William Loeffler

{{short description|American politician}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = William Loeffler

| office = City Clerk of Chicago

| image = William Loeffler.png

| term_start = 1897

| term_end = 1903

| predecessor = Charles A. Gastfield

| successor = Fred C. Bender

| office1 = Member of the Chicago City Council from the 8th ward

| term_start1 = 1892

| term_end1 = 1894

| predecessor1 =

| successor1 =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1857|1|1}}

| birth_place = Domažlice, Kingdom of Bohemia

| death_date = {{death date and age|1909|6|22|1857|1|1|mf=yes}}

| death_place = Kierspe, Province of Westphalia, German Empire

| party = Democratic

| education =

}}

William Loeffler (January 1, 1857 – June 22, 1909) was a German American politician from Bohemia who served as Alderman of Chicago's Eighth Ward from 1892 to 1894 and as City Clerk of Chicago from 1897 to 1903.{{Cite web |url=http://chsmedia.org/media/fa/fa/LIB/AldermansList.htm |title=Centennial List of Mayors, City Clerks, City Attorneys, City Treasurers, and Aldermen, elected by the people of the city of Chicago, from the incorporation of the city on March 4, 1837 to March 4, 1937, arranged in alphabetical order, showing the years during which each official held office. |access-date=February 26, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180904052355/http://chsmedia.org/media/fa/fa/LIB/AldermansList.htm |archive-date=September 4, 2018 |url-status=dead }}{{cite book |author= |date=1899 |title=Illinois Political Directory |url= |location= |publisher=W.L. Bodine & Co. |page=153 |isbn= |access-date=}}

He was born in Domažlice to Frank and Minnie (Reach) Loeffler. He graduated from a Latin school in Prague in 1872.{{Cite book |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_History_of_the_City_of_Chicago/Y8wsAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22William+Loeffler%22+chicago+bohemia&pg=PA337&printsec=frontcover |title=A History of the City of Chicago: Its Men and Institutions. Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens |date=1900 |publisher=Inter ocean |pages=22 |language=en}} He moved to the United States and settled In Chicago. He found work as a butcher, and then created a wholesale pork business.{{Cite book |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Prominent_Democrats_of_Illinois/z7RWAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22William+Loeffler%22+chicago+clerk&pg=PA282&printsec=frontcover |title=Prominent Democrats of Illinois: A Brief History of the Rise and Progress of the Democratic Party of Illinois |date=1899 |publisher=Democrat publishing Company |pages=282 |language=en}}

In June 1957, he married Frances Hall, with whom he had one son.{{Cite book |last=Goodspeed |first=Weston Arthur |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/History_of_Cook_County_Illinois/odQpAAAAYAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22William+Loeffler%22+chicago+bohemia&pg=PA775&printsec=frontcover |title=History of Cook County, Illinois--: Being a General Survey of Cook County History, Including a Condensed History of Chicago and Special Account of Districts Outside the City Limits; from the Earliest Settlement to the Present Time |last2=Healy |first2=Daniel David |date=1909 |publisher=Goodspeed historical association |isbn= |pages=775-776 |language=en}}

In June 1898, the Illinois Attorney General alleged he was neglecting his duties as city clerk to inform civil service commissioners about employment vacancies.{{Cite book |last=Commission |first=Chicago (Ill ) Civil Service |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Annual_Report_Chicago_Civil_Service_Comm/I3_g6YZYURIC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22William+Loeffler%22+chicago+clerk&pg=PA573&printsec=frontcover |title=Annual Report - Chicago Civil Service Commission |date=1899 |publisher=Chicago Civil Service Commission. |pages=573-595 |language=en}}

Loeffler died on June 22, 1909 in Kierspe, Germany and was buried in Chicago."Illinois, Cook County Deaths, 1871-1998", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q237-6FTD : Wed Jan 22 12:50:05 UTC 2025), Entry for William Loeffler and Edward Otto, 22 Jun 1909.