Background
He was born in Peoria, Illinois, where his father, was a monument maker.
He was born in Peoria, Illinois, where his father, was a monument maker.
His father had been apprenticed as a stone carver in Germany before immigrating to the United States and it was likely from him that Triebel learned the rudiments of sculpting.
At the age of 16 Triebel was apprenticed to a stone carver in Chicago, and from there he moved to first New York and then Boston. Their first two children, Dante and Beatrice were born in Italy. In the early 1890s Triebel was invited to be a part of the international sculpture selection jury for the World"s Columbian Exposition He also exhibited six works at the exposition.