Album of genealogy and biograghy, Cook County, Illinois, 10th ed., Part 8

Author: Calumet Book & Engraving Company, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Chicago, Calumet book & engraving co
Number of Pages: 916

USA > Illinois > Cook County > Album of genealogy and biograghy, Cook County, Illinois, 10th ed. > Part 8

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returned to Chicago and in the winter of 1863 went to Clinton, Iowa, and was employed on a bridge which was being made by the American Bridge Company. He then went to Quincy, Illinois, where he was fireman on an engine on the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Com- pany. After one year with that company he be- came hostler from Brookfield, Missouri, on the Hannibal & St. Joe Railroad. He held this po- sition one year, subsequent to which time he was engineer for that concern eleven years, and from 1867 to 1877; during this time, he was on a pas- senger engine. He returned to Chicago at the end of this time, and until the spring of 1880 was engineer for the Michigan Central Railroad Com- pany.

Entering the service of the Chicago City Rail- way Company, he was engineer on one of the

WILLIAM BAGNALL.

dummies that ran from Thirty-ninth Street, 011 Cottage Grove Avenue, into the city proper. Since 1887 he has had charge of the power liouse and has been chief engineer.

R. M. Johnson was married January 1, 1868, to Harriett Leslie, daughter of Thomas Fisher and Frances (Lewis) Barker. Mrs. Johnson was born May 13, 1848, at Walkersville, Missouri. Their one child is an adopted one, and her name

is Lottie May. Mr. Johnson is a member of the Masonic order, being identified with Cameron Chapter No. 67, and Vincil Lodge No. 63. He is a member of Robert Fulton Association No. 28, National Association of Stationary Engineers. Though never active in politics, he does not miss an opportunity to vote in favor of the Democratic party and is strong in his arguments for the up- holding of the party.

WILLIAM BAGNALL.

ILLIAM BAGNALL was born in 1831, in New Castle-Upon-Tyne, England. He was reared in his native town, obtaining a common-school education. He early learned the trade of carpenter and builder, serving an apprenticeship of six years.

In this he was engaged until nearly nineteen years of age and, in 1850, with two companions, he ran away from home, with a trip to Australia in view. Owing to financial straits incurred by the spending of too much money while in the city of Liverpool, they decided on emigrating to America. They took passage for New York on the sailing vessel, "Mary & John," and after a tempestuous voyage of seven weeks, the ship landed this small party in the American harbor. Mr. Bagnall was employed by one man for two years, at his trade, while in the city of New York. He was married about this time, while in this city, to Miss Hannah Tynd, in the early part of the year 1853. He removed shortly after, with his wife, to the city of Chicago, where he took up his trade on his own responsibility for some time.

This business not proving profitable, owing to the failure of a man for whom he erected a build- ing, he sought work at liis trade in Iowa, but not

finding a satisfactory location, he returned to Chicago. Eventually he took a trip to New York, from thence to Jersey City, and here es- stablished a business for himself, remaining until 1862. During this time he erected buildings for the Marion Building Association, in Marion, New Jersey.

In October, 1862, Mr. Bagnall was actively in- strumental in the organization of a company of men numbering one hundred and ten, succeeding in getting them together in three and one- half days, for the Civil War, which was then in progress. He marched with the company to Trenton, New Jersey, from which city they pro- ceeded to Washington, District of Columbia. This body of men was given the name of Com- pany B, Twenty-first New Jersey Infantry. Al- though he was tendered a captain's commission, Mr. Bagnall declined, owing to his lack of knowl- edge regarding military matters, and went into the ranks. The company went from Washing- ton to Frederick, Maryland, and became incor- porated in the Army of the Potomac at Baker- ville. It was affixed to the Sixth Army Corps, Third Brigade of the Second Division, and par- ticipated in many hard-fought engagements, among which a few are mentioned: Two days

WILLIAM BAGNALL.

battle at Antietam and three days battle of Fredericksburg, under Burnside, after which came the event known to all soldiers who par- ticipated in the same as "Burnside's Mad March." This company then fought in the battle of Chancellorsville, the corps taking Mary's·Heights, and in the fight of three days' length, Colonel Van Houten was killed, and Captain Kendall of the company lost a leg. Orderly Sergeant Hathaway was one of the number of men who were lost in this battle.

