Zobrist family now in fourth generation of trucking in Highland
Edward Charles Zobrist was born in 1897.
Ed and his dad, August, began working on roads near Herrin, Ill., in 1916. Yes, 100 years ago.
Ed was able to buy his first large truck in 1920 and began trucking for his neighbors around Jamestown. In 1925, they rented a farm near Highland, and in 1927, rented the Adolph Geiger farm southeast of Highland.
By 1927, Ed purchased his first new truck, a Dodge, and in 1940, bought his second truck, which his son Maynard “Bud” drove on Saturday evenings, before and after high school. They hauled a lot of cattle to the National Stockyards in East St. Louis. They also hauled grain for Oberbeck Feed, when it was located at Main and Olive, and oats from Waverly, Ill., to mix with the feed. Continuing to haul for Oberbeck, they also hauled much machinery for Freeway Motors from Kewanee and Springfield, Ill. They also took smaller loads for other businesses and farmers.
In the 1950s Bud started driving for Bellm Freight Lines of Highland and St. Louis, and Neal “Butch” assisted his dad driving trucks. Then, in 1956, Neal went into the Army.
It was in 1959 that they had a big fire and Ed lost his newest truck and all of his machinery on their farm south of Highland.
In 1960, Neal married Pat Ginther, and they had two children, Tami in 1963, and Michael in 1966. Also in 1966, Neal purchased Zobrist Trucking from his dad. Neal thanks the late Bill Sackett and Bob Luitjohan of Oberbeck Grain, which now has its elevator at 6th & Walnut, for more than 50 years of hauling grain for them.
Later, Butch and Pat purchased 11 buses from Al Bloemker and established the Zobrist Bus Line and supplied school buses to the Highland School District, until 2008. They also provided buses for tours.
When Butch was ready to slow down a bit in 2015, Butch sold Neal Zobrist Trucking to his son, Michael Neal Zobrist, who had started driving for him in 1986. Michael’s main hauling is still for Oberbeck Grain.
“Edward Charles Zobrist, born in 1897 near New Baden, Ill., married Elvera Ella Dresch in 1921, and they farmed near Jamestown, Ill. They had eight children: Marian E. Zobrist (Mrs. Howard O.) Riegel and Linette L. Zobrist (Mrs. Cleo D.) Becker, both born near Jamestown. They later farmed southeast of Highland, and the other six children were all born in Highland: Maynard E. ‘Bud’ (Delores Luitjohan) Zobrist, Lorna Zobrist (Mrs. Elmer C.) Reinacher, Shirley Zobrist Sackett, Bernice Zobrist Coleman (Larry) Fricke, Neal ‘Butch’ (Patricia Ginther) Zobrist, and Ronald C. (Dianne Marti) Zobrist.”
“Ed’s great-grandfather Jakob (Jacob) Zobrist Sr. was born in Rupperswil, Canton Aargau, Switzerland, in 1785 and came to America and Highland in 1845, with his wife, Anna Rychner Zobrist, and his younger children. Jakob’s oldest son, Jakob (Jacob) Zobrist Jr., was born in Rupperswil in 1817, and he and his four oldest children came to Highland in 1848, leaving his wife, Maria, and the younger children in Switzerland. (Roy Worstell, who did this genealogy, also has a record that at least two of the younger children, later came to Highland. One was John Jacob Zobrist, born in 1832 in Rupperswil. In 1862 in Highland, he married Maria Buettekofer. They had eight children; the oldest son was August F. Zobrist, born in 1863 in rural Highland. This August F. Zobrist, in 1891, married Emma Hug, and their oldest son was Edward Zobrist, “the trucker.”
(Quotes from Neal Zobrist, genealogy from the late Aneda Lebegue Rutz and Roy Worstell, photos from Earl Stocker and my files.)
This story was originally published March 31, 2016 at 3:18 AM with the headline "Zobrist family now in fourth generation of trucking in Highland."