Jacob Welfoff
1808 - 1889

Jacob Welhoff was born 29 May, 1808 in Schnait, Dist. Maulbronn, Wurttemburg, Germany. His parents were John Jacob Welhoff and Johanna Frederica (Bischoff) Welhoff. They arrived in America on 1 December, 1808 when Jacob was six months old.

Jacob's parents were members of the Harmony Society, a religious cult started in Germany, noted for it communal social order. The industrious Harmonists prospered, three times selling their property to start a new colony in the wilderness. As a child in the cult's communes, Jacob lived in Harmany, Penn. (1808 - 1814), New Harmony, Indiana (1814 - 1824), and Economy, Penn. (1824 - 1832). Jacob left the Society in 1832 with other Harmonists who founded a rival commune nearby.

Jacob, a farmer, was married to Wilhelmia Christina Stahl, also raised as a Harmonist, on 13 Jan., 1833 in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. They remained there until 1838. The family then lived in Dearborn Co., Indiana, and in Benton County, Missouri, and from 1861 to 1889 in Mercer County, Illinois.

Jacob Welhoff died on 31 Aug. 1889 at Alexis, Warren Co., Illinois. He is buried with his wife in Mt. Vernan Cemetery, North Hernderson Twp., Mercer co., Illinois.