The next battle participated in by this company was at Gettysburg, in Pennsylvania, in which many were killed, Mr. Bagnall receiving a severe wound through a musket ball entering his left leg. At Chancellorsville he was wounded by a saber, in the hands of a rebel soldier, thrust into his right shoulder, at his third refusal to sur- render. Three comrades and himself were sepa- rated from the command and one was killed, but only eight of the assailants escaped, however. After the siege at Gettysburg, Mr. Bagnall was in hospital from the results of the bullet wound in his leg, and at his return to duty was assigned a position on private duty as assistant, serving as such during the remainder of the war. At Boonesborough Mr. Bagnall fell ill and upon asking for food at a farm house, was given the same and was not allowed to pay anything for it. The farmer told him that General Lee had mustered four of his sons into service, and if Mr. Bagnall was to come across any of them and do them a favor, the debt would be considered cancelled. At Fredericksburg, Mary- land, he saw a young man that resembled the farmer in feature, and when he called him by the same name (Redding), he found him to be the only living one of the sons, the rest having been killed. Mr. Bagnall suggested a plan for the re- lease of the young man, and before his return home from the war he received a letter from Mr. Redding, senior, which contained the thanks of the father and a cordial invitation to Mr. Bagnall to make them an extended visit to their home.

At Fredericksburg a rebel sharpshooter was lodged in a tree, dealing death in the shape of sure-aimed bullets to the Union soldiers, and Mr.

Bagnall was requested by his division com- mander, General Howe, to station himself in a position to shoot the rebel. He received fire three times, one shot clipping a lock of his hair. He then caught a glimpse of the man, and after one shot from his weapon, quiet reigned in the vicinity of the said tree. He was an ex- pert shot and at Fredericksburg, when his corps was about to storm Mary's Heights, he saw a rebel sharpshooter aiming and making ready to fire on General Howe. Not having time to secure his gun, he called sharply to the general, causing the latter to start suddenly, thereby changing his position and the bullet whizzed past, the life of the general having been saved by Mr. Bagnall's prompt action.

Mr. Bagnall was discharged at the close of the war at Trenton, New Jersey, after serving three years and nine months in the cause of the right. He returned to his business as carpenter and builder at Jersey City, following the same until the year 1872, when he removed to Chicago and en- tered the commission business on South Water Street. He was successfully engaged in the same for a period of eighteen years, and in 1890 he established a business, with his son, William, in the manufacture of cigars, continuing in the business up to the present date and making a financial success. The name of the firm was originally Bagnall & Company, but was later changed to Bagnall, Diaz & Company. A very extensive business is conducted in the city and the same is represented in other cities by travel- ing salesmen. Previous to the insurrection in Cuba, the firm purchased largely of Cuban tobacco, and has made a specialty in high-grade work on choice brands of tobacco.

Mr. Bagnall is a member of General George A. Custer Post, Grand Army of the Republic, in which he is post surgeon, which position he has filled for many years. To Mr. Bagnall were born three children: William J .; Annie, now Mrs. Frederick Wetherel, of Memphis, Ten- nessee; and one daughter who died in New Jer- sey, aged eight years. Mr. Bagnall is a son of James and Abigail (Hughes) Bagnall, the former a native of England and the latter of Irish de-

PHILIP KROECK.

scent. The remotest of the ancestors which can be traced of the family of Mr. Bagnall came from Normandy to England, with William the Con- queror. Sir William Bagnall, a member of the English peerage, was a direct descendant of that noted general.

James Bagnall was a son of James Bagnall, senior, and Belle Bagnall. James Bagnall, junior, was a traveling buyer for a dry-goods house and died at the age of forty years, when his son, William, was ten years of age. Mrs. James Bagnall, mother of the man whose name

heads this article, immigrated to America and died in Jersey City. The family of Hughes was from the northern part of England, and the men were tillers of the soil.

William Bagnall has proven himself a stanch Republican and has, since his majority was reaclied, taken a vast interest in the principles of the party and of all public matters. In Jersey City he was judge of election seven terms. He has acted the part of a just man at the polls and is recognized as a worthy and highly honored citizen.

PHILIP KROECK.

HILIP KROECK, an old soldier and pio- leer of Chicago, is a native of Guesell, Hessen-Darmsdat, Germany. He was born May 10, 1837, and is a son of John and Kathe- rine Elizabeth (Rinn) Kroeck. John Kroeck was a tiller of the soil and the father of Jacob, Louis and Philip Kroeck. In 1861, on April 14, John Kroeck, with his family, sailed for the United States on the steamer "Brahmen," and landed in New York May I. On the sixth the family arrived at Chicago and John Kroeck died here May 18, 1863, and Mrs. Kroeck, his beloved wife, died March 12, 1889. January 24, 1867, Louis, the second son of John Kroeck, died also.

