Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, 19th ed., Part 1

Author:
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Chicago : La Salle Book Co.
Number of Pages: 908

USA > Illinois > Cook County > Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, 19th ed. > Part 1

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.

ـاس

ـبالك جدية

بقوة

THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY

920.0773 A+1 1900

ILINOIS HISTORICAL SURVEY

ALBUM OF GENEALOGY

AND

·BIOGRAPHY

COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS

WITH

PORTRAITS

THIRTEENTH EDITION, REVISED AND IMPROVED.

CHICAGO LA SALLE BOOK COMPANY 1 900 x

THE CALUMET PRESS

PRINTED BY THE CALUMET COMPANY 166-170 SOUTH CLINTON STREET CHICAGO

will Hist werend

920,0773 ALI 1900

PREFACE

1574

14 July 3 8 HEICKE

Sets 25 De 38 argosy Blc Stores : ed. 13 00

E BELIEVE the time has arrived when it becomes the duty of the people of this county to perpetuate the names of their pioneers, to fur- nish a record of their early settle- ment, and relate the story of their progress. The civilization of our day, the enlightenment of the age, and the duty that mien of the present time owe to their ancestors, to themselves and to their posterity, demand that a record of their lives and deeds should be made. In biographical history is found a power to instruct man by precedent, to enliven the mental faculties, and to waft down the river of time a safe vessel, in which the names and actions of the people who contributed to raise this country from its primitive state may be preserved. Surely and rapidly the great and aged men, who in their prime entered the wilder- ness and claimed the virgin soil as their heritage, are passing to their graves. The number remain- ing who can relate the incidents of the first days of settlement is becoming small indeed, so that actual necessity exists for the collection and pres- ervation of events without delay, before all the early settlers are cut down by the scythe of Time.

To be forgotten has been the great dread of mankind from remotest ages. All will be forgot- ten soon enough, in spite of their best works and the most earnest efforts of their friends to preserve the memory of their lives. The means employed to prevent oblivion and to perpetuate their mem- ory have been in proportion to the amount of intel- ligence they possessed. The pyramids of Egypt were built to perpetuate the names and deeds of its great rulers. The exhumations made by the archæologists of Egypt from buried Memphis indicate a desire of those people to perpetuate the memory of their achievements. The erection of the great obelisks was for the same purpose. Coming down to a later period, we find the Greeks and Romans erecting mausoleums and monu-

ments, and carving out statues to chronicle their great achievements and carry them down the ages. It is also evident that the Mound-builders, in piling up their great inounds of earth, had but this idea-to leave something to show that they had lived. All these works, though many of them costly in the extreme, give but a faint idea of the lives and characters of those whose memory they were intended to perpetuate, and scarcely anything of the masses of the people that then lived. The great pyramids and some of the obelisks remain objects only of curiosity; the mausoleums, monuments and statues are crumb- ling into dust.

It was left to modern ages to establish an intel- ligent, undecaying, immutable method of perpet- uating a full history-immutable, in that it is al- most unlimited in extent and perpetual in its ac- tion; and this is through the art of printing.

To the present generation, however, we are in- debted for the introduction of the admirable sys- tem of local biography. By this system every man, though he has not achieved what the world calls greatness, has the means to perpetuate his life, his history, through the coming ages, for the benefit of his posterity.

The scythe of Time cuts down all; nothing of the physical man is left. The monument which his children or friends may erect to his memory in the cemetery will crumble into dust and pass away; but his life, his achievements, the work he has accomplished, which otherwise would be for- gotten, is perpetuated by a record of this kind.

To preserve the lineaments of our companions we engrave their portraits; for the same reason we collect the attainable facts of their history. Nor do we think it necessary, as we speak only truth of them, to wait until they are dead, or un- til those who knew them are gone; and we need be ashamed only of publishing the history of those whose lives are unworthy of public record.

Er3033 Bola

1012604

PREFACE.

