J. E. Vandeberg, a Civil war veteran and contractor and builder, has been active in the building world in Butler county for thirty-two years. Mr. Vandeberg is a native of New York, born in Ulster county in 1840, and is a son of Stephen and Sallie (Crispell) Vandeberg, natives of New York.

J. E. Vandeberg received a common school education, and when a young man served an apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade in his native State, and was thus engaged in the early sixties when the country was rent by rebellion, and the president called for volunteers to defend the Union. Like thousands of other loyal, patroitic[sic] boys of the North, Mr. Vandeberg responded to his country's call and enlisted in the Eighty-ninth regiment, New York infantry, which was commanded by Colonel Fairchilds. He participated in many important battles and numerous minor engagements and skirmishes. He was at the battles of Fredericksburg, Cold Harbor, South Mountain, and was with General McClellan in the Peninsula campaign, and was at the midnight capture of the fort near Norfolk, Va. His regiment was the first to enter Petersburg where they remained several months, and after having served his country faithfully and well he was honorably discharged at the close of the war. After being mustered out of service he returned to New York, and again engaged in the peaceful pursuit of his mechanical vocation.

In 1884 Mr. Vandeburg[sic] heeded the siren call of the West and came to Kansas, locating in Butler county, where carpenter work and building

has since occupied his attention. During these years he has constructed more buildings in Douglass than any other man, and he has practically built that town, including most of the churches, business blocks and dwellings. He has a well equipped shop with power machinery where he works up unfinished material into doors, window frames, mouldings, and all finishing products used in the finer class of carpenter work. He is a natural mechanic and has always taken great pride in his work. It is first nature to him, and he almost regards his tools, lathes and machinery as intelligent human beings and companions in his work.

Mr. Vandeberg was married in 1902, to Miss Sarah E. Essex. They have no children. Mr. Vandeberg is a Republican, and ever since casting his first vote for Abraham Lincoln, he has supported the policies and principles of that party. He is a member of the Congregational church.

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