USA > Illinois > A history of southern Illinois; a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests > Part 17
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into service on this strictly modern farm. Two spraying machines are used in the care of the fruit, and every possible precaution taken to
insure a perfect crop where perfection is possible. In addition to this splendid farm Mr. Lamer and his brother HL. H., hold the lease of a two hundred acre orchard in Jackson county, which is a wonderfully pro- ductive affair. In 1911 the crop aggregated eight thousand barrels of first class apples, including two thousand barrels of the famous " Wine Saps," for which they produced a price of four dollars and fifty cents per barrel.
Mr. Lamer is a member of the A. F. & A. M. Lange No. 46, in Colden. and of the Chapter at Anna, Illinois, No. 45. Like his father Mr. Lamer has been twice married. First to Ella Hardin, November 2. 196. She was a daughter of L. T. Hardin. On July 21, 1905, she passed away. leaving her husband and three children, Willis, Fay and Janice. His second marriage took place on February 6. 1909, when he married Ellen Farrell, of Makanda.
HIERMAN THEODORE BECHTOLD, M. D. To become eminent in any pro- fession, or more than ordinarily successful in any calling. requires ver- tain qualifications, not all of which are gifts of Nature. Heredity, no
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doubt, has a great determining influence, but to become perfectly compe- tent and able to meet and overcome competition, there must be persever- ance, concentration of energies and practical training. This is as true in its application to medical science as to any line of activity. In this con- nection may be mentiond one of the leading professional men of St. Clair county, Dr. Ilerman Theodore Bechtold, whose residence and immediate field of practice is at O'Fallon. He was born at Belleville, Illinois, No- vember 10, 1853, and is a son of Frederick and Eugenia (De Bassomp- piere ) Bechtold.
Frederick Bechtold was born at Mainz, Germany, in May, 1819, where he was reared in a home of refinement and was afforded eduea- tional advantages. In 1849 he came to America, and after a short period of residence in the city of New York he came to Illinois, locating at Belleville. Shortly afterward he pre-empted a claim near St. Paul, Min- nesota, and endeavored to clear his land and put it under cultivation, but he was totally unused to exposure and had never been trained to manual work, and after a trial of three years abandoned the venture. Ile established himself in the furniture and upholstering business at Belleville, and through honorable business methods so gained the eon- fidence of his fellow citizens that at the opening of the Civil war he was given an important political position, within the gift of the Republican party, being made collector and assessor of what was then the Twelfth congressional district of Illinois. In 1866 he embarked in insurance and did a large volume of business, subsequent to his death, September 22, 1894. from an attaek of pneumonia, having retired. He was married at Brussels, Belgium, to Eugenia A. F. De Bassomppiere, who died July 4, 1882. She was a daughter of F. George De Bassomppiere, a counselor at law and one of the royal ministers to King Leopold. To this union twelve children were born, as follows: Eugenia ; Frederick W., who is a banker at Bellaire, Michigan : Lonis J., who is a surgeon of note, residing at Belleville, Illinois : Rudolph, who is deceased, was a retired capitalist ; Louisa, who is Mrs. M. Fnirer; Eliza, who is Mrs. Adolph Newhoff, re- siding at Belleville; Herman T .; Adelle, who is the wife of Dr. John Massey, of Belleville; Flora and Florian, both of whom are deceased ; William G., who is a physician at Breese, Illinois; and Adolph G., who is now deceased, was a physician at Freeburg, Illinois. The parents of the above family attended the Evangelieal church.
Herman Theodore Bechtold attended the publie schools of Belleville until 1868, and in the following year entered a drug store at Belleville to learn the drug business, but after two years he became a student in Wash- ington University, at St. Louis, Missouri, and in 1875 was graduated in the St. Louis College of Pharmacy. Returning to Belleville he continued in the drug business there until 1877, when he entered seriously upon the study of medicine, for which his previous studies had well prepared him, and in 1880 he was graduated from the Missouri Medieal College. Imme- diately afterward he located at O'Fallon and has continued in active practice here ever since and has likewise identified himself with the leading interests of the place. He is second vice president of the First National Bank of O'Fallon and has made large property investments, owning a beautiful residence here.
Dr. Bechtold was married September 13, 1881, to Miss Katie J. Pffefer, of Lebanon, Illinois, who died December 6, 1904. ITis second marriage took place on November 17, 1910, to Mrs. Ella Merk Bechtold, widow of Dr. Adolph G. Bechtold. Mrs. Bechtold had two children by her first marriage.