The greatest of English historians, MACAU- LAY, and one of the most brilliant writers of the present century, has said: "The history of a country is best told in a record of the lives of its people." In conformity with this idea, the GENEALOGICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM of this county has been prepared. Instead of going to musty records, and taking therefron dry sta- tistical matter that can be appreciated by but few, our corps of writers have gone to the people, the men and women who have, by their enterprise and industry, brought the county to a rank sec- ond to none among those comprising this great and noble State, and from their lips have ob- tained the story of their life struggles. No more interesting or instructive matter could be pre- sented to an intelligent public. In this volume will be found a record of many whose lives are worthy the imitation of coming generations. It tells how some, commencing life in poverty, by industry and economy have accumulated wealth. It tells how others, with limited advantages for securing an education, have become learned men and women, with an influence extending throughout the length and breadth of the land. It tells of men who have risen from the lower walks of life to eminence as statesmen, and whose names have become famous. It tells of those in every walk in life who have striven to suc- ceed, and records how success has usually crowned their efforts. It tells also of many, very many, who, not seeking the applause of the world, have pursued "the even tenor of their way," content to have it said of them, as Christ said of the woman performing a deed of mercy-"They have done what they could." It tells how that many

in the pride and strength of young manhood left the plow and the anvil, the lawyer's office and the counting-room, left every trade and pro- fession, and at their country's call went forth valiantly "to do or die," and how through their efforts the Union was restored and peace once more reigned in the land. In the life of every man and of every woman is a lesson that should not be lost to those who follow after.

Coming generations will appreciate this vol- ume and preserve it as a sacred treasure, from the fact that it contains so much that would never find its way into public records, and which would otherwise be inaccessible. Great care has been taken in the compilation of the work, and every opportunity possible given to those represented to insure correctness in what has been written; and the publishers flatter themselves that they give to their readers a work with few errors of conse- quence. In addition to the biographical sketches, portraits of a number of representative citizens are given.

The faces of some, and biographical sketches of many, will be missed in this volume. For this the publishers are not to blame. Not having a proper conception of the work, some refused to give the information necessary to compile a sketch, while others were indifferent. Occasionally some member of the family would oppose the enter- prise, and on account of such opposition the support of the interested one would be withheld. In a few instances men could never be found, though repeated calls were made at their resi- dences or places of business.

LA SALLE BOOK COMPANY

ADDENDA.

The preparation of this volume has involved the labor of several years. Since the pages were stereotyped, time has wrought many changes.

Several of the subjects of biographies have passed away. Among these are : ELLIOTT ANTHONY, page 375

A. G. BURLEY, 227

DR. A. W. BURNSIDE, 205

I. N. CAMP, 346

E. H. CASTLE, . 544

J. D. CATON,

115

SILAS B. COBB, 143

. JACOB FORSYTH, 87

C. M. HENDERSON,

391

JOHN JENKINS

208

EDSON KEITH,

149

T. E. LEWIS,

297

ORRINGTON LUNT, 503

JAMES MCMAHON, 181

GEORGE M. PULLMAN, . 231

WILLIAM A. RAY,

405

REV. MINER RAYMOND,

178

K. G. SCHMIDT, 535

WILLIAM B. SNOW, 540

JOHN SOLLITT, 199

CAPT. J. F. STAFFORD, 341

LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

wing? by John Lith Ise ?! i'm

John Wentworthy Chicago

JOHN WENTWORTH.

OHN WENTWORTH. Probably no man was held in more affectionate remembrance by the early settlers of northern Illinois than he whose name heads this article. Nor could an individual be chosen who could more fittingly be called a type of American growth and greatness. Towering to a height of six feet six inches and being in his younger days rather slender, he ac- quired the name of "Long John," by which he was still familiarly known after he had gained a more portly figure and a most imposing presence. The Hamptonia, published at New Hampton Academy, thus epitomizes his public life :

"Mr Wentworth, all through his editorial and official life, has shown himself not only a man of decided convictions, but has proved on many notable occasions that he had, under the most adverse circumstances, the courage to follow them. He has ever looked upon parties as only necessary organizations for the accomplishment of desirable ends, and he has no party attachments beyond his assurance of right, always having principles that he wished sustained by the legis- lation of his country, and always seeking po- litical organization that would promote this object. Mr. Wentworth has been remarkable, as a writer and speaker, for conveying his ideas in the fewest possible words, and for his success in command- ing the closest attention of promiscuous audi- ences; also for his habits of untiring industry,

and for keeping such control of his private busi- ness that he was ever independent of political action."

