Album of genealogy and biograghy, Cook County, Illinois, 10th ed., Part 88

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 88

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 (link on the Part 1 page).

November 8, 1883, Mr. Orriny married Miss Ella, daughter of Peter and Anna Elizabeth (Brachi) Brust, of whom extended mention is made in this work. Mrs. Orriny was born July 16, 1861, at Clintonville, now South Elgin, Illinois. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Orriny are: Robert, aged thirteen years; Grace, aged nine years; and Walter, seven years of age. Since 1892 Mr. Orriny has resided at No. 7008 Rhodes Avenue. He is connected with Ashler Lodge No. 308, Masonic Order, of which lodge he is Steward. He belonged to Ringgold Lodge No. 385, Royal Arcanum, and is one of the charter members of Park Manor Lodge No.

597

JACOB WELKER.

1740, of the same order, of which he is Regent. He is also connected with America Lodge No. 48, Columbian Knights. Mr. Orriny was reared in the Episcopal Church, and still clings to the

religion of his fatliers. He is a man of liigli honor and much force of character. He is pos- sessed of a strong mind, and ready judgment and is deservedly popular among his associates.

JACOB WELKER.

ACOB WELKER. Of the early settlers of Chicago who lived long enough after locating in Chicago to secure a competence and a name that will never die, was Jacob Welker. He was born April 29, 1822, in Hessen-Darmsdat, Germany, and died in Chicago August 23, 1887. His remains were interred in Graceland Cemetery, and his loss was mourned by many friends. His mother died when he was still a very small boy, and his father died when Jacob was seven years of age.

His mother's maiden name was Hamscher. He was reared by his two sisters, Anna Marie and Eva, and emigrated from his native land in 1851, arriving in New York October 23. He was a cabinet-maker and worked at his trade in New York. In June, 1854, he came to Chicago and located on Canal Street, near Madison. He now gave attention to carpenter work and was eight years in the service of the Pitts Threshing Mach- ine Company. He then returned, after some time spent in contracting for building houses, to job work and was thus occupied until his death. He was a Republican and did much for the in- terest of his party, being zealous and outspoken in support of its principles.

Mr. Welker was married July 9, 1850, to Kath- arine Haster, a daughter of Frederick and Mag- dalena (Merke) Haster. Mrs. Welker was born in Hessen-Darmsdat. Frederick Haster was born December 12, 1805, and died July 14, 1875. He

never emigrated from his native land and followed the trade of a cabinet-maker. Mrs. Haster was born December 12, 1803, and died May 8, 1889. Her children were seven in number. Elizabeth married Mr. Welker as his first wife and Katha- rine was his second wife; Frederick married Dora Radiker and emigrated in 1851, and now resides in Manhattan, Kansas; Magdalena married Ed- mund Ernst Hoffman and they live at No. 212 Center Street, Chicago; Margarita married Mr. Kiebel; and Marie died at the age of eight years. Frederick William married Katharine Rink. He emigrated to America in 1860 and lives in Girard, Illinois. The paternal grandfather of Mrs. Wel- ker was the father of the following children: John Wendell, John, William, Jacob and Frederick. Her maternal grandfather, Frederick Merke, mar- ried Elizabeth Haster and their children were named Frederick and Magdalena.

Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Welker were the parents of seven children: Margarita was born January 8, 1851, and died November 11, 1853; Anna Marie was born January 23, 1853, and married Joseph Schweitzer, an architect, and lives at No. 204 Bissell Street. Her children are named Amelia, Frank and Albert; Wilhelmina was born June I, 1855, and married Julius Leon. He was a hard- ware merchant up to the time of his death. They resided, with their five children, at No. 139 Thomas Street, where the family is still located; Frederick was born April 28, 1857,

598

J. D. NICKEL.

and died April 4, 1879; Jacob was next in order of birth (further mention of whom appears on another page of this work); Amelia was born December 28, 1860, and was married April 14, 1883, to Albert Otto Froebe. He was born No- vember 17, 1845, and came to America in 1872. He was an upholsterer and was employed at Marshall Field & Company's store. His children are: Elsa, born February 3, 1884; Edith, Novem- ber 18, 1886; and Louise, April 15, 1894. The last-named is a twin, her sister who was born at the same time being dead; Frederick William

was born December 15, 1865, and married Louisa Bretschneider. He is a tinner and resides at No. 397 North Lincoln Street.

