William Carl Friese notes in census reports being born in Saxony or Germany. Birth date appears on both his confirmation at St. Peter Lutheran Church and in the 1900 census. Years only are given on the tombstones. He must have immigrated with his parents in 1867 to Arlington Heights in Cook County, Illinois.

William, or Willie, as he appears in the 1870 census, was boarding with John Eraus in Grafton of the adjoining county of McHenry in Illinois. It is in McHenry County that his marriage to Emma Schwanbeck is recorded in 1884. So they probably met while he was working on the farm for John Eraus. After marriage he mainly worked as a carpenter in a can factory and the family had moved back to Arlington Heights by 1900 where they stayed until William’s death in 1932.

They lived next door to their only child, Emily, who married William Wilke, at the minimum from her marriage to the 1930 census.
©2012 Original narrative by Nancy Ratay

1870 Illinois, Cook County, Wheeling Twp., page 37, film M593-213
dwelling 274, family 274
Frisis(?), A, age 37, male, white, shoemaker, personal $200, born Prussia
----------, Mary, age 31, female, white, keeping house, born Prussia
----------, Willie, age 10, male, white, home, born Prussia
----------, Orlena, age 2, female, white, home, born Illinois
----------, Ann, age 2/12, female, white, home, born Illinois, born Apr

1880 Illinois, McHenry County, Grafton, E.D. 138, sheet 141B, film T9-228
view on Ancestry all black
living with John Eraus
Friese, William, male, white, age 19, born Germany, parents born Germany, laborer on farm

1900 Illinois, Cook County, Wheeling Twp, Arlington Heights Village, E.D. 1194, sheet 9A, stamped page 199, Film T623-295
dwelling 163, family 169
Friese, Wm C., head, white, male, Sept 1860, married 16 years, born Germany, parents born Germany, immigrated 1867, in US 33 years, naturalized, carpenter
--------, Emma, wife, white, female, Jan 1863, age 37, married 16 years, mother of 3 children, 1 living, born Germany, parents born Germany, immigrated 1882, in US 18 years
--------, Emily, daughter, white, female, Oct 1895, age 4, single, born Illinois, parents born Germany

1910 Illinois, Cook County, Wheeling Twp, Arlington Heights, E.D. 133, sheet 16B, stamped page 305, Film T624-241
dwelling 324, family 392
Friese, William C., head, male, white, age 49, married once for 25 years, born Germany, parents born Germany, immigrated 1867, naturalized, carpenter, can factory
--------, Emma, wife, female, white, age 47, married once for 25 years, mother of 1, one living, born Germany, parents born Germany, immigrated 1882
--------, Emelia, daughter, female, white, age 15, single, born Illinois, parents born Germany

1920 Illinois, Cook county, Wheeling Twp, Arlington Heights, E.D. 230, sheet 12A, stamped page 224, film T625-363
312 Euclid St., dwelling 209, family 230
Friese, William, head, male, white, age 59, married, immigrated 1868, naturalized 1875, born Germany, parents born Germany, laborer in factory
--------, Emma, wife, female, white, age 56, married, immigrated 1882, naturalized 1895, born Germany, parents born Germany
308 Euclid St., dwelling 208, family 229
Wilke, William, head, male, white, age 28, married, born Illinois, parents born Illinois, mail carrier, post office
-------, Emilie, wife, female, white, age 25, married, born Illinois, parents born Germany
-------, Ricnart?, son, male, white, 4 8/12, single, born Illinois, parents born Illinois

1930 Illinois, Cook County, Wheeling Twp, Arlington HeightsVillage, E.D. 2105, sheet 6A, stamped page 7, film T626-499
402 W. Mueller St. dwelling 130, family 134
Friese, William C., head, owns house $8000, no radio, male, white, age 69, married at age 24, born Germany-Saxony, parents born Germany, Saxony, immigrated 1868, naturalized, laborer in can factory
--------, Emma, wife, female, white, age 67, married at age 22, born Germany - Pommerania, father born Hannover, mother Pommerania, immigrated 1884, naturalized
318 W. Mueller St., dwelling 131, family 135
Wilke, William, head, owns house $10000, male, white, age 38, married age 22, born Illinois, father Germany, mother Illinois, butcher
-------, Emily, wife, female, white, age 35, married age 19, born Illinois, parents born Germany
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-------, Richard, son, male, white, age 14, single, born Illinois, parent born Illinois

--------------deceased

Herald (Arlington Heights, Illinois) 10 June 1932 p.3
William Friese, Old Resident of Arlington Heights, Passed Away
Mr. William Friese of Arlington Heights passed away Thursday afternoon, June 2, at Palatine hospital. Funeral services were held Sunday afternoon, June 5, at 12:30 o’clock at the Karstens funeral home in Arlington Heights, thence to the St. Peter Ev. Lutheran church in Arlington Heights; Rev. C.M. Noack and Rev. H.C. Fricke officiating. Interment was at St. Peter cemetery.

Obituary
William Friese was born at Naumburg, A. Salle, Saxony, Germany, Sept. 16, 1860. He came to the United States when about seven years of age and made his home at Arlington Heights, Ill. He was baptized in Germany, confirmed by Rev. Roeder in the St. Peter Ev. Lutheran church at Arlington Heights. Oct. 6, 1884 he was united in marriage to Miss Emma Schwanbeck at Woodstock, Ill., by Rev. Kolp; after marriage they made their home in Huntley, Ill., two years; then for a period of two years in Fort Madison, Iowa; for another two years at Kansas City, Kansas, after which time they moved to Arlington Heights and have made their home here up to the time of his death. After a period of sickness he was taken to the Palatine hospital where he was for four weeks. He passed away there, Thursday afternoon, June 2, at 5:15 at the age of 71 years, 8 months and 16 days.
He leaves to mourn his beloved wife, Emma; one daughter, Mrs. Emily Wilke of Arlington Heights; a son-in-law, Mr. William Wilke; one grandchild; one brother, Mr. Ed. Friese of Arlington Heights; one sister, Mrs. Henry Kuhs of Allegan, Michigan; one sister-in-law and one brother-in-law.