The Domesday Book of 1066 shows that Regi- nald Wentworth-then called Rynold de Wynter- wade-the ancestor of the Wentworth family in America, was proprietor of the fief of Wentworth in the Wapentake of Strafford, West Riding of Yorkshire. The subject of this sketch is a grand- son of John Wentworth, junior, who was a meni- ber of the Continental Congress from New Hampshire, and signed the Articles of Confedera- tion. He was also a grandson of Col. Amos Coggswell, who joined the Continental Army under the historic elm at Cambridge, fought with hissix brothers through the Revolution, and aided in forming the Society of Cincinnati at its close.

John Wentworth, of whom this sketch is written, was born in the White Mountain region of New Hampshire, sometimes called the "Swit- zerland of America," at Sandwich, Strafford County, the date of his birth being March 15, 1815. His parents were Honorable Paul and Lydia (Coggswell) Wentworth. He attended various public and private schools and academies during his youth, where he was ever ready with new and original work. In 1830, while attending New Hampton Academy, he was influential in organizing a literary society for the benefit of the younger students, in which he developed the

JOHN WENTWORTH.

basis of that forensic talent for which he was after- wards noted. As early as 1832 he wrote articles for the Democratic press, in defense of President Jackson's financial policy, which attracted favor- able attention. In that year he entered Dart- mouth College and was graduated in 1836, hav- ing paid a portion of his way by teaching. He cast his first vote for Isaac Hill, the Democratic candidate for governor in New Hampshire, and the same year, with good recommendations and $100 in his pocket, he left home with the idea of settling somewhere in the West. After a varied journey, made partly by stage, partly by cars and partly by canal and steam- boats, he arrived in Chicago October 25, 1836. He soon made arrangements to continue his study of law with Henry Moore, a pioneer lawyer of the city, but on November 23 was induced to take editorial charge of the Chicago Democrat. His influence was so strong in this stern advocate of the people that both citizens and owners urged him to secure permanent charge, to which he soon consented and within three years had paid the purchase price of $2800. During these first years he was active in city affairs and held vari- ous offices, writing on many political subjects, besides making his paper a political power through- out the Northwest.

In spite of these demands upon his time he con- tinned his law studies and in 1841 attended lec- tures at Harvard College. He returned in time to take part in the campaign of 1842 and was soon admitted to the bar. The election which should have been held in 1842 was not held until August of the next year, when Mr. Wentworth was elected to Congress from the Fourth Dis- trict by a large majority. Although but three years above the legal age and without experience in legislative bodies, he attended to his duties as successfully as an old parliamentarian and was re-elected in 1844, 1846 and 1848. He declined the office in 1850, but was again elected in 1852, from the Second District. The Democratic Re- view said of his congressional career: "Colonel Wentworth's political career has been marked by untiring industry and perseverance, by inde- pendence of thoughit, expression and action, by a

thorough knowledge of human nature, by a moral courage equal to any crisis, by a self-possession that enables him to avail himself of any chance of success, when on the very threshold of defeat, and by a steady devotion to what he believes to be the wishes and interests of those whose repre- sentative he is."

In 1857 Mr. Wentworth was elected mayor of Chicago by a large majority, and during his term and another which he served in 1860, he adhered to his old watchward of "Liberty and Economy." In each case he found the city in debt and went out of office with money in the treasury. Dur- ing his first term the first steam fire engine was bought for the city and named "Long John," in his honor. In 1860 he had the honor of enter- taining the Prince of Wales, and was assured that in no city were the arrangements more per- fect. In 1861 he was a delegate to the conven- tion to revise the state constitution, and in the same year was chosen a member of the board of education. He was ever a friend of education and used his influence to defend the school funds and school system from various attacks.

Concerning Mr. Wentworth's action on the slavery question, the famous abolitionist, Zebina Eastman, wrote: "In politics Colonel Wentworth has ever acted with the old-line Democratic party; but when the old parties became split up, he went with such other Democrats as Hamlin, Wilmot, King, Trumbull, Fremont, Blair and others, into what is known as the Republican movement. To the success of this movement Colonel Wentworth has, by public speeches, by writing in his newspaper, and by efforts in every other way, bent all his energies. And if there is any truth in the old adage that the tree which bears the best fruit is always known by its re- ceiving the greatest number of clubs, Colonel Wentworth is singled out as one of the most effective laborers in the ranks of the opposition to slavery extension."

After leaving Congress Mr. Wentworth passed many happy hours on his extensive stock farm at Summit, Cook County, though he was often called upon by his fellow-citizens to fill some public office. He was an able writer on histori-

ELIZABETH SIMON.

cal and genealogical subjects and a valued mem- ber of the Chicago Historical Society. One of ltis important contributions in this line is the Went- worth Genealogy, in three volumes. He joined the Masons and Odd Fellows soon after coming to Chicago and was a member of the Calumet Club. He died October 16, 1888.

