which our capabilities best fit us. That knowledge is gained by some early in life; by others, unfortunately, gained when too late to make it available for success, and many never gain it at all.

Dr. George Engelbach was one of the few favored individuals with gumption enough to know when he had enough of a good thing. He was born in Hess Darmstadt, Germany, on the 16th of October, 1804. Having wealthy and cultured parents he then received a finished University education, graduating, first, in the classical department and then in medicine. Under very favorable auspices he then commenced the practice of his profession. The next important event in his history was falling in love with Miss Matilda Meyer who was also a native of Hess Darmstadt, born December 19, 1807. They were very happy together for a few years and blessed by the birth of a son, whom they named Hermann, born December 22, 1831. By that time the ebullition of novelty and enthusiasm every young Doctor experiences, when beginning his new career, had considerably subsided, and he had discernment enough to see, from his brief trial of it, that he had expended several years of study and a good deal of money, to fit himself for the nobel profession which entirely failed to fulfill his expectations. He was in fact disgusted with it, and peremptorily relinquished it. It may be that his wife's death so shocked him as to cause that revulsion of feeling. It certainly influenced him to leave his native country in order to escape the scenes and associations constantly reminding him of his great loss.

Dr. Engelbach came from Germany to Illinois with the first tidal wave of German immigration that broke upon the Illinois River shores in 1834. He brought with him his little son, Hermann, who in after years became a prominent and wealthy citizen of Cass County. His aunt, Fraulein Link, also accompanied him to care for and watch over the boy, and also to act in the capacity of housekeeper when he had become settled in the new world. Landing from a steamboat at Beardstown, Dr. Engelbach remained there a short time to get his bearing and learn what he could of the country and its people. Having determined that he would not practice medicine again, unless as a last resort, should he be compelled to do so for subsistence. Having ample means to enable him to engage in any other occupation, he concluded to turn his attention to farming. Francis Arenz, who came from Germany to the United States in 1827, and two or three years later made his way to Illinois, purchased in 1833 from a pioneer named Smart, a little water mill on Indian Creek where it leaves the bluffs, in Morgan county, on its way to join the Illinois River a little way below Hog Island. He also bought or entered, near the mill, quite a tract of land in Section 31, Township 17. Range 11 West, and had induced a few straggling German immigrants to settle in that vicinity. In 1834 he was himself established in Beardstown in the mercantile business and publishing the Beardstown Chronicle and County Land Advertiser, the first newspaper published in the present limits of Cass. With Dr. Engelbach there came from Germany quite a little colony, including John L. Cire, Frederick Diekel, Henry Kircher and Henry Lippert some single and some few with families. By advice of Mr. Arenz they all went down to Indian Creek, in the neighborhood of his mill, and there formed a settlement of their own of first rate American citizens after becoming naturalized. Dr. Engelbach's inspection of the locality evidently satisfied him that it would suit him for a permanent home, as on the 15th of August 1834, he purchased of James Taylor and other 402 acres of land in Sections 19, 20 and 30 in Township 17 of Range 11, and there remained the rest of his days.

He was the first Physician in the area now comprised in Arenzville precinct and tho steadfastly refusing to assume the labor and responsibility of Medical practice he could not avoid prescribing for and giving professional attention to his friends and neighbors until other doctors could be secured. As early as 1839 John A. Arenz surveyed and staked out some lots in Section 31, Township 17, Range 11, and sold them. The purchasers built houses upon them, a store and blacksmith shop were started, and thus established the nucleus of the present town of Arenzville, which was not regularly laid out until 1852, when its plat was filed and recorded. In 1840, Dr. Julius Phillippi, who had also come to America from Germany in 1834, but had stopped a while at Hamilton, Ohio, was induced to locate in Arenz town and practice his profession, which he did with success. From that time to the present Arenzville has not suffered from the want of doctors.

Not withstanding his superior education and pecuniary independence, Dr. Engelbach was a plain, modest gentleman, with nothing of the ridiculous ostentation and arrogance assumed by many of the educated Germans who came here in earlier years, and regarded the native American settlers as but little removed from barbarians in which assumption, it must be admitted, they were in some instances not far from wrong. The doctor was a stocky, well-built man, a little over medium height, with grave strongly marked German features, brown eyes and dark hair. Outwardly he presented no surface indications of culture or refinement, but had the appearance of a common plodding tiller of the soil. Deliberate and methodical in thought and action, he yet was industrious and energetic. Kind and obliging to his friends and neighbors he was economical and thrifty, and not wholly destitute of selfishness. In all things he was strictly honorable, honest and just. Attending well to his own affairs he never meddled with the business of others excepting when asked for advice or assistance. He remained a widower, centering all his love and affection upon his young son for whom he lived and toiled.

Until Dr. Engelbach came to Illinois he was a total stranger to manual labor of any kind, and certainly had not opportunity to learn anything of practical farming; but he applied himself to his new task with zeal and determination and was successful. He readily mastered the English language, speaking and reading it fluently after a short residence here. that acquirement, together with his education, sound judgment, and well known natural abilities, gave him prominence and influence in the community, especially among his countrymen who, from far and near, sought his advice and counsel, whenever in doubt or trouble. He was at no time actively interested in politics or other public affairs though he voted the "Whig" ticket, as did the Arenz Brothers and most of the other prominent Germans with whom he associated. In the memorable "Coonskin and Hard Cider" campaign of 1840 when the Whigs in Illinois put forth such tremendous efforts to carry the State for "Old Tippecanoe and Tyler, too" they appropriated for that purpose the old war cry of the Democrats "Rally the Dutch." In accordance therewith, to strengthen their party in Morgan county by conciliation of the foreign vote of the northwestern portion of the county, the party managers put Dr. Engelbach on their local ticket for County Commissioner, and he was elected. He had not sought the honor and did not want the office, but yielding to the persuasion of Judge Arenz, John Hardin and others, he did not decline, as he was much inclined to do. At that election (August 1840), T. M. Kilpatrick was elected to represent Morgan, Scott and Cass Counties in State Senate, with Jeremiah Cox, John J. Hardin and James Parkinson, Representatives of Morgan in the lower house, and Amos West to represent Cass county.

Dr. Engelbach served as County Commissioner for the full term for which he was elected, making an enviable record for clear-headed ability in the honest and economic administration of the people's interests. He left the position without a pang of regret and much relieved from the unpleasant responsibilities, enjoyed the seclusion of his rural home in quietude.

Very regular in all his habits and temperate in all things, he was physically strong, seldom sick and usually in sound health until the beginning of the year 1845 when he was attacked by pneumonia which speedily sapped his vitality and terminated his life on the 16th of January of that year, at the early age of forty years and three months. He left a valuable estate for his son Hermann, whom he consigned to the care of his friend Henry Kircher, who well and faithfully executed his trust and guardianship.