In polities Dr. Bechtold is a Republican and at present is serving in his third continuons term as president of the board of education, of
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which he had previously been a member for some years. For a pro- longed period he served as a trustee of MeKendree College. He is a Ma- son of prominence. a Knight Templar, thirty-second degree and a Shriner. Dr. Bechtold makes a specialty in his practice of diseases of the eye, nose, throat and ear, and the year 1896 he spent traveling in Europe, during which time he attended elinics in Germany, the acknowledged home of medieal seientitie knowledge. He is a valued member of the St. Clair County Medical Society.
GEORGE LINZY CREMEENS, M. D. Probably no other profession has advanced so rapidly during the last half-century, as that of medicine, and as this advance still continues the physician who would win success must keep abreast of the discoveries and inventions in this prolific field in or- der that his patients may have the benefit of the most skilled treatment. George Linzy Cremeens, M. D., is one of the members of the Southern Illi- nois medical profession who is meeting with exceptional success in his work, and is rapidly taking front rank among the physicians of Hamil- ton county, his field of endeavor being the village of Dahlgren. Dr. Cremeens was born October 16, 1868, in northern Missouri, and is a son of Linvill and Jennie ( Miller) Cremeens.
Byrd Cremeens, the grandfather of the Doctor, was probably born in Virginia, about 1808, and was married in Ohio, to which state he had moved as a young man, to Sophronia White, by whom he had ten chil- dren : Linzy, Linvill, William, Anderson, Mose, Stephen. Byrd. Cyrina and two daughters whose names have been forgotten. Byrd Cremeens was a local Methodist preacher and farmer, and moved his family to Franklin county some time during the 'fifties. He later moved to Mercer county, Missouri, but a short time thereafter returned to Franklin county. and his death occurred about 1878, on his farm, which was situated at the foot of the hill west of Macedonia, his widow passing away there in 1899 or 1900. In political matters he was a Republican. Linvill Cre- meens was born in Ohio, and in Franklin county, Illinois, was married first to Maria Carlton, who bore him one child. William, who died at about the age of fifteen years. In 1861 he enlisted in the I'nion army from Macedonia, Illinois, for service in the Civil war, and served through that struggle, after which he went to northern Missouri with his parents and was there married to Jennie Miller, who was born in March, 1847. near Galliopolis, Ohio, daughter of George and Annie (Carr) Miller, and they had three children, namely : George Linzy: Annie, who married .A. P. Proudfit, of Hamilton county, and now lives in Aaronville, Illinois, having four children ; and Byrd T., who died young. On his return from Missouri, Linvill Cremeens engaged in farming near Macedonia, but at the time the Louisville & Nashville Railway was built through he took his family to Belle Rive. Jefferson county, where he engaged in the mercan- tile business. While thus engaged he began to fit himself to become a lawyer, and at the time of his death was ready to be admitted to the bar. He was a stanch Republican in his political affiliation, and he and his wife were members of the Methodist church.
George Linzy Cremeens worked on his father's farm, which was situ ated about ten miles east of Dahlgren, attending the public schools and two seleet schools, and later becoming a student in the Southern Illinois College, Enfield, Illinois, and in the Normal University at Carbondale In 1891 he began to read medicine with Dr. Il. E. Hale, now of Me. Leansboro, and for four years attended the medical school at Keokuk. Iowa, now Drake University. He was graduated March 5, 1895, and en- tered into practice at Springerton, Illinois, but after six years came to Dahlgren, where he has continued in active practice to the present time.
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with the exception of several months, and his success in a number of seri- ous cases has won him the confidence of the people of his community and served to increase his practice.
On September 3, 1891, Dr. Cremeens was united in marriage with Miss Lulu Martin, near Belle Prairie, Illinois. She was born in 1876, on a farm about two miles west of MeLeansboro, and is a daughter of Samuel and Mary (Coker) Martin. Three children have been born to Dr. and Mrs. Cremeens : Hugh, born in 1892, who died when about one year old; Blythe, born in 1896, who died in infancy; and Lyle, born in 1900, and now attending school. Dr. Cremeens is an adherent of Republican prin- ciples, but he has taken only a good citizen's interest in matters of a pub- lie nature. He and his wife are consistent members of the Methodist church, and very popular in church and social circles of Dahlgren.