The widow of Jacob Welker lives with her daughter Amelia, at No. 851 Diversey Avenue. Mrs. Welker built a residence at this location in July, 1896. The first wife of Jacob Welker was Elizabeth Haster, to whom he was married Janu- ary 22, 1847. She was born November 17, 1826, and died April 12, 1849. . Their only child, Katharine, was born September 8, 1848, and died November 11, 1856.

JOHN D. NICKEL.

OHN DANIEL NICKEL. Many of the manufacturers who have helped in the growth of the business and commercial standing of the city of Chicago have been of for- eign birth. There is an unquestionable success ahead of the man who enters upon a citizenship in our Land of the Free, with a full determination to strive for it and to overcome all obstacles. Among those who have proven their ability to become known in the business as well as moral world, and to make a competence for himself and helpmate in their latter days, was the man whose name heads this article, John Daniel Nickel. He was of German parentage and birth, having been born January 17, 1831, in the village of Hainlein, Hessen-Darmsdat, Germany.

His father was also John Daniel Nickel, and a representative of a very old and wealthy family. J. D. Nickel, junior, died October 12, 1891, and his remains were interred in Waldheim Cemetery. He was isolated from the family of his father by his marriage to a young lady of poor but educa- ted parents. Her people were a line of instruct-

ors and highly respectable, but were barred from the circle occupied by Mr. Nickel's people by tlie barrier produced by wealth.

J. D. Nickel and his wife emigrated from their native land, hoping to succeed financially in foreign parts, and arrived in America in the fall of the year 1859. Mr. Nickel was acquainted with the trade of a brewer and obtained employ- ment with Mr. Herber, who was located in Chi- cago, 011 the West Side. After three years spent in the service of this inan, Mr. Nickel secured a position in the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific freight house, where he remained until 1867. He then started a manufactory at No. 244 Twenty- first Street. He was assisted by his wife and made goods out of woolens, which ingenious en- terprise proved very successful and he followed it until his death.

Mr. Nickel married February 26, 1859, Miss Anna Marie Hasselbaum, daughter of George and Anna Marie Hasselbaum, of Hainlein, Ger- inany. Mrs. Nickel was born August 7, 1839, and died January 26, 1886. Of the fourteen

599

FABIAN HOLMSTROM.

children born to Mr. and Mrs. Nickel but eight are in the land of the living. John Daniel, of the third generation of that name, was born in March, 1860, and died at the age of two years; Christina, born August 31, 1862, was married November 5, 1882, to Charles Rosenthal, who was born Octo- ber 7, 1857, in Germany. Mr. Rosenthal is a carriage painter and resides at No. 7205 Rhodes Avenue, Chicago. Anna Marie, born September 30, 1863, resides at No. 3236 Fifth Avenue, being the wife of Ditmar Rosenthal, who deals in milk; John Daniel, the second of the family by that name, was born February 16, 1865, and died January 24, 1878; Carolina, born December 23, 1867, died August 22, 1896; Jacob died at the age of two years, and Valentine died an infant;

Jacob, the second in his father's family who was given this name, was born September 16, 1869; he owns a milk depot at the corner of Eighteenth Street and Indiana Avenue; Emma, who was born November 4, 1871, married Oliver Hanson, a grocer, and resides in Evanston; Eliz- abeth, born April 10, 1873, married Archibald Hughes and resides at No. 127 Plymouth Court; Adolph was born September 30, 1875, and resides at No. 7251 Evans Avenue; he married, Septem- ber 16, 1897, Miss Hattie Hirst, and is employed on a milk route; George Christian, born November 30, 1876, resides in Passadena, California; Amanda was boru July 12, 1879; Theodore, who was born on the 28th of April, 1881, lived but three weeks.

