The history of Dubuque County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., Part 112

Author:
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical
Number of Pages: 964

USA > Iowa > Dubuque County > The history of Dubuque County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc. > Part 112

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CHARLES STAFFORD, retired, No. 463 Windsor street, Dubuque ; is a native of Northamptonshire, England, and was born Aug. 19, 1812; he came to Can- ada in 1828; he came to Dubuque in August, 1838; in 1839, he ran a flat-boat ferry for Timothy Fanning, the first ferry run across the river from this side; the next year, he ran Gen. Jones' horse-boat ; he afterward engaged in plastering. Mr. Stafford has lived here forty-two years, and has been engaged mostly in farming and mining ; he laid out Stafford's Addition to Dubuque ; he had nothing when he began life, but has secured a competency. In 1855, he was united in marriage to Miss Lizzie Pfotzer ; she is a native of Galena, and came with her parents to Dubuque July 3, 1833; they kept the first boarding-house ever kept in Dubuque; her mother is still living. Mr. and Mrs. Stafford have seven children-William, Charles, Jackson, Mary, Emily, Francis and Henry.

GEORGE F. STARR, engaged in mining; residence, Delhi street ; is a native of Dubuque, and was born Nov. 16, 1850; he grew up and attended school here ; after reaching manhood, he engaged in mining ; he, in company with three others, are engaged in working a mine in West Dubuque. He married Sarah Eddy, a native of Dubuque, in December, 1874 ; they have two children-Milton S. and an infant son.

J. F. STEINER, of the firm of Steiner & Parker, dealers in fancy goods and notions, ladies' and gents' furnishing goods, 730 Main street, Dubuque ; is a native of Switzerland, and was born Feb. 18, 1842; his parents came to Dubuque when he was only 6 years of age; he grew up and attended school here, and entered a storc ; he has been engaged in mercantile business here over twenty years; the firm of Steiner & Parker was established in 1878, and they have built up a good trade. In November, 1867, Mr. Steiner was united in marriage to Miss Mary S. Humkey, a native of Dubuque Co .; they have three sons and three daughters-Anna C., Bertha W., Fannie A., Frank C., Clifford E. and John F.

WILLIAM G. STEWART, President of the Dubuque County Bank, Dubuque. Among the honored names of Dubuque's carly settlers, none are more worthy of record than that of the subject of this brief sketch ; he is a native of Lee Co., Va., and was born July 10, 1813, and is the son of William and Jane Stewart, both natives of Virginia ; his carly education was limited, but later, through his own efforts of read- ing and study, he has placed himself above others with much better opportunities for learning. In early life, he had an ambition to see and live in the Great West, and, in September, 1831, his father's family removed to Montgomery Co., Mo., and he accom- panied them ; in the spring of 1832, he was employed by the Government to assist in the removal of the remnants of the tribes of Seneca, Delaware and other tribes of Indians, from Ohio to their reservations, about one hundred miles above Little Rock, Ark .; having heard

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of Galena and the great lead mines, he determined to visit them ; arriving in Galena in October, 1833, he remained until the 10th of February, 1834, when he came to Dubuque, which was then in Michigan Territory, and returned to Missouri the following summer ; after remaining away about one year on account of sickness, he returned to Dubuque and engaged in farming and mining. He was elected Sheriff of Dubuque Co. in 1847, and held that office for six years; in 1856, he was elected to the State Senate for a term of four years; he was elected Treasurer of Dubuque Co. in 1869, by a large majority, and, by re-elections, he held that office for twelve years ; he is connected with the Dubuque & Sioux City, Chicago, Dubuque & Minnesota and Iowa Pacific Railroads, and is active in the development of the interests of the city and county ; he has acted with the Democratic party and is an advocate of its principles. On the 2d of June, 1842, he was united in marriage to Mrs. Caroline Wilson, by whom he has six children.

W. STOLTEBEN, merchant tailor and dealer in gents' furnishing goods, corner Main and Fifth streets, Dubuque; is a native of Prussia, Germany, and was born March 27, 1829 ; he grew up to manhood and learned his business there, and emi- grated to America ; came to Dubuque in May, 1856 ; he began working at his business, and has been engaged in merchant tailoring since then; when he began he had nothing, but by industry, good management and close attention to business, he has built up the largest and leading trade in the city ; in addition to his large stock of goods, he has built one of the finest and most pleasant homes in Dubuque, and is one of the successful business men of Dubuque. In 1867, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary F. Hellman, oldest daughter of John H. Hellman, one of the oldest and wealthiest citizens of Galena ; they have four children-Frank, Willie, Paula and Ber- tha; Mr. Stolteben has two sons, Rudolph and Anton, by a former wife.