On November 13, 1844, Mr. Wentworth was

married to Roxauna Marie, only daughter of Riley and Roxanna (Atwater) Loomis, of Troy, New York. Five children were born of this marriage, but only one, Roxanna Atwater, reached maturity. She became the wife of Clar- ence Bowen January 27, 1892. Mrs. Wentworth passed away after many years of delicate health, February 5, 1870.

ELIZABETH SIMON. .

M RS. ELIZABETH SIMON. For more than half a century has Mrs. Simon, now in her sixtieth year, been a resident of Chicago. Coming here a little maiden of ten years, in com- pany with her parents, she has been an eye wit- ness of the many wonderful changes and surpris- ing developments which have marked each decade of the city's history since 1848.

Mrs. Simon's life history is interesting. Her parents were natives of Rhenish Prussia, where she, was born, August 29, 1838, and immigrated to America in 1842. Her father was Frederick Kurtlı, and her mother's maiden name was Mar- garet Engel. She was their first child, and their only one wlien they settled in St. Louis, Mis- souri, in 1842. Her father invested liis money in a saloon and boarding house, which he con- ducted with varying success six years. Three other children were born to him there, but all died in infancy or early childhood. Mr. Kurth became dissatisfied with his surroundings, and June 26, 1848, he transferred himself and his be- longings to Chicago. Two other children were born liere, Julia and Frederick, the former, becom- ing the wife of Herman Fretchie. Mrs. Fretchie resides at No. 5630 South Paulina Street.

On reaching Chicago Mr. Kurth again em- barked in the hotel business. For a few years he conducted the old "Rio Grande," on La Salle

Street. Within a short time he began to invest in suburban property, notably at Riverside, and for a little while he made his home at East Lyons. Country life, however, presented few at- tractions to him, and he soon returned to Chi- cago, once more opening a boarding house.

He was always earnestly and intensely loyal, and in 1862 he enlisted in the Union volunteer army, receiving a commission as captain of Com- pany F, Fifty-eighth Illinois Volunteers. At Pittsburgh Landing he was captured, and for eight months was a prisoner within the Con- federate lines. The rigors of his confinement, added to previous exposure in the field, under- mined his health, and shortly after the surrender of Vicksburg he was honorably discharged on the score of physical disability. He died at Chi- cago, August 27, 1880, and Mrs. Simon's mother followed him to the grave April 19, 1883. Both now sleep at Graceland.

Mrs. Simon's early training at school was rather desultory and imperfect, and was mainly acquired before coming to Chicago. At the age of eighteen years (November 28, 1855), she mar- ried Louis Pfeif, a young draughtsman of excel- lent promise. At the outbreak of the Civil War her husband, like her father, was fired with patriotism, and Mr. Pfeif responded to the first call for ninety-day volunteers. Not long after

C. N. CODE.

his term had expired he re-enlisted for the war pany G, Twenty-fourth Illinois Infantry Vol- and February 3, 1862, was commissioned as sec- ond lieutenant in his father-in-law's company, which he assisted in recruiting. He was killed at Shiloh two months later, and his widow brought his body home for interment.

Through her marriage to Lieutenant Pfeif she became the mother of four children, only two of whom are yet living, Louise, Mrs. Henry Jaernecke, of Chicago, and Wilhelmina, Mrs. E. C. Suter, of Ireton, Iowa.

Three years after the death of her first hus- band, she married Joseph Simon, the date of their nuptials being December 4, 1865. Mr. Simon was born in Alsace-Lorraine, but settled at Chi- cago in 1855. His trade was that of a baker. He, too, was a soldier in the Union army during the war, serving gallantly as a private in Com-

unteers for three years. After being mustered out (August 6, 1864), he enlisted in the naval "arm of the service, and served therein until Au- gust 26, 1865, when he was honorably discharged and returned to Chicago. His death occurred November 25, 1889.

The issue of Mrs. Simon's second marriage was two sons and one daughter, Fred, Julius and Josephine. The last-named is the wife of Fred- erick Weickart, a brass finisher, residing in Chi- cago.