FABIAN HOLMSTROM.

ABIAN HOLMSTROM. Among the men who have come from their native land and established themselves in America and proven representative citizens and model pa- triots is the man whose name heads this article. His name will be remembered as one of the geniuses of the nineteenth century, for though he is not a Yankee by birth, he has proven his ability to invent useful and necessary articles, for the use of the future generations. He was born August 15, 1839, in the village of Okurp, near the city of Wimmerby, Sweden. His parents were Peter and Margaret (Holmstrom), Nelson and it will be noticed that he took his mother's name.

Fabiau Holmstrom was the first of his father's family to emigrate from his native land, arriving in Chicago October 14, 1871. He was a cabinet- maker by trade, but did carpenter work of all kinds besides. The first work in Chicago that fell to his lot was in a jobbing shop, in the em-

ploy of a Mr. Iverson. For a short time he worked for English & Anderson and subsequent- ly secured the position of foremau for Oscar Johnson, for whom he erected three buildings. After seven months in the service of Hudson & Macklin, he spent four years in the employ of the Candia Car Company, at its shops at Hoyne and Blue Island Avenues, building cars. He worked one year for the McCormick Harvesting Machine Company and later for the Chicago City Railway Company, with whom he was employed twelve years. He left this company at one time during this period to work one year for L. C. Boynton, and while working for the last-mentioned man, invented and patented a folding bed. This was one of the best inventions of the kind ever put on the market.

After quitting the service of the City Railway Company Mr. Holmstrom assisted for eight months in the erection of the Gilmore building,

600

C. A. DELSING.

which is situated at the corner of Thirty-seventh Street and Lake Avenue. Since this time, for the past eight years, he has been employed at the Nickel Plate Railroad shops. He is a valued employe and his services are recognized in a practical way.

Mr. Holmstrom was married January 29, 1875, to Ida Charlotta Bonneveer, a daughter of Carl Otto and Marie (Ross) Bonneveer. Mrs. Holm- strom was born July 18, 1852, in the village of Clavere Stram, Sweden. Her father was born April 16, 1828, and resides at No. 2948 North Paulina Street, Chicago. Her mother was born January 1, 1818, in the state of Wexgar, Sweden, and died December 28, 1865. Carl O. Bonneveer is a hammersmith and came to America eleven years after his daughter, who arrived in 1869. The family was originally from France, the

great-grandfather emigrating and settling in Sweden.

The children of Mr. and Mrs. Holmstrom were as follows: Oscar Elmar, born December 20, 1875; Lydia Marie, born July 16, 1879, died August 9, 1881; Walter Elop, born July 6, 1882; Edwin Ludwig, November 16, 1884; Carl Theo- dore, March 5, 1889; and Edna Theodora, No- vember 9, 1891.

Though never engaged actively in politics, Mr. Holmstrom upholds the principles of the Repub- lican party and votes for its representatives at all times. He is a member of the Swedish Order of Nordstrernan and also the Swedish Society "Wasa," which societies he has been connected with the past eighteen years. He is a valued and influential member of the Swedish Mission Church of Grand Crossing.

CHARLES A. DELSING.

an employe of Armour & Company, has lived his entire life in Chicago and is a well- ) known and highly respected citizen. He was born August 25, 1858, on Catharine Street, near Union. For ancestry see article headed by the name of John S. Delsing, on another page of this work.

