Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, Volume 1899, Part 1

Author: La Salle Book Company (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : La Salle Book Co.
Number of Pages: 910

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LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

920.0773 All 1899

ILLINOIS HISTORICAL SURVEY

98 ALBUM OF GENEALOGY

AND

BIOGRAPHY

COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS

WITH PORTRAITS

ELEVENTH EDITION, REVISED AND IMPROVED

CHICAGO LA SALLE BOOK COMPANY SUCCESSOR TO CALUMET BOOK & ENGRAVING CO. 1899

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

1549

PREFACE

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 men 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 Saged 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.

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Den 1 De1 38 Briggs = 1899

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 archaeologists of Egypt fromn 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 mounds 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 lis 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 iuto 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.

1022429

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 therefrom 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,

DR. A. W. BURNSIDE, 205

I. N. CAMP, 546

544

J. D. CATON, 115

JACOB FORSYTH, 87

C. M. HENDERSON,

391

JOHN JENKINS 208

EDSON KEITH,

T. E. LEWIS,

297

ORRINGTON LUNT,

503

WILLIAM MCGREGOR, 361

JAMES MCMAHON, .

181

GEORGE M. PULLMAN, . 231

REV. MINER RAYMOND, 178

K. G. SCHMIDT,

335

COL. J. A. SEXTON, 251

WILLIAM B. SNOW, 540

JOHN SOLLITT,

199

CAPT. J. F. STAFFORD, 341

227

E. H. CASTLE,

LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLIN .;

it with Itand .

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 mem- 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- tinued 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 thought, 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-

WILLIAM DOEPP.

cal and genealogical subjects and a valued mem- ber of the Chicago Historical Society. One of his 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 Roxanna 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.

WILLIAM DOEPP.

ILLIAM DOEPP, M. D., who was one of the most skillful physicians in Cook County, was born in Rodenberg, province of Hanover, Germany, October 17, 1831. When but a lad he entered a drug store in Hanover, as clerk, this establishment receiving the patronage of the royal family. Having decided on his call- ing in life, he completed a college course, and later a course in medicine at Marburg.

In 1856 he decided to come to America, and by acting as ship's surgeon, secured free passage on a sailing vessel, and after a tempestuous voyage arrived in New York, whence he proceeded at once to Chicago. For one year he followed his profession, with an office in Madison Street, but was burned out, and in 1858 bought land among some friends in the town of Bloom, about twenty- five miles from Chicago. His purchase consisted of wooded land, which he cleared and otherwise improved, at the same time keeping up a med- ical practice. This locality was still a wilderness, and deer and wolves were plenty. The pioneer physician experienced many hardships and dan- gers. He traveled on horseback, was frequently obliged to ford the streams, and often lost his way, where there were no roads. Dr. Doepp was the only physician in Homewood for some time, and continued a general practice, which extended over a large area. With a frugality true

to the training and traditions of his native land, he saved a fair portion of liis income, and wisely invested his surplus in real estate, which he im- proved. He built several business blocks in Chi- cago, one of them being the Doepp Block, at the corner of Clybourn and Fullerton Avenues.

As a result of following the natural course of his mind in his early training, the subject of this notice was ever a close student of the natural sciences. He also read voluminously on histor- ical subjects, and gave close attention to history as it was enacted during his lifetime. He was, withal, a keen lover of nature, and took especial delight in animal life. His taste in this direction was shown by the fine fish pond which he main- tained, and by his aviary, which contained many rare foreign birds, among them the European nightingale. He also took great interest in do- mestic animals, and was proud of his choice herd of Jersey cattle.

In his home it was, however, that he found his greatest comfort, and he will ever be remem- bered as a kind, loving father and husband. With friends and acquaintances he was gentle and considerate, possessing that geniality of na- ture so essential to the successful physician. He was a man of sterling integrity, and of great in- fluence among his fellow-citizens. He was a liberal supporter of the German Lutheran

A. G. DOEPP.

Church, with which he was connected, and was active in the interests of the Democratic party, and held many local offices. He was at one time a candidate for State Senator in his district, but was defeated at the polls by Mr. Campbell. He took a prominent part in the affairs of his village, where he was popular with all parties. At the time of his death he was chairman of the village board. Although a plain and unassum- ing man, he occasionally made public speeches, especially for the benefit of personal friends or his fellow-countrymen. He was a man of robust health, and suffered very little from sickness up to the time of his death, when he succumbed, April 16, 1897, to an attack of pneumonia, which had lasted five days.