CASPER STREIF, dealer in wines and liquors, corner Eighth and Bluff streets, Dubuque ; is a native of Switzerland, and was born Feb. 28, 1834; he came to America in 1847, and came to Galena the same year and grew up to manhood there ; he came to Dubuque in 1869, and since then has resided here. He married Mrs. Mary Andrews March 18, 1856 ; she is a native of Pennsylvania, but was raised in Detroit; they have six children-Lillian, William, Ada, Ned, Stella and Selma Augusta.

FRANK STRINSKY, of the firm of Schreiber & Strinsky, proprietors of the Key City Iron Works, Eighth street, between Clay and Iowa streets, Dubuque; is a native of Bohemia, born June 30, 1847 ; his parents came to America when he was 10 years of age; they came to Dubuque in 1857; he grew up and learned his trade here, and in January, 1877, engaged in business with his present partner, Mr. Schrei- ber, and they are building up a good trade. He belongs to the Masonic Order, the I. O. O. F. and Foresters and the Bohemian Mutual Association. In 1867, he married Miss Rachel Hunt, from Zanesville, Ohio ; she died in August, 1872. In February, 1873, married Laura Matthews, a native of Bohemia; they have three children- Mary A., Joseph and Florence.

JOHN H. STROBEL, pork-packer, Clay street, between Fourth and Fifth streets, Dubuque; is a native of Bavaria, Germany, and was born Sept. 19, 1825 ; he emigrated to America in 1844; lived in Missouri three years, and came to Dubuque in 1847 ; he began work at brickmaking ; then worked for Mayor Bush and Fred Weigle, all three of them were bachelors together at that time; in 1853, he engaged in busi- ness for himself in packing pork, in a small way, and had a candle factory ; he did a large business in manufacturing candles during the war ; he took George Rath in part- nership with him, and the firm of Strobel & Rath carried on the business for sixteen years, and since then he has continued in business alone. During the war, he was chosen Treasurer of the draft fund for the Second Ward, and was active in recruiting men for the war ; he has held various church offices. When Mr. Strobel began life he had nothing, and he owes his success to his own efforts and good management. In August, 1853, he married Miss Eliza Benner, a native of Switzerland; they have six children- Emelia E., Andrew, Rosalie, Caroline, John E. and Charles A.

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JOHN STURGEON, of the firm of Lawther & Sturgeon, dealers in dry goods and clothing, 145 Main street, Dubuque ; is a native of Ireland, and was born in County Down June 27, 1848 ; he emigrated to America in 1862, and came to Dubuque the same year, and entered his uncle's store as clerk ; he associated with Mr. Lawther, and succeeded his uncle in their present business, and they have a large trade.

MARK SULLIVAN, farmer and President of the Board of Supervisors of Dubuque Co .; Sec. 31 ; P. O. Ballyclough ; is a native of Dubuque Co., and was born in 1840 ; his parents came here in 1835, and were among the first settlers ; he grew up and attended school here, and, after reaching manhood, engaged in farming; he is the oldest of nine children, and he has the management of the estate, which consists of 480 acres of land, also city property. Mr. Sullivan was elected County Supervisor in 1875, and has held the office for the past five years, and has been twice elected President of the Board; he has also held the offices of Town Clerk, Assessor and Town Trustee.