Charles A. Delsing attended the Foster and Mosby schools, finishing his education in common Schools at the age of fifteen years. His experience in the broad school of life has taught him much more than confinement in study of books could liave done and he has a much more practical edu- cation than can be found inside covers of philo- sophical treatises or the study of the classics. Mr. Delsing began at the age of fifteen years to learn the wood-carver's trade and was employed

HARLES AUGUST DELSING, who is now by Mr. Livingstone, who was located at the cor- ner of Carroll Avenue and Green Street, with whom he remained two years. He then went to Grand Crossing, where he entered the service of the Ellsworth Furniture Company, remaining thus occupied three years.

He then abandoned the wood-carving trade and began to occupy himself with millwrighting and carpenter work. He was employed in the city principally, and after two years entered the service of Armour & Company, in the capacity of carpenter, being with that concern at the present time. In 1894 Mr. Delsing erected a residence at No. 959 West Eighty-sixth Street and has since resided at this location. He was married July 21, 1881, to Miss Annie Beuttenmiller, a daughter of Edward Beuttenmiller, of Joliet, Ill- inois. Mrs. Delsing's parents were from Ger-

601

BEREND RITZEMA.

many, and she was born July 16, 1862, in Belvi- dere, Illinois. The only child of Mr. and Mrs. Delsing is named Carrie and lives at home with her parents.

Mr. Delsing is independent in his political

views and has never sought political office of any kind. He is a worthy, influential and conscient- tious man, of good breeding and refined charac- ter, a gentleman throughout. His is a pleasant, genial home, wherein peace reigns supreme.

BEREND RITZEMA.

EREND RITZEMA. There is a profitable field of labor in the gardening business for men who live near enough to the city of Chicago to participate in supplying the vast army of people with fresh vegetables for the table, or in growing hay for the thousands of horses within the limits. Among these wise and ambitious calculators is Berend Ritzema. He was born May 1, 1841, in the village of Wester-Emden, in the province of Groningen, in northern Holland. His parents were John and Jantje (Swaagman) Ritzema, of the same province.

His paternal grandfather was Klaas Ritzema, and his son, John, father of Berend Ritzema, was the only one of his children that survived. The maternal grandfather was Fokko Swaagman, the mother of Berend Ritzema being his only child. His father, John Ritzema, was born August 2, 1799, in Holland. He was the owner of some land, and was a tiller of the soil. His wife died November 21, 1847, when still a young woman. The children of Mr. and Mrs. John Ritzema are all residents of Holland except Berend, who is the third in order of birth. The others are named . Sipke, Fokko, Jan and Berendina. The eldest is the wife of Bernard Werkman.

Berend Ritzema was the only one of his father's family to immigrate to America, and landed in New York in May, 1868. He succeeded in reaching Chicago in June, and located at the cor-

ner of Erie and Noble Streets. He began at once dealing in straw for bed ticks, buying it from far- mers and selling in the city in bundles. After five years in this occupation, he dealt in apples and potatoes for some time.

September 14, 1875, he rented eighty acres of land located at Eighty-third Street and St. Lawrence Avenue. He has tilled the soil of this tract twenty-three years, and has developed his occupation from raising hay to general garden- ing.

Mr. Ritzema was married June 2, 1864, to Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas and Hilje (Wolt- huis) Sietsema. Mrs. Ritzema was born January 26, 1842, in Uithuizen, Holland. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Ritzema are five in number. Hilje was born August 15, 1865, and died July 18, 1895; she married Lawrence Zwart January 6, 1892; John was born November 18, 1867, and lives at home; Janthina Sipgalina was born July 4, 1870, and died June 1, 1872; Thomas was born January 18, 1873, and died March 2, 1880; Carl, who was born January 20, 1877, resides at lıome.

The paternal grandfather of Mrs. Ritzema was Hendrick Sietsema, who married Elizabeth West- erdyke. Their children were: Nicholas, Berndt, Jeltje, Zwaantje and Cornelia. He was a tiller of the soil in Holland. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Ritzema was John Wolthuis, and lie mar-

602

FREDERICK STANG.

ried Jakobje Dykhuis, and their children were: Hilje, Claus, Trintje and Thijs. Mr. Wolthuis was also a tiller of the soil.