Dr. Doepp was married at Milwaukee, Wis- consin, July 13, 1859, to Miss Lillie Pauline Stoltz, of that city. She was born in New Jer- sey, of German parentage, and survives her hus- band. Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Doepp. Johannah is the wife of William C. Scupham, a druggist at No. 63 State Street, Chi- cago. Louis is an engineer in the employ of the Illinois Central Railway. William L. is a physi- cian of Chicago, and is connected with the Ger-

man hospital. . Edward is a physician at Blue Island. Frederick F. follows the same profession at Homewood. Augusta and Albert G. reside with their mother, the son being a dentist, with an office in the Venetian Building, Chicago. Ju- lia, Herman and Lillie are the three youngest; the second is employed by Bullock & Company, in Chicago, and the other two reside at the old home.

Frederick F. Doepp was born in Bloom, Illi- nois, October 29, 1867, and received a common- school education. He subsequently graduated from the Chicago College of Pharmacy, and was a clerk in a drug store on State Street for six years. Later he took a position in the Cook County Hospital, but after a few months entered the College of Medicine and Surgery, from which he was graduated in the class of 1894. He then began practicing with his father, and since the latter's death has continued the work alone. He is also administrator of his father's estate. He is connected with Un Sigma Un Fraternity, and is local examiner for Homewood Camp, Modern Woodmen of America. His sister resides with him. He is now president of the village of Homewood, of which his brother is treasurer.

ALBERT G. DOEPP.

A LBERT GEORGE DOEPP, one of the most successful practicing dentists of Chicago, was born February 16, 1872, at Homewood, the suburban home of his parents, and received his primary education in that village. He spent one year at the Cook County Normal School, and pursued a business course at Bryant & Stratton's Business College.

Dr. Doepp is possessed of great musical talent, and gave considerable time to its cultivation,

while pursuing his other studies. He took in- struction on the violin at the Chicago Musical College for three years, and became a very pro- ficient and pleasing performer. His talent is employed chiefly in his own amusement and for the gratification and pleasure of his friends.

Having decided upon the profession of dentistry as a life work, he entered the Northwestern Uni- versity Dental College, and was graduated in the spring of 1897. He immediately opened an of-

JOSEPH SANTA.

fice in the Venetian Building, where he spends five days each week, devoting one day and much of his evenings to home patrons in his native village, where he continues to reside, He is ac- tive in local affairs, and is the present treasurer of the village of Homewood. Politically he sus- tains the Democratic party, and wields consider- able influence in his home neighborhood. His

genial nature and pleasant manners make him popular with any who may be privileged to meet him, and his friends are numbered by his ac- quaintances. He is a member of the Odonto- graphic Dental Society, and is active in promoting the welfare of Homewood Camp, Modern Wood- men of America, of which camp he, is now Venerable Consul.

JOSEPH SANTA.

OSEPH SANTA, one of the few survivors among the followers of the Hungarian patriot, Kossuth, who, owing to the failure of their revolution, were expatriated and obliged to seek in America the freedom for which they fought, has resided in Chicago since October 1, 1851, and has shown by the ready manner in which he has adapted himself to American ideas that he and his compatriots were well worthy of the repub- lican government for which they contended. Mr. Santa was born in Fernezely, in the District of Comitat Szathmar, Hungary, January 20, 1825, and is a son of Andrew Santa, who held a position in the Forestry Department of the Hun- garian Government. After completing the course of study in the parish school, the son attended the gymnasium near his native place for six years and subsequently followed his natural literary bent by taking a two-years' course in an academy. Thus he was well equipped mentally for the battle of life and for two years served in the Forestry Department of the Government.

About this time the people of Hungary were becoming uneasy under their yoke of tyranny, and, fired by the hope of securing a free govern- ment, young Santa joined the forces of the im- mortal Kossuth and followed General Bein throughout the Revolution. At the close of the sanguinary struggle lie liad risen to the rank of first lieutenant, and on the advice of the general

in command, he left Hungary in company with about two hundred other patriots, taking refuge in Turkey. There they were obliged to lay down their arms and were held as prisoners of war for a year, when they were given their choice of three propositions: to remain in Turkey, to return to their homes, or to emigrate to some other country, their transportation to be provided by the Turkish government. Having read of the struggle for liberty in America and of the wel- come offered there to the persecuted of all nations, the subject of this sketch decided to make that country his future home and accordingly took pas- sage for Southampton, England, whence he con- tinued his journey to New York. Lord Stanley Stewart, an English philanthropist, furnished passage for the party of exiles from Southampton to New York, and Mr. Cochrane, a banker of Washington, recently deceased, helped the party from New York to Iowa, where land and the necessary implements for farming were furnished them. But reaching Chicago late in the year they were prevailed upon to remain there rather than undertake a further journey across the bleak prairies.

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Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, Volume 1899, Part 1

Author: La Salle Book Company (Chicago, Ill.) Publication date: 1899 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : La Salle Book Co. Number of Pages: 910

Author: La Salle Book Company (Chicago, Ill.)
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : La Salle Book Co.
Number of Pages: 910