BARLOGA, Fred
Past and Present of the City of Rockford and Winnebago County, IL, C. A. Church.   Chicago:  Clarke Publishing Company, 1905, pp 683-4

Fred BARLOGA, a representative farmer of Pecatonic Township [Winnebago County, IL], was born in Greenfield County [should be Greenfield, Milwaukee County; Greenfield was never a county] WI, 28 Mar 1856, his parents being John and Rosa (MUHENBERGER) BARLOGA, both of whom were of German birth, the former having been born in Hanover, and the latter in Baden.  From his native country the father came to the new world on a sailing vessel, landing at NY City.  This was in the early 1840's, and the voyage was a long and tedious one.  From the eastern metropolis he made his way westward to Detroit, MI, overland, but he remained long enough in the state of NY to earn the money necessary to meet the expenses of the journey and with which to purchase a cow at Detroit.  He lad the animal from that city across the country to Milwaukee, WI, which at that time was but a little village.  He was a poor man and anxious to earn a living in any way that he could, and worked for 25 cents per day until he could gain a start.  Later he entered land in Greenfield County [Greenfield, Milwaukee County], WI, about five miles from the city of Milwaukee, and he worked on the Illinois and Michigan Canal at Chicago.   Three times he walked between the two cities, a distance of 85 miles, when the country was wild prairie or timber land, there being few settlers along the entire distance. 

Mr. BARLOGA [the father of Fred] cut the timber with which he built his log house containing three rooms.  That was a very commodious dwelling for the time and district, and he had one of the notable homes of the locality.  He made wooden hinges for the doors, split the shingles out of timber with which to roof the building, made three windows and in fact did all of teh work himself for the construction of the pioneer cabin.  He was one of the early settlers of the community who shared in all the hardships, trials and deprivations incident to frontier life.  He cut timber and split rails for fencing his land, and with marked energy carried on the work of the farm.   Later he erected a frame residence and good barns and other substantial outbuildings.  Subsequently he purchased 180 acres of land in Winnebago County, IL, lying in Pecatonica Township, known as the Dr. EMERY farm.  He was for many years a most active and energetic agriculturalist, but during the last five or six years of his life, although he gave personal supervision to the work of the farm, he took no active part in the labors of the fields.  He [p 684] continued to reside upon the old homestead in WI until called to his final rest.  His life record shows what may be accomplished through determined and earnest purpose, for he was almost penniless when he arrived in this country, and gradually by untiring effort and able management he worked his way upward until he became the possessor of desirable property, and was known as one of the substantial farmers of his community.  In politics he was a republican.   He passed away on the old homestead in 1881, at the age of 79 years, and his wife died on the same farm in 1898, at the age of 83 years.  They were the parents of five children:  John, Herman, Fred, Henry and Eliza. 

Fred BARLOGA in his boyhood days devoted his attention to work on his father's farm through the summer months, while in the winter seasons he attended the district schools and thereby acquired a good practical educaton.  He early became familiar with all the duties and labors that fall to the lot of the agriculturalist, so that when he started out in life on his own account at the age of 24 years, he had practical experience to guide him in his farming operations.  He and his brother farmed together until 1883, when they divided their business interests, and Mr. BARLOGA has since been alone in the conduct of his agricultural pursuits.  He is today the owner of a valuable farm property comprising 221 and a half acres of splendidly improved land, on which he has erected a fine residence, in the rear of which stand commodious barns and outbuildings.   He is particularly well known as a stock dealer, and keeps from 45-50 head of cattle and from 75-80 head of hogs.  He always raises good grades of stock and therefore finds a ready sale on the market, commanding the best market prices.

On 10 Dec 1883, Mr. BARLOGA was married to Miss Eliza BARG, a daughter of John and Sophia (RIECKHOFF) BARG.  Her parents were natives of Hanover, Germany, and crossing the Atlantic to America, became residents of OH in 1853.  They were eight weeks in making the voyage to NY City.  The father worked for three years in a coal mine, and then removed to the vicinity of Milwaukee, Greenfield County [should be Greenfield, Milwaukee County], WI, where he purchased a farm of 40 acres.  Later he secured an additional tract of 40 acres, and spent his remaining days in the cultivation and improvement of that property, his death occurring on the old homestead when he had reached the age of 70 years.  His widow still resides on the old home farm with her youngest son, William.   They were adherents of the German Lutheran Church, and Mr. BARG gave his political support to the republican party.  In their family were eight children:  John, Fred, Eliza, Minnie, Bertha, Henry and William.  One daughter, Mary, the 5th member of the family, died at the age of 16 years.  Unto Mr. and Mrs. BARLOGA have been born six children:  David, John and George, who died in infancy; Celia, Homer and Floyd.   Mr. BARLOGA gives his political allegiance to the republican party, but has never sought or desired the honors and emoluments of office, preferring to give his undivided attention to his business affairs, that he may thereby provide a comfortable living for his family.  He has worked hard from early boyhood days down to the present, and his excellent farm is an indication of his well spent life and carefully directed labors.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly.