Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, 19th ed., Part 7

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

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April 25, 1853, at Troy, New York, Mr. Pierce was united in marriage with Miss Ann Elizabeth, daughter of Gilbert Curtis Bristol. Mrs. Pierce was born in Columbia County, New York. After his marriage, Mr. Pierce removed, with his wife, to Rutland, Vermont, where they remained two years. In March, of the year 1855, Mr. Pierce moved west, and was soon em- ployed by the Chicago & North-western Railway Company, as engineer, and his wife followed in the July succeeding. He was one of the first engineers of the now important system, and ran the first passenger train into Harvard Junction. After remaining in the employ of this company until 1861, he located on a farm near Belvidere, abandoning the same after a few months. He then entered the employ of the Western Union Railroad Company and had charge of its shops at Savanna, Illinois, for a period of four and one-half years. He again entered the service of the Chicago & North-western Railway Company, and for two years ran a steamboat for it on Lake Superior,

after which he was on one of the stock trains of the company, remaining with the same until March, 1873. He was large in stature and of fine personality, exemplary in his life and habits. On the outbreak of the Rebellion he offered his services to the Union cause, but was rejected by the medical examiner. He was a member of the Masonic order, having attained to the degree of Knight Templar, and his remains were interred with Masonic honors. Mr. Pierce was a strong, athletic man. On one occasion, while engineer on the Chicago & North-western Railway, hesaw a man lying on the track, fast asleep. Unable to stop the train he rushed forward and taking a secure position on the cow-catcher he reached forward and, with one hand, threw the man from the track and thus saved his life.

He then purchased an interest in a flour mill at Harvard Junction, which interest he retained four years. After he sold this interest he was a number of years engineer in the Air Line Ele- vator near the North-western depot, in Chicago, until the year 1893. He lived to the venerable age of seventy years, and died August 19, 1897, three days after his birthday anniversary. Mr. and Mrs. Pierce were blessed with four children, three of whom died when infants. The only surviving child, Jennie Irene, married Henry Millard. She is a musician of recognized ability, being able to instruct in the art, as well as a very fine singer. She has a daughter, Marion, who has inherited her mother's musical talents in a marked degree, and is a vocalist of a high order.

Mrs. Pierce's parents were Gilbert Curtis and Ursula Elizabeth (Loomis) Bristol. The family was of English origin, and Mrs. Pierce was born in Columbia County, New York. Her grand- father was Israel Bristol, and he was married to Anna Blinn.

Franklin Pierce was a Whig at the time of the existence of that party, and afterward a Repub- lican. He was a prosperous as well as a worthy man, and was beloved by all who knew him, and mourned by his family and friends at his death. His name will long be remembered, and his deeds of kindness and thoughtfulness to his fel- low-creatures were not in vain.

ISAAC SCHAFFNER.

there in 1848, unmarried. Moses removed, a short time later, to Warsaw, Ohio, where he re- sided twenty-two years, before he came to Chica- go. Here he established himself in business and died about ten years since. He married Miss Fannie Joseph, and their children are named: Minnie H., Abraham J., Nettie J., Hannah R. and Morris. One child, Harvey N., is deceased. The family is residing at No. 459 Forty-fifth Street. I ISAAC SCHAFFNER, who is a dealer in located in Reedsburg, Ohio, and Lazarus died cigars in the city of Chicago, comes of a good old German stock, whose descendants have been kuown in Germany from time far back in history. Mr. Schaffner has adopted for his country the Land of the Free, and is as loyal to it as he is to the memory of his native Fatherland. Nothing can erase the coun- try of the Rhine from his mind and at the same time he labors in the interest of the free United States. He was born March 23, 1832, in the village of Eppelsheim, Hessen-Darmsdat, Ger- many, and his parents were Abraham and Mary (Hart) Schaffner.

The paternal grandfather of Isaac Schaffner was Nathan Schaffner, and his children were named Moses and Abraham. The maternal grandfather, Henry Hart, had eleven daugliters and two sons. Abraham Schaffner died in 1857, at the age of seventy-five years. He was a dealer in horses, cattle and grain. His widow died in 1865, at the age of seventy-five years. The chil- dren of Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Schaffner were named as follows: Nathan, Michael, Yetta, Solo- mon, Jacob, Lazarus, Lena, Moses, Isaac and Barbara.

Solomon Schaffuer was the first of his father's family to emigrate from their native land, and arrived in America in 1839. He located in Man- chester, Ohio, and later removed to Cleveland. He settled in Chicago in 1871, and died here in 1883. He married Henriette Schwab, who sur- vived until 1894. Their children were named: Joseph, Nathan, Caroline, Henry, Abraham, Rachel and Clarence.

Lazarus and Moses were the next of the family to come to America, arriving in 1845. They

Isaac, Michael and the sister, Yetta, were the next to come to America, and reached New York in September, 1847. They located in Reedsburg, Ohio. Michael remained two years and then changed his location to Richland County, Ohio, and still later to Summit County, and conducted a store at Randolpli until 1877, when he died. He married Mollie Hahn, and their children were: Abraham, Henry, Nathan and Fyetta.

Yetta, sister to Isaac Schaffner, married Nathan Becker, having removed to Cleveland, Ohio. They located in Warsaw and subsequently re- moved to Chicago, where she died in October, 1895. Her children were named: Rachel, Viola and Abraham G., the latter now residing at No. 5132 East End Avenue. The father, Nathan Becker, resides with his daughter, Rachel, at No. 4911 Grand Boulevard.

Nathan, another of the sons of Abraham Schaffner, came to America in 1864, and located immediately in Chicago. He conducted a meat market, and married Hannah Baum. Their children were named: Herman, Bertha, Yetta, Simon, Solomon, Lena, Ida, Paulina and Ada. Yetta, Simon and Ida are the only ones living at the present writing, Simon residing at No. 307

J. L. UBELLAR.

Claremont Avenue. Nathan Schaffner died No- vember 14, 1892. His wife died September 28, 1890.

After Isaac Schaffner had lived in Reedsburg, Ohio, two years. he went to Cleveland, Ohio, where he remained two years. He was a clerk there and subsequently a commercial traveler two years. He then located in Warsaw, Ohio, and opened a general merchandise store at that place. He went into business with his brother, Moses, the firm name being Schaffner Brothers. They conducted the business from 1855 until 1875 and then sold out to Clark & Bucklin. On his arrival in Chicago, in 1875, Mr. Schaffner dealt in horses one year. He then went to work for Hart Brothers two years, and was subse- quently in the fur business three years. He was in the bank of Henman, Schaffner & Company until the year 1893, when he started in the cigar business. He is doing a brokerage business, and has made a success from the start to the present day.

Mr. Schaffner built a residence at No. 6613 Michigan Avenue in 1892. He married Miss YVetta Hecht, daughter of Joseph and Caroline (Schwab) Hecht, August 2, 1868. Mrs. Schaff-

mer was born May 9, 1842, in the village of

Weimerschmitten, Bavaria, Germany, and came to America in 1862. Her brother, David Hecht, emigrated from his native land in 1855 and lo- cated in Cleveland, Ohio, and died in California August 12, 1883. He was born August 17, 1840. He conducted a business in Cleveland and in St. Marys, California. He was married, but had 110 children. Mrs. Schaffner's paternal grandparents were David and Rebecca Hecht. Their children were: Abraham, Alexander, Matilda, · Esther, Caroline, Rosa, Sarah, Emanuel, Simon, Joseph and Herman.

Mrs. Schaffner's mother died in 1886, at the age of seventy-five years. Her children were: Caroline, Solomon, Moses, Alexander, Henry, Yetta, Lena and Rachel.

The children of Mr. and Mrs. Isaac Schaffner are: Albert, David Hecht, Maud Violet and Erma. Mr. Schaffner was made a Mason in Warsaw Lodge No. 255, and served as senior warden. He never cared particularly to hold public office, but occupied the position of treas- urer of the local township where he resided for one terin. He votes and argues in favor of the principles of the Democratic party.

JAMES L. UBELLAR.

AMES LINCOLN UBELLAR. Among the in contact. He attended school in Chicago until youngest and most prominent of prac- ticing dentists in the city of Chicago wlio has a promising future before him, is James L. Ubellar. He was born March 12, 1866, at No. 753 West Lake Street, Chicago. For ancestry see biography of C. G. Ubellar, in this work.

James L. Ubellar received an ample education and is a highly refined and intelligent man, of good standing among those of his profession and hield in deep regard by all with whom lie comes

he reached the age of twelve years, after which time he was at school in Kankakee, Illinois. He later attended the business college of Bryant & Stratton three months. He began a course in the Chicago College of Dental Surgery in 1887, finishing the course March 25, 1890. In Sep- tember, 1889, he took a state examination and at once entered upon the practice of his profession. He is now a member of the faculty of Union Dental College of Chicago.

ALEXANDER SYMONS.

Mr. Ubellar was married March 5, 1885, to Miss Jennie Louise, daughter of William H. and Jane (Lee) Hamilton. Mrs. Ubellar was born in New York. Mr. Ubellar is a Mason, being affiliated with Englewood Lodge. He is a Royal Arch Mason, having taken the degrees in Kan- kakee Chapter, and is a member of Ivanhoe Commandery No. 33, Knights Templar, of

Kankakee, Illinois. He is one of the Modern Woodmen of America, and he, with his wife, is connected with the Eastern Star Lodge of Kan- kakee. Mr. Ubellar is not actively engaged in politics, but is in sympathy with the principles of the Republican party. He is one of the rising young men of the present day, and his value is recognized generally by the public and his friends.

ALEXANDER SYMONS.

A LEXANDER SYMONS. Among the en- terprising citizens of our United States, and those who gain a name for themselves among the people of the country they adopt, many are of foreign birth and immigrate to the Land of the Free for the purpose of taking advantage of its opportunities, which are not equalled in any other country on the globe. Though we boast inhabitants of all races, the most sturdy and ener- getic of all are those of Scotch lineage. Of this people of the Highlands who located in the great metropolis of the west, Alexander Symons is one of the most respected and highly honored. He was born December 20, 1828, in the town of Rothiemay, Banffshire, Scotland, and is a son of James and Margaret (Block) Symons.

John Symons, father of James Symons and grandfather of the man whose name heads this article, served in the English army, and died in 1809, aged about thirty-five years. He married Anna Currie, and their only children were James and John. The maternal grandfather of Alexan- der Symons, John Watt, was the father of Alex- ander, John, Margaret and some other children, of whom record cannot now be obtained.

James Symons was born June 20, 1800, in Banffshire, Scotland. He died in June, 1876, and his remains were interred at Rothiemay, Scotland. He was a stone mason and worked as a journey-

man and contractor. The mother of Alexander and the first wife of James Symons died when thirty-five years of age, Alexander being her only child. James Symons married for his second wife Jane McRobbie, and their children were: Annie (William, who died at the age of twenty- two years), John, James, Isabel, Jane, George and Robert. Annie, Jane, John and James came to America, but returned again to their native land.

Alexander Symons was the first of his father's family to emigrate from Scotland, and reached Illinois in November, 1857. He located in Lock- port, on a farm near the town of that name, and for seven years worked in the interests of another man, receiving a salary. In the spring of the year 1865 he removed to Grand Crossing and purchased two and one-half acres of land border- ing on Langley Avenue, Seventy-fourth Street and Champlain Avenue. He built a residence at this time, and in 1895 erected his present resi- dence at No. 7410 Langley Avenue. From 1864 to 1873 Mr. Symons was employed at Oakwoods Cemetery and was then given charge of the Paul Cornell School building, being in the same posi- tion at the present writing.

Mr. Symons took for his life partner, on April 9, 1859, Miss Jane Storms, daughter of James Storms (for further mention of the ancestry of Mrs. Jane (Storms) Symons, see biography of

ANTON TEMPEL.

James Storms, on another page of this work). Mrs. Symons was born February 12, 1836, i11 Urquhart, Murrayshire, Scotland. The children of Mr. and Mrs. Symons are five in number, two having died while still very young. James Storms, the eldest, resides at No. 7424 Langley Avenue and follows the occupation of painter; John resides in West Pullman, at the corner of One Hundred Twenty-first Street and Emer-

ald Avenue; Annie married James A. Martin, a clerk in the South Town Assessor's office, and resides at No. 7425 Champlain Avenue; Alexan- der, who is a carpenter, and Margaret are at home with their parents.

Mr. and Mrs. Symons are among the valued and influential members of the Ingleside Method- ist Episcopal Church, and he upholds the politi- cal principles of the Republican party.

ANTON TEMPEL.

NTON TEMPEL, now living retired at his pleasant home, No. 1022 North Hal- sted Street, is an old resident of Chicago. He was born May 2, 1830, in Steinheim, Prov- ince of Westphalia, Prussia. He received his education in the public schools of his native place, after which he served four years' apprentice- ship at cabinet-making, at which he worked un- til he emigrated to America. In the spring of 1852 he sailed from Hamburg on the "Marquis of Queensbury," an English vessel, and after nearly eight weeks on the voyage he was landed at New York. On his arrival he spent about two years in New York and Connecticut, working at his trade. In the spring of 1854 he was joined at New York by his brothers, William and Christian Tempel, and all three continued west to Chicago. After one year at carpenter work he opened a small fruit store at the corner of Sherman and Van Buren Streets. He continued three years at this location and then removed to North Clark Street and continued in the same business. Early in the year 1861 Mr. Tempel removed to St. Louis, Missouri, and there estab- lished a fruit and grocery business. He served for a short time in the Missouri militia, during the Civil War, but owing to poor health was obliged to secure a substitute. He spent a year

in New Orleans previous to the war. He lived in the city of St. Louis seven years, and on his return to Chicago opened a store 011 Twelfth Street. In 1873 he removed to South Water Street and continued in the commission business until 1881, when he retired from active business life to enjoy a much-needed and well-earned rest. During his business career he was successful in all his undertakings, being naturally of an ener- getic character and bound to profit by his efforts.

Though he never held public office, Mr. Tempel voted for the representatives of the Democratic party, believing that this was the most worthy of handling the affairs of the nation. Mr. Tempel married, in 1861, Miss Katherine Kohle, a native of Prussia. Mrs. Tempel, who had proved her- self a very worthy helpmate and a noble wife, passed beyond the border in March, 1895. Mr. Tempel is a very valuable and prominent member of the Roman Catholic Church.

Franz Tempel, the father of Anton, was a bookbinder by occupation and a man of consider- able education and prominence. He served as a soldier in the Prussian army and fought against Napoleon. He was twice married. His first wife was Mary Stidl, by whom he had two sons, Anton, whose name introduces this article, and William, whose biography appears on another

PHILIP KUSSEL.

page of this work. After the death of his first wife he married Elizabeth Lamers. To this union seven children were born, namely: Christian; Clements, who was a soldier in the Union army, and lost his life in the Civil War; Julius, Frank, Jolın; Elizabeth, wife of a Mr. Bebee of Chicago;

and Mary, deceased. The mother of this family died in Prussia in 1866, and the following year Anton visited his native land, and when lie re- turned brought with him his father and the re- maining members of the family. Franz Tempel died in Chicago in 1869.

PHILIP KUSSEL.

212 HILIP KUSSEL. This gentleman, a retired wholesale grocery merchant of Chicago, is a prominent representative of those German- American citizens who have achieved success by industry, good judgment and legitimate business methods. Of a lithe physical constitution, active mind, vivacious disposition and perfect suavity of manner, he has always enjoyed the esteem of many friends. His success in life has been in a great measure due to these qualities.

Mr. Kussel was born November 11, 1827, near Bingen on the Rhine, Germany, the city made famous by an eminent English author in that beautiful poem entitled "Bingen on the Rhine." He is the eldest son of John and Soplie (Schmuck) Kussel, natives of that section of Germany. By occupation his father was a tiller of the soil and a baker. As he grew up he received a good pri- mary education in the place of his nativity, after- ward supplementing this by a commercial course, and completing this at a comparatively early age. When about fifteen years of age he entered an apprenticeship in the mercantile business at Bin- gen and served four years. He remained a year after the term of his apprenticeship had expired, filling the position of clerk and receiving a salary.

During the troublous period of 1848, when a national revolution was attempted, he found it difficult to procure a satisfactory position, and thinking the opportunities for promotion, or to rise through his own individual efforts, were not

good, he determined to cast his lot with the people of the New World. Accordingly, he took passage June 9 of that year on a sailing vessel at Havre, bound for the United States, and thirty days later arrived in New York, where, according to previous arrangement, he was to meet a friend coming over in another vessel from the Old Country. Although his friend set sail at the same time, he was a month later in finislı- ing the voyage. After his arrival they remained in New York City about four weeks, hoping to find employment there, but failed. The friend, in despair, abandoned the hope of finding a posi- tion as clerk and decided to learn the baker's trade, while Mr. Kussel remained, still deter- mined to search longer for a position in the iner- cantile line or return to Germany, having brought money with him for that emergency.

At length he too was about to succumb to de- spair, when lie was advised by the German so- ciety to go farther west. Accordingly he started, with the intention of locating in Cleveland, Ohio. On his way he stopped a few days in Albany and also in Rochester, New York, and on his arrival in Buffalo, in August, he was so favorably im- pressed with the appearance of that place and with its business outlook that he decided to locate there. He spent two months in that city, devoting most of his time to the study of the English language, under the instruction of a private tutor, and in this time his progress was

PHILIP KUSSEL.

so great that he could converse in English to some extent. He obtained a position as clerk il a small grocery store and attended night school for a period of two months, after which he coll- tinued in the same position and in the evenings instructed his employer's children in the German language.

After seven months he obtained a more satis- factory position in a larger store on Main Street and was employed there for fifteen months. On the expiration of this time he secured a position in a grocery and general store as bookkeeper and confidential clerk. Desiring to see more of the country, he decided to go farther west, but as there were no railroads west of Buffalo at that time, the trip had to be made by steamboat, and as navigation was not yet open, he was detained in the city, during which time he was employed in assisting to compile the city directory. The work was being done by the publishing house of Jewett, Thomas & Company, who were also pub- lishers of the Commercial Advertiser and were wholesale dealers in stationery and printers' sup- plies. On completion of the directory work the firm gave him a position as salesman in their stationery and printers' material department.

In 1852, when he desired to see the west, tlie firm suggested that he carry their samples and solicit orders for them, and should he fail in find- ing a suitable place to locate, he should continue in their employ. Remaining in the service of the company he returned to Buffalo. The next year he again went west to Chicago, with the same understanding as on the former trip. On his arrival in the city he was more favorably im- pressed with the place, and decided to remain. Here he was employed for six months by Allan Vane & Company, a commission firm on South Water Street. Meanwhile lie became acquainted with Gage & Haines on South Water Street, who afterward did him a favor by recommending him as worthy of credit. While in the employ of Allan Vane & Company lie made the acquaint- ance of Fred Fischer, of the firm of Satterley, Cook & Company, wholesale grocers, and fre- quently spent his evenings in their office. These associations doubtless assisted him to decide as

to his future avocation. Having informed Mr. Fischer of liis intention of starting a grocery business, that gentleman gave him every encour- agement and sold him his first bill of goods. He had saved up a few hundred dollars with which, through the recommendation of Allan Vane & Company and Gage & Haines, he was enabled to buy a well-assorted stock of goods.

About this time lie was joined by his brother, Christian, and they opened a grocery store on West Madison Street, under the firm name of Kussel Brothers. From the start the business prospered even beyond their expectations and they made money rapidly. Two years later they opened another store, at the corner of Randolph and Clinton Streets, and conducted the two stores one year. They then rented a store building at No. 236 East Randolph Street and began a jobbing trade. Christian Kussel conducted the store at the corner of Clinton Street, while Philip Kussel attended to that on East Randolph Street. The business grew so rapidly that two years later they removed to No. 208 East Randolph Street. At this time they were carrying a stock of about sixty thousand dollars. The next year they re- moved to No. 191 South Water Street, and con- fined their operations to the wholesale trade.

June 9, 1866, the store was consumed by fire and they suffered a total loss. They wound up their business, intending to resume operations again in the same building. Rebuilding was con- siderably delayed and the next autumn they bought out Bennett & Gregory, wholesale gro- cers, at No. 58 South Water Street; but in one year they found their business had outgrown the capacity of their space accommodations and bought out Boynton & Leek, at the northeast corner of South Water Street and Michigan Ave- nue, where they had a very large establishment for that day, in fact one of the most complete of the kind in the city. They continued business at this location until May, 1871, when they re- moved to No. 97 South Water Street, but while en- gaged liere, in October following, the great con- flagration caused them a heavy loss. Immedi- ately after that fire they opened temporarily 011 Canal Street.

R. M. JOHNSON.

Purchasing a lot at No. 135-137 South Water Street, they built the house which now stands there, and in October, 1872, moved into it. They continued there until May, 1887, when, owing to the failing health of the senior partner, they closed business and rented the store; and since that time both brothers have lived retired.

In his political views, Philip Kussel was in early life a Whig and since the dissolution of that party he has been steadily a Republican, and has always kept himself well informed on the questions of the day. His taste, as well as the nature of his business, has always forbidden a position in public office. Since retiring from trade he has spent nearly two years in his native land and has also traveled extensively in the United States.

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Album of genealogy and biography, Cook County, Illinois, 19th ed., Part 7

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

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