JOHN H. THEDINGA (deceased) was the son of Claus Herman and Follmina Margaretha Thedinga, and was born May 25, 1814, on the family estate, " Kloster Thedinga," near Leer, in the province of Ostfriesland, Kingdom of Hanover, Europe; being of a studious nature and very delicate in his early youth, he was des- tined to study law and for this purpose received a classical education ; but, at the age of 18 years, when prepared to enter the university, he, being in poor health, with the assent of his father (influenced by his brothers-in-law, who were all merchants), resolved to abandon his studies and become a merchant. In 1832, he went to Amsterdam and took a position in the counting-house of a brother-in-law, where he remained till 1835, when he came to the United States to visit a sister, who had removed to St. Louis, Mo., with her husband the year before; but instead of returning to Europe, as intended, he concluded to remain there. He at first entered into business in St. Louis with his brother-in-law, I. N. A. Bentzen, under the firm name of I. N. A. Bentzen & Co., but soon dissolved this partnership, and came to Dubuque with a young Russian gentleman, Mr. Konopka, with whom he opened a store at Peru, then a flourishing village a few miles north of Dubuque. They closed this business in the spring of 1837. In 1838, Mr. Thedinga went to St. Louis, but, in 1839, he returned to Dubuque and opened a store in connection with his brother-in-law, Bentzen. From that time, he remained in Dubuque, and was engaged in various kinds of commerce till 1852, when, in consequence of injuries received in 1851, by which his sight was nearly destroyed, he quit the com- mercial business. It was on the evening of Jan. 11, 1851, that this terrible calamity befell him. He was then in the grocery and drug business, and, one Saturday evening, when he and two clerks were alone in the store, one of the clerks, whom he had befriended and given an interest in the drug department, in apparently his usual mood, placed a lot of sulphuric acid upon the stove and heated it to a boiling point ; this he then suddenly dashed into the face of Mr. Thedinga. The agony was excruciating, as it burned its way into the flesh and consumed one of the eyeballs. Frantic with pain, he ran to the door screaming " Murder !" and fell prostrate upon the sidewalk. As soon as it was discovered what had been done, the most intense excitement prevailed ; the bells were rung, and all the town was called out to search for the dastard who liad perpetrated this diabolical act. He could not be found that night, but next morning he was dis- covered dead in a stable in the vicinity-a suicide by strychnine. Mr. Thedinga never harbored any ill will toward the man who had done him such an irreparable injury, believing him to have been insane, though no trace of it had been discovered before. The last entry in the diary of the man who did this fiendish act was "Strange that I could do my best friend such a terrible injury." In the year 1846. he was married to Maria Louise, daughter of Dr. C. Koepfli, by whom he had thirteen children-four sons and nine daughters; his wife, two sons and seven daughters survived him. He held several offices of honor and trust ; in 1844, he was elected Alderman, and re-elected in 1845 and 1846; in 1850, he was elected County Commissioner ; in 1852-54, Justice of the Peace; in 1858, member of the Board of Education, to which position he was continually re-elected without opposition, and which he held at the time of his death ; in 1861, he was Chairman of the Board of Supervisors, and, in 1862 and 1863, Mayor

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of the city of Dubuque; he was the first German Mayor of the city ; in 1847, he was one of the committee of twenty-five citizens to settle all land claims in the mining dis- trict of Dubuque before the land sales. When the German Savings Bank (afterward German Bank) was established in the fall of 1864, he was elected President and remained at the head of this institution until his death. As member of the Board of Education, he was for many years Chairman of the Finance Committee, and it was to his good judgment and management, mainly, that the school finances of Dubuque City were gotten in such good condition. He died Dec. 13, 1876, aged 62 years and 6 months. We add the following from the Dubuque Times of Dec. 14, 1876: "In whatever position he was placed, he was no passive . figure-head' of the party that nominated him; he was always a positive power, actively influential, and that always on the side of morality, justice and right. When storms of opposition came that others found it impossible to breast, he remained firm and calm and steadfast. When others deemed that a little compromising, a little temporizing might be the better policy, he asked only where the right was, and then he took and kept his position. When others were carried off their feet by some tidal wave of enthusiasm or rush of indignation, his judgment was as clear and unperturbed as ever. Yet while so strong in all the elements of intellectual and moral manhood, he assumed no air or bearing of superiority, his sympathies went forth not only toward all good and noble things, but toward all man- kind, making him ever genial and approachable. His clear judgment and strong self- control. was combined with the sincerity and simplicity of a child. When things were going wrong in city and county, in public or private affairs, in financial matters or school matters or social matters, as the case might be, no one ever appealed to him with- out receiving not only a kindly, but a cordial hearing; certainly wise and practical sug- gestions, and, if possible, active assistance. To say that his neighbors and acquaint- ances esteemed him is too weak an expression; they loved him, rather. To his wife and children he was less a husband and father than their genial associate and dearest friend."

N. H. THEDINGA, dealer in hardware, nails and paints, 679 Main street, Dubuque; is a native of Dubuque Co., and was born in the city of Dubuque March 28, 1847 ; he grew up to manhood and received his education here ; he engaged in the hardware business in 1872, and is building up a large trade. In May, 1876, he was united in marriage to Miss Louise Ryhiner, daughter of Dr. Ryhiner, of Highland, Ill .; they have one daughter-Ilda.

N. O. THEISEN, proprietor of New Harmony Hall, corner Tenth and Clay streets, Dubuque ; is a native of Germany, and was born in Luxemburg Feb. 17, 1833 ; he came to America in 1855, and came to Iowa and located in Tete des Morts, Jackson Co .; engaged in mercantile business and buying grain for four years ; then came to Mosalem Township, this county, and opened a store ; engaged in farming about ten years, then came to Dubuque, and since then has been in present business. He married Miss Catharine Noel, from this county, Jan. 29, 1861 ; they have six children -John, Frank, Mary, Katie, Lena, Annie.