HARDY C. VORIS. Newspaper work is essentially transitory in its na- ture. The newspaper article that may be read with the most absorbing interest today by thousands is tomorrow forgotten by the eager public, as it is then no longer "news" and some more recent event has taken its place as the center of public attention for a few brief hours. Con- sequently the newspaper article possesses none of the stability of other literary effort. Rarely is it kept for general referenee except in the files of the newspaper office itself. It is read, makes more or less of an im- pression for a time, and is then superseded by the next issue and thrown aside. To make a permanent impression npon this particularly kaleido- scopie field of the world's work requires something more than mere talent ; it requires absolute genins, and the fact that a publisher and editor can make a deep and lasting impression upon the public conscience, an im- print that influences publie opinion and acts as a factor in determining the outeome of large issues, shows him to be possessed of that genius. Such has been the record of Hardy C. Voris, editor of the Waterloo Re- publican, of Waterloo, Illinois, a strong party newspaper which he has conducted for the past twenty years. Mr. Voris was born June 21, 1863, at Waterloo, a son of Z. J. and Edith (Rogers) Voris, and is descended on both sides of the family from ancestors who came to this country at an early day and took a prominent part in its development.
Coert Alberts van voor Ilees, the paternal ancestor, resided in front of the village Hees, near Ruinen, Ilolland, prior to 1600; the word "voor" meaning "in front of." Steven Coerte Van Voorhees, his son, emigrated from Holland to America in 1660, and settled at Flatlands, Long Island, and since that time various branches of the family have spelled the name in different ways, such as Voorhees, Voorhies, Voor- heis, Voorhis, Vorhes, Voris, Vorus and Vores, and many have prefixed the Van to each of these styles. The original progenitor had three sons. one of whom settled in Kentucky, one remained in the East and one went to Ohio. The branch of the family with which this article has to deal belong to the Kentucky settler, and Senator Voorhees of that state belongs also to this line.
Z. J. Voris, the father of Hardy C., was horn in Moredock precinct, November 20, 1840, and, reared to agricultural pursnits, has made that his life work. Ile now resides on his raneh at Sheridan, Texas. On Angust 6, 1862, he was married to Miss Edith Rogers, daughter of Dr. John and Jane (Hilton) Rogers. Dr. John Rogers was a pioneer phy- sieian of Monroe county, having come here from New London, Con- neeticut, where he was born, a son of Rev. Peter Rogers, chaplain and one of the life guards of General George Washington. Peter Rogers was descended from Rev. John Rogers, one of the English martyrs, and a descendant of Roger of France, who went to England with William
IV c Vorio.
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the Conqueror. Mrs. Edith ( Rogers) Voris died in March, 18>>, hav- ing been the mother of five children, namely: Hardy C .; Mrs. R. I. Williams, a resident of Los Angeles, California : Harry, who is de- eeased ; Don, who makes his home in St. Louis; and James P., who died in infancy. Z. J. Voris was married (second) to Miss Rowena Tolin, who survives. They are members of the Baptist church, and Mr. Voris is a Republican in his political views.
Hardy C. Voris spent his early life on his father's farm, and his education was seenred in the public schools, he being a member of the first graduating class of Waterloo High School, in June, 1879. While attending school he was engaged in work in a printing office, thus learn- ing the trade, and after he had taught school for a period covering six years he again went back to that occupation, which he followed in various fields. In 1890, recognizing the need and opportunity for a Republican newspaper in Monroe county. he purchased the old Advocate, at Waterloo, and on January Ist began the publication of the Republican, this being the first time the paper had changed hands sinee its inception in 1858. When the Republican first entered the field Monroe county was an almost invincible Democratie stronghold. but now it invariably shows a Republican majority, and while it will not be said that this change in political affairs has been brought about solely through the influence of this sheet. it may be truly stated that no other journal has accomplished so much for the "Grand Old Party" in this section during this time. A horn newspaper man, Mr. Voris has given his readers a clean, reliable periodical, and that his efforts have been appreciated has been shown by the enormous increase in circulation which the paper has enjoyed and the confidence placed in the prin- ciples it advocates. An interesting object in the offices of the news- paper here is the oldest press in Southern Illinois, which is still doing yeoman duty as a proof press.
