Among the prominent figures of Pekin’s history was Julius Franz Jaeckel (1862-1950), who was the first Fire Chief of the Pekin Fire Department, serving his community in that post for 50 years, from 1889 until his retirement in 1939. During his long tenure as Fire Chief, he founded Pekin’s city fire department on a solid foundation, always striving to improve the department with better equipment and training.
Chief Jaeckel’s long years of labor as the fire department’s head were built upon the earlier work of Pekin’s independent volunteer fire companies that were formed in response to the devastating “Great Fire” of 1860 that obliterated most of Pekin’s original downtown businesses. Jaeckel himself began his fire fighting career in 1879 when he first became a volunteer fireman for Pekin’s Independent Hook & Ladder Company when he was just 16 years old. Afterwards he volunteered as a fireman with Pekin’s Wide Awake Hose & Engine Company.
On 6 May 1889, Pekin Mayor Charles Duisdieker appointed Jaeckel as Pekin’s first Fire Chief, with the previous independent fire companies being joined as a formal department of the city government.
A biographical sketch of Chief Jaeckel was included in Ben C. Allensworth’s “History of Tazewell County” (1905), page 1029 —
“Julius F. Jaeckel, chief of the Pekin fire department since 1889, needs no introduction to a community in which his entire life has been passed, and where he is appreciated also as a practical tinner and hardware man, a prominent fraternalist, and all round public spirited citizen. Born in Pekin, November 12, 1862, Mr. Jaeckel’s characteristics are those of the high class German-American, who, while thoroughly practical in his views of life, is nevertheless an appreciator, to an unusual extent, of the diversions and amenities which contribute to the social aspects of a town. His father, Henry J. Jaeckel, who was born in Germany March 21, 1825, came to Pekin, and in 1859, was married to Anna Pein, born November 30, 1840. The elder Jaeckel brought with him to Pekin in the early days a thorough knowledge of the tinners’ trade and there started a shop which increased in capacity as the demand for goods was created, enabling him to take his son into training, and finally into partnership in 1899. The latter had previously been given a practical training in the public schools, and had taken a course at Coles Business College in Peoria. It was not intended that he should begin his business career where his father left off, for Teutonic thoroughness and discipline recognizes no such royal road to success. He was required to master every detail of the tinners’ trade, and. only when well qualified, was admitted to an equal share of the profits. He has since been connected with an enterprise which has stood the test and approbation of years, and has materially contributed to the commercial prosperity of the city.
“June 20, 1881, Mr. Jaeckel was elected a member of the volunteer fire department, and because of his excellent understanding of the duties of his position, was appointed chief of the department in 1889. He has filled the office with a high degree of discretion and faithfulness, winning the confidence of the leading citizens, regardless of political or other preferences. Appreciating the many advantages of the time-honored fraternal organizations, he has for years been connected with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Knights of Pythias, and the Ancient Order of United Workmen. May 13, 1889, the same year in which he assumed the responsibilities of fire chief, Mr. Jaeckel joined Gehrig’s band as drum master, and since has been connected with this pleasure promoting organization. He is also a member of the Crawfish Club, the Pekin Gun Club, and other local societies. An extremely companionable and wholesouled man, Pekin’s fire chief radiates good will and optimism wherever he goes, counting his friends by the score, and his opportunities for doing kindly acts by the hundred. Mr. Jaeckel has never been married.”
The same year that Allensworth’s Tazewell County history was published, Jaeckel did get married, to a fellow German-American named Frances A. Schwemin (1874-1945). They were married at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Peoria on 9 Aug. 1905, and had an only child, a daughter, Ruth, in November of 1909.