THE DUBUQUE DAILY AND WEEKLY TELEGRAPH, corner Main and Fifth streets, Dubuque.

THE DUBUQUE FURNITURE AND BURIAL CASE COMPANY, 584 Main street, Dubuque ; was established Feb. 1, 1877 ; they man- ufacture all kinds of furniture and burial cases ; their large manufactory on the corner of Washington and Eighteenth streets employs fifty-five hands; they do both a whole- sale and retail business. Mr. William Kley, the manager of the store and salesroom, is a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, and was born Feb. 21, 1830 ; he grew up and learned the business there, and emigrated to America in 1849, and came to Iowa in August, 1856, and settled in Dubuque and began working at his trade; he has a large experience in the business, and has built up a large trade in Iowa, and extends into Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. Mr. Kley married Miss Elizabeth Wagner, a native . of Germany, in 1852; they have three children-Mary, Emma and George.

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JOHN THOMPSON, of the firm of L. D. Randall & Co., wholesale dealers in leather and saddlery hardware; is a native of Chautauqua Co., N. Y., and was born Aug. 1, 1821 ; he grew up to manhood in that State, and came West in the summer of 1854, and located at Galena ; he came to Dubuque in 1857, and, in 1861, he associated with his present partner, L. D. Randall, and since then they have successfully carried on the leading and largest wholesale leather and saddlery hardware trade west of the Mississippi River ; in 1876, Mr. Thompson was appointed Receiver of the Chicago, Clinton & Dubuque, and the Chicago, Dubuque & Minnesota Railroads ; the appoint- ment was entirely unsolicited by him directly or indirectly, though there were many applicants for the position; he turned the road over to the bondholders after it was sold, and made his final report in April, 1877, and was complimented by the court for his able management and the full and complete account rendered of the same. Mr. Thomp- son in politics is an Independent Democrat ; he is not an officc-seeker ; he has held the office of Mayor of the city for three terms; he was elected in 1862 ; the following year, he was unanimously re-elected by both parties without opposition, and he was again re-elected, and the administration of the affairs of the city during that time was charac- terized by great energy and efficiency ; it being during the war, he was active in lend- ing his aid in raising volunteers for the support of the Government; he is a great admirer and an intimate personal friend of Gen. Grant, and, during his administra- tion as Mayor of the city, tendered him one of the finest receptions that he had ever received at that time, and since his return from abroad, on the 1st of December; 1879, he tendered him a private reception at his elegant residence on Locust street, in this city. In March, 1843, Mr. Thompson was united in marriage to Miss Mary Marshall, from Erie Co., Penn .; they have two children-one son, J. Frank, and one daughter, Ella M.

J. W. THOMPSON, physician, oculist and aurist, 153 Ninth street, Dubuque; is a native of Monmouth County, N. J .; when 12 years of age, he came to Ohio; he attended school there and entered the University of Michigan, where he com- pleted his literary course and took two courses in the medical department of the Uni- versity, and graduated at Starling Medical College, Columbus, Ohio, in 1865; after graduating, he went abroad and spent one ycar in London and one year in Vienna; after his return, he engaged in the practice of medicine in Indiana for twelve years; he came to Dubuque in February,1879, and since then has practiced his profession here, giving special attention to the treating of the eye and ear, and is building up a good practice.

GEORGE L. TORBERT, Postmaster, Dubuque ; is a native of Camden, Oneida Co., N. Y .; he grew up to manhood and received his education in that State ; he came West to Iowa, and arrived in Dubuque in November, 1855, and engaged in real-estate and loan business, and afterward connected insurance with it ; after the break ing-out of the rebellion, he was appointed Quartermaster, and served in that position at Camp Union during the early part of the war; he was afterward commissioned Major of the 46th I. V. I .; he received the appointment of Postmaster of Dubuque, March 25, 1872, and is serving his seventh year. He was united in marriage to Miss Mar- garet R. Rockwell, from Utica, N. Y., Oct. 20, 1869; they have three children- Horace G., Kate Kellogg and James R.