On October 27, 1890. Mr. Voris was married to Miss Lethe M. Brey. daughter of the late Judge Panl C. and Sophie (Durfee) Brey, and two children have been born to this union: Lucile and Bryant. Mr. Voris' untiring work in behalf of Republican policies was recognized by his appointment to the office of postmaster of Waterloo, a position which he held for thirteen years, and during his administration he was the prime mover in securing the installation of the rural free delivery service here. Since 1905 he has served as president of the school board, and has shown himself a capable and conscientious public official.
ALLEN F. CALVIN. It is fitting that in these biographical memoirs of the men of Southern Illinois the name of Allen F. Calvin, of Newton, Hli- nois, should have a place, for he has by his enterprise and his progressive methods contributed in a very material way to the industrial and com- mercial advancement not only of Newton, but also of the surrounding seetion. Ile is a splendid example of that typically American product -- the self-made man, for he was not born with the proverbial silver spool in his mouth, but to the contrary has had to battle with life from his two hood. He has had an honorable and successful business carver, and has been a dominant factor in some of the most important enterprises in Vis- ton. As a business man his ability is undoubted. and particularly is this true in the field of finance.
Allen F. Calvin was born in White county. Illinois, on the fall of June, 1865. He is a son of Thomas Calvin, who, although the earlier years of his life were devoted to farming. later became a railroad man end wes connected with this industry at the time of his death. In I-63 he wns
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married to Mary C. Hanks, and four children were born to him and his wife. Of these Allen F. Calvin was the next to the eldest. Two of the children died in infancy, leaving Allen and his brother Frank, who at present resides in the city of Indianapolis. Thomas Calvin died in De- eember, 1908, having been preceded by his wife, who died in March, 1897.
Shortly after the birth of Allen F. Calvin his parents removed to Flora, Illinois, and here the boy grew up. The family while not poor were only in comfortable circumstances, and sinee an education was something of a luxury in those times young Allen did not have many years in the school room. Three winters, that was all, but he made the most of his time and obtained as much benefit as a boy nowadays would from double the time. To use his own picturesque phrase, he is a graduate of that school known as experience, and many of his early disappointments he has found to be valuable assets in after life. He remained in the town of Flora until 1881, and then at the age of sixteen determined to go to Newton and find work.
He therefore eame to Newton, and seeured employment as a clerk in a clothing store, following this line of work until February, 1895, when he formed a partnership with E. W. Hersh in the investment business. The firm, which was known as Hersh and Calvin, existed until 1901, and they built up a very lucrative business. Between 1895 and 1901 they purchased the Bank of Newton, a private banking house. This they con- dueted in connection with their investment, and their patronage grew so large that they finally determined to nationalize the institution. In 1901, therefore, the Bank of Newton, beeame the First National Bank of Newton, Illinois. When this was done they elosed out the investment business, in order to have more time to give to the new enterprise. Mr. Calvin is vice president of the First National Bank of Newton, Illinois, and is also one of the owners of the Bank of Commerce, a private bank- ing house, located at Wheeler, Illinois. In 1905 Mr. Calvin again went into the investment business, operating independently. He deals mainly with first mortgage loans, and much of his time is spent in looking after his large real estate holdings and in caring for his banking interests.
Mr. Calvin was married in April, 1888, to Miss Eva Shup, a daugh- ter of George II. and Elsie C. Shup, of Newton. Mr. and Mrs. Calvin have no children, but they have the love of the little folks far and near. It is safe to trust a child's intuition, so it will cause no surprise that Mr. and Mrs. Calvin should have a very large eirele of friends, who respect them for the strength and fineness of their characters, and love them for the charm of their personalities. Both Mr. Calvin and his wife are mem- bers of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Politieally Mr. Calvin is a Republican, but his interest in polities is only that of an intelligent voter and he has no desire for political hon- ors. His fraternal affiliations are with the Masons and the Knights of Pythias. He is also a member of the Commercial Club, taking an active part in the work of this organization, and he has done as much to put Newton on the map of Illinois as has any one man in his city.
JOHN D. LYLE, M. D. C. The very desirable quality of faithful eiti- zenship is not monopolized entirely by those of us who have been born beneath the protection of the flag of that nation whose citizens we are. That faet has been demonstrated on repeated occasions, and is partieu- larly exemplified in the history of the Lyle family. Born and reared in Ireland, both the father and grandfather of John D. Lyle gave to the land of their adoption every drop of allegiance and loyalty that was com- mon to their make-up, and rendered a service to the Union that was sur-
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passed by none, in that they did what they could for the eanse. In this connection it is entirely in keeping with the demands of this occasion that more extended mention be made of the ancestry of John D. Lyle.