Philip Kroeck, the man whose name heads this article, was educated in the common schools of his native land and after leaving school learned the trade of a cigar-maker, serving a three years' apprenticeship. At the age of twenty-one years he joined the Second Regiment of Infantry of Hessen-Darmsdat, and served three years. After coming to Chicago he worked at his trade in the employ of Beck & Worth, who were located at No. 14 South Clark Street. He was thus em-

ployed until August 8, 1862. On the event of Lincoln's second call for troops he enlisted August 8, 1862, in Scripps Guard and participated in many engagements. After the fall of Gettys- burg they spent much time looking after guerril- las. He was under General McPherson for some time, and after his death he was under General Howard. Mr. Kroeck never flinched in the time of danger and was valued as a well-trained soldier and a man with a cool head. He was never wounded nor taken prisoner and was mus- tered out at Washington, May 18, 1865.

After leaving the army Mr. Kroeck returned to Chicago and accepted a position with Beck & Worth, who were then located at No. 95 Water Street. He continued in the service of this con- cern until they went out of the cigar business. He subsequently became employed by Heller & Mower, on Madison Street, and after one year occupied thus, he started in business for himself at No. 401 North Clark Street, where he built up a profitable trade. He was burned out by the great fire of 1871, losing all his possessions or, to use one of Mr. Kroeck's expressions on the sub-

J. F. JOHNSON.

ject, "Everything was burned except my debts." After the fire he continued his former business on the West Side, locating at No. 360 West Twelfth street, and remained there until May, 1872, when he returned to the North Side.

He opened at No. 753 Wells Street and was lo- cated at this number for some years. In 1876 he started a saloon at the corner of Wells Street and Lincoln Avenue and continued a profitable busi- ness until 1884, when he built his present busi- ness block and continued his former business until 1890 and since that time has lived in comparative retirement. Mr. Kroeck voted for Lincoln while he was in Georgia and has since that time sup- ported the Republican party. He is a member of

the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and also the Knights of Pythias.

February 4, 1866, Mr. Kroeck was married to Miss Marie Tiegler, who was born in Germany. Their children are: Katherine, who is the wife of Henry Wagner; Carl and Marie. Mr. and Mrs. Kroeck were married by that old and vener- able member of the ministry, Dr. Hartman, and has attended the church wherein this worthy man preached, since the date of his marriage. Mrs. Kroeck passed out of this life July 16, 1896. She was mourned by many friends as well as doubly missed by her relatives. Her memory is held in deepest respect by all who came in contact with her genial nature.

JOHN F. JOHNSON.

OHN FREDERICK JOHNSON, who was one of the first men connected with the Chi- cago City Railway Company, rose from a mere clerical position to the one of great respon- sibility which he now holds. He has succeeded through his own energies and merits this and much more. He was born December 17, 1838, in Niles, Michigan. For ancestry, see biography of F. M. Johnson, on another page of this volume.

Mr. Johnson was educated in Niles, Michigan, attending school until he reached the age of six- teen years. October 1, 1854, he obtained a posi- tion in the Michigan Central Railroad freight office, remaining until 1862. For a short time subsequently he was employed with John Berry, and in 1863 he entered the freight office of the Michigan Southern Railroad Company, changing later to the service of the Merchants' Union Ex- press Company until 1868, when he was employed by the American Express Company. December

of the year 1869 he became clerk for the Chicago City Railway Company, and after seven years in that capacity was six years treasurer and secre- tary. Since 1881 he has been in the president's office as assistant auditor and fills the position to the complete satisfaction of all interested.

He has proven in all circumstances a compe- tent, energetic and trustworthy man and has gained the admiration of all who have come in contact with his fresh, genial mind, whether in one surrounding or another.

Mr. and Mrs. Johnson are the parents of two children, who have done credit to the rear- ing they received and to the family name, which has never known a tarnish. Frank Rollo was born December 2, 1862, in Harris Township, Elkhart County, Indiana. More extended 110- tice of him appears elsewhere in this volume. Ernest Mortimer was born March 23, 1866, and has also space on another page of this volume.

HENRY ACKHOFF.

Though never an office seeker, Mr. Johnson is interested very deeply in the welfare of the Dem- ocratic party, in whose interest he casts a vote at all favorable opportunities. He is a member of the Royal Arcanum.