Thomas Sietsema was born November 20, 1810, and died November 18, 1872. He came to America with Berend Ritzema. His wife was born September 9, 1815, and died February 16, 1895, and was buried at Forest Home Cemetery. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Sietsema were: Jacobje, Hendrick, Elizabeth, Jantje,

Cornelia, Klaasina, Zwantje, Tiezina and Nicho- las. Jacobje, Hendrick, Jantje, Zwantje and Nicholas are deceased.

Berend Ritzema and family are connected with the Dutch Reformed Church of Roseland, of whose congregation he is among the most influen- tial and respected. He was one of the first trus- tees of this organization. He is not a political agitator, but gives his allegiance and sympathies to the Republican party.

FREDERICK STANG.

REDERICK STANG became the father of a large family of children, who have become prominent and honored among their fellows in this vast and busy city of Chicago. He has joined the great majority, and there were many to mourn the loss at his death, of a inan of strong character and mind, one who left tender memor- ies of his sunny and genial nature behind him. He was born June 11, 1831, in the city of Wit- tenberg, Mecklenburg, Germany, a son of John and Marguerita Stang, and died in Chicago April 13, 1885.

Mr. Stang came to Chicago in 1852. For a number of years he served as coachman, and for twenty-five years was with the Washington Ice Company, serving seven years as foreman. This extended length of time spent in the interests of one employer shows of what stuff he was made, and proves that his ambition and sterling qual- ities of endurance were valued by the concern in whose interests he was employed. He was mar- ried in June, 1857, to Miss Fredericka Kucken- meister, daughter of Christopher and Greta Kuckenmeister. Mrs. Stang was born August 29, 1839, in Mietenhagen, Mecklenburg- Schwerin, Germany. She came to America in November, 1856. Her children by Mr. Stang

were thirteen in number. Charles is the oldest, for further mention of whom see biography on another page. Theodore, born May 4, 1860, is a teamster in Chicago. Minnie was born No- vember 4, 1861. She married Charles Buerger, a captain of the fire department, and they reside at No. 2631 Cottage Grove Avenue. Fredericka, born August 15, 1864, married Frank Schwartz and resides at No. 176 Ninety-second Street. Their only living child is named Fredericka.

Ida, born September 7, 1862, married Charles Martin, who is now deceased. She resides at No. 3240 Parnell Avenue, and her children were named: Frederick, Minnie, Caroline and Freda. Elizabeth, born January 19, 1872, married Will- iam Wright, who was a lieutenant in the fire de- partment. He died, and she now resides at No. 5641 Elizabeth Street. Henry, born July 28, 1872, died at the age of fourteen months. Han- nah, born January 1, 1863, married David B. Hampton, September 1, 1891, and lives at No. 3012 La Salle Street, her husband being an ex- pressman. They have two children: Myrtle, born July 17, 1892, and David, November 6, 1893. John, born October 26, 1872, lost his sight at the age of three months. He was placed in the Jacksonville Institute for the Blind at the age

603

A. H. BRINKMAN.

of ten years and was there until he graduated, June 4, 1892. He is a musician, being especially versed in playing the piano; is a member of the American Musicians' Union, and is kept busy with engagements, some of which take him out of the city. Frederick was born September 22, 1874, and resides with his mother. Christina was born June 25, 1876, and married Joseph Lang, a teamster, July 29, 1893. Their only

daughter, Lillian, died when six weeks old, and their son, Arthur, was born April 28, 1897. William, the next in order of the children of Frederick Stang, was born May 19, 1879, and Caroline, born April 22, 1881, died at the age of three months.

Mrs. Frederick Stang was married in Decem- ber, 1886, to Max Behrens, and resides on La Salle Street.

