GEORGE F. ORT, general merchant, on the corner of Commercial avenue and Twentyeighth street, Cairo, Ill., is a native of Amsterdam, Holland, and was born November 27, 1842; son of G. F. Ort and Elizabeth De L'Etang, both natives of Holland, the former of German descent and the latter of French origin. The father was born in 1812 and the mother in 1807; both are living and are the parents of five children, of whom George F. is the second. Names of children are as follows: Elizabeth, resident of Amsterdam; George F., of Cairo; Charles P., of Amsterdam; Jeanette, wife of John Vergonue, of Holland; John G. N., present book-keeper for the City National Bank at Cairo. George F. was reared and educated in his native country, and took a practical business training in the mercantile line in the old country. He came to United States, and in the fall of 1860 located in Eastern Iowa, where, for three years he engaged in agricultural pursuits. He came to Cairo, in June, 1864, and engaged in market gardening, associated with Mr. Smallenburg, but after returning from a visit to the scenes of his boyhood, in 1867, he engaged alone in the same business, and continues the business still. In connection with this in the spring of 1882, he opened a general store, where he is now located. He employs regularly three salesmen. He was married in Cairo, Ill., on the 6th of November, 1874, to Miss Ellen DeGelder, of Holland, where she was born, September 7, 1850. She came to the United States with her parents, Matthew and Gertrude (Vermazen) De Gelder, in the year 1856. The parents are now residents of Alexander County, Ill.
Extracted 31 Mar 2017 by Norma Hass from 1883 History of Alexander, Union, and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part V, pages 33-34.
| Cape Girardeau MO |
Union | |
 |
Pulaski | |
| Scott MO | Mississippi MO | Ballard KY |