Mr. Johnson erected a residence at No. 5817

Wabash Avenue in the spring of 1882. This was the first house in the locality, and the nearest house to it at that time was on State Street. The family is one of the well-known and honored ones of the community, and each member is a credit to the neighborhood in which they reside.

HENRY ACKHOFF.

ENRY ACKHOFF, who is now living re- tired, is a member of a very old and pio- neer Germany family. He was born in Hanover, Germany, November 14, 1830, and is a son of Claus Eckhoff, which was the original spelling of the name, but was changed by Isaac Cook, when he was a member of the legislature.

Claus Eckhoff was twice married, Henry being of the first family. His mother died when Henry was a small boy and subsequent to his father's second marriage, the family, then including three children, started in June, 1834, from Bremen, in a sailing ship, and landed in New York in Au- gust of the same year. The father was a farmer by occupation and was an old soldier, having fought in the Battle of Waterloo. Mr. Eckhoff was possessed of some means and on his arrival in the United States his objective point was Texas, but not getting his just dues from land sold in his native country, he was obliged to locate in Chicago.

The family spent one year in New York State, during which time Mr. C. Eckhoff visited Georgia, remaining there the entire winter. In the summer of 1835 he went to Pennsylvania, where he remained one year, and came to Chicago in 1836. His first work was on the old canal, and in the summer of 1837 he cut a large quan- tity of hay for Mr. Gage. He was a few years superintendent of the Brunster Reservation, and early in 1844 purchased eighty acres of that land, which was in Niles Township and was heavily

timbered, and later bought forty acres of prairie land, now in Jefferson Township, from the gov- ernment at one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. He moved his family to this location the same year and cleared a fine farm, where he built a residence and lived the remainder of his days, dying in 1874, at the age of seventy-nine years, six months and sixteen days. He was a Democrat previous to 1856, but at the formation of the Republican party became an upholder of its principles. His wife survived him until 1893.

The children of Claus Eckhoff were six in number. John and Henry were the offspring of the first wife, and the former served until the close of the Civil War in Company K, Eighty- ninth Illinois Volunteer Infantry. He is now deceased. Caroline, wife of C. Seegers; George J., deceased; Katharine, deceased, and two that died in infancy were children of his second wife.

Henry Ackhoff enjoyed but limited educational advantages, having attended a school but about two months. Since the extremely youthful age of eight years he has been self-sustaining. While he was at home, on winter evenings, a Mr. Bartlett, an instructor, taught him the rudiments of an education and whatever else he learned he got by untiring devotion to books without the aid of anyone. He is in the truest sense of the expression a "self-made man." While still a small boy he worked for Mr. Cook and until the age of twenty, subsequent to this time, he worked for his father. At the age of twenty he paid one

NICHOLAS SCHNITZIUS.

hundred fifty dollars for the privilege of embark- ing on the sea of life for his own interests. He immediately engaged in the enterprise of buying and selling wood, produce and grain of all kinds, and was very successful. He had much talent for business and was a natural trader.

At the age of twenty-two years he engaged as fireman on the Chicago & North-western Rail- way, the Galena division. In 1855, having ac- quired some knowledge of the carpenter's trade, he began contracting for building and erected a residence on Halsted Street, where he conducted a boarding house. This was a success financially and he began investing in real estate, but the crash of 1857 nearly ruined him. In 1861 he started a catering establishment at the corner of Halsted Street and Milwaukee Avenue. In 1862 he purchased land at Nos. 208 and 210 North Halsted Street and erected a double house for a tenement. In 1865 he started a grocery store at the northwest corner of Halsted Street and Milwaukee Avenue, which he conducted profitably several years. He sold out in 1880 and retired from business.

Mr. Ackhoff has been engaged in political matters to some extent. In 1866 he was elected alderman for the Eleventh Ward, now the Seventeenth Ward. In 1869-70 he was super- visor for the town of West Chicago, and from

1885 to 1889 was superintendent of the North- west Postal Station, during the first administra- tion of President Cleveland. His first presidential vote was cast in favor of Franklin Pierce, and he supported the candidates of the Democratic party up to the time of the election of President Mc- Kinley. In local politics Mr. Ackhoff does not strictly adhere to any party, but casts his vote for the man who, according to his opinion, is best fitted to serve the people. He has always taken a commendable interest in the affairs of the country and his home city.