ALONZO H. BRINKMAN.

LONZO HENRY BRINKMAN was born January 23, 1855, in Old Mission, Grand Traverse County, Michigan, this being one of the oldest settled spots in that state. He is the son of Henry K. and Keziah H. Brinkman, who are still residents of Old Mission. H. K. Brinkman is a notary public and agent for Chicago commission merchants. He was born near Berlin, in Germany, in which country he was educated, and is a man of more than ordinary intelligence and ability. In the land of his nativity he learned the shoe-maker's trade, which he followed many years. He came to America when a young man and settled in New Orleans, where he followed his trade, as he did after re- moving to Old Mission, Michigan. He afterward became a tiller of the soil, but is now retired from active labor.

H. K. Brinkman was born of Catholic parents, but became insolated from the religion of his fore- fathers and interested in the Congregational Church. In the city in which he now resides he is influential in the society of that denomination and was a member of the choir for many years. He still has a very pleasant and refined voice, of which he made use to benefit his brothers and fellow-inen. He is among the highly honored and respected citizens of the city in which lie

makes his home, is a man of uncompromising honesty and fidelity, and, though blunt and out- spoken of manner, has a host of friends and is be- loved by all who know him.

Alonzo H. Brinkman was reared on a farm and his opportunities for obtaining an education were very limited. But he is a man of much energy and ambition, and has surmounted many difficulties. January 20, 1880, he was married to Miss Amanda Ferry, daughter of George and Hulda (Mather) Parmelee, who were natives of New England. George Parmelee was born in Claremont, New Hampshire, and Mrs. Par- melee at Utica, New York, where her family was among the honored and prominent ones. A. H. Brinkman taught school for some time and later located in Traverse City, where he was clerk in a grocery store, and subsequently became bookkeeper in a chair factory. He engaged in the fire insurance and also life insurance business.

In September, 1887, Mr. Brinkman came to Chicago and located in South Englewood, es- tablishing a business of. real estate and brokerage. He has continued successfully in the same enter- prise since that time and has invested largely in real estate and stocks.

Mr. Brinkman is a strong upholder of the principles of the Republican party and is very in-

604

G. L. NELSON.

fluential in local politics. He has been offered the nomination for offices, but has refused at all times, believing his duty lies in attending strictly to his business affairs, and is content in assisting others to gain offices coveted. Mr. Brinkman is

recognized as one of the most influential of the citizens of South Englewood, and his wife and helpmate has shown decided talent in a literary manner, her busy pen lending great pleasure to the reading public.

GUSTAV L. NELSON.

USTAV LEANDER NELSON. Among the wealthiest and most prominent of his nationality in the city of Chicago is Gustav Leander Nelson. He is a man with great busi- ness ability and born to lead in whatever he un- dertakes. In all his dealings he is most straight- forward and practical, at the same time a lenient and just person, respected and honored by all. Born September 6, 1847, on a farm, about four miles from Westervik, Sweden, his parents are Nels Gabriel and Caroline (Turn) Nelson.

His grandfather, Nels Gabriel Nelson, died in January, 1861, aged ninety-three years. The last three years of his life were spent without light, as he was blind, but he never so lost control of his other senses but that he could find his way very easily wherever he wished to go. He was the owner of the homestead where his son, father of the man whose name heads this article, now resides, as was his father before him. In fact, the land has been handed down from fathier to son for many generations. He was married three times but had children only by his first wife. They were as follows: Margaret, Lottie, Carrie, Nels Gabriel, Nels John, Helen and Fredericka. Of these children, Carrie came to the United States twenty years ago and is now residing in Oakland, Berks County, Nebraska.

Gabriel Nelson, brother of Nels Gabriel Nel- son, senior, was a sea captain and never married. He afterward located in London, England, and became a very prominent man. He was very

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Album of genealogy and biograghy, Cook County, Illinois, 10th ed., Part 88

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