John & August Strickhorn, Kankakee County

John Strickhorn (1876 - 1961) came to Illinois in 1889 and was placed with the Patchett family near Norton, Kankakee County, Illinois. He lived with them at least until 1900 when he was 24 years old. While living with the Patchetts John received an 8th grade education. John married in 1906 to Agnes Neilsen. At that time he gave the names of his parents as Charles and Marie Saul Strickhorn, two German immigrants. John and Agnes moved in Indiana before 1910. In 1910 they were living and working on the farm of Isaac Rodgers in Cedar Creek, Indiana. Agnes died in 1918 after a lengthy illness, leaving John with five small children.

Although the notice of Agnes' death stated they had six children, only five children were living with John two years later. He had a woman working in the house to help with the children. His children were Melvin, Corinne, Ronald, Irma and Lela. They grew up in the Lowell, Indiana area and graduated from that high school. John died in 1961 in Cedar Creek, Indiana of pneumonia.

Although August Strickhorn was living very nearby with Paddy Patchett, he appeared only in the 1900 census.