Mr. Ackhoff is a member of Stephen A. Doug- lass Council No. 66, National Union, and Fort Dearborn Lodge No. 214, Independent Order of Odd Fellows.

In 1852 he married Mary Seegert, a native of Germany. Of the six children born to Mr. and Mrs. Ackhoff two are deceased. Those still in the land of the living are: Henry W., Louise, Mary and Charles F. The mother died in 1872. Mr. Ackhoff is a man of strong convictions, and on all occasions has the courage of his convic- tions. He is as fearless in his advocacy of right as he is in his denunciation of wrong. In his dealings he is strictly honorable and in the legitimate channels of trade has won success, and is spending the evening of his life in the enjoy- ment of a handsome competence.

NICHOLAS SCHNITZIUS.

2 ICHOLAS SCHNITZIUS is a very old set- tler of Chicago and has been engaged in the cooperage business several years. He was born in Mosal, Prussia, September 19, 1833, and is a son of Mathias and Katherine Schnitzius, both of whom died in their native land, she in 1842 and he in 1893. Mathias Schnitzius was nearly ninety years of age at the time of liis de- cease. Nicholas Schnitzius came of a very old

German stock, his ancestors having been German as far back as is traced to-day.

He was educated in the schools of his native town and assisted his father in the cultivation of the farm and growing grapes and making wine. He was thus occupied until he reached the age of eighteen years, when he began to learn the trade of a cooper, serving an apprenticeship of three years. In the fall of the year 1854 he left the

J. S. SYMONS.

Fatherland and embarked from Antwerp in a sailing vessel bound for New York. After ten weeks spent on the ocean he was landed and went directly to Ontario, Canada, arriving at the sus- pension bridge on Christmas day.

For five months he worked at his chosen trade in the village of Chippewa, which is five miles from Niagara Falls. From this locality he re- moved to Merrittsville, where he remained two years. In August of the year 1857 he came west to Chicago and worked two years for a brick mason, for the small salary of seventy-five cents per day. He went to Evansville, Indiana, and worked in that town two years, after which period he returned to Chicago. At this time the West Side was being built up to some extent and for some years he was employed to work in that section of the city. In 1881, however, he estab- lished a business for himself on Burling Street, and two years later purchased property at Nos. 803 and 805 North Halsted Street, and built a

shop for his own use. At this place he carried on a profitable business and it is still increasing.

Mr. Schnitzius has visited his native land three times, once in 1871, again in 1872, and returned there in 1893, when his father died. He is still in possession of the old homestead in the Father- land. He is a sympathizer with the principles of the Democratic party but has never sought favor from the public in the form of an office.

August 28, 1858, he was married to Miss Angeline Klein, a native of the same town as himself, in Germany. Of the four children born to Mr. and Mrs. Schnitzius but two are still in the land of the living, Martin and Fritz. The latter is a druggist in Austin, Illinois. Mr. Schnitzius is a highly respected and valuable member of the Roman Catholic Church. He was a comparatively poor man when he came to America and deserves much credit for his perse- verance and success, which came to him entirely through his own efforts.

JAMES S. SYMONS.

AMES STORMS SYMONS. Among the most enterprising and energetic of the busi- ness men of the city of Chicago, and one of the most prominent citizens of Brookline, is James Storms Symons. He was born January 17, 1860, in Lockport, Illinois, and is a son of Alexander Symons. For further mention of his ancestors see biography of Alexander Symons in this work.

J. S. Symons attended school in Woodlawn and also at the Cornell School, but left school at the age of fifteen years to enter the world of experi- ence and labor. He began to learn the trade of painting with John L. Storms, and after five years with him entered the Wilson Sewing Ma- chine factory at Grand Grossing. He occupied a position in the ornamenting room one year, and was two years in the trimming room. He

was subsequently employed by different people at painting, and was three years with the Michi- gan Central Railroad Company, doing special painting. He spent some time working as jour- neyman, and then began to contract for his own interests and is thus employed at the present time, being associated with J. B. Storms. His work has always given complete satisfaction, and he is looked upon by all as an honest, upright man in all matters pertaining to business or social prin- ciples.

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Album of genealogy and biograghy, Cook County, Illinois, 10th ed., Part 8

Author: Calumet Book & Engraving Company, Chicago, pub Publication date: 1898 Publisher: Chicago, Calumet book & engraving co Number of Pages: 916

Author: Calumet Book & Engraving Company, Chicago, pub
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Chicago, Calumet book & engraving co
Number of Pages: 916