born: Reinsdorf, Schaumburg-Lippe, Germany

Additional information submitted by Contributor: Larry Nerge (47795961) • [email protected]

Extracted from the dedication address given by Walter J. Nerge in October 24, 1976 at the dedication of the Frederick Nerge Elementary School:

Frederick C. Nerge and family left Schaumburg-Lippe area in Germany, in 1843 (actually 1846 on ship Genio). It took 14 weeks before they reached New York harbor. From New York they traveled west and landed in Illinois where they purchased 120 acres from the United States government at $1.25 an acre. This land had never been touched by a plow and was covered with very thick grass and also had quite a few large patches of prairie stalk, which were 6 to 7 feet tall, so it was not easy to see what was all on the land. One day Frederick C. Nerge took a walk in the north 40 acres and to his surprise he found he had a lone Indian living on the north 40 acres. He and his son went to meet this Indian and talked to him through signs and signals. They asked if he would leave if they paid him a sum of money. It is said the Indian was paid $50.00, and the lone Indian left and was never seen again.
The first year they lived in a small building made with poles in the ground covered with tall grass and prairie stalks for shelter. During the year he bought 4 acres of woodland in Meachum woods, which is now Medinah Country Club, and 3 acres of woodland in Bloomingdale woods. So the first winter he was busy cutting trees to build his house. It was framed out of big logs put together with wooden pegs. The rafters were out of smaller trees, trimmed squarely. He sawed all the boards out of thick logs by hand and they were fastened by wooden pegs to the rafters and the side walls. The side walls were filled with clay brick mixed with straw and other materials. This made the walls a foot thick. The house had no basement. The floors boards were also fastened to the joists with wooden pegs. The boards were from 12 to 20 inches in width and 112 inches thick. He used the metric measurement system because that is what he had learned in Germany. The house was nice and cool in summer and easy to heat in winter. He also built a fruit celler in the side of a small hill where they kept their potato and vegetable crop from freezing.
In 1847 Mr. Nerge helped found the St. Peter's Lutheran Church of Schaumburg, Cook Co., ILlinois.
In the early 1850's his son, Fredrick, got married and father turned over the 120 acre farming operation to him, because he preferred to follow his trade as a wood-craftsman. Son Fredrick then bought another 40 acres which made the farm 160 acres.
When the time came to lay out the township which was to be 6 miles square, containing 36 sections of land, a meeting was held to give the new development a name. The new settlers met and quite a few suggested names. Frederick C. Nerge jumped to his feet and with all his might hit his fist on the table and said, "Schaumburg shall be the name." So it came to pass that they agreed to the name, Schaumburg. Mr. Nerge always attended all the meetings for town and church.
While working in the woods with other men, one day during the cold season Frederick C. Nerge received a bad cut. The next day the other men warned him not to go along, but he took it lightly and went anyway. He got cold in the wound which turned into blood poisoning and caused his death at the age of 63 years, 3 months and 8 days, in the year 1858.