W. H. TORBERT, wholesale druggist, 576 Main street, Dubuque, ware- house 445 and 447 White street; the drug business now carried on by the subject of this sketch was established by Timothy Mason, in 1837; he was succeeded in the busi- ness by P. C. Sampson; Mr. Torbert was a partner of Mr. Sampson, and succeeded him in the business; Mr. Torbert is a native of Camden, Oneida Co., N. Y., and was born in 1845; he came West to Dubuque in 1864, and in 1868 located here perma- nently ; he carries on both wholesale and retail business ; he has by his ability and energy built up a large wholesale trade, which extends through Iowa into Minnesota, Nebraska, Dakota, Illinois and Wisconsin; he gives special attention to the retail prescription department of his store, and the perfection it has attained we should expect for two reasons-the first one is the almost unparalleled accuracy with which prescriptions have:

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been put up by this house; it being a fact that in 100,000 prescriptions put up in the last twenty years, no error of an important or serious character has been made; secondly, every patient and customer knows that their medicine will be compounded with pure- goods at the lowest possible prices.

PAUL TRAUT, of the firm of Traut & Heer, dealers in hats, caps and furs, and gents' furnishing goods, No. 559 Main street, Dubuque; is a native of Dubuque County, and was born in the city of Dubuque June 27, 1850 ; he grew up and received his education here; he was book-keeper in the wholesale drug house of E. H. Moore for five years ; in 1873, he engaged in the wholesale liquor business, firm Paul Traut & Co., and continued for six years ; in 1879, he engaged in his present business and is building up a good trade; he is a member of the Dubuque Sharpshooters. In April, 1873, Mr. Traut was united in marriage to Miss Louise Jaeger, a native of the city of Dubuque; they have four children-Nora, Frank, Louise M., Mary A.

ALFRED TREDWAY, of the firm of Andrew, Tredway & Sons, wholesale dealers in heavy and shelf hardware, 484 to 488 Main street, Dubuque; is a native of the State of New York, and was born in New York City in 1817; he grew up to manhood, and lived in that city and State until 1851, when he came West to Iowa, and located in Dubuque; in 1853, he associated with his present partner, Mr. William Andrew, and established the house of Andrew & Tredway, which has suc- cessfully carried on the leading trade in their line in Dubuque for over a quarter of a century ; in addition to their large and commodious double store on Main street, they have three stores fronting on Iowa street, stored with iron, heavy hardware and car- riage timber, to meet the demands of their jobbing trade ; they have a large and exten- sive business. Mr. Tredway was united in marriage to Miss Elizabeth S. Taft, a native of Lyons, N. Y .; they have five children, three sons and two daughters.

HUGH TREANOR, retired, 190 Julien avenue, Dubuque; was born in the North of Ireland Aug. 18, 1802; he grew up to manhood there and emigrated to America in 1832; he came to Iowa and located in Dubuque in June, 1837, and was one of the early settlers ; he engaged in mining for several years, and then engaged in the grocery trade ; he continued in mercantile business about a quarter of a century ; he has held the office of City Alderman for eight years. He was united in marriage to Miss Catharine Sherlocke, a native of the North of Ireland, Sept. 16, 1828; she died in 1860 ; they had eight children, six of whom survive-Philomine, Catharine, Joseph, Elizabeth, Mary and Hugh. Mr. Treanor was actively identified with the State mili- tia at an early day, and he was Captain of the third company of militia raised in Iowa ; his command was called out and were under arms during the Missouri boundary-line war; during the Mexican war, eighty men of his company volunteered, and Mr. Trea- nor was elected Captain, but before going into the field orders came for them to remain here, as their services might be needed to assist in defense of the British line.

JOHN TREXLER, contractor and builder, corner of Jackson and Seven- teenth streets, Dubuque ; is a native of Bavaria, Germany, and was born March 3, 1825 ; he grew up to manhood there, and emigrated to America in 1852, and came to Iowa and located in Dubuque in 1855, and began working at his trade of carpenter and joiner, and has been engaged in building and contracting for twenty-five years. He belongs to the Pius Society. In October, 1851, Mr. Trexler married Miss Kate Eich- mann, a native of Germany ; they have six children-Caroline, John, Emma, Louie, Kate and Otto.

TRILK BROTHERS, ceiling and decorative paper-hangers, house and sign painters, No. 255 Eighth street, Dubuque ; Theodore Trilk is a native of Dubuque, and was born May 3, 1852 ; he grew up and attended school and learned his business. here ; he engaged in business for himself in 1877, his brother being associated with him, . and, by industry and close attention to the demands of the trade, they are building up a good business. Adolph Trilk, of the firm of Trilk Brothers, is a native of Dubuque, and was born July 31, 1860 ; he grew up, attended school and learned his business here ; since 1877 he has been engaged in business with his brother.

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The history of Dubuque County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc., Part 112

Author: Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical Number of Pages: 964

Author:
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : Western Historical
Number of Pages: 964