Notwithstanding the sixty years of an honor- able and useful life which have passed over her head, Mrs. Simon is still hale of body and keen in intellect. Her faculties are unimpaired, and hier recollection of early and prominent events in the city is vivid.

CHARLES N. CODE.

HARLES N. CODE is foreman in the re- pair shop of the passanger car department of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Company. He is a native of the County of Kent, England, where he was born about November 18, 1840, and is the son of James and Ann Code, both of whom spent their lives in England. Their family consisted of three sons and one daughter, two of whom became residents of the United States, Charles N., of this sketch, and William, an engineer in the employ of the Chi- cago & Northwestern Railway Company, resid- ing in Chicago.

Charles N. Code was educated in a private school in England, and later learned the trade of carpenter and joiner, partly with his father, who died when Charles was sixteen years old, and partly with others after the death of that worthy.

About January 20, 1872, he sailed from Liver- pool in the steamship "City of London," and ar- rived in New York February 10, following. He came direct to Chicago and at once began work- ing at his trade as a journeyman, and continued in that occupation for several years. In 1874 he entered the employ of the old Chicago & Pacific Railway Company in their car shops then located on Goose Island, where he had charge of the shops. He remained in the employ of that com- pany until it became the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company, after which he worked for the last named company for one year, as inspector of the construction of cars, in St. Louis, Missouri, and Cambridge City, Indiana.

In 1881 he became foreman of the freight de- partment of repairs of the Chicago & Northwest- eri Railway. Six months later lie was trans-

G. A. BOESENBERG.

ferred to the coach department, shop No. 4, from which time, until the present, he has had general supervision of the repairing in that de- partment.

December 25, 1875, he married Mary Penny, a native of Northamptonshire, England. They have six children, namely: James Oscar, Annie, Harry, Fred, Lily and Isabelle. The religious faith of this family is Episcopalian.

Mr. Code is in no sense a politician, but keeps himself informed upon the politics of the day and current topics of the times. In local politics he

acts independently, giving his support to the candidate who he thinks will best serve the peo- ple, while in national politics he votes for the Re- publican party. He belongs to one fraternal organization, the Independent Order of Foresters.

Mr. Code's life has been progressive, always advancing and never retrograding. He has ever used his best efforts to make himself deserving of higher positions and more substantial rewards, and in doing so he has served his employers prof- itably and with fidelity, as is shown by his life record.

GEORGE A. BOESENBERG.

EORGE ADOLPH BOESENBERG, a re- tired merchant and an old and highly re- spected citizen, has been a resident of Chi- cago for fifty years. He has been a witness of many marvelous changes during this half century of an active, useful life, and throughout the en- tire period has borne his full share of the duties and responsibilities which devolve upon a public. spirited citizen.

He was born in Stockendreber, Hanover, Ger- many, April 15, 1822. His parents were Henry and Mary (Magers) Boesenberg, and his father was a man of prominence and substance, owning and operating a flouring mill. As a boy he at- tended the parochial school until he received con- firmation in the Lutheran Church, and, at the age of sixteen years he began to learn the trade of a cabinet maker. As opportunity afforded, he helped his father at the mill, thus acquiring a good knowledge of the milling business, as well.

In January, 1848, having resolved to seek a new home in a new country, he took passage in a sailing vessel at Bremen, and after a voyage lasting six weeks landed at New York. Another fortnight was spent in the journey to Chicago.

On arriving in this city he went out to Leyden, Cook County, where for nearly two years he worked as a carpenter. Returning to the city he found employment at cabinet-making, and for nearly twenty years he worked at his trade, as a journeyman. At the end of that time his in- dustry and thrift had enabled him to save a suf- ficient amount of money to embark in some busi- ness of his own, and he determined to become a grocer.

He opened a store on Chicago Avenue, and soon built up a profitable trade. For eighteen years he did a prosperous business at this loca- tion, winning the confidence and good will of his customers and neighbors, by his unswerving rectitude and his kindly demeanor. In 1887 he retired, and since that date has been enjoying that ease and comfort which is the fitting reward of a well spent life. Mr. Boesenberg has invested considerably in real estate, buying property first on Fulton Street, afterward on Milwaukee Ave- nue, and still later on North Wood Street, where he now resides.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, 19th ed., Part 1

Author: Publication date: 1900 Publisher: Chicago : La Salle Book Co. Number of Pages: 908

Author:
Publication date: 1900
Publisher: Chicago : La Salle Book Co.
Number of Pages: 908