Dr. John D. Lyle is the son of William J. Lyle and the grandson of James Lyle. The last named was born and reared in Ireland, in the town of Larne in County Down, and there he also settled down and reared his family. His wife died just prior to the immigration of the family to the United States, and when James Lyle arrived in America he was accompanied by his children, among whom were: Martha, who later became the wife of James H. Diekey, one of the old and honored merchants of Sparta, Illinois; Eliza, who married James Miller and passed away in Sparta ; William J .; and Thomas, who made his home in Seattle, Washington, where he lately passed away, leaving one son. James Lyle settled in Randolph county, Illinois, upon a farm near Sparta. He had not been a resident of the United States for long when the Civil war broke out, and it was then that the splendid patriotism, fealty and honor of the true son of Erin was made manifest in the Lyle family. Father and son, James and William, both enlisted in the eause of the Union, and as members of Company I, Forty-ninth Illinois In- fantry, did valiant and heroie duty throughout the long and bitter struggle, serving with their regiment in its activities on both sides of the Mississippi river and in various campaigns until the close of the war.
Civil life again resumed, father and son returned to the farm, where they made as admirable records as citizens as they had made as sol- diers. The senior Lyle continued for some years with the farm life, but the younger man beeame interested in the mercantile business, and his early experience in that line was gained in the employ of a Mr. Dickey. a merchant of Sparta. In 1894, James Lyle died at Sparta at the age of seventy-four years, serene in the knowledge that he had been a factor in the preservation of a great nation, and in the further knowledge of a life of better than three score and ten years well spent.
The education of William J. Lyle was acquired chiefly after his re- turn from the war, and then entirely by his own efforts. A man of ex- ceptionally bright mind and an inordinate desire for knowledge, he has always been a wide reader and a student of life from every point of view. While his actual book learning as a student in his youthful days was but meagre, he has by his own careful and well directed studies attained a knowledge and education that is of a high order.
After a career of several years in merchandising, in which time he succeeded to the business of Mr. Diekey, his brother-in-law, he directed his efforts in a new departure and became actively engaged in the livery and live stock business in Sparta in 1881. His mania for blooded horses was at last to be given expression, and for thirty years he conducted a breeding stable in conjunction with a well equipped livery, and he he- came the owner of many fine imported Percherons and standard bred stallions, as well as thoroughbred mules, and he has been in that time an important factor in improving the stock of mules and horses in Ran dolph county. After thirty years of life as a stock breeder he surren- dered active business life and has virtually retired from the field. In 1911 he made his first trip back to the land of his birth, and incidentally to visit Europe on a sightseeing tour and to study at first hand the social and economic conditions of the old world, in which he has always been deeply interested.
William J. Lyle married Miss Ellen Miller, a daughter of Andrew Miller, and she died July 12, 1887. Their children were: Charles, of Blair, Illinois; Millard, of Telluride, Colorado; James, of Sparta ; Dr. John D., of this review, and Harry, Ella and Martha, all of Sparta. I'n-
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til 1896 Mr. Lyle was an adherent to Republican principles, but at that time he was drawn by the "Free Silver" slogan to unite with the party who was then the exponent of that cause, and he has continued in har- mony with progressive Democracy since that time.
Dr. John D. Lyle was a student in the Sparta high school, about to be graduated with his elass, when he gave up school and, imitating the ex- amples of his father and grandfather, went in for army life. The war with Spain had just been concluded, and he, with many another young man, became fired with the desire to see our new possessions and to serve in the army, not alone as a matter of service, but for the experience and the wider fields of knowledge it opened up to him. Accordingly, in Sep- tember, 1899, he enlisted in Company 1. of the Forty-first United States Volunteer Infantry, with Colonel Richmond in command. His was the largest regiment ever recruited by the United States army and it was mobilized at Camp Meade, Pennsylvania, and sailed in November, 1899, from New York harbor for the Philippine Islands. In January, 1900, the regiment was distributed through the interior of Luzon, doing patrol duty, teaching the natives and in every way endeavoring to introduce the spirit of Americanism, nntil in May, 1901, when the command em- barked for home, completing the world's circuit at San Francisco on June 26th following. The regiment was mustered out at Presidio, July 3rd, and Dr. Lyle came directly home.
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