From: A Twentieth Century History of Allegan County, Michigan

By Henry F. ThomasPublished 1907, Lewis Publishing Co.

JACOB HAUB, deceased, was well known in Saugatuck and the western part of Allegan county, so that his life record cannot fail to prove of interest to many of the readers of this volume. Born in Oberhochstadt, Nassau, Germany, on the 2Oth of August, 1839, he was a son of Peter and Agnes Haub, who were also natives of that country. They came to the United States in 1853, bringing with them their family of six children: Agnes and Elizabeth, now deceased; Margaret, Mary, Jacob, of this review, and Matthew. Jacob Haub was a youth of fourteen years when he accompanied his parents on their emigration to the new world, becoming a resident of Lee county, Illinois, where his time and energies were devoted to farming.

He was thus engaged until after the outbreak of the Civil war, when his patriotic spirit was aroused in behalf of his adopted country, and in August, 1862, he enlisted in defense of the Union, as did so many of his fellow countrymen. He became a private of Company I, Eighty-ninth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and participated in all the battles with his regiment up to and including the battle of Dalton, where he was captured. He was then incarcerated for six months in Andersonville prison, suffering all the hardships and horrors of southern prison life, which have been so graphically described by other historians and yet which exceed any word painting that can be given. At the end of a half year he was released with shattered health, but with patriotism and loyalty undimmed. He was never again, however, able to take part with his regiment in active field service and was honorably discharged in 1865. The effects of his army life with its hardships, privations and exposures, remained with him throughout his subsequent years, and he frequently found it necessary to seek a change of climate for the benefit of his health.

On the 20th of April, 1869, Mr. Haub was happily married to Miss Anna J. Ulbrich, also a native of Germany, born April 8, 1840. She crossed the Atlantic in 1864, arriving in the month of October. Unto this union were born five children, of whom two are now living—Hugo J. and Anna I. The daughter is a well educated and highly informed young lady, who was graduated from the grammar'department of the Chicago schools and later from the Saugatuck high school with the class of 1894. After the war Mr. Haub remained in central Illinois until 1867, when he removed to Chicago, where he entered the express business. In 1870, however, on account of his health, he removed to Colorado, and subsequently to Pentwater, Michigan. Later he was at Brinkley, Arkansas, and afterward returned to Chicago, making all of these changes of residence on account of his health.

After his return to Chicago he spent ten years as foreman in the Pullman Car Shops, being a carpenter by trade and becoming an expert mechanic in that line, so that he was well qualified to direct the labors of others. In July, 1891, he came to Allegan county, locating in Saugatuck township, where he purchased thirty acres of land.

In 1896 he bought eighty acres and sold his first farm. His attention was given to agricultural pursuits in this county for about six years, and on the 24th of August, 1897, he was called from this life. He was a devout member of the Roman Catholic church, of which his family are also communicants, and he was a member of the Catholic Benevolent Association and of the Grand Army of the Republic. In his business life he prospered and was a self-made man, who through his own efforts and untiring perseverance advanced from a humble position to one of affluence.

Mrs. Haub and her son and daughter reside upon and operate the farm of eighty acres, which is devoted to the production of grain and fruit crops and which has been brought under a high state of cultivation and improvement. In 1899 they built a fine residence in modern style of architecture and of handsome design and it is now accounted one of the beautiful country homes of Allegan county.