Dale C. Maley: George Armbruster was one of the first plumbers in Fairbury

George Armbruster was a plumber for 38 years in Fairbury and operated his company for 25 years. His firm employed many local plumbers, and he provided plumbing services to many Fairbury area customers. A number of those employees went on to open their own businesses after working for Armbruster.

George Armbruster was one of Fairbury's early plumbers. The story of the Armbruster family began with the birth of Andrew Armbruster in 1851 in Germany. Christine Schmidt was born in Germany in 1852. Andrew and Christine married in Germany and had a large family of two boys and ten girls. In 1883, their first son, Jacob Armbruster, was born in Germany. Their second son, George Armbruster, was born in Germany in 1886.

In 1899, when Andrew Armbruster was 48 years old, he moved his large family to Fairbury. When they came to Fairbury, Jacob Armbruster was age 16, and George Armbruster was age 13.

In 1904, when George Armbruster was 18 years old, he started working as a plumber in Fairbury. After learning about the plumbing trade, George partnered with W.J. Potter in 1915. Their firm name was Potter & Armbruster, and their shop was in the Blevins building. In 1917, George Armbruster bought out the interest of his partner W.J. Potter. The new firm was known as Armbruster Plumbing.

One of the plumbers working at Armbruster Plumbing was Ted Armstrong. Unfortunately, in 1918, Ted was involved in an accident while working at the plumbing shop. He was working with gasoline that accidentally ignited and started his clothing on fire. Ted was severely burned on both his arms and his chest.

In 1919, E.L. Payne finished his military service in World War I. Elchard Payne returned to Fairbury after the war and started to learn the plumbing trade at the shop of George Armbruster. That same year, Ted Armstrong quit his job at Armbruster Plumbing. Ted started his own plumbing firm and leased the J.E. Eddy tinning and plumbing shop.

Armbruster Plumbing moved its shop from the Blevins building to a building located at the southeast corner of Second and Locust Streets in 1920. This building was owned by the Schlitz Brewing Company and had been leased to the Overland-Fairbury company. The Overland auto manufacturer was in business from 1903 until 1926.

In 1921, Miss Lela Kelso terminated her five-year employment as the bookkeeper at Armbruster Plumbing because she married Nowlan D. Babcock. The newlyweds moved to San Francisco, California.

Walter Swing grew up in Fairbury and worked as a plumber for Armbruster Plumbing. He then moved to La Crosse, Indiana, and farmed there. In 1924, he returned to Fairbury and resumed working as a plumber for George Armbruster.

In 1932, George Armbruster was 45 years old and was a well-known Fairbury businessman. He married 35-year-old Anna Rieger. Their first child, Mary A. Armbruster, was born in 1935. The second and last child, Doris M. Armbruster, was born in 1939.

After working 13 years for George Armbruster, E.L. Payne quit the firm and started his own plumbing company in 1933. Many men learned the plumbing trade at the E.L. Payne firm and then left to form their own plumbing companies.

In 1934, Andrew Armbruster died in Fairbury at the age of 84. He lived at 711 E. Elm St. in Fairbury. George Armbruster was 48 years old when his father passed away.

In 1937, the Fairbury Post Office was located at the south end of the Duell building in Fairbury at the northwest corner of Third and Walnut Streets. This location is now where the customer service counter is for Dave's Supermarket. The Third and Walnut Street intersection was busy, with many people driving to the Post Office. A fender-bender occurred between vehicles driven by Mr. Foltz and George Armbruster at that intersection. George Armbruster's plumbing tools were scattered all over Walnut Street.

George Armbruster often hired young women who had just graduated from Fairbury Township High School to be his bookkeeper. In 1937, Miss Cary Steidinger was the bookkeeper at Armbruster Plumbing. She married D.H. Morehart of Saunemin.

In 1941, George Armbruster bought the home previously owned by Oscar Nussbaum at the corner of Hickory and Second streets. Mr. and Mrs. Armbruster moved into this house.

On several occasions that same year, cash was found missing from the safe at the Armbruster Plumbing shop. Prior to these thefts, William La Vere Sheppard worked at Armbruster Plumbing. While employed there, he was given a key to the shop door and knew the combination to the safe.

After his employment at the plumbing firm had ended, Mr. Sheppard used his key to access the plumbing shop and steal the cash from the safe. Mr. Sheppard pleaded guilty and was sent to Joliet Prison.

At the age of 56, George Armbruster became physically and mentally ill. Family members summoned brother Jacob Armbruster to return to Fairbury and to help decide what to do about George's condition.

After Jacob returned to Fairbury, George told his brother he was going to the plumbing shop to ensure no pipes had frozen on a cold December day in 1942. When George did not return home after a couple of hours, brother Jacob went to the plumbing shop.

Jacob found the shop's front door open and went in. Jacob could not find his brother on the first floor, so we went to the basement. Jacob found that George Armbruster had hung himself in the basement of his plumbing shop. George was buried at Fairbury's Graceland Cemetery.

George Armbruster left behind his 45-year-old widow with two young girls to raise on her own. One daughter was seven years old, and the other was just three years old. The surviving family moved to Peoria, and the girls attended a high school there.

After the death of George Armbruster, his plumbing shop building was sold to Ernest Fosdick. Mr. Fosdick already owned the second building to the east for his Fosdick Produce Company. Mr. Fosdick then opened his own plumbing shop using George's Armbruster's building and shop.

In 1965, Mrs. George Armbruster died at age 68 in Peoria. She was buried with her husband, George, in Fairbury's Graceland Cemetery.

This article originally appeared on Pontiac Daily Leader: Dale Maley: George Armbruster was one of first plumbers in Fairbury