ADAM HERZOG, contractor and builder, Lafayette, and at present county commissioner of Tippecanoe County, is a native of Bavaria, Germany, born near the town of Kaiserslandern, January 9, 1841, a son of ADAM and HANNA (HIND) HERZOG.  Both died in Germany, the father in 1864, aged sixty years, and the mother in 1885, aged seventy-six years.  The father being a farmer, our subject was reared to the same vocation, receiving his education in the schools of his native place.  At the age of fifteen years he left his home for America, in company with a sister, and came to Lafayette, this county, where two of his sisters were living.  He began railroading on the New Albany road, being employed at the car shops under Superintendent Foster at Lafayette and Louisville for three years.  He then learned the carpenter's trade at Lafayette with SILAS BEARD, an old contractor of this city, which he followed until 1870, except while in the service of his country.
       
In August, 1861, he went to Chicago and enlisted in Company G, Thirty-ninth Illinois Infantry, being mustered in at that city.  He went with his regiment to St. Louis, encamped there about a week, and from there went to Cumberland, Maryland, thence to West Virginia, and took part in the engagement of Rich Mountain.  His next engagement was at Winchester, and from there he went to Fredericksburg, where he was again engaged.  He was with McClellan in the seven days' battle before Richmond, and took part in the siege of Vicksburg.  He was at Charleston for a year, during the entire siege, and helped to place the 200-pound gun in the swamp some five miles from the city, that threw the first shell into Charleston, remaining there until after the taking of Fort Sumter.  He then returned to Newport, North Carolina, and from there went to join Grant's forces, which were then going into the Wilderness campaign, in which he participated, and also took part in the attack on Petersburg, and was in the entire siege of Richmond.  He was severely wounded at Petersburg, and was then sent to the hospital at Fortress Monroe, and from there went to the hospital at Newark, New Jersey, for three months, when he came home on furlough.  He rejoined his command at Petersburg, and remained in that campaign until the taking of Richmond and the surrender of Lee at Appomattox.  He then went to Norfolk, Virginia, remaining there until sent to Springfield, Illinois, for discharge, which was granted him in December, 1865, when he returned to Lafayette.  He was a brave and gallant soldier, and was made Orderly Sergeant of his company.  He participated in the grand review of Sherman's army at Washington, D.C.

He was married at Lafayette, March 20, 1864, to MISS ANNIE PIFER, who was born in Germany, but reared in Indianapolis, Indiana.  They are the parents of six children, named--CLARA, HARDENS, ADAM, GEORGE, ROBERT and ALICE.  In 1870 the firm of HERZOG & WATKINS was formed, which carried on contracting and building until 1884, when MR. PERRY WATKINS retired from the firm, since which time MR. HERZOG has conducted the business alone.  This firm erected some of the finest residences in which this city, including MR. REYNOLD's house, which cost $23,000; the FOLEY and the JEFF LEVERING residences, and the Chauncey school was built by MR. HERZOG in 1886.  In politics MR. HERZOG affiliates with the Republican party.  He served as a Councilman from the Fourth Ward for four years, and in 1885 was elected, and has since served, as county commissioner.  He is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and also of the Knights of Pythias.