Having attained 50 years as Pekin Fire Chief, J. F. Jaeckel retired in 1939. His wife Frances passed away in 1945, and he survived her by five years, dying on Wednesday, 8 Feb. 1950, about two and half months after suffering a stroke from which he never fully recovered. He was buried by his wife’s side in Lakeside Cemetery. The day after his death, the Pekin Daily Times published a lengthy front page obituary and tribute, as follows:
J. Jaeckel, 50-Year Fire Chief, Dies
The city of Pekin and firemen the state over are mourning the death of Julius F. Jaeckel, 87, honorary Pekin fire chief who at 6 p.m. Wednesday died in a Peoria hospital. He had suffered a stroke Nov. 18, 1949, and never fully recovered. Chief Jaeckel had served the city of his birth as fire chief for 50 years before he retired in 1939. At that time he was the oldest fire chief in the state, both in point of service and in years. He was also listed as one of the five oldest in the United States in 1937 when he celebrated his 75th birthday.
Chief Jaeckel was a real pioneer in the fire-fighting field. He joined the Pekin fire department as a volunteer on June 20, 1881, taking his place as a puller on the tongue of the hand-drawn fire cart. The rawest of recruits at the start, his rise was rapid. He was one of the band of 20 volunteers who slept each night for 20 years in the loft of the firehouse without pay.
On May 6, 1889, after eight years of service without pay, the city fathers met and named Julius Jaeckel chief of the fire department — the highest honor in the department and his most coveted prize.
An excerpt from a newspaper yellowed with age shows that the late Mayor Duisdieker pinned the gold chief’s badge on Mr. Jaeckel “who was so surprised that he looked like a statue amid the applause of all.” The clipping adds that Mr. Jaeckel “could not respond, which was better than a speech.”
Won With Honor
In presenting the gold badge to Mr. Jaeckel, Mayor Duisdieker said “may you wear it for many years to come with honor to yourself,” and he little knew the extent to which these prophetic words would be carried out. For the “old fire horse” wore the badge proudly and with honor for longer than any other fire chief in the state before handing it over to a younger man. For 58 years he wore the fireman’s badge and boots, and without a stain on his record.
Not content with the honor bestowed on him, Chief Jaeckel was constantly on the alert for more and more education and knowledge in fighting fires. He spent three weeks with a Chicago brigade in the ’90’s to learn how others do it, but shortly after this interlude he was back “in harness” in Pekin. As late as 53 years after joining the force, he was still attending schools and institutes, gathering more information to pass on to those in his department.
In 1937 Chief Jaeckel was honored on the occasion of his 75th birthday and at that time he was asked about his most memorable experience as a fireman. “I’ve seen people killed time and again. One explosion took 42 at a crack. But then those aren’t the sort of things I like to remember. I like to remember the friends I’ve made on the way.”
Those words, better than any others, sum up Chief Jaeckel’s philosophy of life.
Wife Precedes
The son of Henry Julius and Anna Pine Jaeckel, he was born in Pekin Nov. 12, 1862, in a building now the site of the Union Mission. He spent his entire life here, marrying the late Miss Frances Schwemin in St. Joseph’s Catholic church, Peoria, Aug. 9, 1905. She preceded him in death on Dec. 14, 1945.
At any early age he entered the tinning trade, but abandoned it in favor of the fire department.
He is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Ray Leitner, and a grand-daughter, Judy Rollins of Pekin; a brother, Henry, Portland, Ore.; two sisters, Miss Emma Jaeckel of River Forest and Mrs. August Lohnes of Denver, Colo.
Mr. Jaeckel was a member of St. Paul’s Evangelical and Reformed church and of the Men’s Brotherhood of that church.
Lodge Affiliations
His lodge affiliations included the Elks, Knights of Pythias, Fraternal Order of Eagles and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. He was an honorary member of the Musicians union, member of the Illinois Firemen’s association and the Pekin Sportman’s club.
The funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday in St. Paul Evangelical and Reformed church with Dr. Arno . Zimmerman officiating. Burial will be in Lakeside cemetery.
Prior to the rites, the body will lie in state in the Abts mortuary, where friends may pay their respects until 11 a.m. Saturday.
